warning CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 2003 9.G Owner's Guide

If No Steam Is Coming From Your
Engine
An overheat warning, along with a low coolant condition,
can indicate a serious problem. SeeLow CoolantunderDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-64.
If you get an engine overheat warning with and do not
have a low coolant condition, but see or hear no steam,
the problem may not be too serious. Sometimes the
engine can get a little too hot when you:
·Climb a long hill on a hot day.
·Stop after high-speed driving.
·Idle for long periods in traffic.
·Tow a trailer. SeeTowing a Trailer on page 4-65.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam, try
this for a minute or so:
1. In heavy traffic, let the engine idle in neutral while
stopped. If it is safe to do so, pull off the road. Shift
to park or neutral and let the engine idle.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window as necessary.If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can
drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about 10 minutes.
If the warning doesn't come back on, you can drive
normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there's still no sign of steam, you can push down the
accelerator until the engine speed is about twice as
fast as normal idle speed for at least three minutes while
you're parked. If you still have the warning,
turn off
the engine and get everyone out of the vehicleuntil it
cools down. Also, seeOverheated Engine Protection
Operating Modelisted previously in this section.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
5-35

{CAUTION:
Adding only plain water to your cooling
system can be dangerous. Plain water, or
some other liquid such as alcohol, can boil
before the proper coolant mixture will. Your
vehicle's coolant warning system is set for the
proper coolant mixture. With plain water or the
wrong mixture, your engine could get too hot
but you would not get the overheat warning.
Your engine could catch ®re and you or others
could be burned. Use a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
žcoolant.
Notice:In cold weather, water can freeze and crack
the engine, radiator, heater core and other parts.
Use the recommended coolant and the proper
coolant mixture.
5-39

Notice:
·Using the wrong ¯uid can badly damage brake
system parts. For example, just a few drops of
mineral-based oil, such as engine oil, in your
brake system can damage brake system parts so
badly that they will have to be replaced. Do not
let someone put in the wrong kind of ¯uid.
·If you spill brake ¯uid on your vehicle's painted
surfaces, the paint ®nish can be damaged. Be
careful not to spill brake ¯uid on your vehicle. If
you do, wash it off immediately. See
Appearance
Care on page 5-99.
Brake Wear
Your vehicle has four-wheel disc brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make
a high-pitched warning sound when the brake pads
are worn and new pads are needed. The sound
may come and go or be heard all the time your vehicle
is moving (except when you are pushing on the
brake pedal ®rmly).
{CAUTION:
The brake wear warning sound means that
soon your brakes will not work well. That
could lead to an accident. When you hear the
brake wear warning sound, have your vehicle
serviced.
Notice:Continuing to drive with worn-out brake
pads could result in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are ®rst applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong with
your brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect
brake pads for wear and evenly tighten wheel nuts in
the proper sequence to GM torque speci®cations.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
See
Brake System Inspection on page 6-17.
5-47

Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you make a brake stop, your disc brakes
adjust for wear.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a vehicle is complex. Its many
parts have to be of top quality and work well together if
the vehicle is to have really good braking. Your
vehicle was designed and tested with top-quality GM
brake parts. When you replace parts of your braking
system Ð for example, when your brake linings
wear down and you need new ones put in Ð be sure
you get new approved GM replacement parts. If you do
not, your brakes may no longer work properly. For
example, if someone puts in brake linings that are wrong
for your vehicle, the balance between your front and
rear brakes can change Ð for the worse. The braking
performance you have come to expect can change
in many other ways if someone puts in the wrong
replacement brake parts.
Battery
Your new vehicle comes with a maintenance free
ACDelcožbattery. When it's time for a new battery, get
one that has the replacement number shown on the
original battery's label. We recommend an ACDelco
ž
battery. SeeEngine Compartment Overview on
page 5-14for battery location.
Warning:Battery posts, terminals and related
accessories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California to cause
cancer and reproductive harm. Wash hands after
handling.
5-48

