change wheel CHEVROLET VENTURE 1998 Owners Manual

Rear Window Washer/ Wiper
! The rear window wiper
- switch is located in
the instrument panel
1 switchbank.
Cruise Control (Option)
With cruise control, you can maintain a speed of about
25 mph (40 km/h) or more without keeping your foot
on the accelerator. This can really help on long trips.
Cruise control does not work at speeds below about
25 mph (40 km/h).
When you apply your brakes, the cruise
control disengages.
Push
the wiper symbol on the bottom of the button to
turn on the intermittent wiper. To
turn off the wiper,
gently push the top
of the button.
To wash and wipe the rear window, push in the washer
symbol on the top
of the button. Washer fluid will
spray as long as the button is held in. When the top
of
the button is released, the wiper will continue to cycle
three more times.
To wash the rear window when the rear wiper is already on,
push on the top
of the button with the wash symbol on it.
Push in the bottom
of the button to continue the intermittent
wiper cycle after the washing cycle is completed.
Cruise control can be dangerous where you
can’t drive safely at a steady speed.
So,
don’t use your cruise control on winding
roads or in heavy
traffic.
slippery roads. On such roads, fast changes
in tire traction can cause needless wheel
spinning, and
you could lose control. Don’t
use cruise control on slippery roads.
Cruise control can be dangerous on
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Here’s how anti-lock works. Let’s say the road is wet.
You’re driving safely. Suddenly an animal jumps out in
front of you. The anti-lock system can change the brake pressure faster
than any driver could. The computer is programmed
to
make the most of available
tire and road conditions.
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If one
of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer will
separately work the brakes at each front wheel and at
both rear wheels.
As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates on
wheel speed and controls braking pressure accordingly.
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Remember: Anti-lock doesn’t change the time you need
to get your foot
up to the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance.
If you get too close to the vehicle in
front of you,
you won’t have time to apply your brakes
if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave
enough room up ahead to stop, even though you have
anti-lock brakes.
Using Anti-Lock
Don’t pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down
firmly and let anti-lock work for you. You may feel a
slight brake pedal pulsation or notice some noise, but
this is normal.
LOW
TRACTION
If your vehicle has the
traction control system, this
light will come on when
your anti-lock system is
adjusting brake pressure to
help avoid
a braking skid.
See
“Low Traction Light” in the Index.
Traction Control System (If Equipped)
Your vehicle may have a traction control system that
limits wheel spin. This is especially useful in slippery
road conditions. The system operates only if it senses
that
one or both of the front wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. When this happens, the
system works
the front brakes and reduces engine
power to limit wheel spin.
LOW
TRACTION
’ This light will come on
when the traction control
system is limiting wheel
spin. See “Low Traction
Light”
in the Index.
You may feel or hear the system working, but this
is normal.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the traction
control system begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise
control will automatically disengage. When road
conditions allow you to safely use
it again, you may
reengage the cruise control. (See “Cruise Control”
in the Index.)
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Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system is not functioning,
you can steer but
it will take much more effort.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It’s important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot
of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on
the news happen
on curves. Here’s why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to
the same laws
of physics when driving on curves. The
traction of the tires against the road surface makes it
possible for the vehicle to change its path when you
turn
the front wheels. If there’s no traction, inertia will keep
the vehicle going in the same direction. If you’ve ever
tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you’ll understand this.
The traction you can get in a curve depends on the
condition
of your tires and the road surface, the angle at
which the curve
is banked, and your speed. While you’re
in
a curve, speed is the one factor you can control. Suppose you’re steering through a sharp curve. Then you
suddenly accelerate.
Both control systems -- steering and
acceleration
-- have to do their work where the tires meet
the road. Adding the sudden acceleration can demand too
much
of those places. You can lose control.
What should
you do if this ever happens? Ease up on the
accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way you want it
to go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves
warn that you should
adjust your speed.
Of course, the posted speeds are
based
on good weather and road conditions. Under less
favorable conditions you’ll want to
go slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you approach a
curve, do it before you enter the curve, while your front
wheels are straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed so you can “drive” through the
curve. Maintain
a reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate until you are out of the curve, and then
accelerate gently into the straightaway.
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Loss of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems (brakes, steering
and acceleration) don’t have enough friction where the
tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying to steer and
constantly seek
an escape route or area of less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions, and by not “overdriving”\
those conditions. But skids are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle’s
three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels
aren’t rolling. In the steering
or cornering skid, too
much speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and
lose cornering force. And in the acceleration skid, too
much throttle causes the driving wheels
to spin.
