service CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1996 Owner's Manual

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:
0 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.
and take a nap, get some exercise, or both. For safety, treat drowsiness
If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service, or parking area
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.)
0
0
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.
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.
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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 fluid (don’t
overfill), engine oil, axle lubricant, belt, cooling system, an\
d 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 Lighting Systems Wiring
See “Trailer Wiring Harness” in the Index.
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Good Battery (-) Heavy Metal Engine Part
Attach the cable at least 18 inches (45 cm) away from the dead battery,
but not near engine parts that move. The electrical connection is just as
good there, but the chance
of sparks getting back to the battery is much
less.
Now start the vehicle with the good battery and run the engine for
awhile.
0 Try to start the vehicle with the dead battery.
If it won’t start after a few tries, it probably needs service.
Remove Cables in this Order:
2 3 1. Heavy Metal
2. Good Battery (-)
3. Good Battery (+)
4. Dead Battery (+)
Engine Part
0 Remove the cables in reverse order to prevent electrical shorting.
Take care that they don’t touch each other or any other metal.
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To wing Your Vehicle
Try to have your 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 such
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:
0 That your vehicle has rear-wheel drive, or that it has the four-wheel
drive option.
The make, model, and year of your vehicle.
0 Whether you can move the shift lever for the transmission and transfer
case, if you have one.
0 If there was an accident, what was damaged.
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 (N) and the parking brake released.
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If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your vehicle right away.
If there’s still no sign of steam, push the accelerator until the engine speed is
about twice as fast as normal idle speed. Bring the engine speed back
to
normal idle speed after two or three minutes. Now see if the warning stops.
But then, if you still have the warning,
turn ofthe engine and get everyone
out
of the vehicle until it cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service help right away.
Cooling System - Gasoline Engines
When you decide it’s safe to lift the hood, here’s what you’ll see:
A. Coolant recovery tank
B . Engine fan( s)
C. Radiator pressure cap
If the coolant inside the coolant recovery tank is boiling, don’t do anything
else until
it cools down.
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The coolant level
should be
at or above
the
COLD mark. If it
isn’t, you may have a
leak in the radiator
hoses, heater hoses,
radiator, water pump
or somewhere else in
the cooling system.
NOTICE:
Engine damage from running your engine without coolant isn’t \
covered
by your warranty.
If there seems to be no leak, start the engine again. See if the fan speed
increases when idle speed
is doubled by pushing the accelerator pedal down.
If it doesn’t, your vehicle needs service. Turn
off the engine.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant Recovery Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant level isn’t at or above
the
COLD mark, add a 50/50 mixture of clean water (preferably distilled)
and a proper antifreeze at the coolant recovery tank. (See “Engine Coolant”
in the Index for more information about the proper coolant mix.)
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NOTICE:
Engine damage from running your engine without coolant isn’t \
covered by your warranty.
If there seems to be no leak, start the engine again. See if the fan speed
increases
when idle speed is doubled by pushing the accelerator pedal down.
If it doesn’t, your vehicle needs service. Turn
off the engine.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant Surge Tank
NOTICE:
The diesel engine has a specific coolant fill procedure. Failur\
e to
follow this procedure could cause your engine to overheat and \
be
severely damaged.
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant level isn’t at the COLD
mark, add a 50/50 mixture of clean water (preferably distilled) and a proper
antifreeze at the coolant surge tank, but be sure the cooling system,
including the coolant surge tank pressure cap, is cool before you do it. (See
“Engine Coolant” in the Index for more information about the proper
coolant mix.)
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Service & Appearance Care
Section
Here you will find information about the care of your vehicle. This section 1
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 part devoted to its appearance care.
f
Service
Your GM dealer knows your vehicle best and wants you to be happy with it.
We hope you’ll go to your dealer for all your service needs. You’ll get
genuine GM parts and GM-trained and supported service people.
We hope you’ll want to keep your GM vehicle all GM. Genuine
GM parts
have one
of these marks:
a-?:
Doing Your Own Service Work
If you want to do some of your own service work, you‘ll want to get the
proper
GM Service Manual. It tells you much more about how to service
your vehicle than this manual can.
To order the proper service manual, see
“Service Publications”
in the Index.
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You should keep a record with all parts receipts and list the mileage and the
date
of any servi-work you perform. See “Maintenance Record” in the
Index.
NOTICE:
If you try to do your own service work without knowing enough
about it, your vehicle could be damaged.
Maintenance Schedule
Section 7 of this manual, “Scheduled Maintenance Services”, explains the
maintenance your
new vehicle needs, and when it should be done. It also
has a form that
you can use to record the maintenance work done on your
vehicle. Be sure
to read this information.
Fuel (Gasoline Engine)
If your vehicle has a diesel engine, see “Diesel Fuel Requirements and Fuel
System”
in this Section. For vehicles with gasoline engines, please read this.
Use regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher. It should meet
specifications ASTM D48 14
in the United States and CGSB 3.5-92 in
Canada. These fuels should have the proper additives, so you should not
have to add anything to the fuel.
In
the United States and Canada, it’s easy to be sure you get the right kind
of gasoline (unleaded). You’ll see UNLEADED right on the pump. And
only unleaded nozzles will fit into your vehicle’s filler neck.
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Be sure the posted octane is at least 87. If the octane is less than 87, you
may get a heavy knocking noise when you drive.
If it’s bad enough, it can
damage your engine.
If you’re using
fuel rated at 87 octane or higher and you still hear heavy
knocking, your engine needs service. But don’t worry
if you hear a little
pinging noise when you’re accelerating or driving up a hill. That’s normal
and
you don’t have to buy a higher octane fuel to get rid of pinging. It’s the
heavy, constant knock that means
you have a problem.
What about gasoline
with blending materials that contain oxygen
(oxygenates), such as MTBE or alcohol?
MTBE is “methyl tertiary-butyl ether.’’ Fuel that is no more than 15%.
MTBE is fine for your vehicle.
Ethanol is ethyl or grain alcohol. Properly-blended fuel that is no more than
10% ethanol is fine for your vehicle.
Methnrzol is methyl or wood alcohol.
~
NOTICE:
Fuel that is more than 5% methanol is bad for your vehicle.
Don’t use it.
It can corrode metal parts in your fuel system and
also damage plastic and rubber parts. That damage wouldn’t be
covered under your warranty. And even at
5% or less, there
must be “cosolvents” and corrosion preventers in this fuel to
help avoid these problems.
Gasolines for Cleaner Air
Your use of gasoline with deposit control additives will help prevent
deposits from forming
in your engine and fuel system. That helps keep your
engine
in tune and your emission control system working properly. It’s good
for
your vehicle, and you’ll be doing your part for cleaner air.
Many gasolines are now blended with oxygenates. General Motors
recommends that you use gasolines with these blending materials, such as
MTBE and ethanol. By doing so,
you can help clean the air, especially in
those parts of the country that have high carbon monoxide levels.
In addition, some gasoline suppliers are now producing reformulated
gasolines. These gasolines are specially designed
to reduce vehicle
emissions. General Motors recommends that
you use reformulated gasoline.
By doing
so, you can help clean the air, especially in those parts of the
country that have high ozone levels.
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