steering GMC SIERRA 1994 Owner's Manual

Hard packed snow and ice offer the worst tire traction. On these surfxes,
it’s very easy to lose control. On wet ice, for example, the traction
is so poor
that you will have difficulty accelerating. And
if you do get moving, poor
steering and difficult braking can cause you to slide out of control.
Driving In Water
Light rain causes no special off-road driving problems. But heavy rain can
mean flash flooding, and flood waters demand extreme caution.
Find out how deep the water is before you drive through it. If it’s deep
enough to cover your wheel hubs, axles, or exhaust pipe, don’t try
it - you
probably won’t get through.
Also, water that deep can damage your axle and
other vehicle parts.
If the water isn’t too deep, then drive through it slowly. At fast speeds, water
splashes on your ignition system and your vehicle can stall. Stalling can
also
occur if you get your tailpipe under water. And, as long as your tailpipe is
under water, you’ll never be able
to start your engine. When you go through
water, remember that when your brakes get wet, it may take you longer to
stop.
If you have
a diesel engine, see “Driving Through Water (Diesel Engines)”
in the Index for more information
on driving through water.
4-23
ProCarManuals.com

After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that has collected on the underbody, chassis or
under the hood. These accumulations can be
a fire hazard.
After operation
in mud or sand, have the brake linings cleaned and checked.
These substances can cause glazing and uneven braking. Check the body
structure, steering, suspension, wheels, tires, and exhaust system for
damage. Also, check the fuel lines and cooling system for any leakage.
Your vehicle will require more frequent service due to off-road use. Refer
to the Maintenance Schedule for additional information.
Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving. One reason is that some
drivers are likely to be impaired
- by alcohol or drugs. with night vision
problems,
or by fatigue.
Here are some tips
on night driving.
Drive defensively.
Don’t drink and drive.
a Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the glare from headlights
behind you.
Since you can’t see as well, you may need to slow down and keep more
space between you and other vehicles.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your headlights can light
up only so much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you’re tired, pull off the road in a safe place and rest.
4-24
ProCarManuals.com

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 the least traction of all. You can get “wet ice” when it’s about
freezing
(32” F; 0°C) and freezing rain begins to fall. Try to avoid driving
on wet ice until salt and sand crews can get there.
Whatever the condition
- smooth ice, packed, blowing or loose snow -
drive with caution.
Accelerate gently. Try not
to break the fragile traction. If you accelerate too
fast, the drive wheels will spin and polish the surface under the tires even
more.
Your anti-lock brakes improve your ability to 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
“Anti-lock” in the Index.
Allow greater following distance on any slippery road.
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.
4-34
ProCarManuals.com

Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform, safety chains,
electrical connector, lights, tires and mirror adjustment. If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your
vehicle and trailer moving and then apply the
trailer brake controller by hand to be sure the brakes are working. This lets
you check your electrical connection at
the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the load is secure, and
that the lights and any trailer brakes are still working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you would when
driving your vehicle without a trailer. This can help
you avoid situations that
require heavy braking and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when you’re towing a trailer.
And, because you’re a good deal longer, you’ll need to
go much farther
beyond the passed vehicle before
you can return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand. Then, to move the
trailer to the left, just move that hand to the
left. To move the trailer to the
right, move your hand to
the right. Always back up slowly and, if possible?
have someone guide you.
Making Turns
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns than normal. Do this
so your trailer won’t strike soft shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees, or other
objects. Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well in advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have a different turn signal
flasher and extra wiring. The green arrows
on your instrument panel will
flash whenever you signal a turn or lane change. Properly hooked up, the
trailer lights will also flash, telling other drivers you’re about to turn,
change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green arrows on your instrument panel will flash
for turns even if the bulbs
on the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may think
drivers behind you are seeing your signal when
they are not. It’s important
to check occasionally
to be sure the trailer bulbs are still working.
4-42
ProCarManuals.com

When you call, tell the towing service:
That your vehicle has rear-wheel drive, or that it has the four-wheel
drive option.
The make, model, and year of your vehicle.
Whether you can move the shift lever for the transmission and transfer
case,
if you have one.
If there was an accident, what was damaged.
1
When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition key off. The steering
wheel should be clamped
in a straight-ahead position, with a clamping
device designed for towing service.
Do not use the vehicle’s steering
column lock for this. The transmission and transfer case,
if you have one,
should be in Neutral and
the parking brake released.
5-8
ProCarManuals.com

