stop start GMC SIERRA 2006 Owner's Manual

Passlock®
Your vehicle is equipped with the Passlock®
theft-deterrent system.
Passlock
®is a passive theft-deterrent system.
Passlock®enables fuel if the ignition lock cylinder is
turned with a valid key. If a correct key is not used or the
ignition lock cylinder is tampered with, fuel is disabled.
If the engine stalls and the security light ashes, wait until
the light stops ashing before trying to restart the engine.
Remember to release the key from START as soon as
the engine starts.
If the engine is running and the security light comes on,
you will be able to restart the engine if you turn the engine
off. However, your Passlock
®system is not working
properly and must be serviced by your dealer. Your
vehicle is not protected by Passlock
®at this time. You
may also want to check the fuse. SeeFuses and Circuit
Breakers on page 5-123. See your dealer for service.
In an emergency, call the GM Roadside Assistance
Center. SeeRoadside Assistance Program on page 7-6.
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 your 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. See
Towing a Trailer on page 4-67for the trailer
towing capabilities of your vehicle and more
information.
Following break-in, engine speed and load can be
gradually increased.
2-21

Key Release Button
(Manual Transmission)
The ignition key cannot be
removed from the ignition
of manual transmission
vehicles unless the key
release button is used.
To remove the key on manual transmission vehicles, turn
the key to ACCESSORY, then press the button and turn
the key to LOCK. Do not hold the button in while turning
the key to ACCESSORY. Pull the key straight out.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
If the vehicle has Retained Accessory Power (RAP),
certain features will continue to operate for up to
10 minutes after the ignition key is turned to LOCK
unless a door is opened.
Starting the Engine
Your vehicle is equipped with Starter Motor Control. This
feature assists in starting the engine and protects the
electrical system. This feature may cause the engine
to crank even after the ignition key is not in START
Automatic Transmission
Move your shift lever to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N).
Your engine will not start in any other position — that
is a safety feature. To restart when you are already
moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only. If you have a diesel
engine refer to the diesel supplement for the starting
procedure.
Notice:Do not try to shift to PARK (P) if your
vehicle is moving. If you do, you could damage the
transmission. Shift to PARK (P) only when your
vehicle is stopped.
2-23

Manual Transmission
The gear selector should be in neutral and the parking
brake engaged. Hold the clutch pedal to the oor and
start the engine. Your vehicle will not start if the clutch
pedal is not all the way down — that is a safety feature.
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn the
ignition key to START. When the engine starts,
let go of the key. The idle speed will go down
as your engine gets warm.
Notice:Holding your key in START for longer than
15 seconds at a time will disengage the starter motor,
cause your battery to be drained much sooner, and
add excessive heat that can damage your starter
motor. Try not to hold the key in START for longer
than 15 seconds and wait about 15 seconds between
each try to help avoid draining your battery or
damaging your starter.
2. If it does not start within 10 seconds, push the
accelerator pedal all the way to the oor, while you
hold the ignition key in START. When the engine
starts, let go of the key and let up on the accelerator
pedal. Wait about 15 seconds between each try.When starting your engine in very cold weather
(below 0°F or−18°C), do this:
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn
the ignition key to START and hold it there up to
15 seconds. When the engine starts, let go of
the key.
2. If your engine still will not start, or starts but then
stops, it could be ooded with too much gasoline.
Try pushing your accelerator pedal all the way to the
oor and holding it there as you hold the key in
START for about three seconds. When the engine
starts, let go of the key and accelerator. If the
vehicle starts briey but then stops again, do the
same thing, but this time keep the pedal down
for ve or six seconds. This clears the extra
gasoline from the engine.
Notice:Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle. If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the way the
engine operates. Before adding electrical equipment,
check with your dealer. If you do not, your engine
might not perform properly. Any resulting damage
would not be covered by your vehicle’s warranty.
2-24

