
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
The cord is attached to the outside of the underhood
fuse box.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
A CA’ TIQ‘T:
I
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock. Also, the wrong
kind of extension cord could overheat and cause
a fire. You could be seriously injured. Plug the
cord into a properly grounded three-prong
110-volt AC outlet.
If the cord won’t reach, use a
heavy-duty three-prong extension cord rated for
at least 15
amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and
store the cord as it was before to keep it away
from moving engine parts.
If you don’t, it could
be damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead of
trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your dealer in the area where you’ll be parking your
vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice for
that particular area.
2-29

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine This light will come on under these conditions:
0 The engine coolant temperature is greater than
170°F (77"C),
You are going 15 to 20 mph (24 to 32 km/h) and
You are at 35 percent throttle or less.
When this light is on, the gearshift lever will let you
shift from FIRST (1) to FOURTH (4) only. Once you
are in FOURTH (4), you can press the clutch again
and shift into another gear.
Follow the shift speeds on this chart when the
SKIP
SHIFT light is on.
Computer Aided Manual Transmission Shift Speeds:
1st to 4th 15 mph (24 kdh)
4th to 5th 25 mph (40 km/h)*
5th to 6th 49 mph (64 km/h)**
Each time you come
to a stop, the engine's Powertrain
Control Module (PCM) determines when to activate the
SKIP SHIFT upshift system. Use SECOND (2) gear
only when you accelerate very quickly from a stop.
You can then follow the full gear shift pattern.
"30 mph (48 km/h) when accelerating to highway speeds.
""45 mph (72 kmk) when accelerating to highway speeds.
Parking Brake
To set the parking brake, hold the brake pedal down and
pull up
on the parking brake lever. If the ignition is on,
the brake system warning light will come on.
2-37

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the engine
coolant temperature. If the
gage pointer moves into
the red area, your engine
is approaching an
overheating condition.
If you have been operating your vehicle under normal
driving conditions, you should pull
off the road, stop
your vehicle and turn off the engine as soon as possible.
In “Problems on the Road” this section shows what to
do. See “Engine Overheating,’’
in the Index.
Low Coolant Light ( 5.7L V8 Engine)
This warning light should
come on briefly while you
are starting your engine. If
the light doesn’t come on,
have it remired. Your
vehicle is equipped with
a low coolant indicator
that
is designed to detect when the coolant level drops
below the set limit.
If the low coolant level sensor (on
the radiator) detects that the level drops while the engine
is running, the low coolant indicator will light and
remain lit for five minutes or until the ignition switch
is turned to
OFF. Check the coolant level and add
coolant as needed.
The low coolant light might stay on after filling the
radiator. Turn the ignition switch to the
OW position,
then restart the engine to verify that the low coolant
light goes out. See “Engine Coolant” in the Index.
NOTICE:
Driving with the low coolant light on could
cause your vehicle to overheat. See “Engine Overheating’’ in the Index. Your vehicle could
be damaged, and it wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
I . 2-80

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Heating Ventilation System
The heater works best if you keep your windows closed
while using it.
1. Turn the air control knob to HEATER.
2. Turn the fan control knob to the desired speed.
3. Turn the temperature control knob to a
If your vehicle is equipped with an optional engine coolant
heater, you can use it in cold weather (around
20°F/-8 “C
or lower) to improve heater performance on initial start up.
Because
an engine coolant heater warms the engine
coolant, your vehicles heating system can more quickly
and efficiently provide heat for your vehicle’s passenger
area. See “Engine Coolant Heater” in the Index. comfortable
setting.
Bi-Level Heating
You may want to use bi-level heating on cool, but sunny
days. This setting directs cool air toward your body and
warmer air toward your feet.
1. Turn the air control knob to BI-LEVEL.
2. Turn the temperature control knob to a
comfortable setting.
3. Turn the fan control knob to the desired speed. Adjust the direction of airflow by moving the louvered vents.
Your vehicle’s flow-through ventilation system supplies outside
air into the vehicle when it is moving. Outside air
will also enter the vehicle when the blower fan is running.
For mild outside temperatures when little heating or
cooling
is needed, you can still direct outside air through
your vehicle.
1. Turn the air control knob to VENT.
2. Turn the temperature control knob to a
comfortable setting.
3. Turn the fan control knob to the desired speed.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage on your
vehicle’s instrument panel. You may also find a low
coolant warning light on your vehicle’s instrument panel
(5.7L V8 Engine).
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
Steam from an overheated engine can burn you
badly, even if you just open the hood. Stay away
from the engine
if you see or hear steam coming
from it. Just turn
it off and get everyone away
from the vehicle until
it cools down. Wait until
there is no sign of steam or coolant before you
open the hood.
If you keep driving when your engine is
overheated, the liquids in
it can catch fire. You or
others could be badly burned. Stop your engine
if
it overheats, and get out of the vehicle until the
engine is cool.
NOTICE:
If your engine catches fire because you keep
driving
with no coolant, your vehicle can be
badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
5-14

