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2-99
Tow/Haul Mode Light (If Equipped)
This light should come on
when the tow/haul mode
has been selected.
For more information, see ªTow/Haul Modeº in
the Index.
Check Gages Light
The CHECK GAGES light
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
If this light comes on, your
liftgate or liftglass is ajar.
Try closing the liftgate or
liftglass again. Never drive
with the liftgate or liftglass
even partially open.
Fuel Gage
United States Canada
When the ignition is on, the fuel gage tells you about
how much fuel you have remaining.
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2-100
Here are four things that some owners ask about.
None of these show a problem with your fuel gage:
At the gas station, the gas pump shuts off before
the gage reads full.
It takes a little more or less fuel to fill up than the
gage indicated. For example, the gage may have
indicated the tank was half full, but it actually took a
little more or less than half the tank's capacity to fill
the tank.
The gage moves a little when you turn a corner or
speed up.
The gage doesn't go back to empty when you turn
off the ignition.Low Fuel Light
The LOW FUEL light will
come on briefly when you
are starting the engine.
This light comes on when the fuel tank is low on fuel.
To turn it off, add fuel to the fuel tank. See ªFuelº in
the Index.
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3-5
With the automatic setting, the air conditioning
compressor automatically cycles when needed to cool the
air. In cold weather, when the system senses the need for
heat, the airflow will be directed out of the floor outlets.
As the interior temperature approaches a desired setting,
the fan speed will decrease. To maintain interior comfort,
the airflow will adjust between the instrument panel air
outlets and floor outlets. On bright sunny days in cool
weather, the airflow may come out of the air conditioning
and floor outlets (bi
-level mode) to maintain comfort and
prevent stuffiness.
To avoid blowing cold air in cold weather, the system
will delay turning on the fan until warm air is available.
The length of delay depends on the outside air temperature,
engine coolant temperature or the time since the engine was
last started. As the coolant warms up, the fan speed will
gradually increase and air will flow from the heater outlets,
with some airflow to the windshield to prevent fogging
under most normal conditions.
If your vehicle is sitting out on a warm day and you
have the fan set on AUTO, the air will first flow out of
the floor air outlets for a few seconds. That is normal.
This is to expel hot air from the air outlets. As the air is cooled, the airflow will move through the
air conditioning outlets.
Be careful not to put anything over the solar sensor
located around the center of the instrument panel.
This sensor is used by the automatic system to
regulate temperature.
Mode Knob
- Manual Operation
The right knob on the control panel allows you to
choose the direction of air delivery.
You can choose to set the climate control system
operations yourself, or let the system work for you
by placing the system in AUTO mode. See ªMode
Knob
- Automatic Operationº earlier in this section.
VENT: This setting directs most of the air through
the instrument panel outlets and a small amount through
the floor outlets.
BI-LEVEL: This setting directs air through
the heater floor outlets as well as the instrument
panel outlets.
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3-7 Air Conditioning
On hot days, open the windows long enough to let hot
inside air escape. This reduces the time it takes for your
vehicle to cool down. Then keep your windows closed
for the air conditioner to work its best.
For quick cool
-down on very hot days, use MAX A/C
with the temperature knob turned to the left. This setting
should be used to keep odors and/or dust from entering
the vehicle. For normal cooling on hot days, use A/C
with the temperature knob turned to the left.
On vehicles equipped with the Electronic Climate Control
system, this same performance can be achieved as long as
the A/C is on and the outside air button is not active.
On cool but sunny days, use BI
-LEVEL A/C to deliver
warm air to the floor and cooler air to the instrument
panel outlets.
When the air conditioner is on, you may sometimes
notice slight changes in your vehicle's engine speed
and power. This is normal because the system is
designed to cycle the compressor on and off to keep
the desired temperature.
Heating
The heater works best if you keep your windows closed
while using it. On cold days, use HEATER with the
temperature knob turned clockwise. BLEND is useful
in cool weather when you have fog or ice on the
windshield or side windows.
If you use the optional engine coolant heater before
starting your engine, your heating system will produce
warmer air faster to heat the passenger compartment in
cold weather. See ªEngine Coolant Heaterº in the Index.
