2004 CHEVROLET BLAZER wheel

Automatic Headlamp System
When it is dark enough outside, your automatic
headlamp system will turn on your headlamps at the
normal brightness along with other lamps such as
the taillamps, sidemarker, parking lamps and the
instrument panel lights. The radio lights will also be dim.
Your vehicle is equipped with a light sensor on the
top of the instrument panel under the radio speaker grill.
Be sure it is not covered or the system will be on
whenever the ignition is on.
The system may also turn on your headlamps when
driving through a parking garage, heavy overcast
weather or a tunnel. This is normal.
There is a delay in the transition between the daytime
and nighttime operation of the Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL) and the automatic headlamp systems so
that driving under bridges or bright overhead street
lights does not affect the system. The DRL and
automatic headlamp system will only be affected when
the light sensor sees a change in lighting lasting
longer than the delay.
To idle your vehicle with the automatic headlamp
system off, set the parking brake while the ignition is off.
Then start your vehicle. The automatic headlamp
system will stay off until you release the parking brake.As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamps when you need them.
You may be able to turn off your automatic headlamp
system. See “Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)” later
in this section for more information.
If you start your vehicle in a dark garage, the automatic
headlamp system will come on immediately. Once
you leave the garage, it will take approximately
one minute for the automatic headlamp system to
change to DRL if it is light outside. During that delay,
your instrument panel cluster may not be as bright
as usual. Make sure your instrument panel brightness
control is in the full bright position. See “Instrument
Panel Brightness Control” underInterior Lamps
on page 3-15.
Lamps On Reminder
A reminder chime will sound when your headlamps or
parking lamps are manually turned on, the driver’s door
is opened and your ignition is in OFF, LOCK or
ACCESSORY. To turn the chime off, turn the control
counterclockwise or turn the instrument panel brightness
thumbwheel down to the fully dimmed position. In the
automatic mode, the headlamps turn off once the ignition
key is in OFF.
3-13

Fog Lamps
Your vehicle may be equipped with fog lamps. Use your
fog lamps for better vision in foggy or misty conditions.
Your parking lamps or headlamps must be on for
your fog lamps to work.
The fog lamp button is located on the instrument panel
near the lamp control.
Press the button to turn the fog lamps on. Press the
button again to turn them off. A light will glow in
the button when the fog lamps are on.
Fog lamps will go off whenever your high-beam
headlamps come on. When the high-beams go off, the
fog lamps will come on again.
Interior Lamps
Instrumental Panel Brightness
The thumbwheel for this feature is located on the
driver’s side of the instrument panel next to the exterior
lamps control.
Turn the thumbwheel up to make your instrument panel
lights brighter. Turn the thumbwheel all the way up to
turn on the interior lamps. To dim the instrument
panel lights, turn the thumbwheel down.
Entry Lighting
Your vehicle is equipped with an illuminated entry
feature.
When a door is opened, the dome lamps will come on if
the DOME OVERRIDE button is in the out position.
When the doors are closed, the lamps will stay on for a
short period of time and will turn off automatically. If
you use your keyless entry transmitter, if equipped, to
unlock your vehicle, the interior lamps will come on for a
short time whether or not the DOME OVERRIDE
button is in the out position.
3-15

Exit Lighting
With exit lighting, the interior lamps will come on when
you remove the key from the ignition to help you
see while exiting the vehicle. If the DOME OVERRIDE
button is in the out position, these lamps will stay
on for a short period of time and then will go out.
Front Reading Lamps
Press the button located near each lamp on the
overhead console to turn a reading lamp on and off.
The lamps can be swiveled to point in the desired
direction.
If you have the mini console, press the lens on each
lamp to turn it on or off.
Front Map Lamps
If your vehicle has front map lamps, they are located on
the inside rearview mirror. They will automatically
come on for about 40 seconds when the doors are
unlocked with the keyless entry transmitter, if equipped,
or until the ignition key is turned to RUN or
ACCESSORY. The lamps will also stay on for about
40 seconds after you exit the vehicle unless you lock the
doors with the keyless entry transmitter.
You can also turn the lamps on and off by pressing the
button near each lamp.
Dome Lamps
The dome lamps will come on when you open a door.
You can also turn the dome lamps on by turning
the thumbwheel, located next to the exterior lamps
control, all the way up to the top position. In this
position, the dome lamps will remain on until they are
turned off.
You can press the DOME OVERRIDE button, located
below the exterior lamp control. This will override
the entry lighting feature, unless you use your keyless
entry transmitter (if equipped) to unlock the vehicle.
Battery Run-Down Protection
This feature shuts off the dome, courtesy, vanity,
reading, glove box and underhood lamps if they are left
on for more than 20 minutes when the ignition is off.
This will keep your battery from running down.
If the battery run-down protection shuts off the interior
lamps, it may be necessary to do one of the following to
return to normal operation:
Shut off all lamps and close all doors.
Turn the ignition key to RUN.
3-16

