
Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable following distance. Expect to
move slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the
proper lane well in advance. If you miss your exit, do
not, under any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive
on to the next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
The exit speed is usually posted.
Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not
to your sense of motion. After driving for any distance
at higher speeds, you may tend to think you are
going slower than you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you are ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must start when you are not fresh — such as after
a day’s work — do not plan to make too many miles that
rst part of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing
and shoes you can easily drive in.Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it is ready to go. If it needs
service, have it done before starting out. Of course,
you will nd experienced and able service experts in
GM dealerships all across North America. They will be
ready and willing to help if you need it.
Here are some things you can check before a trip:
Windshield Washer Fluid:Is the reservoir full? Are
all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades:Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:Have you checked
all levels?
Lamps:Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
Tires:They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip. Is the tread good enough for
long-distance driving? Are the tires all in ated to the
recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts:What is the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay your trip a
short time to avoid a major storm system?
Maps:Do you have up-to-date maps?
4-42

Buying New Tires.........................................5-66
Different Size Tires and Wheels......................5-67
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-68
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-69
Wheel Replacement......................................5-69
Tire Chains..................................................5-71
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-72
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................5-73
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools................5-75
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire................................................5-77
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools................5-82
Spare Tire...................................................5-84
Appearance Care............................................5-85
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.................5-85
Fabric/Carpet...............................................5-87
Leather.......................................................5-87
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other
Plastic Surfaces........................................5-88
Care of Safety Belts......................................5-88
Weatherstrips...............................................5-88Washing Your Vehicle...................................5-89
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses.....................5-89
Finish Care..................................................5-89
Windshield, Backglass, and Wiper Blades.........5-90
Aluminum Wheels.........................................5-91
Tires...........................................................5-91
Sheet Metal Damage.....................................5-92
Finish Damage.............................................5-92
Underbody Maintenance................................5-92
Chemical Paint Spotting.................................5-93
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials..................5-93
Vehicle Identi cation......................................5-94
Vehicle Identi cation Number (VIN).................5-94
Service Parts Identi cation Label.....................5-95
Electrical System............................................5-95
Add-On Electrical Equipment..........................5-95
Windshield Wiper Fuses................................5-95
Power Windows and Other Power Options.......5-96
Fuses and Circuit Breakers............................5-96
Engine Compartment Fuse Block....................5-97
Capacities and Speci cations........................5-102
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-2

If No Steam Is Coming From Your
Engine
If you get an engine overheat warning but see or hear
no steam, the problem may not be too serious.
Sometimes the engine can get a little too hot when you:
Climb a long hill on a hot day.
Stop after high-speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
Tow a trailer. See “Driving on Grades” under
Towing a Trailer on page 4-59.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or so:
1. In heavy traffic, let the engine idle in NEUTRAL
while stopped. If it is safe to do so, pull off the
road, shift to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL and let the
engine idle.
2. Turn off the air conditioning.
3. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the windows as necessary.If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can
drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about 10 minutes.
If the warning does not come back on, you can drive
normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there is still no sign of steam, idle the engine for
three minutes while you are parked. Push down
the accelerator until the engine speed is about twice as
fast as normal idle speed for at least three minutes
while you are parked. If you still have the warning,
turn off the engine and get everyone out of the vehicle
until it cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
5-28