tow GMC SONOMA 2001 Owner's Guide

2-50
Mirrors
Inside Day/Night Rearview Mirror
Pull the tab under the mirror toward you to reduce glare
from headlamps behind you after dark. Push the tab
away from you for normal daytime operation.
Electrochromic Day/Night Inside Rearview
Mirror (If Equipped)
This mirror automatically changes to reduce glare from
headlamps behind you. A photocell on the back of the
mirror senses when it is becoming dark outside. Another
photocell built into the mirror surface senses when
headlamps are behind you.

2-52 Outside Manual Adjust Mirror
Adjust your outside mirrors so you can see a little of the
side of your vehicle.
You can fold them in before entering a car wash.
Pull the mirrors in toward the vehicle. Push the mirrors
back out when finished.
Power Remote Control Mirror
(If Equipped)
These controls are located
on the driver's door armrest.
Move the upper control to the left or right to choose the
mirror, then press the arrows located on the control pad
to adjust the mirror.
Convex Outside Mirror
A convex mirror's surface is curved so you can see more
from the driver's seat.
CAUTION:
A convex mirror can make things (like other
vehicles) look farther away than they really are.
If you cut too sharply into the right or left lane,
you could hit a vehicle. Check your inside
mirror or glance over your shoulder before
changing lanes.

2-74 Brake System Warning Light
When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
will come on when you set your parking brake. The light
will stay on if your parking brake doesn't release fully.
If it stays on after your parking brake is fully released, it
means you have a brake problem.
Your vehicle's hydraulic brake system is divided into
two parts. If one part isn't 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, there could be a brake
problem. Have your brake system inspected right away.
United States CanadaThis light should come on briefly when you turn the
ignition key to RUN. If it doesn't come on then,
have it fixed so it will be ready to warn you if there's
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, the pedal may go closer to the floor.
It may take longer to stop. If the light is still on, have the
vehicle towed for service. See ªTowing Your Vehicleº in
the Index.
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've
pulled off the road and stopped carefully, have
the vehicle towed for service.

2-77
This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when the ignition is on and the engine is not
running. If the light doesn't come on, have it repaired.
This light will also come on during a malfunction in
one of two ways:

Light Flashing
-- A misfire condition has been
detected. A misfire increases vehicle emissions and
may damage the emission control system on your
vehicle. Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis
and service may be required.

Light On Steady
-- An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis and
service may be required.
If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:

Reducing vehicle speed.

Avoiding hard accelerations.

Avoiding steep uphill grades.

If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible.If the light stops flashing and remains on steady,
see ªIf the Light Is On Steadyº following.
If the light continues to flash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
Turn the key off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart the
engine. If the light remains on steady, see ªIf the Light
Is On Steadyº following. If the light is still flashing,
follow the previous steps, and drive the vehicle to your
dealer or qualified service center for service.
If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. See ªFilling Your Tankº in the Index.
The diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap
has been left off or improperly installed. A loose or
missing fuel cap will allow fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere. A few driving trips with the cap properly
installed should turn the light off.

2-80 Security Light
This light will come on
briefly when you turn the
key toward START. The
light will stay on until
the engine starts.
If the light flashes, the Passlock

system has entered a
tamper mode. If the vehicle fails to start, see ªPasslockº
in the Index.
If the light comes on continuously while driving and
stays on, there may be a problem with the Passlock
system. Your vehicle will not be protected by Passlock,
and you should see your dealer.
Also see ªContent Theft
-Deterrentº in the Index for
additional information regarding the SECURITY light.
Service Four-Wheel-Drive Warning Light
This light should come on
briefly when you turn on the
ignition, as a check to show
you it is working.
The SERVICE 4WD light comes on to indicate that
there may be a problem with the four
-wheel drive
system and service is required. Malfunctions can be
indicated by the system before any problem is apparent,
which may prevent serious damage to the vehicle. This
system is also designed to assist your service technician
in correctly diagnosing a malfunction.

3-2
Comfort Controls
With these systems, you can control the heating, cooling
and ventilation in your vehicle.
Standard Climate Control System
Fan Control
The knob on the left side of the heating system
control panel controls the fan speed. To increase
airflow, turn the knob clockwise. To decrease airflow,
turn it counterclockwise.Temperature Knob
The middle knob on the control panel lets you select the
relative temperature of the air flowing into the passenger
area of your vehicle. Turn the knob clockwise toward the
red area for warmer air. Turn the knob counterclockwise
toward the blue area for cooler air.
Mode Knob
The right knob on the control panel allows you to
choose the direction of air delivery.
OFF: This setting turns the system off. Some outside
air will still enter the vehicle whenever the vehicle is
moving forward. If the air entering your vehicle is
warmer than desired, turn the temperature knob fully
counterclockwise and turn the mode knob to VENT.
VENT: This setting directs most of the air through
the instrument panel outlets and a small amount through
the floor outlets.
BI-LEVEL: Air is delivered through the heater
floor outlets as well as the instrument panel outlets.
HEATER: This setting directs most of the
warmed air through the heater floor outlets and some air
through the windshield defroster outlets.

