4-41
Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little faster
than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly. This
uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps the
battery charged. You will need a well
-charged battery to
restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on
with your headlamps. Let the heater run for a while.
Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. But do it as little as possible. Preserve the
fuel as long as you can. To help keep warm, you can get
out of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or so until help comes.
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means towing your
vehicle behind another vehicle
-- such as behind a
motorhome. The two most common types of
recreational vehicle towing are known as ªdinghy
towingº (towing your vehicle with all four wheels on the
ground) and ªdolly towingº (towing your vehicle with
two wheels on the ground and two wheels up on a
device known as a ªdollyº).
Your vehicle was not designed to be towed with any of
its wheels on the ground. If your vehicle must be towed,
see ªTowing Your Vehicleº in the Index.
NOTICE:
Towing your vehicle with all four wheels on the
ground will damage drivetrain components. And,
since your vehicle has all
-wheel drive, towing
with only two wheels on the ground will also
damage drivetrain components.
4-42
Loading Your Vehicle
The Certification/Tire label is found on the rear edge of
the driver's door.
The label shows the size of your original tires and the
inflation pressures needed to obtain the gross weight
capacity of your vehicle. This is called the GVWR
(Gross Vehicle Weight Rating). The GVWR includes the
weight of the vehicle, all occupants, fuel and cargo.The Certification/Tire label also tells you the maximum
weights for the front and rear axles, called Gross Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR). To find out the actual loads on
your front and rear axles, you need to go to a weigh
station and weigh your vehicle. Your dealer can help
you with this. Be sure to spread out your load equally on
both sides of the centerline.
Never exceed the GVWR for your vehicle, or the
GAWR for either the front or rear axle.
And, if you do have a heavy load, you should spread
it out.
CAUTION:
Do not load your vehicle any heavier than the
GVWR, or either the maximum front or rear
GAWR. If you do, parts on your vehicle can
break, and it can change the way your vehicle
handles. These could cause you to lose control
and crash. Also, overloading can shorten the life
of your vehicle.
4-45
Towing a Trailer
CAUTION:
If you don't use the correct equipment and drive
properly, you can lose control when you pull a
trailer. For example, if the trailer is too heavy, the
brakes may not work well
-- or even at all. You
and your passengers could be seriously injured.
Pull a trailer only if you have followed all the
steps in this section. Ask your dealer for advice
and information about towing a trailer with
your vehicle.
NOTICE:
Pulling a trailer improperly can damage your
vehicle and result in costly repairs not covered by
your warranty. To pull a trailer correctly, follow
the advice in this part, and see your dealer for
important information about towing a trailer
with your vehicle.
To identify what the vehicle trailering capacity is for
your vehicle, you should read the information in
ªWeight of the Trailerº that appears later in this section.
If yours was built with trailering options, as many are,
it's ready for heavier trailers. But trailering is different
than just driving your vehicle by itself. Trailering means
changes in handling, durability and fuel economy.
Successful, safe trailering takes correct equipment, and
it has to be used properly.
That's the reason for this part. In it are many
time
-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many of these are important for your safety and that of
your passengers. So please read this section carefully
before you pull a trailer.
4-47
Your vehicle is provided with a button at the end of the
shift lever which when pressed enables tow/haul. When
the button is pressed, a light on the instrument panel will
illuminate to indicate that tow/haul has been selected.
Tow/haul may be turned off by pressing the button
again, at which time the indicator light on the instrument
panel will turn off. The vehicle will automatically turn
off tow/haul every time it is started.
Tow/haul is designed to be most effective when the
vehicle and trailer combined weight is at least
75 percent of the vehicle's Gross Combined Weight
Rating (GCWR). See ªWeight of the Trailerº later in
this section. Tow/haul is most useful under the following
driving conditions:
When pulling a heavy trailer or a large or heavy load
through rolling terrain.
When pulling a heavy trailer or a large or heavy load
in stop and go traffic.
When pulling a heavy trailer or a large or heavy load
in busy parking lots where improved low speed
control of the vehicle is desired.Operating the vehicle in tow/haul when lightly loaded or
with no trailer at all will not cause damage. However,
there is no benefit to the selection of tow/haul when the
vehicle is unloaded. Such a selection when unloaded
may result in unpleasant engine and transmission
driving characteristics and reduced fuel economy.
Tow/haul is recommended only when pulling a heavy
trailer or a large or heavy load.
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It depends on how you plan to use your rig.
