Chevrolet TrailBlazer User manual

Seats and Restraint Systems ........................... 1-1
Front Seats ............................................... 1-3
Rear Seats ............................................... 1-7
Safety Belts ............................................. 1-10
Child Restraints ....................................... 1-29
Airbag System ......................................... 1-50
Restraint System Check ............................ 1-65
Features and Controls ..................................... 2-1
Keys ........................................................ 2-3
Doors and Locks ....................................... 2-8
Windows ................................................. 2-14
Theft-Deterrent Systems ............................ 2-16
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle ........... 2-19
Mirrors .................................................... 2-37
OnStar
®
System ...................................... 2-47
HomeLink
®
Transmitter ............................. 2-50
Storage Areas ......................................... 2-54
Sunroof .................................................. 2-60
Vehicle Personalization ............................. 2-61
Instrument Panel ............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview .......................... 3-4
Climate Controls ...................................... 3-22
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators ........ 3-33
Driver Information Center (DIC) .................. 3-52
Audio System(s) ....................................... 3-65
Driving Your Vehicle ....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle ..... 4-2
Towing ................................................... 4-49
Service and Appearance Care .......................... 5-1
Service ..................................................... 5-3
Fuel ......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood ............... 5-10
Rear Axle ............................................... 5-46
Four-Wheel Drive ..................................... 5-47
Front Axle ............................................... 5-48
Bulb Replacement .................................... 5-49
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement ......... 5-51
Tires ...................................................... 5-53
Appearance Care ..................................... 5-85
Vehicle Identification ................................. 5-93
Electrical System ...................................... 5-94
Capacities and Specifications ................... 5-107
Maintenance Schedule ..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule ................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance and Information .............. 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information ........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects ........................... 7-10
Index ................................................................ 1
2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer/TrailBlazer EXT
Owner Manual M

GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem,
CHEVROLET, the CHEVROLET Emblem, and the
names TRAILBLAZER and TRAILBLAZER EXT
are registered trademarks of General
Motors Corporation.
This manual includes the latest information at the time it
was printed. We reserve the right to make changes
after that time without further notice. For vehicles first
sold in Canada, substitute the name “General Motors of
Canada Limited” for Chevrolet Motor Division whenever
it appears in this manual.
Keep this manual in the vehicle, so it will be there if it is
needed while you are on the road. If the vehicle is
sold, leave this manual in the vehicle.
Canadian Owners
A French language copy of this manual can be obtained
from your dealer or from:
Helm, Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
How to Use This Manual
Many people read the owner manual from beginning to
end when they first receive their new vehicle. If this
is done, it can help you learn about the features
and controls for the vehicle. Pictures and words work
together in the owner manual to explain things.
Index
A good place to quickly locate information about the
vehicle is the Index in the back of the manual. It is an
alphabetical list of what is in the manual and the
page number where it can be found.
Litho in U.S.A.
Part No. 05TBLAZER A First Edition
©
2004 General Motors Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
ii

Safety Warnings and Symbols
There are a number of safety cautions in this book. We
use a box and the word CAUTION to tell about things
that could hurt you if you were to ignore the warning.
{CAUTION:
These mean there is something that could hurt
you or other people.
In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is.
Then we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce the
hazard. Please read these cautions. If you do not,
you or others could be hurt.
You will also find a circle
with a slash through it in
this book. This safety
symbol means “Do Not,”
“Do Not do this” or “Do Not
let this happen.”
iii

Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this manual you will find these notices:
Notice: These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
A notice tells about something that can damage the
vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be covered
by your vehicle’s warranty, and it could be costly. But
the notice will tell what to do to help avoid the damage.
When you read other manuals, you might see
CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in
different words.
There are also warning labels on the vehicle. They use
the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.
Vehicle Symbols
The vehicle has components and labels that use
symbols instead of text. Symbols are shown along with
the text describing the operation or information
relating to a specific component, control, message,
gage, or indicator.
If you need help figuring out a specific name of a
component, gage, or indicator, reference the
following topics:
•Seats and Restraint Systems in Section 1
•Features and Controls in Section 2
•Instrument Panel Overview in Section 3
•Climate Controls in Section 3
•Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators in Section 3
•Audio System(s) in Section 3
•Engine Compartment Overview in Section 5
iv

