CHEVROLET VENTURE 1998 Owners Manual

2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles aren’t touching
each other.
If they are, it could cause a ground
connection
you don’t want. You wouldn’t be able to
start your vehicle, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
I NOTICE:
To avoid the possibility of the vehicles rolling, set
the parking brake firmly on both vehicles
involved in the jump
start procedure. Put an
automatic transaxle in PARK
(P).
NOTICE:
If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter or the accessory power outlet. Turn
off all
lamps that aren’t needed as well as radios. This will
avoid sparks and help save both batteries. In
addition, it could save your radio!
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries. Find
the positive
(+) and negative (-) terminals on
each battery.
I CAUTION:
An electric fan can start up even when the engine
is not running and can injure you. Keep hands,
clothing and tools
away from any underhood
electric fan.
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Your vehicle has a remote
positive (+)jump starting
terminal. The terminal is
under a tethered cap at the
front of the underhood fuse
and relay center. Pull up
the
cap to access the remote
positive
(+) terminal.
You should always use the remote positive
(+) terminal
instead of the positive
(+) terminal on your battery. Using
a match near a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing this,
and some have been blinded.
Use a flashlight if
you need more light.
Be sure the battery
has enough water. You don’t
need to add water to the ACDelco Freedom’
battery installed in every new
GM vehicle. But if
a battery has filler caps, be sure the right amount
of fluid is there. If it is low, add water to take
care of that first.
If you don’t, explosive gas could
be present.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn you.
Don’t get
it on you. If you accidentally get it in
your eyes or
on your skin, flush the place with
water and get medical help immediately.
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A CAUTION:
3
Fans or other moving engine parts can injure you
badly.
Keep your hands away from moving parts
once the engine
is running.
5. Connect the red positive (+) cable to the positive (+)
terminal of the vehicle with the dead battery. Use a
remote positive
(+) terminal if the vehicle has one.
6. Don’t let the other end
touch metal. Connect it
to the positive
(+)
terminal of the good
battery. Use a remote
positive
(+) terminal if
the vehicle has one.
... ,
7. Now connect the
black negative
(-) cable
to the good battery’s
negative
(-) terminal.
Don’t let the other end touch anything until the next step. The other end
of the negative (-) cable doesn 1 go
to the dead battery. It goes to a heavy unpainted metal
part on the engine
of the vehicle with the dead battery.
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8. Attach the cable at least
18 inches
(45 cm) away
from the dead battery,
but not near engine parts
that move.
The electrical
connection is just
as
good there, but the
chance of sparks getting
back to the battery is
much less.
9. Now start the vehicle with the good battery and run
the engine for
a while.
If it won’t start after a few tries, it probably
needs service.
10.
Try to start the vehicle with
the dead battery.
11. Remove the cables in reverse order to prevent
electrical shorting. Take care that
they don’t touch
each other or
any other metal.
A. Heavy Metal Engine Part
B . Good Battery
C. Dead Battery
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Towing Your Vehicle
Try to have a GM dealer or a professional towing
service tow your vehicle. They can provide the right
equipment and know how to tow it without damage. See
“Roadside Assistance” in the Index.
If your vehicle has been changed or modified since it
was factory-new
by adding aftermarket items like fog
lamps, aero skirting,
or special tires and wheels, these
things can be damaged during towing.
Before you do anything, turn on the hazard
warning flashers.
When you call, tell
the towing service:
0 That your vehicle has front-wheel drive.
That your vehicle cannot be towed from the front or
0 The make, model and year of your vehicle.
Wether you can still move the shift lever.
0 If there was an accident, what was damaged.
rear with sling-type
equipment.
To
0
0
e
0
0
0
help avoid
injury to you or others:
Never let passengers ride in a vehicle that is
being towed.
Never tow faster than safe
or posted speeds.
Never tow with damaged parts not
fully secured.
Never get under your vehicle after it has
been lifted by the tow truck.
Always use separate safety chains on each
side when towing a vehicle.
Never use J-hooks. Use T-hooks instead.
