tow CHEVROLET TRAIL BLAZER 2008 1.G Owners Manual

Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats
..............................................1-10
Safety Belts
.............................................1-12
Child Restraints
.......................................1-30
Airbag System
.........................................1-51
Restraint System Check
............................1-66
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-3
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-6
Windows
.................................................2-12
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-15
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-19
Mirrors
....................................................2-37
OnStar
®System
......................................2-47
Universal Home Remote System
................2-50
Storage Areas
.........................................2-55
Sunroof
..................................................2-58
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-21
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators
........3-30
Driver Information Center (DIC)
..................3-49
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-64Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-41
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-10
All-Wheel Drive
........................................5-49
Rear Axle
...............................................5-49
Four-Wheel Drive
.....................................5-50
Front Axle
...............................................5-51
Headlamp Aiming
.....................................5-52
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-52
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-55
Tires
......................................................5-58
Appearance Care
...................................5-100
Vehicle Identication
...............................5-109
Electrical System
....................................5-109
Capacities and Specications
...................5-121
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance Information.................... 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information
........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
...........................7-14
Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy
...........7-17
Index................................................................ 1
2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer Owner ManualM

If the seats have manual reclining seatbacks, the lever
used to operate them is located on the outboard
side of the seat(s).
To recline the seatback, do the following:
1. Lift the recline lever.
2. Move the seatback to the desired position, then
release the lever to lock the seatback in place.
3. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is
locked.To return the seatback to an upright position, do the
following:
1. Lift the lever fully without applying pressure to
the seatback and the seatback will return to the
upright position.
2. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure
it is locked.
Power Reclining Seatbacks
If your seats have power
reclining seatbacks,
use the vertical power
seat control located on
the outboard side of
the seat(s).
To recline the seatback, press the control toward
the rear of the vehicle.
To raise the seatback, press the control toward the
front of the vehicle.
1-7

Rear Seats
Rear Seat Operation
Your vehicle has ip and fold second row seats which
provide additional cargo space.
To ip and fold the seat(s), do the following:
1. Pull up on the loop located where the seat cushion
meets the seatback and ip the seat cushion
forward.Notice:Folding a rear seat with the safety belts
still fastened may cause damage to the seat or the
safety belts. Always unbuckle the safety belts
and return them to their normal stowed position
before folding a rear seat.
2. Lift the lever, located
on the outboard side
of the seatback,
and fold the seatback
forward.
The head restraint will automatically fold out of the
way as the seatback is folded down.
1-10

Notice:Contact between the child restraint LATCH
attachment parts and the vehicle’s safety belt
assembly may cause damage to these parts. Make
sure when securing unused safety belts behind
the child restraint that there is no contact between
the child restraint LATCH attachment parts and
the vehicle’s safety belt assembly.
Folding an empty rear seat with the safety belts
secured may cause damage to the safety belt or the
seat. When removing the child restraint, always
remember to return the safety belts to their normal,
stowed position before folding the rear seat.
1. Attach and tighten the lower attachments to the
lower anchors. If the child restraint does not have
lower attachments or the desired seating position
does not have lower anchors, secure the child
restraint with the top tether and the safety belts.
Refer to your child restraint manufacturer
instructions and the instructions in this manual.
1.1. Find the lower anchors for the desired
seating position.
1.2. Pull the strap at the center of the seat where
the seat cushion meets the seatback. This
will allow you to fold the seat cushion up and
out of the way. Lift the ap to expose the
anchors and then lower the seat cushion.
SeeRear Seat Operation on page 1-10
for additional information. Be sure the
cushion is locked into place.1.3. Put the child restraint on the seat.
1.4. Attach and tighten the lower attachments on
the child restraint to the lower anchors.
2. If the child restraint manufacturer recommends that
the top tether be attached, attach and tighten the
top tether to the top tether anchor, if equipped.
Refer to the child restraint instructions and
the following steps:
2.1. Find the top tether anchor.
2.2. Route and tighten the top tether according to
your child restraint instructions and the
following instructions. If your vehicle has a
cargo shade, route the top tether between
the seatback and the cargo shade.
If the position you are
using does not have a
headrest or head restraint
and you are using a
single tether, route the
tether over the seatback.
1-43

