2002 GMC SONOMA length

4-3
Drunken Driving
Death and injury associated with drinking and driving
is a national tragedy. It's the number one contributor to
the highway death toll, claiming thousands of victims
every year.
Alcohol affects four things that anyone needs to drive
a vehicle:

Judgment

Muscular Coordination

Vision

Attentiveness.
Police records show that almost half of all motor
vehicle
-related deaths involve alcohol. In most cases,
these deaths are the result of someone who was drinking
and driving. In recent years, about 16,000 annual motor
vehicle
-related deaths have been associated with the use
of alcohol, with more than 300,000 people injured.
Many adults
-- by some estimates, nearly half the adult
population
-- choose never to drink alcohol, so they
never drive after drinking. For persons under 21, it's
against the law in every U.S. state to drink alcohol.
There are good medical, psychological and
developmental reasons for these laws.The obvious way to solve the leading highway safety
problem is for people never to drink alcohol and then
drive. But what if people do? How much is ªtoo muchº
if the driver plans to drive? It's a lot less than many
might think. Although it depends on each person and
situation, here is some general information on the
problem.
The Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of someone
who is drinking depends upon four things:

The amount of alcohol consumed

The drinker's body weight

The amount of food that is consumed before and
during drinking

The length of time it has taken the drinker to
consume the alcohol.
According to the American Medical Association, a
180
-lb. (82 kg) person who drinks three 12-ounce
(355 ml) bottles of beer in an hour will end up with a
BAC of about 0.06 percent. The person would reach the
same BAC by drinking three 4
-ounce (120 ml) glasses
of wine or three mixed drinks if each had 1
-1/2 ounces
(45 ml) of a liquor like whiskey, gin or vodka.

4-23
Q:Am I likely to stall when going downhill?
A:It's much more likely to happen going uphill. But if
it happens going downhill, here's what to do.

Stop your vehicle by applying the regular brakes.
Apply the parking brake.

Shift to PARK (P) (or to neutral with the manual
transmission) and, while still braking, restart the
engine.

Shift back to a low gear, release the parking brake,
and drive straight down.

If the engine won't start, get out and get help.
Driving Across an Incline
Sooner or later, an off-road trail will probably go across
the incline of a hill. If this happens, you have to decide
whether to try to drive across the incline. Here are some
things to consider:

A hill that can be driven straight up or down may be
too steep to drive across. When you go straight up or
down a hill, the length of the wheel base (the
distance from the front wheels to the rear wheels)
reduces the likelihood the vehicle will tumble end
over end. But when you drive across an incline, the
much more narrow track width (the distance between
the left and right wheels) may not prevent the vehicle
from tilting and rolling over. Also, driving across an
incline puts more weight on the downhill wheels.
This could cause a downhill slide or a rollover.

4-47 Payload
The payload capacity is shown on the Certification/Tire
label. This is the maximum load capacity that your
vehicle can carry. If you are using E85 ethanol fuel the
maximum payload should not exceed 1000 lbs (454 kg).
Be sure to include the weight of the occupants as part of
your load. If you added any accessories or equipment
after your vehicle left the factory, remember to subtract
the weight of these things from the payload. Your dealer
can help you with this.
Remember not to exceed the Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR) of the front or rear axle. See ªLoading Your
Vehicleº in the Index.
Two-Tiered Loading
By positioning four 2, x 6, wooden planks across the
width of the pickup box, you can create an upper load
platform. The planks must be inserted in the pickup box
depressions. The length of the planks must allow for at
least a 3/4 inch (2 cm) bearing surface on each end of
the plank.
When using this upper load platform, be sure the load is
securely tied down to prevent it from shifting. The
load's center of gravity should be positioned in a zone
over the rear axle.Any load that extends beyond the vehicle's taillamp area
must be properly marked according to local laws and
regulations.
Remember not to exceed the Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR) of the rear axle. See ªLoading Your Vehicleº
in the Index.
Add-On Equipment
When you carry removable items, you may need to put a
limit on how many people you carry inside your vehicle.
Be sure to weigh your vehicle before you buy and install
the new equipment.
NOTICE:
Your warranty doesn't cover parts or
components that fail because of overloading.
Remember not to exceed the Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR) of the rear axle. See ªLoading Your Vehicleº
in the Index.

6-45
Windshield Wiper Blade
Replacement
Windshield wiper blades should be inspected at least
twice a year for wear and cracking. See ªWiper Blade
Checkº in the Index for more information.
Replacement blades come in different types and are
removed in different ways. For proper type and length,
see ªNormal Maintenance Replacement Partsº in
the Index.
NOTICE:
Use care when removing or installing a blade
assembly. Accidental bumping can cause the arm
to fall back and strike the windshield.
1. To remove the old wiper blades, lift the wiper arm
until it locks into a vertical position.
A. Blade Assembly
B. Arm Assembly
C. Locking TabD. Blade Pivot
E. Hook Slot
F. Arm Hook
2. Press down on the blade assembly pivot locking tab.
Pull down on the blade assembly to release it from
the wiper arm hook.
3. Remove the insert from the blade assembly. The
insert has two notches at one end that are locked by
bottom claws of the blade assembly. At the notched
end, pull the insert from the blade assembly.