towing CHEVROLET TAHOE 1996 1.G Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Parking at Night
Park in a lighted spot, close all windows and lock your
vehicle. Remember to keep
your valuables out of sight.
Put them in a storage area,
or take them with you.
Parking Lots
If you park in a lot where someone will be watching
your vehicle, it’s best
to lock it up and take your keys.
But what
if you have to leave your ignition key? What if
you have to leave something valuable in your vehicle?
Put your valuables in a storage area, like your
0 Lock all the doors except the driver’s.
glove box.
New Vehicle “Break-In”
NOTICE:
Your
modern vehicle doesn’t need an elaborate
“break-in.” But it wil1,perform better in the long
run
if you follow these guidelines:
0
0
0
0
Keep your speed at 55 mph (88 kmh) or
less for the first
500 miles (804 km).
Don’t drive at any one speed 0- fast or
slow
-- for the first 500 miles (804 km).
Don’t make full-throttle starts.
Avoid making hard stops for the
first
200 miles (322-km) or so. During this time
your new brake linings aren’t yet broken
in. Hard stops with new linings can mean
premature wear and earlier replacement.
Follow this breaking-in guideline every
time you get new brake linings.
Don’t tow a trailer during break-in.
See “Towing a Trailer” in the Index for
more information.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 3. If your enginestill won’t start (or starts but then
stops), wait
15 seconds and start over.
When
the engine starts, let go of the key and the
accelerator pedal.
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 engine operates. Before adding 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.
Engine Coolant Heater (Option)
c
In very cold weather,
0°F (-lS°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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If you have four-wheel drive, your vehicle
will be free to roll
-- even if your shift lever
is in
PARK (P) -- if your transfer case is in
NEUTRAL (N). So, be sure the transfer case is in
a drive gear, two-wheel high (2H) or four-wheel
high
(4H) or four-wheel low (4L) -- not in
NEUTRAL (N). See “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in
the Index.
If you’re pulling a trailer, see “Towing
a Trailer” in the Index.
REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
NOTICE:
Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle is
moving forward could damage your transmission.
Shift to
REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle
is stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging your transmission, see
“Stuck:
In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow” in the Index.
NEUTRAL (N): In this position, your engine doesn’t
connect with the wheels.
To restart when you’re
already moving, use NEUTRAL
(N) only. Also, use
NEUTRAL (N) when your vehicle is being towed.
,- CAUTION:
A
Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) while
your engine is “racing” (running at high speed) is
dangerous. Unless your foot’is firmly on the
brake pedal, your vehicle could move very
rapidly. You could lose control and hit people or
objects. Don’t shift out of
PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL (N) while your engine is racing.
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.
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k

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (@): This position is
for normal dri,ving. If you need more power for passing,
and you’re:
Going less than about 35 mph (56 M), push your
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
accelerator all the way down.
You’ll shift down to the next gear and have more power.
Going about 35 mph (56 M) or more, push the
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE
(@) can be used when
towing a trailer. You may want
to shift the transmission
to THIRD (3) or, if necessary, a lower gear selection if
the transmission shifts too often when carrying a heavy
load, driving on steep hills or for off-road driving.
THIRD (3): This position is also used for normal
driving, however, it offers more power and lower fuel
economy than AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE
(@).
SECOND (2): This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy. You can use SECOND
(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 (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.
FIRST (1): This position gives you even more power
(but lower fuel economy) than SECOND
(2). You can
use it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the
selector lever is put in FIRST
(1) while the vehicle is
moving forward, the transmission won’t shift into first
gear until the vehicle is going slowly enough.
NOTICE:
I,
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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Shifting from 4LO to 4HI or 2HI
To shift from 4LO to 4HI or 2HI your vehicle must be
stopped or moving less than
3 mph (4.8 kdh) with the
transmission
in NEUTRAL (N). The preferred method
for shifting out of 4LO is to have your vehicle moving
1 to 2 mph (1.6 to 3.2 kdh). Press and release the 4HI
switch.
You must wait for the 4HI indicator light to stop
flashing and remain illuminated before shifting your
transmission into gear.
If the 4HI switch is pressed when your vehicle is in
gear and/or moving, the 4HI indicator light
will flash
for
30 seconds but not complete the shift unless the
vehicle is moving slower than
3 mph (4.8 kdh) and
the transmission is
in NEUTRAL (N).
Parking Brake
To set the parking brake, hold the regular brake pedal
down
with your right foot. Push down the parking brake
pedal with your left foot.
If the ignition
is on, the brake system warning light will
come on.
To release the parking
brake, hold the regular
brake pedal down. Pull
the lever, located just
above the parking brake
pedal, marked
BRAKE
RELEASE, to release the
parking brake.
