
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.
4-37

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.
Tow a trailer.
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
-- AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (a) or
DRIVE (D) 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, you can idle the engine
for two or three minutes while you’re parked, to see if
the warning stops. But then,
if you still have the
warning,
turn ofthe 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 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
0
0
0
0
Most trips are less than 5 to 10 miles (8 to 16 km).
This is particularly important when outside
temperatures are below freezing.
Most trips include extensive idling (such as frequent
driving in stop-and-go traffic).
Most trips are through dusty areas.
You frequently tow a trailer or use a carrier on top of
your vehicle.
The vehicle is used for delivery service, police, taxi
or other commercial application.
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.
What to Do with Used Oil
Did you know that used engine oil contains certain
elements that may be unhealthy for your skin and could
even cause cancer? Don’t let used oil stay on your slun
for very long. Clean your skin and nails with soap and
water, or a good hand cleaner. Wash or properly throw
away clothing or rags containing used engine oil. (See
the manufacturer’s warnings about the use and disposal
of oil products.)
Used oil can be a real threat to the environment. If you
change your own oil, be sure
to drain all free-flowing oil
from the filter before disposal. Don’t ever dispose
of oil
by putting it in the trash, pouring it on the ground, into
sewers, or into streams or bodies
of water. Instead,
recycle it by taking it to
a place that collects used oil. If
you have a problem properly disposing of your used oil,
ask your dealer,
a service station or a local recycling
center for help.
6-17

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
Uses such as high performance operation.
regularly reaches
90°F (32°C) or
higher.
0 When doing frequent trailer towing.
0 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).
How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may
choose to have this done at your Chevrolet 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.
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services’’ in the Index.
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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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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Maintenance Schedule
I Short Trip/City Definition 1
Follow the Short TripKity Maintenance Schedule if any
one
of these conditions is true for your vehicle:
a
a
a
a
a
Most trips are less than 5 to 10 miles (8 to 16 km).
This is particularly important when outside
temperatures are below freezing.
Most trips include extensive idling (such as frequent
driving in stop-and-go traffic).
Most trips are through dusty areas.
You frequently tow a trailer or use a carrier on top
of
your vehicle.
If the vehicle is used for delivery service, police, taxi
or other commercial application.
One of the reasons you should follow this schedule if
you operate your vehicle under any of these conditions
is that these conditions cause engine oil to break
down soonex
Short Trip/City Intervals
Every 3,000 Miles (5 000 km): Engine Oil and Filter
Change (or
3 months, whichever occurs first).
Every 6,000 Miles (10 000 km): Tire Rotation.
Every 6,000 Miles (10 000 km) of Trailering: Rear
Axle Fluid Change (Vehicles Towing Trailers).
At the First 6,000 Miles (10 000 km): Rear Axle Fluid
Change (Limited-Slip Differential).
Every 15,000 Miles (25 000 km): Air Cleaner Filter
Inspection, if driving
in dusty conditions. Automatic
Transmission Service (severe conditions only).
Every 30,000 Miles (50 000 km): Air Cleaner Filter
Replacement. Fuel Tank, Cap and Lines Inspection.
Every 50,000 Miles (83 000 km): Automatic
Transmission Service (normal conditions).
Every 60,000 Miles (100 000 km): Engine Accessory
Drive Belt Inspection.
7-5

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Maintenance Schedule
I Short Trip/City Intervals I
Every 100,000 Miles (166 000 km): Spark Plug Wire
Inspection. Spark Plug Replacement.
Every 150,000 Miles (240 000 km): Cooling System
Service (or every
60 months, whichever occurs first).
These intervals only summarize maintenance services.
Be sure
to follow the complete maintenance schedule on
the following pages.
Follow this maintenance schedule only if none of the
conditions
from the Short Trip/City Maintenance
Schedule is true.
Do not use this schedule if the vehicle
is used for trailer towing, driven in a dusty area or used
off paved roads. Use the Short Trip/City schedule for
these conditions.
Driving a vehicle with ahlly warmed engine under
highway conditions causes engine
oil to break
down slower.
.
Long Tripmighway Intervals
Every 7,500 Miles (12 500 km): Engine Oil and Filter
Change (or every
12 months, whichever occurs first).
Tire Rotation.
At the First 7,500 Miles (12 500 km): Rear Axle Fluid
Change (Limited-Slip Differential).
Every 15,000 Miles (25 000 km): Automatic
Transmission Service (severe conditions only).
Every 30,000 Miles (50 000 km): Air Cleaner Filter
Replacement. Fuel Tank, Cap and
Lines Inspection.
Every 50,000 Miles (83 000 km): Automatic
Transmission Service (normal conditions).
Every 60,000 Miles (100 000 km): Engine Accessory
Drive Belt Inspection.
Every 100,000 Miles (166 000 km): Spark Plug Wire
Inspection. Spark Plug Replacement.
Every 150,000 Miles (240 000 km): Cooling System
Service (or every
60 months, whichever occurs first).
These intervals only summarize maintenance services.
Be sure to follow the complete maintenance schedule on
the following pages.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I Short Trip/City Maintenance Schedule I
3,000 Miles (5 000 km)
0 Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first).
An Emission Control Service.
6,000 Miles (10 000 km)
0 Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first).
0 Rotate tires. See “Tire Inspection and Rotation” in the Index for proper
0 Change the rear axle gear lubricant if vehicle is used to pull a trailer or has
An Emission Control Service.
rotation pattern and additional information. (See footnote +.)
limited-slip differential.
9,000 Miles (I5 000 km)
0 Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first).
An Emission Control Service.
12,000 Miles (20 000 km)
Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first).
0 Change the rear axle gear lubricant if vehicle is used to pull a trailer.
0 Rotate tires. See “Tire Inspection and Rotation’’ in the Index for proper
An Emission Control Service.
rotation pattern and additional information. (See footnote +.)
I I I
MILEAGE
DATE
I
I I I
DATE I
7-8