engine GMC SIERRA 1993 Owner's Guide

Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Service Engine Soon Light)
I
SERVICE
EF_'31NE
SOON
K2329
A computer monitors operation of your fuel, ignition, and emission control
systems. This light should come on when the ignition is on bu\
t the engine is not running, as a check to show you it is working. If it does not come on at
all, have it fixed right away.
If it stays on, or comes on while you are driving,
the computer is indicating that you have a problem. You should take your
vehicle in for service soon.
NOTICE
E
If you keep driving your vehicle with this light on, after awhile the emission
controls won't work well, your fuel economy won't be as good, and your
engine may not run as smoothly. This could lead
to costly repairs not
covered by your warranty.
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Features & Controls
CHECK GAGES Light
This light will come on briefly when you are starting the engine. If the light
comes on and stays
on while you are driving, it could indicate a problem with
your vehicle. Check your various gages to see
if they are in the warning
zones.
K2330
Daytime Running Lights (DRL) Indicator Light (Canada On/y)
I-
K2318
If your vehicle was first sold, when new, in Canada, you will have this green
light on the instrument panel. It will light, just above the \
speedometer,
whenever the Daytime Running Lights are on. For more details a\
bout DRL,
see “Headlights and Vehicle Lighting” in this section.
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Features & Controls
Listed are four situations you may experience with your fuel g\
age:
At the gas station, the fuel pump shuts off before the gage reads full.
It takes a little more or less fuel to fill up than the fuel gage indicated.
For example, the gage may have indicated the tank was half fu\
ll, but
it
actually took a little more or less than half the tank's capa\
city to fill the
tank.
The gage moves a little when you turn a corner or speed up. \
The gage doesn't go back to empty when you turn off the ignition.
None of these indicate a problem with the fuel gage.
For information on how to
fill your fuel tank see "Fuel-Filling Your Tank" in
the Index.
For your fuel tank capacity, see "Fuel-Tank Capacity"
in the Index.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
760
K2334
This gage shows the engine coolant temperature. If the gage pointer moves
into the red area, about 260°F
(145°C) or more, your engine is too hot! It
means that your engine coolant has overheated.
If you have been operating
your vehicle under normal operating conditions, you should pull \
off the road,
stop your vehicle and turn
off the engine as soon as possible.
Hot Coolant Can Burn You Badly!
In "Problems on the Road", this manual shows what to do. See \
"Engine
Overheating" in the Index.
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Oil Pressure Gage
Standard Cluster, Gas Standard Cluster, Diesel
60
K2335
Tachometer Cluster, Gas Tachometer Cluster, Diesel
The oil pressure gage shows the engine oil pressure in psi (pounds per
square inch) when the engine is running. Canadian vehicles ind\
icate pressure
in kPa (kilopascals). Oil pressure may vary with engine speed\
, outside
temperature and
oil viscosity, but readings above the low pressure zone
indicate the normal operating range.
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Features & Controls
A reading in the low pressure zone may be caused by a dangerously low oil
level or other problem causing low oil pressure. Check your oil as soon as
possible.
bnu I IUIY
+ Don’t keep driving if the oil pressure is low. If you do, your engine
can become
so hot that it catches on fire. You or others could be
burned. Check your oil as soon as possible and have your vehicle
serviced.
I NOTICE
Damage to your engine from neglected oil problems can be costly anc
not covered by your warranty.
Voltmeter
Standard Cluster Tachometer Cluster
14 14
A
K2336
When your engine is not running, but the ignition is on (in the Run position),
this gage shows your battery’s state of charge in DC volts. When the engine
is running, the gage shows the condition of the charging system. Readings
between the low and high warning zones indicate the normal ope\
rating range.
Readings
in either warning zone indicate a possible problem in the electrical
system.
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Heater Output
Optional Engine Block Heater
If your engine is equipped with an optional engine block heater, you can use
it during initial start-up in cold weather (20”F,
-8”C, or lower) to help heat the
passenger compartment faster. Because an engine block heater war\
ms the
engine coolant, your vehicle’s heating system can provide som\
e heat as soon
as you start the engine.
The use
of an engine block heater also reduces the time it takes for the
engine to reach normal operating temperature, and shortens the time it takes
the heater to reach full output. For more information, See “Engine Block
Heater” in the Index.
Diesel Engine
If you idle your diesel engine for a long time when it’s cold\
outside, your
heater may blow out cool air. This is normal. When you increase the \
engine
speed, your heater should blow out warmer air.
If it doesn’t, your coolant
level may be
low. See “Engine Coolant’’ in the Index to find out how to
check your coolant level.
Electronic HeatingAir Conditioning System
Function Display
K2305
If your vehicle has air conditioning, your heating/air conditioning \
system will
look like this.
