2005 CHEVROLET BLAZER transmission

1. Follow the dolly manufacturer’s instructions to
attach and secure the vehicle being towed to
the dolly and then the loaded dolly to the tow
vehicle.
2. Firmly set the parking brake.
3. Put an automatic or a manual transmission in
NEUTRAL (N).
{CAUTION:
Shifting a four-wheel-drive vehicle’s transfer
case into NEUTRAL can cause your vehicle to
roll even if the transmission is in Park (P) for
an automatic transmission, or if your vehicle is
in gear, for a manual transmission. You or
others could be injured. Make sure the parking
brake is rmly set before you shift the transfer
case to NEUTRAL.4. Shift the transfer case to Neutral. SeeFour-Wheel
Drive on page 2-29for how to shift the transfer case.
5. Release the parking brake only after the vehicle
being towed is rmly attached to the towing
vehicle.
Notice:Do not exceed the posted speed limit when
towing your vehicle. If you do, your vehicle could
be badly damaged.
Notice:If you tow your vehicle from the front for
more than 50 miles (80 km) on a dolly, you could
damage it. Never dolly tow your vehicle from
the front more than 50 miles (80 km).
6. Turn the ignition to OFF. To prevent your battery
from draining while towing, remove the RDO BATT
and CLSTR fuses from the instrument panel
fuse block. Be sure to replace the fuse when you
reach your destination SeeInstrument Panel
Fuse Block on page 5-98.
4-55

Rear Towing (Rear Wheels off the Ground)
If your vehicle has an electronic transfer case, you
can dolly tow your vehicle from the rear only if the rear
wheels are on the dolly. Use the following steps to
dolly tow your vehicle:
1. Follow the dolly manufacturer’s instructions to
attach and secure the vehicle being towed to
the dolly and then the loaded dolly to the tow
vehicle.
2. Firmly set the parking brake.
3. Put the automatic or manual transmission in
NEUTRAL (N).4. Release the parking brake only after the vehicle
being towed is rmly attached to the towing
vehicle.
{CAUTION:
Shifting a four-wheel-drive vehicle’s transfer
case into NEUTRAL can cause your vehicle to
roll even if the transmission is in Park (P) for
an automatic transmission, or if your vehicle is
in gear, for a manual transmission. You or
others could be injured. Make sure the parking
brake is rmly set before you shift the transfer
case to NEUTRAL.
Notice:Do not exceed the posted speed limit when
towing your vehicle. If you do, your vehicle could
be badly damaged.
5. Turn the ignition to OFF. To prevent your battery
from draining while towing, remove the RDO BATT
and CLSTR fuses from the instrument panel
fuse block. Be sure to replace the fuse when you
reach your destination. SeeInstrument Panel
Fuse Block on page 5-98.
4-56

Dolly Towing
(Two-Wheel-Drive Vehicles)
Front Towing
(Front Wheels off the Ground)
You can dolly tow your vehicle from the front. Use the
following steps to dolly tow your vehicle:
1. Follow the dolly manufacturer’s instructions to
attach and secure the vehicle being towed to
the dolly and then the loaded dolly to the tow
vehicle.
2. Firmly set the parking brake.3. Put the automatic or manual transmission in
NEUTRAL (N).
4. Release the parking brake only after the vehicle
being towed is rmly attached to the towing
vehicle.
5. Turn the ignition to OFF. To prevent your battery
from draining while towing, remove the RDO BATT
and CLSTR fuses from the instrument panel
fuse block. Be sure to replace the fuse when you
reach your destination. SeeInstrument Panel
Fuse Block on page 5-98.
Notice:Do not exceed the posted speed limit when
towing your vehicle. If you do, your vehicle could
be badly damaged.
Notice:If you tow your vehicle from the front for
more than 50 miles (80 km) on a dolly, you could
damage it. Never dolly tow your vehicle from
the front more than 50 miles (80 km).
4-57

Rear Towing (Rear Wheels off the Ground)
You can dolly tow your vehicle from the rear. Use the
following steps to dolly tow your vehicle:
1. Follow the dolly manufacturer’s instructions to
attach and secure the vehicle being towed to
the dolly and then the loaded dolly to the tow
vehicle.
2. Firmly set the parking brake.
3. Put the automatic or manual transmission in
NEUTRAL (N).4. Release the parking brake only after the vehicle
being towed is rmly attached to the towing
vehicle.
Notice:Do not exceed the posted speed limit when
towing your vehicle. If you do, your vehicle could
be badly damaged.
5. Turn the ignition to OFF. To prevent your battery
from draining while towing, remove the RDO BATT
and CLSTR fuses from the instrument panel
fuse block. Be sure to replace the fuse when you
reach your destination. SeeInstrument Panel
Fuse Block on page 5-98.
4-58

