GMC C-SERIES 1999 Owners Manual

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Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle
The paint finish on your vehicle provides beauty, depth
of color, gloss retention and durability.
Washing Your Vehicle
The best way to preserve your vehicle's finish is to
keep it clean by washing it often with lukewarm or
cold water.
Don't wash your vehicle in the direct rays of the sun.
Use a car washing soap. Don't use strong soaps or
chemical detergents. Be sure to rinse the vehicle well,
removing all soap residue completely. You can get
GM
-approved cleaning products from your dealer. (See
ªAppearance Care and Materialsº in the Index.) Don't
use cleaning agents that are petroleum based, or that
contain acid or abrasives. All cleaning agents should be
flushed promptly and not allowed to dry on the surface,
or they could stain. Dry the finish with a soft, clean
chamois or an all
-cotton towel to avoid surface
scratches and water spotting.
High pressure vehicle washes may cause water to enter
your vehicle.Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses
Use lukewarm or cold water, a soft cloth and a vehicle
washing soap to clean exterior lamps and lenses. Follow
instructions under ªWashing Your Vehicle.º
Finish Care
Occasional waxing or mild polishing of your vehicle by
hand may be necessary to remove residue from the paint
finish. You can get GM
-approved cleaning products
from your dealer. (See ªAppearance Care and Materialsº
in the Index.)
Your vehicle may have a ªbasecoat/clearcoatº paint
finish. The clearcoat gives more depth and gloss to the
colored basecoat. Always use waxes and polishes that
are non
-abrasive and made for a basecoat/clearcoat
paint finish.
NOTICE:
Machine compounding or aggressive polishing on
a basecoat/clearcoat paint finish may dull the
finish or leave swirl marks.
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Foreign materials such as calcium chloride and other
salts, ice melting agents, road oil and tar, tree sap, bird
droppings, chemicals from industrial chimneys, etc., can
damage your vehicle's finish if they remain on painted
surfaces. Wash the vehicle as soon as possible. If
necessary, use non
-abrasive cleaners that are marked
safe for painted surfaces to remove foreign matter.
Exterior painted surfaces are subject to aging, weather
and chemical fallout that can take their toll over a period
of years. You can help to keep the paint finish looking
new by keeping your vehicle garaged or covered
whenever possible.
Protecting Exterior Bright Metal Parts
Bright metal parts should be cleaned regularly to keep
their luster. Washing with water is all that is usually
needed. However, you may use chrome polish on
chrome or stainless steel trim, if necessary.
Use special care with aluminum trim. To avoid
damaging protective trim, never use auto or chrome
polish, steam or caustic soap to clean aluminum. A
coating of wax, rubbed to high polish, is recommended
for all bright metal parts.
Cleaning Tires
To clean your tires, use a stiff brush with a tire cleaner.
NOTICE:
When applying a tire dressing always take care to
wipe off any overspray or splash from all painted
surfaces on the body or wheels of the vehicle.
Petroleum
-based products may damage the paint
finish and tires.
Sheet Metal Damage
If your vehicle is damaged and requires sheet metal
repair or replacement, make sure the body repair shop
applies anti
-corrosion material to the parts repaired or
replaced to restore corrosion protection.
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Finish Damage
Any stone chips, fractures or deep scratches in the finish
should be repaired right away. Bare metal will corrode
quickly and may develop into a major repair expense.
Minor chips and scratches can be repaired with touch
-up
materials available from your dealer or other service
outlets. Larger areas of finish damage can be corrected
in your dealer's body and paint shop.
Underbody Maintenance
Chemicals used for ice and snow removal and dust control
can collect on the underbody. If these are not removed,
accelerated corrosion (rust) can occur on the underbody
parts such as fuel lines, frame, floor pan and exhaust
system even though they have corrosion protection.
