1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE warning

City Driving
One of the biggest problems with city streets is the
amount of traffic on them. You’ll want to watch out for
what the other drivers are doing
and pay attention to
traffic signals. Here
are ways
to increase your safety in city driving:
Know the best way to get to where you are
going. Get a city map and plan your trip into an
unknown part of the city just as you would for a
cross-country trip.
Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross most
large cities. You’ll save time and energy.
(See the
next part, “Freeway Driving.”)
0 Treat a green light as a warning signal. A traffic
light is there because the corner
is busy enough to
need it. When a light turns green,
and just before you
start to move, check both ways for vehicles that have
not cleared the intersection or may be running the
red light.
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Winter Driving Include an ice scraper, a small brush or broom, a supply
of windshield washer fluid, a rag, some winter outer
clothing, a small shovel, a flashlight, a red cloth and
reflective warning triangles. And,
if you will be driving
under severe conditions, include a small bag of
sand, a
piece of old carpet or a couple
of burlap bags to help
provide traction. Be sure you properly secure these
items in your vehicle.
Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where your tires meet the
road probably have good traction.
However, if there is snow or ice between your tires and
the road, you can have a very slippery situation. You’ll
have
a lot less traction or “grip” and will need to be
very careful.
Here are some tips for winter driving:
Have your vehicle in good shape for winter.
You may want to put winter emergency supplies in
your vehicle.
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0 Section 5 Problems on the Road
Here you’ll find what to do about some problems that can occur on the road.
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Hazard Warning Flashers
Other Warning Devices
Jump Starting
Towing
Your Vehicle
Engine Overheating
If a Tire Goes Flat
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Air Inflator (Option)
Changing a Flat Tire
Compact Spare Tire
If You’re
Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow
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Hazard Warning Flashers
Your hazard warning flashers let you warn others. They
also let police know you have a problem. Your front and
rear turn signal lamps will flash on and off.
Your hazard warning
flashers button is on top
of
the steering column. Press
the button in to turn on
your flashers.
Your hazard warning flashers work no matter what
position your key is in, and even
if the key isn’t in.
To turn off the flashers, push the button down and it will
pop back up by itself.
When the hazard warning flashers
are on, your turn
signals won’t work.
Other Warning Devices
If you carry reflective triangles, you can set one up at
the side of the road about
300 feet (100 m) behind
your vehicle.
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Towing Your Vehicle
Try to have a GM dealer or a professional towing
service tow your vehicle. They can provide the right
equipment and know how to tow it without damage. See
“Roadside Assistance” in the Index.
If your vehicle has been changed or modified since it
was factory-new
by adding aftermarket items like fog
lamps, aero skirting,
or special tires and wheels, these
things can be damaged during towing.
Before you do anything, turn on the hazard
warning flashers.
When you call, tell
the towing service:
0 That your vehicle has front-wheel drive.
That your vehicle cannot be towed from the front or
0 The make, model and year of your vehicle.
Wether you can still move the shift lever.
0 If there was an accident, what was damaged.
rear with sling-type
equipment.
To
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e
0
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help avoid
injury to you or others:
Never let passengers ride in a vehicle that is
being towed.
Never tow faster than safe
or posted speeds.
Never tow with damaged parts not
fully secured.
Never get under your vehicle after it has
been lifted by the tow truck.
Always use separate safety chains on each
side when towing a vehicle.
Never use J-hooks. Use T-hooks instead.
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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:
0 Climb a long hill on a hot day.
0 Stop after high-speed driving.
0 Idle for long periods in traffic.
0 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 (D)
or THIRD
(3).
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. Also, see “Overheated
Engine Protection Operating Mode” listed previously in
this section.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
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NOTICE:
Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn’t covered by your warranty.
If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check to
see if the electric engine cooling fans are running. If the
engine is overheating, both fans should be running. If
they aren’t, your vehicle needs service.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant
level isn’t
at or above the FULL COLD mark, add a
50/50 mixture of clean water (preferably distilled) and
DEX-COOL’ engine coolant at the coolant recovery
tank. (See “Engine Coolant” in the Index for
more information.)
A CAUTION:
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.
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I NOTICE:
In cold weather, water can freeze and crack the
engine, radiator, heater core and other parts.
Use the recommended coolant and the proper
coolant mixture.
a
I ,A CAU I ION:
You can be burned if you spill coolant on hot
engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol
and it
will burn if the engine parts are hot
enough. Don’t spill coolant on
a hot engine.
When the coolant in the coolant recovery tank
is at or
above the
FULL COLD mark, start your vehicle.
If the overheat warning continues, there’s one more
thing you can try.
You can add the proper coolant
mixture directly to the radiator, but
be sure the cooling
system is cool before you do it.
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