fuel GMC SIERRA 1996 Owners Manual

Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
For example,
these symbols
are used on an
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
ACID COULD BATTERY
CAUSE
BURNS
These symbols
are important
for you and
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle is
driven:
DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK
FASTEN SEAT
BELTS
These symbols
have
to do with
your lights:
SIGNALS e e3
TURN
WARNING
A
HAZARD
FLASHER
These symbols are
on some of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
DEFROSTER
These symbols are used on
warning and
indicator lights:
COOLANT
TEMP
-
CHARGING I-1
BAllERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE
(0)
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
LIGHTER
AVOID
SPARKS
OR
FLAMES
SPARK
OR ,\I/,
COULD FLAME
EXPLODE BATTERY POWER
WINDOW RUNNING
0
DAYTIME -
LAMPS '*'
FOG LAMPS # 0
VENTILATING
FAN
1
-3
COOLANT a
ENGINE OIL e,
PRESSURE HORN
)tr
SPEAKER v
FUEL B
V
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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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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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If your speed drops below 20 mph (32 km/h), or if the
engine
is not running smoothly, you should downshift to
the next lower gear. You may have to downshift two or
more gears to keep the engine running smoothly
or for
good performance.
If you have a five-speed manual transmission with low
gear (RPO MW3), the following charts show when to
shift to the
next higher gear for best fuel economy.
Acceleration Shift Speeds
VIN Code 2 to 3 3 to 4
4.3L V6 (W) 15 mph 40 mph
(24 km/h) (64 km/h)
Cruise Shift Speeds
4 to 5
SO mph
(80 km/h)
4.3L V6 (W) 15 rnph 25-40 mph 45-SO mph
(24 hdh) (40-64 kdh) (72-80 km/h)
Shift Light
SHIFT
If you have a manual
transmission, you may have
a SHIFT light. This light
will show
you when to shift
to the next higher gear for
best fuel economy.
When this light comes
on, you can shift to the next
higher gear
if weather, road and traffic conditions let
you. For the best fuel economy, accelerate slowly and
shift when the light comes on.
While
you accelerate, it is normal for the light to go
on and off if you quickly change the position of the
accelerator. Ignore the
SHIFT light when you downshift.
If your vehicle has four-wheel drive and is equipped
with
a manual transmission, disregard the SHIFT light
when
the transfer case is in 4L.
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To shift into or out of 4-WHEEL LOW (4L) or
NEUTRAL
(N):
1. Slow the vehicle to a roll, about 1 to 3 mph
(2 to 5 km/h) and shift an automatic transmission
into NEUTRAL (N), or with a manual transmission
press the clutch pedal.
2. Shift the transfer case shift lever in one
continuous motion.
Don’t pause in NEUTRAL
(N) as you shift the
transfer case into 4-WHEEL LOW (4L), or your gears
could clash.
Remember that driving in 4-WHEEL HIGH (4H)
or 4-WHEEL LOW (4L) may reduce fuel economy.
Also, driving in four-wheel drive
on dry pavement could
cause your tires to wear faster and make your transfer
case harder to shift.
When
your headlamps or parking lamps are on,
rotate the thumb wheel next to the headlamp switch
up to brighten, or down
to dim, your transfer case
indicator light.
Electronic Transfer Case (Option)
If your four-wheel-drive vehicle has the electronic
transfer case, the transfer case switches are below and to
the left
of the climate control system.
Use these switches to shift into and
out of four-wheel
drive. You can choose among three driving settings:
2HI: This setting is for driving in most street and
highway situations. Your front axle is not engaged in
two-wheel drive.
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Instrument Panel Cluster
CHECK GAGES
SERVICE ENGINE SOON ANTI
LOCK
TRIP loo 0 0 oolol 1 APPLY TO SHIFT FROM PARK
United
States version shown, Canada similar.
Your instrument cluster is designed to let you know at a glance how your vehicle is running. You'll know how
fast you're going, about how much fuel you have and many other things you'll need to
know to drive safely
and economically.
