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Driving and Operating 237
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear ofthe chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
The vehicle needs service more often when
used to tow trailers. See Maintenance
Schedule 0316. It is especially important to
check the automatic transmission fluid,
engine oil, axle lubricant, belts, cooling
system, and brake system before and during
each trip.
Check periodically that all nuts and bolts on
the trailer hitch are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer Towing
The cooling system may temporarily
overheat during severe operating conditions.
See Engine Overheating 0258.
Trailer Towing
Caution
Towing a trailer improperly can damage
the vehicle and result in costly repairs
not covered by the vehicle warranty. To
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
tow a trailer correctly, follow the
directions in this section and see your
dealer for important information about
towing a trailer with the vehicle.
Trailer Weight
{Warning
Never exceed the towing capacity for
your vehicle.
Safe trailering requires monitoring the
weight, speed, altitude, road grades, outside
temperature, dimensions of the front of the
trailer, and how frequently the vehicle is
used to tow a trailer.
Trailer Weight Ratings
When towing a trailer, the weight of the
loaded vehicle and trailer must be within
the weight ratings for the vehicle.
.GCWR: Gross Combined Weight Rating
.GVWR: Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
.Maximum Trailer Weight Rating
.Maximum Trailer Tongue Weight See
“Weight-Distributing Hitch Adjustment”
under Towing Equipment 0240 to
determine if equalizer bars are required to
obtain the maximum trailer weight rating.
See “Trailer Brakes” underTowing
Equipment 0240 to determine if brakes are
required based on your trailer's weight.
The only way to be sure the weight is not
exceeding any of these ratings is to weigh
the tow vehicle and trailer combination,
fully loaded for the trip, getting individual
weights for each of these items.
{Warning
You and others could be seriously injured
or killed if the trailer is too heavy or the
trailer brakes are inadequate for the load.
The vehicle may be damaged, and the
repairs would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Only tow a trailer if all the steps in this
section have been followed. Ask your
dealer for advice and information about
towing a trailer.
Chevrolet Trailblazer Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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Driving and Operating 241
Cross the safety chains under the tongue of
the trailer to help prevent the tongue from
contacting the road if it becomes separated
from the hitch. Always leave just enough
slack so the combination can turn. Never
allow safety chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
Loaded trailers over 450 kg (1,000 lb) must
be equipped with brake systems and with
brakes for each axle. Trailer braking
equipment conforming to Canadian
Standards Association (CSA) requirement
CAN3-D313, or its equivalent, is
recommended.
State or local regulations may require
trailers to have their own braking system if
the loaded weight of the trailer exceeds
certain minimums that can vary from state
to state. Read and follow the instructions for
the trailer brakes so they are installed,
adjusted, and maintained properly. Never
attempt to tap into your vehicle's hydraulic
brake system. If you do, both the vehicle
anti-lock brakes and the trailer brakes may
not function, which could result in a crash.
Trailer Lamps
Always check all trailer lamps are working at
the beginning of each trip, and periodically
on longer trips.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When properly connected, the trailer turn
signals should will illuminate to indicate the
vehicle is turning, changing lanes,
or stopping. When towing a trailer, the
arrows on the instrument cluster will
illuminate even if the trailer is not properly
connected or the bulbs are burned out.
Trailer Tires
Special Trailer (ST) tires differ from vehicle
tires. Trailer tires are designed with stiff
sidewalls to help prevent sway and to
support heavy loads. These features can
make it difficult to determine if the trailer
tire pressures are low only based on a visual
inspection.
Always check all trailer tire pressures before
each trip when the tires are cool. Low trailer
tire pressure is a leading cause of trailer tire
blow-outs.Trailer tires deteriorate over time. The trailer
tire sidewall will show the week and year
the tire was manufactured. Many trailer tire
manufacturers recommend replacing tires
more than six years old.
Overloading is another leading cause of
trailer tire blow-outs. Never load your trailer
with more weight than the tires are
designed to support. The load rating is
located on the trailer tire sidewall.
Always know the maximum speed rating for
the trailer tires before driving. This may be
significantly lower than the vehicle tire
speed rating. The speed rating may be on
the trailer tire sidewall. If the speed rating is
not shown, the default trailer tire speed
rating is 105 km/h (65 mph).
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment
{Warning
The Data Link Connector (DLC) is used for
vehicle service and Emission Inspection/
Maintenance testing. See
Malfunction
Indicator Lamp (Check Engine Light) 096.
(Continued)
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Vehicle Care 259
Warning (Continued)
including the pressure cap, is hot. Wait
for the cooling system and pressure cap
to cool.
