GMC ENVOY XL 2004 Owners Manual

REVERSE (R):Use this gear to back up.
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.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging your transmission, seeIf
You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow on page 4-44.
NEUTRAL (N):In this position, the engine doesn’t
connect with the wheels. To restart when you’re already
moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only.
{CAUTION:
Shifting into a drive gear while your engine is
running at high speed is dangerous. Unless
your foot is rmly on the brake pedal, your
vehicle could move very rapidly. You could
lose control and hit people or objects. Do not
shift into a drive gear while your engine is
running at high speed.Notice:Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N)
with the engine running at high speed may damage
the transmission. The repairs would not be covered
by your warranty. Be sure the engine is not running
at high speed when shifting your vehicle.
DRIVE (D):This position is for normal driving. If you
need more power for passing, and you’re:
Going less than about 35 mph (55 km/h), push the
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator all the way down.
You’ll shift down to the next gear and have more power.
DRIVE (D) can be used when towing a trailer, carrying
a heavy load, driving on steep hills or for off-road driving.
You may want to shift the transmission to THIRD (3)
or, if necessary, a lower gear selection if the
transmission shifts too often.
THIRD (3):This position is also used for normal driving.
However, it offers more power and lower fuel economy
than DRIVE (D).
2-25

SECOND (2):This position gives you more power
but lower fuel economy than THIRD (3). 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 the brakes off and on.
You can also use SECOND (2) for starting the 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 selector lever is put in FIRST (1) while the vehicle
is moving forward, the transmission won’t 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.Four-Wheel Drive
If your vehicle has four-wheel drive, you can send
your engine’s driving power to all four wheels for extra
traction. To get the most satisfaction out of four-wheel
drive, you must be familiar with its operation. Read
the part that follows before using four-wheel drive.
You should use two-wheel drive high (2HI) for most
normal driving conditions.
Notice:Driving on pavement in four-wheel drive
for an extended period of time may cause premature
wear on your vehicle’s powertrain. Do not drive in
four-wheel drive on pavement for extended periods
of time.
Automatic Transfer Case
If your vehicle is equipped
with four-wheel drive,
the transfer case knob is
located to the right of
the steering wheel on the
instrument panel. Use
this knob to shift into and
out of four-wheel drive.
2-26

2HI (Two-Wheel High):This setting is for driving in
most street and highway situations. Your front axle is
not engaged in two-wheel drive. It also provides the best
fuel economy.
A4WD (Automatic Four-Wheel Drive):This setting is
ideal for use when road conditions are variable. When
driving your vehicle in A4WD, the front axle is engaged,
but the vehicle’s power is sent to the rear wheels. When
the vehicle senses a loss of traction, the system will
automatically engage four-wheel drive. Driving in this
mode results in slightly lower fuel economy than 2HI.
4HI (Four-Wheel High):Use 4HI when you need
extra traction, such as on snowy or icy roads or in
most off-road situations. This setting also engages
your front axle to help drive your vehicle.
4LO (Four-Wheel Low):This setting also engages
your front axle and delivers extra torque. It sends
maximum power to all four wheels. You might choose
4LO if you are driving off-road in deep sand, deep mud,
and climbing or descending steep hills.
{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 2-29.
NEUTRAL:Shift the vehicle’s transfer case to
NEUTRAL only when towing your vehicle. See
Recreational Vehicle Towing on page 4-45for more
information.
An indicator light in the knob will show you which position
the transfer case is in. The indicator lights will come on
briey when you turn on the ignition and one will stay on.
If the lights do not come on, you should take your vehicle
to your dealer for service. An indicator light will ash while
shifting the transfer case. It will remain illuminated when
the shift is complete. If for some reason the transfer case
cannot make a requested shift, it will return to the last
chosen setting.
2-27

If the service four-wheel drive light on the instrument
panel cluster stays on, you should take your vehicle
to your dealer for service. SeeService Four-Wheel Drive
Warning Light on page 3-48for further information.
Shifting into 4HI or A4WD
Turn the knob to 4HI or A4WD. This can be done at any
speed unless you are shifting out of 4LO. The indicator
light will ash while shifting. It will remain illuminated
when the shift is complete.
Shifting into 2HI
Turn the knob to 2HI. This can be done at any speed
unless you are shifting out of 4LO.
Shifting into 4LO
To shift to 4LO, the vehicle’s engine must be running
and the vehicle must be stopped or moving less than
2 mph (3.2 km/h) with the transmission in NEUTRAL (N).
The preferred method for shifting into 4LO is to have your
vehicle moving 1 or 2 mph (1.6 to 3.2 km/h). Turn the
knob to 4LO. You must wait for the 4LO indicator light to
stop ashing and remain illuminated before shifting your
transmission into gear.If you turn the knob to 4LO when your vehicle is in
gear and/or moving, the 4LO indicator light will ash
for 30 seconds and not complete the shift unless your
vehicle is moving less than 2 mph (3.2 km/h) and
the transmission is in NEUTRAL (N). After 30 seconds,
the transfer case will return to the setting last chosen.
Shifting Out of 4LO
To shift from 4LO to 4HI, A4WD or 2HI your vehicle must
be stopped or moving less than 2 mph (3.2 km/h) with the
transmission in NEUTRAL (N) and the engine running.
The preferred method for shifting out of 4LO is to have
your vehicle moving 1 or 2 mph (1.6 to 3.2 km/h). Turn
the knob to 4HI, A4WD or 2HI. You must wait for the 4HI,
A4WD or 2HI indicator light to stop ashing and remain
illuminated before shifting your transmission into gear.
If the knob is turned to 4HI, A4WD or 2HI when your
vehicle is in gear and/or moving, the 4HI, A4WD or 2HI
indicator light will ash for 30 seconds. It will not
complete the shift unless your vehicle is moving less
than 2 mph (3.2 km/h) with the transmission in
NEUTRAL (N).
2-28

