GMC SIERRA 1996 Manual PDF

Ignition Positions
You can use your Key to turn your ignition switch to five
different positions.
C
1
E
W
LCCESSORY (A): This position lets you use things
like the radio, power windows and the windshield
wipers when the engine is off. Push
in the key and turn
it toward you. Your steering wheel will remain locked,
just
as it was before you inserted the key. LOCK
(B): This
position locks your ignition, steering
wheel
and transmission. It's a theft-deterrent feature.
You will only be able to remove your key when the
ignition is turned to
LOCK.
OFF (C): This position lets you turn off the engine but
still
turn the steering wheel. It doesn't lock the steering
wheel like
LOCK. Use OFF if you must have your
vehicle in motion while the engine is off (for example, if
your vehicle is being pushed).
RUN
(D): This is the position for driving.
START
(E): This position starts your engine.
I
I A CAUTION:
On manual transmission vehicles, turning the key
to LOCK will lock the steering column and result
in
a loss of ability to steer the vehicle. This could
cause
a collision. If you need to turn the engine
off' while the vehicle is moving, turn the key only
to
OFF. Don't press the key release button while
the vehicle is moving.
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NOTICE:
If your key seems stuck in LOCK and you can’t
turn it, be sure it is
all the way in. If it is, then
turn the steering wheel left and right while
you
turn the key hard. But turn the key only with
your hand. Using a tool to force it could break
the key or the ignition switch.
If none of this
works, then your vehicle needs service.
Key Release Button
The ignition key cannot be
removed from the ignition
of manual transmission
vehicles unless the key
release button
is used.
To remove the key on manual transmission vehicles,
turn the key to the
OFF position, then press the button
and
turn the key to the LOCK position. Do not hold the
button
in while turning the key to OFF. Keeping your
finger on the button,
pull the key straight out.
On automatic transmission vehicles, turn the key to
LOCK and
pull it straight out.
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Starting Your Gasoline Engine
If you have a diesel engine, see “Starting Your Diesel
Engine”
in the Diesel Engine Supplement.
Automatic transmission
Move your shift lever to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N).
Your engine won’t start in any other position -- that’s a
safety feature.
To restart when you’re already moving,
use NEUTRAL
(N) only.
NOTICE:
Don’t try to shift to PARK (P) if your vehicle is
moving.
If you do, you could damage the
transmission. Shift to
PARK (P) only when your
vehicle is stopped.
Manual transmission
The gear selector should be in NEUTRAL (N). Hold the
clutch pedal
to the floor and start the engine. Your
vehicle won’t start if the clutch pedal is not all the way
down
-- that’s a safety feature.
1. Without pushing the accelerator pedal, turn your
ignition key to START. When the engine starts,
let
go of the key. The idle speed will go down as your
engine gets warm.
NOTICE:
Holding your key in START for longer than
15 seconds at a time will cause your battery to be
drained much sooner. And the excessive heat can
damage your starter motor.
2. If it doesn’t start right away, hold your key in
START. If it doesn’t start in 10 seconds, push the
accelerator pedal
all the way down for five more
seconds, or
until it starts.
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3. If your engine still won’t start (or starts but then
stops), wait
15 seconds and start over.
When the engine starts, let
go of the key and the
accelerator pedal.
I NOTICE:
Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle.
If you add electrical
parts or accessories,
you could change the way
the engine operates. Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your dealer.
If you don’t,
your engine might not perform properly.
If you ever have to have your vehicle towed, see
the part
of this manual that tells how to do it
without damaging your vehicle. See “Towing
Your Vehicle” in the Index.
Engine Coolant Heater (Option)
-
In very cold weather,
0°F (-18°C) or colder,
the engine coolant heater
can help.
You’ll get easier starting and better fuel economy during
engine warm-up. Usually, the coolant heater
should be
pl~~gged in a minimum of four hours prior to starting
your vehicle.
To use the coolant heater:
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
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..
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock. Also, the wrong
kind of extension cord could overheat and cause
a fire.
You could be seriously injured. Plug the
cord into a properly grounded three-prong 110-volt
AC outlet. If the cord won't reach, use a
heavy-duty three-prong extension cord rated for
at least
15 amps.
3. After you've used the coolant heater, be sure to
store
the cord as it was before to keep it away
from moving engine parts.
If you don't. it could
be damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in'? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead of
trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your GM dealer in the area where you'll be parking your
vehicle. The dea1e.r can give
you the best advice for that
particular area.
Automatic Transmission Operation
There are several different positions for your- shift lever.
If your vehicle is equipped with an automatic
transmission,
it now features an electronic shift position
indicator
within the instrument cluster. This display
must be powered anytime the shift lever is capable
of
being moved out of the PARK (P) position. This means
that
if your key is in the OFF position, rather than the
LOCK position, there will be a small current drain on
your battery which could discharge your battery over
a period of time. If you have to leave your key in the
ignition
in the OFF position for an extended period, it is
recommended that you disconnect the battery cable from
the battery
to prevent discharging your battery.
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PARK (P): This locks your rear wheels. It’s the best
position
to use when you start your engine because your
vehicle can’t move
easily.
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in PARK
(P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Don’t leave
your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to.
If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured. To be sure your
vehicle won’t move, even when you’re on fairly
level ground,
always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to
PARK (P).