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A vehicle can fall from a car carrier if it isn’t
adequately secured. This can cause a collision,
serious personal injury and vehicle damage. The
vehicle should be tightly secured with chains or
steel cables before it is transported.
Don’t use substitutes (ropes, leather straps,
canvas webbing, etc.) that can be cut
by sharp
edges underneath the towed vehicle. Always use
T-hooks inserted in the T-hook slots. Never use
J-hooks. They will damage drivetrain and
suspension components.
~~
NOTICE:
If you are using car-carrier equipment, you must
pull the Electronic Level Control (ELC) fuse, in
the instrument panel fuse block, before securing
the vehicle.
Damage to the shocks or leveling system may
occur if the Electronic Level Control (ELC) fuse
is not disabled.
When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition key
in
OFF. The steering wheel should be clamped in a
straight-ahead position, with a clamping device
designed for towing service.
Do not use the vehicle’s
steering column lock for this. For front towing, the
transaxle should be in
PARK (P) and the parking brake
released. For rear towing, the transaxle should be in
NEUTRAL (N) and the parking brake engaged.
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I NOTICE:
Your vehicle has front-wheel drive; do not have it
towed with the front wheels in contact with the
ground or vehicle damage may occur.
A dolly
must be used under the front wheels when towing
from the rear or the vehicle must be transported
on a flat bed carrier.
I NOTICE:
Do not have your vehicle towed with the front
wheels in contact with the ground. This will
damage the transaxle.
If the vehicle must be towed on the front wheels,
it cannot be towed more than a total of 500 miles
(800 km) for the lifetime of the vehicle.
Front Towing
Tow Limits -- 55 mph (90 km/h), 500 miles (800 km)
Attach T-hook chains in the
front of the wheels into the
slots
of the front shipping
brackets
on the frame (both
sides). Insert the hook from
the inward side of the slot,
not the outward side.
I NOTICE:
When attaching T-hooks to the shipping slots
in the frame rail, attach them to the inside
of the frame to avoid damage to the frame or
front fascia.
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NOTICE:
Do not tow with sling-type equipment or the
front bumper system will be damaged. Use
wheel-lift or car-carrier equipment. Additional
ramping may be required for car-carrier
equipment. Use safety chains and wheel straps.
Towing
a vehicle over rough surfaces could
damage
a vehicle. Damage can occur from
vehicle to ground or vehicle to wheel-lift
equipment.
To help avoid damage, install a
towing dolly and raise the vehicle until adequate
clearance
is obtained between the ground and/or
wheel-lift equipment.
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Rear Towing
A towing dolly must be used under the front wheels
when towing
from the reay:
NOTICE:
Do not tow with sling-type equipment or the rear
bumper system will be damaged. Use wheel-lift
or car-carrier equipment. Additional ramping
may be required for car-carrier equipment. Use
safety chains and wheel straps.
Towing
a vehicle over rough surfaces could
damage a vehicle. Damage can occur from
vehicle to ground
or vehicle to wheel-lift
equipment.
To help avoid damage, install a
towing dolly and raise the vehicle until adequate
clearance is obtained between the ground and/or
wheel-lift equipment.
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Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage on your
vehicle’s instrument panel.
See “Engine Coolant
Temperature Gage” in the Index.
You also have a low
coolant level light on your instrument panel. See “Low
Coolant Light’’ in the Index.
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating
Mode
Should an overheated engine condition exist, an
overheat protection mode which alternates firing groups
of three cylinders helps prevent engine damage. In this
mode, you will notice a significant loss in power and
engine performance. The low coolant light may come
on
and the temperature gage will indicate an overheat
condition exists. This emergency operating mode allows
your vehicle to be driven to a safe place in an
emergency. Towing
a trailer in the overheat protection
mode should be avoided.
NOTICE:
I
After driving in the overheated engine protection
operating mode, to avoid engine damage, allow
the engine to cool before attempting any repair.
The engine oil will be severely degraded. Repair
the cause of coolant loss and change the
oil. See
“Engine Oil, When
to Change” in the Index.
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