Page 203 of 402
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in flat or rolling terrain. If you
drive regularly in steep country, or if you’re
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable.
0 Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid
levels and
also the brakes, tires, cooling system and
transmission. These
parts can work hard on
mountain roads.
Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing
to know is this: let your engine do some of the
slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you
go
down a steep or long hill.
A CAUTION: I
If you don’t shift down, your brakes could get so
hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would then
have poor braking
or even none going down a
hill. You could crash. Shift down to let your
engine assist your brakes
on a steep
downhill slope.
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Page 217 of 402

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
Release the parking brake.
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, belts, 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.
Engine Cooling When Trailer Towing
Your cooling system may temporarily overheat during
severe operating conditions. See “Engine Overheating”
in the Index.
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Page 259 of 402

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your vehicle. This section begins with service and fuel information,
and then it shows how to check important fluid and lubricant levels. There is also technical information about your
vehicle, and
a part devoted to its appearance care.
6-2
6-3 6-5
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6-37 Service
Fuel
Fuels in Foreign Countries
Filling Your Tank
Filling
a Portable Fuel Container
Checking Things Under the Hood
Engine Oil
Air Cleaner
Automatic Transmission Fluid
Manual Transmission Fluid
Engine Coolant
Power Steering Fluid
Windshield Washer Fluid
Brakes
Battery 6-37
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6-69 Bulb Replacement
Tires
Appearance Care Cleaning the Inside
of Your Vehicle
Care of Safety Belts
Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle
Cleaning Aluminum or Chrome Wheels
(If Equipped)
Underbody Maintenance
Appearance Care Materials
Chart
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
Electrical System Replacement Bulbs
Capacities and Specifications
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Page 266 of 402

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Filling a Portable Fuel Container Checking Things Under the Hood
A CAUTION:
Never fill a portable fuel container while it is in
your vehicle. Static electricity discharge from the
container can ignite the gasoline vapor. You can
be badly burned and your vehicle damaged
if this
occurs.
To help avoid injury to you and others:
Dispense gasoline only into approved
containers.
Do not fill a container while it is inside a
vehicle, in a vehicle’s trunk, pickup bed or
on any surface other than the ground.
inside of the fill opening before operating
the nozzle. Contact should be maintained
until the filling is complete.
Bring the fill nozzle in contact with the
Don’t smoke while pumping gasoline.
A CAUTION: I
An electric fan under the hood can start up and
injure you even when the engine is not running.
Keep hands, clothing and tools away from any
underhood electric fan.
U
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts and
start a fire. These include liquids like gasoline,
oil, coolant, brake
fluid, windshield washer and
other fluids, and plastic or rubber. You or others
could be burned. Be careful not to drop or spill
things that will burn onto
a hot engine.
6-8
Page 268 of 402
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When you open the hood of the 3800 V6 Engine you’ll see:
A. Engine Coolant Reservoir
€3. Battery
C. Radiator
Fill Cap
D. Engine Oil Fill Cap
E. Automatic Transmission
Dipstick
(If Equipped)
E Windshield Washer Reservoir
G. Engine Cooling Fans
H. Air Cleaner
I. Power Steering Reservoir
J. Engine Oil Dipstick
K. Brake Fluid Reservoir
L. Clutch Fluid Reservoir
(If Equipped)
Page 269 of 402
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When you open the hood of the 5.7L V8 Engine you'll see:
A. Engine Coolant Reservoir
B. Battery
C. Engine Oil Dipstick
D. Engine Oil Fill Cap E.
Automatic Transmission
Dipstick
(If Equipped)
E Engine Cooling Fans
G. Windshield Washer Reservoir
H. Air Cleaner
I. Power Steering Reservoir
J. Brake Fluid Reservoir
K. Clutch Fluid Reservoir
(If Equipped)
Page 279 of 402

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the
transmission fluid level if you have been driving:
0 When outside temperatures are above 90°F (32" C).
At high speed for quite a while.
0 In heavy traffic -- especially in hot weather.
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.
Checking Transmission Fluid Hot
Get the vehicle warmed up by driving about 15 miles
(24 km) when outside temperatures are above 50°F
(10°C). If it's colder than 50°F (lO°C), drive the
vehicle in DRIVE
(D) until the engine temperature gage
moves and then remains steady for
10 minutes. Then
follow the hot check procedures.
Checking Transmission Fluid Cold
A cold check is made after the vehicle has been sitting
for eight hours or more with the engine off and is used
only as a reference. Let the engine run at idle for five
minutes if outside temperatures are
50°F ( 10°C) or
more. If it's colder than 50°F
(lO"C), you may have to
idle the engine longer. Should the fluid level be low
during a cold check, you
must perform a hot check
before adding fluid. This will give you a more accurate
reading
of the fluid level.
Checking the Fluid Hot or Cold
Park your vehicle on a level place. Keep the engine
With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever
running.
in PARK
(P).
With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift
lever through each gear range, pausing for about
three seconds in each range. Then, position the shift
lever in PARK
(P).
0 Let the engine run at idle for three minutes or more.
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Page 291 of 402

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Brakes
Brake Fluid
of the brake system. If it is, you should have your brake
system fixed, since
a leak means that sooner or later your
brakes won’t work well, or won’t work at all.
So, it isn’t a good idea to “top off’ your brake fluid.
Adding brake fluid won’t correct a leak. If you add fluid
when your linings are worn, then you’ll have too much
fluid when you get new brake linings. You should add
(or remove) brake fluid, as necessary, only when work is
done on the brake hydraulic system.
Your brake master cylinder reservoir is here. It is filled
with
DOT-3 brake fluid.
There
are only two reasons why the brake fluid level in the
reservoir might go down. The first is that the brake fluid
goes down to
an acceptable level during normal brake
lining wear.
When new linings are put in, the fluid level
goes back up. The other reason is that fluid is leaking
out
A CAUTIOP’:
F
If you have too much brake fluid, it can spill
on the engine. The fluid will burn if the engine
is hot enough.
You or others could be burned,
and your vehicle could be damaged. Add brake
fluid only when work
is done on the brake
hydraulic system.
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when to
check your brake fluid. See “Periodic Maintenance
Inspections’’ in the Index.
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