How Does an Airbag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel
or the instrument panel. In moderate to severe side
collisions, even belted occupants can contact the inside
of the vehicle.
Airbags supplement the protection provided by safety
belts. Frontal airbags distribute the force of the
impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper body,
stopping the occupant more gradually. Roof-rail airbags
distribute the force of the impact more evenly over
the occupant’s upper body.
Rollover capable roof-rail airbags are designed to help
contain the head and chest of occupants in the
outboard seating positions in the rst and second rows.
The rollover capable roof-rail airbags are designed to
help reduce the risk of full or partial ejection in rollover
events, although no system can prevent all such
ejections.
But airbags would not help in many types of collisions,
primarily because the occupant’s motion is not
toward those airbags. SeeWhen Should an Airbag
Inflate? on page 1-56for more information.
Airbags should never be regarded as anything more
than a supplement to safety belts.
What Will You See After an
Airbag Inates?
After the frontal airbags inate, they quickly deate, so
quickly that some people may not even realize an
airbag inated. Roof-rail airbags may still be at least
partially inated for some time after they deploy.
Some components of the airbag module may be hot for
several minutes. For location of the airbag modules,
seeWhat Makes an Airbag Inflate? on page 1-57.
The parts of the airbag that come into contact with you
may be warm, but not too hot to touch. There may
be some smoke and dust coming from the vents in the
deated airbags. Airbag ination does not prevent
the driver from seeing out of the windshield or being
able to steer the vehicle, nor does it prevent people from
leaving the vehicle.
1-58

A thick layer of additional material, such as a blanket or
cushion, or aftermarket equipment such as seat
covers, seat heaters, and seat massagers can affect
how well the passenger sensing system operates.
We recommend that you not use seat covers or other
aftermarket equipment other than any that GM has
approved for your specic vehicle. SeeAdding
Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on
page 1-65for more information about modications
that can affect how the system operates.
{CAUTION:
Stowing of articles under the passenger’s seat
or between the passenger’s seat cushion
and seatback may interfere with the proper
operation of the passenger sensing system.
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle
Airbags affect how your vehicle should be serviced.
There are parts of the airbag system in several places
around your vehicle. Your dealer/retailer and the service
manual have information about servicing your vehicle
and the airbag system. To purchase a service manual,
seeService Publications Ordering Information on
page 7-15.
{CAUTION:
For up to 10 seconds after the ignition is
turned off and the battery is disconnected, an
airbag can still inate during improper service.
You can be injured if you are close to an
airbag when it inates. Avoid yellow
connectors. They are probably part of the
airbag system. Be sure to follow proper
service procedures, and make sure the person
performing work for you is qualied to do so.
1-64

To enter the program mode, do the following:
1. Begin with the ignition off. Then pull the turn
signal/multifunction lever toward you and hold
it there while you perform the next step.
2. Turn the key to RUN and LOCK twice. Then, with the
key in LOCK, release the turn signal/multifunction
lever. Once you do this, you will hear the lock switch
lock and unlock, the horn will chirp twice, and a
30-second program timer will begin.
3. You are now ready to program the automatic door
locks. Select one of the two programming options
listed previously, and press the lock side of the
power door lock switch to cycle through the
lock options. You will have 30 seconds to begin
programming. If you exceed the 30-second limit,
the locks will automatically lock and unlock and the
horn will chirp twice to indicate that you have left
the program mode. If this occurs, repeat the
procedure beginning with Step 1 to re-enter the
programming mode.
You can exit the program mode any time by turning the
ignition to RUN. The locks will automatically lock and
unlock and the horn will chirp twice to indicate that you
are leaving the program mode. If the lock/unlock switches
are not pressed while in the programming mode, the
current auto lock/unlock setting will not be modied.
See your dealer for more information.Programmable Unlocking Feature
The following is the list of available programming
options:
Mode 1:Driver’s door unlocks when the transmission is
shifted into PARK (P).
Mode 2:All doors unlock when the transmission is
shifted into PARK (P).
Mode 3:All doors unlock when the key is removed
from the ignition.
Mode 4:No automatic door unlock.
The automatic door locks were pre-programmed at
the factory to unlock all doors once the transmission
is shifted to PARK (P). The following instructions detail
how to program your door locks differently than the
factory setting. Choose one of the four programming
options listed previously before entering the
program mode.
2-9

