
Getting out on the downhill (low) side of a vehicle
stopped across an incline is dangerous.
If the
vehicle rolls over, you could be crushed
or killed.
Always get out on the uphill (high) side of the
vehicle and stay well clear of the rollover path.
Driving in Mud, Sand, Snow or Ice
When you drive in mud, snow or sand, your wheels
won’t get good traction. You can’t accelerate
as quickly,
turning is more difficult, and you’ll need longer
braking distances.
It‘s best
to use a low gear when you’re in mud -- the
deeper
the mud, the lower the gear. In really deep mud,
the idea
is to keep your vehicle moving so you don’t
get stuck. When
you drive
on sand, you’ll sense a change in wheel
traction.
But it will depend upon how loosely packed the
sand is. On loosely packed sand (as on beaches or sand
dunes) your tires will tend
to sink into the sand. This has
an effect on steering, accelerating and braking. You may
want
to reduce the air pressure in your tires slightly
when driving on sand. This will improve traction.
Hard packed snow and ice offer the worst tire traction.
On these surfaces, it’s very easy
to lose control. On wet
ice, for example, the traction is
so poor that you will
have difficulty accelerating. And
if you do get moving,
poor steering and difficult braking can cause you to slide
out
of control.
LA CAU-ION:
Driving on frozen lakes, ponds or ~ ~ rers can be
dangerous. Underwater springs, currents under
the ice, or sudden thaws can weaken the ice. Your
vehicle could fall through the ice and you and
your passengers could drown. Drive your vehicle
on safe surfaces only.
4-25
1
ProCarManuals.com

Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when
you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re
a good deal
longer,
you’ll need to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then,
to move the trailer to the left, just move that hand
to the left. To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly and,
if
possible, have someone guide you.
Making Turns
NOTICE:
~~
Making very sharp turns while trailering could
cause the trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns than
normal.
Do this so your trailer won’t strike soft shoulders,
curbs, road signs, trees or other objects.
Avoid jerky or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well
in advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have extra
wiring and a heavy-duty turn signal flasher.
The arrows on your instrument panel will flash
whenever you signal a
turn or lane change. Properly
hooked up,
the trailer lamps will also flash, telling other
drivers you’re about to
turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows
on your instrument
panel will flash for turns even
if the bulbs on the trailer
are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers behind you
are seeing your signal when
they are not. It’s important
to check occasionally
to be sure the trailer bulbs are
still working.
4-49
I
ProCarManuals.com

Towing Your Vehicle
Try to have a GM dealer or a proressional towing
service tow your vehicle. See "Roadside Assistance"
in
the Index.
If your vehicle has been changed since it was
factory-new by adding things like fog lamps, aero
skirting, or special tires and wheels, these instructions
may not be correct.
Before you do anything, turn
on the hazard
warning flashers.
When you call,
tell the towing service:
0 That your vehicle has four-wheel drive.
0 The make, model and year of your vehicle.
0 Whether you can rnolle the shift lever for the
transmission and shift the transfer case.
0 If there was an accident, what was damaged.
When the towing service arrives,
let the tow operator
know that this manual contains these towing
instructions. The operator may want to see them.
To help avoid injury to you or others:
0 Never let passengers ride in a vehicle that is
Never tow faster than safe or posted speeds.
Never tow with damaged parts not
Never get under your vehicle after it has
Always use separate safety chains on each
0 Never use J-hooks. Use T-hooks instead.
being
towed.
fully secured.
been lifted by the tow truck.
side when towing
a vehicle.
5-7
ProCarManuals.com

