lock GMC SIERRA DENALI 2003 Workshop Manual

Section Driving Your Vehicle
Your Driving. the Road. and Your Vehicle .......... 4-2
Drunken Driving
............................................. 4-2
Control
of a Vehicle ........................................ 4-5
Defensive Driving
........................................... 4.2
Braking
......................................................... 4-6
Locking Rear Axle
.......................................... 4-8
Steering
........................................................ 4-9
Off -Road Recovery ....................................... 4-13
Passing
....................................................... 4-14
Loss
of Control ............................................. 4-15
Operating Your All-Wheel-Drive Vehicle
Off
Paved Roads ............................................ 4-16
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
................. -4-30
QUADRASTEERTM
....................................... 4-10
Driving at Night
................................ ..... 4-29
City Driving
.................................................. 4-33
Freeway Driving
........................................... 4-34 Before Leaving
on a Long
Trip ....................... 4-35
Hill and Mountain Roads
................................ 4-36
If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Highway Hypnosis
........................................ 4.36
Winter Driving
.............................................. 4-38
Ice or Snow
.............................................. 4-42
Towing
.......................................................... 4-45
Towing Your Vehicle
..................................... 4-45
Recreational Vehicle Towing
........................... 4-45
Loading Your Vehicle
................................... -4-45
Truck-Camper Loading Information
.................. 4-48
Trailer Recommendations
.................. ...... 4-50
Pickup Conversion to
Chassis Cab
............................................. 4-50
Towing a Trailer
........................................... 4-51
4- 1

Anti-lock Brake System
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’s a problem with
the anti-lock brake system,
this warning light will stay on. See
Anti-Lock
Brake
System Warning
Light on page
3-35.
Along with ABS, your vehicle has a Dynamic Rear
Proportioning (DRP) system.
If there’s a DRP problem,
both the Brake and ABS warning lights will come on
accompanied by a 10-second chime. The lights
and chime will come on each time the ignition is turned
on until the problem
is repaired. See your dealer for
service. Let’s
say the road is wet and you’re driving safely.
Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you.
You slam
on the brakes and continue braking. Here’s what
happens with ABS:
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.
4-7

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. This can help you steer around the obstacle
while braking hard.
As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls braking pressure
accordingly. 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
the brakes vibrate, or you may notice some noise, but
this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help you more
than even the very best braking.
Locking Rear Axle
If your vehicle has this feature, your locking rear axle
can give you additional traction on snow, mud, ice, sand
or gravel. It works like a standard axle most of the
time, but when one of the rear wheels has no traction
and the other does, this feature will allow the wheel with
traction to move the vehicle.
4-8

Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like
these. First apply your brakes.
See
Braking on page 4-6. It is better to remove as much
speed as you can from a possible collision. Then
steer around the problem, to the left
or right depending
on the space available.
An emergency like this requires close attention and a
quick decision. If you are holding the steering wheel at
the recommended
9 and 3 o’clock positions, you
can turn it a full 180 degrees very quickly without
removing either hand. But you have to act fast, steer
quickly, and just as quickly straighten the wheel
once you have avoided the object. The
fact that such emergency situations are always
possible is a good reason
to practice defensive driving
at all times and wear safety belts properly.
QUADRASTEERTM
The QUADRASTEERTM System has a control and
diagnostic module that monitors and records current
system status and operational information.
If your vehicle is equipped with the 4 Wheel Steer
system it has the ability to steer the vehicle with all four
wheels.
Once the
4 Wheel Steer mode is selected, it is
recommended
to leave the vehicle in this mode at all
times, and during all driving and weather conditions.
You can select this mode at any speed, however,
if you
are turning the system will not engage until the turn
is complete.
The 4 Wheel Steer system is equipped with three
different driving modes:
Two wheel steering (2)
Four wheel steering (4)
Four wheel steering with a trailer mode (q )
4-1 0

