1998 CHEVROLET BLAZER trailer

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when
you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re
a good
deal longer, you’ll need to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before
you can return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then, to move the trailer to the left, just move that hand
to the left. To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly and, if
possible, have someone guide you.
Making Turns
NOTICE:
Making very sharp turns while trailering could
cause the trailer
to come in contact with the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have extra
wiring and
a heavy-duty turn signal flasher (included in
the optional trailering package).
The arrows
on your instrument panel will flash
whenever
you signal a turn or lane change. Properly
hooked up, the trailer lamps will also flash, telling other
drivers you’re about to turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on your instrument
panel will flash for turns even if the bulbs on the trailer
are burned
out. Thus, you may think drivers behind you
are seeing your signal when they are not. It’s important
to check occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs are
still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade. If
you don’t shift
down,
you might have to use your brakes so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
When you’re turning with
a trailer, make wider turns than
normal.
Do this so your trailer won’t strike soft shoulders,
curbs, road signs, trees
or other objects. Avoid jerky or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well
in advance. On
a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your
speed
to around 45 mph (70 kmh) to reduce the
possibility of engine and transmission overheating.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If you have an automatic transmission, you should use
DRIVE
(D) when towing a trailer. Operating your
vehicle in DRIVE (D) when towing a trailer will
minimize heat buildup and extend the life
of your
transmission. Or, if
you have a manual transmission,
it’s better not to use
FIFTH (5) gear, just drive in
FOURTH
(4) gear (or, as you need to, a lower gear).
When towing at high altitude on steep uphill grades,
consider the following: Engine coolant will boil at a
lower temperature than at normal altitudes. If
you turn
your engine off immediately after towing at high altitude
on steep uphill grades, your vehicle may show signs
similar to engine overheating.
To avoid this, let the
engine run while parked (preferably
on level ground)
with the automatic transmission in PARK (P) (or the
manual transmission out
of gear and the parking brake
applied) for a few minutes before turning the engine
off.
If you do get the overheat warning, see “Engine
Overheating” in the Index.
Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached,
on a hill. If something goes wrong, your rig
could start
to move. People can be injured, and both
your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged. But if you ever have
to park your rig
on a hill, here’s
how
to do it:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
PARK
(P) yet, or into gear for a manual
transmission. Then turn your wheels into the curb if
facing downhill or into traffic if facing uphill.
Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your
parking brake, and then shift into PARK (P), or
REVERSE
(R) for a manual transmission.
If
you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle with a
manual transfer case shift lever, be sure the transfer
case is
in a drive gear -- not in NEUTRAL (N).
Release the regular brakes.
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
0 Start your engine;
0 Shift into a gear; and
0 R.elease the parking brake.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling
a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important
in trailer
operation are automatic transmission fluid (don’t
overfill), engine oil, axle lubricant, belt, cooling system
and brake adjustment. Each
of these is covered in this
manual, and the Index will help
you find them quickly.
If
you’re trailering, it’s a good idea to review these
sections before you start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Trailer Wiring H-T--- ess
The light duty trailer wir is a six-wire harness
assembly. The optional heavy-duty trailer wiring
is an
eight-wire harness assembly. The harnesses are stored under the vehicle, along the passenger-side frame
crossmember on two-door vehicles or on the driver’s side
corner frame rear crossmember on four-door vehicles. The
heavy-duty trailer wiring has a 30-amp feed wire with
an
inline fuse located by the junction block. See
“Fuses and Circuit Breakers” in the Index. Both
harnesses have
no connector and should be wired by a
qualified electrical technician. The technician
can use
the following color code chart when connecting the
wiring harness to your trailer.
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Dark Blue: Use for electric trailer brakes or
auxiliary wiring.
Red: Use for battery charging; it connects to the
starter solenoid (eight-wire harness only).
Light Green: Back-up lamps (eight-wire
harness only).
Brown: Taillamps and parking lamps. Yellow: Left stoplamp and turn signal.
Dark Green: Right stoplamp and turn signal.
White (Heavy Gage): Ground wire.
White (Light Gage): Auxiliary stoplamp.
Securely attach the harness to the trailer, then tape or
strap
it to your vehicle’s frame rail. Be sure you leave
it loose enough
so the wiring doesn’t bend or break,
but not
so loose that it drags on the ground. Store the
harness in its original place. Wrap the harness together
and tie it neatly
so it won’t be damaged.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
If you get the overheat warning but see or hear no
steam, the problem may not be too serious. Sometimes
the engine can get a little too hot when you:
Climb a long hill on a hot day.
Stop after high-speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
0 Tow a trailer. See “Driving on Grades” in the Index.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute
or so:
1. Turn off your air conditioner.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window
as necessary,
3. If you’re in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while
driving
-- DRIVE (D) or THIRD (3) for
automatic transmissions. If you no
longer have
the overheat warning, you can
drive. Just
to be safe, drive slower for about 10 minutes.
