belt GMC SIERRA 1997 Workshop Manual

Door Locks
A CAUTION:
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
Passengers
-- especially children -- can easily
open the doors and fall out. When a door
is
locked, the inside handle won't open it.
Outsiders can easily enter through an unlocked
door when you slow down or stop your vehicle.
This may
not be so obvious: You increase the
chance of being thrown out of the vehicle in
a
crash if the doors aren't locked. Wear safety belts
properly, lock your doors, and you will be far
better
off whenever you drive your vehicle.
There are several ways to lock and unlock your vehicle.
From the outside, use your key or
the Keyless Entry
System,
if your vehicle has this option.
To lock the door from the
inside, slide the lever
on
your door down.
To unlock the door, slide the lever up.
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Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is turned to RUN or START, a tone will
come on for about eight seconds to remind people to
fasten their
safety belts, unless the driver’s safety belt is
already buckled.
The safety belt light will
also come on and stay on
for about
20 seconds,
then it will flash for about
55 seconds. If the driver’s
belt is already buckled,
neither the tone nor the
light will come on.
Air Bag Readiness Light
There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument panel,
which shows
AIR BAG. The system checks the air bag’s
electrical system for malfunctions. The light tells you if there is an electrical problem. The system check includes the
air bag sensors, the air bag module, the wiring and the
diagnostic module.
For more information on the air bag
system,
see “Air Bag” in the Index.
AIR
BAG
This light will come on
when you start your engine,
and it will
flash for a few
seconds. Then the light
should go out. This means
the system is ready.
If the air bag readiness light stays on after you start the
engine or comes on when you are driving, your air bag
system may not work properly. Have your vehicle
serviced right away.
The air bag readiness light should flash for
a few
seconds when you turn the ignition key to
RUN. If the
light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be
ready to warn you if there
is a problem.
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/I CAUTION: I
If the air bag readiness light ever comes on when
you have turned
off the air bag, it means that
something may be wrong with the air bag system.
The right front passenger’s
air bag could inflate
even though the switch is
off. If this ever
happens, don’t secure a rearfacing child
restraint in your vehicle until you have your
vehicle serviced.
Charging System Indicator Light
This light should come on
briefly when you
turn on the
ignition, before starting the
engine, as a check to show
you it is working.
After the engine starts, the light should go out.
If it stays
on or comes on while you are driving, you may have a
problem with your charging system. It could indicate a
problem with the generator drive belt, or some other
charging system problem. Have it checked right away.
Driving while this light is on could drain your battery.
If you must drive a
short distance with this light on, it
helps to turn
off all your accessories, such as the radio
and the air conditioner.
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Care of Your Cassette Tape Player
A tape player that is not cleaned regularly can cause
reduced sound quality, ruined cassettes or a damaged
mechanism. Cassette tapes should be stored in their
cases away from contaminants, direct sunlight and
extreme heat. If they aren’t,
they may not operate
properly or may cause failure of the tape player.
Your tape player should be cleaned regularly after every
50 hours of use. Your radio may display CLN to indicate
that you have used your tape player for
50 hours without
resetting the tape clean timer. If this message appears
on the display, your cassette tape player needs to be
cleaned. It will still play tapes, but
you should clean it as
soon as possible to prevent damage to your tapes and
player. If you notice a reduction in sound quality, try a
known good cassette to see if
it is the tape or the tape
player
at fault. If this other cassette has no improvement
in sound quality, clean the tape player. Cleaning
may be done with a scrubbing action,
non-abrasive cleaning cassette with pads which scrub
the tape head as the hubs
of the cleaner cassette turn. It
is normal for the cassette to eject while cleaning because
your unit is equipped with a cut tape feature. To
temporarily override this feature for vehicles with
Automatic Tone Control (for one insertion), turn on the
ignition then turn the radio off and press and hold TAPE
AUX until the tape symbol flashes on the display, then
insert the cassette again. For vehicles without Automatic
Tone Control, press both
SEEK arrows within five
seconds of inserting the cassette with the ignition and
radio
off. Insert the cassette at least three times to ensure
thorough cleaning.
A scrubbing action cleaning cassette
is available through your
GM dealership.
You may also choose a non-scrubbing action, wet-type
cleaner which uses a cassette with a fabric belt to clean
the tape head. This type of cleaning cassette will not
eject.
It may not clean as thoroughly as the scrubbing
type cleaner.
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I ” 1
A
Defensive Driving
The best advice anyone can give about driving is:
Drive defensively.
Please start with a very important safety device in your vehicle: Buckle up. (See “Safety Belts”
in the Index.)
Defensive driving really means “be ready for anything.”
On city streets, rural roads or freeways, it means
“always expect the unexpected.”
Assume that pedestrians or other drivers are going to be
careless and make mistakes. Anticipate what they might
do. Be ready for their mistakes.
Rear-end collisions are about
the most preventable
of accidents. Yet they are common. Allow enough
following distance. It’s
the best defensive driving
maneuver,
in both city and rural driving. You never
know when the vehicle in front
of you is going to brake
or turn suddenly.
