check engine CHEVROLET BLAZER 1994 2.G Owner's Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Off-Road Driving with Your Four-wheel Drive Vehicle
This off-road guide is for vehicles that have four-wheel drive.
Also, see “Anti-lock Brakes”
in the Index.
If your vehicle doesn’t have four-wheel drive,
you shouldn’t drive off-road
unless you’re on a level, solid surface.
Off-road driving can be great
fun. But it does have some definite hazards.
The greatest
of these is the terrain itself.
“Off-roading” means you’ve left the great North American road system
behind. Traffic lanes aren’t marked. Curves aren’t banked. There are no
road signs. Surfaces can be slippery, rough, uphill or downhill. In short,
you’ve gone right back to nature.
Off-road driving involves some new skills. And that’s
why it’s very
important that you read this guide. You’ll find many driving tips and
suggestions. These
will help make your off-road driving safer and more
enjoyable.
Before You Go Off-Roading
There are some things to do before you go out. For example, be sure to have
all necessary maintenance and service work done. Be sure you read all the
information about your four-wheel drive vehicle
in this manual. Is there
enough fuel? Is the spare tire
fully inflated? Are the fluid levels up where
they should be? What are the local
laws that apply to off-roading where
you’ll be driving? If you don’t know, you should check with law
enforcement people
in the area. Will you be on someone’s private land? If
so, be sure to get the necessary permission.
Loading Your Vehicle for Off-Road Driving
There are some important things to remember about how to load your
vehicle.
The heaviest things should be on the load floor and forward of your
rear axle. Put heavier items as far forward as you can.
Be sure the load is secured properly, so driving on the off-road terrain
doesn’t toss things around.
4-13

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that has collected on the underbody, chassis or
under the hood. These accumulations can be a fire hazard.
After operation in mud or sand, have the brake linings cleaned and checked.
These substances can cause glazing and uneven braking. Check
the body
structure, steering, suspension, wheels, tires, and exhaust system for
damage. Also, check the
fuel lines and cooling system for any leakage.
Your vehicle will require more frequent service due
to off-road use. Refer
to the Maintenance Schedule for additional information.
Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving. One reason is that some
drivers are likely
to be impaired - by alcohol or drugs, with night vision
problems, or by fatigue.
Here are some tips
on night driving.
Drive defensively.
Don’t drink and drive.
Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the glare from headlights
behind you.
space between
you and other vehicles.
up
only so much road ahead.
Since you can’t see as well, you may need to slow down and keep more
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your headlights can light
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you’re tired, pull off the road in a safe place and rest.
4-24

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Night Vision
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But as we get older these
differences increase. A 50-year-old driver may require at least twice as
much light to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
What
you do in the daytime can also affect your night vision. For example,
if you spend the day in bright sunshine you are wise
to wear sunglasses.
Your eyes will have less trouble adjusting
to night. But if you’re driving,
don’t wear sunglasses at night. They may cut down on glare from
headlights, but they also make a
lot of things invisible.
You can be temporarily blinded by approaching lights. It can take a second
or two,
or even several seconds, for your eyes to readjust to the dark. When
you are faced with severe glare
(as from a driver who doesn’t lower the high
beams,
or a vehicle with misaimed headlights), slow down a little. Avoid
staring directly into the approaching lights.
Keep your windshield and all the glass
on your vehicle clean - inside and
out. Glare at night is made much worse by dirt on the glass. Even the inside
of the glass can build up a film caused by dust. Dirty glass makes lights
dazzle and flash more than
clean glass would, making the pupils of your
eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that your headlights light up far less
of a roadway when you are
in a turn or curve. Keep your eyes moving; that way, it’s easier to pick out
dimly lighted objects. Just as your headlights should be checked regularly
for proper aim,
so should your eyes be examined regularly. Some drivers
suffer from night blindness
- the inability to see in dim light - and aren’t
even aware of it.
Driving in the Rain
Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet road you can’t stop,
accelerate or turn as well because your tire-to-road traction isn’t as good as
on dry roads. And, if your tires don’t have much tread left, you’ll get even
4 - 7.5

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 0 Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross most large cities. You’ll
save time and energy. (See the
next section, “Freeway Driving.”)
0 Treat a green light as a warning signal. A traffic light is there because
the corner
is busy enough to need it. When a light turns green, and just
before
you start to move, check both ways for vehicles that have not
cleared the intersection or may be running the red light.
Freeway Driving
-.
Mile for mile, freeways (also called thruways, parkways, expressways,
turnpikes, or superhighways) are the safest of all roads. But they have their
own special rules.
The most important advice on freeway driving is: Keep up with traffic and
keep to the right. Drive at the same speed most of
the other drivers are
driving. Too-fast or too-slow driving breaks
a smooth traffic flow. Treat the
left lane
on a freeway as a passing lane.
At the entrance there is usually a ramp that leads to the freeway.
If you have
a clear view of the freeway as
you drive along the entrance ramp, you
should begin to check traffic. Try
to determine where you expect to blend
with the flow. Try to merge into
the gap at close to the prevailing speed.
Switch
on your turn signal, check your mirrors and glance over your
shoulder as often as necessary. Try
to blend smoothly with the traffic flow.
Once you are
on the freeway, adjust your speed to the posted limit or to the
prevailing rate if it’s slower. Stay in the right lane unless you want to pass.
Before changing lanes, check your mirrors. Then use your turn signal.
Just before
you leave the lane, glance quickly over your shoulder to make
sure there isn’t another vehicle
in your “blind” spot.
4-28

