
Shift Speeds
{WARNING:
If you skip a gear when you downshift, you could
lose control of the vehicle. You could injure
yourself or others. Do not shift down more than
one gear at a time when you downshift.
Four-Wheel Drive
If the vehicle has four-wheel drive, you can send the
engine’s driving power to all four wheels for extra
traction. To get the best performance out of four-wheel
drive, you must be familiar with its operation. Read
this section before using four-wheel drive. You should
use two-wheel-drive high for most normal driving
conditions.
Notice:Driving on clean, dry pavement in
four-wheel drive for an extended period of time can
cause premature wear on the vehicle’s powertrain.
Do not drive on clean, dry pavement in Four-Wheel
Drive for extended periods of time.Notice:If the vehicle has four-wheel drive and the
different size spare tire is installed on the vehicle,
do not drive in four-wheel drive until you can have
your at tire repaired and/or replaced. You could
damage the vehicle, and the repair costs would not
be covered by your warranty. Never use four-wheel
drive when the different size spare tire is installed on
the vehicle.
Notice:If the vehicle has four-wheel drive and the
compact spare tire is installed on the vehicle, do not
drive in four-wheel drive until you can have the at
tire repaired and/or replaced. You could damage the
vehicle, and the repair costs would not be covered by
your warranty. Never use four-wheel drive when the
compact spare tire is installed on the vehicle.
The transfer case buttons are located to the right of the
steering wheel on the instrument panel.
3-25

Off-Road Driving
Vehicles with four-wheel drive can be used for off-road
driving. Vehicles without four-wheel drive should not
be driven off-road except on a level, solid surface.
The airbag system is designed to work properly under a
wide range of conditions, including off-road usage.
Always wear your safety belt and observe safe driving
speeds, especially on rough terrain.
Drinking and driving can be very dangerous on any road
and this is certainly true for off-road driving. At the
very time you need special alertness and driving skills,
your reflexes, perceptions, and judgment can be
affected by even a small amount of alcohol. You could
have a serious — or even fatal — accident if you
drink and drive or ride with a driver who has been
drinking.
Off-roading can be great fun but has some definite
hazards. The greatest of these is the terrain itself. When
off-road driving, traffic lanes are not marked, curves
are not banked, and there are no road signs. Surfaces
can be slippery, rough, uphill, or downhill.
Avoid sharp turns and abrupt maneuvers. Failure to
operate the vehicle correctly off-road could result in loss
of vehicle control or vehicle rollover.Off-roading involves some new skills. That is why it is
very important that you read these driving tips and
suggestions to help make off-road driving safer
and more enjoyable.
Before You Go Off-Roading
•Have all necessary maintenance and service
work done.
•Make sure there is enough fuel, that fluid levels are
where they should be, and that the spare tire is fully
inflated.
•Be sure to read all the information about
four-wheel-drive vehicles in this manual.
•Make sure all underbody shields, if the vehicle has
them, are properly attached.
•Know the local laws that apply to off-roading where
you will be driving or check with law enforcement
people in the area.
•Be sure to get the necessary permission if you will
be on private land.
5-13

Tires..............................................................6-57
Tire Sidewall Labeling...................................6-58
Tire Terminology and Definitions.....................6-61
Inflation - Tire Pressure.................................6-64
High-Speed Operation...................................6-65
Tire Pressure Monitor System.........................6-66
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation.....................6-67
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................6-71
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................6-72
Buying New Tires.........................................6-73
Different Size Tires and Wheels......................6-75
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................6-75
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................6-77
Wheel Replacement......................................6-77
Tire Chains..................................................6-78
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................6-79
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................6-80
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools................6-81
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire................................................6-85
Secondary Latch System...............................6-93
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools............6-96
Spare Tire.................................................6-101
Appearance Care..........................................6-102
Interior Cleaning.........................................6-102
Fabric/Carpet..............................................6-103Leather......................................................6-104
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other Plastic
Surfaces.................................................6-105
Care of Safety Belts....................................6-105
Weatherstrips.............................................6-105
Washing Your Vehicle..................................6-106
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses....................6-106
Finish Care................................................6-107
Windshield and Wiper Blades.......................6-107
Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels and Trim . . .6-108
Tires.........................................................6-108
Sheet Metal Damage...................................6-109
Finish Damage...........................................6-109
Underbody Maintenance...............................6-109
Chemical Paint Spotting...............................6-109
Vehicle Identi cation.....................................6-110
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)................6-110
Service Parts Identification Label...................6-110
Electrical System..........................................6-111
Add-On Electrical Equipment.........................6-111
Windshield Wiper Fuses...............................6-111
Fuses and Circuit Breakers..........................6-111
Engine Compartment Fuse Block...................6-112
Capacities and Speci cations........................6-118
Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
6-2

Tire Sidewall Labeling
Useful information about a tire is molded into its
sidewall. The examples below show a typical
passenger vehicle tire and a compact spare tire
sidewall.(A) Tire Size
:The tire size is a combination of
letters and numbers used to define a particular
tire’s width, height, aspect ratio, construction
type and service description. See the “Tire Size”
illustration later in this section for more detail.
(B) TPC Spec (Tire Performance Criteria
Speci cation)
:Original equipment tires designed
to GM’s specific tire performance criteria have a
TPC specification code molded onto the sidewall.
GM’s TPC specifications meet or exceed all federal
safety guidelines.
(C) DOT (Department of Transportation)
:The Department of Transportation (DOT) code
indicates that the tire is in compliance with the
U.S. Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards.
(D) Tire Identi cation Number (TIN)
:The letters
and numbers following DOT code are the Tire
Identification Number (TIN). The TIN shows the
manufacturer and plant code, tire size, and date
the tire was manufactured. The TIN is molded onto
both sides of the tire, although only one side may
have the date of manufacture.
(E) Tire Ply Material
:The type of cord and number
of plies in the sidewall and under the tread.
Passenger Vehicle Tire Example
6-58

(F) Uniform Tire Quality Grading (UTQG):Tire manufacturers are required to grade tires
based on three performance factors: treadwear,
traction and temperature resistance. For more
information seeUniform Tire Quality Grading on
page 6-75.
(G) Maximum Cold In ation Load Limit
:Maximum load that can be carried and the
maximum pressure needed to support that load.(A) Temporary Use Only
:The compact
spare tire or temporary use tire has a tread life of
approximately 3,000 miles (5 000 km) and should
not be driven at speeds over 65 mph (105 km/h).
The compact spare tire is for emergency use
when a regular road tire has lost air and gone flat.
See “Compact Spare Tire” underSpare Tire on
page 6-101for additional information.
(B) Tire Ply Material
:The type of cord and
number of plies in the sidewall and under
the tread.
(C) Tire Identi cation Number (TIN)
:The Tire
Identification Number (TIN). The TIN shows the
manufacturer and plant code, tire size, and date the
tire was manufactured. The TIN is molded onto both
sides of the tire, although only one side may have
the date of manufacture.
(D) Maximum Cold In ation Load Limit
:Maximum load that can be carried and the
maximum pressure needed to support that load.
(E) Tire In ation
:The temporary use tire or
compact spare tire should be inflated to 60 psi
(420 kPa). For more information on tire pressure
and inflation seeIn ation - Tire Pressure on
page 6-64.
Compact Spare Tire Example
6-59