clock GMC SONOMA 2004 Owner's Manual

Passing Another Vehicle While Using
Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase your speed.
When you take your foot off the pedal, your vehicle will
slow down to the cruise control speed you set earlier.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well your cruise control will work on hills depends
upon your speed, load and the steepness of the
hills. When going up steep hills, you may want to step
on the accelerator pedal to maintain your speed.
When going downhill, you may have to brake or shift to
a lower gear to keep your speed down. Of course,
applying the brake takes you out of cruise control. Many
drivers find this to be too much trouble and don’t use
cruise control on steep hills.
Ending Cruise Control
There are two ways to turn off the cruise control:
•Step lightly on the brake pedal.
•Move the cruise switch to OFF.
Erasing Speed Memory
When you turn off the cruise control or the ignition, your
cruise control set speed memory is erased.
Exterior Lamps
The control on the driver’s side of the instrument panel
operates the exterior lamps.
The exterior lamp control has three positions:
9(Off):Turn the exterior lamps control all the way
counterclockwise to turn off the lamps and put the
system in automatic headlamp mode.
3-11

Lamps On Reminder
A reminder chime will sound when your headlamps or
parking lamps are manually turned on, the driver’s door
is opened and your ignition is in OFF, LOCK or
ACCESSORY. To turn the chime off, turn the control
counterclockwise or turn the instrument panel brightness
thumbwheel down to the fully dimmed position. In the
automatic mode, the headlamps turn off once the ignition
key is in OFF.
Daytime Running Lamps
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier for
others to see the front of your vehicle during the
day. DRL can be helpful in many different driving
conditions, but they can be especially helpful in the short
periods after dawn and before sunset. Fully functional
daytime running lamps are required on all vehicles
first sold in Canada.The DRL system will make your headlamps come on
at reduced brightness when the following conditions
are met:
•The ignition is on,
•the exterior lamp control is in OFF,
•the sensor detects daytime light,
•an automatic transmission is not in PARK (P), and
•the parking brake is released.
When the DRL are on, only your headlamps will be on.
The taillamps, sidemarker and other lamps won’t be
on. The instrument panel won’t be lit up either.
When it begins to get dark, the headlamps will
automatically switch from DRL to the regular headlamps.
The DRL system on some vehicles may turn off
temporarily while the turn signals are activated.
To idle an automatic transmission vehicle with the DRL
off, put the transmission in PARK (P). To idle a
manual transmission vehicle with the DRL off, set the
parking brake. The DRL will stay off until you shift out of
PARK (P) or release the parking brake.
The following does not apply to vehicles sold in Canada.
3-13

Climate Controls
Climate Control System
With this system you can control the heating, cooling
and ventilation for your vehicle.
Operation
Mode Knob:Turn the right knob clockwise or
counterclockwise to direct the airflow inside of your
vehicle.
H(Vent):This mode directs air to the instrument
panel outlets, with a little air directed toward the
floor vents.
)(Bi-Level):This mode directs half of the air to the
instrument panel outlets, then directs most of the
remaining air to the floor outlets. A little air is also
directed toward the windshield and the side window
outlets. Cooler air is directed to the upper outlets and
warmer air to the floor outlets.
6(Floor):This mode directs most of the air to the
floor outlets with a little air directed to the windshield and
the side window outlets.
9(Fan):Turn the left knob clockwise or
counterclockwise to increase or decrease the fan speed.
Turn the mode knob to OFF to turn off the fan.
The mode knob can also be used to select defog or
defrost mode. For more information, see “Defogging”
later in this section.
Temperature Knob:Turn the center knob clockwise or
counterclockwise to raise or lower the temperature
on the inside of your vehicle.
When it’s cold outside 0°F (−18°C) or lower, use the
engine coolant heater, if equipped, to provide warmer air
faster to your vehicle. An engine coolant heater warms
the coolant that the engine uses to provide heat to
warm the inside of your vehicle. For more information,
seeEngine Coolant Heater on page 2-19.
3-18