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.
Operating Your All-Wheel-Drive
Vehicle
Off Paved Roads
Many of the same design features that help make your
vehicle responsive on paved roads during poor
weather conditions
- features like the locking rear axle
and all-wheel drive
- help make it much better
suited for off-road use than a conventional passenger
car. Its higher ground clearance also helps your vehicle
step over some off-road obstacles. But your vehicle
doesn’t have features like special underbody shielding
and a transfer case low gear range, things that are
usually thought necessary for extended or sever off-road
service. This guide
is for operating your vehicle off
paved roads.
Also, see Braking on page 4-6.
Off-road driving can be great fun. But it does have
some definite hazards. The greatest of these is
the terrain itself.
“Off-roading” means you’ve left the great North American\
road system behind. Traffic lanes aren’t marked.
Curves aren’t banked. There are no road signs.
Surfaces can be slippery, rough, uphill or downhill. In
short, you’ve gone right back to nature.
Off-road driving involves some new skills. And that’s
why it’s very important that
you read this guide.
You’ll find many driving tips and suggestions. These will
help make your off-road driving safer and more
enjoyable.
Before You Go Off-Roading
There are some things to do before you go out. For
example, be sure to have all necessary maintenance
and service work done. Check to make sure all
underbody shields (if
so equipped) are properly
attached.
Is there enough fuel? Is the spare tire fully
inflated? Are the fluid levels up where they should be?
What are the local laws that apply to off-roading
where you’ll be driving?
If you don’t know, you should
check with law enforcement people in the area. Will you
be on someone’s private land? If
so, be sure to get
the necessary permission.
4-1 6

Environmental Concerns
Off-road driving can provide wholesome and satisfying
recreation. However, it also raises environmental
concerns. We recognize these concerns and urge every
off-roader to follow these basic rules for protecting
the environment:
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e
Always use established trails, roads and areas that
have been specially set aside for public off-road
recreational driving; obey all posted regulations.
Avoid any driving practice that could damage the
environment
- shrubs, flowers, trees, grasses - or
disturb wildlife (this includes wheel-spinning,
breaking down trees or unnecessary driving through
streams or over soft ground.
Always carry a litter bag
... make sure all refuse is
removed from any campsite before leaving.
Take extreme care with open fires (where permitted),
camp stoves and lanterns.
Never park your vehicle over dry grass or other
combustible materials that could catch fire from the
heat of the vehicle’s exhaust system.
Traveling to Remote Areas
It makes sense to plan your trip, especially when going
to
a remote area. Know the terrain and plan your
route. You are much less likely to get bad surprises.
Get accurate maps of trails and terrain. Try to learn of
any blocked or closed roads.
It’s also a good idea to travel with at least on other
vehicle.
If something happens to one of them, the other
can help quickly.
Does your vehicle have a winch?
If so, be sure to read
the winch instructions. In a remote area, a winch
can be handy
if you get stuck. But you’ll want to know
how to use
it properly.
4-1 8

Driving on Off-Road Hills
Off-road driving often takes you up, down or across a
hill. Driving safely on hills requires good judgment
and an understanding of what your vehicle can and can’t
do. There are some hills that simply can’t be driven,
no matter how well built the vehicle.
Many hills are si )ly too steep for any vehicle.
If you drive up them, you will stall. If you drive
down them, you can’t control your speed.
If you
drive across them, you will roll over. You could
be seriously injured or killed.
If you have any
doubt about the steepness, don’t drive the hill.
-
Approaching a Hill
When you approach a hill, you need to decide if it’s one
of those ills that’s just too steep to climb, descend or
cross. Steepness can be hard to judge. On a very small
hill, for example, there may be a smooth, constant
incline with only a small change in elevation where you
can easily see all the way to the top. On a large hill,
the incline may get steeper as you near the tip, but you
may not see this because the crest of the
hill is
hidden by bushes, grass or shrubs. Here
are some things to consider as you approach
a hill.
0
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0
0
Is there a constant incline, or does the hill get
sharply steeper in places?
Is there good traction on the hillside, or will the
surface cause tire slipping?
Is there a straight path up or down the hill so you
won’t have to make turning maneuvers?
Are there obstructions on the hill that can block
your path (boulders, trees, logs or ruts)?
What’s beyond the hill?
Is there a cliff, an
embankment, a drop-off, a fence? Get out and walk
the hill
if you don’t know. It’s the smart way to
find out.
Is the hill dimply too rough? Steep hills often have
ruts, gullies, troughs, and exposed rocks because
they are more susceptible to the effects of erosion.
4-2 1

