parking brake CHEVROLET BLAZER 2005 2.G Owner's Manual

Q:Are there some things I should not do when
driving down a hill?
A:Yes! These are important because if you ignore
them you could lose control and have a serious
accident.
When driving downhill, avoid turns that take you
across the incline of the hill. A hill that is not too
steep to drive down may be too steep to drive
across. You could roll over if you do not drive
straight down.
Never go downhill with the transmission in
NEUTRAL (N), or with the clutch pedal pressed
down in a manual shift. This is called
“free-wheeling.” Your brakes will have to do all the
work and could overheat and fade.
Q:Am I likely to stall when going downhill?
A:It is much more likely to happen going uphill. But if
it happens going downhill, here is what to do.
1. Stop your vehicle by applying the regular brakes.
Apply the parking brake.
2. Shift to PARK (P) (or to NEUTRAL with the manual
transmission) and, while still braking, restart the
engine.
3. Shift back to a low gear, release the parking brake,
and drive straight down.
4. If the engine will not start, get out and get help.
4-25

Dinghy Towing
(Vehicles with the Automatic
Transfer Case)
If your vehicle is equipped with an automatic transfer
case with a NEUTRAL position, you can dinghy tow your
vehicle. To dinghy tow your vehicle, use the
following steps:
1. Firmly set the parking brake.
2. Place the transmission in PARK (P).
3. Securely attach the vehicle being towed to the tow
vehicle.
{CAUTION:
Shifting a four-wheel-drive vehicle’s transfer
case into NEUTRAL can cause your vehicle to
roll even if the transmission is in Park (P) for
an automatic transmission, or if your vehicle is
in gear, for a manual transmission. You or
others could be injured. Make sure the parking
brake is rmly set before you shift the transfer
case to NEUTRAL.
4. With the engine running, shift the transfer case to
NEUTRAL (N). See “Automatic Transfer Case”
underFour-Wheel Drive on page 5-47for more
information on how to shift the transfer case
to NEUTRAL.
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5. Release the parking brake only after the vehicle
being towed is rmly attached to the towing
vehicle.
Notice:If you exceed 55 mph (90 km/h) while
towing your vehicle, it could be damaged. Never
exceed 55 mph (90 km/h) while towing your vehicle.
Notice:Do not exceed the posted speed limit
when towing your vehicle. If you do, your vehicle
could be badly damaged.
6. Turn the ignition to OFF. To prevent your battery
from draining while towing, remove the RDO BATT
and CLSTR fuses from the instrument panel
fuse block. Be sure to replace the fuse when you
reach your destination. SeeInstrument Panel
Fuse Block on page 5-98.Dinghy Towing (Two-Wheel-Drive Vehicles
and Vehicles with the Electronic
Transfer Case)
Notice:If you tow your vehicle with all four wheels
on the ground, the drivetrain components could
be damaged. The repairs would not be covered by
your warranty. Do not tow your vehicle with all
four wheels on the ground.
Two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive vehicles with the
electronic transfer case should not be towed with all
four wheels on the ground. Your transmission has
no provision for internal lubrication while being towed.
To properly tow your vehicle, it should be placed
on a platform trailer with all four wheels off the ground.
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1. Follow the dolly manufacturer’s instructions to
attach and secure the vehicle being towed to
the dolly and then the loaded dolly to the tow
vehicle.
2. Firmly set the parking brake.
3. Put an automatic or a manual transmission in
NEUTRAL (N).
{CAUTION:
Shifting a four-wheel-drive vehicle’s transfer
case into NEUTRAL can cause your vehicle to
roll even if the transmission is in Park (P) for
an automatic transmission, or if your vehicle is
in gear, for a manual transmission. You or
others could be injured. Make sure the parking
brake is rmly set before you shift the transfer
case to NEUTRAL.4. Shift the transfer case to Neutral. SeeFour-Wheel
Drive on page 2-29for how to shift the transfer case.
5. Release the parking brake only after the vehicle
being towed is rmly attached to the towing
vehicle.
Notice:Do not exceed the posted speed limit when
towing your vehicle. If you do, your vehicle could
be badly damaged.
Notice:If you tow your vehicle from the front for
more than 50 miles (80 km) on a dolly, you could
damage it. Never dolly tow your vehicle from
the front more than 50 miles (80 km).
6. Turn the ignition to OFF. To prevent your battery
from draining while towing, remove the RDO BATT
and CLSTR fuses from the instrument panel
fuse block. Be sure to replace the fuse when you
reach your destination SeeInstrument Panel
Fuse Block on page 5-98.
4-55

Rear Towing (Rear Wheels off the Ground)
If your vehicle has an electronic transfer case, you
can dolly tow your vehicle from the rear only if the rear
wheels are on the dolly. Use the following steps to
dolly tow your vehicle:
1. Follow the dolly manufacturer’s instructions to
attach and secure the vehicle being towed to
the dolly and then the loaded dolly to the tow
vehicle.
2. Firmly set the parking brake.
3. Put the automatic or manual transmission in
NEUTRAL (N).4. Release the parking brake only after the vehicle
being towed is rmly attached to the towing
vehicle.
{CAUTION:
Shifting a four-wheel-drive vehicle’s transfer
case into NEUTRAL can cause your vehicle to
roll even if the transmission is in Park (P) for
an automatic transmission, or if your vehicle is
in gear, for a manual transmission. You or
others could be injured. Make sure the parking
brake is rmly set before you shift the transfer
case to NEUTRAL.
Notice:Do not exceed the posted speed limit when
towing your vehicle. If you do, your vehicle could
be badly damaged.
5. Turn the ignition to OFF. To prevent your battery
from draining while towing, remove the RDO BATT
and CLSTR fuses from the instrument panel
fuse block. Be sure to replace the fuse when you
reach your destination. SeeInstrument Panel
Fuse Block on page 5-98.
4-56