Defogging and Defrosting
On cool, humid days, use BLEND to keep the
windshield and side windows clear.
Use DEFROST to remove fog or ice from the
windshield quickly in extreme humid or cold conditions.
Turn the temperature knob to the right and move the
fan knob toward high.
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3-10
Audio Systems
Your audio system has been designed to operate easily
and give years of listening pleasure. You will get the
most enjoyment out of it if you acquaint yourself with it
first. Find out what your audio system can do and how
to operate all its controls, to be sure you're getting the
most out of the advanced engineering that went into it.
Your vehicle has a feature called Retained Accessory
Power (RAP). With RAP, you can play your audio
system even after the ignition is off. See ºRetained
Accessory Powerº in the Index.
Setting the Clock for Systems with
SET Button
Press SET. Within five seconds, press and hold the
SEEK right arrow until the correct minute appears on
the display. Press and hold the SEEK left arrow until
the correct hour appears on the display.
Setting the Clock for Systems with HR
and MN Buttons
Press and hold HR until the correct hour appears on
the display. Press and hold MN until the correct minute
appears on the display. To display the clock with the
ignition off, press RECALL or HR/MN and the time
will be displayed for a few seconds. There is an initial
two
-second delay before the clock goes into the
time
-set mode.
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3-45 Understanding Radio Reception
AM
The range for most AM stations is greater than for FM,
especially at night. The longer range, however, can
cause stations to interfere with each other. AM can
pick up noise from things like storms and power lines.
Try reducing the treble to reduce this noise if you
ever get it.
FM Stereo
FM stereo will give you the best sound, but FM signals
will reach only about 10 to 40 miles (16 to 65 km). Tall
buildings or hills can interfere with FM signals, causing
the sound to come and go.
Tips About Your Audio System
Hearing damage from loud noise is almost undetectable
until it is too late. Your hearing can adapt to higher
volumes of sound. Sound that seems normal can be
loud and harmful to your hearing. Take precautions by
adjusting the volume control on your radio to a safe
sound level before your hearing adapts to it.To help avoid hearing loss or damage:
Adjust the volume control to the lowest setting.
Increase volume slowly until you hear comfortably
and clearly.
NOTICE:
Before you add any sound equipment to your
vehicle
-- like a tape player, CB radio, mobile
telephone or two
-way radio -- be sure you
can add what you want. If you can, it's very
important to do it properly. Added sound
equipment may interfere with the operation of
your vehicle's engine, Delphi Delco Electronics
radio or other systems, and even damage them.
Your vehicle's systems may interfere with the
operation of sound equipment that has been
added improperly.
So, before adding sound equipment, check with
your dealer and be sure to check Federal rules
covering mobile radio and telephone units.
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4-8
Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive
in spurts
-- heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking
-- rather than keeping pace with traffic.
This is a mistake. Your brakes may not have time
to cool between hard stops. Your brakes will wear
out much faster if you do a lot of heavy braking.
If you keep pace with the traffic and allow realistic
following distances, you will eliminate a lot of
unnecessary braking. That means better braking
and longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you're driving, brake
normally but don't pump your brakes. If you do,
the pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist.
But you will use it when you brake. Once the power
assist is used up, it may take longer to stop and the
brake pedal will be harder to push.
Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes (ABS). ABS is
an advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent a braking skid.
When you start your engine and begin to drive away,
your anti
-lock brake system will check itself. You may
hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while this test
is going on. This is normal.
If there's a problem with
the anti
-lock brake system,
this warning light will stay
on. See ªAnti
-Lock Brake
System Warning Lightº in
the Index.
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4-10
As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates on
wheel speed and controls braking pressure accordingly.
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.
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.
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer
but it will take much more effort.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It's important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the ªdriver lost controlº accidents mentioned
on the news happen on curves. Here's why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject
to the same laws of physics when driving on curves.
The traction of the tires against the road surface makes it
possible for the vehicle to change its path when you turn
the front wheels. If there's no traction, inertia will keep
the vehicle going in the same direction. If you've ever
tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you'll understand this.
The traction you can get in a curve depends on the
condition of your tires and the road surface, the angle at
which the curve is banked, and your speed. While you're
in a curve, speed is the one factor you can control.
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