instrument panel GMC SIERRA 2005 Owner's Guide

LWindshield Washer. SeeWindshield Washer
on page 3-10.
ICruise Control. SeeCruise Control on
page 3-10.
For information on the headlamps, seeHeadlamps on
page 3-13.
Turn and Lane-Change Signals
The turn signal has two upward (for right) and
two downward (for left) positions. These positions allow
you to signal a turn or a lane change.
To signal a turn, move the lever all the way up or down.
When the turn is nished, the lever will return
automatically.
To signal a lane change, just raise or lower the lever
until the arrow starts to ash. Hold it there until you
complete your lane change. The lever will return by itself
when you release it.An arrow on the instrument
panel cluster will ash in
the direction of the
turn or lane change.
As you signal a turn or a lane change, if the
arrows ash more quickly than normal, a signal
bulb may be burned out and other drivers won’t see
your turn signal.
If a bulb is burned out, replace it to help avoid an
accident. If the arrows don’t go on at all when you signal
a turn, check for burned-out bulbs and a blown fuse.
SeeFuses and Circuit Breakers on page 5-122.
Turn Signal On Chime
If your turn signal is left on for more than 3/4 of a mile
(1.2 km), a chime will sound at each ash of the
turn signal and the message TURN SIGNAL ON will
also appear in the DIC. To turn the chime and message
off, move the turn signal lever to the off position.
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Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
53(Headlamp High/Low Beam Changer):To
change the headlamps from low to high beam, push the
lever toward the instrument panel. To return to
low-beam headlamps, pull the multifunction lever toward
you. Then release it.
When the high beams are
on, this indicator light on
the instrument panel
cluster will also be on.
Flash-to-Pass
This feature lets you use your high-beam headlamps to
signal a driver in front of you that you want to pass.
It works even if your headlamps are in the automatic
position.
To use it, pull the turn signal lever toward you, then
release it.If your headlamps are in the automatic position or on
low beam, your high-beam headlamps will turn on.
They’ll stay on as long as you hold the lever toward you.
The high-beam indicator on the instrument panel
cluster will come on. Release the lever to return to
normal operation.
Windshield Wipers
You control the windshield wipers by turning the band
with the wiper symbol on it.
8(Mist):For a single wiping cycle, turn the band to
mist. Hold it there until the wipers start. Then let go. The
wipers will stop after one wipe. If you want more
wipes, hold the band on mist longer.
N(Delay):You can set the wiper speed for a long or
short delay between wipes. This can be very useful
in light rain or snow. Turn the band to choose the delay
time. The closer to the top of the lever, the shorter
the delay.
6(Low Speed):For steady wiping at low speed,
turn the band away from you to the rst solid band past
the delay settings. For high-speed wiping, turn the
band further, to the second solid band past the delay
settings. To stop the wipers, move the band to off.
3-9

If you apply your brakes, the cruise control will shut off.
{CAUTION:
Cruise control can be dangerous where you
cannot drive safely at a steady speed. So, do
not use your cruise control on winding roads
or in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous on slippery
roads. On such roads, fast changes in tire
traction can cause needless wheel spinning,
and you could lose control. Do not use cruise
control on slippery roads.
Setting Cruise Control
{CAUTION:
If you leave your cruise control on when you
are not using cruise, you might hit a button
and go into cruise when you do not want to.
You could be startled and even lose control.
Keep the cruise control switch off until you
want to use cruise control.
1. Move the cruise control switch to on.
2. Get up to the speed you want.
3. Press in the set button at the end of the lever and
release it.
4. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal.
The cruise symbol on the
instrument panel will
illuminate when the cruise
control is engaged.
3-11

Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well your cruise control will work on hills depends
upon your speed, load and the steepness of the
hills. When going up steep hills, you may want to step
on the accelerator pedal to maintain your speed.
When going downhill, you may have to brake or shift to
a lower gear to keep your speed down. Of course,
applying the brake takes you out of cruise control. Many
drivers nd this to be too much trouble and don’t use
cruise control on steep hills.
Ending Cruise Control
There are four ways to turn off the cruise control:
Step lightly on the brake pedal,
move the cruise control switch to off, or
shift the transmission to NEUTRAL (N).
If your vehicle has the Stabilitrak®feature, cruise
control will turn off if road conditions cause
Stabilitrak
®to activate.
If the accelerator pedal is held for 60 seconds or
longer, cruise control will turn off.
Erasing Speed Memory
When you turn off the cruise control or the ignition, your
cruise control set speed memory is erased.
Headlamps
The control on the driver’s side of your instrument panel
operates the headlamps.
Turn the control clockwise to operate the lamps.
The headlamp control has four positions:
9(Off):Turning the control to this position turns off
the Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) and the automatic
headlamps.
AUTO (Automatic):Turning the control to this position
puts the system into automatic headlamp mode.
3-13

