steering CHEVROLET BLAZER 1993 Owner's Manual

CAUTION I
If Driving on frozen lakes, ponds or rivers can be dangerous.
-L Underwater springs, currents under the ice, or sudden thaws can
weaken the ice. Your vehicle could fall through the ice and you and
your passengers could drown. Drive your vehicle on safe surfaces
only.
I
t
Driving In Water
Light rain causes no special off-road driving problems. But hea\
vy rain can
mean flash flooding, and flood waters demand extreme caution.
Find out how deep the water is before you drive through it. If it’s deep
enough to cover your wheel hubs, axles, or exhaust pipe, don’t try it\
-you
probably won’t get through. Also, water that deep can damage\
your axle and
other vehicle parts.
If the water isn’t too deep, then drive through it slowly. At fast speeds, water
splashes on your ignition system and your vehicle can stall. S\
talling can also
occur
if you get your tailpipe under water. And, as long as your tailpipe is
under water, you’ll never be able to start your engine. When you go through
water, remember that when your brakes get wet,
it may take you longer to
stop.
CAUTION
C
Driving through rushing water can be dangerous. Deep water can \
sweep your vehicle downstream and you and your passengers could\

drown. If it’s only inches deep, it can still wash away the ground
from under your tires, and you could lose traction and roll t\
he vehiclc
over. Don’t drive through rushing water.
I
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 th\
e body
structure, steering, suspension, wheels, tires, and exhaust syste\
m 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
Section
7 for additional information.
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Your Driving and the Road
1
AN480018
What’s the worst time for this? “Wet ice.” Very cold snow or ice can be slick
and hard to drive on. But wet ice can be even more trouble because it may
offer the least traction of all.
You can get “wet ice” when it’s about freezing
(32”F, 0°C) and freezing rain begins to fall. Try to avoid driving on wet ice
until salt and sand crews can get there.
Whatever the condition-smooth ice, packed, blowing or loose snow-drive
with caution. Accelerate gently. Try not
to break the fragile traction. If you
accelerate too fast, the drive wheels will spin and polish the surface under
the tires even more.
Your anti-lock brakes improve your ability to make a hard stop on \
a slippery
road. Even though you have the anti-lock braking system, you’\
ll want to begin
stopping sooner than you would on dry pavement. See “Anti-lo\
ck” in the
Index.
Allow greater following distances on any slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine until you hi\
t a spot
that’s covered with ice.
On an otherwise clear road, ice patches may
appear in shaded areas where the sun can’t reach: around cl\
umps of
trees, behind buildings, or under bridges. Sometimes the surface\
of a
curve or an overpass may remain icy when the surrounding roads\
are
clear.
If you see a patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you are on
it. Try not to brake while you’re actually on the ice, and avoid sudden
steering maneuvers.
4-54

I
If you have a rear-most window open and you pull a trailer with \
your
can’t see or smell
CO. It can cause unconsciousness or death (See
“Engine Exhaust” in the Index).
To maximize your safety when towing
a trailer:
- vehicle, carbon monoxide (CO) could come into your vehicle. You
Have the exhaust system inspected for leaks and make
Keep the rear-most windows closed.
If exhaust does come into your vehicle through a window in the
rear or another opening, drive with your front, main heating or
cooling system
on and with the fan on any speed. This will
bring fresh, outside air into your vehicle.
Do not use RECIR
because it only recirculates the air inside your vehicle. See
“Comfort Controls” in the Index.
necessary repairs before starting on your trip.
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 Distance
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 tr\
ailer.
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 left, just move your 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.
Making Turns
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns than n\
ormal. Do this so
your trailer wheels won’t strike soft shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees, or
other objects. Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well in advance.
4-61

Tiwing Your Vehicle
Try to have a GM dealer or a professional towing service tow your vehicle.
They can provide the right equipment and know how to tow
it without
damage.
If your vehicle has been changed since it was factory-new, by adding things
like fog lamps, aero skirting,
or special tires and wheels, these things could
be damaged during towing.
Before you
do anything, turn on the hazard warning flashers.
When you call, tell the towing service:
That your vehicle has rear-wheel drive, or that it has the four-wheel drive
option.
The make, model, and year of your vehicle.
Whether you can move the shift lever for the transmission and \
transfer
If there was an accident, what was damaged.
case,
if you have one.
CAUTION I
To help avoid
injury to you or others:
A 9 Never let passengers ride in a vehicle that is being towed.
e Never tow faster than safe or posted speeds.
e Never tow with damaged parts not fully secured.
Never get under your vehicle after it has been lifted by the tow
truck.
* Always use separate safety chains on each side when towing a
vehicle.
When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition key off. The steering
wheel should be clamped in a straight-ahead position, with a clamping device
designed for towing service.
Do not use the vehicle’s steering column lock for
this. The transmission and transfer case,
if you have one, should be in
Neutral and the parking brake released.
If you have a two-wheel drive vehicle, don’t have your vehicle \
towed on the
rear wheels, unless you must.
If the vehicle must be towed on the rear
wheels, don’t
go more than 35 mph (56 kmlh) or farther than 50 miles (80
km) or your transmission will be damaged. If these limits must be exceeded,
then the rear drive wheels have to be supported on a dolly.
5-7

