1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE tow

Your vehicle’s hydraulic brake system is divided into
two
parts. If one part isn’t working, the other part can
still work and stop you. For good braking, though, you
need both
parts working well.
If
the warning light comes on, there could be a brake
problem. Have your brake system inspected right away.
If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off the
road and stop carefully. You may notice that the pedal is
harder to push. Or, the pedal may go closer to the floor.
It may take longer to stop. If the light is still on, or if the
anti-lock brake system warning light is flashing, have
the vehicle towed for service. (See “Anti-Lock Brake
System Warning Light” and “Towing Your Vehicle” in
the Index.)
BRAKE A CAUTION:
United States Canadian
This light should come on briefly when you turn
the ignition key to
RUN. If it doesn’t come on then,
have it fixed
so it will be ready to warn you if there’s
a problem.
Your brake system may not be working properly
if the brake system warning light is on. Driving
with the brake system warning light on can lead
to an accident.
If the light is still on or if the
anti-lock brake system warning light
is flashing
after you’ve pulled
off the road and stopped
carefully, have the vehicle towed for service.
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Ani- ?ck Brake System Warning Light
With the anti-lock brake
system, this light will
come on when you start
your engine and it will
stay on for three seconds.
That’s normal.
If the light flashes when you’re driving, you don’t have
anti-lock brakes and there could be a problem with your
regular brakes. Pull
off the road and stop carefully. You
may notice that the pedal is harder to push. Or, the pedal
may
go closer to the floor. It may take longer to stop.
Have the vehicle towed for service. (See “Towing Your
Vehicle” in the Index.)
A CAUTION:
Your regular brake system may not be working
properly if the anti-lock brake system warning
light is flashing. Driving with the anti-lock
brake system warning light flashing can lead
to an accident. After you’ve pulled off the road
and stopped carefully, have the vehicle towed
for service.
If the anti-lock brake system warning light stays on
longer than normal after you’ve started your engine, turn
the ignition off. Or, if the light comes on and stays on
when you’re driving, stop as soon as possible and turn
the ignition
off. Then start the engine again to reset the
system. If the light still stays on, or comes on again
while you’re driving, your vehicle needs service. If the
light is on but not flashing and the regular brake system
warning light isn’t on,
you still have brakes, but you
don’t have anti-lock brakes.
The anti-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly when you turn the ignition key to
RUN. If the
light doesn’t
come on then, have it fixed so it will be
ready to warn you if there is a problem.
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If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
Reducing vehicle speed.
0 Avoiding hard accelerations.
0 Avoiding steep uphill grades.
If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible.
If the light stops flashing and remains on steady, see “If
the Light
Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to flash, when it is safe to do
so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
Turn the key off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart the
engine. If the light remains on steady, see “If the Light
Is On Steady” following. If the light
is still flashing,
follow the previous steps, and drive the vehicle to your
dealer or qualified service center for service.
If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle? If
so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. The diagnostic system can determine
if the fuel
cap has been left off or improperly installed.
A loose or
missing
fuel cap will allow fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere.
A few driving trips with the cap properly
installed should
turn the light off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If
so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out.
A few driving trips should turn the light off.
Are you low on fuel?
As your engine starts to run out of fuel, your engine may
not run as efficiently as designed since small amounts of
air are sucked into the fuel line causing a misfire. The
system can detect this. Adding fuel should correct this
condition.
Make sure to install the fuel cap properly. It
will take a few driving trips to turn the light off.
Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If
so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel (see
“Fuel” in the Index).
Poor fuel quality will cause your
engine not to run as efficiently as designed.
You may
notice this as stalling after start-up, stalling when you
put the vehicle into gear, misfiring, hesitation on acceleration or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may go away once the engine is warmed up.)
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Temperature Knob Comfort Controls
This section tells you how to make your air system work
for
you. Your comfort control system uses
ozone-friendly
R- 134a refrigerant.
With these systems,
you can control the heating,
cooling and ventilation
in your vehicle. Your vehicle
also has a flow-through ventilation system described
later
in this section. The
center
knob controls the temperature of the air
coming through the system. Turn it to the left (toward
the blue area) for cooler air. Turn it to the right (toward\

the red area) for warmer air.
Mode Knob
This knob selects the direction of where the air will
enter the vehicle.
-be
fl UPPER: This setting directs outside air through
the instrument panel outlets.
+fl BI-LEV: This setting directs outside air into your
vehicle in two ways. Cooler air
is directed toward your
upper body through the front instrument panel outlets,
while warmed air
is directed through the heater ducts at
your feet.
