1993 GMC SIERRA lights

Features & Controls
CHECK GAGES Light
This light will come on briefly when you are starting the engine. If the light
comes on and stays
on while you are driving, it could indicate a problem with
your vehicle. Check your various gages to see
if they are in the warning
zones.
K2330
Daytime Running Lights (DRL) Indicator Light (Canada On/y)
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K2318
If your vehicle was first sold, when new, in Canada, you will have this green
light on the instrument panel. It will light, just above the \
speedometer,
whenever the Daytime Running Lights are on. For more details a\
bout DRL,
see “Headlights and Vehicle Lighting” in this section.
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Features & Contmls
beam headlights. For more details about high beams, see “Hea\
dlight High-Low Beam Changer” earlier in this section.
Turn Signal and Lane Change Indicator
K2444
These lights, with the green arrows, are on each side of the instrument
cluster. The signal indicator will come on whenever
you signal a turn or lane
change. See “Turn and Lane Change Signal” earlier in this section,
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Comfort Controls & Audio Systems
When you first turn on your vehicle’s air conditioning, open\
the windows to
clear the vehicle of hot air.
K2313
Your system has a lighted display showing each system when it is operating.
During normal operation, all the lights won’t come on at th\
e same time. Only
the ones displaying the current settings will light.
System Controls
NC Button: Press the button marked NC to turn your air conditioner on and
off. The NC symbol will light on your display and air will come out of y\
our
dashboard vents. The fan will automatically be set on
LOW.
When you press the NC button to turn the air conditioner off, the system will
operate in the vent mode. When you turn the air conditioner back on, the\

system will operate in the mode that you last selected unless the
OFF button
was pressed.
OFF Button: Press this button to turn the air conditioninglheating \
system off.
Pressing OFF will erase the present mode of operation from the system’s
memory. Outside air will still come out of the heater outlet whenever the
vehicle is moving forward.
If the OFF button was pressed, you must press NC, MAX (RECIR on some
models), or one of the
BLEND buttons for the system to come back on.
Air Controls (BLEND)
The two buttons to the right of the system display control the air flow. You
can blend the air flow to suit your needs. The amount of blending is shown
on the display by an arrow moving between the figure’s feet\
(floor air flow)
and head (vent air flow).
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Your Driving and the Road
Traffic Lights
AM402014
We’re all familiar with traffic lights or stop lights. Often, green arrow\
s are
being used in the lights for improved traffic control. On some multilane road\
s,
green arrows light up, indicating that traffic in one
or more lanes can move or
make a turn. Green arrows don’t mean “go no matter what.\
” You’ll still need
to proceed with caution, yielding the right
of way to pedestrians and
sometimes to other vehicles.
Some traffic lights also use red arrows to signify that you must stop before
turning on red.
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REVERSIBLE
LANE ON
ROADWAY MULTI-LANE

