1995 GMC SIERRA Owners Manual

A CAUTION:
If you operate your vehicle with a tire that is badly
underinflated, the tire can overheat. An overheated tire
can lose
air suddenly or catch fire. You or others could be injured. Be
sure all tires (including the spare, if any) are properly inflated.
Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at the
CertificationRire label.
The tires installed on your vehicle when
it was new a Tire Performance
Criteria Specification (TPC Spec) number on each tire’s sidewall. When you
get new tires, get ones with that same TPC Spec number. That way, your
vehicle will continue to have tires that are designed to give proper
endurance, handling, speed rating, traction, ride and other things during
normal service on your vehicle.
If your tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC number will be followed by an
“MS” (for mud and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with those not having a TPC Spec number,
make sure they are the same. size, load range, speed rating and construction
type (bias, bias-belted or radial) as your original tires.
I A CAUTION:
Mixing tires could cause you to lose control while driving. If you
mix tires of different sizes or types (radial and bias-belted tires),
the vehicle may not handle properly, and you could have
a crash.
Be sure to use the same size and type tires on all four wheels.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
The following information relates to the system developed by the United
States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration which grades tires
by treadwear, traction and temperature performance.
(This applies only to
vehicles sold in the United States.)
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Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear rate of the
tire when tested under controlled conditions on
a specified government test
course. For example,
a tire graded 150 would wear one and a half (1 1/2)
times as well on the government course as a tire graded 100. The relative
performance
of tires depends upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart significantly from the norm due to variations
in
driving habits, service practices and differences in road characteristics and
climate.
Traction - A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest are: A, B, and C. They represent
the tire’s ability to stop on wet pavement
as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test surfaces of asphalt and concrete.
A
tire marked C may have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned to this tire
is based on braking
(straight-ahead) traction tests and does not include cornering (turning)
traction.
Temperature - A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C, representing the tire’s
resistance to the generation
of heat and its ability to dissipate heat when
tested under controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory test
wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the material
of the tire to
degenerate and reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead
to
sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds to a level of performance
which all passenger car tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance
on the laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by
law.
Warning: The temperature grade for this tire is established for a tire that is
properly inflated and
not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or in combination, can cause heat
buildup and possible tire failure.
These grades are molded on the sidewalls of passenger car tires.
While the tires available as standard or optional equipment on General
Motors vehicles may vary with respect to these grades, all such tires meet
General Motors performance standards and have been approved for use on
General Motors vehicles.
All passenger type (P Metric) tires must conform
to Federal safety requirements in addition to these grades.
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Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced carefully at the
factory
to give you the longest tire life and best overall performance.
In most cases, you will not need to have your wheels aligned again.
However, if
you notice unusual tire wear or your vehicle pulling one way or
the other,
the alignment may need to be reset. If you notice your vehicle
vibrating when driving
on a smooth road, your wheels may need to be
rebalanced.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked, or badly rusted or corroded. If
wheel nuts keep coming loose, the wheel, wheel bolts, and wheel nuts
should be replaced.
If the wheel leaks air, replace it (except some aluminum
wheels, which can sometimes be repaired). See your
GM dealer if any of
these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind of wheel you need.
Each new wheel should have the same load carrying capacity, diameter,
width, offset, and be mounted the same way as the one
it replaces.
If you need to replace any of your wheels, wheel bolts, or wheel nuts,
replace them only with new
GM original equipment parts. This way, you
will be sure to have the right wheel, wheel bolts, and wheel nuts for your
vehicle.
A CAUTION:
Using the wrong replacement wheels, wheel bolts, or wheel nuts
on your vehicle can be dangerous. It could affect the braking
and handling
of your vehicle, make your tires lose air and make
you lose control, You could have a collision in which
you or
others could be injured. Always use the correct wheel, wheel
bolts, and wheel
nuts for replacement.
NOTICE:
The wrong wheel can also cause problems with bearing life,
brake cooling, speedometer/odometer calibration, headlamp
aim, bumper height, vehicle ground clearance, and tire or tire
chain clearance to the body and chassis.
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Whenever a wheel, wheel bolt or wheel nut is replaced on a dual wheel
setup, check the wheel nut torque after 100, 1,000 and 6,000 miles ( 160,
1 600 and 10 000 km) of driving. For proper torque, see “Wheel Nut
Torque” in the Index.
Used Replacement Wheels
A CAUTION:
Putting a used wheel on your vehicle is dangerous. You can’t
know
how it’s been used or how many miles it’s been driven. It
could fail suddenly and cause an accident. If you have to replace
a wheel use a new GM original equipment wheel.
7
c
‘ire Chains
NOTICE:
If your vehicle has dual wheels or LT265/75R16 size tires, don’t
use tire chains; they can damage your vehicle.
If you don’t have dual wheels or if you have a tire size other
than
LT26975R16, use tire chains only where legal and only
when you must. Use chains that are the proper size for your
tires. Install them on the tires of the rear axle.
Don’t use chains on the tires
of the front axle.