The Allison Transmission®uses a shift stabilization
feature that adjusts the transmission shifting to the
current driving conditions in order to reduce rapid upshifts
and downshifts. This shift stabilization feature is designed
to determine before making an upshift if the engine will be
able to maintain vehicle speed by analyzing things such
as throttle position, vehicle load, and hill grade. If the
shift stabilization feature determines that current vehicle
speed cannot be maintained, the transmission does not
upshift and instead holds the current gear. In some
cases, this may appear to be a delayed shift, however
the transmission is operating normally.
The Allison Transmission
®also uses adaptive shift
controls. Adaptive shift controls continually compares
key shift parameters to pre-programmed ideal shift
conditions. The Allison Transmission
®constantly makes
adjustments to improve vehicle performance according
to the way the vehicle is being used, such as with a
heavy load. During this adaptive shift controls process,
some shifts may feel different as the transmission
determines optimum settings for a particular shift.
MANUAL MODE (M):This position, is available on
vehicles with the Allison Transmission
®. It lets drivers
select the range of gears appropriate for current driving
conditions. If your vehicle has this feature, see Range
Select Mode (Allison Transmission
®) later in this section.THIRD (3):This position is also used for normal driving,
however it offers more power and lower fuel economy
than DRIVE (D).
SECOND (2):This position gives you more power
but lower fuel economy. You can use SECOND (2) on
hills. It can help control your speed as you go down
steep mountain roads, but then you would also want
to use your brakes off and on.
If you manually select SECOND (2) in an automatic
transmission, the transmission will start in second gear.
You may use this feature for reducing the speed of
the rear wheels when you are trying to start your vehicle
from a stop on slippery road surfaces.
FIRST (1):This position gives you even more power (but
lower fuel economy) than SECOND (2). You can use it on
very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the shift lever
is put in FIRST (1) while the vehicle is moving forward,
the transmission will not shift into rst gear until the
vehicle is going slowly enough.
Notice:Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle in
one place on a hill using only the accelerator pedal
may damage the transmission. If you are stuck, do
not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill, use the
brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
2-29

Manual Transmission Operation
Five-Speed
(VORTEC™ 6.0L V8 Engine)
Here is how to operate
your transmission.
FIRST (1) is intended only for heavy loads or trailer
towing and is not recommended for normal driving.
During the rst 500 miles (805 km) of vehicle use, start
your vehicle moving in FIRST (1). This allows clutch
components to break-in properly.
FIRST (1):Press the clutch pedal and shift into
FIRST (1). Then, slowly let up on the clutch pedal as
you press the accelerator pedal. Shift into FIRST (1) only
when the vehicle is below 5 mph (8 km/h). If you try to
shift down into FIRST (1) at excessive vehicle speeds,
the shift lever will not move into FIRST (1) until vehicle
speed is reduced.SECOND (2):Press the clutch pedal and shift into
SECOND (2). Then, slowly let up on the clutch pedal
as you press the accelerator pedal.
You can shift into SECOND (2) when you are going less
than 20 mph (32 km/h). If you have come to a complete
stop and it is hard to shift into SECOND (2), put the shift
lever into NEUTRAL and let up on the clutch. Press the
clutch pedal back down. Then shift into SECOND (2).
If you try to downshift into SECOND (2) at excessive
vehicle speeds, the shift lever will not move into the
SECOND (2) position until the vehicle speed is reduced.
THIRD (3):Press the clutch pedal and shift into
THIRD (3). Then, slowly let up on the clutch pedal
as you press the accelerator pedal.
FOURTH (4) and FIFTH (5):Shift into the higher
forward gears the same way you do for THIRD (3).
Slowly let up on the clutch pedal as you press the
accelerator pedal.
To stop, let up on the accelerator pedal and press the
brake pedal. Just before the vehicle stops, press the
clutch pedal and the brake pedal, and shift to NEUTRAL.
NEUTRAL:Use this position when you start or idle
your engine.
2-34

