Owner’s Manual
Table Of Contents
- 2001 GMC Sierra Owner's Manual
- Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
- Seats and Seat Controls
- Safety Belts: They re for Everyone
- Here Are Questions Many People Ask About Safety Belts -- and the Answers
- How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
- Driver Position
- Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
- Right Front Passenger Position
- Air Bag System
- Center Passenger Position
- Rear Seat Passengers
- Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for Children and Small Adults
- Children
- Restraint Systems for Children
- Where to Put the Restraint (Regular Cab Pickup)
- Where to Put the Restraint (Extended Cab Pickup)
- Where to Put the Restraint (Crew Cab Pickup)
- Top Strap
- Right Front Passenger Position Top Strap Anchor (All Models)
- Rear Seat Top Strap Anchors (Extended Cab Models)
- Rear Seat Top Strap Anchors (Crew Cab Models)
- Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for Children (LATCH System)
- Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Outside Seat Position (Extended Cab and Crew Cab)
- Securing a Child Restraint in the Center Front Seat Position
- Securing a Child Restraint in the Center Rear Seat Position (Extended Cab and Crew Cab)
- Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position
- Older Children
- Safety Belt Extender
- Checking Your Restraint Systems
- Replacing Restraint System Parts After a Crash
- Section 2 Features and Controls
- Windows
- Keys
- Door Locks
- Keyless Entry System (If Equipped)
- Rear Doors
- Tailgate
- Theft
- Content Theft-Deterrent (If Equipped)
- Passlock
- New Vehicle Break-In
- Ignition Positions
- Starting Your Engine
- Engine Coolant Heater (If Equipped)
- Automatic Transmission Operation
- Manual Transmission Operation
- Four-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)
- Parking Brake
- Shifting Into PARK (P) (Automatic Transmission Only)
- Shifting Out of PARK (P) (Automatic Transmission Only)
- Parking Your Vehicle (Manual Transmission Models Only)
- Parking Over Things That Burn
- Engine Exhaust
- Running Your Engine While You re Parked (Automatic Transmission)
- Manual Selectable Ride (If Equipped)
- Locking Rear Axle
- Horn
- Tilt Wheel
- Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
- Exterior Lamps
- Interior Lamps
- Mirrors
- Inside Day/Night Rearview Mirror
- Electrochromic Inside Rearview Mirror with Compass and Temperature Display (If Equipped)
- Outside Manual Adjust Mirrors
- Camper- Type Outside Mirrors (If Equipped)
- West Coast-Type Outside Mirrors (If Equipped)
- Electric Outside Rearview Mirrors (If Equipped)
- Heated Outside Rearview Mirrors (If Equipped)
- Convex Outside Mirror
- Storage Compartments
- Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter
- Sun Visors
- Cellular Telephone (If Equipped)
- OnStar System (If Equipped)
- The Instrument Panel - Your Information System
- Instrument Panel Cluster
- Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
- Safety Belt Reminder Light
- Air Bag Readiness Light
- Air Bag Off Light
- Voltmeter
- Shift Light (If Equipped)
- Brake System Warning Light
- Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
- Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
- Transmission Temperature Gage (If Equipped)
- Low Traction Light (If Equipped)
- Traction Off Light (If Equipped)
- Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Service Engine Soon Light in the United States or Check Engine Light in Canada)
- Oil Pressure Gage
- Cruise Light (If Equipped)
- WD Light (If Equipped)
- Tow/Haul Light (Automatic Transmissions Only)
- Fuel Gage
- Message Center
- Section 3 Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
- Comfort Controls
- Standard Comfort Controls
- Heater and Air Conditioning Comfort Controls (If Equipped)
- Electronic Climate Control System (If Equipped)
- Rear Air Conditioning and Heating Systems (If Equipped)
- Rear Air Conditioning and Heating Systems with Electronic Climate Control System (If Equipped)
- Air Conditioning
- Heating
- Defogging and Defrosting
- Rear Window Defogger (If Equipped)
- Ventilation System
- Audio Systems
- Setting the Clock for Systems with SET Button
- Setting the Clock for Systems with HR and MN Buttons
- AM-FM Stereo
- AM-FM Stereo with Cassette Tape Player (If Equipped)
- AM-FM Stereo with Cassette Tape Player and Automatic Tone Control (If Equipped)
- AM-FM Stereo with Compact Disc Player and Automatic Tone Control (If Equipped)
- Remote Cassette Tape Player (If Equipped)
- Theft-Deterrent Feature (If Equipped)
- Understanding Radio Reception
- Tips About Your Audio System
- Care of Your Cassette Tape Player
- Care of Your Compact Discs
- Care of Your Compact Disc Player
- Fixed Mast Antenna
- Comfort Controls
- Section 4 Your Driving and the Road
- Defensive Driving
- Drunken Driving
- Control of a Vehicle
- Braking
- Traction Assist System (Option)
- Steering
- Off-Road Recovery
- Passing
- Loss of Control
- Off-Road Driving with Your Four- Wheel- Drive Vehicle
- Before You Go Off-Roading
- Loading Your Vehicle for Off-Road Driving
- Environmental Concerns
- Traveling to Remote Areas
- Getting Familiar with Off-Road Driving
- Scanning the Terrain
- Driving on Off-Road Hills
- Approaching a Hill
- Driving Uphill
- Driving Downhill
- Driving Across an Incline
- Stalling on an Incline
- Driving in Mud, Sand, Snow or Ice
- Driving in Water
- After Off-Road Driving
- Driving at Night
- Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
- City Driving
