2000 CHEVROLET TAHOE four wheel drive

2-32
Running Your Engine While
You're Parked
It's better not to park with the engine running. But if
ever you have to, here are some things to know.
CAUTION:
Idling the engine with the climate control
system off could allow dangerous exhaust into
your vehicle (see the earlier Caution under
ªEngine Exhaustº).
Also, idling in a closed-in place can let deadly
carbon monoxide (CO) into your vehicle even if
the fan switch is at the highest setting. One place
this can happen is a garage. Exhaust
-- with
CO
-- can come in easily. NEVER park in a
garage with the engine running.
Another closed-in place can be a blizzard.
(See ªBlizzardº in the Index.)
CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Don't leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you've left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured. To be sure your
vehicle won't move, even when you're on fairly
level ground, always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to PARK (P).
Four-wheel drive vehicles with the transfer case
in NEUTRAL (N) will allow the vehicle to roll,
even if your shift lever is in PARK (P). So, be
sure the transfer case is in a drive gear
-- not in
NEUTRAL (N). Always set your parking brake.
Follow the proper steps to be sure your vehicle won't
move. See ªShifting Into PARK (P)º in the Index.
If you're pulling a trailer, see ªTowing a Trailerº in
the Index.

4-
4-1
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 Defensive Driving
4
-3 Drunken Driving
4
-6 Control of a Vehicle
4
-6 Braking
4
-9 Traction Assist System (Option)
4
-11 Steering
4
-13 Off-Road Recovery
4
-14 Passing
4
-15 Loss of Control
4
-16 Off-Road Driving with Your
Four
-Wheel-Drive Vehicle4
-31 Driving at Night
4
-32 Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
4
-35 City Driving
4
-36 Freeway Driving
4
-37 Before Leaving on a Long Trip
4
-38 Highway Hypnosis
4
-38 Hill and Mountain Roads
4
-40 Winter Driving
4
-44 Recreational Vehicle Towing
4
-46 Loading Your Vehicle
4
-51 Towing a Trailer

4-9
Remember: Anti-lock doesn't change the time you need
to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too close to the vehicle in
front of you, you won't have time to apply your brakes
if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave
enough room up ahead to stop, even though you have
anti
-lock brakes.
Using Anti
-Lock
Don't pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down
firmly and let anti
-lock work for you. You may feel
the brakes vibrate, or you may notice some noise, but
this is normal. On vehicles with four
-wheel drive, your
anti
-lock brakes work at all times -- whether you are
in two
-wheel drive or four-wheel drive.
Braking in Emergencies
With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help you more
than even the very best braking.
Traction Assist System (Option)
Your vehicle may have a Traction Assist System (TAS)
that limits wheel spin. This is especially useful in
slippery road conditions. The system operates only if it
senses that one or both of the rear wheels are spinning
or beginning to lose traction. When this happens, the
system reduces engine power to limit wheel spin.
This light will come
on when the TAS is
limiting wheel spin.
See ªLow Traction Lightº
in the Index.
You may hear or feel the system working or notice a
lack of accelerator response, but this is normal.
The Traction Assist System may operate on dry roads
under some conditions. When this happens, you may
notice a reduction in acceleration. This is normal and
doesn't mean there's a problem with your vehicle.
Examples of these conditions include a hard acceleration
in a turn, an abrupt upshift or downshift of the
transmission or driving on rough roads.

4-16
A cornering skid is best handled by easing your foot off
the accelerator pedal. If you have the ªTraction Assist
System,º remember: It helps avoid only the acceleration
skid. If you do not have this system, or if the system is
off, then an acceleration skid is also best handled by
easing your foot off the accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want the
vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough, your
vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for a
second skid if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel or other material is on the road. For safety, you'll
want to slow down and adjust your driving to these
conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration or
braking (including engine braking by shifting to a lower
gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires to
slide. You may not realize the surface is slippery until
your vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning clues -- such as enough
water, ice or packed snow on the road to make a
ªmirrored surfaceº
-- and slow down when you
have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti
-lock brake system (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
Off-Road Driving with Your
Four
-Wheel-Drive Vehicle
This off-road guide is for vehicles that have
four
-wheel drive.
Also, see ªAnti
-Lock Brakesº in the Index.
If your vehicle doesn't have four
-wheel drive, you
shouldn't drive off
-road unless you're on a level,
solid surface.
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.