Engine Fan Noise
This vehicle has a clutched engine cooling fan. When the clutc\
h is engaged,
the fan spins faster
to provide more air to cool the engine. In most every day
driving conditions the clutch is not engaged. This improves fuel economy and
reduces fan noise. Under heavy vehicle loading, trailer towing \
and/or high
outside temperatures, the fan speed increases when the clutch e\
ngages.
So
you may hear an increase in fan noise. This is normal and sh\
ould not be
mistaken
as the transmission slipping or making extra shifts. It is merely the
cooling system functioning properly. The fan
will slow down when additional
cooling is not required and the clutch disengages.
You may also hear this fan noise when you start the engine. \
It will go away
as the fan clutch disengages.
If a Tire Goes Fiat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” while you’re driving,\
especially if you
maintain your tires properly.
If air goes out of a tire, it’s much more likely to
leak out slowly. But if you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a few tips
about what
to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create 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, then gently brake
to a stop well out of
the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a skid and may
require the same correction you’d use in a skid. In any rear blowout, remove
your foot from the accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under co\
ntrol by steering
the way you want the vehicle
to go. It may be very bumpy and noisy, but
you can still steer. Gently brake to a stop, well off the road if possible.
If your tire goes flat, the next part shows how to use your jacking equipment
to change a flat tire safely.
Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage by driving slowly to a
level place. Turn
on your hazard warning flashers.
5-1 6

Pmb/ems on the Road
Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of your vehicle as well as the
Rocking your vehicle to get it out:
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will clear the area around
your front wheels. Then shift back and forth between R and a forward gear
(or with a manual transmission, between First or Second gear and Reverse),
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. If that doesn’t get you out after a few tries, you may need to be
towed out. Or, you can use your recovery hooks, if your vehicle has them. If
you do need to be towed out, see “Towing Your Vehicle” in the Index.
Using the Recovery Hooks
m
K2456
If you ever get stuck in sand, mud, ice or snow, your vehicle may be
equipped with recovery hooks. The recovery hooks are provided a\
t the front
of your vehicle. You may need to use them if you’re stuck off-road and need
to be pulled to some place where you can continue driving.
5-32

Service & Appearance Care
.
Here you will find information about the care of your vehicle . This section
begins with service and fuel information. and then it shows
how to check
important fluid and lubricant levels
. There is also technical information about
your vehicle. and a section devoted to its appearance care
.
Service ........................................................................\
........................................... 6-3
Fuel ........................................................................\
................................................ 6-4
Checking Things Under the Hood
....................................................................... \
6-8
Hood Release
........................................................................\
............................ 6-8
Engine Oil ........................................................................\
.................................. 6-9
Air Cleaner
........................................................................\
............................... 6-16
Automatic Transmission Fluid
........................................................................\
. 6-17
Manual Transmission Fluid ........................................................................\
..... 6-20
Hydraulic Clutch
........................................................................\
....................... 6-21
Transfer Case
........................................................................\
.......................... 6-23
Front
Axle ........................................................................\
................................. 6-24
Rear Axle
........................................................................\
................................. 6-24
Engine Coolant
........................................................................\
........................ 6-25
Power Steering Fluid
........................................................................\
............... 6-29
Windshield Washer Fluid
........................................................................\
......... 6-31
Brake Master Cylinder
........................................................................\
............. 6-32
6-1

Power Steering Fluid
K2630
How To Check Power Steering Fluid:
Unscrew the cap and wipe the dipstick with a clean rag. Replace the cap
and completely tighten it. Then remove the cap again and
look at the fluid
level on the dipstick.
K2693
When the engine compartment is hot, the level should be at the FULL
When the engine compartment is cool, the level should be at the FULL
mark.
COLD mark.
6-29

Service & Appearance Care
i .. c
K2694
What to Add:
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what kind of fluid to use.
See “Recommended Fluids and Lubricants” in the Index.
NOTICE I
When adding power steering fluid or making a complete fluid change,
always use the proper fluid. Failure
to use the proper fluid can cause
leaks and damage hoses
and seals.
6-30

After work is done on the brake hydraulic system, make sure t\
he levels are
above
MIN and below the top of each window.
What To Add:
When you do need brake fluid, use only DOT-3 brake fluid-such \
as Delco
Supreme 11
@ (GM Part No. 1052535). Use new brake fluid from a sealed
container only.
NOTICE
DOT-5 silicone brake fluid can damage your vehicle. Don’t use it.
Don’t let someone put in the wrong kind of fluid. For example, just a
few drops
of mineral-based oil, such as engine oil, in your brake
-]stem can damaae brake svstem parts
so badlv that 1 fll have to
be replaced.
Brake fluid can damage paint, so be careful nor IO spit1 Drake fluid on
your vehicle.
Hydro-Boost Brake System (Hydraulic Pump)
The power steering pump is also used as the Hydro-boost pump. \
Refer to “Power Steering System” in this section when checking flui\
d level
or adding fluid.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a modern vehicle is complex. Its many parts have to
be of top quality and work well together
if the vehicle is to have really good
braking. Vehicles we design and test have top-quality
GM brake parts in
them, as your vehicle does when
it is new. When you replace parts of your
braking system-for example, when your brake linings wear down and you
have to have new ones put in-be sure you get new genuine
GM
replacement parts. If you don’t, your brakes may no longer work properly. For
example,
if someone puts in brake linings that are wrong for your vehicle, the
balance between your front and rear brakes can change, for the\
worse. The
braking performance you’ve come to expect can change in many other ways
if someone puts in the wrong replacement brake parts.
6-33