..I . ... . ;. ..
Engine Fan Noise
Your vehicle has a clutched engine cooling fan. When the clutch is engaged,
the fan spins faster
to provide more air to cool the engine. In most every day
driving conditions
the fan is spinning slower and clutch is not fully engaged.
This improves fuel economy and reduces fan noise. Under heavy vehicle
loading, trailer towing and/or high outside temperatures, the fan speed
increases as
the clutch more fully engages. So you may hear an increase in
fan noise. This is normal and should not be mistaken as the transmission
slipping or making extra shifts. It is merely the cooling system functioning
properly. The fan will slow down when additional cooling is not required
and
the clutch partially disengages.
You may also hear
this fan noise when you start the engine. It will go away
as
the fan clutch partially disengages.
If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s UfluSual for a tire to “blow out” while you’re driving, especially if you
maintain your tires properly. If air goes out of a tire, it’s much more likely to
leak
out slowly. But if you should ever have a “blowout,’’ here are a few tips
about what
to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that pulls the vehicle
toward that side. Take your foot off
the accelerator pedal and grip the
steering wheel firmly. Steer to maintain lane position, then gently brake to a
stop well
out of the traffic lane.
5-25
ProCarManuals.com

A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a skid and may
require the same correction you’d use in
a skid. In any rear blowout, remove
your foot from the accelerator pedal. Get
the vehicle under control by
steering the way you want the vehicle to go. It may be very bumpy and
noisy, but you can still steer. Gently brake to a stop, well \
off the road if
possible.
If a tire goes flat, the next section shows how to use your jac\
king equipment
to change a flat tire safely.
Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage by driving slowly to a
level place. Turn
on your hazard warning flashers.
5-26
t
ProCarManuals.com

NOTICE:
~ ~ ~~ ~~
Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of your vehicle as well\
as
the tires. If you spin the wheels too fast while shifting your back
and forth, you can destroy your
.
Rocking your vehicle to get it out:
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will clear the area around
your front wheels. Then shift back and forth between
“R’ (Reverse) and a
forward gear (or with a manual
, between First or Second gear and Reverse),
spinning the wheels as little as possible. Release the accelerator pedal while
you shift, and press lightly on the accelerator pedal when the\
is in gear. If
that doesn’t get you out after a few tries, you may need to be towed out. Or,
you can use your recovery hooks,
if your vehicle has them. If you do need
to be towed out, see “Towing Your Vehicle” in the Index.
Using the Recovery Hooks
If you ever get stuck in sand, mud, ice or snow, your vehicle may be
equipped with recovery hooks. The recovery hooks are provided at the front
of your vehicle. You may need to use them
if you’re stuck off-road and
need to be pulled to some place where you can continue drivin\
g.
5-41
ProCarManuals.com

Service & Appearance Care
Section
Here you will find information about the care of your vehicle . This section
begins with service and fuel information. and then it shows how to check
important fluid and lubricant levels
. There is also technical information
about your vehicle. and a section devoted to its appearance care
.
Service ................................................... 6-3
Fuel (Gasoline Engines)
...................................... 6-4
Diesel Fuel Requirements and Fuel System
...................... 6-5
Checking Things Under the Hood
............................. 6-15
HoodRelease
.......................................... 6-15
Cleaning Your Diesel Engine
.............................. 6-16
Noise Control System .................................... 6-16
Engine Oil (Except Diesel)
................................ 6-17
Engine Oil (Diesel Engines)
............................... 6-24
iri
Air Cleaner ............................................ 6-29
Automatic Fluid ........................................ 6-30
ManualFluid
........................................... 6-33
Hydraulic Clutch
........................................ 6-34
RearAxle ............................................. 6-35
mnsfer Case
.......................................... 6-36
FrontAxle
............................................. 6-37
Engine Coolant
......................................... 6-38
Power Steering Fluid
.................................... 6-43
6-1
ProCarManuals.com

NOTICE:
Your surge tank pressure cap is a unique 15 psi (105 kPa)
pressure-type cap for use with surge tank cooling systems only.
It must be tightly installed to prevent coolant
loss and possible
engine damage from overheating. Be sure the arrows on the cap
line up with the top tube
of the coolant surge tank.
Thermostat
Engine coolant temperature is controlled by a thermostat in the engine
coolant system. The thermostat stops
the flow of coolant through the
radiator
until the coolant reaches a preset temperature.
When
you replace your thermostat, an AC" thermostat is recommended.
Power Steering Fluid
NOTICE:
Always turn the engine off before checking or adding power
steering fluid. The power steering pump cap is close to the fan
and other moving parts.
How To Check Power Steering Fluid
Unscrew the cap and
wipe the dipstick
with
a clean rag. Replace
the cap and completely
tighten it. Then
remove the cap again
and
look at the fluid
level on the dipstick.
6-43
ProCarManuals.com