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Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you tnay find on your vehicle.
For example.
these symbols
are used
on an
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
ACID COULD
BATTERY
CAUSE
BURNS
AVOID
SPARKS
OR
FLAMES
SPARK
OR ,111,
COULD FLAME
EXPLODE BATTERY
These symbols
are important
for you and
your passenpel-s
whenever your vehicle
is
driven:
DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK
FA$TEll SEAT
BELTS SIGNALS
TURN
RUNNING
.':**o
DAYTIME LAMPS
*
FOG LAMPS $0
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
VENTILATING
i F,
FAN COOLANT
-
TEMP -
CHARGING I-1
BATTERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE
(a)
COOLANT a
ENGINE OIL w,
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK
(@)
BRAKES
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
P
LIGHTER m
HORN b
SPEAKER
b
FUEL p3
V
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ProCarManuals.com
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord. The
cord is located on the driver’s side of the engine
compartment, behind the underhood fuse block.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
% CAUTION:
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.
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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 gar, misfiring, hesitation on
acceleration or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may go away once the engine
is warmed up.)
This will be detected by the system and cause the light
to turn on.
If you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the
fuel brand you use. It will require at least one
full tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn off,
have your dealer or qualified service center check the
vehicle. Your dealer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to
fix any mechanical or electrical
problems that may have developed.
Engine Oil Pressure Gage
The oil pressure gage shows
the engine
oil pressure in
psi (pounds per square inch)
when the engine is running.
Canadian vehicles indicate pressure
in kPa (kilopascals).
Oil pressure may vary with engine speed, outside
temperature and oil viscosity, but readings above the
low pressure zone indicate the normal operating range.
A reading in the low pressure zone may be caused by a
dangerously low
oil level or other problems causing low
oil pressure.
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I A CAUTION:
Don’t keep driving if the oil pressure is low. If
you do, your engine can become so hot that it
catches fire. You or others could be burned.
Check your oil
as soon as possible and have your
vehicle serviced.
I
I NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and
is not covered by
your warranty.
Security Warning Light
SECURITY
This light will come on
briefly when you turn the
key toward START. The
light will stay on until the
engine starts.
If the light flashes, the Passlock system has entered a
tamper mode.
If the vehicle fails to start, see “Passlock”
in the Index.
If the light comes on continuously while driving and
stays
on, there may be a problem with the Passlock
system. Your vehicle will not be protected by Passlock,
and you should see your dealer.
This light should also flash as you open
the door (if your
ignition is off).
This is a reminder to activate the
theft-deterrent system. See “Content Theft-Deterrent” in
the Index for more information.
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Service 4WD Light
SERVICE
4WD
This light should come on
briefly when you turn on the
ignition, as a check to show
you it is working.
The
SERVICE 4WD light comes on to indicate that
there may be a problem with the drive system and
service is required. Malfunctions can be indicated by the
system before any problem is apparent, which may
prevent serious damage
to the vehicle. This system is
also designed to assist your service technician in
correctly diagnosing a malfunction.
Check Gages Light
The CHECK GAGES light
CHECK
GAGES
will come on briefly when
you are starting the engine.
If the light comes on and stays on while you are driving,
check your coolant temperature and engine oil pressure
gages
to see if they are in the warning zones.
Gate Ajar Light
GATE
AJAR
This light will come on
briefly when
you are
starting the engine.
If it stays on, your liftgate
is ajar. Try closing the liftgate
again. Never drive with the liftgate even partially open.
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Care of Your Compact Discs
Handle discs carefully. Store them in their original cases
or other protective cases and away from direct sunlight
and dust.
If the surface of a disc is soiled, dampen a
clean,
soft cloth in a mild, neutral detergent solution and
clean it, wiping from the center
to the edge.
Be sure never to touch the signal surface when handling
discs. Pick
up discs by grasping the outer edges or the
edge of the hole and the outer edge.
Care of Your Compact Disc Player
The use of CD lens cleaner discs is not advised, due to
the risk of contaminating the lens of the CD optics with
lubricants internal to the
CD mechanism.
Fixed Mast Antenna
The fixed mast antenna can withstand most car washes
without being damaged. If the mast should ever become
slightly bent, you can straighten
it out by hand. If the
mast is badly bent,
as it might be by vandals, you should
replace
it.
Check every once in a while to be sure the mast is still
tightened to the fender.
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The exit speed is usually posted.
Reduce your speed according to your speedometer’
not
to your sense of motion. After driving for any distance
at higher speeds,
you may tend to think you are going
slower than you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must start when you’re not fresh
-- such as after a day’s
work
-- don’t plan to make too many miles that first part
of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes you
can easily drive
in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it‘s ready to go. If it needs
service, have
it done before starting out. Of course,
you’ll find experienced and able service experts
in GM
dealerships all across North America. They’ll be ready
and willing to help if you need it.
Here are some things you can check before a trip:
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WincJsl~ield Wcrshc~r- Fluid: Is the reservoir full? Are
all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blcrdes: Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Elzgirze Oil, Other Flr.ds: Have you checked
all levels‘?
Lcunps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
Tires: They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip.
Is the tread good enough for
long-distance drivingi? Are the tires all inflated
to the
recommended pressure?
Wecrther Forec*cr.sts: What’s the weather outlook
along your route? Should
you delay your trip a short
time to avoid
a major storm system?
A4crp.s: Do you have up-to-date maps?
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Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a 1owe.r gear Iwfow you start
down a long or steep downgrade.
If you don’t shift
down. you might have to use your brakes
so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
On
a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your
speed to around
45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the
possibility of engine and transmission overheating.
You should use DRIVE
(D) when towing a trailer.
Operating your vehicle
in DRIVE (D) when towing a
trailer
will minimize heat buildup and extend the life of
your transmission.
When towing at high altitude
on steep uphill grades,
consider the following: Engine coolant
will boil at a lower
temperature than at normal altitudes.
If you twn your
engine off imnlediately after towing at high altitude on
steep uphill grades, your vehicle may show signs similar to
engine overheating.
To avoid this, let the engine run while
parked (preferably on level ground)
with the automatic
transmission
in PARK (PI for a few minutes before turning
the engine off.
If you do get the overheat warning. see
”Engine Overheating”
in the Index.
Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached.
on a hill. If‘ something goes wrong, your rig
could start
to move. People can be injured, and both
your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged.
But
if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here‘s
how
to do it:
1.
-. 3
3.
4.
5.
Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
PARK
(P) yet. Then turn your wheels into the curb
if facing downhill or into traffic if facing uphill.
Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
When the wheel chocks are
in place, release the
regular brakes
until the chocks absorb the load.
Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
brake, and then shift into PARK
(P).
Release the regular brakes.
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