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.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a speci®ed government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and
a half (1.5) 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 signi®cantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits, service practices and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction ± AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A,
B, and C. Those grades represent the tire's ability
to stop on wet pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on speci®ed government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance. Warning: The traction gradeassigned to this tire is based on straight-ahead braking
traction tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction characteristics.
Temperature ± A, B, C
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 speci®ed 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 in¯ated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, underin¯ation, or
excessive loading, either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
5-73

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.
{CAUTION:
Lifting a vehicle and getting under it to do
maintenance or repairs is dangerous without
the appropriate safety equipment and training.
The jack provided with your vehicle is
designed only for changing a ¯at tire. If it is
used for anything else, you or others could be
badly injured or killed if the vehicle slips off
the jack. Use the jack provided with your
vehicle only for changing a ¯at tire.
If a tire goes ¯at, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change a ¯at tire safely.
Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes ¯at, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your
hazard warning ¯ashers.
{CAUTION:
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 ®rmly.
2. Put the shift lever in PARK (P).
3. Turn off the engine.
4. Put the wheel 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.
5-77

Appearance Care
Remember, cleaning products can be hazardous. Some
are toxic. Others can burst into ¯ames if you strike a
match or get them on a hot part of the vehicle. Some are
dangerous if you breathe their fumes in a closed
space. When you use anything from a container to clean
your vehicle, be sure to follow the manufacturer's
warnings and instructions. And always open your doors
or windows when you are cleaning the inside.
Never use these to clean your vehicle:
·Gasoline
·Benzene
·Naphtha
·Carbon Tetrachloride
·Acetone
·Paint Thinner
·Turpentine
·Lacquer Thinner
·Nail Polish Remover
They can all be hazardous Ð some more than
others Ð and they can all damage your vehicle, too.Do not use any of these unless this manual says you
can. In many uses, these will damage your vehicle:
·Alcohol
·Laundry Soap
·Bleach
·Reducing Agents
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
Use a vacuum cleaner often to get rid of dust and
loose dirt. Wipe vinyl, leather, plastic and painted
surfaces with a clean, damp cloth.
Cleaning Fabric/Carpet
Your dealer has cleaners for the cleaning of fabric
and carpet. They will clean normal spots and stains
very well.
You can get GM-approved cleaning products from your
dealer. See
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials on
page 5-105.
5-99

A
Accessory Power Outlets.................................3-19
Adding Washer Fluid.......................................5-44
Additional Program Information........................... 7-9
Additives, Fuel................................................. 5-6
Add-On Electrical Equipment...........................5-108
Adjustable Throttle and Brake Pedal..................2-24
Adjusting the Speakers (Balance/Fade).....3-75, 3-79,
3-90, 3-104
After Off-Road Driving.....................................4-40
Air Bag Systems.....................................1-73, 1-80
Adding Equipment to Your Air Bag-Equipped
Vehicle...................................................1-88
How Does an Air Bag Restrain?....................1-80
Passenger Sensing System...........................1-83
Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle.........1-87
What Makes an Air Bag In¯ate?....................1-80
What Will You See After an Air Bag In¯ates?......1-81
When Should an Air Bag In¯ate?...................1-79
Where Are the Air Bags?..............................1-76
Air Bag .........................................................3-39
Passenger Status Indicator...........................3-39
Readiness Light..........................................3-39
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine.................................5-23
Air Conditioning..............................................3-28
All-Wheel Drive with Stabilitrak
ž........................2-34All-Wheel Drive...............................................5-55
AM-FM Radio.................................................3-73
AM .............................................................3-127
Antenna, Fixed Mast......................................3-129
Antenna, XMŸ Satellite Radio
Antenna System........................................3-129
Anti-Lock Brake, System Warning Light..............3-44
Anti-lock Brake System..................................... 4-7
Appearance Care............................................5-99
Care of Safety Belts...................................5-102
Chemical Paint Spotting..............................5-105
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle................5-99
Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle............5-102
Finish Damage..........................................5-104
Sheet Metal Damage..................................5-104
Underbody Maintenance.............................5-105
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials...............5-105
Weatherstrips............................................5-102
Approaching a Hill..........................................4-30
Ashtrays........................................................3-20
Audio Output................................................3-121
Audio System(s).............................................3-72
AM-FM Radio.............................................3-73
Audio Steering Wheel Controls....................3-126
Care of Your Cassette Tape Player...............3-127
Care of Your CD and DVD Player................3-129
1

