1999 GMC ENVOY brake fluid
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4-15
Off-Road Driving with Your
Four
-Wheel-Drive Vehicle
Also, see ªAnti-Lock Brakesº in the Index.
Off
-road driving can be great fun. But it does have some
definite hazards. The greatest of these is the
terrain itself.
ªOff
-roadingº means you've left the great North
American road system behind. Traffic lanes aren't
marked. Curves aren't banked. There are no road signs.
Surfaces can be slippery, rough, uphill or downhill. In
short, you've gone right back to nature.
Off
-road driving involves some new skills. And that's
why it's very important that you read this guide. You'll
find many driving tips and suggestions. These will help
make your off
-road driving safer and more enjoyable.
Before You Go Off-Roading
There are some things to do before you go out. For
example, be sure to have all necessary maintenance and
service work done. Check to make sure all underbody
shields (if so equipped) are properly attached. Be sure
you read all the information about your
four
-wheel-drive vehicle in this manual. Is there enough
fuel? Is the spare tire fully inflated? Are the fluid levels
up where they should be? What are the local laws that
apply to off
-roading where you'll be driving? If you
don't know, you should check with law enforcement
people in the area. Will you be on someone's private
land? If so, be sure to get the necessary permission.
Loading Your Vehicle for Off-Road Driving
There are some important things to remember about
how to load your vehicle.
The heaviest things should be on the load floor and
forward of your rear axle. Put heavier items as far
forward as you can.
Be sure the load is secured properly, so driving on
the off
-road terrain doesn't toss things around.
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4-29
The heavier the rain, the harder it is to see. Even if your
windshield wiper blades are in good shape, a heavy rain
can make it harder to see road signs and traffic signals,
pavement markings, the edge of the road and even
people walking.
It's wise to keep your wiping equipment in good shape and
keep your windshield washer tank filled with washer fluid.
Replace your windshield wiper inserts when they show signs
of streaking or missing areas on the windshield, or when
strips of rubber start to separate from the inserts.Driving too fast through large water puddles or even
going through some car washes can cause problems, too.
The water may affect your brakes. Try to avoid puddles.
But if you can't, try to slow down before you hit them.
CAUTION:
Wet brakes can cause accidents. They won't work
as well in a quick stop and may cause pulling to
one side. You could lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle of water or
a car wash, apply your brake pedal lightly until
your brakes work normally.
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4-35
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system and
transmission. These parts can work hard on
mountain roads.
Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some of the
slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long hill.
CAUTION:
If you don't shift down, your brakes could get so
hot that they wouldn't work well. You would then
have poor braking or even none going down a
hill. You could crash. Shift down to let your
engine assist your brakes on a steep
downhill slope.
CAUTION:
Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with the
ignition off is dangerous. Your brakes will have to
do all the work of slowing down. They could get so
hot that they wouldn't work well. You would then
have poor braking or even none going down a hill.
You could crash. Always have your engine running
and your vehicle in gear when you go downhill.
Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down
to a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your engine
and transmission, and you can climb the hill better.
Stay in your own lane when driving on two
-lane
roads in hills or mountains. Don't swing wide or cut
across the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let
you stay in your own lane.
As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could be
something in your lane, like a stalled car or an accident.
You may see highway signs on mountains that warn of
special problems. Examples are long grades, passing or
no
-passing zones, a falling rocks area or winding
roads. Be alert to these and take appropriate action.
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4-49 Safety Chains
You should always attach chains between your vehicle and
your trailer. Cross the safety chains under the tongue of the
trailer to help prevent the tongue from contacting the road
if it becomes separated from the hitch. Instructions about
safety chains may be provided by the hitch manufacturer
or by the trailer manufacturer. Follow the manufacturer's
recommendation for attaching safety chains and do not
attach them to the bumper. Always leave just enough slack
so you can turn with your rig. Never allow safety chains to
drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
If your trailer weighs more than 1,000 lbs. (450 kg)
loaded, then it needs its own brakes
-- and they must be
adequate. Be sure to read and follow the instructions for
the trailer brakes so you'll be able to install, adjust and
maintain them properly.Your trailer's brake system can tap into the vehicle's
hydraulic brake system only if:
The trailer parts can withstand 3,000 psi
(20 650 kPa) of pressure.
The trailer's brake system will use less than
0.02 cubic inch (0.3 cc) of fluid from your vehicle's
master cylinder. Otherwise, both braking systems
won't work well. You could even lose your brakes.
