weight GMC SIERRA 2006 Owner's Manual

{CAUTION:
Children who are up against, or very close to,
any airbag when it inates can be seriously
injured or killed. Airbags plus lap-shoulder
belts offer protection for adults and older
children, but not for young children and
infants. Neither the vehicle’s safety belt system
nor its airbag system is designed for them.
Young children and infants need the protection
that a child restraint system can provide.
Q:What are the different types of add-on child
restraints?
A:Add-on child restraints, which are purchased by the
vehicle’s owner, are available in four basic types.
Selection of a particular restraint should take
into consideration not only the child’s weight, height
and age but also whether or not the restraint will
be compatible with the motor vehicle in which it will
be used.
1-35

For most basic types of child restraints, there are
many different models available. When purchasing a
child restraint, be sure it is designed to be used
in a motor vehicle. If it is, the restraint will have a
label saying that it meets federal motor vehicle
safety standards.
The restraint manufacturer’s instructions that come
with the restraint, state the weight and height
limitations for a particular child restraint. In addition,
there are many kinds of restraints available for
children with special needs.
{CAUTION:
Newborn infants need complete support,
including support for the head and neck. This
is necessary because a newborn infant’s neck
is weak and its head weighs so much
compared with the rest of its body. In a crash,
an infant in a rear-facing seat settles into the
restraint, so the crash forces can be
distributed across the strongest part of an
infant’s body, the back and shoulders. Infants
always should be secured in appropriate infant
restraints.
{CAUTION:
The body structure of a young child is quite
unlike that of an adult or older child, for whom
the safety belts are designed. A young child’s
hip bones are still so small that the vehicle’s
regular safety belt may not remain low on the
hip bones, as it should. Instead, it may settle
up around the child’s abdomen. In a crash, the
belt would apply force on a body area that is
unprotected by any bony structure. This alone
could cause serious or fatal injuries. Young
children always should be secured in
appropriate child restraints.
1-36

Single Stage vs. Dual Stage Airbags
Depending on the weight of your vehicle you will have
either “Single Stage Airbags” or “Dual Stage Airbags”.
Vehicles that have a passenger sensing system
also have dual stage airbags. If the rearview mirror in
your vehicle has a passenger airbag status indicator
printed on it, your vehicle has the passenger sensing
system and therefore, it has dual stage airbags. If
the rearview mirror in your vehicle does not have a
passenger airbag status indicator printed on it, then your
vehicle does not have the passenger sensing system
and it has single stage airbags. SeePassenger
Airbag Status Indicator on page 3-37orPassenger
Sensing System on page 1-81.
Dual Stage Airbags
If your vehicle has frontal airbags with dual stage
deployment, the amount of restraint will adjust according
to crash severity. Your vehicle is equipped with electronic
frontal sensors which help the sensing system distinguish
between a moderate and a more severe frontal impact.
For moderate frontal impacts, these airbags inate at a
level less than full deployment. For more severe frontal
impacts, full deployment occurs. If the front of yourvehicle goes straight into a wall that does not move or
deform, the threshold level for the reduced deployment is
about 10 to 16 mph (16 to 25 km/h), and the threshold
level for a full deployment is about 20 to 30 mph
(32 to 48 km/h). (The threshold level can vary, however,
with specic vehicle design, so that it can be somewhat
above or below this range.)
Vehicle’s with dual stage airbags are also equipped with
special sensors which enable the sensing system to
monitor the position of both the driver and passenger
front seats. The seat position sensor provides
information which is used to determine if the airbags
should deploy at a reduced level or at full deployment.
Single Stage Airbags
If your vehicle has frontal airbags with single stage
deployment and your vehicle goes straight into a wall
that does not move or deform, the threshold level
is about 13 to 16 mph (20 to 25 km/h). (The threshold
level can vary, however, with specic vehicle design, so
that it can be somewhat above or below this range.)
1-75

a right front passenger takes his/her weight off of
the seat for a period of time
the right front passenger seat is occupied by a
smaller person, such as a child who has outgrown
child restraints
or if there is a critical problem with the airbag
system or the passenger sensing system
When the passenger’s frontal airbag has been turned
off by the passenger sensing system, the off indicator
will light and stay lit to remind you that the airbag is off.
If a child restraint has been installed and the on
indicator is lit, turn the vehicle off. Remove the child
restraint from the vehicle and reinstall the child restraint
following the child restraint manufacturer’s directions
and refer toSecuring a Child Restraint in the Right Front
Seat Position (Regular and Extended Cab) (With
Passenger Sensing System)in the Index.
If after reinstalling the child restraint and restarting the
vehicle, the on indicator is still lit, check to make
sure that the vehicle’s seatback is not pressing the child
restraint into the seat cushion. If this happens, slightly
recline the vehicle’s seatback and adjust the seat
cushion if possible. Also make sure the child restraint is
not trapped under the vehicle head restraint. If this
happens, adjust the head restraint.If the on indicator is still lit, secure the child in the child
restraint in a rear seat position in the vehicle if one
is available and check with your dealer.
The passenger sensing system is designed to enable
(may inate) the right front passenger’s frontal
airbag anytime the system senses that a person of adult
size is sitting properly in the right front passenger’s
seat. When the passenger sensing system has allowed
the airbag to be enabled, the on indicator will light
and stay lit to remind you that the airbag is active.
For some children who have outgrown child restraints
and for very small adults, the passenger sensing system
may or may not turn off the right front passenger’s
frontal airbag, depending upon the person’s seating
posture and body build. Everyone in your vehicle who
has outgrown child restraints should wear a safety
belt properly — whether or not there is an airbag for that
person.
If a person of adult-size is sitting in the right front
passenger’s seat, but the off indicator is lit, it could be
because that person is not sitting properly in the seat. If
this happens, turn the vehicle off and ask the person to
place the seatback in the fully upright position, then sit
upright in the seat, centered on the seat cushion, with the
person’s legs comfortably extended. Restart the vehicle
and have the person remain in this position for about two
minutes. This will allow the system to detect that person
and then enable the passenger’s airbag.
1-84