REVERSE (R):To back up, rst press down the clutch
pedal. Wait for the vehicle to stop moving and then,
shift into REVERSE (R). Let up on the clutch pedal
slowly while pressing the accelerator pedal.
Notice:Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle
is moving forward could damage the transmission.
The repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Shift to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle is
stopped.
Also, use REVERSE (R), along with the parking brake,
when turning off your engine and parking your vehicle.
Five-Speed (VORTEC™ 4.3L V6 and
4.8L V8 Engines)
Here is how to operate your transmission:
FIRST (1):Press the clutch pedal and shift into
FIRST (1). Then, slowly let up on the clutch pedal
as you press the accelerator pedal.
You can shift into FIRST (1) when you are going less
than 20 mph (32 km/h). If you have come to a complete
stop and it is hard to shift into FIRST (1), put the shift
lever into NEUTRAL and let up on the clutch. Press the
clutch pedal back down. Then shift into FIRST (1).SECOND (2):Press the clutch pedal as you let up on
the accelerator pedal and shift into SECOND (2). Then,
slowly let up on the clutch pedal as you press the
accelerator pedal.
THIRD (3), FOURTH (4) and FIFTH (5):Shift into
THIRD (3), FOURTH (4) and FIFTH (5) the same way
you do for SECOND (2). Slowly let up on the clutch
pedal as you press the accelerator pedal.
To stop, let up on the accelerator pedal and press the
brake pedal. Just before the vehicle stops, press the
clutch pedal and the brake pedal, and shift to NEUTRAL.
NEUTRAL:Use this position when you start or idle
your engine.
REVERSE (R):To back up, rst press down the clutch
pedal. Wait for the vehicle to stop moving and then, shift
into REVERSE (R). Let up on the clutch pedal slowly
while pressing the accelerator pedal.
Notice:Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle
is moving forward could damage the transmission.
The repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Shift to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle is
stopped.
Also, use REVERSE (R), along with the parking brake,
when turning off your engine and parking your vehicle.
2-35

Six-Speed (VORTEC™ 8.1L V8 and
DURAMAX®™ 6.6L V8 Engines)
Here is how to operate
your transmission.
This six-speed pattern is unique to GM manual
transmissions. The transmission always repositions
the shift lever to NEUTRAL, which is located between
FOURTH (4) and FIFTH (5) gear.
To prevent unintentional gear selections, additional force
is required to move the shift lever into REVERSE (R) or
FIRST (1). Use FIRST (1) when trailer towing, driving
with payload in the pickup box or launching on a grade.
Otherwise, start in SECOND (2) gear. Only shift into
FIRST (1) when the vehicle has stopped moving.
During the rst 500 miles (805 km) of vehicle use,
start the vehicle moving in FIRST (1) gear. This allows
the clutch components to wear-in properly.FIRST (1):With the vehicle at a stop, release the brake,
press the clutch pedal and shift into FIRST (1). Then,
slowly let up on the clutch pedal as you press the
accelerator pedal. Only downshift into FIRST (1) when
the vehicle has come to a complete stop. If the shift lever
will not go into FIRST (1), put the lever in NEUTRAL and
let up on the clutch pedal to fully engage the clutch. Press
the clutch pedal again. Then, shift into FIRST (1).
SECOND (2):With the vehicle at a stop, release the
brake, press the clutch pedal and shift into SECOND (2).
Then, slowly let up on the clutch pedal as you press the
accelerator pedal. With the vehicle moving, press the
clutch pedal and upshift into SECOND (2) from FIRST (1)
while applying light pressure to the right on the shifter.
Then, slowly let up on the clutch pedal as you press the
accelerator pedal. If you come to a complete stop and the
shift lever will not go into SECOND (2), put the lever in
NEUTRAL and let up on the clutch pedal to fully engage
the clutch. Press the clutch pedal again. Then, shift into
SECOND (2).
THIRD (3):Press the clutch pedal and upshift into
THIRD (3). Then, slowly let up on the clutch pedal
as you press the accelerator pedal.
FOURTH (4), FIFTH (5) and SIXTH (6):Upshift
into the higher forward gears the same way as you
do THIRD (3). Slowly let up on the clutch pedal as
you press the accelerator pedal.
2-36

NEUTRAL:Use this position when you start or idle
your engine.
REVERSE (R):To back up, press the clutch pedal.
Wait for the vehicle to stop moving and then, shift
to REVERSE (R). Let up on the clutch slowly while
pressing the accelerator pedal. Also, use REVERSE (R),
along with the parking brake, when turning off your
engine and parking your vehicle.
Shift Speeds
{CAUTION:
If you skip a gear when you downshift, you
could lose control of your vehicle. You could
injure yourself or others. Do not shift down
more than one gear at a time when you
downshift.Do not allow the engine rpm to overspeed and enter the
tachometer red lines. Engine overspeed occurs when
downshifting, or descending a grade, at too high a vehicle
speed. When going down steep grades, always select a
gear at least one position lower than you would use on
climbing a grade. This will allow the vehicle’s engine to
provide some braking and help to slow the vehicle as it
goes down the grade. Monitor your vehicle speed,
acceleration and engine rpm while applying the brakes
as you go down the grade to ensure you have complete
control over the vehicle.
If your engine speed drops below 600 rpm, or if the
engine is not running smoothly, you should downshift to
the next lower gear. When operating on slippery surfaces,
downshift at lower than normal vehicle speeds to prevent
the tires from slipping.
In bench seat equipped vehicles, move the tallest
beverage containers to the right cupholder to provide
additional clearance for the shift lever.
For vehicles equipped with a center console, the front
cup holder pulls out and turns 180° to provide additional
clearance between tall beverage containers and the
shift lever.
2-37