If No Steam Is Coming from the Engine
Compartment
If an engine overheat warning is displayed
but no steam can be seen or heard, the
problem may not be too serious. Sometimes
the engine can get a little too hot when the
vehicle:
.Climbs a long hill on a hot day
.Stops after high-speed driving
If the overheat warning is displayed with no
sign of steam: 1. Turn the air conditioning off.
2. Turn the heater on to the highest temperature and to the highest fan
speed. Open the windows as necessary.
3. When it is safe to do so, pull off the road, shift to P (Park) or N (Neutral), and
let the engine idle.
If the engine coolant temperature gauge is
no longer in the overheat zone, the vehicle
can be driven. Continue to drive the vehicle slowly for about 10 minutes. Keep a safe
vehicle distance from the vehicle in front.
If the warning does not come back on,
continue to drive normally and have the
cooling system checked for proper fill and
function.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and
park the vehicle right away.
If there is no sign of steam, idle the engine
for three minutes while parked. If the
warning is still displayed, turn off the
engine until it cools down.
Washer Fluid
What to Use
When the vehicle needs windshield washer
fluid, be sure to read the manufacturer's
instructions before use. If operating the
vehicle in an area where the temperature
may fall below freezing, use a fluid that has
sufficient protection against freezing.
Adding Washer Fluid
Open the cap with the washer symbol on it.
Add washer fluid until the tank is full. See
Engine Compartment Overview
0247 for
reservoir location.
Caution
.Do not use washer fluid that contains
any type of water repellent coating.
This can cause the wiper blades to
chatter or skip, and may also clog the
washer nozzle.
.Do not use engine coolant (antifreeze)
in the windshield washer. It can
damage the windshield washer system
and paint.
.Do not mix water with ready-to-use
washer fluid. Water can cause the
solution to freeze and damage the
washer fluid tank and other parts of
the washer system.
(Continued)
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Vehicle Care 293
Warning (Continued)
death. Only your dealer or authorized
tire service center should mount or
dismount the tires.
{Warning
Mixing tires of different sizes (other
than those originally installed on the
vehicle), brands, tread patterns,
or types may cause loss of control of
the vehicle, resulting in a crash or
other vehicle damage. Use the
correct size, brand, and type of tire
on all wheels.
{Warning
Using bias-ply tires on the vehicle
may cause the wheel rim flanges to
develop cracks after many miles of
driving. A tire and/or wheel could fail
suddenly and cause a crash. Use only
radial-ply tires with the wheels on
the vehicle. Winter tires with the same speed rating
as the original equipment tires may not
be available for H, V, W, Y and ZR
speed rated tires. Never exceed the
winter tires’
maximum speed capability
when using winter tires with a lower
speed rating.
If the vehicle tires must be replaced
with a tire that does not have a TPC
Spec number, make sure they are the
same size, load range, speed rating, and
construction (radial) as the original
tires.
The Tire and Loading Information label
indicates the original equipment tires
on the vehicle. See Vehicle Load Limits
0 187.Different Size Tires and Wheels
If wheels or tires are installed that are a
different size than the original equipment
wheels and tires, vehicle performance,
including its braking, ride and handling
characteristics, stability, and resistance to
rollover may be affected. If the vehicle has
electronic systems such as antilock brakes,
rollover airbags, traction control, electronic stability control, or All-Wheel Drive, the
performance of these systems can also be
affected.
{Warning
If different sized wheels are used, there
may not be an acceptable level of
performance and safety if tires not
recommended for those wheels are
selected. This increases the chance of a
crash and serious injury. Only use GM
specific wheel and tire systems developed
for the vehicle, and have them properly
installed by a GM certified technician.
See Buying New Tires 0292 and
Accessories and Modifications 0245.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
The following information relates to the
system developed by the United States
National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA), which grades
tires by treadwear, traction, and
temperature performance. This applies
only to vehicles sold in the United
States. The grades are molded on the
sidewalls of most passenger car tires.
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294 Vehicle Care
The Uniform Tire Quality Grading
(UTQG) system does not apply to deep
tread, winter tires, compact spare tires,
tires with nominal rim diameters of
10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm), or to some
limited-production tires.
While the tires available on General
Motors passenger cars and light trucks
may vary with respect to these grades,
they must also conform to federal
safety requirements and additional
General Motors Tire Performance
Criteria (TPC) standards.