Q: What should I do if my vehicle stalls, or is
A: if this happens, there are some things you should
about to stall, and
I can’t
make it up the hill?
e
9
e
do and there are some things you must not do.
First, here’s what you should do:
Push the brake pedal to stop the vehicle and keep
if from rolling backwards. Also, apply the parking
brake.
If your engine is still running, shift the transmission
to REVERSE (R), release the parking brake, and
slowly back down the hill as straight as possible in
REVERSE (R).
As you are backing down the hill, put your left hand
on the steering wheel at the
12 o’clock position.
This way, you’ll be able to tell
if your wheels
are straight and maneuver as you back down. It’s
best that you back down the hill with our wheels
straight rather than in the left or tight direction.
Turning the wheel too far to the left
or right
will increase the possibility of a rollover. Here are
some things you
must not do if you stall, or
are about to stall, when going up a
hill.
9 Never attempt to prevent a stall by shifting into
NEUTRAL
(N) to “rev-up” the engine and regain
forward momentum. This won’t work. Your vehicle
will roll backwards very quickly and you could
go out of control.
Instead, apply the regular brake to stop the vehicle.
Then apply the parking brake. Shift to
REVERSE (R), release the parking brake, and
slowly back straight down.
9 Never attempt to turn around if you are about to
stall when going up a hill. If the hill is steep
enough to stall your vehicle, it’s steep enough to
cause you to roll over
if you turn around. If you can’t
make it up the hill, you must back straight down
the hill.
4-23

Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where your tires meet
the road probably have good traction. the
least traction of all. You can get wet ice when it’s
about freezing (32°F; OOC) and freezing rain begins
to fall. Try to avoid driving on wet ice until salt and sand
crews can get there.
However,
if there is snow or ice between your tires and Whatever the condition - smooth ice, packed, blowing
the road, you can have a very slippery situation.
You’ll have a lot less traction or “grip” and will need to
be very careful. Accelerate gently. Try not to break the fragile traction.
If
or loose snow - drive with caution.
you accelerate too fast, the drive wheels will spin and
polish the surface under the tires even more.
m
What’s the worst time for this? “Wet ice.” Very cold
snow or ice can be slick and hard to drive on. But wet
ice can be even more trouble because it may offer Your
anti-lock brakes improve your vehicle’s stability
when you make a hard stop on a slippery road.
Even though you have an anti-lock braking system,
you’ll want to begin stopping sooner than you would on
dry pavement. See
Braking on page 4-6.
Allow greater following distance on any slippery
road.
0 Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine
until you hit a spot that’s covered with ice. On
an otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear
in
shaded areas where the sun can’t reach: around
clumps
of trees, behind buildings or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface of a curve or an overpass
may remain icy when the surrounding roads
are clear.
If you see a patch of ice ahead of you,
brake before you are on it. Try not to brake
while you’re actually on the ice, and avoid sudden
steering maneuvers.
4-39

Snow can trap exhaust gases under your
vehicle. This can cause deadly CO (carbon
monoxide) gas to get inside. CO could
overcome you and kill you. You can’t see
it or
smell
it, so you might not know it is in your
vehicle. Clear away snow from around the
base of your vehicle, especially any that is
blocking your exhaust pipe. And check around
again from time to time to be sure snow
doesn’t collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that’s away from the wind. This will
help keep
CO out. Run your
engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little
faster than just idle. That is, push the accelerator
slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat that you get and
it keeps the battery charged.
You will need a
well-charged battery to restart the vehicle, and possibly
for signaling later on with your headlamps. Let the
heater run for a while.
Then, shut the engine
off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine
again and repeat this only when you feel really
uncomfortable from the cold.
But do it as little as
possible. Preserve the fuel as long as you can. To help
keep warm, you can get out of the vehicle and do
some fairly vigorous exercises every half hour or
so until
help comes.
4-41