If the warning doesn’t come back on, you can
drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there’s still no sign
of steam, push the accelerator until
the engine speed
is about twice as fast as normal idle
speed. Bring the engine speed back to normal idle speed
after two or three minutes. Now see if the warning stops.
But then,
if you still have the warning, turn ofSthe
engine
and get everyone out of the vehicle until it
cools down.
You may decide not to
lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 8. Then replace the pressure cap. At any time during
this procedure if coolant begins to flow out of the
filler neck, reinstall the pressure cap. Be sure the
arrows on the pressure cap line
up like this.
Engine Fan Noise
This vehicle has a clutched engine cooling fan. When
the clutch is engaged, the fan spins faster
to provide
more air to cool the engine.
In most everyday driving
conditions, the clutch is not engaged. This improves fuel
economy and reduces fan noise. Under heavy vehicle
loading, trailer towing and/or high outside temperatures,
the fan speed increases when the clutch engages.
So you
may hear an increase
in fan noise. This is normal and
should
not be mistaken as the transmission slipping or
making extra shifts. It is merely the cooling system
functioning properly. The fan will slow down when
additional cooling is
not required and the
clutch disengages.
You may also hear this fan noise when you start the
engine. It will go away
as the fan clutch disengages.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine As shown in the chart, SAE 5W-30 is best for your
vehicle. However, you can use
SAE 1OW-30 if it’s going
to be 0” F (- 18 O C) or above. These numbers on an oil
container show its viscosity, or thickness.
Do not use
other viscosity oils, such
as SAE 20W-50.
NOTICE:
Use only engine oil with the American Petroleum
Institute Certified For Gasoline Engines
“Starburst” symbol. Failure to use the
recommended
oil can result in engine damage not
covered by your warranty.
GM Goodwrench@ oil meets all the requirements for
your vehicle.
If you are in an area where the temperature falls below
-20°F (-29”C), consider using either an SAE 5W-30
synthetic oil or an
SAE OW-30 oil. Both will provide
easier cold starting and better protection for your engine
at extremely low temperatures.
Engine Oil Additives
Don’t add anything to your oil. Your dealer is ready to
advise
if you think something should be added.
When to Change Engine Oil
If any one of these is true for you, use the short tripkity
maintenance schedule:
0 Most trips are less than 5 to 10 miles (8 to 16 km).
This is particularly important when outside
temperatures are below freezing.
driving in stop-and-go traffic).
frequently.
your vehicle.
or other commercial application.
0 Most trips include extensive idling (such as frequent
0 You operate your vehicle in dusty areas or off-road
0 You frequently tow a trailer or uSe a carrier on top of
0 The vehicle is used for delivery service, police, taxi
Driving under these conditions causes engine oil to
break down sooner. If any one of these is true for your
vehicle, then you need to change your oil and filter
every
3,000 miles (5 000 km) or 3 months -- whichever
occurs first.
If none of them is true, use the long triphighway
maintenance schedule. Change the oil and filter
every
7,500 miles (12 500 km) or 12 months -- whichever
occurs first. Driving a vehicle with
a fully warmed
engine under highway conditions causes engine oil to
break down slower.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Operating the engine with the air cleaner off can
cause you or others to be burned. The
air cleaner
not only cleans the air, it stops flame
if the engine
backfires.
If it isn’t there, and the engine
backfires, you could be burned. Don’t drive with
it
off, and be careful working on the engine with
the air cleaner
off.
NOTICE:
If the air cleaner is off, a backfire can cause a
damaging engine fire. And, dirt can easily get
into your engine, which will damage it. Always
have the
air cleaner in place when you’re driving.
Automatic Transmission Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transmission fluid
level is when the engine oil is changed.
Change both the fluid and filter every
15,000 miles
(25 000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one
or more of these conditions:
0 In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
0 In hilly or mountainous terrain.
0 When doing frequent trailer towing.
Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery service.
If you do not
use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, change the fluid and filter every
50,000 miles (83 000 km).
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services” in the Index.
regularly
reaches
90°F (32” C) or higher.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you
may choose to have this done at your GM dealership
Service Department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the instructions
here, or you could get a false reading on the dipstick.
NOTICE:
~ Too much or too little fluid can damage your
transmission.
Too much can mean that some of
the fluid could come out and fall on hot engine
parts
or exhaust system parts, starting a fire. Be
sure to get an accurate reading if you check your
transmission fluid.
Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the
transmission fluid level
if you have been driving:
When outside temperatures are above 90°F (32°C).
At high speed for quite a while.
In heavy traffic -- especially in hot weather.
0 While pulling a trailer.
To get the right reading, the fluid should be at
normal operating temperature, which is
180°F to 200°F
(82” C to 93 “C). See “Checking Transmission Fluid
Hot”
in the Index.
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