turn signal CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1997 Owners Manual

Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
For example,
these symbols
are used on an
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
ACID COULD BAllERY
CAUSE
BURNS
AVOID
SPARKS
OR
FLAMES
SPARK
OR ,\I/,
COULD FLAME
EXPLODE BATTERY
These symbols
are important
for you and
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle is
driven:
DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK
FASTEN SEAT
BELTS
POWER
WINDOW
These symbols
have to
do with
your lamps:
SIGNALS e
TURN
WARNING
A
HAZARD
FLASHER
RUNNING
* . 0
DAYTIME
LAMPS
FOG LAMPS $0
These symbols
are on some
of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
VENTILATING FAN
These symbols are used on
warning and
indicator lights:
COOLANT -
TEMP -
CHARGING I-1
BATTERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE
(a)
COOLANT a
ENGINE OIL w,
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK
(@)
BRAKES
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
t
LIGHTER n
HORN )cr
SPEAKER
b
FUEL p3
V
ProCarManuals.com

Horn Multifunction Lever
Push
on the air bag module in the center of the steering
wheel to sound the horn.
Tilt Wheel (If Equipped)
A tilt steering wheel allows
you to adjust the steering
wheel before you drive.
You can
also raise it to the highest level to give your
legs more room when you enter and exit the vehicle.
To tilt the wheel, hold the steering wheel and pull the
lever. Move the steering wheel to
a comfortable level,
then release the lever to lock the wheel in place. The lever
on the left side of the steering column
includes your:
0 Turn Signal and Lane Change Indicator,
0 Headlamp HighLow Beam Changer,
0 Windshield Wipers,
0 Windshield Washer and
0 Cruise Control (If Equipped).
2-33
ProCarManuals.com

Thrn Signal and Lane Change Indicator
The turn signal has two upward (for right) and two
downward (for left) positions. These positions allow you
to signal a turn or a lane change.
To signal a turn, move the lever all the way up or down.
When the
turn is finished, the lever will return automatically.
Q
An arrow on the instrument
panel will flash in the
direction of the
turn
or lane change.
To signal a lane change, just raise or lower the lever
until the arrow starts to flash. Hold it there until
you
complete your lane change. The lever will return by
itself when you release it. If
you move the lever all the way up or down and the
arrow flashes at twice the normal rate, a signal bulb may
be burned out and other drivers may not see your
turn signal.
If a bulb is burned out, replace it to help avoid an
accident. If the arrows don’t go on at all when you
signal a
turn, check for burned-out bulbs and a blown
fuse (see “Fuses” in the Index).
Headlamp High/Low Beam Changer
To change the headlamps from low beam to high or high
to low, pull the turn signal lever
all the way towards you.
Then release it.
When the high beams are
on, this light on the
instrument panel also will
be on.
2-34
ProCarManuals.com

Erasing Speed Memory
When you turn off the cruise control or the ignition,
your cruise control set speed memory is erased.
Lamps
Your parkingheadlamp knob is on the driver’s side of
your instrument panel.
Rotate the knob clockwise to the parking lamp symbol
to turn on the following:
0 Parking Lamps,
Sidemarker Lamps,
Clearance Lamps (if you have them),
0 Taillamps,
0 License Plate Lamps and
0 Instrument Panel Lights.
Rotate the knob clockwise again to the master lighting
symbol to turn on all the lamps listed as well as
the headlamps.
Rotate the knob counterclockwise to
OFF to turn off
your lamps.
Rotate the thumb wheel next to the knob up to adjust
instrument panel lights. Rotate the thumb wheel up to
the first notch to return the radio display and gearshift
indicator LED display to full intensity when the
headlamps or parking lamps are on.
To turn on the dome
lamps (with the vehicle doors closed) rotate the thumb
wheel up to the second notch position.
You can switch your headlamps from high to low beam
by pulling on the turn signal/high beam lever.
A circuit breaker protects your headlamps. If you have
an electrical overload, your headlamps will flicker
on
and off. Have your headlamp wiring checked right away
if this happens.
2-40
ProCarManuals.com

Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
This part describes the warning lights and gages that
may be on your vehicle. The pictures will help
you
locate them.
Warning lights and gages can signal that something is
wrong before it becomes serious enough to cause an
expensive repair or replacement. Paying attention to
your warning lights and gages could also save you
or
others from injury.
Warning lights come on when there may be or is a
problem with one
of your vehicle’s functions. As you
will see in the details on the next few pages, some
warning lights come on briefly when you start the
engine just to let you know they’re working. If
you are
familiar with this section, you should not be alarmed
when this happens.
Gages can indicate when there may be or is a problem
with one of your vehicle’s functions. Often gages and
warning lights work together to let you know when
there’s a problem with your vehicle. When
one of the warning lights comes on and stays on
when you are driving, or when one of the gages shows
there may be a problem, check the section that tells you
what to do about it. Please follow this manual’s advice.
Waiting
to do repairs can be costly -- and even
dangerous.
So please get to know your warning lights
and gages. They’re a big help.
Safety Belt Reminder Light .
When the key is turned to RUN or START, a tone will
come on for about eight seconds to remind people to
fasten their safety belts, unless the driver’s safety belt is
already buckled.
The safety belt light will
also come on and stay on
for about
20 seconds, then it
will flash for about
55 seconds. If the driver’s
belt is already buckled,
neither the tone nor the light
will come on.
2-64
ProCarManuals.com

