Turn Signals When Towing A Trailer; Driving On Grades - GMC 1996 Sonoma Owner's Manual

Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When
you
tow
a
trailer, your vehicle has to have extra
wiring and a heavy-duty turn signal flasher (included in
the optional trailering package).
The green arrows on your instrument panel will flash
whenever you signal a turn or lane change. Properly
hooked up, the trailer lamps will also flash, telling other
drivers you're about to turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green arrows on your
instrument panel will flash for turns even if the bulbs on
the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers
behind you are seeing your signal when they are not. It's
important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade. If you don't shift
down, you might have to use your brakes so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your
speed to around 45 mph (70
k d h ) to reduce the
possibility
of
engine and transmission overheating.
If you have an automatic transmission, you should use
DRIVE (D) when towing a trailer. Operating your
vehicle in DRIVE (D) when towing a trailer will
minimize heat buildup and extend the life of your
transmission. Or, if you have a manual transmission, it's
better not to use FIFTH ( 5 ) , just drive in FOURTH (4)
(or, as you need to, a lower gear).
When towing at high altitude on steep uphill grades,
consider the following: Engine coolant will boil at a
lower temperature than at normal altitudes. If you turn
your engine off immediately after towing at high altitude
on steep uphill grades, your vehicle may show signs
similar to engine overheating. To avoid this, let the
engine run while parked (preferably on level ground)
with
the automatic transmission in PARK (P) (or the
manual transmission out of gear and the parking brake
applied) for a few minutes before turning the engine off.
If you do get
the
overheat warning, see "Engine
Overheating" in the Index.
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