recreational towing GMC SIERRA 2004 Owner's Manual

Recommended Transfer Case Settings
Transfer Case Settings
Driving Conditions 2HI 4HI 4LO N
Normal YES
Severe YES
Extreme YES
Vehicle in Tow* YES
*See
Recreational Vehicle Towing on page 4-54orTowing Your Vehicle on page 4-53for further
information.
An indicator on the bezel near the lever shows you the
transfer case settings:
2-Wheel High (2HI):This setting is used for driving in
most street and highway situations. Your front axle
is not engaged in two-wheel drive. This setting
also provides the best fuel economy.
4-Wheel High (4HI):Use 4HI when you need extra
traction, such as on snowy or icy roads or in most
off-road situations. This setting also engages your front
axle to help drive your vehicle. This is the best setting
to use when plowing snow.
{CAUTION:
Shifting the transfer case to NEUTRAL can
cause your vehicle to roll even if the
transmission is in PARK (P), or if you have a
manual transmission, even if you are in gear.
You or someone else could be seriously
injured. Be sure to set the parking brake
before placing the transfer case in NEUTRAL.
See
Parking Brake on page 2-48.
2-37

NEUTRAL (N):Shift to this setting only when your
vehicle needs to be towed. SeeRecreational Vehicle
Towing on page 4-54orTowing Your Vehicle on
page 4-53.
4-Wheel Low (4L0):This setting also engages your
front axle and delivers extra torque. You may never
need 4LO. It sends maximum power to all four wheels.
You might choose 4LO if you are driving off-road in
deep sand, deep mud, deep snow and climbing
or descending steep hills.
You can shift from 2-Wheel High (2HI) to 4-Wheel High
(4HI) or from 4-Wheel High (4HI) to 2-Wheel High
(2HI) while the vehicle is moving. Your front axle will
engage faster if you take your foot off of the accelerator
for a couple of seconds after you shift. In extremely
cold weather, it may be necessary to stop or slow the
vehicle to shift into 4-Wheel High (4HI).
When Using the Manual Transfer Case
·
All shifts should be made using quick motions. Slow
shifts may make it harder to shift.
·You may notice that it is harder to shift when the
vehicle is cold. When the vehicle warms up the
shifting will return to normal.
·While in 4-Wheel (4HI) or 4-Wheel Lo (4LO) you
may experience reduced fuel economy.
·Avoid driving in 4-Wheel Drive on clean, dry
pavement. It may cause your tires to wear faster, and
make your transfer case harder to shift and run
noisier.
Shifting from 2HI to 4HI
·
Shifts between 2HI and 4HI can be made at any
vehicle speed.
·It is easiest to shift the transfer case when
maintaining a constant speed or a slight
acceleration. If possible, avoid shifting while slowing
down, as it will may make it harder to shift.
·Shift your transfer case lever in one continuous
motion into either the 4HI or 2HI position.
·In extremely cold weather, it may be necessary to
slow or stop the vehicle to shift into 4HI until your
vehicle has warmed up.
·While in 4HI, your vehicle can be driven at any
posted legal speed limit.
2-38

Recommended Transfer Case Settings
Transfer Case Settings
Driving
Conditions2HIAUTO
4WD4HI 4LO N
Normal YES
Variable YES
Severe YES
Extreme YES
Vehicle in
Tow*YES
*See ªRecreational Vehicle Towingº in the Index for
further information.
You can choose among four driving settings:
h(2HI):This setting is used for driving in most street
and highway situations. Your front axle is not engaged
in two- wheel drive. This setting also provides the
best fuel economy.AUTO 4WD:This setting is ideal for use when road
conditions are variable. When driving your vehicle
in AUTO 4WD, the front axle is engaged, but the
vehicle's power is sent to the rear wheels. When the
vehicle senses a loss of traction, the system will
automatically engage four-wheel drive. Driving in this
mode results in slightly lower fuel economy than 2HI.
G(4HI):Use 4HI when you need extra traction, such
a on snowy or icy roads or in most off-road situations.
This setting also engages your front axle to help
drive your vehicle. This is the best setting to use when
plowing snow.
g(4LO):This setting also engages your front axle
and delivers extra torque. You may never need 4LO. It
sends maximum power to all four wheels. You might
choose 4LO if you are driving off-road in deep
sand, deep mud, deep snow and climbing or descending
steep hills.
2-40

{CAUTION:
Shifting the transfer case to NEUTRAL can
cause your vehicle to roll even if the
transmission is in PARK (P). You or someone
else could be seriously injured. Be sure to set
the parking brake before placing the transfer
case in NEUTRAL. See
Parking Brake on
page 2-48
.
NEUTRAL:Shift the vehicle's transfer case to
NEUTRAL only when towing your vehicle. See
Recreational Vehicle Towing on page 4-54orTowing
Your Vehicle on page 4-53for more information.Indicator lights in the switches show which setting your
transfer case is in. The indicator lights will come on
brie¯y when you turn on the ignition and one will stay on.
If the lights do not come on, you should take your
vehicle to your dealer for service. An indicator light will
¯ash while the transfer case is being shifted. It will
remain illuminated when the shift is complete. If
for some reason the transfer case cannot make a
requested shift, it will return to the last chosen setting.
If the SERVICE 4WD light stays on, you should take
your vehicle to your dealer for service. See
Service on
page 5-3for further information.
Shifting into 4HI or AUTO 4WD
Press and release the 4HI or AUTO 4WD switch. This
can be done at any speed (except when shifting
from 4LO), and the indicator light will ¯ash while shifting.
It will remain illuminated when the shift is completed.
Shifting into 2HI
Press and release the 2HI switch. This can be done at
any speed (except when shifting from 4LO).
2-41

