GMC SIERRA 1997 Owners Manual

REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
~OTICE:
r
~~
Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle is
moving forward could damage your transmission.
Shift to
REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle
is stopped.
To 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. 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.
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 (@): This position is for
normal driving. If you need more power for passing, and
you’re:
Going less than about 35 mph (56 km/h), push your
Going about 35 mph (56 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator
pedal about halfway down.
accelerator all
the way down.
You’ll shift down to the next gear and have more power.
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE
(a) can be used when
towing
a trailer, carrying a heavy load, driving on steep
hills or for off-road driving.
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 (a).
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 Operation
5-Speed (MW3 Transmission with Low
Gear) (If Equipped)
Here’s how to operate
your transmission:
FIRST
(1) is intended only for heavy loads and is not
recommended for normal driving.
During the first
500 miles (805 km) of vehicle use, start
your vehicle moving
in FIRST (1). This allows clutch
components to break-in properly.
FIRST (1): Press the clutch pedal and shift into
FIRST
(1). Then, slowly let up on the clutch pedal as
you press the accelerator pedal. Shift into FIRST
(1)
only when the vehicle speed is below 5 mph (8 km/h).
If you try to shift down into FIRST (1) at excessive
vehicle speeds, the shift lever will not move into
the
FIRST (1) position until vehicle speed is reduced.
SECOND (2): Press the clutch pedal and shift into
SECOND
(2). Then, slowly let up on the clutch pedal as
you press the accelerator pedal.
You can shift into SECOND (2) 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 SECOND (2), put the shift lever
in NEUTRAL (N) and let up on the clutch. Press the
clutch pedal back down. Then
shift into SECOND (2).
If you try to downshift into SECOND (2) at excessive
vehicle speeds, the shift lever will not move into the
SECOND (2) position
until vehicle speed is reduced.
THIRD (3): Press the clutch pedal as you let up on
the accelerator pedal and shift into THIRD (3). Then,
slowly let up on
the clutch pedal as you press the
accelerator pedal.
FOURTH (4) and FIFTH (5): Shift into the higher
forward gears the same way you do for THIRD (3).
Slowly let up on the clutch pedal as you press the
accelerator pedal.
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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).
NEUTRAL (N): Use this position when you 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 (MG5M50 Transmissions Without
Low Gear) (If Equipped)
Here’s how to operate your transmission:
FIRST (1): Press the clutch pedal and shift into
FIRST (1). 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
(I), 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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NEUTRAL (N): Use this position when you start or
idle your engine.
Shift Speeds
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.
A CAUTION:
If you skip more than one gear when you
downshift, you could
lose control of your vehicle.
And you could injure yourself or others. Don’t shift down more than one gear when you downshift.
~~ ~
If your speed drops below 20 mph (32 kmh), 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.
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Up 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.
Locking Rear Axle (If Equipped)
If you have this feature, your rear axle can give you
additional traction on snow, mud, ice, sand
or gravel. It
works like a standard axle most
of the time, but when
one of the rear wheels has no traction and the other
does,
the locking feature will allow the wheel with traction to
move the vehicle.
Four-wheel Drive (If Equipped)
If your vehicle has four-wheel drive, you can send your
engine’s driving power to all four wheels for extra
traction.
To get the most satisfaction out of four-wheel
drive, you must be familiar with its operation. Read the
part that follows before using four-wheel drive. You
should use 2-WHEEL
HIGH (2H) for most normal
driving conditions.
I NOTICE: I
Driving in the 4-WHEEL HIGH (4H) or
4-WHEEL LOW (4L) positions for a long time
on dry or wet pavement could shorten the life of
your vehicle’s drivetrain.
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Front Axle Locking Feature
The front axle locks and unlocks automatically when you shift the transfer case. Some delay for the axle to lock or
unlock is normal. If the outside temperature is very hot, or
the vehicle has
been used under hard driving conditions,
there may be a slight delay for the axle to unlock.