4-19 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.
CAUTION:

Cargo on the load floor piled higher than the
seatbacks can be thrown forward during a
sudden stop. You or your passengers could
be injured. Keep cargo below the top of
the seatbacks.

Unsecured cargo on the load floor can be
tossed about when driving over rough terrain.
You or your passengers can be struck by flying
objects. Secure the cargo properly.

Heavy loads on the roof raise the vehicle's
center of gravity, making it more likely to
roll over. You can be seriously or fatally
injured if the vehicle rolls over. Put heavy
loads inside the cargo area, not on the roof.
Keep cargo in the cargo area as far forward
and low as possible.
You'll find other important information in this manual.
See ªVehicle Loading,º ªLuggage Carrierº and ªTiresº
in the Index.

4-44
Recreational Vehicle Towing
There may be times when you want to tow your vehicle
behind another vehicle for use at your destination.
Be sure to use the proper towing equipment designed
for recreational vehicle towing. Follow the instructions
for the towing equipment.
When towing your vehicle, turn the ignition to OFF.
To prevent your battery from draining while towing,
remove the IGN 0 fuse from the instrument panel fuse
block. Be sure to replace the fuse when you reach your
destination. See ªFuses and Circuit Breakersº in
the Index.
Two-Wheel-Drive Vehicles
Tw o-wheel-drive vehicles, should not be towed
with all four wheels on the ground. Two
-wheel-drive
transmissions have no provisions for internal lubrication
while being towed. To properly tow these vehicles, they
should be placed on a platform trailer with all four
wheels off the ground.
In rare cases when it's unavoidable that a
two
-wheel-drive vehicle is to be towed with all four
wheels on the ground, the propeller shaft to axle yoke
orientation should be marked and the propeller shaft
removed following the applicable service manual
removal/installation procedure.
Dust or dirt can enter the back of the transmission
through the opening created by removing the propeller
shaft if proper protection is not provided. Also, check
the transmission fluid level before driving the truck.

4-45 Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicles
CAUTION:
Shifting the transfer case into NEUTRAL (N) can
cause your vehicle to roll even if the transmission
is in PARK (P), for an automatic transmission.
You or others could be injured. Make sure the
parking brake is firmly set before you shift the
transfer case into NEUTRAL (N).

Firmly set the parking brake.

Shift the transmission to PARK (P).
Securely attach the vehicle being towed to
the tow vehicle.

Shift the transfer case to NEUTRAL (N).
See ªFour
-Wheel Driveº in the Index for
the proper procedure to select the NEUTRAL
position for your vehicle.

Release the parking brake only after the
vehicle being towed is firmly attached to the
towing vehicle.

Turn the ignition to OFF. The OFF position
unlocks the steering column and reduces battery
drain as long as the IGN 0 fuse is removed.
Unlocking the steering column will allow the
proper movement of the front wheels and tires
during towing.

4-61 Parking on Hills
CAUTION:
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. Apply your regular brake, but don't shift into
PARK (P) yet.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
brake and shift into PARK (P).5. If you have a four
-wheel-drive vehicle, be sure the
transfer case is in a drive gear and not in NEUTRAL (N).
6. Release the regular brakes.
CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
If you have left the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure your vehicle won't move,
even when you're on fairly level ground, use the
steps that follow.
Always put the shift lever fully in PARK (P) with
the parking brake firmly set.
If the transfer case on four-wheel drive vehicles
is in NEUTRAL (N), your vehicle will be free to
roll, even if your shift lever is in PARK (P). So,
be sure the transfer case is in a drive gear
-- not
in NEUTRAL (N).