Electronic Transfer Case
If your four-wheel-drive
vehicle has the electronic
transfer case, the
transfer case switches are
located to the left of the
instrument panel cluster.Use these switches to shift into and out of four-wheel
drive. You can choose among three driving settings:
Recommended Transfer Case Settings
Transfer Case Settings
Driving Conditions 2HI 4HI 4LO N
Normal YES
Severe YES
Extreme YES
Vehicle in Tow* YES
*See
Recreational Vehicle Towing on page 4-54orTowing Your Vehicle on page 4-53for further
information.
h(2HI):This setting is for driving in most street and
highway situations. Your front axle is not engaged
in two-wheel drive.
G(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.
2-44

g(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
brie¯y 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 ¯ash 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.
{CAUTION:
Shifting the transfer case to NEUTRAL can
cause your vehicle to roll even if the
transmission is in PARK (P). You or someone
else could be seriously injured. Be sure to set
the parking brake before placing the transfer
case in NEUTRAL. See
Parking Brake on
page 2-48
.
NEUTRAL:Shift the vehicle's transfer case to
NEUTRAL only when towing your vehicle. See
Recreational Vehicle Towing on page 4-54orTowing
Your Vehicle on page 4-53for more information.
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.
2-45

Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle..........4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-2
Drunken Driving.............................................4-2
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-5
Braking.........................................................4-6
Traction Assist System (TAS)...........................4-9
Manual Selectable Ride.................................4-11
Locking Rear Axle........................................4-12
Steering......................................................4-12
QUADRASTEERŸ........................................4-14
Off-Road Recovery.......................................4-17
Passing.......................................................4-17
Loss of Control.............................................4-18
Off-Road Driving with Your Four-Wheel-Drive
Vehicle....................................................4-20
Driving at Night............................................4-37
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-39
City Driving..................................................4-42Freeway Driving...........................................4-43
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-44
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-44
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-45
Winter Driving..............................................4-47
If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow . . .4-51
Towing..........................................................4-53
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-53
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-54
Loading Your Vehicle....................................4-57
Adding a Snow Plow or Similar Equipment.......4-64
Truck-Camper Loading Information..................4-68
Trailer Recommendations...............................4-70
Pickup Conversion to Chassis Cab..................4-70
Towing a Trailer...........................................4-70
Power Take-Off (PTO).................................4-101
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1

{CAUTION:
These hooks, when used, are under a lot of
force. Always pull the vehicle straight out.
Never pull on the hooks at a sideways angle.
The hooks could break off and you or others
could be injured from the chain or cable
snapping back.
Notice:Never use recovery hooks to tow the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged and it would
not be covered by warranty.
Towing
Towing Your Vehicle
Consult your dealer or a professional towing service if
you need to have your disabled vehicle towed. See
Roadside Assistance Program on page 7-6.
If you want to tow your vehicle behind another vehicle
for recreational purposes (such as behind a motorhome),
see ªRecreational Vehicle Towingº following.
4-53

Recreational Vehicle Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means towing your vehicle
behind another vehicle ± such as behind a motorhome.
The two most common types of recreational vehicle
towing are known as dinghy towing, towing your vehicle
will all four wheels on the ground, and dolly towing,
towing your vehicle with two wheels on the ground and
two wheels up on a device known as a ªdollyº.
With the proper preparation and equipment, many
vehicles can be towed in these ways. See
Dinghy
TowingandDolly Towingfollowing.
Here are some important things to consider before you
do recreational vehicle towing:
·What's the towing capacity of the towing vehicle?
Be sure you read the tow vehicle manufacturer's
recommendations.
·How far will you tow? Some vehicles have
restrictions on how far and how long they can tow.
·Do you have the proper towing equipment?
See your dealer or trailering professional for
additional advice and equipment recommendations.
·Is your vehicle ready to be towed? Just as you
would prepare your vehicle for a long trip, you'll
want to make sure your vehicle is prepared to be
towed. See
Before Leaving on a Long Trip on
page 4-44.
Dinghy Towing
Two-Wheel-Drive Vehicles
Two-wheel-drive vehicles should not be towed with all
four wheels on the ground. Two-wheel-drive
transmissions have no provisions for internal lubrication
while being towed.
4-54

Trailer Recommendations
You must subtract your hitch loads from the CWR for
your vehicle. Weigh your vehicle with the trailer
attached, so that you won't go over the GVWR or
GAWR. If you are using a weight-distributing hitch,
weigh the vehicle without the spring bars in place.
You'll get the best performance if you spread out the
weight of your load the right way, and if you choose the
correct hitch and trailer brakes.
For more information, see
Towing a Trailer on
page 4-70.
Pickup Conversion to Chassis Cab
General Motors is aware that some vehicle owners may
consider having the pickup box removed and a
commercial or recreational body installed. Before you do
so, ®rst contact GM Customer Assistance for information
on such conversions speci®c to this vehicle. Owners
should be aware that, as manufactured, there are
differences between a chassis cab and a pickup with
the box removed which may affect vehicle safety.
The components necessary to adapt a pickup to permit
its safe use with a specialized body should be
installed by a body builder in accordance with the
information available from GM Customer Assistance.
See
Customer Assistance Offices on page 7-4.
Towing a Trailer
{CAUTION:
If you do not use the correct equipment and
drive properly, you can lose control when you
pull a trailer. For example, if the trailer is too
heavy, the brakes may not work well Ð or even
at all. You and your passengers could be
seriously injured. Pull a trailer only if you have
followed all the steps in this section. Ask your
dealer for advice and information about towing
a trailer with your vehicle.
Notice:Pulling a trailer improperly can damage
your vehicle and result in costly repairs not covered
by your warranty. To pull a trailer correctly, follow
the advice in this part, and see your dealer for
important information about towing a trailer with
your vehicle.
4-70