2007 CHEVROLET TRAIL BLAZER engine overheat

Starting Procedure
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn
the ignition key to START. When the engine
starts, let go of the key. The idle speed
will goes as your engine gets warm. Do not
race the engine immediately after starting
it. Operate the engine and transmission gently
to let the oil to warm up and lubricate all
moving parts.
Your vehicle has a Computer-Controlled
Cranking System. This feature assists
in starting the engine and protects
components. If the ignition key is turned to
the START position, and then released when
the engine begins cranking, the engine
continues cranking for a few seconds or until
the vehicle starts. If the engine does not
start and the key is held in START for many
seconds, cranking stops after 15 seconds
to prevent cranking motor damage. To prevent
gear damage, this system also prevents
cranking if the engine is already running.
Engine cranking can be stopped by turning
the ignition switch to the ACCESSORY
or LOCK position.Notice:Cranking the engine for long periods of
time, by returning the key to the START position
immediately after cranking has ended, can
overheat and damage the cranking motor, and
drain the battery. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to allow the cranking motor
to cool down.
2. If the engine does not start after 5-10 seconds,
especially in very cold weather (below 0°F
or−18°C), it could be ooded with too much
gasoline. Try pushing the accelerator pedal all
the way to the oor and holding it there as you
hold the key in START for up to a maximum of
15 seconds. Wait at least 15 seconds between
each try, to allow the cranking motor to cool
down. When the engine starts, let go of the key
and accelerator. If the vehicle starts briey
but then stops again, do the same thing.
This clears the extra gasoline from the engine.
Do not race the engine immediately after
starting it. Operate the engine and transmission
gently until the oil warms up and lubricates all
moving parts.
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Engine Coolant Heater
Your vehicle may have an engine coolant heater.
In very cold weather, 0°F (−18°C) or colder,
the engine coolant heater can help. You will get
easier starting and better fuel economy during
engine warm-up.
Usually, the coolant heater should be plugged in a
minimum of four hours prior to starting your
vehicle. At temperatures above 32°F (0°C), use of
the coolant heater is not required. Your vehicle
may also have an internal thermostat in the
plug end of the cord. This will prevent operation of
the engine coolant heater when the temperature
is at or above 0°F (−18°C) as noted on the cord.
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical
cord. The cord is located on the driver’s
side of the engine compartment next to the
battery box facing the engine.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC
outlet.
{CAUTION:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded
outlet could cause an electrical shock.
Also, the wrong kind of extension cord
could overheat and cause a re. You could
be seriously injured. Plug the cord into a
properly grounded three-prong 110-volt AC
outlet. If the cord will not reach, use a
heavy-duty three-prong extension cord
rated for at least 15 amps.
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Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine
Running
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle
with the engine running. Your vehicle
could move suddenly if the shift lever is
not fully in PARK (P) with the parking
brake rmly set.
If you have four-wheel drive, your vehicle
will be free to roll – even if your lever is in
PARK (P) – if your transfer case is in
NEUTRAL. So be sure the transfer case
is in a drive gear – not NEUTRAL.
SeeFour-Wheel Drive on page 121.
And, if you leave the vehicle with the
engine running, it could overheat and
even catch re. You or others could be
injured. Do not leave your vehicle with the
engine running unless you have to.If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine
running, be sure your vehicle is in PARK (P)
and your parking brake is rmly set before you
leave it. After you have moved the shift lever into
PARK (P), hold the regular brake pedal down.
Then, see if you can move the shift lever
away from PARK (P) without rst pressing the
button on the console shift lever. If you can,
it means that the shift lever was not fully locked
into PARK (P).
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you do not shift
your transmission into PARK (P) properly,
the weight of the vehicle may put too much force
on the parking pawl in the transmission.
You may nd it difficult to pull the shift lever out
of PARK (P). This is called “torque lock.”
To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and
then shift into PARK (P) properly before you
leave the driver’s seat. To nd out how, see
Shifting Into Park (P) on page 127.
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Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the engine coolant temperature.
If the gage pointer moves into the red area, it
means that your engine coolant has overheated.
If you have been operating your vehicle under
normal driving conditions, you should pull off the
road, stop your vehicle and turn off the engine
as soon as possible.
SeeEngine Overheating on page 418for more
information.
Tire Pressure Light
This light will come on
briey when you turn
the ignition to RUN.
This light will also come on when one or more
of your tires are signicantly underinated.
If your vehicle has a Driver Information
Center (DIC), a CHECK TIRE PRESSURE
DIC message will accompany the light, see
DIC Warnings and Messages on page 224.
Stop and check your tires as soon as it is safe to do
so. If underinated, inate to the proper pressure.
SeeTires on page 448for more information.
This light will ash for approximately 70 seconds
and then turn on solid if a problem is detected
with the Tire Pressure Monitor system.
SeeTire Pressure Monitor System on page 459
for more information.