Dolly Towing
(Two-Wheel-Drive Vehicles)
Front Towing
(Front Wheels off the Ground)
You can dolly tow your vehicle from the front. Use the
following steps to dolly tow your vehicle:
1. Follow the dolly manufacturer’s instructions to
attach and secure the vehicle being towed to
the dolly and then the loaded dolly to the tow
vehicle.
2. Firmly set the parking brake.3. Put the automatic or manual transmission in
NEUTRAL (N).
4. Release the parking brake only after the vehicle
being towed is rmly attached to the towing
vehicle.
5. Turn the ignition to OFF. To prevent your battery
from draining while towing, remove the RDO BATT
and CLSTR fuses from the instrument panel
fuse block. Be sure to replace the fuse when you
reach your destination. SeeInstrument Panel
Fuse Block on page 5-98.
Notice:Do not exceed the posted speed limit when
towing your vehicle. If you do, your vehicle could
be badly damaged.
Notice:If you tow your vehicle from the front for
more than 50 miles (80 km) on a dolly, you could
damage it. Never dolly tow your vehicle from
the front more than 50 miles (80 km).
4-57

Rear Towing (Rear Wheels off the Ground)
You can dolly tow your vehicle from the rear. Use the
following steps to dolly tow your vehicle:
1. Follow the dolly manufacturer’s instructions to
attach and secure the vehicle being towed to
the dolly and then the loaded dolly to the tow
vehicle.
2. Firmly set the parking brake.
3. Put the automatic or manual transmission in
NEUTRAL (N).4. Release the parking brake only after the vehicle
being towed is rmly attached to the towing
vehicle.
Notice:Do not exceed the posted speed limit when
towing your vehicle. If you do, your vehicle could
be badly damaged.
5. Turn the ignition to OFF. To prevent your battery
from draining while towing, remove the RDO BATT
and CLSTR fuses from the instrument panel
fuse block. Be sure to replace the fuse when you
reach your destination. SeeInstrument Panel
Fuse Block on page 5-98.
4-58

Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gearbeforeyou 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.
If you have an automatic transmission, you can tow in
DRIVE (D). You may want to shift the transmission
to THIRD (3) or, if necessary, a lower gear selection if
the transmission shifts too often (e.g., under heavy loads
and/or hilly conditions). Or, if you have a manual
transmission and you are towing a trailer, it’s better not
to use FIFTH (5) gear. Just drive in FOURTH (4)
gear (or, as you need to, a lower gear). SeeTow/Haul
Mode Light on page 3-34.
When towing at high altitude on steep uphill grades,
consider the following: Engine coolant will boil at a lower
temperature than at normal altitudes. If you turn your
engine off immediately after towing at high altitude
on steep uphill grades, your vehicle may show signs
similar to engine overheating. To avoid this, let the
engine run while parked (preferably on level ground)
with the automatic transmission in PARK (P) (or
the manual transmission out of gear and the parking
brake applied) for a few minutes before turning the
engine off. If you do get the overheat warning,
seeEngine Overheating on page 5-28.
Parking on Hills
{CAUTION:
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
PARK (P) yet, or into gear for a manual
transmission. Then turn your wheels into the curb if
facing downhill or into traffic if facing uphill.
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. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your
parking brake, and then shift into PARK (P), or
REVERSE (R) for a manual transmission.
4-68

5. If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle with an
automatic transfer case, be sure the transfer case is
in a drive gear – not in NEUTRAL.
6. Release the regular brakes.
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle
if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with
the parking brake rmly set. Your vehicle can
roll.
If you have left the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure your vehicle will not move,
even when you are on fairly level ground, use
the steps that follow.
Always put the shift lever fully in PARK (P)
with the parking brake rmly set.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
If the transfer case on four-wheel drive
vehicles is in NEUTRAL, your vehicle will be
free to roll, even if your shift lever is in PARK
(P). So, be sure the transfer case is in a drive
gear — not in NEUTRAL.
SeeFour-Wheel Drive on page 2-29.
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
start your engine,
shift into a gear, and
release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the
chocks.
4-69

Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transmission uid (don’t overll),
engine oil, axle lubricant, belt, cooling system and
brake system. Each of these is covered in this manual,
and the Index will help you nd them quickly. If
you’re trailering, it’s a good idea to review these sections
before you start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Trailer Wiring Harness
The light-duty trailer wiring is a six-wire harness
assembly. The optional heavy-duty trailer wiring is an
eight-wire harness assembly. The harnesses are stored
under the vehicle, along the passenger-side frame
crossmember on two-door vehicles or on the driver’s
side corner frame rear crossmember on four-door
vehicles. The heavy-duty trailer wiring is fused in the
engine compartment fuse block. SeeFuses and Circuit
Breakers on page 5-97. Both harnesses have no
connector and should be wired by a qualied electrical
technician. The technician can use the following
color code chart when connecting the wiring harness to
your trailer.
Dark Blue: Use for electric trailer brakes or auxiliary
wiring (eight-wire harness only).
Red: Use for battery charging; it connects to the
starter solenoid (eight-wire harness only).
Light Green: Back-up lamps.
Brown: Taillamps and parking lamps.
Yellow: Driver’s side stoplamp and turn signal.
Dark Green: Passenger’s side stoplamp and turn
signal.
White: Ground wire.
Light Blue: Auxiliary stoplamp.
Securely attach the harness to the trailer, then tape or
strap it to your vehicle’s frame rail. Be sure you
leave it loose enough so the wiring doesn’t bend or
break, but not so loose that it drags on the ground. Store
the harness in its original place. Wrap the harness
together and tie it neatly so it won’t be damaged.
4-70