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine A 50/50 mixture of water and DEX-COOL@ coolant will:
0 Give freezing protection down to -34°F (-37°C).
0 Give boiling protection up to 265°F (129°C).
0 Protect against rust and corrosion.
0 Help keep the proper engine temperature.
0 Let the warning lights and gages work as
they should.
NOTICE:
When adding coolant, it is important that you use
only
DEX-COOL@ (silicate-free) coolant.
If coolant other than DEX-COOL is added to
the system, premature engine, heater core
or
radiator corrosion may result. In addition, the
engine coolant
will require change sooner -- at
30,000 miles (50 000 km) or 24 months,
whichever occurs first. Damage caused
by the
use
of coolant other than DEX-COOL@ is not
covered by your new vehicle warranty.
What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half clean water (preferably
distilled)
and one-half DEX-COOL’ coolant which
won’t damage aluminum parts.
If you use this mixture,
you don’t need to add anything else.
Adding only plain water to your cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water,
or some other
liquid like alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mixture will. Your vehicle’s coolant
warning system is set for the proper coolant
mixture. With plain water
or the wrong mixture,
your engine could get too hot but you wouldn’t
get the overheat warning. Your engine could
catch fire and you or others could be burned.
Use a
50/50 mixture of clean water and
DEX-COOL@ coolant.
6-27

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Thermostat
Engine coolant temperature is controlled by a thermostat
in the engine coolant system. The thermostat stops the
flow
of coolant through the radiator until the coolant
reaches
a preset temperature.
When you replace your thermostat, a
GM thermostat
is recommended.
Power Steering Fluid
The power steering fluid
reservoir is toward the
When to Check Power Steering Fluid
It is not necessary to regularly check power steering
fluid unless you suspect there is a leak in the system
or
you hear an unusual noise. A fluid loss in this system
could indicate a problem. Have the system inspected
and repaired.
How To Check Power Steering Fluid
When the engine compartment is cool, wipe the cap and
the top
of the reservoir clean, then unscrew the cap and
wipe the dipstick with a clean rag. Replace the cap and
completely tighten it. Then remove the cap again and
look at the fluid level on the dipstick.
The level should be
at the full cold mark. If necessary,
add only enough fluid to bring the level up to the mark.
6-30

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Dimensions. Vehicle ............................ 6-7 1
Dolby
B Noise Reduction 3-13
Door Last Door Closed Locking Feature
................ 2-6
Lockout Prevention
............................ 2-6
Locks
....................................... 2-4
Drive Position. Automatic Transmission
............. 2-32
Driver Position
................................. 1 - 12
Driver’s Door Alarm Delay/Shock Sensor Enable
..... 2-23
Driving City
........................................ 4-19
Defensive
.................................... 4-2
Drunken
..................................... 4-2
Freeway
.................................... 4-20
InaBlizzard
................................. 4-27
In Foreign Countries
........................... 6-5
IntheRain
.................................. 4-17
Night
...................................... 4-15
OnCurves
.................................. 4-10
On Grades While Towing a Trailer
............... 4-36
On Hill and Mountain Roads
.................... 4-23
OnSnowandIce
............................. 4-25
WetRoads
.................................. 4-17
Winter
...................................... 4-24
With a Trailer
................................ 4-34
8 .......................
Downshifting .................................. 2-36
Throughwater
............................... 4-19
DrunkenDriving
................................ 4-2 Electrical
Equipment. Adding
.......... 2.28.3.23. 6.62
Electrical System
............................... 6-62
Engine
.................................. 6-10’6-11
Coolant ..................................... 6-26
Coolant Heater
............................... 2-28
Coolant Level Check
.......................... 7-32
Coolant Temperature Gage
..................... 2-80
Exhaust
..................................... 2-41
FuseBlocks
................................. 6-64
Identification
................................ 6-62
OilLevelCheck
.............................. 7-32
Overheating
................................. 5-14
Running While Parked
......................... 2-42
Specifications
................................ 6-69
Starting Your
................................ 2-27
Engine Cooling When Trailer Towing
............... 4-37
Engineoil
.................................... 6-12
Adding
..................................... 6-13
Additives
................................... 6-17
Checking
................................... 6-13
Pressure Gage
................................ 2-83
Used
....................................... 6-17
What Kind to Use
............................. 6-14
Whentochange
.............................. 6-17
Ethanol
........................................ 6-5
Exhaust’Engine
................................ 2-41
Exit Lighting
............................. 2-20. 2-53
9-4