Automatic Transmission Operation
If your vehicle is has an automatic transmission, it
features an electronic shift position indicator within the
instrument panel cluster. This display must be powered
anytime the shift lever is moved out of PARK (P).
SeeFuses and Circuit Breakers on page 5-123.
There are several different positions for your shift lever.
See “Range Selection Mode” later in this section.PARK (P):This position locks your rear wheels. It is the
best position to use when you start your engine because
your vehicle cannot move easily. If your vehicle has the
Allison Transmission®, with the Power Takeoff (PTO),
use PARK (P) when starting. The Allison Transmission®
has a park pawl that is designed to hold the weight of
commercial medium duty trucks. Therefore, the Allison
Transmission
®uses larger parts than other automatic
transmissions. These larger parts may sometimes make
a clunk noise when the selector lever is moved from
DRIVE (D) or REVERSE (R) to PARK (P). This is normal
and there is no damage occurring during these shifts.
When parked on a hill, especially when loaded, you may
notice an increase in the effort to shift out of Park. See
Torque Lock (Automatic Transmission) underShifting
Into Park (P) (Automatic Transmission) on page 2-53for
more information.
Automatic Transmission
Allison Transmission®
2-26

Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine
Running (Automatic Transmission)
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle with
the engine running. Your vehicle could move
suddenly if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the parking brake rmly set.
If you have four-wheel drive and your transfer
case is in NEUTRAL, your vehicle will be free to
roll, even if your shift lever is in PARK (P).
So be sure the transfer case is in a drive
gear — not in NEUTRAL.
And, if you leave the vehicle with the engine
running, it could overheat and even catch re.
You or others could be injured. Do not leave
your vehicle with the engine running unless
you have to.If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine running,
be sure your vehicle is in PARK (P) and the parking brake
is rmly set before you leave it. After you move the shift
lever into PARK (P), hold the regular brake pedal down.
Then, see if you can move the shift lever away from
PARK (P) without rst pulling it toward you. If you can,
it means that the shift lever was not fully locked into
PARK (P).
Torque Lock (Automatic Transmission)
If you are parking on a hill and you do not shift your
transmission into PARK (P) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl in the
transmission. You may nd it difficult to pull the shift lever
out of PARK (P). This is called “torque lock.” To prevent
torque lock, set the parking brake and then shift into
PARK (P) properly before you leave the driver’s seat. To
nd out how, see “Shifting Into PARK (P)” listed earlier in
this section.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out of
PARK (P) before you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have another
vehicle push yours a little uphill to take some of the
pressure from the parking pawl in the transmission,
so you can pull the shift lever out of PARK (P).
2-54

Shifting Out of Park (P)
(Automatic Transmission)
Your vehicle has an automatic transmission shift lock
control system which locks the shift lever in PARK (P)
when the ignition is in the LOCK position. You have to
fully apply your regular brakes before you can shift from
PARK (P) when the ignition is in RUN. SeeAutomatic
Transmission Operation on page 2-26and “Torque Lock”
underShifting Out of Park (P) (Automatic Transmission)
on page 2-55.
If your vehicle has an Allison Transmission
®, the
transmission is equipped with a park pawl designed to
hold the higher weight of commercial medium duty trucks.
Therefore, the Allison Transmission
®uses larger parts
than other automatic transmissions. These larger parts
may sometimes make a clunk noise when the selector
lever is moved from DRIVE (D) or REVERSE (R) to
PARK (P). This is normal and there is no damage
occurring during these shifts.If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on
the shift lever and push the shift lever all the way up into
PARK (P) as you maintain brake application. Then, move
the shift lever into the gear you want.
If you ever hold the brake pedal down but still can’t shift
out of PARK (P), try this:
1. Turn the key to ACCESSORY. There is no shift
interlock in this key position.
2. Apply and hold the brake until the end of Step 4.
3. Shift the transmission to NEUTRAL (N).
4. Start the vehicle and then shift to the gear you want.
5. Have the system xed as soon as you can.
2-55

