1998 CHEVROLET BLAZER four wheel drive

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine About Driving Your Vehicle
As with other vehicles of this type, failure to operate
this vehicle correctly may result in loss of control or
an accident. Be sure to read the “on-pavement” and
“off-road” driving guidelines in this manual. (See
“Driving Guidelines” and “Off-Road Driving with
Your Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicle” in the Index.)
How to Use this Manual
Many people read their owner’s manual from beginning
to end when they first receive their
new vehicle. If you
do this, it will help you learn about the features and
controls for your vehicle. In this manual, you’ll find
that pictures and words work together to explain
things quickly.
Index
A good place to look for what you need is the Index in
back of the manual. It’s an alphabetical list of what’s
in
the manual, and the page number where you’ll find it.
Safety Warnings and Symbols
You will find a number of safety cautions in this book.
We use a box and the word CAUTION to tell you
about things that could hurt you if you were to ignore
the warning.
The! !an there is something that could hurt
you or other people.
In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is. Then
we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce the
hazard. Please read these cautions. If you don’t, you or
others could be hurt.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Section 2 Features and Controls
Here you can learn about the many standard and optional features on your vehicle, and information on starting,
shifting and braking. Also explained are the instrument panel and the warning systems that tell you if everything is
working properly
-- and what to do if you have a problem.
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2-27 Keys
Door Locks
Keyless Entry System (If Equipped)
EndgateLiftgate
Theft
Passlock@ New Vehicle “Break-In”
Ignition Positions
Starting Your Engine
Engine Coolant Heater (If Equipped)
Automatic Transmission Operation
Manual Transmission Operation
Parking Brake Shifting Into PARK (P) (Automatic
Transmission Only)
Shifting Out
of PARK (P)
(Automatic Transmission)
Parking Over Things That Burn
Engine Exhaust 2-28
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Running Your Engine While You’re Parked
(Automatic Transmission)
Locking Rear Axle
(If Equipped)
Four-wheel Drive (If Equipped)
Windows
Horn
Tilt Wheel (If Equipped)
Turn SignaVMultifunction Lever
Exterior Lamps
Interior Lamps
Mirrors Storage Compartments
Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter
Sun Visors
Accessory Power Outlets
(If Equipped)
Sunroof
(If Equipped)
Universal Transmitter
(If Equipped)
Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel Cluster
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
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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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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine -
- cking Rear Axle (If Equipped)
11 you have this feature, your locking rear axle can give
you additional traction on snow, mud, ice, sand or
gravel. It works like a standard axle most of the time,
but when one of the rear wheels has
no traction and the
other does, this feature will allow the wheel with
traction to move the vehicle.
Four-wheel Drive (If Equipped)
Electronic Transfer Case (If Equipped)
If your four-wheel-drive
vehicle
has the electronic
transfer case,
the transfer
case switches are above the
radio controls.
If your vehicle has four-wheel drive, you can send your
engine’s driving power to all four wheels for extra
traction.
To shift out of two-wheel drive and into
four-wheel drive, push the
4HI or 4LO button on the
transfer case switch. You should
use 2HI for most
normal driving conditions. Use these switches to shift into and out
of four-wheel
drive.
You can choose among three driving settings:
2HI: This setting is for driving in most street and
highway situations. Your front axle
is not engaged in
two-wheel drive. When this lamp is lit, it is about
NOTICE:
Driving in the 4HI or 4LO positions for a long
time on dry or wet pavement could shorten the one-half as bright as the others.
life of your vehicle’s drivetrain. 4HI: This setting engages your front axle to help
drive your vehicle. Use 4HI when you need extra
traction, such
as on snowy or icy roads, or in most
off-road situations.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Section 4 Your Driving an” the Roa”
Here you’ll find information about driving on different kinds of roads and in varying weather conditions. We’ve also
included many other useful tips on driving.
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4-14 Defensive Driving
Drunken
Driving
Control of a Vehicle
Braking
Steering
Off-Road Recovery
Passing Loss of Control
Driving Guidelines
Off-Road Driving with Your GM
Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicle 4-27
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4-42 Driving
at Night
Driving
in Rain and on Wet Roads
City Driving
Freeway Driving Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Highway Hypnosis
Hill and Mountain Roads
Winter Driving Recreational Vehicle Towing
Loading Your Vehicle
Towing a Trailer

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine You slam on the brakes. Here’s what happens with ABS.
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If one
of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer will
separately work the brakes at each front wheel and at
both rear wheels.
The anti-lock system can change the brake pressure
faster than any driver could. The computer
is
programmed to make the most of available tire and
road conditions. You
can steer around the obstacle while braking hard.
As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates on
wheel speed and controls braking pressure accordingly.
Remember: Anti-lock doesn’t change the time you need
to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance.
If you get too close to the vehicle in
front of
you, you won’t have time to apply your brakes
if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave
enough room up ahead to stop, even though
you have
anti-lock brakes.
Using Anti-Lock
Don’t pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down
firmly and let anti-lock work for
you. You may feel the
brakes vibrate, or
you may notice some noise, but this is
normal. On vehicles with four-wheel drive, your
anti-lock brakes work at all times
-- whether you are in
two-wheel drive or four-wheel drive,
Braking in Emergencies
With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help
you more
than even the very best braking.
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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 Befi: - 1 ~ u Go Off-Roading
There are some things to do before you go out. For
example, be sure to have all necessary maintenance and
service work done. Check to make sure all underbody
shields (if
so equipped) are properly attached. Be sure
you read all the information about your
four-wheel-drive vehicle
in this manual. Is there enough
fuel?
Is the spare tire fully inflated? Are the fluid levels
up where they should be? What are the local laws that
apply to off-roading where you’ll be driving? If you
don’t know, you should check with
law enforcement
people in the area. Will you be on someone’s private
land? If
so, be sure to get the necessary permission.
Loading Your Vehicle for Off-Road Driving
There are some important things to remember about
how to load your vehicle.
0 The heaviest things should be on the load floor and
1
forward of your rear axle. Put heavier items as far
forward
as you can.
Be sure the load is secured properly, so driving on
the off-road terrain doesn’t toss things around.
CAUTION:
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Cargo on the load floor piled higher than
the seatbacks can be thrown forward
during
a sudden stop. You or your
passengers could be injured. Keep cargo
below the top of the seatbacks.
Unsecured cargo on the load floor can be
tossed about when driving over rough
terrain. You or your passengers can be
struck by flying objects. Secure the
cargo properly.
Heavy loads on the roof raise the vehicle’s
center of gravity, making it more likely to
roll over. You can be seriously or fatally
injured
if the vehicle rolls over. Put heavy
loads inside the cargo area, not on the roof.
Keep cargo in the cargo area as
far forward
and low as possible.
You’ll find other important information
in this manual.
See “Vehicle Loading,” “Luggage Carrier” and “Tires”
in the Index.
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