At least every spring, flush these materials from the
underbody with plain water. Clean any areas where mud
and other debris can collect. Dirt packed in closed areas
of the frame should be loosened before being flushed.
Your dealer or an underbody vehicle washing system
can do this for you.
Chemical Paint Spotting
Some weather and atmospheric conditions can create a
chemical fallout. Airborne pollutants can fall upon and
attack painted surfaces on your vehicle. This damage
can take two forms: blotchy, ringlet
-shaped
discolorations, and small irregular dark spots etched into
the paint surface.
Although no defect in the paint job causes this, GM will
repair, at no charge to the owner, the surfaces of new
vehicles damaged by this fallout condition within
12 months or 12,000 miles (20 000 km) of purchase,
whichever occurs first.
This applies only to materials manufactured and sold by
General Motors. Bodies, body conversions or equipment
not made or sold by General Motors are not covered.
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GM Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials
PART NUMBERSIZEDESCRIPTIONUSAGE
99495423 in. x 25 in.Polishing Cloth ± Wax TreatedExterior polishing cloth
105017216 oz. (0.473 L)Tar and Road Oil RemoverRemoves tar, road oil and asphalt
105017316 oz. (0.473 L)Chrome Cleaner and PolishUse on chrome, stainless steel, nickel, copper and brass
105017416 oz. (0.473 L)White Sidewall Tire CleanerRemoves soil and black marks from whitewalls
105021432 oz. (0.946 L)Vinyl CleanerCleans vinyl tops, upholstery and convertible tops
105042723 oz. (0.680 L)Glass CleanerRemoves dirt, grime, smoke and fingerprints
1052918**8 oz. (0.237 L)Armor All
ProtectantProtects leather, wood, acrylics, Plexiglas
, plastic,
rubber and vinyl
105292516 oz. (0.473 L)Multi-Purpose Interior
CleanerCleans carpets, seats, interior trim, door panels
and floor mats
105292916 oz. (0.473 L)Wheel CleanerSpray on and rinse with water
10529308 oz. (0.237 L)Capture Dry Spot RemoverAttracts, absorbs and removes soils on fabric
123457212.5 sq. ft.Synthetic ChamoisShines vehicle without scratching
1234572512 oz. (0.354 L)Silicone Tire ShineSpray on tire shine
12377964*16 oz. (0.473 L)Finish EnhancerRemoves dust, fingerprints and surface contaminants
12377966*16 oz. (0.473 L)Cleaner WaxRemoves light scratches and oxidation and protects finish
12377984*16 oz. (0.473 L)Surface CleanerRemoves contaminants, blemishes and swirl marks
See your General Motors Parts Department for these products. * For exterior use only.
See ªRecommended Fluids and Lubricantsº in the Index. ** Not recommended for use on instrument panels.
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Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
This is the legal identifier for your vehicle. It appears on
a plate in the front corner of the instrument panel, on the
driver's side. You can see it if you look through the
windshield from outside your vehicle. The VIN also
appears on the Vehicle Certification and Service Parts
labels and the certificates of title and registration.
Engine Identification
The 8th character in your VIN is the engine code. This
code will help you identify your engine, specifications
and replacement parts.
Service Statement
One of these statements is on your Certification/Tire
label. Here is what each one means.
TRUCK SERVICE
-- A vehicle made to carry property or
special equipment. It is made for uniform frame loading.
That includes using the vehicle to pull a full trailer.TRUCK
-TRACTOR -- A vehicle made to draw other
vehicles. It's made to carry part of the load of the trailer.
It is made for point frame loading, usually for a
semi
-trailer (ªfifth wheelº).
MAX. VERT. CG
-- The highest allowable vertical
center of gravity, at the highest allowable GVWR. It's
measured from level ground in inches.
TRUCK
-CANADA -- A vehicle first sold in Canada
with a non
-school bus application, or cab models with
regular production option RQ2 (ªtruck serviceº).
TRACTOR
-CANADA -- A cab model with regular
production option RQ3 (ªtruck
-tractor serviceº).
Service Parts Identification Label
You'll find this label in a location determined by the
body manufacturer. It's very helpful if you ever need to
order parts. On this label is:

