brake light GMC SIERRA CLASSIC 2007 User Guide

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).
Hold the accelerator pedal for 60 seconds or
longer.
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.
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This condition is normal since the charging system
is not able to provide full power at engine idle.
As engine speeds are increased, this condition
should correct itself as higher engine speeds allow
the charging system to create maximum power.
You can only drive for a short time with the reading
in either warning zone. If you must drive, turn off
all unnecessary accessories.
Readings in either warning zone indicate a
possible problem in the electrical system. Have
the vehicle serviced as soon as possible.
Up-Shift Light
(Manual Transmission)
Your vehicle may have
an up-shift light.
It will come on when you should shift to the next
highest gear. It will help the vehicle get the
best fuel economy.
Brake System Warning Light
With the ignition on, the brake system warning
light will ash when you set the parking brake. The
light will ash if the parking brake does not
release fully. If you try to drive with the parking
brake engaged, a chime will sound when the
vehicle speed is greater than 3 mph (5 km/h).
Your vehicle’s hydraulic brake system is divided
into two parts. If one part is not working, the other
part can still work and stop you. For good
braking, though, you need both parts working well.
If the warning light comes on and a chime
sounds there could be a brake problem. Have
your brake system inspected right away.
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This light should come on briey when you turn
the ignition key to RUN. If it does not come
on then, have it xed so it will be ready to warn
you if there is a problem.
If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off
the road and stop carefully. You may notice
that the pedal is harder to push or may go closer
to the oor. It may take longer to stop. If the
light is still on, have the vehicle towed for service.
SeeTowing Your Vehicle on page 423.
{CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working
properly if the brake system warning light
is on. Driving with the brake system
warning light on can lead to an accident.
If the light is still on after you have pulled
off the road and stopped carefully, have
the vehicle towed for service.
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning
Light
With the Anti-Lock Brake
System (ABS), this light
will come on when you
start your engine and
may stay on for several
seconds.
That is normal. If the light does not come on then,
have it xed so it will be ready to warn you if
there is a problem.
If the light stays on, or comes on when you are
driving, your vehicle needs service. A chime
will sound when the light stays on. If the regular
brake system warning light is not on, you still have
brakes, but you do not have ABS. If the regular
brake system warning light is also on you do
not have ABS and there is a problem with your
regular brakes. In addition to both lights, you
will also hear a chime sound on the rst
occurrence of a problem and each time the
vehicle is shut off and then restarted. SeeBrake
System Warning Light on page 254.
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SERVICE BRAKE BOOSTER
{CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working
properly if the SERVICE BRAKE
BOOSTER message is displayed.
If the brake system warning light is also
on, you should have the vehicle towed for
service. SeeBrake System Warning Light
on page 254.
If the brake system warning light is not
on, you still have brakes, but the
supplemental brake assist system on
vehicles with rear disc brakes may not
operate properly. In the event of a vacuum
loss, you may not have vacuum power
assist for braking. The brake pedal will be
harder to push and it will take longer to
stop. If you continue to drive with this
message displayed it can lead to a crash.
Have the brake system serviced as soon
as possible.If your vehicle has vacuum assist power brakes,
this message will be displayed on the DIC
when there is a problem with the Supplemental
Brake Assist system. If the message is displayed
immediately after starting the vehicle or the
message appears while driving, the Supplemental
Brake Assist system needs service. See your
dealer. SeeBrake System Warning Light on
page 254for additional information.
SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM
If there is a problem with the brake system, this
message will be displayed on the DIC. If this
message appears, stop as soon as possible and
turn off the vehicle. Restart the vehicle and
check for the message on the DIC display. If the
message is still displayed or appears again
when you begin driving, the brake system needs
service. See your dealer.
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Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your
vehicle go where you want it to go. They are
the brakes, the steering, and the accelerator.
All three systems have to do their work at
the places where the tires meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you are driving on snow or
ice, it is easy to ask more of those control systems
than the tires and road can provide. That means
you can lose control of your vehicle. SeeTraction
Assist System (TAS) on page 363.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your
vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modications on page 468.
Braking
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 254.
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake
pedal. That is perception time. Then you have to
bring up your foot and do it. That is reaction time.
Average reaction time is about three-fourths of a
second. But that is only an average. It might be less
with one driver and as long as two or three seconds
or more with another. Age, physical condition,
alertness, coordination, and eyesight all play a part.
So do alcohol, drugs, and frustration. But even in
three-fourths of a second, a vehicle moving at
60 mph (100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m). That
could be a lot of distance in an emergency, so
keeping enough space between your vehicle and
others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary
greatly with the surface of the road, whether it is
pavement or gravel; the condition of the road,
whether it is wet, dry, or icy; tire tread; the
condition of the brakes; the weight of the vehicle;
and the amount of brake force applied.
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Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive
in spurts — heavy acceleration followed by
heavy braking — rather than keeping pace with
traffic. This is a mistake. The brakes may not have
time to cool between hard stops. The brakes
will wear out much faster if you do a lot of heavy
braking. If you keep pace with the traffic and
allow realistic following distances, you will
eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking. That means
better braking and longer brake life.
If your vehicle’s engine ever stops while you are
driving, brake normally but do not pump the
brakes. If you do, the pedal may get harder to
push down. If the engine stops, you will still have
some power brake assist. But you will use it
when you brake. Once the power assist is used
up, it may take longer to stop and the brake pedal
will be harder to push.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your
vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modications on page 468.Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle has the Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS), an advanced electronic braking system
that will help prevent a braking skid.