United StatesCanada
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ENGINE COOLANT HOT/ENGINE
OVERHEATED
Notice:If you drive your vehicle while the
engine is overheating, severe engine damage
may occur. If an overheat warning appears
on the instrument panel cluster and/or
DIC, stop the vehicle as soon as possible.
Do not increase the engine speed above
normal idling speed. SeeEngine Overheating
on page 418for more information.
This message displays and a chime sounds if the
cooling system temperature gets hot. SeeEngine
Overheating on page 418for the proper course of
action. This message clears when the coolant
temperature drops to a safe operating temperature.
FUEL LEVEL LOW
This message displays and a chime sounds if the
fuel level is low in the vehicle’s fuel tank. Refuel as
soon as possible. Press any of the DIC buttons, or
the trip stem, to acknowledge this message and
clear it from the DIC display. SeeLow Fuel Warning
Light on page 219,Filling the Tank on page 391,
andFuel on page 388for more information.
ICE POSSIBLE
This message may display if the outside
temperature reaches a level where ice could form
on the roadway. If the temperature rises to a safe
level, the message clears. This message clears
itself after 10 seconds, or you can press any of the
DIC buttons, or the trip stem, to acknowledge this
message and clear it from the DIC display.
KEY FOB # BATTERY LOW
This message displays if a Remote Keyless
Entry (RKE) transmitter battery is low. Replace
the battery in the transmitter. See “Battery
Replacement” underRemote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation on page 96. Press any of the
DIC buttons, or the trip stem, to acknowledge
this message and clear it from the DIC display.
LEFT REAR DOOR AJAR
This message displays and a chime sounds if the
driver’s side rear door is not fully closed. Stop and
turn off the vehicle, check the door for obstructions,
and close the door again. Check to see if the
message still appears on the DIC. Press any of the
DIC buttons, or the trip stem, to acknowledge this
message and clear it from the DIC display.
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Driving Downhill
When off-roading takes you downhill, you will want
to consider a number of things:
How steep is the downhill? Will I be able to
maintain vehicle control?
What is the surface like? Smooth? Rough?
Slippery? Hard-packed dirt? Gravel?
Are there hidden surface obstacles? Ruts?
Logs? Boulders?
What is at the bottom of the hill? Is there a
hidden creek bank or even a river bottom
with large rocks?
If you decide you can go down a hill safely, then
try to keep your vehicle headed straight down, and
use a low gear. This way, engine drag can help
the brakes and they will not have to do all
the work. Descend slowly, keeping your vehicle
under control at all times.
{CAUTION:
Heavy braking when going down a hill can
cause your brakes to overheat and fade.
This could cause loss of control and a
serious accident. Apply the brakes lightly
when descending a hill and use a low
gear to keep vehicle speed under control.
Q:Are there some things I should not do
when driving down a hill?
A:Yes! These are important because if you
ignore them you could lose control and
have a serious accident.
When driving downhill, avoid turns that take
you across the incline of the hill. A hill that
is not too steep to drive down may be
too steep to drive across. You could roll over
if you do not drive straight down.
Never go downhill with the transmission in
NEUTRAL (N). This is called “free-wheeling.”
The brakes will have to do all the work
and could overheat and fade.
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If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow
In order to free your vehicle when it is stuck, you
need to spin the wheels, but you do not want
to spin the wheels too fast. The method known as
rocking can help you get out when you are
stuck, but you must use caution.
{CAUTION:
If you let your vehicle’s tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you or others
could be injured. And, the transmission or
other parts of the vehicle can overheat.
That could cause an engine compartment
re or other damage. When you are stuck,
spin the wheels as little as possible. Do not
spin the wheels above 35 mph (55 km/h) as
shown on the speedometer.Notice:Spinning the wheels can destroy parts
of your vehicle as well as the tires. If you
spin the wheels too fast while shifting
the transmission back and forth, you can
destroy the transmission.
For information about using tire chains on your
vehicle, seeTire Chains on page 472.
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
First, turn the steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around the front wheels.
If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle, shift into
Four-Wheel High. Turn the StabiliTrak
®System off.
SeeStabiliTrak®System on page 313. Then shift
back and forth between REVERSE (R) and a
forward gear, spinning the wheels as little as
possible. Release the accelerator pedal while you
shift, and press lightly on the accelerator pedal
when the transmission is in gear. By slowly spinning
the wheels in the forward and reverse directions,
you will cause a rocking motion that may free your
vehicle. If that does not get your vehicle out after a
few tries, it may need to be towed out. Or, you can
use the recovery hooks if your vehicle has them. If
your vehicle does need to be towed out, see
Towing Your Vehicle on page 362.
354

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.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gearbefore
you 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.
You can tow in DRIVE (D). You may want to shift
the transmission to THIRD (3) or a lower gear,
under heavy loads or hilly conditions.
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) for a few
minutes before turning the engine off. If you do get
the overheat warning, seeEngine Overheating
on page 418.
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