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Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Service
- ;ine Soon Light) (Gasoline Engine)
Your vehicle is equipped
with a computer which
monitors operation
of the
fuel, ignition and emission SERVICE
ENGINE
SOON
control systems.
This system
is called OBD I1 (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) and is intended to
assure that emissions are at acceptable levels for the
life of the vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner
environment. (In Canada,
OBD TI is replaced by
Enhanced Diagnostics.) The
SERVICE ENGINE SOON
light comes on to indicate that there is a problem and
service
is required. Malfunctions often will be indicated
by the system before any problem
is apparent, which
may prevent more serious damage to your vehicle. This
system is
also designed to assist your service technician
in correctly diagnosing any malfunction.
I NOTICE:
If you keep driving your vehicle with this light
on, after a while, your emission controls may not
work as well, your fuel economy may not be as
good and your engine may not run as smoothly.
This could lead
to costly repairs that may not be
covered by your warranty.
This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when the ignition is
on and the engine is not
running.
If the light doesn’t come on, have it repaired.
This light will also come
on during a malfunction in one
of two ways:
0 Light Flashing -- A misfire condition has been
detected.
A misfire increases vehicle emissions and
may damage
the emission control system on your
vehicle. Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis
and service
is required.
0 Light On Steady -- An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis and
service may be required.
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If the Light Is Flashing If the Light Is On Steady
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
Reduce vehicle speed.
Avoid hard accelerations.
Avoid steep uphill grades.
0 If towing a trailer, reduce the amount of cargo being
hauled
as soon as it is possible.
If the light stops flashing and remains
on steady, see “If
the Light
Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to flash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Put your vehicle in PARK (P). Turn the
key off, wait at least
10 seconds and restart the engine.
If the light remains
on steady, see “If the Light Is On
Steady” following.
If the light is still flashing follow the
previous steps, and drive the vehicle
to your dealer or
qualified service center for service.
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you just put fuel
into your vehicle?
If so7 reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. The diagnostic system can determine if the fuel
cap has been left off or improperly installed. This will
allow fuel to evaporate into
the atmosphere. A few
driving trips should turn the light off.
Did
you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will
usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out.
A few driving trips should turn the light off.
Are you low on fuel?
As your engine starts to run out of fuel, your engine may
not run as efficiently as designed since small amounts of
air are sucked into the fuel line causing a misfire. The
system can detect this. Adding fuel should correct this
condition. Make
sure to install the fuel cap properly. it
will take a few driving trips to turn the light off.
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Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If
so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel (see
"Fuel" in the Index). Poor fuel quality will cause your
engine
not to run as efficiently as designed. You may
notice this
as stalling after start-up, stalling when you
put the vehicle into gear, misfiring, hesitaIion on
acceleration or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may go away once the engine
is warmed up.)
This will be detected by
the system and cause the light
to turn on.
If
you experience this condition, change the fuel brand
you use.
It will require at least one full tank of the
proper fuel to turn the light off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn off,
have
your dealer or qualified service center check the'
vehicle. Your dealer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic
tools to fix any mechanical or electrical
problems
that may have developed.
Oil Pressure Gage
0 \ 80
The oil pressure gage shows
the engine oil pressure in psi
(pounds per square inch)
when the engine is running.
Canadian vehicles indicate pressure in
Wa (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.
A reading in the low pressure zone may be caused
by a dangerously low oil level or some other problem
causing low oil pressure. Check your
oil as soon
as possible.
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/A CAUTION: l!,L- .
Don’t keep driving if the oil pressure is low. If
you do, your engine can become so hot that it
catches 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 and
is not covered by your
warranty.
Shift Light
SHIFT
This light is used on some
models
with manual
transmissions.
The
SHIFT indicator light will help you get the best fuel
economy. See “Shift Light” or “Shift Speeds”
in this
section for more information.
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