fuel CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1996 Owners Manual

These symbols are on some of your controls:
I
Windshield
Wiper Windshield
Washer
Rear Wlndow Washer
I
Rear Window
Defroster
w
I
Windshield
Defroster
U
Ventilating Fan
These symbols are used on warning and indicator lights:
I -k 4cccy
Engine Coolant
Temperature
BRAKE
I Brake
I I
Battery Charging
System
ANTI-
I LOCK
I I 4 Wheel
Anti-Lock
Fuel
Parking Brake Release
I\J
Rear Window
Wiper
Engine Oil
Pressure
SHIFT
Shift Light
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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 fuel injection system operates. Before addin\
g 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.
Driving Through Deep Standing Water
NOTICE:
If you drive too quickly through deep puddles or standing water,
water can come in through your engine’s air intake and badl\
y
damage your engine. Never drive through water that is slightly \
lower than the underbody of your vehicle. If you can’t avoid
deep puddles
or standing water, drive through them very slowly.
Driving In Snow (Diesel Engines)
When driving in a heavy snowstorm or in swirling snow with a diesel
engine, snow can get into the air intake system.
If you keep driving in these
conditions the air cleaner may get plugged, causing black smoke and loss
of
power. In an emergency, if the air cleaner gets plugged with snow, you can
remove the air cleaner. Then, drive to
a place of safety as soon as possible
and put
the air cleaner back on.
Starting Your Diesel Engine
Your diesel engine starts differently than a gasoline engine.
1. Move your shift lever to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N). Your engine
won’t start
in any other position - that’s a safety feature. To restart
when you’re already moving, use NEUTRAL
(N) only.
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NOTICE:
Don’t try to shift to PARK (P) if your vehicle is moving. If you
do, you could damage the transmission. Shift to PARK
(P) only
when your vehicle is stopped.
Turn your ignition
key to RUN.
Observe the GLOW PLUGS light. (This light may not come on if the
engine is hot.)
NOTICE:
If the GLOW PLUGS light stays on, it means that your vehicle
could have one
of several problems, so you should have it
serviced right
away.
2. As soon as the GLOW PLUGS light goes off, IMMEDIATELY turn the
ignition key to START. When the engine starts, let go of the key. (The
longer you wait to start after the light goes off, the harder it will be to
start the engine.)
NOTICE:
Holding your key in START for longer than 15 seconds at a time
will cause your battery to be drained much sooner. And the
excessive heat can damage your starter motor.
3. If the engine does not start after 15 seconds of cranking, turn the
ignition key
to OFF. Wait one minute for the starter to cool, then try the
same steps again.
If you’re trying to start your engine after you’ve run out of fuel, follow the
steps
in “Running Out of Fuel” (see “Diesel Fuel Requirements and Fuel
System”
in the Index).
When your engine is cold, let it
run for a few minutes before you move your
vehicle. This lets oil pressure build up. Your engine will sound louder when
it’s cold.
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How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged in? The answer
depends
on the weather, the kind of oil you have, and some other things.
Follow this chart.
Viscosity/
Oil Grade
SAE
low-30
SAE
15W40
32°F to 0°F
(OOC to -18OC)
Not
Required
Not
Required
0°F to -10°F
(-18” c to
-23 O C)
Two
Hours*
Two
Hours*
Below -10°F
Below
-23 O C
Eight Hours*
or Overnight
Eight Hours*
or Overnight
*The times listed are minimum times.
It will not harm either the coolant
heater or
the vehicle to leave the coolant heater plugged in longer than the
times stated.
See “Diesel Fuel Requirements and
Fuel System” in the Index for
information
on what fuel to use in cold weather.
lf Your Diesel Engine Won’t Start
If you’ve run out of fuel, look at “Running Out of Fuel” (see “Diesel Fuel
Requirements and Fuel System” in the Index).
If you’re
not out of fuel, and your engine won’t start, do this:
Turn your ignition
key to RUN. Make sure that the GLOW PLUGS light is
out. Then IMMEDIATELY
turn the ignition key to START.
If the light doesn’t go off, wait a few seconds, then try starting your engine
again. And, see your dealer
as soon as you can for a starting system check.
If the light comes
on and then goes off and you know your batteries are
charged, but your engine still
won’t start, your vehicle needs service.
If the light does
not come on when the engine is cold, your vehicle needs
service.
If your batteries don’t have enough charge to start your engine, see
“Battery”
in the Index.
Be sure you have the right oil for your engine, and that you’ve changed
the
oil at the proper times. If you use the wrong oil, your engine may be harder
to start.
If the engine starts, runs a short time, then stops, your vehicle needs service.
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Engine Coolant Heater (Option)
4
m
In very cold weather, 0°F (-1 8 "C) 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.
To use the coolant heater:
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 1 IO-volt outlet.
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NOTICE:
Damage to your transmission caused by shifting out of PARK
(P) or NEUTRAL (N) with the engine racing isn’t covered by
your warranty.
0 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 accelerator
pedal about halfway down.
- Going about 35 mph (56 km/h) or more, push the accelerator all
the way down.
You’ll shift down
to the next gear and have more power.
@ should not be used when towing a trailer, carrying a heavy load,
driving on steep hills, or for off-road driving. Select THIRD
GEAR
(3) when operating the vehicle under any of these
conditions.
