GMC SONOMA 2003 Owner's Manual

Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-3
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-9
Safety Belts
.............................................1-10
Child Restraints
.......................................1-30
Air Bag System
.......................................1-54
Restraint System Check
............................1-64
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-3
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-8
Windows
.................................................2-14
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-17
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-20
Mirrors
....................................................2-39
Storage Areas
.........................................2-41
Sunroof
..................................................2-52
Vehicle Personalization
.............................2-54
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-2
Climate Controls
......................................3-17
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
.........3-20
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-36
Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-42Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-4
Checking Things Under the Hood
................. 5-8
Rear Axle
...............................................5-47
Four-Wheel Drive
.....................................5-48
Front Axle
...............................................5-49
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-50
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-56
Tires
......................................................5-58
Appearance Care
.....................................5-79
Vehicle Identification
.................................5-87
Electrical System
......................................5-88
Capacities and Specifications
.....................5-94
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
......5-96
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance Information.................... 7-1
Customer Assistance Information
.................. 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
............................ 7-8
Index................................................................ 1
2003 GMC Sonoma Owner ManualM
2003 - Sonoma Owner Manual

GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, GMC, the
GMC Emblem and the name SONOMA are registered
trademarks of General Motors Corporation.
This manual includes the latest information at the time it
was printed. We reserve the right to make changes
after that time without further notice. For vehicles first
sold in Canada, substitute the name “General Motors of
Canada Limited” for GMC whenever it appears in this
manual.
Please keep this manual in your vehicle, so it will be
there if you ever need it when you’re on the road. If you
sell the vehicle, please leave this manual in it so the
new owner can use it.
Part No. X2308 B First Edition©
Copyright General Motors Corporation 06/27/02
All Rights Reserved
Canadian Owners
You can obtain a French copy of this manual from your
dealer or from:
Helm, Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
How to Use This Manual
Many people read their owner’s manual from beginning
to end when they first receive their new vehicle. If
you do this, it will help you learn about the features and
controls for your vehicle. In this manual, you’ll find
that pictures and words work together to explain things.
Index
A good place to look for what you need is the Index in
back of the manual. It’s an alphabetical list of what’s
in the manual, and the page number where you’ll find it.
ii
2003 - Sonoma OM

Safety Warnings and Symbols
You willfind a number of safety cautions in this book.
We use a box and the word CAUTION to tell you about
things that could hurt you if you were to ignore the
warning.
{CAUTION:
These mean there is something that could hurt
you or other people.
In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is.
Then we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce the
hazard. Please read these cautions. If you don’t, you
or others could be hurt.You will alsofind a circle
with a slash through it in
this book. This safety
symbol means“Don’t,”
“Don’t do this”or“Don’t
let this happen.”
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2003 - Sonoma OM

Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this book you willfind these notices:
Notice:These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
A notice will tell you about something that can damage
your vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be
covered by your warranty, and it could be costly. But the
notice will tell you what to do to help avoid the
damage.
When you read other manuals, you might see CAUTION
and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in different
words.
You’ll also see warning labels on your vehicle. They use
the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.
Vehicle Symbols
Your vehicle has components and labels that use
symbols instead of text. Symbols, used on your vehicle,
are shown along with the text describing the operation
or information relating to a specific component, control,
message, gage or indicator.
If you need helpfiguring out a specificnameofa
component, gage or indicator, reference the following
topics:
•Seats and Restraint Systems in Section 1
•Features and Controls in Section 2
•Instrument Panel Overview in Section 3
•Climate Controls in Section 3
•Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators in Section 3
•Audio System(s) in Section 3
•Engine Compartment Overview in Section 5
iv
2003 - Sonoma OM

These are some examples of vehicle symbols you mayfind on your vehicle:
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2003 - Sonoma OM

Model Reference
This manual covers these models:
Regular Cab Pickup
Extended Cab PickupCrew Cab®
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2003 - Sonoma OM

Front Seats......................................................1-3
Manual Seats................................................1-3
Power Seats..................................................1-4
Manual Lumbar..............................................1-4
Power Lumbar ...............................................1-5
Heated Seats.................................................1-5
Reclining Seatbacks........................................1-6
Head Restraints.............................................1-7
Seatback Latches...........................................1-8
Rear Seats.......................................................1-9
Rear Seat Operation.......................................1-9
Jump Seat...................................................1-10
Safety Belts...................................................1-10
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone................1-10
Questions and Answers About Safety Belts......1-15
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly.................1-15
Driver Position..............................................1-16
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy..................1-22
Right Front Passenger Position.......................1-23
Center Passenger Position.............................1-23
Rear Seat Passengers (Extended Cab
Jump Seat)..............................................1-25
Rear Seat Passengers (Crew Cab
®) ................1-26
Safety Belt Extender.....................................1-29Child Restraints.............................................1-30
Older Children..............................................1-30
Infants and Young Children............................1-32
Child Restraint Systems.................................1-36
Where to Put the Restraint (Regular Cab
and Extended Cab Pickup).........................1-39
Where to Put the Restraint
(Crew Cab
®Pickup)...................................1-40
Top Strap....................................................1-41
Top Strap Anchor Location.............................1-43
Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for
Children (LATCH System)...........................1-44
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for
the LATCH System....................................1-46
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear
Outside Seat Position................................1-46
Securing a Child Restraint in a Center
Seat Position............................................1-49
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right
Front Seat Position....................................1-49
Air Bag System..............................................1-54
Where Are the Air Bags?
...............................1-56
When Should an Air Bag Inate?
....................1-57
What Makes an Air Bag Inate?
.....................1-58
Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
1-1
2003 - Sonoma OM

How Does an Air Bag Restrain?.....................1-58
What Will You See After an Air Bag Inates? . . .1-58
Air Bag Off Switch........................................1-60
Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle.........1-63
Adding Equipment to Your Air Bag-Equipped
Vehicle....................................................1-63Restraint System Check..................................1-64
Checking Your Restraint Systems...................1-64
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash............................................1-64
Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
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2003 - Sonoma OM

Front Seats
Manual Seats
This section tells you about the seats – How to adjust
them, and fold them up and down.
{CAUTION:
You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to
adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle
is moving. The sudden movement could startle
and confuse you, or make you push a pedal
when you don’t want to. Adjust the driver’s
seat only when the vehicle is not moving.Move the lever under the front of a manual seat up to
unlock it. Slide the seat to where you want it and release
the lever. Try to move the seat with your body to
make sure the seat is locked into place.
1-3
2003 - Sonoma OM

Power Seats
If your vehicle has this feature, there will be a control on
the outboard side of the front seat(s).
Horizontal Control:Raise or lower the front of the seat
by raising or lowering the forward edge of the control.
Raise or lower the rear of the seat by raising or lowering
the rear edge of the control. Move the seat forward or
rearward by moving the whole control toward the front or
the rear of the vehicle.Moving the whole control up or down raises or lowers
the whole seat.
Vertical Control:Move the reclining front seatback
forward or rearward by moving the control toward
the front or rear of the vehicle.
Manual Lumbar
If your vehicle has this
feature, there will be a
knob located on the
outboard side of the
driver’s seat.
Turn the knob counterclockwise to increase lumbar
support and clockwise to decrease lumbar support.
1-4
2003 - Sonoma OM