Shifting Out of Four-Wheel Low
To shift from Four-Wheel Low to Four-Wheel High,
AUTO 4WD, or Two-Wheel High, your vehicle must be
stopped or moving less than 3 mph (5 km/h) with the
transmission in NEUTRAL (N) and the ignition in RUN.
The preferred method for shifting out of Four-Wheel
Low is to have your vehicle moving 1 to 2 mph (1.6 to
3.2 km/h). Press and release the Four-Wheel High,
AUTO 4WD, or Two-Wheel High switch. You must wait
for the Four-Wheel High, AUTO 4WD, or Two-Wheel
High indicator light to stop ashing and remain on before
shifting your transmission into gear.
Notice:Shifting the transmission into gear before
the Four-Wheel Low indicator light has stopped
ashing could damage the transfer case. To help
avoid damaging your vehicle, always wait for the
Four-Wheel Low indicator light to stop ashing
before shifting the transmission into gear.
The transfer case may make noise and the vehicle
may jerk when the transfer case is shifted between
Four-Wheel Low and Four-Wheel High ranges or
from NEUTRAL with the engine running.
If the four-wheel high, AUTO 4WD, or Two-Wheel High
switch is pressed when your vehicle is in gear and/or
moving, the Four-Wheel High, AUTO 4WD, or
Two-Wheel High indicator light will ash for 30 seconds
but will not complete the shift unless your vehicle is
moving less than 3 mph (5 km/h) and the transmission
is in NEUTRAL (N).
Shifting Into NEUTRAL
{CAUTION:
Shifting the transfer case to NEUTRAL
can cause your vehicle to roll even if the
transmission is in PARK (P). You or someone
else could be seriously injured. Be sure to set
the parking brake before placing the transfer
case in NEUTRAL. SeeParking Brake on
page 2-52.
To shift the transfer case to NEUTRAL do the following:
1. Make sure the vehicle is parked so that it will not roll.
2. Set the parking brake.
3. Start the vehicle or turn the ignition to RUN.
4. Put the transmission in NEUTRAL (N).
5. Shift the transfer case to Two-Wheel High.
6. Simultaneously press and hold the Two-Wheel High
and Four-Wheel Low buttons for 10 seconds. The
red NEUTRAL light will come on when the transfer
case shift to NEUTRAL is complete.
2-45

Shifting from Four-Wheel Low to
Four-Wheel High or Two-Wheel High
To shift from four-wheel low to Four-Wheel High or
Two-Wheel High, your vehicle must be stopped or
moving less than 3 mph (5 km/h) with the transmission in
NEUTRAL (N) for an automatic transmission or the clutch
pedal pressed for a manual transmission. The preferred
method for shifting out of Four-Wheel Low is to have your
vehicle moving 3 mph (5 km/h).
Press and release the Two-Wheel High or Four-Wheel
High switch. You must wait for the Two-Wheel High or
Four-Wheel High indicator light to stop ashing and
remain on before shifting your transmission into gear
or releasing the clutch pedal.
If the Four-Wheel High switch is pressed when your
vehicle is in gear and/or moving, the Four-Wheel High
indicator light will ash for 30 seconds but will not
complete the shift unless the vehicle is moving slower
than 3 mph (5 km/h) and the transmission is in
NEUTRAL (N).
Shifting into NEUTRAL
{CAUTION:
Shifting the transfer case to NEUTRAL
can cause your vehicle to roll even if the
transmission is in PARK (P). You or someone
else could be seriously injured. Be sure to set
the parking brake before placing the transfer
case in NEUTRAL. SeeParking Brake on
page 2-52.
To shift the transfer case to NEUTRAL, rst make sure
the vehicle is parked so that it will not roll:
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Start the vehicle or turn the ignition to RUN.
3. Press the foot brake pedal and put the transmission
in NEUTRAL (N).
2-50