Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through mountains is differentthan driving on flat or rolling terrain. Tips for drivingin these conditions include:
•Keep the vehicle serviced and in good shape.
•Check all fluid levels and brakes, tires, cooling
system, and transmission.
•Going down steep or long hills, shift to a
lower gear.
{WARNING:
If you do not shift down, the brakes could get so
hot that they would not work well. You would then
have poor braking or even none going down a hill.
You could crash. Shift down to let the engine
assist the brakes on a steep downhill slope.
{WARNING:
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral) or with the ignition
off is dangerous. The brakes will have to do all the
work of slowing down and they could get so hot
that they would not work well. You would then
have poor braking or even none going down a hill.
You could crash. Always have the engine running
and the vehicle in gear when going downhill.
•Stay in your own lane. Do not swing wide or cut
across the center of the road. Drive at speedsthat let you stay in your own lane.
•Top of hills: Be alert — something could be in your
lane (stalled car, accident).
•Pay attention to special road signs (falling rocks
area, winding roads, long grades, passing orno-passing zones) and take appropriate action.
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Notice:Overloading the vehicle may causedamage. Repairs would not be covered by thevehicle warranty. Do not overload the vehicle.
If you put things inside your vehicle, likesuitcases, tools, packages, or anything else, theywill go as fast as the vehicle goes. If you haveto stop or turn quickly, or if there is a crash, theywill keep going.
{WARNING:
Things you put inside your vehicle can strikeand injure people in a sudden stop or turn, orin a crash.
•Put things in the trunk of your vehicle. In
a trunk, put them as far forward as youcan. Try to spread the weight evenly.
•Never stack heavier things, like
suitcases, inside the vehicle so that someof them are above the tops of the seats.
•Do not leave an unsecured child restraint
in your vehicle.
•When you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure it whenever you can.
Automatic Level Control
This feature keeps the rear of your vehicle levelas the load changes. It is automatic, you donot need to adjust anything.
This type of level control is fully automatic and willprovide a better leveled riding position as well asbetter handling under a variety of passenger andloading conditions. An air compressor connected tothe rear shocks will raise or lower the rear of thevehicle to maintain proper vehicle height. Thesystem is activated when the ignition key is turnedto ON/RUN and will automatically adjust vehicleheight thereafter. The system may exhaust(lower vehicle height) for up to ten minutes afterthe ignition key has been turned to LOCK/OFF.You may hear the air compressor operating whenthe height is being adjusted.
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Dinghy Towing
Notice:If the vehicle is towed with all four wheelson the ground, the drivetrain components couldbe damaged. The repairs would not be covered bythe vehicle warranty. Do not tow the vehicle with allfour wheels on the ground.
The vehicle was not designed to be towed with all fourwheels on the ground. Use a dolly if the vehiclemust be towed. See “Dolly Towing” later in this sectionfor more information.
Dolly Towing
The vehicle can be towed using a dolly. To tow thevehicle using a dolly, follow these steps:
1. Put the front wheels on a dolly.
2. Put the gear shift lever in P (Park).
3. Set the parking brake.
4. Clamp the steering wheel in a straight-aheadposition with a clamping device designed for towing.
5. Remove the key from the ignition.
6. Secure the vehicle to the dolly.
7. Release the parking brake.
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Brakes
Brake Fluid
The brake master cylinderreservoir is filled with DOT3 brake fluid. SeeEngine CompartmentOverview on page 6-12forreservoir location andaccess.
There are only two reasons why the brake fluid level inthe reservoir might go down:
•The brake fluid level goes down because of normal
brake lining wear. When new linings are installed,the fluid level goes back up.
•A fluid leak in the brake hydraulic system can also
cause a low fluid level. Have the brake hydraulicsystem fixed, since a leak means that sooneror later the brakes will not work well.
Do not top off the brake fluid. Adding fluid does notcorrect a leak. If fluid is added when the liningsare worn, there will be too much fluid when new brakelinings are installed. Add or remove brake fluid, asnecessary, only when work is done on the brakehydraulic system.
{WARNING:
If too much brake fluid is added, it can spill on the
engine and burn, if the engine is hot enough. You
or others could be burned, and the vehicle could
be damaged. Add brake fluid only when work is
done on the brake hydraulic system.
If the ignition is on and the brake fluid is low, theSERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM message displays in theDriver Information Center (DIC). SeeDIC Warnings andMessages on page 4-67.
What to Add
Use only new DOT 3 brake fluid from a sealed container.SeeRecommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 7-8.
Always clean the brake fluid reservoir cap and thearea around the cap before removing it. This helps keepdirt from entering the reservoir.
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2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cablescan reach, but be sure the vehicles are not touchingeach other. If they are, it could cause a groundconnection you do not want. You would not be ableto start your vehicle and the bad grounding coulddamage the electrical systems.
To avoid the possibility of the vehicles rolling, setthe parking brake firmly on both vehicles involved inthe jump start procedure. Put an automatictransmission in P (Park) or a manual transmissionin NEUTRAL before setting the parking brake.
