1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE Owners Manual

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.
0 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.
If You’re Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in a
serious situation. You should probably stay with your
vehicle unless you know for sure
that you are near help
and you can hike through the snow. Here are some
things to do
to summon help and keep yourself and your
passengers safe:
0 Turn on your hazard flashers.
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Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that
you’ve been stopped by the snow.
Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you.
If you have no blankets or extra clothing, make body
insulators from newspapers, burlap bags, rags, floor
mats
-- anything you can wrap around yourself or
tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful. 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.
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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.
Loading Your Vehicle
COLD TIRE PRESSURE
00
00
on
The Certificationire label is found on the rear edge of
the driver’s door.
The label shows the size of your original tires and the
inflation pressures needed to obtain the gross weight
capacity of your vehicle. This
is called the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR). The GVWR includes the
weight of the vehicle, all occupants, fuel and cargo.
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The Certificatioflire label also tells you the maximum
weights for the front and rear axles, called the Gross
Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR). To find out the actual
loads on your front and rear axles, you need to go to a
weigh station and weigh your vehicle. Your dealer can
help you with this. Be sure to spread out your load
equally on both sides of the centerline.
Never exceed the
GVWR for your vehicle or the GAWR
for either the front or rear axle.
-
A CAJTION:
m-
Do not load your vehicle any heavier than the
GVWR, or either the maximum front or rear
GAWR.
If you do, parts on your vehicle can
break, or it can change the way your vehicle
handles.
These could cause you to lose control.
Also, overloading can shorten the life of
your vehicle.
I NOTICE:
Your warranty does not cover parts or
components that fail because of overloading.
If you put things inside your vehicle -- like suitcases,
tools, packages or anything else
-- they will go as fast as
the vehicle goes. If you have to stop
or turn quickly, or
if there
is a crash, they’ll keep going.
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Things you put inside your vehicle can strike
and injure people in a sudden stop or turn, or in
a crash.
0 Put things in the cargo area of your vehicle.
0 Never stack heavier things, like suitcases,
Try to spread the
weight evenly.
inside the vehicle
so that some of them are
above the tops
of the seats.
Don’t leave an unsecured child restraint in
your vehicle.
0 When you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure
it whenever you can.
0 Don’t leave a seat folded down unless you
need to.
Payload (Cargo Van Only)
The payload capacity is shown on the Certificatioflire
label. This is the maximum load capacity that your
vehicle can carry. Be sure to include the weight of the people inside as part
of your load.
If you added any
accessories or equipment after your vehicle left the
factory, remember to subtract the weight
of these things
from the payload. You should never exceed the
GVWR
or the GAWR. Your dealer can help you determine
your payload.
Electronic Level Control (Option)
On vehicles equipped with the optional electronic level
control, the rear of the vehicle is automatically kept
level as you load or unload your vehicle. However, you
should still not exceed the
GVWR or the GAM.
You may hear the compressor operating when you load
or unload your vehicle, and periodically as the system
self-adjusts.
This is normal.
The compressor should operate for brief periods of time.
If the sound continues for an extended period of time,
your vehicle needs service. To keep your battery from
being drained, you may want to remove the ELC fuse in
the fuse control panel until you can get your vehicle
serviced (see “Fuses and Circuit Breakers” in the Index)\
.
Using heavier suspension components to get added
durability might not change your weight ratings. Ask
your dealer to help you load your vehicle the right way.
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Towing a Trailer
A CAUTION:
If you don’t use the correct equipment and drive
properly, you can lose control when
you pull a
trailer. For example, if the trailer is too heavy, the
brakes may not work well
-- or even at all. You
and your passengers could be seriously injured.
Pull
a trailer only if you have followed all the
steps in this section.
Ask your dealer for advice
and informatinn about towing a trailer with
your vehicl-
NOTICE:
Pulling a trailer improperly can damage your
vehicle and result in costly repairs not covered by
your warranty.
To pull a trailer correctly, follow
the advice in this
part, and see your dealer for
important information about towing a trailer
with your vehicle. Your
vehicle can tow a trailer.
To identify what the
vehicle trailering capacity is for your vehicle, you
should read the information in “Weight of the Trailer”
that appears later in this section. But trailering
is
different than just driving your vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in handling, durability and
fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering takes correct
equipment, and it has to be used properly.
That’s the reason for this section. In
it are many
time-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many of these are important for your safety and that of
your passengers.
So please read this section carefully
before you pull a trailer.
Load-pulling components such as the engine, transaxle,
wheel assemblies and tires are forced to work harder
against the drag of the added weight. The engine is
required to operate at relatively higher speeds and under
greater loads, generating extra heat. What’s more, the
trailer adds considerably to wind resistance, increasing
the pulling requirements.
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If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points:
e
0
0
0
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There are many different laws, including speed limit
restrictions, having to do with trailering. Make sure
your rig will be legal, not only where you live but
also where you’ll be driving.
A good source for this
information can be state or provincial police.
Consider using a sway control if your trailer will
weigh
2,000 lbs. (900 kg) or less. You should always
use a sway control if your trailer will weigh more
than
2,000 lbs. (900 kg). You can ask a hitch dealer
about sway controls.
Don’t tow a trailer at
all during the first 500 miles
(800 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine,
axle or other parts could be damaged.
Then, during the first
500 miles (800 km) that you
tow a trailer, don’t drive over
50 mph (80 kmh) and
don’t make starts at full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts of your vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.
You should use THIRD
(3) (or, as you need to, a
lower gear) when towing a trailer. Operating your
vehicle in THIRD
(3) when towing a trailer will
minimize heat buildup and extend the life
of
your transaxle. Three important considerations have to
do with weight:
the weight of the trailer,
the weight
of the trailer tongue
0 and the weight on your vehicle’s tires.
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It should never weigh more than 1,400 lbs. (630 kg)
with up to
six occupants or more than 2,000 lbs.
(900 kg) with up to two occupants. If you have the
optional trailer towing package, your vehicle can tow up
to
2,900 lbs. (1 300 kg) with up to six occupants or up to
3,500 lbs. (1 575 kg) with up to two occupants. But even
that can be too
heavy.
It depends on how you plan to use your rig. For
example, speed, altitude, road grades, outside
temperature and how much your vehicle is used to pull a
trailer are all important. And,
it can also depend on any
special equipment that you have on your vehicle.
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You can ask your dealer for our trailering information or
advice, or you can write us at:
Chevrolet Customer Assistance Department
P.O. Box 7047
Troy,
MI 48007-7047
In Canada, write to:
General Motors of Canada Limited
Customer Communication Centre
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario
L1H 8P7
Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important
weight to measure because
it affects the total or gross
weight
of your vehicle. The Gross Vehicle Weight
(GVW) includes the curb weight of the vehicle, any
cargo you may
carry in it, and the people who will be
riding in the vehicle. And if you will tow a trailer, you
must add the tongue load to the
GVW because your
vehicle will be carrying that weight, too. See “Loading
Your Vehicle” in the Index for more information about
your vehicle’s maximum load capacity.
A B
If you’re using a weight-carrying hitch, the trailer
tongue
(A) should weigh 10 percent of the total loaded
trailer weight
(B). If you’re using a weight-distributing
hitch, the trailer tongue
(A) should weigh 12 percent of
the total loaded trailer weight (B).
After you’ve loaded your trailer, weigh the trailer and
then the tongue, separately, to see
if the weights are
proper. If they aren’t, you may be able to get them right
simply by moving some items around in the trailer.
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