To enter the program mode you need to do the
following:
1. Begin with the ignition off. Then pull the turn
signal/multifunction lever toward you and hold
it there while you perform the next step.
2. Turn the key to RUN and LOCK twice. Then, with the
key in LOCK, release the turn signal/multifunction
lever. Once you do this, you will hear the lock switch
lock and unlock, the horn will chirp twice, and a
30-second program timer will begin.
3. You are now ready to program the automatic door
locks. Select one of the four programming options
listed above, and press the unlock side of the power
door lock switch to cycle through the unlocking
options. You will have 30 seconds to begin
programming. If you exceed the 30-second limit,
the locks will automatically lock and unlock and the
horn will chirp twice to indicate that you have left
the program mode. If this occurs, repeat the
procedure beginning with Step 1 to re-enter the
programming mode.
You can exit the program mode any time by turning the
ignition to RUN. The locks will automatically lock and
unlock and the horn will chirp twice to indicate that you
are leaving the program mode. If the lock/unlock switches
are not pressed while in the programming mode, the
current auto lock/unlock setting will not be modied.
See your dealer for more information.Rear Door Security Locks
Your vehicle may have this feature. You can lock the rear
doors so they cannot be opened from the inside by
passengers. To use one of these locks do the following:
1. Open one of the rear doors. You will nd a security
lock lever located on the inside edge of each
rear door.
2. Move the lever down to
engage the security
lock. Move the lever up
to disengage the
security lock.
3. Close the door.
The rear doors of your vehicle cannot be opened from
the inside while this feature is in use. If you want to open
the rear door while the security lock is on, unlock the
door and open the door from the outside.
2-10

Starting and Operating Your
Vehicle
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice:Your vehicle does not 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 rst 500 miles (805 km).
Do not drive at any one constant speed, fast or
slow, for the rst 500 miles (805 km). Do not
make full-throttle starts. Avoid downshifting to
brake or slow the vehicle.
Avoid making hard stops for the rst
200 miles (322 km) or so. During this time the
new brake linings are not 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.
Do not tow a trailer during break-in. SeeTowing
a Trailer on page 4-48for the trailer towing
capabilities of your vehicle and more
information.
Following break-in, engine speed and load can be
gradually increased.
2-19

{CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake rmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Do not 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 will not move, even
when you are on fairly level ground, always set
your parking brake and move the shift lever to
PARK (P). SeeShifting Into PARK (P) on
page 2-33. If you are pulling a trailer, see
Towing a Trailer on page 4-48.
{CAUTION:
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. So, be sure the transfer case is in a
drive gear — not in NEUTRAL. SeeFour-Wheel
Drive on page 2-28. SeeShifting Into PARK (P)
on page 2-33.
Make sure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before
starting the engine. Your vehicle has an automatic
transmission shift lock control system. You have to fully
apply the regular brakes rst and then press the shift
lever button before you can shift from PARK (P)
when the ignition key is in ON/RUN. If you cannot shift
out of PARK (P), ease pressure on the shift lever
and push the shift lever all the way into PARK (P) as
you maintain brake application. Then press the
shift lever button and move the shift lever into another
gear. SeeShifting Out of PARK (P) on page 2-35.
2-25