Notice:If you leave the radio or other accessorieson during the jump starting procedure, they could bedamaged. The repairs would not be covered by thewarranty. Always turn off the radio and otheraccessories when jump starting the vehicle.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplugunnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarettelighter or the accessory power outlets. Turn offthe radio and all lamps that are not needed. Thiswill avoid sparks and help save both batteries.And it could save the radio!
4. Open the hoods and locate the positive (+) andnegative (!) terminal locations on the othervehicle. Your vehicle has a remote positive (+) jumpstarting terminal and a remote negative (!) jumpstarting terminal.
The remote positive (+) terminal is located in theengine compartment on the passenger’s side of thevehicle. Lift the red plastic cap to access theterminal. SeeEngine Compartment Overview onpage 6-12for more information on the locationof the remote positive (+) terminal.
A second remote positive (+) terminal is located onthe rear underseat fuse block.
The remote negative (!) terminal is located behindthe power steering pulley, near the engine cover.It is marked GND (!).
4.6L LD8 Engine shown,4.6L L37 Enginesimilar
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At the same time a message to check the pressure in aspecific tire appears on the Driver Information Center(DIC) display. The low tire pressure warning lightand the DIC warning message come on at each ignitioncycle until the tires are inflated to the correct inflationpressure. Using the DIC, tire pressure levels canbe viewed by the driver. For additional information anddetails about the DIC operation and displays seeDIC Operation and Displays on page 4-62andDICWarnings and Messages on page 4-67.
The low tire pressure warning light may come on in coolweather when the vehicle is first started, and thenturn off as you start to drive. This could be an earlyindicator that the air pressure in the tire(s) are gettinglow and need to be inflated to the proper pressure.
A Tire and Loading Information label, attached to yourvehicle, shows the size of your vehicle’s originalequipment tires and the correct inflation pressure foryour vehicle’s tires when they are cold. SeeLoading theVehicle on page 5-18, for an example of the Tire andLoading Information label and its location on yourvehicle. Also seeInflation - Tire Pressure on page 6-54.
Your vehicle’s TPMS can warn you about a low tirepressure condition but it does not replace normaltire maintenance. SeeTire Inspection and Rotation onpage 6-62andTires on page 6-46.
Notice:Using non-approved tire sealants coulddamage the Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS)sensors. TPMS sensor damage caused by usingan incorrect tire sealant is not covered by thevehicle warranty. Always use the GM approved tiresealant available through your dealer/retailer.
Factory-installed Tire Inflator Kits use a GM approvedliquid tire sealant. Using non-approved tire sealantscould damage the TPMS sensors. SeeTire Sealant andCompressor Kit on page 6-71for information regardingthe inflator kit materials and instructions.
TPMS Malfunction Light and Message
The TPMS will not function properly if one or more of theTPMS sensors are missing or inoperable. When thesystem detects a malfunction, the low tire warning lightflashes for about one minute and then stays on forthe remainder of the ignition cycle. A DIC warningmessage is also displayed. The low tire warning lightand DIC warning message come on at each ignitioncycle until the problem is corrected. Some of theconditions that can cause the malfunction light and DICmessage to come on are:
•One of the road tires has been replaced with the
spare tire. The spare tire does not have a TPMSsensor. The TPMS malfunction light and DICmessage should go off once you re-install the roadtire containing the TPMS sensor.
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The TPMS sensor matching process is outlined below:
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Turn the ignition switch to ON/RUN with theengine off.
3. Press the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter’slock and unlock buttons at the same time forapproximately five seconds. The horn sounds twiceto signal the receiver is in relearn mode andTIRE LEARNING ACTIVE message displays on theDIC screen.
4. Start with the driver side front tire.
5. Remove the valve cap from the valve cap stem.Activate the TPMS sensor by increasing ordecreasing the tire’s air pressure for five seconds,or until a horn chirp sounds. The horn chirp,which may take up to 30 seconds to sound,confirms that the sensor identification code hasbeen matched to this tire and wheel position.
6. Proceed to the passenger side front tire, and repeatthe procedure in Step 5.
7. Proceed to the passenger side rear tire, and repeatthe procedure in Step 5.
8. Proceed to the driver side rear tire, and repeat theprocedure in Step 5. The horn sounds two times toindicate the sensor identification code has beenmatched to the driver side rear tire, and theTPMS sensor matching process is no longer active.The TIRE LEARNING ACTIVE message on theDIC display screen goes off.
9. Turn the ignition switch to LOCK/OFF.
10. Set all four tires to the recommended air pressurelevel as indicated on the Tire and LoadingInformation label.
11. Put the valve caps back on the valve stems.
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FusesUsage
1Engine Control Module (ECM), Crank
2Fuel Injectors Odd
3Fuel Injectors Even
4Air Conditioning Clutch
FusesUsage
5Air Injection Reactor (AIR) Solenoid
6Oxygen Sensor
7Emission Device
8Transmission, Ignition 1
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