towing CHEVROLET CAMARO 1997 4.G Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Mode 1: Zero Delay and Shock Sensor Disabled
(The alarm will sound immediately if the driver’s door
is opened with your key and the shock sensor
will not
be available to measure sharp blows to your vehicle).
Mode 2: Eight Second Delay and Shock Sensor
Disabled (The alarm will sound eight seconds after the
driver’s door is opened with your key and the shock
sensor will not be available to measure sharp blows to
your vehicle).
Mode 3: Zero Delay and Shock Sensor Enabled (The
alarm will sound immediately after the driver’s door is
opened with your key and
the shock sensor will be
available to measure sharp blows to your vehicle).
Mode 4: Eight Second Delay and Shock Sensor Enabled
(The
alarm will sound eight seconds after the driver’s
door is opened with your key and the shock sensor will
be available to measure sharp blows to your vehicle).
Leaving Programming Mode
When programming is done, turn the ignition switch to
the
OFF position and replace the RADIO fuse.
New Vehicle “Break-In”
NOTICE:
Your modern Chevrolet doesn’t need an
elaborate “break-in.” But
it will perform better
in the long run if you follow these guidelines:
0 Keep your speed at 55 mph (88 km/h) or
less for the
first 500 miles (805 km).
0 Don’t drive at any one speed -- fast or
slow
-- for the first 500 miles (805 km).
Don’t make full-throttle starts.
200 miles (322 km) or so. During this time
your new brake linings aren’t yet broken
in. Hard stops with new linings can mean
premature wear and earlier replacement.
Follow
this breaking-in guideline every
time you get new brake linings.
See “Towing
a Trailer” in the Index for
more information.
0 Avoid making hard stops for the first
0 Don’t tow a trailer during break-in.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE:
Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle.
If you add electrical
parts
or accessories, you could change the way
the engine operates. Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your dealer.
If you don’t,
your engine might not perform properly.
If you ever have to have your vehicle towed, see
the part of this manual that tells how to
do it
without damaging your vehicle. See “Towing
Your Vehicle” in the Index.
Engine Coolant Heater (If Equipped)
In very cold weather, 0°F (- 18OC) or colder, the engine
coolant heater can help. You’ll get easier starting and
better fuel economy during engine warm-up. Usually,
the coolant heater should be plugged in a minimum of
four hours prior
to starting your vehicle.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Automatic Transmission Operation
There are several different positions for your shift lever.
PARK (P): This locks your rear wheels. It’s the best
position to use when you start your engine because your
vehicle can’t move easily.
I
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in PARK
(P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Don’t leave your vehicle when the engine
is
running unless you have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured.
To be sure your
vehicle won’t move, even when you’re on
fairly
level ground, always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to
PARK (P).
See “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in the Index. If
you’re pulling a trailer, see “Towing a Trailer’’ in
the Index.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (@):
This position is for normal driving. If you need more
power for passing, and you’re:
- Going less than about 35 mph (56 km/h), push your
- Going about 35 mph (56 km/h) or more, push the
You’ll shift down
to the next gear and have more power.
DRIVE (D): This position is also used for normal
driving, however, it offers more power and lower fuel
economy than AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE
(a).
Here are some times you might choose DRIVE (D)
instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (a):
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
accelerator all the way down.
- When driving on hilly, winding roads.
- When towing a trailer, so there is less shifting
between gears.
- When going down a steep hill.
SECOND (2): This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy.
You can use SECOND (2) on hills.
It can help control your speed as
you go down steep
mountain roads, but then you would also want
to use
your brakes off and on.
NOTICE:
Don’t drive in SECOND (2) for more than 25 miles
(40 km), or at speeds over 55 mph (88 km/h),
or you can damage your transmission. Use
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (@) or DRIVE (D)
as much as possible.
Don’t shift into SECOND
(2) unless you are going
slower than
65 mph (105 kd), or you can
damage your engine.
FIRST
(1): This position gives you even more power
(but lower fuel economy) than
SECOND (2). You
can use it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud.
If the selector lever
is put in first gear, the transmission
won’t shift into FIRST
(1) until the vehicle is going
slowly enough.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Shifting Into PARK (P) (Automatic
NOTICE: Transmission Models Only)
Driving with the parking brake on can cause
your rear brakes
to overheat. You may have to
replace them, and you could also damage other
parts of your vehicle.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on any hill,
see “Towing a Trailer” in the
Index. That section shows
what to
do first to keep the trailer from moving.
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever
is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly 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 won’t move, even
when you’re on fairly level ground, use the steps
that follow.
If you’re pulling a trailer, see
“Towing
a Trailer” in the Index.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Torque Lock (Automatic Transmission)
If you are parking on a hill and you don’t shift your
transmission
into PARK (P) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force
on the parking pawl in
the transmission.
You may find it difficult to pull the
shift lever
out of PARK (P). This is called “torque lock.”
To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then
shift into PARK (P) properly before you leave the
driver’s seat.
To find out how, see “Shifting Into
PARK
(P)” in the Index.
When you are ready
to drive, move the shift lever out of
PARK (P) before you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have another
vehicle push yours a little uphill to take some of the
pressure from the parking pawl in the transmission,
so
you can pull the shift lever out of PARK (P).
Parking Your Vehicle
(Manual Transmission)
Before you get out of your vehicle, put your manual
transmission in REVERSE
(R) and firmly apply the
parking brake.
If your vehicle is equipped to tow a trailer, see “Towing
a Trailer” in
the Index.
