ESP CHEVROLET EXPRESS 1996 1.G User Guide

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 0 Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that
you’ve been stopped
by the snow.
0 Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you.
If you have no blankets or extra clothing, make body
insulators from newspapers, burlap bags, rags,
floor
mats -- anything you can wrap around yourself or
tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.
I A CAUTION:
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle.
This can cause deadly CO (carbon monoxide) gas
to get inside. CO could overcome you and kill
you. You can’t see it or smell it,
so you might not
know it is in your vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base of your vehicle, especially any
that is blocking your exhaust pipe. And check
around again from time to time to be sure snow
doesn’t collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that’s away from the wind. This will help
keep CO out.
i
i
4-25

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Driving with a m .’ .er
If you have a rear-most window open and you
pull
a trailer with your vehicle, carbon monoxide
(CO) could come into your vehicle. You 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:
a
a
a
Have your exhaust system inspected for
leaks, and make necessary repairs before
starting
on your trip.
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
MAX A/C because it only recirculates the
air inside your vehicle. (See “Comfort
Controls” in the Index.)
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
as
responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before
you start, check the trailer hitch and platform
(and attachments),
safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps, 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.
During your trip, check occasionally
to be sure that the
load is secure, and that the lamps 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.
4-34

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
Main ~ mr ~ ce 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 fluid (don’t
overfill), engine oil, axle lubricant, belt, cooling system
and brake adjustment. Each
of these is covered in this
manual, and the Index will help you find 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 eight-wire harness, if you have one, is stored under
your vehicle along the rear frame crossmember. It is
wrapped and bound with a plastic strap. The harness has
a 30-amp battery feed and no connector, and
you should
have a qualified electrical service person wire your
harness for
you. 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.
The five-wire harness, if you have one, is stored inside
the vehicle at
the passenger side rear corner, behind the
jack. This should be wired by a qualified electrical
service person.
It must be routed out of your vehicle
between the rear door and the floor, with enough of the
harness left on both sides
so that the trailer or the body
won’t pull
it.
Store the harness in its original place. Wrap the harness
together and tie it neatly
so it won’t be damaged.
4-37

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine To turn off the flashers, push the button until the first
click and release.
When the hazard warning flashers are
on, your turn
signals won’t work.
Other Warning Devices
If you carry reflective triangles, you can use them to
warn others. Set
one up at the side of the road about
300 feet (100 m) behind your vehicle.
Jump Starting
If your battery has run down, you may want to use another
Iehicle and some jumper cables to
start your vehicle. But
)lease use the following steps listed
to do it safely.
A CAUTJON:
-
Batteries can hurt you. They can be
dangerous because:
They contain acid that can burn you.
They contain gas that can explode or ignite.
They contain enough electricity to burn you.
If you don’t follow these steps exactly, some or all
of these things can hurt you.
NOTICE:
Ignoring these steps could result in costly damage
to your vehicle that wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
Trying to start your vehicle by pushing or pulling
it won’t work, and it could damage your vehicle.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with
a negative ground system.
NOTICE:
If the other system isn’t a 12-volt system with a
negative ground, both vehicles can be damaged.
If you have a diesel engine vehicle with two batteries
(or more) you should know before you begin that,
especially in cold weather, you may not be able to
get enough power from a single battery
in another
vehicle to start your diesel engine.
5-2

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If a Tire Goes Flat
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, and 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 control 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 a 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.
I
Changing a tire can cause an injury. The vehicle
can slip
off the jack and roll over you or other
people. You and they could be badly injured.
Find a level place to change your tire.
To help
prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put the shift lever in PARK (P).
3. ”urn off the engine.
To be even more certain the vehicle won’t move,
you can put blocks at the front and rear
of the
tire farthest away from the one being changed.
That would be the tire on the other side of the
vehicle, at the opposite end.
5-20

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the
transmission fluid level if you have been driving:
0 When outside temperatures are above 90°F (32°C).
At high speed for quite a while.
0 In heavy traffic -- especially in hot weather.
0 While pulling a trailer.
To get the right reading, the fluid should be at normal
operating temperature, which is
180°F to 200°F
(82°C to 93°C).
Checking Transmission Fluid Hot
Get the vehicle warmed up by driving about 15 miles
(24 km) when outside temperatures are above 50°F
(10°C). If it's colder than 50°F (lO"C), drive the
vehicle in
DRIVE (D) until the engine temperature
gage moves and then remains steady for
10 minutes.
Then follow the hot check procedures.
Checking Transmission Fluid Cold
A cold check is made after the vehicle has been sitting
for eight hours or more with the engine
off and is
used only as
a reference. Let the engine run at idle for
five minutes if outside temperatures are
50°F (10°C) or
more. If it's colder than
50°F ( 10°C), you may have to
idle the engine longer. Should the fluid level be low
during a cold check, you
must perform a hot check
before adding fluid. This will give you
a more accurate
reading of the fluid level.
Checking the Fluid Hot or Cold
Park your vehicle on a level place. Keep the
engine running.
With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever
0 With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift
in PARK (P).
lever through each gear range, pausing for about
three seconds
in each range. Then, position the shift
lever in
PARK (P).
Let the engine run at idle for three minutes or more.
- 6-17

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine How to Add Fluid Rear Axle
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind
of transmission fluid to use. See “Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants” in the Index.
Add fluid only after checking the transmission fluid
HOT. (A COLD check is used only as a reference.) If
the fluid level is low, add only enough
of the proper
fluid to bring the
level up to the HOT area for a hot
check.
It doesn’t take much fluid, generally less than a
pint (0.5 L). Don ’t overjX. We recommend you use only
fluid labeled DEXRON@-111, because fluid with that
label is made especially for your automatic transmission.
Damage caused by fluid other than DEXRON-I11 is not
covered by your new vehicle warranty.
After adding fluid, recheck the fluid level as
described under
“How to Check.”
When to Check and Change Lubricant
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine how
often to check
the lubricant and when to change it. See
“Scheduled Maintenance Services” in
the Index.
How to Check Lubricant
If the level is below the
bottom
of the filler plug
hole, you’ll need to add
some lubricant. Add
enough lubricant
to raise
the level to the bottom of
the filler plug hole.
0 When the correct fluid level is obtained, push the
dipstick back
in all the way; then flip the handle
down to lock the dipstick in place.
What to Use
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind
of lubricant to use. See “Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants” in the Index.
6-19

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I ' A CAUTION:
Mixing tires could cause you to lose control while
driving. If you mix tires of different sizes or types
(radial and bias-belted tires), the vehicle may not
handle properly, and you could have
a crash.
Using tires
of different sizes may also cause
damage to your vehicle. Be sure
to use the same
size and type tires on
all wheels.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, 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. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading system does
not apply
to deep tread, winter-type snow tires,
space-saver or temporary use 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.
6-46

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Treadwear Temperature -- A, B, C
The treadwear grade
is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified government test course. For
example, a tire graded
150 would wear one and a half
(1 1/2) 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 -- A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are A, B, and
C, and they 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 braking (straightahead) traction tests and ,does not
include cornering (turning) traction. 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 Vehicle 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.
6-47