ignition GMC SIERRA CLASSIC 2007 Owner's Manual

C (RUN):This is the position for driving.
The battery could be drained if you leave the key
in the ACCESSORY or RUN position with the
engine off. You may not be able to start your
vehicle if the battery is allowed to drain for
an extended period of time.
D (START):This position starts your engine.
Key In the Ignition
Never leave your vehicle with the keys inside, as it
is an easy target for joy riders or thieves. If you
leave the key in the ignition and park your vehicle,
a chime will sound, when you open the driver’s
door. Always remember to remove your key from
the ignition and take it with you. This will lock
your ignition and transaxle. Also, always remember
to lock the doors.
The battery could be drained if you leave the key
in the ignition while your vehicle is parked.
You may not be able to start your vehicle after it
has been parked for an extended period of time.
Key Release Button
(Manual Transmission)
The ignition key cannot
be removed from the
ignition of manual
transmission vehicles
unless the key release
button is used.
To remove the key on manual transmission
vehicles, turn the key to ACCESSORY, then press
the button and turn the key to LOCK. Do not
hold the button in while turning the key to
ACCESSORY. Pull the key straight out.
136

Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
If the vehicle has Retained Accessory Power
(RAP), certain features will continue to operate for
up to 10 minutes after the ignition key is turned
to LOCK unless a door is opened.
Starting the Engine
Your vehicle has a Starter Motor Control. This
feature assists in starting the engine and protects
the electrical system. This feature may cause
the engine to crank even after the ignition key is
not in START.
Automatic Transmission
Move your shift lever to PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL (N). Your engine will not start in any
other position — that is a safety feature. To restart
when you are already moving, use NEUTRAL (N)
only. If you have a diesel engine refer to the
diesel supplement for the starting procedure.Notice:Do not try to shift to PARK (P) if your
vehicle is moving. If you do, you could
damage the transmission. Shift to PARK (P)
only when your vehicle is stopped.
Manual Transmission
The gear selector should be in NEUTRAL (N) and
the parking brake engaged. Hold the clutch
pedal to the oor and start the engine. Your
vehicle will not start if the clutch pedal is not all
the way down — that is a safety feature.
137

Starting Procedure
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn
the ignition key to START. When the engine
starts, let go of the key. The idle speed will go
down as your engine gets warm. Do not
race the engine immediately after starting it.
Operate the engine and transmission
gently until the oil warms up and lubricates all
moving parts.
Your vehicle has a Computer-Controlled
Cranking System. This feature assists in
starting the engine and protects the electrical
system. If the ignition key is turned to the
START, and then released when the engine
begins cranking, the engine will continue
cranking until the vehicle starts or until
it exceeds the maximum cranking time allowed,
approximately 15 seconds to prevent cranking
motor damage. To prevent gear damage,
this system also prevents cranking if the
engine is already running. The engine cranking
can be stopped by turning the ignition switch
to the ACCESSORY or LOCK.Notice:Holding your key in START for longer
than 15 seconds at a time will disengage
the starter motor, cause your battery to be
drained much sooner, and add excessive heat
that can damage your starter motor. Try not
to hold the key in START for longer than
15 seconds and wait about 15 seconds
between each try to help avoid draining your
battery or damaging your starter.
2. If it does not start within 10 seconds, push the
accelerator pedal all the way to the oor,
while you hold the ignition key in START.
When the engine starts, let go of the key and
let up on the accelerator pedal. Wait about
15 seconds between each try.
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When starting your engine in very cold weather
(below 0°F or−18°C), do this:
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn
the ignition key to START and hold it there up
to 15 seconds. When the engine starts, let
go of the key.
2. If your engine still will not start, or starts but
then stops, it could be ooded with too much
gasoline. Try pushing your accelerator pedal all
the way to the oor and holding it there as you
hold the key in START for about three seconds.
When the engine starts, let go of the key and
accelerator. If the vehicle starts briey but then
stops again, do the same thing, but this time
keep the pedal down for ve or six seconds.
This clears the extra gasoline from the engine.
Notice:Your engine is designed to work with
the electronics in your vehicle. If you add
electrical parts or accessories, you could
change the way the engine operates. Before
adding electrical equipment, check with your
dealer. If you do not, your engine might not
perform properly. Any resulting damage would
not be covered by your vehicle’s warranty.Engine Coolant Heater
In very cold weather, 0°F (−18°C) or colder, the
engine coolant heater can help. You will get easier
starting and better fuel economy during engine
warm-up. Usually, the coolant heater should
be plugged in a minimum of four hours prior to
starting your vehicle. At temperatures above
32°F (0°C), use of the coolant heater is not
required. Your vehicle may also have an internal
thermostat in the plug end of the cord. This
will prevent operation of the engine coolant
heater when the temperature is at or above
0°F (−18 C°) as noted on the cord.
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical
cord. The cord is located on the driver’s
side of the engine compartment, near
the power steering uid reservoir. If you have
a diesel engine, refer to diesel supplement
for location.
139

