ABS GMC SIERRA CLASSIC 2007 Owners Manual

To open a rear access
door from the outside,
rst open the front door.
Then, use the handle
located on the front
edge of the rear access
door to open it.
You must fully close a rear access door before
you can close the front door.
To open a rear access
door from the inside, the
front door must be
opened rst. Then, use
the handle located on
the inside of the rear
access door to open it.Crew Cabs
If your vehicle is a crew cab, you can open your
doors from the inside or outside. Your vehicle may
also have a feature which prevents children
from opening the rear doors. SeeRear Door
Security Locks (Crew Cab) on page 126for more
information.
Tailgate
You can open the tailgate by lifting up on its
handle while pulling the tailgate toward you.
To shut the tailgate, rmly push it upward until it
latches.
After you put the tailgate back up, pull it back
towards you to be sure it latches securely.
127

Tow/Haul Mode
If your vehicle has an automatic transmission, it
may have a Tow/Haul mode. If your vehicle has an
Allison Transmission
®see “Tow/Haul Mode
(Allison Transmission®) following. Tow/Haul mode
adjusts the transmission shift pattern to reduce
shift cycling, providing increased performance,
vehicle control, and transmission cooling
when towing or hauling heavy loads.The selector button is located on the end of the
shift lever. Turn the Tow/Haul on and off by
pressing the button. When the Tow/Haul is on, a
light on the instrument panel cluster will come on.
SeeTow/Haul Mode Light on page 264for
more information.
If your vehicle has the Performance
Package-Enhanced Towing, activating the manual
selectable ride will adjust the shock absorber
characteristics to enhance the ride and handling of
the vehicle for towing or hauling heavy loads.
Also see Tow Haul Mode underTowing a Trailer
on page 429for more information.
147

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.
255

The ABS warning light should come on briey
when you turn the ignition key to RUN. If the light
does not come on then, have it xed so it will
be ready to warn you if there is a problem.
Traction Off Light
If your vehicle has the
Traction Assist System,
this light should
come on briey when
you turn the ignition
to RUN.
If the light does not come on then, the system
may require service. Have it xed so it will be there
to warn you if the system is turned off.
If the light stays on, or comes on when you are
driving, there may be a problem with your Traction
Assist System and your vehicle may need
service. When this light is on, the system will not
limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the engine coolant temperature.
It also provides an indicator of how hard your
vehicle is working. During a majority of the
operation, the gage will read 210°F (100°C) or
less. If you are pulling a load or going up hills, it is
normal for the temperature to uctuate and
approach the 250°F (122°C) mark. If the gage
reaches the 260°F (125°C) mark, it indicates that
the cooling system is working beyond its
capacity.
SeeEngine Overheating on page 505.
United StatesCanada
256

Your Driving, the Road, and
Your Vehicle............................................ 356
Defensive Driving...................................... 356
Drunken Driving........................................ 357
Control of a Vehicle.................................. 360
Braking...................................................... 360
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS).................. 361
Braking in Emergencies............................. 363
Traction Assist System (TAS).................... 363
Manual Selectable Ride............................. 365
Locking Rear Axle..................................... 366
Steering.................................................... 367
Off-Road Recovery.................................... 369
Passing..................................................... 369
Loss of Control.......................................... 371
Off-Road Driving........................................ 372
Driving at Night......................................... 391
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads............ 392
City Driving............................................... 396
Freeway Driving........................................ 397Before Leaving on a Long Trip.................. 398
Highway Hypnosis..................................... 399
Hill and Mountain Roads........................... 400
Winter Driving........................................... 402
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Ice, or Snow.......................................... 406
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out........... 407
Recovery Hooks........................................ 408
Loading Your Vehicle................................ 409
Adding a Snow Plow or Similar
Equipment.............................................. 416
Truck-Camper Loading Information............ 421
Pickup Conversion to Chassis Cab.............. 423
Towing........................................................ 423
Towing Your Vehicle ................................. 423
Recreational Vehicle Towing...................... 424
Towing a Trailer........................................ 429
Trailer Recommendations.......................... 460
Power Take-Off (PTO)............................... 461
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
355

