check engine GMC SIERRA 1997 Owner's Manual

Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle
Things you might add to the outside of your vehicle can
affect the airflow around it. This may cause wind noise
and affect windshield washer performance. Check with
your GM dealer before adding equipment to
the outside
of your vehicle.
Fuel (Gasoline Engine)
If your vehicle has a diesel engine, see “Diesel Fuel
Requirements and Fuel System”
in the Diesel Engine
Supplement. For vehicles with gasoline engines, please
read this.
Use regular unleaded gasoline rated at
87 octane or
higher. At a minimum, it should meet specifications
ASTM D4814 in the United States and CGSB
3.5-M93
in Canada. Improved gasoline specifications have been
developed by
the American Automobile Manufacturers
Association (AAMA) for better vehicle performance
and engine protection. Gasolines meeting
the AAMA
specification could provide improved driveability and
emission control system protection compared to
other gasolines. Be sure
the posted octane is at least 87. If
the octane is
less than
87, you may get a heavy knocking noise when
you drive. If it’s bad enough, it can damage your engine.
If you’re using fuel rated at
87 octane or higher and you
still hear heavy knocking, your engine needs service.
But don’t worry if you hear a little pinging noise when
you’re accelerating or driving up a
hill. That’s normal,
and
you don’t have to buy a higher octane fuel to get rid
of pinging. It’s the heavy, constant knock that means
you have a problem.
If your vehicle is certified to meet California Emission
Standards (indicated
on the underhood tune-up label),
it is designed to operate
on fuels that meet California
specifications. If such fuels are
not available in states
adopting California emissions standards, your vehicle
will operate satisfactorily
on fuels meeting federal
specifications, but emission control system performance
may be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp
on
your instrument panel may turn on andor your vehicle
may fail a smog-check test. If this occurs, return
to your
authorized GM dealer for diagnosis
to determine the
cause of failure. In the event it is determined that the
cause of
the condition is the type of fuels used, repairs
may not be covered by your warranty.
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Some gasolines that are not reformulated for low
emissions contain
an octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadlenyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT);
ask your service station operator whether or not his fuel
contains
"T. General Motors does not recommend the
use of such gasolines.
If fuels containing MMT are used,
spark plug life may
be reduced and your emission control
system performance may
be affected. The malfunction
indicator lamp on your instrument panel may
turn on. If this
occurs, return to your authorized GM dealer for service.
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the United States
are now required to contain additives that
will help prevent
deposits from forming
in your engine and fuel system,
allowing your emission control system to function
properly. Therefore, you should not have to add anything
to the fuel. In addition, gasolines containing oxygenates,
such
as ethers and ethanol, and reformulated gasolines
may
be available in your area to help clean the air. General
Motors recommends that you use these gasolines
if they
comply
with the specifications described earlier.
NOTICE:
Your vehicle was not designed for fuel that
contains methanol. Don't use it. It can corrode
NOTICE: (Continued)
I NOTICE: (Continued) I
metal parts in your fuel system and also damage
plastic and rubber parts. That damage wouldn't
be covered under your warranty.
Fuels in Foreign Countries -- Gasoline
Engines
If you plan on driving in another country outside the
United States or Canada, the proper fuel may be hard
to find. Never use leaded gasoline or
any other fuel not
recommended
in the previous text on fuel. Costly repairs
caused
by use of improper fuel wouldn't be covered by
your warranty.
To check on fuel availability, ask an auto club, or
contact
a major oil company that does business in the
country where you'll be driving.
You can also write us
at the following address for
advice. Just tell
us where you're going and give your
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
General Motors International Product Center 1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario
L 1 H 8P7
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Checking Things Under the Hood
I A CAUTION:
If your vehicle has air conditioning, the auxiliary
engine fan under the hood can
start up and
injure you even when the engine
is not running.
Keep hands, clothing and tools away from any
underhood electric
fan.
t -4
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts and
start a fire. These include liquids like gasoline or
diesel fuel, oil, coolant, brake fluid, windshield
washer and other fluids, and plastic or rubber. You or others could be burned. Be careful
not to drop or spill things that will burn onto
a hot engine.
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Engine Oil (Gasoline Engine)
If your vehicle has a diesel engine, see “Engine Oil (Diesel Engine)” in the Diesel Engine Supplement.
It’s a good idea to check your engine oil every time you
get fuel. In order to get an accurate reading, the oil must
be warm and the vehicle must be on level ground.
The engine oil dipstick has
a yellow ring handle and is
located on the passenger’s side
of the engine.
Turn
off the engine and give the oil a few minutes to
drain back into the oil pan.
If you don’t, the oil dipstick
might not show the actual level.
Checking Engine Oil
Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel or
cloth, then push it back in all the way. Remove it again,
keeping the tip down, and check the level.
When to Add Oil
If the oil is at or below the ADD mark, then you’ll need
to add at least one
quart of oil. But you must use the
right kind. This part explains what kind of oil to use.
For
crankcase capacity, see “Capacities and Specifications”
in the Index.
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Air Cleaner (Gasoline Engines)
Your air cleaner is located between the battery and
coolant recovery tank. The
air cleaner assembly
has an indicator that lets
you know when the air filter
is dirty and needs to be
serviced. The indicator
is
located in the air intake
tube between the air cleaner
and the engine.