Quality grades can be found where
applicable on the tire sidewall between
tread shoulder and maximum section
width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
All Passenger Car Tires Must Conform to
Federal Safety Requirements In Addition
To These Grades.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative
rating based on the wear rate of the
tire when tested under controlledconditions on a specified government
test course. For example, a tire graded
150 would wear one and one-half (1½)
times as well on the government course
as a tire graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends upon the
actual conditions of their use, however,
and may depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving habits,
service practices and differences in road
characteristics and climate.
Traction
The traction grades, from highest to
lowest, are AA, A, B, and C. Those
grades represent the tire's ability to
stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on specified
government test surfaces of asphalt and
concrete. A tire marked C may have
poor traction performance. Warning:
The traction grade assigned to this tire
is based on straight-ahead braking
traction tests, and does not include
acceleration, cornering, hydroplaning,
or peak traction characteristics.
Temperature
The temperature grades are A (the
highest), B, and C, representing the
tire's resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled conditions
on a specified indoor laboratory test
wheel. Sustained high temperature can
cause the material of the tire to
degenerate and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade C
corresponds to a level of performance
which all passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Safety
Standard No. 109. Grades B and A
represent higher levels of performance
on the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law. Warning:
The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly
inflated and not overloaded. Excessive
speed, underinflation, or excessive
loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat buildup
and possible tire failure.
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296 Vehicle Care
Warning (Continued)
traction device if it contacts the vehicle.
Do not spin the wheels. If traction
devices are used, install them on the
front tires.
If a Tire Goes Flat
It is unusual for a tire to blow out while
driving, especially if the tires are maintained
properly. SeeTires0279. If air goes out of
a tire, it is much more likely to leak out
slowly. But if there is ever a blowout, here
are a few tips about what to expect and
what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire creates a
drag that pulls the vehicle toward that side.
Take your foot off the accelerator pedal and
grip the steering wheel firmly. Steer to
maintain lane position, and then gently
brake to a stop, well off the road,
if possible.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts
much like a skid and may require the same
correction as used in a skid. Stop pressing
the accelerator pedal and steer to straighten the vehicle. It may be very bumpy and
noisy. Gently brake to a stop, well off the
road, if possible.
{Warning
Driving on a flat tire will cause
permanent damage to the tire.
Re-inflating a tire after it has been driven
on while severely underinflated or flat
may cause a blowout and a serious crash.
Never attempt to re-inflate a tire that has
been driven on while severely
underinflated or flat. Have your dealer or
an authorized tire service center repair or
replace the flat tire as soon as possible.
{Warning
Lifting a vehicle and getting under it to
do maintenance or repairs is dangerous
without the appropriate safety equipment
and training. If a jack is provided with
the vehicle, it is designed only for
changing a flat tire. If it is used for
anything else, you or others could be
badly injured or killed if the vehicle slips
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
off the jack. If a jack is provided with the
vehicle, only use it for changing a
flat tire.
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and
wheel damage by driving slowly to a level
place, well off the road, if possible. Turn on
the hazard warning flashers. See Hazard
Warning Flashers 0117.
{Warning
Changing a tire can be dangerous. The
vehicle can slip off the jack and roll over
or fall causing injury or death. Find a
level place to change the tire. To help
prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put an automatic transmission in P (Park) or a manual transmission in
1 (First) or R (Reverse).
3. Turn off the engine and do not restart while the vehicle is raised.
4. Do not allow passengers to remain in the vehicle.
(Continued)
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358 Index
Phone (cont'd)Bluetooth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151, 152
Port USB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130
Positioning Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Power
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85
Protection, Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120
Retained Accessory (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Pregnancy, Using Seat Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Privacy Vehicle Data Recording . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Problems with Route Guidance . . . . . . . . . . .145
Program Courtesy Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Proposition 65 Warning,
California . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .244, 261, 302, Back Cover
Publication Ordering Information . . . . . . . . 339R
Radio HD Radio Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Radio Data System (RDS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128
Radio Frequency Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Radio Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Radios AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Satellite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Rear Compartment/Storage Panel
Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Rear Seat Armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Rear Window Washer/Wiper . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Rearview Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Automatic Dimming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Recognition
Voice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants . . . . . 325
Records
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305 Reimbursement Program, GM
Mobility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System . . . . 9, 11
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Replacement Parts Airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Replacing Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Replacing LATCH System Parts after a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
Replacing Seat Belt System Parts after
a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Reporting Safety Defects Canadian Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
General Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
U.S. Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Restraints Where to Put . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . 199
Roads Driving, Wet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Roadside Assistance Program . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Roof Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Roof Rack System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Rotation, Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Routing, Engine Drive Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . 201