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.
361

Let us say the road is wet and you are driving
safely. Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of
you. You slam on the brakes and continue braking.
Here is what happens with ABS:
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down.
If one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the
computer will separately work the brakes at each
front wheel and at both rear wheels.ABS can change the brake pressure faster than
any driver could. The computer is programmed
to make the most of available tire and road
conditions. This can help you steer around the
obstacle while braking hard.
As you brake, your computer keeps receiving
updates on wheel speed and controls braking
pressure accordingly.
362

Remember: ABS does not change the time you
need to get your foot up to the brake pedal or
always decrease stopping distance. If you get too
close to the vehicle in front of you, you will not have
time to apply your brakes if that vehicle suddenly
slows or stops. Always leave enough room up
ahead to stop, even though you have ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake
pedal down rmly and let anti-lock work for you.
You may feel the brakes vibrate, or you may notice
some noise, but this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
With ABS, you can steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help you
more than even the very best braking.
Traction Assist System (TAS)
Your vehicle may have a Traction Assist
System (TAS) that limits wheel spin. This is
especially useful in slippery road conditions.
The system operates only if it senses that one or
both of the rear wheels are spinning or beginning
to lose traction. When this happens, the system
reduces engine power to limit wheel spin.
The traction control system is enabled every time
your vehicle is started. The system will activate
if it senses that any of the wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction.
You may hear or feel the system working or notice a
lack of accelerator response, but this is normal.
The Traction Assist System may operate on dry
roads under some conditions. When this happens,
you may notice a reduction in acceleration.
This is normal and doesn’t mean there’s a problem
with your vehicle. Examples of these conditions
include a hard acceleration in a turn, an abrupt
upshift or downshift of the transmission or driving
on rough roads.
363

If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off
the accelerator pedal and quickly steer the
way you want the vehicle to go. If you start
steering quickly enough, your vehicle may
straighten out. Always be ready for a second skid
if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow,
ice, gravel, or other material is on the road.
For safety, you will want to slow down and adjust
your driving to these conditions. It is important to
slow down on slippery surfaces because stopping
distance will be longer and vehicle control more
limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction,
try your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration,
or braking, including reducing vehicle speed by
shifting to a lower gear. Any sudden changes could
cause the tires to slide. You may not realize the
surface is slippery until your vehicle is skidding.
Learn to recognize warning clues — such as
enough water, ice, or packed snow on the road to
make a mirrored surface — and slow down when
you have any doubt.
Remember: Any Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
helps avoid only the braking skid.Off-Road Driving
This off-road guide is for vehicles that have
four-wheel drive. Also, seeBraking on page 360.
If your vehicle does not have four-wheel drive
or is equipped with 20-inch tire/wheel assemblies,
you should not drive off-road unless you are on
a level, solid surface.
Off-road driving can be great fun. But it does have
some denite hazards. The greatest of these is
the terrain itself.
“Off-roading” means you have left the great
North American road system behind. Traffic lanes
are not marked. Curves are not banked. There
are no road signs. Surfaces can be slippery, rough,
uphill, or downhill. In short, you have gone right
back to nature.
Off-road driving involves some new skills. And
that is why it is very important that you read this
guide. You will nd many driving tips and
suggestions. These will help make your off-road
driving safer and more enjoyable.
372

The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) improves your
vehicle’s stability when you make a hard stop
on a slippery road. Even though you have ABS,
you will want to begin stopping sooner than
you would on dry pavement. SeeAnti-Lock Brake
System (ABS) on page 361.
Allow greater following distance on any
slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be
ne until you hit a spot that is covered with
ice. On an otherwise clear road, ice patches
may appear in shaded areas where the
sun cannot reach, such as around clumps of
trees, behind buildings, or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface of a curve or an
overpass may remain icy when the
surrounding roads are clear. If you see a
patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you
are on it. Try not to brake while you are
actually on the ice, and avoid sudden steering
maneuvers.
If You Are Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in
a serious situation. You should probably stay
with your vehicle unless you know for sure that you
are near help and you can hike through the
snow. Here are some things to do to summon
help and keep yourself and your passengers safe:
Turn on your hazard ashers.
Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police
that you have been stopped by the snow.
Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around
you. If you do not have blankets or extra
clothing, make body insulators from
newspapers, burlap bags, rags, oor
mats — anything you can wrap around yourself
or tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
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