+e
0
+fl LOWER: This setting brings in most of the air
air to the rear of the vehicle. Keep the area under the
the rear of the vehicle.
- through the floor ducts. This setting is also used to send
Fan Knob front seats free of objects that could obstruct airflow to
The left knob is the fan knob and selects the force of air
you want. Turn the knob to the right to increase fan speed
and to the left to decrease
fan speed. The fan must be
turned on for the
air conditioning compressor to operate.
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w.
+# DEFOG: This setting directs air to the windshield
and through the floor ducts. This mode is particularly
useful during cold or inclement weather because of your
vehicle’s larger windshield area.
the windshield and side window vents.
DEFROST: This setting directs most of the air to
Mode Buttons
e RECIRC: Press this button (the light will glow)
to limit the amount
of fresh air entering your vehicle by
recirculating much of the air inside your vehicle. You
may use this setting to limit odors entering your vehicle.
Press the OUTSIDE AIR button (the light on the RECIRC button will go
off) to let outside air circulate
into the vehicle.
OUTSIDE AIR: Press this button (the light will
glow) to send outside air into your vehicle. Using this
setting while trying to defrost or defog the windows will
help clear the vents of moisture. Press the RECIRC
button (the light on the
OUTSIDE AIR button will go
off) to limit outside air entering the vehicle. When the
DEFOG
or DEFROST setting is selected, the system
will automatically go to OUTSIDE AIR mode.
Air Conditioning
On very hot days, your vehicle will cool down more
quickly and economically if you open the windows long
enough to let hot, inside air escape. For all settings,
adjust the temperature control knob and fan speed
as desired.
To get maximum cooling or a quick cool-down on very
hot days, press the A/C and RECIRC buttons (the lights
will glow) and turn the temperature knob to the left
(toward the blue area). Adjust the mode
knob to direct
the air to the desired location. This setting should not be
used for long periods
of time because the air may
become too cold and dry. Push the A/C button again (the
light will go off) to turn
off the air conditioning.
When the air conditioner compressor is on, you may sometimes notice slight changes
in your vehicle’s engine
performance and power. This is normal. The system
is
designed to help fuel economy while it maintains the
desired cooling level.
The air conditioner removes moisture from the air,
so
you may sometimes notice water dripping from under
your vehicle’s engine compartment when it is idling or
after it has been turned off. This is normal.
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Heating Defogging and Defrosting
Turn the temperature knob to the right (toward the red
area)
to warm the air.
In the LOWER mode, outside
air will be brought in and
sent through the floor outlets. The heater works best
if
you keep your windows closed while using it.
The BI-LEV setting is designed for use on sunny days
when the air is only moderately warm or cool. On days
like these, the sun may adequately warm your upper
body, but your lower body may not be warm enough.
For the best results,
turn the temperature control knob to
the middle position, and then adjust it for comfort.
If you have the optional engine coolant heater and use it
during cold weather,
0°F (- 18 O C) or lower, your heating
system will provide heat more quickly because the
engine coolant is already warmed. See “Engine Coolant
Heater” in the Index, To
rapidly defrost the windshield, turn the temperature
control knob all the way
to the right (to the red area) and
turn the mode knob
to DEFROST.
Adjust the fan to the highest speed.
To keep the windshield clear and bring in heated air
through the heater ducts, turn the mode knob
to
DEFOG.
When the temperature outside is above freezing, the air
conditioner compressor will
run in these settings to help
remove moisture from the air.
Your vehicle is equipped with side window defogger
vents located on the top of the instrument panel. For
additional side window defogging, turn the mode knob
to the
BI-LEVEL setting and adjust the fan to the
highest speed. Aim the side vents on the instrument
panel toward the side windows. For increased airflow to
the side vents, close the center vents.
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0 Section 4 Your Driving and the Road
Here you’ll find information about driving on different kinds of roads and in varying weather conditions. We’ve also
included many other useful tips on driving.
4-2
4-3 4-6
4-6
4-1
1
4-13
4-13
4- 15
4- 16 Defensive Driving
Drunken Driving
Control
of a Vehicle
Braking
Steering
Off-Road Recovery
Passing
Loss of Control
Driving at Night 4-18
4-2
1
4-22
4-23
4-24
4-24
4-26
4-30
4-33 Driving
in Rain and on Wet Roads
City Driving
Freeway Driving
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Highway Hypnosis
Hill and Mountain Roads
Winter Driving
Loading Your Vehicle
Towing a Trailer
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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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