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Audio Systems
Your Delco@ audio system has been designed to operate easily and give
years of listening pleasure. But you will get the most enjoyment out of it,
if
you acquaint yourself with it first. Find out what your Delco@ system can do
and how to operate all its controls, to be sure you’re getting the most out of
the advanced engineering that went into
it.
Hearing damage from loud noise is almost undetectable until it is too
late. Your hearing can adapt to higher volumes of sound. Sound that
seems normal can be loud and harmful to your hearing. Take
precautions by adjusting the volume control on your radio to a safe
sound level before hearing adapts to
it.
To help avoid hearing loss or damage: I a-
s
Adjust the volume control to the lowest setting.
Increase volume slowly until you hear comfortably and clearly.
I NOTICE I
FM Stereo
FM stereo will give you the best sound. But FM signals will reach only about
10 to 40 miles (16 to 65 km). And, tall buildings or hills can interfere with
FM signals, causing the sound to come and go.
AM
The range for most AM stations is greater than for FM, especially at night.
The longer range, however, can cause stations to interfere with each other.
AM can pick up noise from things like electrical storms and power\
lines. If
the noise interferes with your listening,
try reducing the treble to lessen the
noise.
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If you keep pace with the traffic and alllow realieti~ following dbtances, ‘you
will eliminate a lot .of unnecessary braking.. That means - better brakin’g . and
longer brake life;
,* If your engine ever stops while- you’re driving, brake normally but don’t
pump your brakes. If you do, tht$ pedal may get harder to. .push down. If
your- engine stops, you will still have some power $rake, 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.
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS)
Your vehicl’e has an ‘advanced electronic braking system that can help keep it
under Control.
When you turn your key on you m.ay .hear a momentary clicking ngise. , ,.
Here’s I how anti-lock .works. Let’s say the road is wet. You’re d.rivilng. sifely.
Suddenly an animal jumps out In frqnt of you.
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Rear Drum Brakes
If you have rear drum brakes, they don’t have the wear indicators, \
but if you
ever hear a rear brake rubbing noise, have the rear brake lining inspected.
Also, the rear brake drums should be removed and inspected each time\
the
tires are removed for rotation or changing. When you have the \
front brakes replaced, have the rear brakes inspected, too.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to normal height, or if
there is a rapid increase in pedal travel. This could be a sign of brake
trouble.
Brake Adjusiment
Every time you make a brake stop, your disc brakes adjust for\
wear. If your
brake pedal goes down farther than normal, your rear drum brak\
es may need
adjustment. Adjust them by backing up and firmly applying the brakes a few
times.
Braking In Emergencies
At some time, nearly every driver gets into a situation that requires hard
braking. You have the rear wheel anti-lock braking system. Your front wheels
can stop rolling when you brake very hard. Once they
do, the vehicle can’t
respond to your steering. Momentum will carry it in whatever direction it was
headed when the wheels stopped rolling. That could be off the \
road, into the
very thing you were trying to avoid, or into traffic.
So, use a “squeeze” braking technique. This will give you max\
imum braking
while maintaining steering control. You
do this by pushing on the brake pedal
with steadily increasing pressure. When you
do, it will help maintain steering
control. In many emergencies, steering can help you more than even the very
best braking.
Steering
Power Sieerhg
If you lose power steering assist because the engine stops or \
the system
fails to function, you can steer but it will take much more effort.
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Your Driving and the Road
the right lane. (Remember that your right outside mirror is c\
onvex. The
vehicle you just passed may seem to be farther away from you \
than
it
really is).
Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time on two-lane roads.
Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly. Even though the
Reconsider before passing the next vehicle.
brake lights are not flashing, it may be slowing down
or starting to turn.
If you’re being passed, make it easy for the following driver to get ahead
of you. Perhaps you can ease a little
to the right.
Loss of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say about what happens whe\
n the three
control systems (brakes, steering and acceleration) don’t ha\
ve enough friction
where the tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying to steel+-, arid constantly seek an
escape route
or area of less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid
most skids by taking reasonable care suited
to existing conditions, and by not
“overdriving” those conditions. But skids are always possib\
le.
The three types
of skids correspond to your vehicle’s three control systems.
In the braking skid your wheels aren’t rolling. In the steering
or cornering
skid, too much speed
or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and lose
cornering force. And in the acceleration skid too much throttle\
causes the
driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid and an acceleration skid are best handled by ea\
sing your
foot
off the accelerator pedal. If your vehicle starts to slide (as when you turn
a corner on a wet, snow-
or ice-covered road), ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal as soon as you feel the vehicle start to sl\
ide. Quickly steer
the way you want the vehicle
to go. If you start steering quickly enough, your
vehicle
will straighten out. As it does, straighten the front wheels.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice, gravel, or other material
is on the road.
For safety, you’ll want to slow down and adjust your driving to
these conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery surfaces because
stopping distance will be longer and vehicle control more limit\
ed.
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 slid\
e. You
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