Shifting Out of PARK (P)
(Automatic Transmission)
Your Chevrolet has a Brake-Transmission Shift
Interlock (BTSI). You have
to fully apply your regular
brake before
you can shift from PARK (P) when the
ignition is
in the RUN position. See “Automatic
Transmission Operation” in the Index.
If you cannot shift
out of PARK (P), ease pressure on
the shift lever
-- push the shift lever all the way into
PARK (P) and release the shift lever button as you
maintain brake application. Then press the shift lever
button and move the shift lever into the gear
you wish.
If you ever hold the brake pedal down but still can’t
shift out
of PARK (P), try this:
1. Turn the key to the OFF position.
2. Apply and hold the brake.
3. Shift to NEUTRAL (N).
4. Start the engine and then shift to the drive gear
you want.
5. Have the vehicle fixed as soon as you can.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Running Your Engine While You’re
Parked (Automatic Transmission)
It’s better not to park with the engine running. But if you
ever have
to, here are some things to know.
Idling the engme with the air system control
off could allow dangerous exhaust into
your vehicle (see the earlier Caution under
“Engine Exhaust”).
Also, idling in
a closed-in place can let deadly
carbon monoxide
(CO) into your vehicle even if
the fan switch is at the highest setting. One place
this can happen is a garage. Exhaust
-- with
CO -- can come in easily. NEVER park in a
garage with the engine running.
Another closed-in place can be
a blizzard.
(See “Blizzard” in the Index.)
A 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 firmly set.
Your vehicle can roll.
Don’t leave your vehicle when the engine
is
running unless you have to. If you’ve left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured.
To be sure your
vehicle won’t move, even when you’re on fairly
level ground, always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever
to PARK (P).
Follow the proper steps to be sure your vehicle won’t
move. See “Shifting Into
PARK (P)” in the Index.
If you are parking on a hill and if you’re pulling
a
trailer, also see “Towing a Trailer’’ in the Index.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Voltmeter
You can read battery
voltage on your voltmeter.
If it reads less than 11 volts
or more than 16 volts while
your engine is running, and
it stays there, you may have
a problem with the
electrical charging system.
Have it checked right away. Driving with the voltmeter
reading in
a warning zone could drain your battery.
If you idle your engine for a while, the voltmeter reading
might move into the low voltage zone (indicated by red dots).
If the reading stays in the low voltage zone while you are
driving, you may have a problem with the electrical charging
system. Have it checked. While
the voltmeter reads in the
low voltage zone, your battery may not be able to power
certain electrical accessories, like
ABS. (If this happens,
your
ABS INOP light will come on. See “Anti-Lock
Brake System Warning Light” in
this section.)
If you must drive a short distance with the voltmeter
reading in a warning zone, turn
off all your accessories,
including your air conditioning system and audio system.
Brake System Warning Light
Your Chevrolet’s hydraulic brake system is divided into
two parts. If
one part isn’t working, the other part can
still work and stop you. For good braking, though, you
need both parts working well.
If the warning light comes on, there could be a brake
problem or the brake fluid level could be low. Have your
brake system inspected right away.
BRAKE
This light should come on
briefly when you turn the
ignition key to
RUN. If it
doesn’t come on then,
have it fixed
so it will be
ready to warn you if
there’s a problem.
If the light comes on while you are driving, pull
off the
road and stop carefully. You may notice that the pedal
is
harder to push. Or, the pedal may go closer to the floor.
It may take longer to stop. If the light is still on, or if the
anti-lock brake system warning light is flashing, have the
vehicle towed for service. (See “Anti-Lock Brake System
Warning Light” and “Towing Your Vehicle” in the Index.)\

2-79

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your brake system may not be working properly
if the brake system warning light is on. Driving
with the brake system warning light on can lead
to an accident.
If the light is still on or if the
anti-lock brake system warning light is flashing
after you’ve pulled off the road and stopped
carefully, have the vehicle towed for service.
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
ABS
INOP
With the anti-lock brake
system, this light will come
on when you start your
engine and it will stay
on for three seconds.
That’s normal.
When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
will also come on when you
set your parking brake. The
light will stay
on if your parking brake doesn’t release
fully. If it stays on after your parking brake is
fully
released, it means you have a brake problem. If
the light flashes when you’re driving, you don’t have
anti-lock brakes and there could be
a problem with your
regular brakes. Pull
off the road and stop carefully. You
may notice that the pedal is harder to push. Or, the pedal
may go closer to
the floor. It may take longer to stop.
Have
the vehicle towed for service. (See “Towing Your
Vehicle”
in the Index.)
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE:
If you keep driving your vehicle with this light
on, after a while, your emission controls may not
work as well, your fuel economy may not be as
good and your engine may not run as smoothly.
This could lead to costly repairs that may not be
covered by your warranty.
This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when the ignition is
on and the engine is not
running. If the light doesn’t come
on, have it repaired.
This light will also come
on during a malfunction in one
of two ways:
0
0
Light Flashing -- A misfire condition has been
detected. A misfire increases vehicle emissions and
may damage the emission control system on your
vehicle. Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis
and service is required.
Light On Steady -- An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis and
service may be required. If
the Light Is Flashing
The following
may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
0 Reducing vehicle speed.
0 Avoiding hard accelerations.
0 Avoiding steep uphill grades.
0 If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible.
If the light stops flashing and remains on steady,
see “If
the Light
Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to flash, when it is safe to do
so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
Turn the key
off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart the
engine. If the light remains on steady, see “If the Light
Is On Steady’’ following. If the light is still flashing,
follow the previous steps, and drive the vehicle
to your
dealer or qualified service center for service.
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