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Off-Road Recovery
An emergency like this requires close attention and a
quick decision. If you are holding the steering wheel at
the recommended
9 and 3 o’clock positions, you can
turn it a full 180 degrees very quickly without removing
either hand. But you have
to act fast, steer quickly, and
just
as quickly straighten the wheel once you have
avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency situations are always
possible is a good reason to practice defensive driving at
all times and wear safety belts properly. You may
find sometime that your right wheels have
dropped off
the edge of a road onto the shoulder while
you’re driving.
I
I OFF- ROAD RECOVERY /
I
7 SLOWDOWN
edge of paved surface
If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the
pavement, recovery should be fairly easy. Ease off the accelerator and then,
if there is nothing in the way, steer
so that your vehicle straddles the edge of the pavement.
You can
turn the steering wheel up to one-quarter turn
until the right front tire contacts the pavement edge. Then
turn your steering wheel to go straight down the roadway.
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Controlling your vehicle is the key to successful
off-road driving. One of the best ways to control your
vehicle is to control
your speed. Here are some things to
keep in mind.
At higher speeds:
0 you approach things faster and you have less time to
scan the terrain for obstacles.
0 you have less time to react.
0 you have more vehicle bounce when you drive
you’ll need more distance for braking, especially
over
obstacles.
since you’re on an unpaved surface.
When you’re driving off-road, bouncing and
quick changes in direction can
-1 easily throw you
Scanning the Terrain
Off-road driving can take you over many different kinds
of terrain. You need to be familiar with the terrain and
its many different features. Here are some things
to consider.
Su@ace Conditions. Off-roading can take you over
hard-packed dirt, gravel, rocks, grass, sand, mud, snow
or ice. Each of these surfaces affects the steering,
acceleration
and braking of your vehicle in different
ways. Depending upon the kind of surface
you are on,
you may experience slipping, sliding, wheel spinning,
delayed acceleration, poor traction and longer
braking distances.
Surjiuce Obstucles. Unseen or hidden obstacles can be
hazardous.
A rock, log, hole, rut or bump can startle you
if you’re not prepared for them. Often these obstacles are
hidden by grass, bushes, snow or even the rise and fall of
the terrain itself. Here are some things to consider:
out of position. This could cause you to lose
control and crash.
So, whether you’re driving on
or off the road, you and your passengers should
wear safety belts.
0 Does the travel take you uphill or downhill? (There’s
0 Is the path ahead clear?
0 Will the surface texture change abruptly up ahead?
L more discussion of these subjects later.)
0 Will you have to stop suddenly or change
direction quickly?
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When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parkine
on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important
in trailer
operation are automatic transmission fluid (don’t
overfill), engine oil, axle lubricant, belt, cooling system
and brake adjustment. Each
of these is covered in this
manual, and
the Index will help you find them quickly.
If you’re trailering, it’s a good idea to review these
sections before you start your trip.
Trailer Wiring Harness
A seven-wire harness is stored under the rear end of
your vehicle, between
the frame rails. An electrical
connector will need to be installed at the trailer end of
the harness, by a qualified electrical technician. For
additional trailer wiring and towing information please
consult your
GM dealer. Securely attach the harness to
the trailer, then tape or strap
it to your vehicle’s frame
rail. Be sure you leave it loose enough
so the wiring
won’t bind or break when turning with the trailer, but
not
so loose that it drags on the ground. Store the
harness in its original position. Wrap the harness
together and tie
it neatly so it won’t be damaged. If you
tow
a trailer, your Center High-Mounted Stoplamp
(CHMSL) may not be properly visible from behind.
You
should select a trailer with a CHMSL on it or, if one is
not available, have one installed. See your
GM dealer
about how to connect your vehicle’s wiring
to a
trailer CHMSL.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
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Dual Tire Operation Buying New Tires
To find
out what kind and size of tires you need, look
at the CertificationEire label. When the vehicle is new, or whenever a wheel, wheel bolt
or wheel
nut is replaced, check the wheel nut torque after
100,
1,OOO and 6,000 miles (160, 1 600 and 10 OOO km)
of driving. For proper torque, see “Wheel Nut Torque” in
the Index.
The outer tire on a dual wheel setup generally wears faster
than
the inner tire. Your tires will wear more evenly and
last longer if you rotate the tires periodically.
If you’re
going to be doing a lot of driving on high-crown roads,
you can reduce tire wear by adding 5 psi (35 kPa) to the
tire pressure in the outer tires.
Be sure to return to the
recommended pressures when no longer driving under
those conditions. See “Changing a Flat Tire”
in the
Index for more information.
If you operate your vehicle with a tire that is badly
underinflated, the
tire can overheat. An overheated
tire
can lose air suddenly or catch fire. You or others
could be injured. Be sure all tires (including the
spare,
if any) are properly inflated.
The tires installed on your vehicle when it was new had
a Tire Performance Criteria Specification
(TPC Spec)
number on each
tire’s sidewall. When you get new tires,
get ones with that same TPC Spec number. That way
your vehicle will continue to have tires that are designed
to give proper endurance, handling, speed rating,
traction, ride and other things during normal service
on your vehicle.
If your tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC number will be followed by an
“MS”
(for mud and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with those not having a
TPC Spec number, make sure they are the same size,
load range, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted or radial) as your original tires.
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L
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 10 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
graded
100. The relative performance of tires depends
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.
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.
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