For example, speed, altitude, road grades, outside
temperature and how much your vehicle is used to pull a
trailer are all important. And, it can also depend on any
special equipment that you have on your vehicle.
Use one of the following charts to determine how much
your vehicle can weigh, based upon your vehicle model
and options.
5-19
Engine Fan Noise
Your vehicle has a clutched engine cooling fan. When
the clutch is engaged, the fan spins faster to provide
more air to cool the engine. In most everyday driving
conditions, the fan is spinning slower and the clutch is
not fully engaged. This improves fuel economy and
reduces fan noise. Under heavy vehicle loading, trailer
towing and/or high outside temperatures, the fan speed
increases as the clutch more fully engages. So you may
hear an increase in fan noise. This is normal and should
not be mistaken as the transmission slipping or making
extra shifts. It is merely the cooling system functioning
properly. The fan will slow down when additional
cooling is not required and the clutch disengages.
You may also hear this fan noise when you start
the engine. It will go away as the fan clutch
partially disengages.
If a Tire Goes Flat
It's unusual for a tire to ªblow outº while you're driving,
especially if you maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out of a tire, it's much more likely to leak out slowly.
But if you should ever have a ªblowout,º here are a few
tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, and then gently brake to
a stop well out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you'd use in a
skid. In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by
steering the way you want the vehicle to go. It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake to a stop
-- well off the road if possible.
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change a flat tire safely.
6-
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
-6 Filling Your Tank
6
-8 Filling a Portable Fuel Container
6
-8 Checking Things Under the Hood
6
-11 Engine Oil
6
-17 Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
6
-19 Passenger Compartment Air Filter
6
-20 Automatic Transmission Fluid
6
-23 Rear Axle
6
-24 All-Wheel Drive
6
-26 Engine Coolant
6
-29 Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap
6
-30 Power Steering Fluid6
-31 Windshield Washer Fluid
6
-32 Brakes
6
-36 Battery
6
-37 Bulb Replacement
6
-41 Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
6
-42 Tires
6
-51 Appearance Care
6
-51 Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
6
-55 Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle
6
-59 GM Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials
6
-60 Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
6
-61 Electrical System
6
-69 Replacement Bulbs
6
-70 Capacities and Specifications
6
-71 Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
6-3
CAUTION:
You can be injured and your vehicle could be
damaged if you try to do service work on a
vehicle without knowing enough about it.
Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, the proper replacement parts
and tools before you attempt any vehicle
maintenance task.
Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts and
other fasteners. ªEnglishº and ªmetricº
fasteners can be easily confused. If you use
the wrong fasteners, parts can later break
or fall off. You could be hurt.
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle
Things you might add to the outside of your vehicle can
affect the airflow around it. This may cause wind noise
and affect windshield washer performance. Check with
your dealer before adding equipment to the outside of
your vehicle.
Fuel
Gasoline Octane
Use regular unleaded gasoline with a posted octane of
87 or higher. If the octane is less than 87, you may
get a heavy knocking noise when you drive. If it is bad
enough, it can damage your engine. A little pinging
noise when you accelerate or drive uphill is considered
normal. This does not indicate a problem exists or that a
higher
-octane fuel is necessary.
Gasoline Specifications
It is recommended that gasoline meet specifications
which were developed by the American Automobile
Manufacturers Association and endorsed by the
Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers' Association for better
vehicle performance and engine protection. Gasolines
meeting these specifications could provide improved
driveability and emission control system performance
compared to other gasolines.
6-4
In Canada, look for
the ªAuto Makers'
Choiceº label on
the pump.
Canada Only
California Fuel
If your vehicle is certified to meet California Emission
Standards (see the underhood emission control label),
it is designed to operate on fuels that meet California
specifications. If this fuel is not available in states
adopting California emissions standards, your vehicle
will operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal
specifications, but emission control system performance
may be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp may
turn on (see ªMalfunction Indicator Lampº in the Index)
and your vehicle may fail a smog
-check test.If this occurs, return to your authorized GM dealer for
diagnosis. If it is determined that the condition is caused
by the type of fuel used, repairs may not be covered by
your warranty.
Additives
Some gasolines that are not reformulated for low
emissions may contain an octane
-enhancing additive
called methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT); ask the attendant where you buy gasoline
whether the fuel contains MMT. General Motors does
not recommend the use of such gasolines. Fuels
containing MMT can reduce the life of spark plugs and
the performance of the emission control system may be
affected. The malfunction indicator lamp may turn on.
If this occurs, return to your authorized GM dealer
for service.