warning GMC SIERRA 1996 Owner's Manual
[x] Cancel search | Manufacturer: GMC, Model Year: 1996, Model line: SIERRA, Model: GMC SIERRA 1996Pages: 404, PDF Size: 21.57 MB
Page 231 of 404

You can be burned if’ you spill coolant on hot
engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol
and it will burn if the engine parts are hot
enough. Don’t
spill coolant on a hat engine.
When the coolant in the coolant recovery tank is at or
above
the COLD mark, start your vehicle.
If the overheat warning continues. there’s one more
thing you can try. You can add the proper coolant mix
directly to the radiator, but be sure the cooling system is
cool before you do it.
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Page 237 of 404

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.
Changing a tire can cause an injury. The vehicle
can slip
off the jack and roll over you or other
people.
You and they could be badly injured.
Find a level place to change your tire.
To help
prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put an automatic transmission shift lever in
PARK (P) or shift a manual transmission to
FIRST (1) or REVERSE: (K).
3. If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle,
be sure the transfer case is
in a drive
gear
-- not in NEUTRAL (N).
4. Turn off the engine.
CAUTION: (Continued)
To be even more certain the vehicle won't move,
you can put blocks at the front and rear of the
tire farthest away from the one being changed.
That would be the tire on the other side of the
vehicle, at the opposite end.
The following
steps will tell you how to use the jack and
change a tire.
5-21
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Page 266 of 404

What to Do with Used Oil
Did you know that used engine oil contains certain
elements that
may be unhealthy for your skin and could
even cause cancer? Don’t let used
oil stay on your skin
for very long. Clean your skin and nails with soap and
water, or
a good hand cleaner. Wash or properly throw
away clothing or rags containing used engine oil. (See
the manufacturer’s warnings about the use and disposal
of oil products.)
Used
oil can be a real threat to the environment. If you
change your own
oil, be sure to drain all free-flowing oil
from the filter before disposal. Don’t ever dispose
of oil
by putting it in the trash, pouring it on the ground, into
sewers,
or into streams or bodies of water. Instead,
recycle
it by taking it to a place that collects used oil. If
you have a problem properly disposing of your used oil,
ask your dealer, a service station or a local recycling
center for
help.
Air Cleaner
Your air cleaner is located between the battery and
coolant recovery tank.
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Page 277 of 404

A 50/50 mixture of water and the proper coolant for
your vehicle
will:
Give freezing prorecrlon down to -34°F (-37°C).
Give boiling protection up to 265°F (129°C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine temperature.
Let the warning gages work as they should.
NOTICE:
When adding coolant it is important that you use
DEX-COOL TM (orange-colored, silicate-free)
coolant meeting
GM Specification 6277M.
If silicated coolant is added to the system,
premature engine, heater core or radiator
corrosion may result.
In addition, the engine
coolant will require change sooner
-- at
30,000 miles (50 000 km) or 24 months,
whichever occurs first. use
a mixture
of one-half dum wwter (preferably
distilled) and one-half
DEX-COOL” (orange-colored.
silicate-free) antifreeze that meets
GM Specification
6277M. which
won‘t damage aluminum parts. Use
GM Engine Coolant Supplement (sealer) (GM Part
No. 363462 1 ) with any complete coolant change. If you
use this mixture.
you don’t need to add anything else.
Adding only plain water to your cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water, or some other
liquid like alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mix will. Your vehicle’s coolant warning
system
is set for the proper coolant mix. With
plain water or the wrong mix, your engine could
get
too hot but you wouldn’t get the overheat
warning. Your engine could catch fire and you or
others could be burned. Use a
50150 mix of clean
water and
DEX-COOL TM (orange-colored,
silicate-free) antifreeze.
f 27
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Page 285 of 404

NOTICE:
0
0
Using the wrong fluid can badly damage
brake system parts. For example,.just a few
drops of mineral-based oil, such
as engine
oil,
in your brake system can damage brake
system parts
so badly that they’ll have to be
replaced. Don’t let someone put in the
wrong kind of fluid.
If you spill brake fluid on your vehicle’s
painted surfaces, the paint finish can be
damaged. Be careful not to spill brake
fluid on your vehicle.
If you do, wash it
off immediately. See &‘Appearance Care”
in
the Index.
Brake Wear
If you have a C 3500 HD model, it has four-wheel
disc brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that
make a high-pitched warning sound when the brake
pads are worn and
new pads are needed. The sound
may come and
go or be heard all the time your vehicle
is moving (except when you are pushing on the brake
pedal firmly).
A’ CAUTION:
I
The brake wear warning sound means that
sooner or later your brakes won’t work well.
That could lead to an accident. When you hear
the brake wear warning sound, have your vehicle serviced.
6-35
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Page 304 of 404

-
A CAUTION:
Mixing tires could cause you to lose control while
driving.
If you mix tires of different sizes or types
(radial and bias-belted tires), the vehicle may not
handle properly, and you could have a crash.
Using tires of different sizes may also cause
damage to your vehicle.
Be sure to use the same
size and type tires on all wheels.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, which grades tires
by
treadwear, traction and temperature performance.
(This applies only to vehicles sold in the United States.)
The grades are molded on the sidewalls of most
passenger car tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading
system does
not apply to deep tread, winter-type snow
tires, space-saver or temporary
use spare tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters
of IO to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm),
or to some limited-production tires. While
the tires available on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary with respect to these
grades,
they must also conform to Federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) standards.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on
a specified government test course. For
example. a tire graded 150 would wear one and a half
(1 1/2) times as well on the government course as a tire
upon the actual conditions of their use, however, and
may depart significantly from
the norm due to variations
in driving habits, service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
E at-aded 100. The relative performance of tires depends
Traction -- A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are A, B, and
C, and they represent
the tire’s ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under controlled conditions on
specified government test surfaces
of asphalt and concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned
to this, tire is based
on braking (straightahead) traction tests and does not
include cornering (turning) traction.
6-54
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Page 305 of 404