Drunken Driving
Death and injury associated with drinking and driving is
a national tragedy. It is the number one contributor to
the highway death toll, claiming thousands of victims
every year.
Alcohol affects four things that anyone needs to drive a
vehicle:
Judgment
Muscular Coordination
Vision
Attentiveness
Police records show that almost half of all motor
vehicle-related deaths involve alcohol. In most cases,
these deaths are the result of someone who was drinking
and driving. In recent years, more than 16,000 annual
motor vehicle-related deaths have been associated with
the use of alcohol, with more than 300,000 people
injured.
Many adults — by some estimates, nearly half the adult
population — choose never to drink alcohol, so they
never drive after drinking. For persons under 21, it is
against the law in every U.S. state to drink alcohol.
There are good medical, psychological, and
developmental reasons for these laws.The obvious way to eliminate the leading highway safety
problem is for people never to drink alcohol and then
drive. But what if people do? How much is “too much” if
someone plans to drive? It is a lot less than many might
think. Although it depends on each person and situation,
here is some general information on the problem.
The Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of someone
who is drinking depends upon four things:
The amount of alcohol consumed
The drinker’s body weight
The amount of food that is consumed before and
during drinking
The length of time it has taken the drinker to
consume the alcohol
According to the American Medical Association,
a 180 lb (82 kg) person who drinks three 12 ounce
(355 ml) bottles of beer in an hour will end up with a BAC
of about 0.06 percent. The person would reach the same
BAC by drinking three 4 ounce (120 ml) glasses of wine
or three mixed drinks if each had 1-1/2 ounces (45 ml) of
liquors like whiskey, gin, or vodka.
4-3

It is the amount of alcohol that counts. For example, if the
same person drank three double martinis (3 ounces or
90 ml of liquor each) within an hour, the person’s BAC
would be close to 0.12 percent. A person who consumes
food just before or during drinking will have a somewhat
lower BAC level.
There is a gender difference, too. Women generally have
a lower relative percentage of body water than men.
Since alcohol is carried in body water, this means that a
woman generally will reach a higher BAC level than a
man of her same body weight will when each has the
same number of drinks.The law in most U.S. states, and throughout Canada,
sets the legal limit at 0.08 percent. In some other
countries, the limit is even lower. For example, it is
0.05 percent in both France and Germany. The BAC
limit for all commercial drivers in the United States is
0.04 percent.
The BAC will be over 0.10 percent after three to
six drinks (in one hour). Of course, as we have seen,
it depends on how much alcohol is in the drinks,
and how quickly the person drinks them.
But the ability to drive is affected well below a BAC of
0.10 percent. Research shows that the driving skills
of many people are impaired at a BAC approaching
0.05 percent, and that the effects are worse at night.
All drivers are impaired at BAC levels above
0.05 percent. Statistics show that the chance of being
in a collision increases sharply for drivers who have a
BAC of 0.05 percent or above. A driver with a BAC level
of 0.06 percent has doubled his or her chance of having a
collision. At a BAC level of 0.10 percent, the chance of
this driver having a collision is 12 times greater; at a level
of 0.15 percent, the chance is 25 times greater!
The body takes about an hour to rid itself of the alcohol
in one drink. No amount of coffee or number of cold
showers will speed that up. “I will be careful” is not the
right answer. What if there is an emergency, a need to
take sudden action, as when a child darts into the street?
A person with even a moderate BAC might not be able to
react quickly enough to avoid the collision.
4-4

Average reaction time is about three-fourths of a second.
But that is only an average. It might be less with one
driver and as long as two or three seconds or more with
another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination,
and eyesight all play a part. So do alcohol, drugs, and
frustration. But even in three-fourths of a second,
a vehicle moving at 60 mph (100 km/h) travels
66 feet (20 m). That could be a lot of distance in an
emergency, so keeping enough space between your
vehicle and others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road, whether it is pavement or
gravel; the condition of the road, whether it is wet, dry, or
icy; tire tread; the condition of your brakes; the weight of
the vehicle; and the amount of brake force applied.
Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive
in spurts — heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking — rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is a
mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool between
hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much faster if you
do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace with the traffic
and allow realistic following distances, you will eliminate a
lot of unnecessary braking. That means better braking
and longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you are driving, brake
normally but do not pump your brakes. If you do, the
pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine stops,
you will still have some power brake assist.But you will use it when you brake. Once the power assist
is used up, it may take longer to stop and the brake pedal
will be harder to push.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your vehicle’s
performance. SeeAccessories and Modications
on page 5-4.
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes. ABS is an advanced
electronic braking system that will help prevent a
braking skid.
When you start your engine and begin to drive away, your
anti-lock brake system will check itself. You may hear a
momentary motor or clicking noise while this test is going
on. This is normal.
If there is a problem with
the anti-lock brake system,
this warning light will stay
on. SeeAnti-Lock Brake
System Warning Light on
page 3-42.
Along with ABS, your vehicle has a Dynamic Rear
Proportioning (DRP) system. If there is a DRP problem,
both the brake and ABS warning lights will come on
accompanied by a 10-second chime.
4-6