;(Parking Lamps):Turning the control to this
position turns on the parking lamps, together with the
following:
Sidemarker Lamps
Taillamps
License Plate Lamps
Instrument Panel Lights
Roof Marker Lamps (If Equipped)
5(Headlamps):Turning the control to this position
turns on the headlamps, together with the previously
listed lamps and lights.
You can switch your headlamps from high to low-beam
by pushing the turn signal/high-beam lever towards
the instrument panel.
A circuit breaker protects your headlamps. If you have
an electrical overload, your headlamps will icker on and
off. Have your headlamp wiring checked right away if
this happens.
Headlamps on Reminder
A reminder chime will sound when your headlamps or
parking lamps are manually turned on and your
ignition is off, in LOCK, ACCESSORY, or your door is
open. To disable the chime, turn the light off then
back on.
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier for
others to see the front of your vehicle during the
day. DRL can be helpful in many different driving
conditions, but they can be especially helpful in the short
periods after dawn and before sunset. Fully functional
daytime running lamps are required on all vehicles
rst sold in Canada.
The DRL system will come on when the following
conditions are met:
The ignition is on
The exterior lamps control is AUTO
The automatic transmission is not in PARK (P)
The light sensor determines it is daytime
When the DRL are on, only your DRL lamps will be on.
The taillamps, sidemarker and other lamps won’t be
on. The instrument panel won’t be lit up either.
3-14

When it begins to get dark, the automatic headlamp
system will switch from DRL to the headlamps.
When you turn the headlamp switch off, the headlamps
will go off, and your DRL lamps will illuminate,
provided it is not dark outside.
Shifting the transmission into PARK (P) will allow you to
idle the vehicle with the DRL off. The DRL will stay
off until you shift the transmission out of PARK (P).
This procedure applies only to vehicles rst sold in the
United States.
Automatic Headlamp System
When it is dark enough outside, your automatic
headlamp system will turn on your headlamps at the
normal brightness along with other lamps such as
the taillamps, sidemarker, parking lamps and the
instrument panel lights. The radio lights will also be dim.
To turn off the automatic headlamp system, turn the
exterior lamps switch to the off position and then
release. Turning off the automatic headlamp system
with the headlamp switch is not available for vehicles
rst sold in Canada. For vehicles rst sold in Canada,
you can turn off the automatic headlamp systemwhen parked at night by applying the parking brake
before starting your vehicle. The headlamps will remain
off once the vehicle is started for as long as you are
parked. If you release the parking brake, the lights will
turn on. If the parking brake is not released before
you begin to drive, the exterior lamps will turn on above
2 mph (3.2 km/h).
Your vehicle is equipped with a light sensor located on
the top of the instrument panel in the defroster grille.
Be sure it is not covered, or the system will be on
whenever the ignition is on.
The system may also turn on your headlamps when
driving through a parking garage, heavy overcast
weather or a tunnel. This is normal.
There is a delay in the transition between the daytime
and nighttime operation of the Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL) and the automatic headlamp systems so
that driving under bridges or bright overhead street
lights does not affect the system. The DRL and
automatic headlamp system will only be affected when
the light sensor sees a change in lighting lasting
longer than the delay.
3-15