Low Fuel Warning Light
This light comes on briefly
when you start your
engine.
This light comes on when the fuel tank is low on fuel.
To turn if off, add fuel to the fuel tank. SeeFilling Your
Tank on page 5-7.
Audio System(s)
Notice:Before you add any sound equipment to
your vehicle – like a tape player, CB radio, mobile
telephone or two-way radio – be sure you can
add what you want. If you can, it’s very important to
do it properly. Added sound equipment may
interfere with the operation of your vehicle’s engine,
radio or other systems, and even damage them.
Your vehicle’s systems may interfere with the
operation of sound equipment that has been added
improperly.So, before adding sound equipment, check with
your dealer and be sure to check federal rules
covering mobile radio and telephone units.
Your audio system has been designed to operate easily
and to give years of listening pleasure. You will get
the most enjoyment out of it if you acquaint yourself with
it first. Figure out which radio you have in your vehicle,
find out what your audio system can do and how to
operate all of its controls to be sure you’re getting the
most out of the advanced engineering that went into it.
Your vehicle has a feature called Retained Accessory
Power (RAP). With RAP, you can play your audio
system even after the ignition is turned off. See
“Retained Accessory Power (RAP)” underIgnition
Positions on page 2-17.Setting the Time for Radios without
Radio Data Systems (RDS)
Press and hold HR until the correct hour appears on the
display. Press and hold MIN until the correct minute
appears on the display. To display the time with
the ignition off, press RCL, HR, or MIN and the time will
appear on the display for a few seconds. There is an
initial two-second delay before the clock goes into
time-set mode.
3-35

Setting the Time for Radios with
Radio Data Systems (RDS)
Your radio may have a button marked with an H or HR
to represent hours and an M or MIN to represent
minutes.
Press and hold the hour button until the correct hour
appears on the display. AM or PM will appear on
the display for morning or evening hours. Press and
hold the minute button until the correct minute appears
on the display. The time may be set with the ignition
on or off.
To synchronize the time with an FM station broadcasting
Radio Data System (RDS) information, press and
hold the hour and minute buttons at the same time for
two seconds until UPDATED and the clock symbol
appears on the display. If the time is not available from
the station, NO UPDAT will appear on the display.
RDS time is broadcast once a minute. Once you have
tuned to an RDS broadcast station, it may take a
few minutes for your time to update.
AM-FM Radio
Playing the Radio
PWR (Power):Press this knob to turn the system on
and off.
VOL (Volume):Turn this knob to increase or to
decrease volume.
RCL (Recall):Press this knob to switch the display
between the radio station frequency and the time. Time
display is available with the ignition turned off.
3-36

TAPE CD:Press this button to play a tape or a CD
when listening to the radio. The inactive tape or CD will
remain safely inside the radio for future listening.
ZEJT (Eject):Press this button, located to the right
of the cassette tape slot, to eject a tape. Eject may
be activated with the ignition or radio off. Cassette tapes
may be loaded with the radio off if this button is
pressed first.
Cassette Tape Messages
CHK TAPE (Check Tape):If this message appears on
the display, the tape will not play because of one of
the following reasons:
•The tape is tight and the player cannot turn the
tape hubs. Remove the tape. Hold the tape with
the open end down and try to turn the right
hub counterclockwise with a pencil. Turn the tape
over and repeat. If the hubs do not turn easily, your
tape may be damaged and should not be used in
the player. Try a new tape to make sure your player
is working properly.
•The tape is broken. Try a new tape.
•The tape is wrapped around the tape head. Attempt
to get the cassette out. Try a new tape.CLEAN:If this message appears on the display, the
cassette tape player needs to be cleaned. It will still play
tapes, but you should clean it as soon as possible to
prevent damage to the tapes and player. SeeCare
of Your Cassette Tape Player on page 3-74.
If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error cannot be
corrected, contact your dealer. If you radio displays
an error message, write it down and provide it to your
dealer when reporting the problem.
CD Adapter Kits
It is possible to use a portable CD player adapter kit
with your cassette tape player after disabling the
tight/loose tape sensing feature on your tape player.
To disable the feature, use the following steps:
1. Turn the ignition on.
2. Turn the radio off.
3. Press and hold the TAPE CD button. The radio will
display READY and flash the cassette symbol.
4. Insert the adapter into the cassette slot. It will
power up the radio and begin playing.
The override feature will remain active until EJT is
pressed.
3-56

Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective
than braking. For example, you come over a hill and find
a truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls
out from nowhere, or a child darts out from between
parked cars and stops right in front of you. You
can avoid these problems by braking — if you can stop
in time. But sometimes you can not; there is not
room. That is the time for evasive action — steering
around the problem.
Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like
these. First apply your brakes.
SeeBraking 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.
4-10

Q:What should I do if my vehicle stalls, or is about
to stall, and I can not make it up the hill?
A:If this happens, there are some things you should
do, and there are some things you must not do.
First, here is what youshoulddo:
•Push the brake pedal to stop the vehicle and keep
it 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 in REVERSE (R).
•If your engine has stopped running, you will need to
restart it. With the brake pedal pressed and the
parking brake still applied, shift the transmission to
PARK (P) and restart the engine. Then, shift 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 will be able to tell if your wheels are
straight and maneuver as you back down. It is
best that you back down the hill with your wheels
straight rather than in the left or right direction.
Turning the wheel too far to the left or right
will increase the possibility of a rollover.Here are some things youmust notdo if you stall, or
are about to stall, when going up a hill.
•Never attempt to prevent a stall by shifting into
NEUTRAL (N) to “rev-up” the engine and regain
forward momentum. This will not 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.
•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 is steep enough to
cause you to roll over if you turn around. If you can
not make it up the hill, you must back straight
down the hill.
Q:Suppose, after stalling, I try to back down the
hill and decide I just can not do it. What should
I do?
A:Set the parking brake, put your transmission in
PARK (P) (or the manual transmission in
FIRST (1)) and turn off the engine. Leave the
vehicle and go get some help. Exit on the uphill
side and stay clear of the path the vehicle
would take if it rolled downhill.
4-20

While refueling, hang the cap by the tether from the
hook on the fuel filler door.
To remove the fuel cap, turn it slowly to the left
(counterclockwise).
{CAUTION:
If you spill fuel and then something ignites it,
you could be badly burned. Fuel can spray out
on you if you open the fuel cap too quickly. This
spray can happen if your tank is nearly full, and
is more likely in hot weather. Open the fuel cap
slowly and wait for any “hiss” noise to stop.
Then unscrew the cap all the way.
{CAUTION:
If a re starts while you are refueling, do not
remove the nozzle. Shut off the ow of fuel by
shutting off the pump or by notifying the
station attendant. Leave the area immediately.
5-8

Be careful not to spill fuel. Clean fuel from painted
surfaces as soon as possible. SeeCleaning the Outside
of Your Vehicle on page 5-89. When filling the tank
do not overfill by squeezing in much more fuel after the
pump shuts off.
When you put the fuel cap back on, turn it to the right
(clockwise) until you hear a clicking sound. Make
sure you fully install the cap. The diagnostic system can
determine if the fuel cap has been left off or improperly
installed. This would allow fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere. SeeMalfunction Indicator Lamp on
page 3-29.
Notice:If you need a new fuel cap, be sure to get
the right type. Your dealer can get one for you.
If you get the wrong type, it may not t properly.
This may cause your malfunction indicator lamp to
light and may damage your fuel tank and emissions
system. SeeMalfunction Indicator Lamp on
page 3-29.Filling a Portable Fuel Container
{CAUTION:
Never ll a portable fuel container while it is in
your vehicle. Static electricity discharge from
the container can ignite the gasoline vapor.
You can be badly burned and your vehicle
damaged if this occurs. To help avoid injury to
you and others:
Dispense gasoline only into approved
containers.
Do not ll a container while it is inside a
vehicle, in a vehicle’s trunk, pickup bed or
on any surface other than the ground.
Bring the ll nozzle in contact with the
inside of the ll opening before operating
the nozzle. Contact should be maintained
until the lling is complete.
Do not smoke while pumping gasoline.
5-9