1998 CHEVROLET BLAZER lock

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Driving Guidelines
This multipurpose passenger vehicle is defined as a
utility vehicle in Consumer Information Regulations
issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) of the United States
Department of Transportation. Utility vehicles have
higher ground clearance and a narrower track to make
them capable of performing in a wide variety of off-road
applications. Specific design characteristics give them a
higher center of gravity than ordinary cars. An
advantage of the higher ground clearance is a better
view of the road allowing you to anticipate problems.
They are not designed for cornering at the same speeds
as conventional two-wheel-drive vehicles any more than
low-slung sports cars are designed to perform
satisfactorily under off-road conditions. If at all
possible, avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers. As with
other vehicles of this type, failure to operate this vehicle
correctly may result in loss of control or
vehicle rollover.
Off-Road Driving with Your GM
Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicle
This off-road guide is for vehicles that have
four-wheel drive.
Also, see “Anti-Lock Brakes’’
in the Index.
If your vehicle doesn’t have four-wheel drive, you
shouldn’t drive off-road unless you’re
on a level,
solid surface.
Off-road driving can be great
fun. But it does have some
definite hazards. The greatest of these is the terrain itself. \
“Off-roading” means you’ve left the great North
American road system behind. Traffic lanes aren’t
marked. Curves aren’t banked. There are no road signs.
Surfaces can
be slippery, rough, uphill or downhill. In
short, you’ve gone right back to nature.
Off-road driving involves some new skills. And that’s
why it’s very important that you read this guide. You’ll
find many driving tips and suggestions. These will help
make your off-road driving safer and more enjoyable.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Environmental Concerns
Off-road driving can provide wholesome and satisfying
recreation. However, it also raises environmental
concerns.
GM recognizes these concerns and urges
every off-roader to follow these basic rules for
protecting the environment:
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Always use established trails, roads and areas that
have been specially set aside for public off-road
recreational driving;
obey all posted regulations.
Avoid any driving practice that could damage the
environment
-- shrubs, flowers, trees, grasses -- or
disturb wildlife (this includes wheel-spinning,
breaking down trees or unnecessary driving through
streams or over soft ground).
Always carry
a litter bag . . . make sure all refuse is
removed from any campsite before leaving.
Take extreme care with open fires (where permitted),
camp stoves and lanterns.
Never park your vehicle over dry grass or other combustible materials that could catch fire from the
heat
of the vehicle’s exhaust system.
Traveling to Remote Areas
It makes sense to plan your trip, especially when going
to a remote area. Know the terrain and plan your route.
You are much less likely to get bad surprises. Get
accurate maps of trails and terrain. Try to learn of any
blocked
or closed roads.
It’s also a good idea to travel with at least
one other
vehicle. If something happens to
one of them, the other
can help quickly.
Does your vehicle have a winch? If
so, be sure to read
the winch instructions. In a remote area, a winch can
be
handy if you get stuck. But you’ll want to know how to
use it properly.
Getting Familiar with Off-Road Driving
It’s a good idea to practice in an area that’s safe and
close to home before you
go into the wilderness.
Off-road driving does require some new and different
driving skills. Here’s what we mean.
Tune your senses to different kinds of signals. Your
eyes, for example, need
to constantly sweep the terrain
for unexpected obstacles. Your ears need to listen for
unusual tire or engine sounds. With your arms, hands,
feet and body, you’ll need to respond to vibrations and
vehicle bounce.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Approaching a Hill
When you approach a hill, you need to decide if it’s one
of those hills that’s just too steep to climb, descend or
cross. Steepness can be hard to judge. On a very small
hill, for example, there may be a smooth, constant
incline with only a small change
in elevation where you
can easily see all the way to the top. On a large hill, the
incline may get steeper as you near the top, but you may
not see this because the crest
of the hill is hidden by
bushes, grass or shrubs.
Here are some other things to consider as you approach
a hill.
Is there a constant incline, or does the hill get sharply
steeper
in places?
surface cause tire slipping?
0 Is there good traction on the hillside, or will the
Is there a straight path up or down the hill so you
won’t have
to make turning maneuvers?
path (boulders, trees, logs or ruts)?
Are there obstructions on the hill that can block your
0 What’s beyond the hill? Is there a cliff, an
embankment, a drop-off,
a fence? Get out and walk
the hill if you don’t know. It’s the smart way to
find out.
Is the hill simply too rough? Steep hills often have
ruts, gullies, troughs and exposed rocks because they
are more susceptible to the effects of erosion.
Driving Uphill
Once you decide you can safely drive up the hill, you
need to take some special steps.
0 Use a low gear and get a firm grip on the
steering wheel.
Get a smooth start up the hill and try to maintain
your speed. Don’t use more power than you need,
because you don’t want your wheels to start spinning
or sliding.