I
CAUTION: (Continued)
-
if’ you have 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 (N). So, be sure the transfer case is
in a drive gear, two-wheel high
(2H) or four-wheel
high
(4H) or four-wheel low (4L) -- not in
NEUTRAL
(N). See “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in
the Index. If you’re pulling
a trailer, see “Towing a
Trailer” in the Index.
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REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
NOTICE:
Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle is
moving forward could damage your transmission.
Shift to
REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle
is stopped.
I rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow.
ice or sand without damaging your transmission, see
“Stuck:
In Sand. Mud, Ice or Snow” in the Index.
NEUTRAL (N): In this position, your engine doesn’t
connect with the wheels.
To restart when you’re
already moving, use
NEUTRAL (N) only. Also, use
NEUTRAL (N) when your vehicle is being towed.
I Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) while
your engine
is “racing” (running at high speed) is
dangerous. Unless your
foot is firmly on the
brake pedal, your vehicle could move very
rapidly. You could lose control and hit people
or
objects. Don’t shift out of PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL (N) while your engine is racing.
I NOTICE:
Damage to your transmission caused by shifting
out
of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) with the
engine racing isn’t covered by your warranty.
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AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (0): This position is
for normal driving. If you need more power for passing,
and you’re:
0 Going less than about 35 mph (56 km/h), push your
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
accelerator all the way down.
0 Going about 35 mph (56 kdhj or more, push the
You’ll shift down to the next gear and have more power.
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE
(GO) can be used when
towing a trailer, carrying
a heavy load or driving on
steep hills. 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
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (68).
SECOND (2): This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy. 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
your brakes off and on.
If you manually select SECOND (2), the transmission
will drive in second gear. You may use this feature for reducing torque to
the rear wheels when
you are
trying to start your 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 first
gear
until the vehicle is going slowly enough.
NOTICE:
If your rear wheels can’t rotate, don’t try to
drive. This might happen if you were stuck in
very deep sand or mud or were
up against a solid
object. You could damage your transmission.
Also, if you stop when going uphill, don’t hold
your vehicle there with only the accelerator pedal. This could overheat and damage the
transmission. Use your brakes
or shift into
PARK
(P) to hold your vehicle in position
on a hill.
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Manual Transmission
5-Speed (with Low Gear)
Here's how to operate
your transmission:
LOW
(1 ) is intended only for heavy loads and is not
recommended for normal driving.
For normal driving conditions, start
your vehicle
moving
in the second gear position (FIRST (2)).
LOW (1): Press the clutch pedal and shift into LOW (1 ).
Then, slowly let up on the clutch pedal as you press the
accelerator pedal. Shift into LOW
(1) only when the
vehicle speed is below
5 tnph (8 kmh). If you try to shift
into LOW (1) at excessive vehicle speeds, the shift lever
will not move
into the LOW (1) position until vehicle
speed is reduced.
FIRST (2): Press the clutch pedal and shift into
FIRST (2). Then. slowly let up on the clutch pedal
as you press the accelerator pedal.
You can shift into
FIRST (2) when you're going less
than
20 mph (32 kdh). If you've come to a complete
stop and it's hard to shift into
FIRST (2), put the shift
lever
in NEUTRAL (N) and let up on the clutch. Press
the clutch pedal back down. Then
shift into FIRST (2).
If you try to shift into FIRST (2) at excessive vehicle
speeds, the shift lever will not move
into the FIRST (2)
position until vehicle speed is reduced.
SECOND (3): Press the clutch pedal as you let up
on the accelerator pedal and shift into SECOND (3).
Then, slowly let up on the clutch pedal as YOLI press
the accelerator pedal.
THIRD (4) and FOURTH (5): Shift into the higher
forward gears the same way you do for
SECOND (3).
Slowly let up on the clutch pedal as you press the
accelerator pedal.
To stop. let
up on the accelerator pedal and press
the brake pedal. Just before the vehicle stops, press
the clutch pedal and the brake pedal, and shift to
NEUTRAL
(N).
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NEUTRAL (N): Use this position when YOLI start
or idle your engine.
REVERSE (R): To back up, first press down the
clutch pedal. Wait about five seconds for the internal
parts
to stop spinning and then shift into REVERSE (R).
Let up on the clutch pedal slowly while pressing the
accelerator pedal.
NOTICE:
Shift to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle is
stopped. Shifting
to REVERSE (R) while your
vehicle is moving could damage your transmission.
Also, use REVERSE (R), along with the parking brake,
when turning off your engine and parking your vehicle.
5-Speed (Without Low Gear)
Here’s how to operate your transmission:
FIRST (1): Press the clutch pedal and shift into
FIRST
(I ). Then, slowly let up on the clutch pedal
as you press the accelerator pedal.
You can shift into FIRST
( 1 ) when you’re going less
than
20 mph (32 km/h). If you’ve come to a complete
stop and it’s hard to shift
into FIRST (l), put the shift
lever
in NEUTRAL (N) and let up on the clutch. Press
the clutch pedal back down. Then shift into FIRST
(1).
SECOND (2): Press the clutch pedal as you let up on
the accelerator pedal and shift
into SECOND (2). Then,
slowly let up on the clutch pedal as you press the
accelerator pedal.
THIRD (3), FOURTH (4) and FIFTH (5): Shift into
THIRD
(3), FOURTH (4) and FIFTH (5) the same way
you do for SECOND (2). Slowly let up on the clutch
pedal
as you press the accelerator pedal.
To stop, let up on the accelerator pedal and press the
brake pedal. Just before the vehicle stops, press the
clutch pedal and the brake pedal, and shift
to
NEUTRAL (N).
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