See “Owner Checks and Services” in the Index to
determine when to check the indicator.
If the area inside the clear section of the indicator is
green, no air filter service is required. When the area
inside the indicator is orange and
CHANGE AIR
FILTER appears, the filter should be replaced.
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Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when to
replace the air filter. See “Owner Checks and Services”
in
the Index.
Operating the engine with the
air cleaner off
can cause you OF others to be burned. The air
cleaner not only cleans the air,
it stops flame if
the engine backfires.
If it isn’t there, and the
engine backfires, you could be burned. Don’t
drive with it
off, and be careful working on the
engine with the air cleaner
off.
I NOTICE:
If the air cleaner is off, a backfire can cause a
damaging engine fire. And, dirt can easily get
into your engine, which will damage it. Always
have the air cleaner in place when you’re driving.
Automatic Transmission Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transmission fluid
level is
when the engine oil is changed.
Change both the fluid and filter every
50,000 miles
(83
000 km) if the vehicle’s CVWR is over 8,600 or
if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or more
of
these conditions:
In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
regularly reaches
90°F (32°C) or higher.
In hilly or mountainous terrain.
When doing frequent trailer towing.
Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery service.
If your vehicle’s GVWR is not over
8,600 and you do
not use your vehicle under any
of these conditions, the
fluid and filter do
not require changing.
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services’’
in the Index.
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How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may
choose to have this
done at your GM dealership
Service Department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the instructions
here,
or you could get a false reading on the dipstick.
NOTICE:
Too much or too little fluid can damage your
transmission.
Too much can mean that some of
the fluid could come out and fall on hot engine
parts or exhaust system parts, starting a fire. Be
sure to get an accurate reading if you check your
transmission fluid.
Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the
transmission fluid level if you have been driving:
0 When outside temperatures are above 90°F (32°C).
To get the right reading, the fluid should be at normal
operating temperature, which
is 180°F to 200 "F
(82°C to 93°C).
Checking Transmission Fluid Hot
Get the vehicle warmed up by driving about 15 miles
(24 km) when outside temperatures are above 50°F
(10°C). If it's colder than 50°F ( 10°C), drive the
vehicle
in THIRD (3) until the engine temperature gage
moves and then remains steady for 10 minutes. Then
follow
the hot check procedures.
Checking Transmission Fluid Cold
A cold check is made after the vehicle has been sitting
for eight hours or more with the engine
off and is used
only as a reference. Let the engine run at idle for five
minutes if outside temperatures are 50°F
( 10°C) or
more. If it's colder than
50°F (lO"C), you may have
to idle the engine longer. Should the fluid level be low
during a cold check,
you must perform a hot check
before adding fluid. This will give you a more accurate
reading
of the fluid level.
0 At high speed for quite a while.
0 In heavy traffic -- especially in hot weather.
0 While pulling a trailer.
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Checking the Fluid Hot or Cold
Park your vehicle on a level place. Keep the
engine running.
With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever
in PARK
(P).
0 With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift
lever through each gear range, pausing
for about
three seconds in each range. Then, position the shift
lever in PARK (P). Then, without shutting
off the engine, follow these steps:
0 Let the
engine run at idle for three minutes or more.
1. The red transmission dipstick handle is located at the
rear
of the engine compartment, on the passenger's
side. Flip the handle
up and then pull out the dipstick
and wipe
it with a clean rag or paper towel.
2. Push it back in all the way, wait three seconds and
then
pull it back out again.
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Manual Transmission Fluid
When to Check
A good time to have it checked is when the engine oil is
changed. However, the fluid
in your manual
transmission doesn’t require changing.
How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may
choose to have this done at your
GM dealership
Service Department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the
instructions here, or you could get a false reading.
NOTICE:
Too much or too little fluid can damage your
transmission.
Too much can mean that some of
the fluid could come out and
fall on hot engine
parts or exhaust system parts, starting
a fire. Be
sure to get an accurate reading if
you check your
transmission fluid.
Check the fluid level only when your engine is off, the
vehicle is parked on
a level place and the transmission is
cool enough for you to rest your fingers on the
transmission case.
Then, follow these steps:
1. Remove the filler plug.
2. Check that the lubricant level is up to the bottom of
3. If the fluid level is good, install the plug and be sure
the
filler plug hole.
it
is fully seated. If the fluid level is low, add more
fluid as described
in the next steps.
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What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half clean water (preferably
distilled) and one-half
DEX-COOL’ coolant which
won’t damage aluminum parts.
If you use this mixture,
you don’t need to add anything else.
A CAUTION:
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
50/50 mix of clean
water and
DEX-COOL@ coolant.
NOTICE:
If you use an improper coolant mix, your engine
could overheat and be badly damaged. The
repair cost wouldn’t be covered
by your
warranty. Too much water in the mix can freeze
and crack the engine, radiator, heater core and
other parts.
If you have to add coolant more than four times a year,
have your dealer check your cooling system.
NOTICE:
If you use the proper coolant, you don’t have to
add extra inhibitors or additives which claim to
improve the system. These can be harmful.
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