Recommended Transfer Case Settings
Driving
ConditionsTransfer Case Settings
2
mAUTO
4WD4m4nN
Normal YES
Variable YES
Severe YES
Extreme YES
Vehicle in
Tow*YES
*SeeRecreational Vehicle Towing on page 424for
further information.
You can choose among ve driving settings:
Notice:Driving on clean, dry pavement in
Four-Wheel-Drive High or Four-Wheel-Drive
Low for an extended period of time may cause
premature wear on your vehicle’s powertrain.
Do not drive on clean, dry pavement in
Four-Wheel-Drive High or Four-Wheel-Drive
Low for extended periods of time.Indicator lights in the switches show the current
setting. The indicator lights will come on briey
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 to your dealer for
service. An indicator light will ash while shifting.
Fast ashing means the conditions are not
being met to make the desired shift, typically the
vehicle is going too fast, the automatic
transmission is not in NEUTRAL, or the clutch
pedal is not fully pressed. Slow ashing means the
shift is in progress. It will stay on when the shift
is completed. If for some reason the transfer case
cannot make a requested shift, it will return to
the last chosen setting.
AUTO 4WD (Automatic Four-Wheel Drive):This
setting is ideal for use when road surface
traction conditions are variable. When driving your
vehicle in AUTO 4WD, the front axle is engaged,
but the vehicle’s power is primarily sent to the rear
wheels. When the vehicle’s software determines
a need for more traction, the system will
transfer more power to the front wheels. Driving in
this mode results in slightly lower fuel economy
than Two-Wheel Drive High.
158

Shifting into Four-Wheel Drive High or
AUTO 4WD (Automatic Four-Wheel Drive)
Press and release the Four-Wheel Drive High
or AUTO 4WD switch. This can be done at any
speed, except when shifting from Four-Wheel
Drive Low. The indicator light will ash while
shifting. It will remain on when the shift is
completed.
Shifting into Two-Wheel Drive High
Press and release the Two-Wheel Drive High
switch. This can be done at any speed, except
when shifting from Four-Wheel Drive Low.
See shifting out of Four-Wheel Drive Low later in
this section for more information.
Shifting into Four-Wheel Drive Low
Notice:Shifting the transfer case into
Four-Wheel Drive Low while moving at speeds
faster than 3 mph (5 km/h) may cause
premature wear to the transfer case, and may
cause the gears to grind. To avoid causing
premature wear, and grinding the gears, do not
shift the transfer case into Four-Wheel Drive
Low while the vehicle is moving faster
than 3 mph (5 km/h).To shift to Four-Wheel Drive Low, the ignition
must be in RUN and the vehicle must be stopped
or moving less than 3 mph (5 km/h) with the
transmission in NEUTRAL (N). The preferred
method for shifting into Four-Wheel Drive Low
is to have your vehicle moving 1 to 2 mph
(1.6 to 3.2 km/h). Press and release the
Four-Wheel Drive Low switch. You must wait for
the Four-Wheel Drive Low indicator light to
stop ashing and remain on before shifting the
transmission into gear.
Notice:Shifting the transmission into gear
before the Four-Wheel Drive Low indicator light
has stopped ashing could damage the
transfer case. To help avoid damaging your
vehicle, always wait for the Four-Wheel
Drive Low indicator light to stop ashing
before shifting the transmission into gear.
It is typical for your vehicle to exhibit signicant
engagement noise and bump when shifting
between Four-Wheel Drive Low and Four-Wheel
Drive High ranges or from NEUTRAL (N) with
the engine running.
160