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Many city roads and expressways, and even bridges, use reversib\
le-lane
traffic control during rush
hours. A red X light above a lane means no driving
in that lane at that time.
A green arrow means you may drive in that lane.
Look for the signs posted to warn drivers what hours and days these
systems are in effect.
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Pavement Markings
NO PASSING ZONE
AM40201 6
Pavement markings add to traffic signs and signals. They give information to
drivers without taking attention from the roadway. A solid yellow line on your
side
of the road or lane means “don’t cross.”
Your Own Signals
Drivers signal to others, too. It’s not only more polite, it’s safer to let other
drivers know what you are doing. And in some places the law requires driver
signals.
Turn and lane change signals: Always signal when you plan to turn or
change lanes.
If necessary, you can use hand signals out the window: Left arm \
straight out
for a left turn, down for
slow or about-to-stop, and up for a right turn.
Slowing down: If time allows, tap the brake pedal once or twice in advance
of slowing or stopping. This warns the driver behind you.
Disabled: Your four-way flashers signal that your vehicle is disabled or is a
hazard. See “Hazard Warning Flasher” in the Index.
Traffic Officer
The traffic police officer is also a source of important informaaon. The officer’s
signals govern, no matter what the traffic lights or other sig\
ns say.
The next part discusses some of the road conditions you may e\
ncounter.
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Your Driving and the Road
Steering Tips Driving
on Curves
It’s important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on the news \
happen on
curves. Here’s why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to the same laws
of
physics when driving on curves. The traction of the tires against the road
surface makes it possible for the vehicle to change its path when you turn
the front wheels.
If there’s no traction, inertia will keep the vehicle going in
the same direction.
If you’ve ever tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you’ll
understand this.
The traction you can get in a curve depends on me condition of your tires
and the road surface, the angle at which the curve is banked,\
and your
speed. While you’re in a curve, speed is the one factor you can control.
Suppose you’re steering through a sharp curve. Then you sudd\
enly apply the
brakes. Both control systems-steering and braking-have to
do their work
where the tires meet the road. Adding the hard braking can de\
mand too
much at those places. You can lose control.
The same thing can happen
if you’re steering through a sharp curve and you
suddenly accelerate. Those two control systems-steering and
acceleration-can overwhelm those places where the tires meet the road and
make you lose control.
What should you
do if this ever happens? Let up on the brake or accelerator
pedal, steer the vehicle the way you want it to
go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should adjust your\
speed. Of
course, the posted speeds are based on
good weather and road conditions.
Under less favorable conditions you’ll want to go slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you approach a curve, do it before you
enter the curve, while your front wheels are straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed
so you can “drive” through the curve. Maintain a
reasonable, steady speed. Wait to accelerate until you are out of the curve,
and then accelerate gently into the straightaway.
When you drive into a curve at night, it’s harder
to see the road ahead of
you because it bends away from the straight beams
of your lights. This is
one good reason to drive slower.
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Your Driving and the Road
the right lane. (Remember that your right outside mirror is c\
onvex. The
vehicle you just passed may seem to be farther away from you \
than
it
really is).
Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time on two-lane roads.
Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly. Even though the
Reconsider before passing the next vehicle.
brake lights are not flashing, it may be slowing down
or starting to turn.
If you’re being passed, make it easy for the following driver to get ahead
of you. Perhaps you can ease a little
to the right.
Loss of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say about what happens whe\
n the three
control systems (brakes, steering and acceleration) don’t ha\
ve enough friction
where the tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying to steel+-, arid constantly seek an
escape route
or area of less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid
most skids by taking reasonable care suited
to existing conditions, and by not
“overdriving” those conditions. But skids are always possib\
le.
The three types
of skids correspond to your vehicle’s three control systems.
In the braking skid your wheels aren’t rolling. In the steering
or cornering
skid, too much speed
or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and lose
cornering force. And in the acceleration skid too much throttle\
causes the
driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid and an acceleration skid are best handled by ea\
sing your
foot
off the accelerator pedal. If your vehicle starts to slide (as when you turn
a corner on a wet, snow-
or ice-covered road), ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal as soon as you feel the vehicle start to sl\
ide. Quickly steer
the way you want the vehicle
to go. If you start steering quickly enough, your
vehicle
will straighten out. As it does, straighten the front wheels.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice, gravel, or other material
is on the road.
For safety, you’ll 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 limit\
ed.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction,
try your best to avoid
sudden steering, acceleration,
or braking (including engine braking by shifting
to a lower gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires to slid\
e. You
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Your Driving and the Road
Does the travel take you uphill or downhill? (There’s more \
discussion of
Will you have to stop suddenly or change direction quickly? these subjects later.)
When you drive over obstacles
or rough terrain, keep a firm grip on the
steering wheel. Ruts, troughs, or other surface features can jerk the wheel
out of your hands
if you’re not prepared.
When you drive over bumps, rocks, or other obstacles, your whe\
els can leave
the ground.
If this happens, even with one or two wheels, you can’t contro\
l
the vehicle as well
or at all.
Because you will be on an unpaved surface, it’s especially \
important
to avoid
sudden acceleration, sudden turns,
or sudden braking.
In a way, off-road driving requires a different kind of alertness from driving on
paved roads and highways. There are no road signs, posted spee\
d limits
or
signal lights. You have to use your own good judgment about what is safe
and what isn’t.
* Drinking and driving can be very dangerous on any road. And this is I
1 certainly true for off-road driving. At the very time you need special
alertness and driving skills, your reflexes, perceptions and jud\
gment
can be affected by even a small amount of alcohol. You could have
a serious-or even fatal-accident
if you drink and drive or ride with
a driver who has been drinking. (See “Drunken Driving”
in the
Index.)
Driving On Off-Road Hills
Off-road driving often takes you up, down, or across a hill. Driving safely on
hills requires good judgment and an understanding of what your vehicle can
and can’t do. There are some hills that simply can’t be \
driven, no matter how
well built the vehicle.
A, Many hills are simply too steep for any vehicle. If you drive up them,
- IOU will stall. If you drive down them, you can’t control your speed. If
you drive across them, you will roll over. You could be seriously
injured or killed.
If you have any doubt about the steepness, don’t
drive the hill.
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