3-3
BLEND: Airflow is divided equally between the
heater floor outlet and the windshield defroster outlets.
DEFROST: This setting directs most air through
the windshield defroster outlets and some through the
heater outlets.
Optional Climate Control System
Fan Control
The knob on the left side of the heating system
control panel operates the fan speed. To increase
airflow, turn the knob clockwise. To decrease airflow,
turn it counterclockwise.Temperature Knob
The middle knob on the control panel lets you select the
relative temperature of the air flowing into the passenger
area of your vehicle. Turn the knob clockwise toward the
red area for warmer air. Turn the knob counterclockwise
toward the blue area for cooler air.
Mode Knob
The right knob on the control panel allows you to
choose the direction of air delivery.
OFF: This setting turns the system off. Some outside
air will still enter the vehicle whenever the vehicle is
moving forward.
MAX A/C: This setting provides maximum cooling
with the least amount of work. MAX A/C recirculates
much of the air inside your vehicle so it cools quickly.
This setting directs most of the air through the
instrument panel vents and a small amount through the
floor vents.
A/C: This setting cools the air entering your vehicle and
directs most of the air through the instrument panel
vents and a small amount through the floor vents.

3-5 Heating
The heater works best if you keep your windows closed
while using it. On cold days, use HEATER with the
temperature knob turned clockwise. BLEND is useful
in cool weather when you have fog or ice on the
windshield or side windows.
If you use the optional engine coolant heater before
starting your engine, your heating system will produce
warmer air faster to heat the passenger compartment in
cold weather. See ªEngine Coolant Heaterº in the Index.
Defogging and Defrosting
On cool, humid days, use BLEND to keep the
windshield and side windows clear.
Use DEFROST to remove fog or ice from the
windshield quickly in extreme humid or cold conditions.
Turn the temperature knob clockwise and turn the fan
control toward high.
If you have the heated outside mirror feature, you can
use it to defog or defrost your outside mirrors. For more
information, see ªHeated Outside Mirrorsº in the Index.
Ventilation System
For mild outside temperatures when little heating or
cooling is needed, use VENT to direct outside air
through your vehicle. Airflow is through the instrument
panel outlets.
Your vehicle's ventilation system supplies outside air to
the inside of your vehicle when it is moving. When the
vehicle is not moving, you can get outside air to flow
through by selecting any mode and any fan speed.
You will find air outlets in the center and on the sides of
your instrument panel.

4-
4-1
Section 4 Your Driving and the Road
Here you'll find information about driving on different kinds of roads and in varying weather conditions. We've also
included many other useful tips on driving.
4
-2 Defensive Driving
4
-3 Drunken Driving
4
-6 Control of a Vehicle
4
-6 Braking
4
-9 Steering
4
-11 Off-Road Recovery
4
-11 Passing
4
-13 Loss of Control
4
-14 Off-Road Driving with Your
Four
-Wheel-Drive Vehicle
4
-26 Driving at Night4
-28 Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
4
-31 City Driving
4
-32 Freeway Driving
4
-33 Before Leaving on a Long Trip
4
-34 Highway Hypnosis
4
-34 Hill and Mountain Roads
4
-36 Winter Driving
4
-39 Recreational Vehicle Towing
4
-40 Loading Your Vehicle
4
-45 Pickup Conversion to Chassis Cab
4
-46 Towing a Trailer

4-39
CAUTION:
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle.
This can cause deadly CO (carbon monoxide) gas
to get inside. CO could overcome you and kill
you. You can't see it or smell it, so you might not
know it is in your vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base of your vehicle, especially any
that is blocking your exhaust pipe. And check
around again from time to time to be sure snow
doesn't collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that's away from the wind. This will help
keep CO out.
Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little faster
than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly. This
uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps the
battery charged. You will need a well
-charged battery to
restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on
with your headlamps. Let the heater run for a while.Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. But do it as little as possible. Preserve the
fuel as long as you can. To help keep warm, you can get
out of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or so until help comes.
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Your vehicle should not be towed with all four wheels
on the ground. Your transmission has no provision for
internal lubrication while being towed. To properly tow
your vehicle, it should be placed on a platform trailer
with all four wheels off the ground. Towing with all four
wheels on the ground should be avoided.
In rare cases when it's unavoidable and your vehicle
must be towed with all four wheels on the ground, the
propeller shaft to axle yoke orientation should be
marked and the propeller shaft removed following the
applicable service manual removal/installation
procedure. See ªService and Owner Publicationsº in
the Index.