0 THIRD GEAR (3) - This is like @, but you never go into Overdrive.
You should use THIRD GEAR (3) when towing a trailer, carrying a
heavy load, driving on steep hills, or for off-road driving.
0 SECOND GEAR (2) - This position gives you more power but lower
fuel economy. You can use SECOND GEAR (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.
If you manually select
SECOND GEAR (2), the transmission will drive
in second gear. You may use this feature for reducing torque to the rear
wheels when
you are trying to start your vehicle from a stop on
slippery road surfaces.
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0 FIRST GEAR (1) - This position gives you even more power (but
lower fuel economy) than SECOND GEAR (2).
You can use it on very
steep hills, or
in deep snow or mud. If the selector lever is put in FIRST
GEAR
(1 j while the vehicle is moving forward, the transmission won’t
shift
into FIRST GEAR (1) until the vehicle is going slowly enough.
NOTICE:
If your rear wheels can’t rotate, don’t try to drive. This might
happen if you were stuck in very deep sand or mud
or were up
against a solid object. You could damage your transmission.
Also, if you stop when going uphill, don’t hold your vehicle there
with only the accelerator pedal. This could overheat and damage\

the transmission. Use your brakes or shift into
PARK (P) to hold
your vehicle in position on a hill.
Five Speed Manual Transmission
If you have a five
speed manual
transmission, this is
your shift pattern.
Here’s how to operate
your transmission:
FIRST GEAR (1) - Press the clutch pedal and shift into FIRST
GEAR (1). Then, slowly let up on the clutch pedal as you press the
accelerator pedal.
You can shift into FIRST GEAR (1) when you’re going less than 20
mph (32 km/h). If you’ve come to a complete stop and it’% hard to shift
into FIRST GEAR (I), put the shift lever in NEUTRAL (Nj and let up
on the clutch. Press the clutch pedal back down. Then shift into FIRST
GEAR
(1).
SECOND GEAR (2) - Press the clutch pedal as you let up on the
accelerator pedal and shift into SECOND GEAR (2). Then, slowly let
up on the clutch pedal as you press the accelerator pedal.
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0
0
0
0
THIRD GEAR (3), FOURTH GEAR (4) and FIFTH GEAR (5) -
Shift into THIRD GEAR (3), FOURTH GEAR (4) and FIFTH GEAR
(5) the same way you do for SECOND GEAR (2). Slowly let up on the
clutch pedal
as you press the accelerator pedal.
To Stop - Let up on the accelerator pedal and press the brake pedal.
Just before the vehicle stops, press the clutch pedal and the brake pedal,
and shift to NEUTRAL
(N).
NEUTRAL (N) - Use this position when you start or idle your
engine.
REVERSE (R) - To back up, first press down the clutch pedal. Wait
about
5 seconds for the internal parts to stop spinning and then, shift
into REVERSE (R). Let up on the clutch pedal slowly while pressing
the accelerator pedal.
NOTICE:
Shift to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle is stopped.
Shifting to REVERSE
(R) while your vehicle is moving could
damage your transmission.
Also, use REVERSE (R), along with the parking brake, when turning
off your engine and parking your vehicle.
SHIFT Light
If you have a manual
transmission, you will
have a
SHIFT light.
This light will show
you when to shift to
the
next higher gear
for best fuel economy.
When
this light comes on, you can shift to the next higher gear if weather,
road and traffic conditions let you.
For the best fuel economy, accelerate
slowly and shift when the light comes on.
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To shift into or out of 4-WHEEL LOW (4L)or NEUTRAL (N):
0 Slow the vehicle to a roll, about 1-3 mph (2-5 kdh) and shift an
automatic transmission into neutral, or with a manual transmission
press the clutch pedal.
Shift the transfer case shift lever in one continuous motion.
Don’t pause in NEUTRAL
(N) as you shift the transfer case into 4-WHEEL
LOW (4L), or your gears could clash.
Remember that driving in 4-WHEEL HIGH (4H) or 4-WHEEL LOW (4L)
may reduce fuel economy. Also, driving in four-wheel drive on dry
pavement could cause your tires to wear faster and make your transfer case
harder
to shift.
Front Axle Locking Feature
I ne front axle locks and unlocks automatically when you shift the transfer
case. Some delay for the axle to lock or unlock is normal. If the outside
temperature is very hot, or the vehicle has been used under hard driving
conditions, there may be a slight delay for the axle to unlock.
Windows
To open your manual
windows, turn the
hand crank on each
door to raise or lower
your side door
windows.
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Instrument Panel
23 4 5 6 78 3 9 10
18
17 16 15
1. Dome Lamp Switch
2. Lamp and Light Controls
3. Air Vents
4. Multifunction Lever
5. Instrument Cluster
6. Gearshift Lever
7. Audio System
8. Comfort Control System
9. Glove Box
10. Storage Tray
14 13 12 11 3 3
1 1. IP Cupholder
12. Ashtray, Auxiliary Outlets
13. Storage Area or Optional
Cassette Tape Player
14. Rear Window Defogger Switch
15. Tilt Lever
16. Parking Brake Release Handle
17. Hood Release
18. Fuse Block
Instrument Cluster
Your instrument cluster is designed to let you know at a glance how your
vehicle
is running. You’ll know how fast you’re going, about how much
fuel you have and many other things you’ll need to know to drive safely and
economically.
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