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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’re ready. Try to be well rested. If you must start when you’re
not fresh
- such as after a day’s work - don’t plan to make too many
miles
that first 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’s ready to
go. If it needs service, have it done before starting out. Of
course, you’ll find experienced and able service experts
in GM dealerships
all across North America. They’ll 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?
Lights: 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 inflated
to the
recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts: What’s the weather outlook along your route?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
Should
you delay your trip
a short time to avoid a major storm system?
4-29

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine High way Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as “highway hypnosis”? Or is it just plain
falling asleep at the wheel? Call
it highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or
whatever.
There
is something about an easy stretch of road with the same scenery,
along with the hum of the tires on the road, the drone of
the engine, and the
rush of the wind against
the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Don’t let it
happen to
you! If it does, your vehicle can leave the road in less than a
second, and you could crash and be injured.
What can
you do about highway hypnosis? First, be aware that it can
happen.
Then here are some tips:
Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a comfortably cool
interior.
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and to the sides. Check
your mirrors and your instruments frequently.
If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service, or parking area
and take
a nap, get some exercise, or both. For safety, treat drowsiness
on the highway as an emergency.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from driving in flat or
rolling terrain.
If
you drive regularly in steep country, or if you’re planning to visit there,
here are some tips that can make your trips safer and more enjoyable. (See
“Off-Road Driving” in
the Index for information about driving off-road.)
4-30

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid levels and also the
brakes, tires, cooling system and transmission. These parts can work
hard
on mountain roads.
0 Know how to go down hills. The most important thing to know is this:
let your engine do some of the slowing down. Shift
to a lower gear
when
you go down a steep or long hill.
0 Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down to a lower gear.
The lower gears help cool your engine and transmission, and you can
climb the
hill better.
0 Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane roads in hills or
mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut across the center
of the road. Drive
at speeds that let you stay
in your own lane.
0 As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could be something in
your lane, like a stalled car or an accident.
0 You may see highway signs on mountains that warn of special
problems. Examples are long grades, passing or no-passing zones, a
falling rocks area, or winding roads. Be alert to these and take
appropriate action.
4-31

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Trailer Brakes
If your trailer weighs more than 1,000 pounds (450 kg) loaded, then it needs
its own brakes
- and they must be adequate. Be sure to read and follow the
instructions for the trailer brakes
so you’ll be able to install, adjust and
maintain them properly.
Your trailer brakes system can tap into vehicle’s hydraulic brake system
except:
Don’t tap into your vehicle’s brake system
if the trailer’s brake system will
use more than 0.02 cubic inch (0.3~~) of fluid from your vehicle’s master
cylinder.
If it does, both braking systems won’t work well. You could even
lose your brakes.
Will the trailer parts take
3,000 psi (20 650 kPa) of pressure? If not, the
trailer brake system must not be used with your vehicle.
If everything checks out this far, then make the brake fluid tap at the
port on
the master cylinder that sends fluid
to the rear brakes. But don’t use copper
tubing for this. If
you do, it will bend and finally break off. Use steel brake
tubing.
Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience. Before setting out
for the open road, you’ll want
to get to know your rig. Acquaint yourself
with the feel of handling and braking with the added weight of the trailer.
And always keep in mind that the vehicle
you are driving is now a good
deal longer and not nearly
so responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform, safety chains,
electrical connector, lights, tires and mirror adjustment. If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and then apply the
trailer brake controller by hand to be sure the brakes are working. This lets
you check your electrical connection at the same time.
4-40

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the load is secure, and
that
the lights and any trailer brakes are still working.
Following Disfance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you would when
driving your vehicle without a trailer. This can help you avoid situations that
require heavy braking and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when you’re towing a trailer.
And, because you’re a good deal longer, you’ll need
to go much farther
beyond the passed vehicle before you can return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand. Then, to move the
trailer to the left, just move that hand to the left.
To move the trailer to the
right, move your hand to the right. Always
back up slowly and, if possible,
have someone guide you.
4-41

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Making Turns
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
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have a different turn signal
flasher and extra wiring. The green arrows
on your instrument panel will
flash whenever you signal a turn or lane change. Properly hooked up, the
trailer lights will also flash, telling other drivers you’re about to turn,
change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green arrows
on your instrument panel will flash
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 gear before 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.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your speed
to around 45 mph
(70 kdh) to reduce the possibility of engine and transmission overheating.
If you have an automatic transmission,
you should use “D” when towing a
trailer. Operating your vehicle in “D” when towing a trailer will minimize
heat buildup and extend the
life of your transmission. Or, if you have a
manual transmission with
fifth gear, it’s better not to use fifth gear, just
drive in fourth gear (or, as
you need to, a lower gear).
Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer attached, on a hill. If
something goes wrong, your rig could start to move. People can be injured,
and both your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged.
But if you ever have
to park your rig on a hill, here’s how to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into “P” (Park) yet, or into
gear for a manual transmission.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the regular brakes until the
chocks absorb
the load.
4-42