1993 GMC SIERRA tow

Right Button
Defrost (Top): Press here to operate the defroster. Heated air comes out
near the windshield. You can use it to help clear fog or ice on your
windshield.
Heater (Bottom): Press here, and heated air comes out near the floor. This
setting is best for passenger comfort in cold weather.
The air flow can be blended between the two positions. To blend between
positions, press the side of the button showing the area where you would like
more air flow. The system will automatically begin to blend toward the position
chosen. To stop the system between positions, just press the
SAME side of
the button again.
Left Button
Vent (Top): Press the top of this button and all of the airflow will come
through the instrument panel vents.
Heater (Bottom): Press the bottom of this button and all of the airflow will
come through the floor outlet.
The air flow can be blended between the two positions.
To blend between
positions, press the side
of the switch showing the area where you would like
more air flow. The system will automatically begin to blend toward the position
chosen. To stop the system between positions, just press the
SAME side of
the button again.
Temperature Selector Bar
The bar under your system display lets you select the temperat\
ure of the air
coming into your vehicle. Press
COLD for cooler air and press HOT for
warmer air. Release the bar when the system reaches the temperature you
want. The temperature is shown on the display by an arrow moving between
C and H.
Fan Control Button
This button is in the upper right corner of your system control panel. The fan
has four settings-low, medium
low, medium high and high. Press the top of
the button
(t) to increase the air flow. Press the bottom of the button (-) to
decrease the air flow. The setting you select is shown on your display as
LOW, MED LOW, MED HI or HI.
Air Recirculation Button
If you press the MAX button (RECIR on some models), the air in your
vehicle will be recirculated. With the air conditioner on,
MAX will give you
maximum cooling. It can also be used in all modes to help keep dust out of
your vehicle. When
MAX is selected, REC will light on your display.
3-7
ProCarManuals.com

Parking on Hills ........................................................................\
........................... 4-49
Winter Driving
........................................................................\
.............................. 4-52
Towing a Trailer
........................................................................\
........................... 4-55
Power Winches ........................................................................\
............................ 4-62
Power Take-Off
........................................................................\
............................ 4-62
4-2
ProCarManuals.com

Your Driving and the Road
driving. Too-fast or too-slow driving breaks a smooth traffic flow. Treat the left
lane on a freeway as a passing lane.
Entering the Freeway
At the entrance there is usually a ramp that leads to the freewa\
y. If you have
a clear view of the freeway as you drive along the entrance ramp, you
should begin to check traffic.
Try to determine where you expect to blend
with the flow.
If traffic is light, you may have no problem. But if it is heavy,
find a gap as you move along the entering lane and time your approach. T\
ry
to merge into the gap at close to the prevailing speed. Switc\
h on your turn signal, check your rearview mirrors as you move along, and gla\
nce over your
shoulder as often as necessary.
Try to blend smoothly with the traffic flow.
Driving on the Freeway
Once you are on the freeway, adjust your speed to the posted \
limit or to the
prevailing rate if it’s slower. Stay in the right lane unle\
ss you want to pass.
If
you are on a two-lane freeway, treat the right lane as the slow lane and the
left lane as the passing lane. If you are on a three-lane fr\
eeway, treat the
right lane as the slower-speed through lane, the middle lane a\
s the
higher-speed through lane, and the left lane as the passing la\
ne.
Before changing lanes, check your rearview mirrors. Then use yo\
ur turn
signal. Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly over
your shoulder to
make sure there isn’t another vehicle in your “blind” \
spot.
If you are moving from an outside to a center lane on a freeway having
more than two lanes, make sure another vehicle isn’t about \
to move into the
same spot. Look at the vehicles
two lanes over and watch for telltale signs:
turn signals flashing, an increase in speed, or moving toward \
the edge of the lane. Be prepared to delay your move.
Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you allow a \
reasonable
following distance. Expect to move slightly slower at night.
Leaving the Freeway
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the proper lane \
well in
advance. Dashing across lanes at the last minute is dangerous. \
If you miss
your exit do not, under any circumstances, stop and back up. \
Drive on to the next exit.
At each exit point is a deceleration lane. Ideally it should be long enough for
you to enter
it at freeway speed (after signaling, of course) and then do yo\
ur
braking before moving onto the exit ramp. Unfortunately, not all deceleration
lanes are long enough-some are too short for all the braking. \
Decide when
to start braking.
If you must brake on the through lane, and if there is traffic
444
ProCarManuals.com

I CAUTION
A Coasting downhill in N (Neutral) or with the ignition off is dangerous.
E ‘ Your brakes will have to do all the work of slowing down. They could
get
so hot that they wouldn’t work well. You could crash. Always
have your engine running and your vehicle in gear when you go
downhill.
l I
e
e
e
e
e
Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down to a lower gear.
The lower gears help cool your engine and transmission, and yo\
u can
climb the hill better.
Stay .in your own lane when driving on two-lane roads in hills or
mountains. Don’t swing wide
or cut across the center of the road. Drive
at speeds that let you stay in your own lane. That way, you won’t be
surprised by a vehicle coming toward you in the same lane.
It takes longer to pass another vehicle when you’re going uphill. You’ll
want
to leave extra room to pass. If a vehicle is passing you and
doesn’t have enough room,
slow down to make it easier for the other
vehicle to get by.
As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could be something in
your lane, like a stalled car
or an accident.
You may see highway signs on mountains that warn of special problems.
Examples are long grades, passing or no-passing zones, a fallin\
g rocks
area, or winding roads. Be alert to these and take appropriate action.
Winter driving can present special problems. See “Winter Driv\
ing” in the
Index.
4-48
ProCarManuals.com