Rear Window Defogger
The rear window defogger uses a warming grid to
remove fog from the rear window.
defogger on or off. An indicator light in the button
will come on to let your know that the rear window
defogger is activated.
If your vehicle has heated outside rearview mirrors,
when the rear defogger button is pressed the mirrors will
warm to help clear any fog or frost from the surface of
the mirrors.
Notice:Using a razor blade or sharp object to clear
the inside rear window may damage the rear
window defogger. Repairs would not be covered by
your warranty. Do not clear the inside of the rear
window with sharp objects.
Outlet Adjustment
The ow through outlets on your vehicle allow outside
air to enter your vehicle while it is moving. Outside
air will also enter your vehicle while the air-conditioning
compressor is running.
Use the thumbwheels located in the center and on the
sides, to change the direction of the air owing
through the outlets.
3-20

Security Light
This light will come on
briey when you turn the
key toward START.
The light will stay on until
the engine starts.
If the light ashes, the Passlock
®system has entered a
tamper mode. If the vehicle fails to start, seePasslock®
on page 2-18.
If the light comes on continuously while driving and
stays on, there may be a problem with the Passlock
®
system. Your vehicle will not be protected by Passlock®,
and you should see your dealer.
Also, seeContent Theft-Deterrent on page 2-16for
additional information regarding the SECURITY light.
Service Four-Wheel Drive
Warning Light
If you have this light, it
should come on briey
when you turn on the
ignition, as a check
to show you it is working.
The SERVICE 4WD light comes on to indicate that
there may be a problem with the four-wheel drive system
and service is required. Malfunctions can be indicated
by the system before any problem is apparent,
which may prevent serious damage to the vehicle. This
system is also designed to assist your service
technician in correctly diagnosing a malfunction.
3-34

Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle..........4-2
Driver Behavior..............................................4-2
Driving Environment........................................4-2
Vehicle Design...............................................4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-3
Drunken Driving.............................................4-4
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-7
Braking.........................................................4-7
Locking Rear Axle........................................4-10
Steering......................................................4-10
Off-Road Recovery.......................................4-12
Passing.......................................................4-13
Loss of Control.............................................4-14
Off-Road Driving with Your Four-Wheel-Drive
Vehicle....................................................4-15Driving at Night............................................4-30
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-32
City Driving..................................................4-35
Freeway Driving...........................................4-36
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-37
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-38
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-38
Winter Driving..............................................4-40
If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow..............................................4-44
Towing..........................................................4-46
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-46
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-46
Loading Your Vehicle....................................4-54
Towing a Trailer...........................................4-60
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1

Your Driving, the Road, and
Your Vehicle
Whenever we drive, we are taking on an
important responsibility. This is true for any motor
vehicle — passenger car, van, truck, sport utility. Driver
behavior, the driving environment, and the vehicle’s
design all affect how well a vehicle performs. But
statistics show that the most important factor, by far, is
how we drive.
Knowing how these three factors work together can help
you understand how your vehicle handles and what you
can do to avoid many types of crashes, including a
rollover crash.
Driver Behavior
The single most important thing is this: everyone in the
vehicle, including the driver, should buckle up. SeeSafety
Belts: They Are for Everyone on page 1-8. In fact, most
serious injuries and fatalities to unbelted occupants can
be reduced or prevented by the use of safety belts. In a
rollover crash, an unbelted person is signicantly more
likely to die than a person wearing a seat belt. In addition,
avoiding excessive speed, sudden or abrupt turns and
drunken or aggressive driving can help make trips safer
and avoid the possibility of a crash, especially a rollover
crash. This section provides many useful tips to help you
drive more safely.
Driving Environment
You can also help avoid a rollover or other type of crash
by being prepared for driving in inclement weather, at
night, or during other times where visibility or traction
may be limited (such as on curves, slippery roads or hilly
terrain). Unfamiliar surroundings can also have hidden
hazards.
To help you learn more about driving in different
conditions, this section contains information about city,
freeway and off-road driving, as well as other hints
for driving in various weather conditions.
Vehicle Design
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation,
utility vehicles have a signicantly higher rollover
rate than other types of vehicles. Utility vehicles do
have higher ground clearance and a narrower track or
shorter wheelbase than passenger cars, to make
them more capable for off-road driving. Specic design
characteristics like these give the driver a better
view of the road, but also give utility vehicles a higher
center of gravity than other types of vehicles. This
means that you should not expect a utility vehicle to
handle the same way a vehicle with a lower center
of gravity, like a car, would in similar situations.
4-2

Let us say the road is wet and you are driving safely.
Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam
on the brakes and continue braking. Here is what
happens with ABS:
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If
one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer
will separately work the brakes at each front wheel
and at both rear wheels.The anti-lock system can change the brake pressure
faster than any driver could. The computer is
programmed to make the most of available tire and road
conditions. This can help you steer around the obstacle
while braking hard.
As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls braking pressure
accordingly.
4-9