These are some examples of symbols that may be found on the vehicle:
v

✍NOTES
vi

Front Seats ......................................................1-3
Manual Seats ................................................1-3
Power Seats ..................................................1-3
Manual Lumbar ..............................................1-4
Power Lumbar ...............................................1-4
Heated Seats .................................................1-4
Reclining Seatbacks ........................................1-5
Head Restraints .............................................1-6
Rear Seats .......................................................1-7
Rear Seat Operation .......................................1-7
Safety Belts ...................................................1-10
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone ................1-10
Questions and Answers About Safety Belts ......1-15
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly .................1-16
Driver Position ..............................................1-16
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy ..................1-22
Right Front Passenger Position .......................1-23
Rear Seat Passengers ..................................1-23
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for Children
and Small Adults .......................................1-25
Safety Belt Pretensioners ...............................1-28
Safety Belt Extender .....................................1-28
Child Restraints .............................................1-29
Older Children ..............................................1-29
Infants and Young Children ............................1-31
Child Restraint Systems .................................1-35
Where to Put the Restraint .............................1-38
Top Strap ....................................................1-39
Top Strap Anchor Location .............................1-41
Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) ...........................1-42
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for the
LATCH System .........................................1-44
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Outside
Seat Position ............................................1-44
Securing a Child Restraint in the Center
Seat Position ............................................1-46
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front
Seat Position ............................................1-46
Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
1-1

Airbag System ...............................................1-50
Where Are the Airbags? ................................1-53
When Should an Airbag Inflate? .....................1-55
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? .......................1-57
How Does an Airbag Restrain? .......................1-57
What Will You See After an Airbag Inflates? .....1-58
Passenger Sensing System ............................1-60
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle ...........1-64
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle ....................................................1-64
Restraint System Check ..................................1-65
Checking Your Restraint Systems ...................1-65
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash ............................................1-66
Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
1-2

Front Seats
Manual Seats
{CAUTION:
You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to
adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle
is moving. The sudden movement could startle
and confuse you, or make you push a pedal
when you do not want to. Adjust the driver’s
seat only when the vehicle is not moving.
Pull up on the lever located under the front of the manual
seat to unlock it. Slide the seat to where you want it and
release the lever. Then try to move the seat with your
body to make sure the seat is locked into place.
Power Seats
If you have this feature,
the power seat controls
are located on the
outboard side of the front
seat cushions. The
horizontal control adjusts
the seat cushion and
the vertical control adjusts
the seatback.
•Move the front of the seat control up or down to
adjust the front portion of the cushion.
•Move the rear of the seat control up or down to
adjust the rear portion of the cushion.
•Lift up or push down on the center of the seat
control to move the entire seat up or down.
•To move the seat forward or rearward, slide the
seat control forward or rearward.
•To recline the seatback, press the vertical control
rearward. To raise the seatback, press the vertical
control forward. See Reclining Seatbacks on
page 1-5 for more information.
1-3

Manual Lumbar
Your vehicle may have this feature. This control is
located on the outboard side of the seat.
Turn the knob counterclockwise to increase lumbar
support and clockwise to decrease lumbar support.
Power Lumbar
Your vehicle may have this feature.
The control is located on the outboard side of the
seat cushion.
To increase or decrease support, hold the control
forward or rearward. Keep in mind that as your seating
position changes, as it may during long trips, so
should the position of your lumbar support. Adjust the
seat as needed.
Heated Seats
Your vehicle may have
heated front seats. The
buttons used to control this
feature are located on
the front door armrests.
The engine must be
running for the heated seat
feature to work.
To heat the entire seat, press the horizontal button with
the heated seat symbol. Press the button repeatedly
to cycle through the temperature settings of high,
medium, low and off. The indicator lights will glow to
designate the level of heat selected: three for high,
two for medium and one for low. The low setting warms
the seatback and cushion until the seat temperature
is near body temperature. The medium and high settings
heat the seatback and seat cushion to a slightly
higher temperature. You will be able to feel heat in
about two minutes.
1-4

To heat only the seatback, press the button with the
words BACK ONLY. An indicator light on the switch will
glow to designate that only the seatback is being
heated. Additional presses will cycle through the heat
levels for the seatback only. Press the horizontal button
again to heat the whole seat.
The feature will shut off automatically when the ignition
is turned off.
Reclining Seatbacks
If your vehicle has a manual recliner, lift the lever
located on the outboard side of the seat and push the
seatback rearward to recline the seatback. To return the
seatback to the normal position, lift the lever without
pushing rearward on the seatback and the seatback will
move forward.
If your vehicle has power seat controls, the vertical
power seat control described earlier allows the seatback
to recline. But don’t have a seatback reclined if your vehicle
is moving.
1-5

{CAUTION:
Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle
is in motion can be dangerous. Even if you
buckle up, your safety belts can not do their
job when you are reclined like this.
The shoulder belt can not do its job. In a
crash, you could go into it, receiving neck or
other injuries.
The lap belt can not do its job either. In a
crash the belt could go up over your abdomen.
The belt forces would be there, not at your
pelvic bones. This could cause serious
internal injuries.
For proper protection when the vehicle is in
motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit
well back in the seat and wear your safety
belt properly.
Head Restraints
Adjust your head restraint so that the top of the restraint
is closest to the top of your head. This position
reduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash.
The head restraints lock into place when raised. To
release the head restraint and lower it, press the
tab located on the top of the seatback.
1-6