Shifting into NEUTRAL
Before shifting 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.
3. Put the transmission in NEUTRAL (N).
4. Shift the transfer case to 2HI.
5. Turn the transfer case knob all of the way past
4LO and hold it there for a minimum of 10 seconds.
The neutral indicator light will come on.
6. Shift the transmission to REVERSE (R) for one
second, then shift the transmission to DRIVE (D)
for one second.
7. Place the transmission shift lever in PARK (P).
8. Turn the ignition to LOCK.
9. Release the parking brake prior to towing.
Shifting Out of NEUTRAL
To shift the transfer case out of NEUTRAL, do the
following:
1. Set the parking brake and apply the regular brake
pedal.
2. Start the vehicle with the transmission in PARK (P).
3. Turn the transfer case knob to the desired shift
position (2HI, 4HI or A4WD).
4. Put the transmission in NEUTRAL (N).
5. Release the parking brake.
6. After the transfer case has shifted out of NEUTRAL,
the indicator light will go out. Shift the transmission
lever to the desired position.
A re-engagement sound is normal when shifting out of
NEUTRAL.
Parking Brake
To set the parking brake, hold the regular brake pedal
down with your foot and pull up on the parking brake
lever. If the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
will come on.
2-29

To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down. Pull the parking brake lever up until you can
press in the button at the end of the lever. Hold the
button in as you move the parking brake lever all the
way down.
Notice:Driving with the parking brake on can
overheat the brake system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system parts. Verify that
the parking brake is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
If you are towing a trailer and you must park on a hill,
seeTowing a Trailer on page 4-55. That section
shows what to do rst to keep the trailer from moving.
2-30

Shifting Into Park (P)
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake rmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
If you have left the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure your vehicle will not move,
even when you are on fairly level ground, use
the steps that follow. With four-wheel drive,
your vehicle will be free to roll — even if your
shift lever is in PARK (P) — if your transfer
case is in NEUTRAL. So, be sure the transfer
case is in a drive gear — not in NEUTRAL.
SeeFour-Wheel Drive on page 2-26. Always
put the shift lever fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake rmly set. If you are pulling a
trailer, seeTowing a Trailer on page 4-55.To shift into PARK (P), do the following:
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your foot and set
the parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever
into PARK (P) like this:
3. Press the button in on the side of the lever.
4. Push the lever all the way toward the front of the
vehicle.
5. Turn the ignition key to LOCK.
6. Remove the key and take it with you. You know
your vehicle is in PARK (P) if the key can be
removed from the ignition.
2-31

Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine
Running
{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, your vehicle will be
free to roll – even if your lever is in PARK (P) – if
your transfer case is in NEUTRAL. So be sure
the transfer case is in a drive gear – not
NEUTRAL. See “Four-Wheel Drive (Automatic
Transfer Case)” in the Index.
And, if you leave the vehicle with the engine
running, it could overheat and even catch re.
You or others could be injured. Don’t 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 your
parking brake is rmly set before you leave it. After
you’ve moved 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
pressing the button on the console shift lever. If you can,
it means that the shift lever wasn’t fully locked into
PARK (P).
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you don’t 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, seeShifting Into Park (P) on page 2-31.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out of
PARK (P)beforeyou 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).
2-32

Shifting Out of Park (P)
Your vehicle has an automatic transmission shift lock
control system. You have to fully apply the regular
brakes before you can shift from PARK (P) when the
ignition is in RUN. SeeAutomatic Transmission
Operation on page 2-24.
Parking Over Things That Burn
{CAUTION:
Things that can burn could touch hot exhaust
parts under your vehicle and ignite. Do not
park over papers, leaves, dry grass or other
things that can burn.
2-33

Engine Exhaust
{CAUTION:
Engine exhaust can kill. It contains the gas
carbon monoxide (CO), which you can not see
or smell. It can cause unconsciousness and
death.
You might have exhaust coming in if:
Your exhaust system sounds strange
or different.
Your vehicle gets rusty underneath.
Your vehicle was damaged in a collision.
Your vehicle was damaged when driving
over high points on the road or over road
debris.
Repairs were not done correctly.
Your vehicle or exhaust system had been
modied improperly.
If you ever suspect exhaust is coming into
your vehicle:
Drive it only with all the windows down
to blow out any CO; and
Have your vehicle xed immediately.
Running Your Engine While You
Are Parked
It is better not to park with the engine running. But if
you ever have to, here are some things to know.
{CAUTION:
Idling the engine with the climate control
system off could allow dangerous exhaust into
your vehicle. See the earlier Caution under
Engine Exhaust on page 2-34.
Also, idling in a closed-in place can let deadly
carbon monoxide (CO) into your vehicle even
if the climate control fan is at the highest
setting. One place this can happen is a garage.
Exhaust — with CO — can come in easily.
NEVER park in a garage with the engine
running.
Another closed-in place can be a blizzard.
SeeWinter Driving on page 4-40.
2-34