your VIN,

the model designation,

paint information and

a list of all production options and special equipment.
Be sure that this label is not removed from the vehicle.
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Electrical System
Add-On Electrical Equipment
NOTICE:
Don't add anything electrical to your vehicle
unless you check with your dealer first. Some
electrical equipment can damage your vehicle
and the damage wouldn't be covered by your
warranty. Some add
-on electrical equipment can
keep other components from working as
they should.
Headlamp Wiring
The headlamp wiring is protected by a circuit breaker in
the light switch. An electrical overload will cause the
lights to go on and off, or in some cases to remain off.
If this happens, have your headlamp wiring checked
right away.
Windshield Wiper Fuses
The windshield wiper motor is protected by a circuit
breaker inside the motor and a circuit breaker in the fuse
block. If the motor overheats, the wipers will stop until
the motor cools. If the overload is caused by an
electrical problem, be sure to get it fixed.
Fusible Links
A fusible link is a short piece of wire several gage sizes
smaller than the circuit it protects. It will melt in an
overload situation, opening the circuit.
Your starter relay and other circuits have these fusible
links. The size is printed on the insulation. If the insulation
is burned beyond recognition, consult your GM dealer for
the proper size. Replace a fusible link with one of the
same size and insulation type. Fusible link insulation is a
special purpose high
-temperature material.
The hydraulic brake booster motor feed circuit and
starter relay circuit are protected by a fusible link.
Vehicles with a diesel engine have a fusible link for the
intake heater feed circuit. Vehicles equipped with an
electronically controlled diesel engine also have a
fusible link for the engine control unit.
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6-69 Power Windows and Other Power Options
Circuit breakers in the fuse panel protect the power
windows and other power accessories. When the current
load is too heavy, the circuit breaker opens and closes.
This protects the circuit until the current load returns to
normal or the problem is fixed.
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
The wiring circuits in your vehicle are protected from
short circuits by a combination of fuses, circuit breakers,
maxi
-fuses and fusible links. This greatly reduces the
chance of a fire caused by an electrical problem. There
may be a fuse taped to the wiring harness inside the
battery box and one near the generator also taped to the
wiring harness.
There are two circuit breaker/fuse blocks in your
vehicle: the instrument panel circuit breaker block and
the maxi
-fuse block.
Instrument Panel Circuit Breaker Block
This fuse block is in the lower portion of the instrument
panel, to the left of the steering column.
To open the door, pull up
and outward on the recessed
door handle and the door
will snap out.
To install the door, place the lower door into the bottom
retainer and push the top of the door in until it snaps
into place.
If you ever have a problem on the road and don't have a
spare circuit breaker, you can borrow one of the correct
value. Just pick some feature of your vehicle that you
can get along without
-- like the radio or cigarette
lighter
-- and use its circuit breaker if it is of the value
you need. Remember to replace the circuit breaker as
soon as you can.
These circuit breakers are non
-cycling; do not replace
them with cycling circuit breakers. Also, don't use
circuit breakers of higher amperage than those indicated
on the circuit breaker block.
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Name Circuits Protected
HYD BRK Brake Pump Motor Relay
HYD BRK Brake Alarm ModuleName Circuits Protected
B/U IGN3 Fuel Filter Relay, Blower Motor
Relays, ABS Power Relay,
Back
-Up Lamps, Auxiliary Wiring
Relay, IGN 3 Relay, Power
Window Relay, Vehicle Interface
Module, Transmission
Temperature Gage
STOP Stoplamps
WASH/WIPE Windshield Wipers/Washer,
Accessory Relay
DOME/PNL Dome Lamp, Radio Receiver,
Instrument Panel Lights,
A/C Controller,
Headlamp/Seatbelt Module
BLOWER Blower Motor
A/C A/C Clutch Compressor,
A/C Controller
TRN/HAZ Turn Signals, Hazard Flashers
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Name Circuits Protected
CHAS Exhaust Brake, Air Suspension
Dump Valve, Air Dryer, HYD
ABS ECHU
PARK LP Auxiliary Wiring, Air Conditioner
Controls, Parking Lamps, Turn
Signals, Taillamps, Stoplamps,
Marker Lamps, Trailer Running
Lamps, Lighted Mirrors, Radio
Receiver, Mirror Clearance Lamps
HORN Horn/Diagnostic Connector
PRK BRK Parking Brake Module
FUEL Heated Fuel Filter (Diesel
Engines) or Fuel Pump
(Gasoline Engines)
AXLE Heated Mirrors, Radiator Shutters,
Tw o
-Speed Axle Motor,
Tw o
-Speed Axle Switch
MRKR LP Roof Marker Lamps,
Trailer Marker Lamps,
Marker Lamp RelayName Circuits Protected
CIG/AUX Cigarette Lighter,
Auxiliary Power Jacks
AUX Auxiliary Wiring Relay
IGN RLY/VIN Vehicle Interface Module
(Diesel Engines) or Generator,
Coil, Injectors (Gasoline Engines)
WDO Power Windows
CRNK Starter Relay
IGN SW Instrument Panel Cluster Telltales
AUX Auxiliary Wiring
RDO Radio, Auxiliary Wiring
DR LK Power Door Locks
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Maxi-Fuse Block
When a circuit goes out, first check the instrument panel
circuit breaker block. If no circuit breakers are out there,
the problem could in the maxi
-fuse block.
This block uses blade
-type fuses. It's on the upper
passenger side of the engine compartment at the rear.
To access the maxi-fuse block, gently squeeze both
sides of the cover to unlatch the tabs at the top. Then,
unsnap both attachments at the bottom and remove
the cover.
Power is fed through these fuses to devices such as the
headlamp switch, ignition switch feed circuits and the
auxiliary brake pump (hydraulic brake vehicles).
Be sure to replace maxi
-fuses with maxi-fuses of the
same rating. Do not use maxi
-fuses of higher amperage
than those indicated on the maxi
-fuse block.
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