Rear Seats
Rear Seat Operation
Your vehicle may have a folding rear seat which lets
you fold the seatbacks down for more cargo space.
Pull up on the loop located where the seat cushion
meets the seatback to fold the seat cushion up and out
of the way. This will allow the seatback to fold flat
and increase the cargo area.
The rear seatback levers
are located on the
outboard side of the
rear seatbacks.
Pull the seatback toward you as you lift up on the lever.
The head restraint will automatically fold out of the
way when the seatback is folded down.
To raise the seatbacks, lift up the seatbacks and push
on them until they lock into the upright position.
Push and pull on the seatbacks to make sure that they
are latched securely. Then fold the bottom seat
cushion back into place.
1-7

To return the head restraint to the upright position,
reach behind the seat and pull the restraint up until it
locks into place. Push and pull on the head restraint to
make sure that it is latched securely.
Rear Seats (TrailBlazer EXT)
The second row seat is a 65/35 split seat which may be
folded and tumbled. Use this feature for gaining
access to the third row seats.
To fold and tumble the second row seat(s), do
the following:
1. Push the head restraints fully down.
2. Fold the seatback flat on the seat by pulling up on
the front part of the fold and tumble lever. The lever
is located on the outboard side of the seat and is
indicated as 1 on the handle and side of seatback.
3. Release the rear set of seat hooks from the floor
pins by pulling up on the rear part of the lever
indicated as 2 on the handle and side of seatback.
This enables the seat to be tumbled forward.
1-8

Returning the Seats to an Upright Position
To return the seat(s) to the upright position, do
the following:
1. Pull the bottom of the seat release lever towards
the front of the vehicle to release the seat. The
lever is located at the bottom of the seat cushion
on the outboard side of each second row seat.
2. Return the seat to the floor pins by rotating the seat
down to reengage the seat hooks.
3. Try to raise the seat to check that it is locked down.
4. Pull the seat back up to return it to the
upright position.
Entry/Exit to/from the Third Row Seat
To enter the third row seat, you must fold and
tumble the second row seat following the instructions
given previously.
If you are exiting the third row with no assistance, do
the following.
1. Pull the handle on the center of the second row
seatback down to release and fold the seatback.
2. Reach around to the side of the second row seat
and pull the back of the seat lever up to tumble
the entire seat.
Be sure to return the seat to the upright position when
you are finished. Never use the third row as a seating
position while the second row is folded and tumbled.
1-9

Folding the Third Row Seats
1. Pull up on the handle located on the bottom of the
seat cushion to release the seat cushion.
2. Lift up the seat, and then pull it forward.
3. Fold the seatback forward until it is flat.
4. Unhook the elastic loop on the back of the seatback.
5. Fold the panel located on the back of the seatback
to make a flat surface.
Returning the Seat(s) to an
Upright Position
To return the seat to its original position, reverse the
steps listed previously in folding the third row seats.
Safety Belts
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone
This part of the manual tells you how to use safety
belts properly. It also tells you some things you should
not do with safety belts.
{CAUTION:
Do not let anyone ride where he or she can not
wear a safety belt properly. If you are in a
crash and you are not wearing a safety belt,
your injuries can be much worse. You can hit
things inside the vehicle or be ejected from it.
You can be seriously injured or killed. In the
same crash, you might not be, if you are
buckled up. Always fasten your safety belt,
and check that your passengers’ belts are
fastened properly too.
1-10

{CAUTION:
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo
area, inside or outside of a vehicle. In a
collision, people riding in these areas are more
likely to be seriously injured or killed. Do not
allow people to ride in any area of your vehicle
that is not equipped with seats and safety
belts. Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a
seat and using a safety belt properly.
Your vehicle has a light
that comes on as a
reminder to buckle up. See
Safety Belt Reminder
Light on page 3-36.
In most states and in all Canadian provinces, the law
says to wear safety belts. Here is why: They work.
You never know if you will be in a crash. If you do have
a crash, you do not know if it will be a bad one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so
serious that even buckled up, a person would not
survive. But most crashes are in between. In many of
them, people who buckle up can survive and sometimes
walk away. Without belts they could have been badly
hurt or killed.
After more than 30 years of safety belts in vehicles, the
facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does
matter...a lot!
1-11

Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as
it goes.
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it is just a seat
on wheels.
Put someone on it.
1-12

Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider
does not stop. The person keeps going until stopped by something. In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield...
1-13

or the instrument panel... or the safety belts!
With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does.
You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance,
and your strongest bones take the forces. That is why
safety belts make such good sense.
1-14