Check Gages Light Headlamp High-Beam Indicator Light
CHECK
GAGES
This light will come on
briefly when you are
starting the engine. The
high-beam indicator is
on whenever you use your
high-beam headlamps. For
more details about high
beams, see “Headlamp
HighLow Beam Changer”
earlier in this section.
If the light comes on and stays on while
YOU are driving, Turn Signal and Lane Change
it could indicate a problem with your vehicle. It could be
a problem with your oil pressure, coolant temperature,
or some other problem. Check your various gages
to see
signal a turn
or lane change.
vehicle serviced right
away. come on whenever
you
if they are in the warning zones. If they are, have your The signal indicator
will
See “Turn Signal and Lane
Change Indicator” earlier in
Indicator Lights
this section.
2-73
ProCarManuals.com

0
0
0
0
Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder and
start your left lane change signal before moving out
of the right lane to pass. When you are far enough
ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front in your
inside mirror, activate your right lane change signal
and move back into the right lane. (Remember that if
your right outside mirror is convex, the vehicle you
just passed may seem to be farther away from you
than it really is.)
Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time
on two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the
next vehicle.
Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle
too rapidly.
Even though the brake lamps are not flashing, it may
be slowing down or starting
to turn.
If you’re being passed, make it easy for the
following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you
can ease a little to the right.
Loss of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems (brakes, steering
and acceleration) don’t have enough friction where the
tires meet the road to
do what the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep
trying to steer and
constantly seek
an escape route or area of less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions, and by not
“overdriving” those conditions. But skids are
always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle’s
three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels
aren’t rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too
much speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and
lose cornering force. And in the acceleration skid, too
much throttle causes the driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid and an acceleration skid are best
handled by easing your foot
off the accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want the
vehicle
to go. If you start steering quickly enough, your
vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for a
second skid if
it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel or other material is
on the road. For safety, you’ll
want to slow down and adjust your driving
to these
conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
4-13
ProCarManuals.com

When you drive over obstacles or rough terrain, keep a
firm grip
on the steering wheel. Ruts, troughs or other
surface features can jerk the wheel out of your hands if
you’re not prepared.
When you drive over bumps, rocks, or other obstacles,
your wheels can leave the ground.
If this happens, even
with one or two wheels, you can’t control the vehicle as
well or at all.
Because you will be on an unpaved surface, it’s
especially important to avoid sudden acceleration, sudden turns or sudden braking.
In a way, off-road driving requires a different kind of
alertness from driving on paved roads and highways.
There are no road signs, posted speed limits or signal
lights. You have to use your own good judgment about
what is safe and what isn’t.
Drinking and driving can be very dangerous on any
road. And this is certainly true for off-road driving. At
the very time you need special alertness and driving
skills, your reflexes, perceptions and judgment can be
affected by even a small amount of alcohol. You could
have a serious
-- or even fatal -- accident if you drink
and drive or ride with
a driver who has been drinking.
See “Drunken Driving” in the Index.
Driving on Off-Road Hills
Off-road driving often takes you up, down or across a
hill. Driving safely on hills requires good judgment and
an understanding of what your vehicle can and can’t
do.
There are some hills that simply can’t be driven, no
matter how well built the vehicle.
Many hills are simply too steep for any vehicle. If
you drive up them, you will stall. If you drive
down them, you can’t control your speed. If you
drive across them, you will roll over. You could be
seriously injured or killed. If you have any doubt
about the steepness, don’t drive the hill.
4-18
ProCarManuals.com

Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
mt
Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet
road, you can’t stop, accelerate or turn as well because
your tire-to-road traction isn’t as good as on dry roads.
And, if your tires don’t have much tread left, you’ll get
even less traction. It’s always wise to go slower and be
cautious if rain starts to fall while you are driving. The
surface may get wet suddenly when your reflexes are
tuned for driving on dry pavement.
The heavier the rain, the harder it is to see. Even if your
windshield wiper blades are in good shape, a heavy rain
can make it harder to see road signs and traffic signals,
pavement markings, the edge
of the road and even
people walking.
It’s wise to keep your wiping equipment in good shape
and keep your windshield washer tank filled with
washer fluid. Replace your windshield wiper inserts
when they show signs of streaking or missing areas on
the windshield, or when strips
of rubber start to separate
from the inserts. I
4-30
ProCarManuals.com

Here are ways to increase your safety in city driving:
0
0
0
Know the best way to get to where you are going.
Get a city map and plan your trip into an unknown
part of the city just as you would for a
cross-country trip.
Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross most
large cities. You’ll save time and energy. (See the
next part, “Freeway Driving.”)
Treat a green light as a warning signal.
A traffk light is
there because the corner is busy enough to need it.
When a light
turns green, and just before you start to
move, check both ways for vehicles that have not
cleared the intersection or may
be running the red light.
Freeway Driving
Mile for mile, freeways (also called thruways, parkways,
expressways, turnpikes
or superhighways) are the safest
of all roads. But they have their own special rules.
4-33
ProCarManuals.com