If you start your vehicle in a dark garage, the automatic
headlamp system will come on immediately. Once
you leave the garage, it will take approximately
one minute for the automatic headlamp system to
change to DRL if it is bright enough outside. During that
delay, your instrument panel cluster may not be as
bright as usual. Make sure your instrument panel
brightness control is in the full bright position. See
Instrument Panel Brightness on page 3-17.
To idle your vehicle with the automatic headlamp
system off, turn the control to the off position.
You may be able to turn off your Automatic Headlamp
System. See “Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)” later
in this section for more information.
Your headlamps will also stay on after you exit the
vehicle. You can program this feature using the Driver
Information Center (DIC). SeeDriver Information Center
(DIC) on page 3-50.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need them.Fog Lamps
If your vehicle has fog lamps, use them for better vision
in foggy or misty conditions.
The fog lamp button is
located on the left side of
the instrument panel.
Your parking lamps and/or low-beam headlamps must
be on for your fog lamps to work.
Press the button to turn the fog lamps on. Press the
button again to turn them off. An indicator light will glow
in the button when the fog lamps are on.
Remember, fog lamps alone will not give off as much
light as your headlamps. Never use your fog lamps
in the dark without turning on your headlamps.
The fog lamps will go off whenever your high-beam
headlamps come on. When the high beams go off, the
fog lamps will come on again.
3-16

The fog lamps will be cancelled after the ignition is
turned off. If you still want to use the fog lamps after you
restart the vehicle, you will need to press the fog
lamp button again.
Auxiliary Roof Mounted Lamp
If your vehicle has this feature, this switch includes
wiring provisions for a dealer or a qualied service
center to install an auxiliary roof lamp.
This switch is located on
the center of the
instrument panel near the
climate controls.
When the switch wiring is connected to an auxiliary roof
mounted lamp, pressing the switch will activate the lamp
and illuminate an indicator light near the switch. Pressing
the switch again will turn off the roof mounted lamp.
Instrument Panel Brightness
D(Instrument Panel Brightness):This feature
controls the brightness of the instrument panel lights.
The thumbwheel for this feature is located next to
the headlamp control.
Turn the thumbwheel up to adjust the instrument panel
lights. Turn the thumbwheel up to return the radio
display to full brightness when the headlamps or parking
lamps are on. To turn on the dome lamps, turn the
thumbwheel all the way up.
Dome Lamps
The dome lamps will come on when you open a door.
You can also turn the dome lamps on by turning
the thumbwheel, located next to the exterior lamps
control, all the way up. In this position, the dome lamps
will remain on whether a door is opened or closed.
3-17

Your vehicle may also have reading lamps in other
locations. To turn the lamps on or off, press the button
located next to the lamp. The lamps are xed and
cannot be adjusted.
Cargo Lamp
The cargo lamp button is
located on the left side of
the instrument panel.
Press the button to turn
the cargo lamp on.
Press the button again to
turn it off.
An indicator light on the instrument panel cluster will
illuminate when the cargo lamp is turned on, and
the ignition key is turned to RUN.
Accessory Power Outlets
With accessory power outlets you can plug in auxiliary
electrical equipment such as a cellular telephone or
CB radio.
Your vehicle may have two accessory power outlets, or
may have one accessory power outlet located near
the cigarette lighter, if equipped. The cigarette lighter is
designed to t only in the receptacle to the right of
the accessory power outlet.
3-19

To use the outlet, lift the cover. When not using it,
always close the cover.
Certain power accessory plugs may not be compatible
to the accessory power outlet and could result in
blown vehicle or adapter fuses. If you experience a
problem, see your dealer for additional information on
the accessory power plugs.
Notice:Adding any electrical equipment to your
vehicle may damage it or keep other components
from working as they should. The repairs would not
be covered by your warranty. Check with your
dealer before adding electrical equipment.
When adding electrical equipment, be sure to follow the
proper installation instructions included with the
equipment.
Notice:Improper use of the power outlet can cause
damage not covered by your warranty. Do not
hang any type of accessory or accessory bracket
from the plug because the power outlets are
designed for accessory power plugs only.Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter
Your vehicle may be equipped with a front ashtray
located near the center of the instrument panel. Pull on
the door to open it.
Notice:If you put papers or other ammable items
in the ashtray, hot cigarettes or other smoking
materials could ignite them and possibly damage
your vehicle. Never put ammable items in the
ashtray.
To remove the front ashtray, pull the ashtray toward you.
To replace the ashtray, place the ashtray on the slides at
the side of its location in the instrument panel. To use the
cigarette lighter, push it in all the way, and let go. When
it’s ready, it will pop back out by itself.
Notice:Holding a cigarette lighter in while it is
heating will not allow the lighter to back away from
the heating element when it is hot. Damage from
overheating may occur to the lighter or heating
element, or a fuse could be blown. Do not hold a
cigarette lighter in while it is heating. Do not
use anything other than the cigarette lighter in the
heating element.
3-20