Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as
you would when driving your vehicle without a trailer.
This can help you avoid situations that require
heavy braking and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when
you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re a good
deal longer, you’ll need to go much farther beyond
the passed vehicle before you can return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then, to move the trailer to the left, just move that hand
to the left. To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly and, if possible,
have someone guide you.
Making Turns
Notice:Making very sharp turns while trailering
could cause the trailer to come in contact with
the vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged.
Avoid making very sharp turns while trailering.
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns
than normal. Do this so your trailer won’t strike
soft shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees or other objects.
Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
The arrows on your instrument panel will ash whenever
you signal a turn or lane change. Properly hooked up,
the trailer lamps will also ash, telling other drivers
you’re about to turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on your instrument
panel will ash for turns even if the bulbs on the
trailer are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers
behind you are seeing your signal when they are not.
It’s important to check occasionally to be sure the
trailer bulbs are still working.
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Tire Pressure Monitor System.........................5-64
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-68
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-69
Buying New Tires.........................................5-70
Different Size Tires and Wheels......................5-71
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-72
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-73
Wheel Replacement......................................5-73
Tire Chains..................................................5-74
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-75
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................5-76
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools................5-78
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing
the Spare Tire..........................................5-81
Secondary Latch System...............................5-88
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools............5-92
Spare Tire...................................................5-95
Appearance Care............................................5-96
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.................5-96
Fabric/Carpet...............................................5-98
Leather.......................................................5-98
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other Plastic
Surfaces..................................................5-99
Care of Safety Belts......................................5-99
Weatherstrips...............................................5-99Washing Your Vehicle..................................5-100
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses....................5-100
Finish Care................................................5-100
Windshield, Backglass, and Wiper Blades.......5-101
Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels..............5-102
Tires.........................................................5-103
Sheet Metal Damage...................................5-103
Finish Damage...........................................5-103
Underbody Maintenance...............................5-103
Chemical Paint Spotting...............................5-103
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials................5-104
Vehicle Identi cation.....................................5-105
Vehicle Identi cation Number (VIN)................5-105
Service Parts Identi cation Label...................5-105
Electrical System..........................................5-106
Add-On Electrical Equipment.........................5-106
Windshield Wiper Fuses...............................5-106
Power Windows and Other Power Options......5-106
Fuses and Circuit Breakers..........................5-106
Instrument Panel Fuse Block........................5-107
Center Instrument Panel Fuse Block..............5-108
Underhood Fuse Block................................5-109
Capacities and Speci cations........................5-114
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-2
Doing Your Own Service Work
{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. English and metric
fasteners can be easily confused. If you
use the wrong fasteners, parts can later
break or fall off. You could be hurt.
If you want to do some of your own service work, you will
want to use the proper service manual. It tells you much
more about how to service your vehicle than this manual
can. To order the proper service manual, seeService
Publications Ordering Information on page 7-15.
Your vehicle has an airbag system. Before attempting
to do your own service work, seeServicing Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on page 1-86.You should keep a record with all parts receipts and list
the mileage and the date of any service work you
perform. SeeMaintenance Record on page 6-17.
Adding Equipment to the Outside
of Your Vehicle
Things you might add to the outside of your vehicle
can affect the air ow 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
The 8th digit of your vehicle identi cation number (VIN)
shows the code letter or number that identi es your
engine. You will nd the VIN at the top left of the
instrument panel. SeeVehicle Identi cation Number
(VIN) on page 5-105.
If your vehicle has the 5.3L V8 engine (Code Z), you
may use either regular unleaded gasoline or ethanol
fuel containing up to 85% ethanol (E85); also see
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) on page 5-6. In all other
engines, use only regular unleaded gasoline.
5-4
To help keep fuel injectors and intake valves clean,
or if your vehicle experiences problems due to
dirty injectors or valves, look for gasoline that is
advertised as TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline. Also,
your GM dealer has additives that will help correct
and prevent most deposit-related problems.
Gasolines containing oxygenates, such as ethers and
ethanol, and reformulated gasolines may be available in
your area. General Motors recommends that you use
these gasolines if they comply with the speci cations
described earlier. However, E85 (85% ethanol)
and other fuels containing more than 10% ethanol
must not be used in vehicles that were not designed
for those fuels.
Notice:Your vehicle was not designed for fuel
that contains methanol. Do not use fuel containing
methanol. It can corrode metal parts in your fuel
system and also damage the plastic and rubber
parts. That damage would not be covered under
your warranty.
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
recommends against 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.
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol)
The 8th digit of your vehicle identi cation number (VIN)
shows the code letter or number that identi es your
engine. You will nd the VIN at the top left of the
instrument panel. SeeVehicle Identi cation Number
(VIN) on page 5-105.
If your vehicle has the 5.3L V8 engine (VIN Code Z
only), you may use either regular unleaded gasoline
or ethanol fuel containing up to 85% ethanol (E85);
also seeFuel on page 5-4. In all other engines, including
the 5.3L V8 (VIN Code T), use only regular unleaded
gasoline.
Only vehicles that have the 5.3L V8 engine (VIN Code Z)
may use 85% ethanol fuel (E85). General Motors
encourages the use of E85 in vehicles that are designed
to use it. The ethanol in E85 is a “renewable” fuel,
meaning it is made from renewable sources such as
corn and other crops.
5-6