If the Four-Wheel Drive Low switch is pressed
when your vehicle is in gear and/or moving,
the Four-Wheel Drive Low indicator light will ash
for 30 seconds and the vehicle will not complete
the shift unless it is moving less than 3 mph
(5 km/h) and the transmission is in NEUTRAL (N).
After 30 seconds the transfer case will shift to
Four-Wheel Drive High mode.
Shifting Out of Four-Wheel Drive Low
To shift from Four-Wheel Drive Low to Four-Wheel
Drive High, AUTO 4WD, or Two-Wheel Drive
High, your vehicle must be stopped or moving less
than 3 mph (5 km/h) with the transmission in
NEUTRAL (N) and the ignition in RUN. The
preferred method for shifting out of Four-Wheel
Drive Low is to have your vehicle moving 1 to
2 mph (1.6 to 3.2 km/h). Press and release the
Four-Wheel Drive High, AUTO 4WD, or
Two-Wheel Drive High switch. You must wait for
the Four-Wheel Drive High, AUTO 4WD, or
Two-Wheel Drive High indicator light to stop
ashing and stay on before shifting the
transmission into gear.Notice:Shifting the transmission into gear
before the Four-Wheel Drive Low indicator light
has stopped ashing could damage the
transfer case. To help avoid damaging your
vehicle, always wait for the Four-Wheel
Drive Low indicator light to stop ashing
before shifting the transmission into gear.
The transfer case may make noise and the vehicle
may jerk when the transfer case is shifted
between Four-Wheel Drive Low and Four-Wheel
Drive High ranges or from NEUTRAL with the
engine running.
If the Four-Wheel Drive high, AUTO 4WD, or
Two-Wheel Drive High switch is pressed when
your vehicle is in gear and/or moving, the
Four-Wheel Drive High, AUTO 4WD, or
Two-Wheel Drive High indicator light will ash for
30 seconds but the vehicle will not complete
the shift unless it is moving less than 3 mph
(5 km/h) and the transmission is in NEUTRAL (N).
161

Shifting Into NEUTRAL
{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.
SeeParking Brake on page 169.
To shift the transfer case to NEUTRAL do the
following:
1. Make sure the vehicle is parked so that it will
not roll.
2. Set the parking brake and apply the regular
brake pedal.
3. Start the vehicle or turn the ignition to RUN.4. Put the transmission in NEUTRAL (N).
5. Shift the transfer case to Two-Wheel
Drive High.
6. Simultaneously press and hold the Two-Wheel
Drive High and Four-Wheel Drive Low buttons
for 10 seconds. The red NEUTRAL light will
come on when the transfer case shift to
NEUTRAL is complete.
7. If the engine is running, shift the transmission
to REVERSE (R) for one second, then shift
the transmission to DRIVE (D) for one second,
or FIRST (1) for vehicles that have a manual
transmission.
8. Turn the engine off, by turning the key to
ACCESSORY.
9. Place the transmission shift lever in
PARK (P).
10. Release the parking brake prior to moving the
vehicle.
11. Turn the ignition to LOCK.
162

Shifting Out of NEUTRAL
To shift out of NEUTRAL:
1. Set the parking brake and apply the regular
brake pedal.
2. Turn the ignition to RUN with the engine off.
3. Shift the transmission to NEUTRAL (N).
4. Press the button for the desired transfer case
shift position (Two-Wheel Drive High,
Four-Wheel Drive High, AUTO 4WD, or
Four-Wheel Drive Low).5. After the transfer case has shifted out of
NEUTRAL the red light will go out.
6. Release the parking brake prior to moving the
vehicle.
7. You may start the engine and shift the
transmission to the desired position.
Excessively shifting the transfer case into or out of
the different modes may cause the transfer
case to enter the shift protection mode. This mode
protects the transfer case from possible damage
and only allows the transfer case to respond
to one shift per 10 seconds. The transfer case may
stay in this mode for up to three minutes.
163

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.
Recommended Transfer Case Settings
Driving ConditionsTransfer Case Settings
2m4m4nN
Normal YES
Severe YES
Extreme YES
Vehicle in Tow* YES
*SeeRecreational Vehicle Towing on page 424or
Towing Your Vehicle on page 423for further
information.
Use these switches to shift into and out of
four-wheel drive. You can choose among
three driving settings:
Indicator lights in the switches show you which
setting you are in. The indicator lights will come on
briey 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 to your
dealer for service. An indicator light will ash
while shifting. Fast ashing means the conditions
are not being met to make the desired shift,
typically the vehicle is going too fast, the automatic
transmission is not in neutral, or the clutch
pedal is not fully pressed. Slow ashing means
the shift is in progress. It will stay on when the shift
is completed. If for some reason the transfer
case cannot make a requested shift, it will return
to the last chosen setting.
2
m(Two-Wheel Drive High):This setting is for
driving in most street and highway situations.
The front axle is not engaged in two-wheel drive.
164