- Freeway Driving
- Before Leaving on a Long Trip
- Highway Hypnosis
- Hill and Mountain Roads
- Winter Driving
- Recreational Vehicle Towing
- Loading Your Vehicle
- Adding a Snow Plow or Similar Equipment
- Camper Wiring Harness (If Equipped)
- Pickup Conversion to Chassis Cab
- Towing a Trailer
- If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
- Weight of the Trailer
- Weight of the Trailer Tongue
- Total Weight on Your Vehicle s Tires
- Hitches
- Safety Chains
- Trailer Brakes
- Driving with a Trailer
- Following Distance
- Passing
- Backing Up
- Making Turns
- Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
- Driving On Grades
- Parking on Hills
- When You Are Ready to Leave After Parking on a Hill
- Maintenance When Trailer Towing
- Trailer Wiring Harness
- Auxiliary Battery (If Equipped)
- Power Winches
- Power Take-Off (PTO) (If Equipped)
- Step-Bumper Pad
- Section 5 Problems on the Road
- Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
- Service
- Fuel
- Fuels in Foreign Countries
- Filling Your Tank
- Filling a Portable Fuel Container
- Checking Things Under the Hood
- Noise Control System
- Engine Oil
- Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
- Passenger Compartment Air Filter (If Equipped)
- Automatic Transmission Fluid (Except Allison Transmission)
- Automatic Transmission Fluid (Allison Only)
- Manual Transmission Fluid
- Hydraulic Clutch
- Rear Axle
- Four-Wheel Drive
- Engine Coolant
- Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap
- Power Steering Fluid
- Windshield Washer Fluid
- Brakes
- Battery
- Bulb Replacement
- Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
- Tires
- Appearance Care
- Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
- Care of Safety Belts
- Cleaning Glass Surfaces
- Cleaning the Outside of the Windshield and Wiper Blades
- Weatherstrips
- Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle
- Cleaning Aluminum or Chrome- Plated Wheels (If Equipped)
- Cleaning Tires
- Sheet Metal Damage
- Finish Damage
- Underbody Maintenance
- Chemical Paint Spotting
- GM Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials
- Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
- Service Parts Identification Label
- Electrical System
- Replacement Bulbs
- Capacities and Specifications
- Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
- Section 7 Maintenance Schedule
- Introduction
- Part A: Scheduled Maintenance Services
- Scheduled Maintenance -- Gasoline Engines
- Scheduled Maintenance -- Gasoline Engines
- Scheduled Maintenance -- Gasoline Engines
- Part B: Owner Checks and Services
- Part C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections
- Part D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
- Part E: Maintenance Record
- Section 8 Customer Assistance Information
- Customer Satisfaction Procedure
- Customer Assistance for Text Telephone (TTY) Users
- Customer Assistance Offices
- GM Mobility Program for Persons with Disabilities
- Roadside Assistance
- Courtesy Transportation
- Warranty Information
- REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS TO THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
- REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS TO THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT
- REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS TO GENERAL MOTORS
- Ordering Owner Publications in Canada
1-29
What makes an air bag inflate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the air bag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. The sensing
system triggers a release of gas from the inflator, which
inflates the air bag. The inflator, air bag and related
hardware are all part of the air bag modules inside the
steering wheel and in the instrument panel in front of
the right front passenger.
How does an air bag restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near
-frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or
the instrument panel. Air bags supplement the protection
provided by safety belts. Air bags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper body,
stopping the occupant more gradually. But air bags
would not help you in many types of collisions,
including rollovers, rear impacts and side impacts,
primarily because an occupant’s motion is not toward
those air bags. Air bags should never be regarded as
anything more than a supplement to safety belts,
and then only in moderate to severe frontal or
near
-frontal collisions.
What will you see after an air bag inflates?
After an air bag inflates, it quickly deflates,
so quickly that some people may not even realize
the air bag inflated. Some components of the air bag
module
-- the steering wheel hub for the driver’s
air bag, or the instrument panel for the right front
passenger’s bag -- will be hot for a short time.
The parts of the bag that come into contact with you
may be warm, but not too hot to touch. There will be
some smoke and dust coming from vents in the deflated
air bags. Air bag inflation doesn’t prevent the driver
from seeing or from being able to steer the vehicle,
nor does it stop people from leaving the vehicle.
CAUTION:
When an air bag inflates, there is dust in the air.
This dust could cause breathing problems
for people with a history of asthma or other
breathing trouble. To avoid this, everyone in the
vehicle should get out as soon as it is safe to do so.
If you have breathing problems but can’t get out
of the vehicle after an air bag inflates, then get
fresh air by opening a window or door.