If everything checks out this far, then make the brake
fluid tap at the port on the master cylinder that sends
fluid to the rear brakes. But don't use copper tubing for
this. If you do, it will bend and finally break off. Use
steel brake tubing.
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4-54 Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you're
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transmission fluid (don't
overfill), engine oil, axle lubricant, belt, cooling system
and brake system. Each of these is covered in this
manual, and the Index will help you find them quickly.
If you're trailering, it's a good idea to review these
sections before you start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Trailer Wiring Harness
The heavy-duty trailer wiring is an eight-wire harness
assembly. The harness is stored under the vehicle, on the
driver's side corner frame rear crossmember. The
heavy
-duty trailer wiring has a 30-amp feed wire with
an in
-line fuse located by the junction block. See ªFuses
and Circuit Breakersº in the Index. The harness does not
have a connector and should be wired by a qualified
electrical technician. The technician can use the
following color code chart when connecting the wiring
harness to your trailer.
Dark Blue: Use for electric trailer brakes or
auxiliary wiring.Red: Use for battery charging; it connects to the
starter solenoid.
Light Green: Back
-up lamps.
Brown: Taillamps and parking lamps.
Yellow: Left stoplamp and turn signal.
Dark Green: Right stoplamp and turn signal.
White (Heavy Gauge): Ground wire.
White (Light Gauge): Auxiliary stoplamp.
Securely attach the harness to the trailer, then tape or
strap it to your vehicle's frame rail. Be sure you leave it
loose enough so the wiring doesn't bend or break, but
not so loose that it drags on the ground. Store the
harness in its original place. Wrap the harness together
and tie it neatly so it won't be damaged.
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5-4
2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles aren't touching
each other. If they are, it could cause a ground
connection you don't want. You wouldn't be able to
start your vehicle, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
To avoid the possibility of the vehicles rolling, set
the parking brake firmly on each vehicle. Put an
automatic transmission in PARK (P) or a manual
transmission in NEUTRAL (N) before setting the
parking brake.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter or the accessory power outlets. Turn off all
lamps that aren't needed as well as radios. This will
avoid sparks and help save both batteries. In
addition, it could save your radio!
NOTICE:
If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repair wouldn't be covered by
your warranty.
4. Open both hoods and locate the batteries. Find the
positive (+) and negative (
-) terminals on each battery.
CAUTION:
Using a match near a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing this,
and some have been blinded. Use a flashlight if
you need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough water. You don't
need to add water to the ACDelco Freedom
battery installed in every new GM vehicle. But if
a battery has filler caps, be sure the right amount
of fluid is there. If it is low, add water to take care
of that first. If you don't, explosive gas could
be present.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn you.
Don't get it on you. If you accidentally get it in
your eyes or on your skin, flush the place with
water and get medical help immediately.
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6-
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6-1
Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your vehicle. This section begins with service and fuel information,
and then it shows how to check important fluid and lubricant levels. There is also technical information about your
vehicle, and a part devoted to its appearance care.
6
-2 Service
6
-3 Fuel
6
-5 Fuels in Foreign Countries
6
-5 Filling Your Tank
6
-7 Filling a Portable Fuel Container
6
-8 Checking Things Under the Hood
6
-10 Engine Oil
6
-14 Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
6
-15 Automatic Transmission Fluid
6
-18 Rear Axle
6
-19 Four-Wheel Drive
6
-21 Radiator Pressure Cap
6
-21 Thermostat
6
-21 Engine Coolant
6
-24 Power Steering Fluid
6
-25 Windshield Washer Fluid
6
-26 Brakes6
-31 Battery
6
-31 Bulb Replacement
6
-35 Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
6
-37 Tires
6
-45 Appearance Care
6
-46 Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
6
-48 Care of Safety Belts
6
-50 Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle
6
-53 GM Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials
6
-54 Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
6
-54 Service Parts Identification Label
6
-54 Electrical System
6
-60 Replacement Bulbs
6
-60 Capacities and Specifications
6
-61 Air Conditioning Refrigerants
6
-61 Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
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6-8
Checking Things Under the Hood
CAUTION:
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts and
start a fire. These include liquids like gasoline,
oil, coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer and
other fluids, and plastic or rubber. You or others
could be burned. Be careful not to drop or spill
things that will burn onto a hot engine.
To open the hood, first pull
the handle inside the vehicle
on the lower driver's side of
the instrument panel.Then go to the front of the vehicle and release the
secondary hood release.
Lift the hood, release the hood prop from its retainer and
put the hood prop into the slot in the hood. You may
have a lamp that comes on when you lift the hood.
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