Manual Transfer Case (If Equipped)
The transfer case shift lever is on the floor to the right of
the driver. Use this lever to shift into and out of
four-wheel drive. The front
axle portion of the indicator diagram will light
up when
you shift into four-wheel drive and the front
axle engages.
Some delay between shifting and the indicator’s lighting
is normal. If
the front axle light does not go out
immediately after you shift out of four-wheel drive,
have your dealer check your system.
An indicator near the lever shows you the transfer
case settings:
2-Wheel High (2H): 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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$-Wheel High (4H): This setting engages your front
axle
to help drive your vehicle. Use 4H when you need
extra traction, such as on wet or icy roads, or in most
off-road situations.
Neutral (N): Shift to this setting only when your vehicle
needs to be towed or when using a power take-off.
4-Wheel Low (4L): This setting also engages your front
axle to give you extra power and also gives you a higher
driveline ratio. It should
be used only for off-road driving.
You can shift from 2-WHEEL HIGH (2H) to 4-WHEEL
HIGH (4H) or from 4-WHEEL HIGH
(4H) to
2-WHEEL HIGH (2H) while the vehicle is moving.
Your front axle will engage faster if
you take your foot
off of the accelerator for a few seconds after you shift.
In extremely cold weather, it may be necessary
to stop
or slow the vehicle
to shift into 4-WHEEL HIGH (4H). 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 kmh) 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 and run noisier.
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.
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Electronic Transfer Case (If Equipped)
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.
4HI: This setting engages your front axle to help
drive your vehicle. Use
4HI when you need extra
traction, such as
on snowy or icy roads, or in most
off-road situations.
4LO: This setting also engages your front axle to give
you extra traction. You may never need
4LO. It sends
the maximum power to all four wheels. You might
choose
4LO if you were driving off-road in sand, mud
or deep snow and climbing or descending steep hills.
Indicator lights in the switches show you which setting
you are in. The indicator lights will come
on briefly
when you turn on the ignition and the last chosen setting
will stay on. If the lights do not come on, you should
take your vehicle in for service. An indicator light will
flash while shifting. It
will remain illuminated when
the shift is completed. If for some reason the transfer
cannot make a requested shift,
it will return to the last
chosen setting.
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Shifting from 2HI to 4HI
Press and release the 4HI switch. This can be done at
any speed, and the front axle will lock automatically
with some delay.
Shifting from 4HI to 2HI
Press and release the 2HI switch. This can be done at
any speed, and
the front axle will unlock automatically
with some delay.
Shifting from 2HI or 4HI to 4LO
To shift from 2HI or 4HI to 4L0, the vehicle must be
stopped or moving less than
3 mph (4.8 km/h) with the
transmission in NEUTRAL
(N). The preferred method
for shifting into 4LO is to have your vehicle moving
1 to
2 mph (1.6 to 3.2 km/h). Press and release the 4LO
switch. You must wait for the 4LO indicator light to stop
flashing and remain illuminated before shifting your
transmission into gear.
Shifting from 4LO to 4HI or 2HI
To shift from 4LO to 4HI or 2H1, your vehicle must be
stopped or moving less than
3 mph (4.8 km/h) with the
transmission
in NEUTRAL (N). The preferred method
for shifting out
of 4LO is to have your vehicle moving
1 to 2 mph (1.6 to 3.2 km/h). Press and release the 4HI
switch. You must wait for the 4HI indicator light to stop
flashing and remain illuminated before shifting your
transmission into gear.
If the 4HI switch is pressed when your vehicle is in
gear and/or moving, the 4HI indicator light will flash for
30 seconds but will not complete the shift unless the
vehicle is moving slower than
3 mph (4.8 km/h) and the
transmission is in NEUTRAL
(N).
If the 4LO switch is pressed when your vehicle is in
gear and/or moving, the 4LO indicator light will flash
for
30 seconds and not complete the shift unless your
vehicle
is moving slower than 3 mph (4.8 km/h) and the
transmission is in NEUTRAL
(N). After 30 seconds the
transfer case will return to 4HI.
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