If the ignition is on when the parking brake is released,
the brake system warning light will
go off.
NOTICE:
Driving with the parking brake on can cause
your rear brakes to overheat. You may have to
replace them, and you could also damage other
parts
of your vehicle.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on any hill,
see “Towing a Trailer” in the Index. That section
shows
what to do first to keep the trailer from moving.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Shifting Into PARK (P)
A CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever is not fully in PARK
(P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
If you have left the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others could be
injured.
To be sure your vehicle won’t move,
even when you’re on fairly level ground, use
the steps that follow.
If you have four-wheel
drive and your transfer case is in NEUTRAL (N),
your vehicle will be free to roll, even if your shift
lever is in PARK (P).
So, be sure the transfer case
is in
a drive gear -- not in NEUTRAL (N). If
you’re pulling a trailer, see “Towing
a Trailer” in
the Index.
Steering Column Shift Lever
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot
2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) position
and set the
parking brake.
like this:
0 Pull the lever toward you.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine A CAUTION:
A
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Don’t leave your vehicle when the engine
is
running unless you have to. If you’ve left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured.
To be sure your
vehicle won’t move, even when you’re on fairly
level ground, always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to
PARK (P).
If you have four-wheel drive and your transfer case is
in NEUTRAL (N), your vehicle will be free to roll, even
if your shift lever is in PARK
(P). So, be sure the
transfer case is in a drive gear
-- not in NEUTRAL (N).
Always set your parking brake. Follow the proper steps
to be sure your vehicle won’t move. See “Shifting Into
PARK (P)” in the Index.
If you’re pulling a trailer, see “Towing a Trailer” in
the Index.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Brake System Warning Light
Your vehicle’s hydraulic brake system is divided into
two parts. If one part isn’t working, the other part can
still work and stop you. For good braking, though, you
need both parts working well.
If the warning light comes on, there could be a brake
problem. Have your brake system inspected right away.
BRAKE
This light should come on
briefly when you turn the
ignition key to
RUN. If it
doesn’t come on then, have
it fixed
so it will be ready to
warn you if there’s a
problem.
If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off the
road and stop carefully. You may notice that the pedal
is
harder to push. Or, the pedal may go closer to the floor.
It may take longer to stop. If the light is still on, have the
vehicle towed for service. (See “Towing Your Vehicle”
in the Index.)
A CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working properly
if the brake system warning light is on. Driving
with the brake system warning light
on can lead
to an accident. If the light is still on after you’ve
pulled off the road and stopped carefully, have
the vehicle towed for service.
When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
will also come on when you set your parking brake. The
light will stay on if your parking brake doesn’t release
fully. If it stays on after your parking brake is fully
released, it means
you have a brake problem.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
Reduce vehicle speed.
‘ Avoid hard accelerations.
Avoid steep uphill grades.
0 If towing a trailer, reduce the amount of cargo being
hauled as soon as it is possible.
If the light stops flashing and remains on steady, see “If
the Light Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to flash, when it is.safe to do
so,
stop the vehicle. Put your vehicle -in PARK (P). Turn the
‘key off, wait at least
10 seconds and restart the engine.
If the light remains on steady, see “If the Light Is On
Steady” following. If the light is still flashing follow the
previous steps, and drive the vehicle to your dealer
or
qualified service center for service.
If the Light Is On Steady I
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you just put
fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. The diagnostic system can determine if the fuel
cap has been left off
or improperly installed. This will
allow fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere. A few
driving trips should turn the light off.
.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If
so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out.
A few driving trips should turn the light off.
Are you low
on fuel?
As your engine starts to run out of fuel, your engine may
not run as efficiently as designed since small amounts of
air are’sucked into the fuel line causing a misfire. The
system can detect this. Adding fuel should correct this
condition. Make sure to install the fuel cap properly. It
will take a few driving trips to turn the light off.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine A CAUTION:
--
Things you put inside your vehicle can strike
and injure people in
.a sudden stop or turn, or
in a crash.
Put things in the cargo area of your vehicle.
lky to spread the .weight evenly.
Never stack heavier things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle
so that some of them are
above the tops of the seats.
Don’t leave an unsecured child restraint in
your vehicle.
When-you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure it whenever you can.
Don’t leave a seat folded down unless you
need to.
There’s also important loading information for off-road
driving in this manual. See “Loading Your Vehicle’’ in
the Index.
Towing a Trailer
/I -
If you don’t use the correct equipment and drive
properly, you can lose control when you pull a
trailer. For example,
if the trailer is too heavy, the
brakes may not work well
-- or even at all. You
and your passengers could be seriously injured.
Pull
a trailer only if you have followed all the
steps in this section. Ask your
GM dealer for
advice and information about towing
a trailer
with your vehicle.
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