Try to drive straight up the hill if at all possible. If
the path twists and turns, you might want to find
another route.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 0 If your engine has stopped running, you’ll need to
restart it. With the brake pedal depressed and the
parking brake still applied, shift the transmission to
PARK
(P) (or, shift to NEUTRAL (N) if your
vehicle has a manual transmission) and restart the
engine. Then, shift to REVERSE (R), release the
parking brake, and slowly back down the hill as straight as possible in REVERSE
(R).
As you are backing down the hill, put your left hand
on the steering wheel at the 12 o’clock position. This
way, you’ll be able to tell if your wheels are straight
and maneuver as
you back down. It’s best that you
back down the hill with your wheels straight rather
than in the left or right direction. Turning the wheel
too far to the left or right will increase the possibility
of a rollover.
Here are some things you
must not do if you stall,
or are about to stall, when going up a hill.
Never attempt to prevent a stall by shifting into
NEUTRAL (N) (or depressing the clutch, if you
have a manual transmission) to “rev-up” the engine
and regain forward momentum. This won’t work.
Your vehicle will roll backwards very quickly and
you could go out of control. Instead,
apply the regular brake to stop the vehicle. Then
apply the parking brake. Shift to REVERSE (R), release
the parking brake, and slowly back straight down.
Never attempt to turn around if you are about to stall
when going up
a hill. If the hill is steep enough to
stall your vehicle, it’s steep enough
to cause you to
roll over if you turn around. If you can’t make it up
the hill, you must back straight down the
hill.
&= Suppose, after stalling, I try to back down the
hill and decide
I just can’t do it. What should
I do?
A: Set the parking brake, put your transmission
in PARK (P) (or the manual transmission in
FIRST
(1)) and turn off the engine. Leave the
vehicle and go get some help. Exit on the uphill
side and stay clear
of the path the vehicle would
take if
it rolled downhill.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine [: .......................................... m --===l
What’s the worst time for this? “Wet ice.” Very cold
snow or ice can be slick and hard to drive
on. But wet
ice can be even more trouble because it may offer the
least traction of all. You can get wet ice when it’s about
freezing
(32” F; OOC) and freezing rain begins to fall.
Try to avoid driving on wet ice until salt and sand crews
can get there. Whatever the condition
-- smooth ice, packed, blowing
or loose snow
-- drive with caution.
Accelerate gently. Try
not to break the fragile traction. If
you accelerate too fast, the drive wheels will spin and
polish the surface under the tires even more.
Your anti-lock brakes improve your vehicle’s stability
when
you make a hard stop on a slippery road. Even
though
you have an anti-lock braking system, you’ll
want to begin stopping sooner than
you would on dry
pavement. See “Anti-Lock” in the Index.
Allow greater following distance on any
slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine
until
you hit a spot that’s covered with ice. On an
otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear in
shaded areas where the
sun can’t reach: around
clumps
of trees, behind buildings or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface
of a curve or an overpass may
remain icy when the surrounding roads are clear. If
you see a patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you
are on it. Try not to brake while you’re actually on
the ice, and avoid sudden steering maneuvers.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine P
-1AUTION:
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle.
This can cause deadly
CO (carbon monoxide) gas
to get inside. CO could overcome you and kill
you. You can’t see it or smell it,
so you might not
know it is in your vehicle. Clear away
snow from
around the base
of your vehicle, especially any
that is blocking your exhaust pipe. And check
around again from time to time to be sure snow
doesn’t collect there.
Open
a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that’s away from the wind. This will help
keep CO out.
Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make
it go a little faster
than just idle. That
is, push the accelerator slightly. This
uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps the
battery charged. You will need a well-charged battery to
restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on
with your headlamps. Let the heater run for
a while.
Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. But
do it as little as possible. Preserve the
fuel as long as you can. To help keep warm, you can get
out of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or
so until help comes.
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Vehicles with two-wheel drive or the electronic shift
transfer case require special modifications before they
can be towed
in this manner. Please contact your dealer
for the towing information that is appropriate for your
particular vehicle.
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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.
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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 When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition key
turned to the OFF position. The steering wheel should
be clamped in a straight-ahead position with
a clamping
device designed for towing service.
Do not use the
vehicle’s steering column lock for this. The transmission
should be in
NEUTRAL (N) and the transfer case, if you
have one, should be in 2HI. The parking brake should
be released.
If your vehicle has a floor-mounted shifter and no
electrical power, the electrical solenoid lock must be
overridden to shift from PARK
(P) to NEUTRAL (N).
Follow these steps:
1. Push the base of the shift lever boot forward with
your thumb.
2. Lift the boot and find the white solenoid lever.
3. Move the solenoid lever
toward the driver’s side
to unlock
it.
4. While holding the solenoid lever in the unlock
position, press
the shift lever button and shift into
NEUTRAL
(N).
5. Release the solenoid lever and snap the boot back
into place.
Don’t have your vehicle towed on the drive wheels
unless you must. If the vehicle must be towed on the
drive wheels, be sure to follow the speed and distance
restrictions later
in this section or your transmission will
be damaged. If these limitations must be exceeded, then
the drive wheels have to be supported on a dolly.
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