1998 CHEVROLET BLAZER Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ’
A CAUTION:
On manual transmission vehicles, turning the key
to
LOCK will lock the steering column and result
in
a loss of ability to steer the vehicle. This could
cause
a collision. If you need to turn the engine
off while the vehicle is moving, turn the key only
to
OFF. Don’t press the key release button while
the vehicle
is moving.
I NOTICE:
If your key seems stuck in LOCK and you can’t
turn it, be sure you are using the correct key; if
so, is it all the way in? If it is, then turn the
steering wheel left and right while you turn the
key
hard. But turn the key only with your hand.
Using
a tool to force it could break the key or the
ignition switch.
If none of this works, then your
vehicle needs service.
Key Release Button
The kev cannot be removed ,
from the ignition of manual
transmission vehicles
unless the key release
To remove the key on manual transmission vehicles,
turn the key to OFF. Then turn the key to LOCK while
pressing the key release button down at the same time.
Pull the key straight out.
On automatic transmission vehicles, turn the key to
LOCK and pull it straight out.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Retained Accessory Power
Your vehicle is equipped with a Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) feature which will allow certain features
of your vehicle to continue to work up to
20 minutes
after the ignition key is turned to
OW.
Your radio, power windows, sunroof and overhead
console
will work when the ignition key is in RUN or
ACCESSORY. Once the key is turned from
RUN to
OFF, these features will continue to work for up to
20 minutes or until a door is opened.
Starting Your Engine
Automatic Transmission
Move your shift lever to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N).
Your engine won’t start in any other position -- that’s a
safety feature.
To restart when you’re already moving,
use NEUTRAL
(N) only.
NOTICE:
Don’t try to shift to PARK (P) if your vehicle is
moving.
If you do, you could damage the
transmission. Shift to PARK
(P) only when your
vehicle is stopped.
Manual Transmission
The gear selector should be in NEUTRAL (N) and the
parking brake engaged. Hold the clutch pedal to the
floor and start the engine. Your vehicle won’t start
if the
clutch pedal
is not all the way down -- that’s a
safety feature.
1. Without pushing the accelerator pedal, turn your
ignition key to START. When the engine
starts, let
go of the key. The idle speed will go down as your
engine gets warm.
NOTICE:
Holding your key in START for longer than
15 seconds at a time will cause your battery to be
drained much sooner. And the excessive heat can
damage your starter motor.
2. If it doesn’t start right away, hold your key in
START. If it doesn’t start in 10 seconds, push the
accelerator pedal all the way down for five more
seconds, unless it starts sooner.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 3. If your engine still won’t start (or starts but then
stops), wait
15 seconds and start over.
When the engine starts, let go of the key and
the
accelerator pedal.
NOTICE:
Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle.
If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the way
the engine operates. Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your dealer.
If you don’t,
your engine might not perform properly.
If you ever have to have your vehicle towed, see,
the part
of this manual that tells how to do it
without damaging your vehicle. See “Towing
Your Vehicle” in the Index.
Engine Coolant Heater (If Equipped)
In very cold weather, 0°F (- 1 SOC) or colder, the engine
coolant heater can help. You’ll get easier starting and
better fuel economy during engine warm-up. Usually,
the coolant heater should be plugged in a minimum of
four hours prior to starting your vehicle.
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord. The
cord is located
on the driver’s side of the engine
compartment, behind the underhood fuse block.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 1 10-volt AC outlet.
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock. Also, the wrong
kind
of extension cord could overheat and cause
a fire.
You could be seriously injured. Plug the
cord into
a properly grounded three-prong
110-volt
AC outlet. If the cord won’t reach, use a
heavy-duty three-prong extension cord rated for
at least
15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and store
the cord as it was before to keep it away from moving
engine parts. If you don’t,
it could be damaged.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind
of oil you have, and some other things. Instead of
trying to list everything here,
we ask that you contact
your dealer in the area where you’ll be parking your
vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice for that
particular area.
Automatic Transmission Operation
Your automatic transmission may have a shift lever
located on the console between the seats
or on the
steering column.
There
are several different positions for your shift lever.
If your vehicle is equipped with a column shift lever, it
features an electronic shift position indicator within the
instrument cluster. This display must be powered
anytime the shift lever is capable
of being moved out of
PARK (P). This means that if your key is in OFF, but
not locked, there will be
a small current drain on your
battery which could discharge your battery over a period
of time. If you need to leave your key in the ignition in
OFF for an extended period, it is recommended that you
disconnect the battery cable from the battery to prevent
discharging your battery. PARK
(P): This
locks your rear wheels. It’s the best
position to use when you start your engine because your
vehicle can’t move easily.
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever is
not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Don’t leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You
or others could be injured. To be sure your
vehicle won’t move, even when you’re on
fairly
level ground, always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to PARK
(P).
See “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in the Index. If
you’re pulling a trailer, see “Towing a nailer’’ in
the Index.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Ensure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) range
before starting the engine. Your vehicle has
a
Brake-Transmission Shift Interlock (BTSI). You have to
fully apply your regular brakes before you
can shift
from PARK
(P) when the ignition key is in RUN. If you
cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on the shift
lever
-- push the shift lever all the way into PARK (P)
(press the button in on the console shift lever) as you
maintain brake application. Then move the shift lever
into the gear
you wish. See “Shifting Out of PARK (P)”
in the Index.
REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
NOTICE:
Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle
is moving forward could damage your
transmission. Shift
to REVERSE (R) only after
your vehicle is stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out
of snow,
ice or sand without damaging your transmission, see
“Stuck: In Sand,
Mud, Ice or Snow” in the Index. NEUTRAL
(N): In this position,
your engine doesn’t
connect with the wheels.
To restart when you’re already
moving, use NEUTRAL
(N) only.
Shifting out of PARK
(P) or NEUTRAL (N) while
your engine is “racing” (running at high speed) is
dangerous. Unless your foot
is firmly on the
brake pedal, your vehicle could move very
rapidly. You could lose control and hit people or
objects. Don’t shift out of PARK
(P) or
NEUTRAL
(N) while your engine is racing.
NOTICE:
Damage to your transmission caused by shifting
out of PARK
(P) or NEUTRAL (N) with the
engine racing isn’t covered by your warranty.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine DRIVE (D): This position is for normal driving. If you
need more power for passing, and you’re:
@ Going less than about 35 mph (55 km/h), push your
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator
pedal about halfway down.
accelerator all the way down.
You’ll shift down to the next gear and have more power.
DRTVE @) should not be used when towing a trailer,
carrying a heavy load, driving on steep hills, or for
off-road driving. Select
THIRD (3) when operating the
vehicle under
any of these conditions.
THIRD (3): This position is also used for normal
driving, however it offers more power and lower fuel
economy than DRIVE (D). You should use THIRD
(3)
when towing a trailer, carrying a heavy load, driving on
steep hills or winding roads or for off-road driving.
SECOND (2): This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy
than THIRD (3). You can use
SECOND
(2) on hills. It can help control your speed as
you go down steep mountain roads, but then you would
also want to
use your brakes off and on.
You
can alS0 use SECOND (2) for starting your vehicle
from a stop on slippery road surfaces.
FIRST (1): This position gives you even more power
(but lower fuel economy) than SECOND
(2). You can
use it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the
selector lever is put in FIRST
(1) while the vehicle is
moving forward, the transmission won’t shift into
FIRST
(1) until the vehicle is going slowly enough.
NOTICE:
If your rear wheels can’t rotate, don’t try to
drive. This might happen if you were stuck in
very deep sand or
mud or were up against a solid
object.
You could damage your transmission.
Also, if you stop when going uphill, don’t hold your
vehicle there with only the accelerator
pedal. This
could overheat and damage the transmission. Use
your brakes or shift into PARK (P) to hold your
vehicle in position on
a hill.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Manual Transmission Operation
5-Speed
I
This is your shift pattern.
Here’s how to operate your transmission:
FIRST (1): Press the clutch pedal and shift into
FIRST (1). Then, slowly let up on the clutch pedal as
you press the accelerator pedal.
You can shift into FIRST
(1) when you’re going less
than
20 mph (30 kdh). If you’ve come to a complete
stop and it’s hard to shift into FIRST
(I), put the shift
lever
in NEUTRAL (N) and let up on the clutch. Press
the clutch pedal back down. Then shift into FIRST
( 1).
SECOND (2): Press the clutch pedal as you let up on
the accelerator pedal and shift into
SECOND (2). Then, slowly let up
on the clutch pedal as you press the
accelerator pedal.
THIRD, FOURTH AND FIFTH (3,4 and 5): Shift
into THIRD
(3), FOURTH (4) and FIFTH (5) the same
way you do for SECOND
(2). Slowly let up on the
clutch pedal
as you press the accelerator pedal.
To stop, let up on the accelerator pedal and press the brake
pedal. Just before the vehicle stops, press the clutch pedal
and the brake pedal, and shift to NEUTRAL (N).
NEUTRAL (N): Use this position when you start or
idle your engine.
REVERSE (R): To back up, press the clutch pedal, wait
about
six seconds, then shift into REVERSE (R). Then
let up on the clutch pedal slowly while pressing the
accelerator pedal.
I NOTICE:
Shift to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle is
stopped. Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your
vehicle is moving could damage your transmission.
Use REVERSE (R), along with the parking brake, for
parking your vehicle.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Shift Light
A
SHIFT
If you have a manual
transmission, you have
a
SHIFT light.
This light will show you when to shift to the next higher
gear for best fuel economy.
When this light comes on, you can shift to the next
higher gear if weather, road and traffic conditions let
you.
For the best fuel economy, accelerate slowly and
shift when
e light comes on.
While you accelerate, it is normal for the light to go
on
and off if you quickly change the position of the
accelerator. Ignore the SHIFT light when you downshift.
I ' A CAUTION: I
If you skip more than one gear when you
downshift, you could lose control
of your vehicle.
And you could injure yourself or others. Don't shift down more than one gear when you downshift.
If your vehicle has four-wheel drive and is equipped
with a manual transmission, disregard the shift light
when the transfer case is in
4LO.
Parking Brake
To set the parking brake, hold the regular brake pedal
down with your right foot. Push down the parking brake
pedal with your left foot.
If the ignition is on, the brake
system warning light will come on.
To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down.
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