AM480043
Run your engine only as long as you musk. 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 yo\
u get and
it keeps
the battery (or batteries) charged. You will need a well-charged battery (or
batteries) to restart the' vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on with your
headlights. Let the heater run for awhile.
If you 'have a diesel engine, you
may have to run it at a higher speed
to lget enough heat. 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.
If You're Stuck in Deep Snow
This manual explains how to get the vehicle out of deep snow without
damaging it. See "Rocking Your Vehicle" in the Index.
Towing a mailer
CAUTION I
If you don't use the correct equipment and drive properly, you ca\
n
lose control when you pull a trailer. For example, if the trailer is too
heavy, the brakes may not work well-or even at all. You and your
passengers could be seriously injured. Pull a trailer only if \
you have
followed all the steps in this section.
I
i'- ." "
4-55
ProCarManuals.com

z
Your Driving and the Road
NOTICF
Pulling a trailer improperly can damage your vehicle and result in costly
repairs
not covered by your warranty. To pull a trailer correctly, follow the
advice in this section.
Every vehicle
is ready for some trailer. towing. If it was .built with trailering
options, as many are,
it’s ready for‘heavier trailers. But trailering is different
than just driving your vehicle by itself. Trailering means chan\
ges isn handling,
durability, and fuel .economy. Successful, safe trailering .takes\
correct
equipment, and
it has to be used properly.
That’s the reason for this section. In it are many time-tested, important
trailering tips and safety rules. Many of these are important for your safety
and that of your passengers.
So please read this section carefully before you
pull a trailer.
If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important .points. .
0 There are many different laws having to do with trailering. Make sure
your rig
will be legal, not only where you live but also where you’ll be\

driving.
A good source for this information can be state or provincial
police.
.Consider using a sway control if your trailer will weigh 4,000 pounds
(1 800 kg) or less. You should always use a sway control if your trailer
will weigh more than 4,000 pounds (1800 kg). You can ask a hitch
dealer about sway controls.
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first 500 miles (800 km) ‘your new
vehicle is driven. Your engine, axle,
or other parts could be damaged.
Then, during the first 500 miles (800 km) that you tow a trailer, don’t
drive over
50 mph (80 km/ti) and don’t make ,starts at full throttle. T\
hat
will help your engine and other parts of your vehicle wear in at the
heavier load$.
Three important considerations have to do with weight:
Weight
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It should never be more than 13,500 Ibs. (6125.6 kg). But even \
that can be
too heavy. It depends on how you plan to use your rig. For example, speed,
altitude, ‘road grades, outside temperature, and how much your vehicle is
4-56
ProCarManuals.com

used to pull a trailer all are important. And, it can also depend on any
special equipment that you have on your vehicle. You can ask your dealer
for
our trailering information or advice, or you can write us at the address listed
in your Warranty and Owner Assistance Information Booklet.
In Canada, write to:
General Motors of Canada Limited
Customer Assistance Center
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario
L1H 8P7
Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important weight t\
o measure because
it affects the total, gross weight
of your vehicle. The gross vehicle weight
(GVW) includes the curb weight
of the vehicle, any cargo you may carry in it,
and the people who will be riding in the vehicle. And if you will tow a trailer,
you must add the tongue load to the GVW because your vehicle will be
carrying that weight, too. See “Loading Your Vehicle” in the Index
for more
information about your vehicle’s maximum load capacity.
A
m
B
AN490002
If you’re using a “dead-weight” hitch, the trailer tongue (A) should weigh 10%
of the total loaded trailer weight (B). If you have a “weight-distributing” hitch,
the trailer tongue (A) should weigh
12% of the total loaded trailer weight (B).
After you’ve loaded your trailer, weigh the trailer and then\
the tongue,
separately,
to see if the weights are proper. If they aren’t, you may be able
to get them right simply by moving some items around in the \
trailer.
4-57
ProCarManuals.com

Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience. Before setting out
for the open road, you’ll want to get to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with
the feel of handling and braking with the added weight of the trailer. And
always keep in mind that the vehicle you are driving is now a good deal
longer and not nearly
so responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform, safety \
chains, electrical
connector, lights, tires and mirror adjustment.
If the trailer has electric brakes,
start your vehicle and trailer moving and then apply the trailer brake controller
by hand to be sure the brakes are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the load is secure, and
that the lights and any trailer brakes are still working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you w\
ould when
driving your vehicle without a trailer. This can help you avoid situations \
that
require heavy braking and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when you’re towing a trailer.
And, because you’re a good deal longer, you’ll need to g\
o much farther beyond the passed vehicle before you can return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand. Then, to move the
trailer left, just move your hand to the left.
To move the trailer to the right,
move your hand to the right. Always back up slowly and,
if possible, have
someone guide you.
Making Turns
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns than normal. Do this so
your trailer wheels won’t strike soft shoulders, curbs, road signs\
, trees, or
other objects. Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well in advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have a different turn signal
flasher and extra wiring. The green arrows on your instrument \
panel will flash
whenever you signal a turn or lane change. Properly hooked up, the trailer
lights will also flash, telling other drivers you’re about t\
o turn, change lanes,
or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green arrows on your instrument pan\
el will flash for
turns even
if the bulbs on the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may think
4-59
ProCarManuals.com