Engine Fan Noise
This vehicle has a clutched engine cooling fan. When the
clutch is engaged, the fan spins faster to provide more air
to cool the engine. In most everyday driving conditions,
the clutch is
not engaged. This improves fuel economy and
reduces
fan noise. Under heavy vehicle loading, trailer
towing and/or high outside temperatures, the fan speed
increases when the clutch engages.
So you may hear an
increase in fan noise. This is normal and should not be
mistaken
as the transmission slipping or making extra
shifts. It is merely the cooling system functioning properly.
The fan will slow down when additional cooling is not
required and the clutch disengages.
You may
also hear this fan noise when you start the
engine. It will go away
as the fan clutch disengages.
If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” while you’re driving,
especially if you maintain your tires properly.
If air goes
out of
a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out slowly.
But
if you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a few
tips about what to expect and what to do:
If
a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side.
Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip
the steering wheel firmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, and then gently brake to
a stop well out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you’d use in a
skid. In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by
steering the
way you want the vehicle to go. It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but you can
still steer. Gently
brake to
a stop -- well off the road if possible.
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to use your
iacking equipment to change
a flat tire safely. u Y a. c
5-20
ProCarManuals.com

Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on
your hazard
warning flashers.
A CAUTION:
I
Changing a tire can cause an injury. The vdcle
can slip
off the jack and roll over you or other
people. You and they could be badly injured.
Find a level place to change your tire. To help
prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put the shift lever in PARK (P).
3. lbrn off the engine.
4. Put the wheel blocks at the front and
rear of the tire farthest away from the
one being changed. That would be the
tire on the other side of the vehicle,
at
the opposite end.
The following steps will tell you how to use the jack and
change a tire.
5-21
ProCarManuals.com

I
4. Raise the vehicle by turning the jack handle to the
right. Raise the vehicle
far enough off the ground so
there is enough room for the spare tire to fit.
5. Remove all the wheel nuts and take off the flat tire.
6. Remove any rust or dirt
from the wheel bolts,
mounting surfaces and
spare wheel.
Rust or dirt on the wheel, or on the parts to
which it is fastened, can make the wheel nuts
become loose after a time. The wheel could come
off and cause an accident. When you change
a
wheel, remove any rust or dirt from the places
where the wheel attaches to the vehicle. In an
emergency, you can use a cloth
or a paper towel
to do this; but be sure to use
a scraper or wire
brush later, if you need to, to get all the rust or
dirt
off.
I
5-27
ProCarManuals.com

Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong with
your brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect
brake pads for wear and evenly torque
wheel nuts in the
proper sequence to
GM specifications.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
See “Brake System Inspection” in Section
7 of this manual
under Part
C “Periodic Maintenance Inspections.”
Brakc Jedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or if there is a rapid increase in pedal
travel. This could be a sign of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you make a brake stop, your disc brakes
adjust for wear.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a modern vehicle is complex.
Its many parts have to be
of top quality and work well
together
if the vehicle is to have really good braking.
Your vehicle was designed and tested with top-quality
GM brake parts. When you replace parts of your braking
system
-- for example, when your brake linings wear
down and
you have to have new ones put in -- be sure
you get new approved GM replacement parts.
If you
don’t, your brakes may
no longer work properly. For
example,
if someone puts in brake linings that are wrong
for your vehicle, the balance between your front and
rear brakes can change
-- for the worse. The braking
performance you’ve come to expect can change in many
other ways if someone puts
in the wrong replacement
brake parts.
Battery
Every new vehicle has an ACDelco Freedom@ battery.
You never have to add water to one of these. When it’s
time for a new battery, we recommend an ACDelco
Freedom battery. Get one that has the replacement
number shown on the original battery’s label.
6-30
ProCarManuals.com

Q
+
I
!
When rotating your tires, always use one of the correct
rotation. patterns shown here.
After the tires
have been rotated, adjust the front and rear
inflation pressures as shown on the Certificationflire
label.
Make certain that all wheel nuts are properly tightened.
See “Wheel Nut Torque”
in the Index.
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the parts to which
it is fastened, can make wheel nuts become loose
after
a time. The wheel could come off and cause
an accident. When
you change a wheel, remove
any rust or dirt from places where the wheel
attaches
to the vehicle. In an emergency, you can
use a cloth or
a paper towel to do this; but be
sure to use a scraper or wire brush later,
if you
need to, to get all the rust or dirt off. (See
“Changing a Flat Tire”
in the Index.)
6-39
ProCarManuals.com