When you start your engine and begin to drive
away, ABS will check itself. You may hear a
momentary motor or clicking noise while this test
is going on. This is normal.
If there is a problem
with ABS, this warning
light will stay on.
SeeAnti-Lock Brake
System Warning
Light on page 255.
Along with ABS, your vehicle has a Dynamic Rear
Proportioning (DRP) system. If there is a DRP
problem, both the brake and ABS warning lights will
come on accompanied by a 10-second chime. The
lights and chime will come on each time the ignition
is turned on until the problem is repaired. See your
dealer for service.
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If your vehicle is in cruise control when the TAS
begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise control will
automatically disengage. When road conditions
allow you to safely use it again, you may re-engage
the cruise control. SeeCruise Control on page 217.
When the traction off
light is on, the TAS is
off and will not limit
wheel spin. Adjust your
driving accordingly.
The traction off light will come on under the
following conditions:
The Traction Assist System is turned off,
either by pressing the TAS on/off button,
located on the instrument panel, or by turning
off the automatic engagement feature of
the TAS.
The transmission is in FIRST (1); TAS will not
operate in this gear. This is normal.
The vehicle is driven on an extremely rough
road. When the vehicle leaves the rough
surface, slows down or stops, the light will go
off and TAS will turn on again. This is normal.
A Traction Assist System, Anti-Lock Brake
System or engine-related problem has been
detected and the vehicle needs service.
If the vehicle has been driven with the TAS
system on for long periods of time, or if the
vehicle has gone through many several high
speed braking maneuvers the system may be
automatically disabled. The system will
automatically re-enable after approximately
two minutes of not using the brakes.
SeeTraction Off Light on page 256.
The Traction Assist System, as delivered from the
factory, will automatically come on whenever
you start your vehicle. To limit wheel spin,
especially in slippery road conditions, you should
always leave the system on. But you can turn
the TAS off if you ever need to. You should turn
the TAS off if your vehicle ever gets stuck in sand,
mud or snow and rocking the vehicle is required.
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Driving Downhill
When off-roading takes you downhill, you will want
to consider a number of things:
How steep is the downhill? Will I be able to
maintain vehicle control?
What is the surface like? Smooth? Rough?
Slippery? Hard-packed dirt? Gravel?
Are there hidden surface obstacles? Ruts?
Logs? Boulders?
What is at the bottom of the hill? Is there a
hidden creek bank or even a river bottom
with large rocks?If you decide you can go down a hill safely, then
try to keep your vehicle headed straight down, and
use a low gear. This way, engine drag can help
the brakes and they will not have to do all
the work. Descend slowly, keeping your vehicle
under control at all times.
{CAUTION:
Heavy braking when going down a hill can
cause your brakes to overheat and fade.
This could cause loss of control and a
serious accident. Apply the brakes lightly
when descending a hill and use a low
gear to keep vehicle speed under control.
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After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that has collected
on the underbody, chassis, or under the hood.
These accumulations can be a re hazard.
After operation in mud or sand, have the brake
linings cleaned and checked. These substances
can cause glazing and uneven braking. Check the
body structure, steering, suspension, wheels,
tires, and exhaust system for damage. Also, check
the fuel lines and cooling system for any leakage.
Your vehicle will require more frequent service
due to off-road use. Refer to the Maintenance
Schedule for additional information.
Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving.
One reason is that some drivers are likely to
be impaired — by alcohol or drugs, with night
vision problems, or by fatigue.
Here are some tips on night driving.
Drive defensively.
Do not drink and drive.
Adjust the inside rearview mirror to reduce the
glare from headlamps behind you.
Since you cannot see as well, you may need
to slow down and keep more space between
you and other vehicles.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads.
Your vehicle’s headlamps can light up only so
much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you are tired, pull off the road in a safe
place and rest.
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime.
But as we get older these differences increase.
A 50-year-old driver may require at least twice as
much light to see the same thing at night as a
20-year-old.
What you do in the daytime can also affect your
night vision. For example, if you spend the
day in bright sunshine you are wise to wear
sunglasses. Your eyes will have less trouble
adjusting to night. But if you are driving, do not
wear sunglasses at night. They may cut down on
glare from headlamps, but they also make a
lot of things invisible.
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And, if your tires do not have much tread left,
you will get even less traction. It is always wise to
go slower and be cautious if rain starts to fall
while you are driving. The surface may get wet
suddenly when your reexes are tuned for driving
on dry pavement. If your vehicle has four-wheel
drive, seeFour-Wheel Drive on page 153for
transfer case mode selection.
The heavier the rain, the harder it is to see.
Even if your windshield wiper blades are in good
shape, a heavy rain can make it harder to see
road signs and traffic signals, pavement markings,
the edge of the road, and even people walking.
It is wise to keep your wiping equipment in
good shape and keep your windshield washer
uid reservoir lled with washer uid. Replace your
windshield wiper inserts when they show signs
of streaking or missing areas on the windshield,
or when strips of rubber start to separate from
the inserts.
{CAUTION:
Wet brakes can cause accidents. They
may not work as well in a quick stop and
may cause pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle of
water or a car wash, apply your brake pedal
lightly until your brakes work normally.
Driving too fast through large water puddles or
even going through some car washes can cause
problems, too. The water may affect your brakes.
Try to avoid puddles. But if you cannot, try to slow
down before you hit them.
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