Index CHEVROLET TAHOE 1997 1.G User Guide

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine New Vehicle “Break-In”
L
NOTICE:
Your modern vehicle doesn’t need an elaborate
“break-in.” But it will perform better in the long
run if you follow these guidelines:
Keep your speed at 55 mph (88 km/h) or
less for the first
500 miles (805 km).
Don’t drive at any one speed -- fast or
slow
-- for the first 500 miles (805 km).
Don’t make full-throttle starts.
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.
See “Towing
a Trailer” in the Index for
more information.
0 Avoid making hard stops for the first
0 Don’t tow a trailer during break-in.
Ignition Positions
Use your key to start your vehicle. The key lets you turn
the ignition switch to five different positions.
I C
A- E
ACCESSORY (A): This position lets you use things
like the radio and the windshield wipers when the
engine is off. Push in
the key and turn it towards you.
Your steering wheel will remain locked, just as it was
before you inserted the key.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search 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.
2. If it doesn’t start right away, hold your key in
START. If it doesn’t start in 10 seconds, push the
accelerator pedal all the way down for five more
seconds, or until
it starts.
3. If your engine still 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your vehicle now features an electronic shift position
indicator within the instrument cluster. This display
must be powered anytime the shift lever is capable of
being moved out of PARK (P). This means that
if your
key is in
OFF, rather than LOCK, there will be a small
current drain on your battery which could discharge
your battery over
a period of time. If you have a need to
leave your key in the ignition in
OFF for an extended
period for any reason, it is recommended that you
disconnect the battery cable from the battery to prevent
discharging your battery.
PARK (P): This locks your rear wheels. It’s the best
position to use when you start your engine because your
vehicle can’t move easily.
It is 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 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, always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to
PARK (P).
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.
2-17

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
I
I I
I
I 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.
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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
2-25

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Shifting Into PARK (P)
r
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 and
set the
parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) position like this:
0 Pull the lever toward you.
2-26

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you don’t shift your
transmission into PARK (P) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl in
the transmission. You may find
it difficult to pull the
shift lever out
of PARK (P). This is called “torque lock.”
To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then
shift into PARK (P) properly before you leave the
driver’s seat. To find out how, see “Shifting Into
PARK
(P)” in the Index.
When you
are ready to drive, move the shift lever out of
PARK
(P) before you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have another
vehicle push yours a little uphill to take some of the
pressure from the parking pawl in the transmission,
so
you can pull the shift lever out of PARK (P).
Shifting Out of PARK (P)
Your vehicle has a brake-transmission shift interlock
system. You have
to fully apply your regular brakes
before you can shift from PARK (P) when the ignition
is in RUN. See “Automatic Transmission” in the Index.
If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on
the shift lever and push the shift lever all the way up
into PARK (P) as you maintain brake application. Then,
move the shift lever into the gear you want.
If you ever hold the brake pedal down but still can’t
shift out
of PARK (P), try this:
1. Turn the key to OFF.
2. Apply and hold the brake until the end of Step 4.
3. Shift the vehicle to NEUTRAL (N).
4. Start the vehicle and then shift to the drive gear
you want.
5. Have the brake-transmission shift interlock system
fixed as soon as you can.
2-28

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Running Your Engine While
You’re Parked
It’s better not to park with the engine running. But if
ever have to, here are some things to
know.
Idling the engine with the air system control off
could allow dangerous exhaust into your vehicle
(see the earlier Caution under “Engine Exhaust”).
Also, idling in a closed-in place can let deadly
carbon monoxide (CO) into your vehicle even if
the fan switch is
at the highest setting. One place
this can happen is
a garage. Exhaust -- with
CO
-- can come in easily. NEVER park in a
garage with the engine running.
Another closed-in place can be
a blizzard. (See
“Blizzard” in the Index.) 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.
2-30

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine The driver’s window switch has an express down feature
that allows the window to be lowered without holding
the switch. Press and hold the side
of the window switch
marked AUTO for one second to activate the express
down mode. The express down mode can be canceled at
any time
by pressing the opposite side of the switch. To
open the window partway, lightly tap the switch until the
window is at the desired position.
If
you have a four-door vehicle and power windows, the
power window switch has a lockout feature. This feature
prevents the rear windows from operating except from
the driver’s position, when the front driver’s side switch
is in LOCK. When the switch is moved to NORM, the
rear power windows will operate again.
Electric Tailgate Glass Release
Before operating your electric tailgate glass release, see
the caution under “Your Doors and How They Work” in
this section. The electric
hatch release
button lets you release the
tailgate glass. To release
the glass, press the top
of
the button.
Then, lift the window up to open.
The shift lever must be in PARK
(P) or NEUTRAL (N)
for the release to work.
There
is also a power door lock switch at the rear of the
vehicle which will allow you
to lock or unlock all of the
doors. See “Power Doors Locks” in the Index.
2-32

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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