Audio System(s) (cont.)
Care of Your CDs and DVDs.......................3-128
Chime Level Adjustment.............................3-129
Fixed Mast Antenna...................................3-129
Radio with Cassette and CD.........................3-87
Radio with CD............................................3-76
Radio with Six-Disc CD..............................3-101
Rear Seat Audio (RSA)...............................3-124
Setting the Time for Radios with Radio Data
Systems (RDS)........................................3-73
Setting the Time for Radios without Radio
Data Systems (RDS)................................3-72
Theft-Deterrent Feature...............................3-125
Understanding Radio Reception...................3-127
XMŸ Satellite Radio Antenna System...........3-129
Automatic Headlamp System............................3-15
Automatic Level Control...................................4-64
Automatic Transfer Case..................................2-30
Automatic Transmission Check..........................6-12
Automatic Transmission Shift Lock Control
System Check.............................................6-14
Automatic Transmission...................................5-26
Fluid..........................................................5-26
Operation...................................................2-26
AutorideŸ.....................................................4-64
Auxiliary Roof Mounted Lamp Switch.................3-17B
Backing Up....................................................4-74
BATTERY NOT CHARGING.............................3-65
Battery Replacement......................................... 2-6
Battery Run-Down Protection............................3-19
Battery Warning Light......................................3-41
Battery..........................................................5-48
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.........................4-47
Before You Drive...........................................3-114
Before You Go Off-Roading..............................4-25
Bench Seat Split (50/50)..................................1-12
Bench Seat, Split (60/40)................................... 1-9
Bench Seat....................................................1-16
Body Lubrication Service..................................6-13
Brake............................................................2-38
Parking......................................................2-38
System Inspection.......................................6-17
System Warning Light..................................3-42
Brake Adjustment............................................5-48
Brake Fluid....................................................5-45
Brake Pedal, Throttle.......................................2-24
Brake Pedal Travel.........................................5-48
Brake Wear...................................................5-47
Brakes..........................................................5-45
Braking in Emergencies..................................... 4-9
2

Coolant.........................................................3-45
Engine Temperature Gage............................3-45
Heater, Engine............................................2-24
Surge Tank Pressure Cap.............................5-32
Cooling System..............................................5-36
Cruise Control Light........................................3-51
Cruise Control................................................3-10
Cupholder(s)..................................................2-61
Current and Past Model Order Forms................7-12
Customer Assistance Information........................ 7-8
Courtesy Transportation.................................. 7-8
Customer Assistance for Text Telephone (TTY)
Users....................................................... 7-4
Customer Assistance Offices........................... 7-4
Customer Satisfaction Procedure..................... 7-2
GM Mobility Program for Persons with
Disabilities................................................ 7-6
Reporting Safety Defects to General Motors....7-10
Reporting Safety Defects to the Canadian
Government............................................7-10
Reporting Safety Defects to the United States
Government............................................7-10
Roadside Assistance Program......................... 7-6
Service Publications Ordering Information........7-11D
Daytime Running Lamps..................................3-15
Defensive Driving............................................. 4-2
Defogging and Defrosting.........................3-23, 3-29
Delayed Locking.............................................2-10
Dinghy Towing................................................4-60
Doing Your Own Service Work........................... 5-3
Dolly Towing..................................................4-61
Dome Lamps.................................................3-18
Door.............................................................2-10
Delayed Locking..........................................2-10
Locks.......................................................... 2-8
Power Door Locks......................................... 2-9
Programmable Automatic Door Locks.............2-10
Rear Door Security Locks.............................2-13
DRIVER DOOR AJAR.....................................3-66
Driver Information Center (DIC).........................3-53
DIC Operation and Displays..........................3-54
DIC Warnings and Messages........................3-64
Driver............................................................1-30
Position, Safety Belt.....................................1-30
Driving Across an Incline..................................4-36
Driving Downhill..............................................4-34
5