Tempera A, B, c
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability
to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions
on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead
to sudden tire failure.
The grade
C corresponds to a level of performance
which
all passenger car tires must meet under the
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades
B and A represent higher levels of performance on the
laboratory test wheel than the minimum required
by law.
--
Warning: The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced
carefully at the factory
to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance,
In most cases, you will not need to have your wheels
aligned again. However, if
you notice unusual tire wear
or
your vehicle pulling one way or the other, the
alignment may need
to be reset. If you notice your
vehicle vibrating when driving
on a smooth road, your
wheels may need to be rebalanced.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked, or badly rusted
or corroded.
If wheel nuts keep coming loose, the wheel,
wheel bolts and wheel nuts should be replaced.
If the
wheel leaks air, replace it (except some aluminum
wheels, which can sometimes be repaired). See your
GM dealer if any of these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind of wheel you need.
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Page 308 of 404

Appear nce CT-e
Remember, cleaning products can be hazardous. Some
are toxic. Others can burst into
flame if you strike a
match or get them on a hot part of the vehicle. Some are
dangerous if
you breathe their fumes in a closed space.
When you use anything from’ a container
to clean your
vehicle, be sure
to follow the manufacturer’s warnings
and instructions. And always open your doors or
windows
when you’re cleaning the inside.
Never use these to clean your vehicle:
0 Gasoline
0 Benzene
0 Naphtha
Carbon Tetrachloride
0 Acetone
0 Paint Thinner
0 Turpentine
0 Lacquer Thinner
0 Nail Polish Remover
They can all be hazardous
-- some more than
others
-- and they can all damage your vehicle, too. Don’t use
any of these unless this manual says
you can.
In many uses, these will damage your vehicle:
0 Alcohol
Laundry Soap
Bleach
0 Reducing Agents
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
Use a vacuum cleaner often to get rid of dust and loose
dirt. Wipe
vinyl or leather with a clean, damp cloth.
Your
GM dealer has two GM cleaners, a solvent-type
spot lifter and
a foam-type powdered cleaner. They will
clean normal spots and stains very well.
Do not use
them
on vinyl or leather.
Here are some cleaning tips:
0 Always read the instructions on the cleaner label.
0 Clean up stains as soon as you can -- before they set.
0 Use a clean cloth or sponge, and change to a clean area
0 Use solvent-type cleaners in a well-ventilated area
often.
A
soft brush may be used if stains are stubborn.
only. If you use them, don’t saturate
the stained area.
If a ring forms after spot cleaning, clean the entire
area immediately or it
will set.
6-58
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Page 321 of 404

Fuse Usage
15 DRL Relay, Fog Lamp Relay
Underhood Fusemelay Center
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23 24 Front and Rear Turn
Signals, Back-up
Lamps, BTSI Solenoid
Radio (Ignition)
4WALNCM, ABS, Cruise Control
Radio (Battery)
PRNDL, Automatic Transmission,
Speedometer, Check Gages Warning Light
Not Used
Not Used
Not Used
Front Axle, 4WD Indicator Lamp, TP2 Relay
(Gasoline Engine)
A Power Door Lock, Six-Way Power Seat,
Keyless Entry Module
B Power Windows The underhood
fusehelay center is located in the rear
of
the engine compartment near the brake fluid reservoir.
Move the retainer clips for the cover to access the fuse
block.
You can remove fuses with a fuse extractor. The fuse
extractor
is mounted to the interior fuse block. To
remove fuses if
you don’t have a fuse extractor, hold the
end of the fuse between your thumb and index finger
and
pull straight out.
6-71
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Page 391 of 404

Section 9 Index
I
Accessory Power Outlet ......................... 2-53
AirBag
....................................... 1-21
Adding Equipment
............................ 1 -26
How Does it Restrain .......................... 1-24
How
it Works ................................ 1-23
Location
.................................... 1-23
Readiness Light
......................... 1-22, 2-59
Servicing ................................... 1-26
What Makes
it Inflate .......................... 1-24
What Will
You See After it Inflates ............... 1-24
When Should
it Inflate ......................... 1-23
Aircleaner
.................................... 6-16
Air Cleaner Filter Restriction Indicator Check
........ 7-43
Air Conditioning
................................ 3-3
Air Conditioning Refrigerants
..................... 6-76
Alignment and Balance, Tire
...................... 6-55
Aluminum Wheels, Cleaning
...................... 6-64
Antenna
...................................... 3-24
Antifreeze
..................................... 6-26
Anti-Lock
Brakes
...................................... 4-6
Brake System Warning Light
................ 2-62, 4-6
I
Appearance Care ............................... 6-58
Appearance Care Materials ....................... 6-66
Arbitration Program
.............................. 8-7
Armrest Storage Compartment
.................... 2-51
Ashtrays
...................................... 2-52
Audio Equipment. Adding
........................ 3-23
Audio Systems
.................................. 3-6
Automatic Transmission
......................... 2-11
Check
...................................... 7-43
Fluid
....................................... 6-19
Park Mechanism Check
........................ 7-45
Starting Your Engine
.......................... 2-11
Operation ................................... 2-13
Axle. Front .................................... 6-26
Axle. Locking Rear
............................. 2-21
Axle. Rear .................................... 6-24
Battery
...................................... 6-37
Jump Starting
................................. 5-2
Replacement. Keyless Entry
..................... 2-6
Warnings
................................ 5-2. 5-4
BBB Auto Line
................................. 8-7
Better Business Bureau Mediation ................... 8-7
9-1
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