If You Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points:
There are many different laws, including speed limit
restrictions, having to do with trailering. Make sure
your rig will be legal, not only where you live
but also where you’ll be driving. A good source for
this information can be state or provincial police.
Consider using a sway control. See “Hitches” later
in this section.
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the rst 500 miles
(800 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine,
axle or other parts could be damaged.
Then, during the rst 500 miles (800 km) that you
tow a trailer, don’t drive over 50 mph (80 km/h)
and don’t make starts at full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts of your vehicle wear in at
the heavier loads.
If you have an automatic transmission, you can tow
in DRIVE (D). You may want to shift the
transmission to THIRD (3) or, if necessary, a lower
gear selection if the transmission shifts too often
(e.g., under heavy loads and/or hilly conditions). If
you have a manual transmission and you are
towing a trailer, it’s better not to use the highest
gear. SeeTow/Haul Mode Light on page 3-34.
Three important considerations have to do with weight:
the weight of the trailer
the weight of the trailer tongue
and the weight on your vehicle’s tires
4-60

Tow/Haul Mode
Your vehicle may be equipped with a tow/haul feature.
Tow/haul is designed to assist while your vehicle is
pulling a large or heavy load or trailer. Tow/haul is most
useful while pulling such a load in rolling terrain at
speeds less than 55 mph (88 km/h), in stop-and-go
traffic, or when you need improved low-speed control,
such as when parking. The purpose of the tow/haul
mode is to do the following:
Reduce the frequency and improve the predictability
or transmission shifts
provide the same solid shift feel while pulling a
heavy load as while the vehicle is unloaded, and
improve control of vehicle speed while requiring less
throttle pedal activity
Press the button on the end of the shift lever to turn
tow/haul mode on and off. While activated, the indicator
light on the instrument panel will be on. Tow/haul
mode will turn off automatically when the ignition is
turned off. SeeTow/Haul Mode Light on page 3-34.
Tow/haul mode is most effective when the vehicle and
load combined weight is at least 75 percent of the
vehicle’s Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and the
maximum trailer weight rating for the vehicle. See
“Weight of the Trailer” later in this section.Driving with tow/haul activated without a heavy load will
cause reduced fuel economy and unpleasant engine
and transmission driving characteristics, but will
not cause damage.
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.
The following chart shows how much your trailer can
weigh, based upon your vehicle model and options.
Maximum trailer weight is calculated assuming the driver
and one passenger are in the tow vehicle and it has
all the required trailering equipment. The weight
of additional optional equipment, passengers and cargo
in the tow vehicle must be subtracted from the
maximum trailer weight. The weight of the trailer tongue
also affects the maximum trailer weight. See “ Weight
of the Trailer Tongue ” later in this section.
4-61

Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gearbeforeyou start
down a long or steep downgrade. If you don’t shift
down, you might have to use your brakes so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
If you have an automatic transmission, you can tow in
DRIVE (D). You may want to shift the transmission
to THIRD (3) or, if necessary, a lower gear selection if
the transmission shifts too often (e.g., under heavy loads
and/or hilly conditions). Or, if you have a manual
transmission and you are towing a trailer, it’s better not
to use FIFTH (5) gear. Just drive in FOURTH (4)
gear (or, as you need to, a lower gear). SeeTow/Haul
Mode Light on page 3-34.
When towing at high altitude on steep uphill grades,
consider the following: Engine coolant will boil at a lower
temperature than at normal altitudes. If you turn your
engine off immediately after towing at high altitude
on steep uphill grades, your vehicle may show signs
similar to engine overheating. To avoid this, let the
engine run while parked (preferably on level ground)
with the automatic transmission in PARK (P) (or
the manual transmission out of gear and the parking
brake applied) for a few minutes before turning the
engine off. If you do get the overheat warning,
seeEngine Overheating on page 5-28.
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 brakes, but don’t shift into
PARK (P) yet, or into gear for a manual
transmission. Then turn your wheels into the curb if
facing downhill or into traffic if facing uphill.
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 then shift into PARK (P), or
REVERSE (R) for a manual transmission.
4-68

Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transmission uid (don’t overll),
engine oil, axle lubricant, belt, cooling system and
brake system. Each of these is covered in this manual,
and the Index will help you nd them quickly. If
you’re trailering, it’s a good idea to review these sections
before you start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Trailer Wiring Harness
The light-duty trailer wiring is a six-wire harness
assembly. The optional heavy-duty trailer wiring is an
eight-wire harness assembly. The harnesses are stored
under the vehicle, along the passenger-side frame
crossmember on two-door vehicles or on the driver’s
side corner frame rear crossmember on four-door
vehicles. The heavy-duty trailer wiring is fused in the
engine compartment fuse block. SeeFuses and Circuit
Breakers on page 5-97. Both harnesses have no
connector and should be wired by a qualied electrical
technician. The technician can use the following
color code chart when connecting the wiring harness to
your trailer.
Dark Blue: Use for electric trailer brakes or auxiliary
wiring (eight-wire harness only).
Red: Use for battery charging; it connects to the
starter solenoid (eight-wire harness only).
Light Green: Back-up lamps.
Brown: Taillamps and parking lamps.
Yellow: Driver’s side stoplamp and turn signal.
Dark Green: Passenger’s side stoplamp and turn
signal.
White: Ground wire.
Light Blue: Auxiliary stoplamp.
Securely attach the harness to the trailer, then tape or
strap it to your vehicle’s frame rail. Be sure you
leave it loose enough so the wiring doesn’t bend or
break, but not so loose that it drags on the ground. Store
the harness in its original place. Wrap the harness
together and tie it neatly so it won’t be damaged.
4-70