A cornering
skid and an acceleration skid are best
handled by easing your foot
off the accelerator pedal. If
your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want the
vehicle to go.
If you start steering quickly enough, your
vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for a
second skid if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel or other material is on the road. For safety, you’ll\

want to slow down and adjust your driving to these
conditions. It is important
to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction,
try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration or
braking (including engine braking by shifting to a lower
gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires to slide.
You may not realize the surface is slippery until your
vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues
-- such as enough water, ice or packed snow on
the road to make a “mirrored surface” -- and slow
down when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti-lock brake system
(ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
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Towing a Trailer
A CAUTION:
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 dealer for advice
and informatinn about towing a trailer with
your vehicl-
NOTICE:
Pulling a trailer improperly can damage your
vehicle and result in costly repairs not covered by
your warranty.
To pull a trailer correctly, follow
the advice in this
part, and see your dealer for
important information about towing a trailer
with your vehicle. Your
vehicle can tow a trailer.
To identify what the
vehicle trailering capacity is for your vehicle, you
should read the information in “Weight of the Trailer”
that appears later in this section. But trailering
is
different than just driving your vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in handling, durability and
fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering takes correct
equipment, and it has to be used properly.
That’s the reason for this section. In
it are many
time-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many of these are important for your safety and that of
your passengers.
So please read this section carefully
before you pull a trailer.
Load-pulling components such as the engine, transaxle,
wheel assemblies and tires are forced to work harder
against the drag of the added weight. The engine is
required to operate at relatively higher speeds and under
greater loads, generating extra heat. What’s more, the
trailer adds considerably to wind resistance, increasing
the pulling requirements.
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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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If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” while you’re driving,
especially if you maintain your tires properly. If
air goes
out of a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out slowly.
But
if you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a few
tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire
will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot
off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel fiiy.
Steer to maintain lane position, and then gently brake to
a stop well out of the
traffic lane.
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.
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change a flat tire safely.
Air Inflator (Option)
Your vehicle may have an air inflator used to bring tires
up to the proper pressure. See “Accessory Inflator
System” in the Index for more details.
Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your hazard
warning flashers.
- 1
’ A 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 firmly.
2. Put the shift lever in PARK (P).
3. I’urn off the engine.
To be even more certain the vehicle won’t move,
you can put 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.
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A CAUTION:
8. Remove any rust or dirt
from the wheel bolts,
mounting surfaces and
spare wheel.
Rust or dirt on the wheel, or on the parts to
which it
is fastened, can make the wheel nuts
become loose after
a time. The wheel could come
off and cause an accident. When you change a
wheel, remove any rust or dirt from the places
where the wheel attaches
to the vehicle. In an
emergency, you can use a cloth or a paper towel
to do this; but be sure to use a scraper or wire
brush later,
if you need to, to get all the rust or
dirt off.
'
A CAUTION:
Never use oil or grease on studs or nuts. If you
do, the nuts might come loose. Your wheel could
fall off, causing
a serious accident. -1
~~
9. Install the spare tire and replace the wheel nuts with
the rounded end of the nuts toward the wheel.
Tighten each nut by hand until the wheel is held
against the hub.
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Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 6,000 to 8,000 miles
(10 000 to 13 000 Ism). Any time you notice unusual
wear, rotate your tires as soon as possible and check
wheel alignment. Also check for damaged tires or
wheels. See “When It’s Time for New Tires” and
“Wheel Replacement” later in this section for
more information.
The purpose
of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for
all tires on the vehicle. The first
rotation is the most important. See “Scheduled Maintenance Services” in the Index for scheduled
rotation intervals. Don’t include the compact spare tire
in your
tire rotation.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and rear inflation pressures as shown on the
Certificatioflire label. Make certain that all wheel
nuts are properly tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque”
in the Index.
I
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the parts to which
it is fastened, can make wheel nuts become loose
after a time. The wheel could come
off and cause
an accident. When you change
a wheel, remove
1 any rust or dirt from places where the wheel
attaches to the vehicle. In an emergency, you can
use
a cloth or a paper towel to do this; but be
sure to use
a scraper or wire brush later, if you
need to, to get all the rust or dirt
off. (See
“Changing a Flat Tire” in the Index.)
When rotating your tires, always use
the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
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