Tighten them
as tightly as possible with the ends securely
fastened. Drive slowly and follow the chain manufacturer’s
instructions. If you can hear the chains contacting your vehicle,
stop and retighten them. If the contact continues, slow down
until it stops. Driving too fast
or spinning the wheels with chains
on
will damage your vehicle.
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Appearance Care
Remember, cleaning products can be hazardous. Some are toxic. Others can
burst into flame if you strike a match
or get them on a hot part of the
vehicle. Some are dangerous if you breathe their fumes in a closed space.
When you use anything from a container to clean your vehicle, be sure to
follow the manufacturer’s warnings and instructions. And always open your
doors or windows when you’re cleaning the inside.
Never use these to clean your vehicle:
Gasoline
Benzene
Naphtha
0 Carbon Tetrachloride
’0 Acetone
Paint Thinner
Turpentine
Lacquer Thinner
Nail Polish Remover
They can all be hazardous
- some more than others - and they can all
damage your vehicle,
too.
Don’t use any of these unless this manual says you can. In many uses, these
will damage your vehicle:
Alcohol
Laundry Soap
Bleach
Reducing Agents
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C/eaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
Use a vacuum cleaner often to get rid of dust and loose dirt. Wipe vinyl or
leather with a clean, damp cloth.
Your
GM dealer has two CM cleaners, a solvent-type spot lifter and a
foam-type powdered cleaner. They will clean normal spots and stains very
well. Do
not use them on vinyl or leather.
Here are some cleaning tips:
Always read the instructions on the cleaner label.
Clean up stains as soon as you can - before they set.
0 Use a clean cloth or sponge, and change to a clean area often. A soft
brush may be used
if stains are stubborn.
0 Use solvent-type cleaners in a well-ventilated area only. If you use
them, don‘t saturate the stained area.
0 If a ring forms after spot cleaning, clean the entire area immediately or
it will set.
Using Foam-Type Cleaner on Fabric
Vacuum and brush the area to remove any loose dirt.
Always clean
a whole trim panel or section. Mask surrounding trim
along stitch or welt lines.
Mix Multi-Purpose Powdered Cleaner following the directions on the
container label.
Use suds
only and apply with a clean sponge.
Don’t saturate the material.
Don’t
rub it roughly.
As soon as you’ve cleaned the section, use a sponge to remove the
suds.
Rinse the
section with a clean, wet sponge.
Wipe
off what’s left with a slightly damp paper towel or cloth.
Then dry
it immediately with a blow dryer or a heat lamp.
NOTICE:
Be careful. A blow dryer may scorch the fabric.
~~ ~
0 Wipe with a clean cloth.
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Using Solvent-Type Cleaner on Fabric
First, see if you have to use solvent-type cleaner at all. Some spots and
stains will clean
off better with just water and mild soap.
If you need to use a solvent:
Gently scrape excess soil from the trim material with a clean, dull knife
or scraper. Use very little cleaner, light pressure and clean cloths
(preferably cheesecloth). Cleaning should start at the outside of the
stain, “feathering” toward the center. Keep changing to
a clean section
of the cloth.
When you clean a stain from fabric, immediately dry the area with a
blow dryer to help prevent a cleaning ring. (See the previous NOTICE.)
Fabric Protection
Your vehicle has upholstery and carpet that has been treated with
Scotchgard TM Fabric Protector, a 3M product. Scotchgard TN protects fabrics
by repelling oil and water, which are the carriers of most stains. Even with
this protection, you still need to clean your upholstery and carpet often to
keep
it looking new.
Further information
on cleaning is available by calling 1-800-433-3296 (in
Minnesota, 1-800-642-6 167).
Special Cleaning Problems
Greasy or Oily Stains
Stains caused by grease, oil, butter, margarine, shoe polish, coffee with
cream, chewing gum, cosmetic creams, vegetable oils, wax crayon, tar and
asphalt can be removed as follows:
Carefully scrape off excess stain.
Follow the solvent-type instructions described earlier.
Shoe polish, wax crayon, tar and asphalt will stain if left on a vehicle
seat fabric. They should be removed as soon
as possible. Be careful,
because the cleaner will dissolve them and may cause them to spread.
Non-Greasy Stains
Stains caused by catsup, coffee (black), egg, fruit, fruit juice, milk, soft
drinks, wine, vomit, urine and blood can be removed as follows:
Carefully scrape off excess stain, then sponge the soiled area with cool
water.
If a stain remains. follow the foam-type instructions described earlier.
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If an odor lingers after cleaning vomit or urine, treat the area with a
waterhaking soda solution:
I teaspoon (5 ml> of baking soda to 1 cup
(250 ml) of lukewarm water.
If needed, clean lightly with solvent-type cleaner.
Combination Stains
Stains caused by candy, ice cream, mayonnaise, chili sauce and unknown
stains can be removed as follows:
0 Carefully scrape off excess stain, then clean with cool water and allow
to dry.
0 If a stain remains, clean it with solvent-type cleaner.
Cleaning Vinyl
Use warm water and a clean cloth.
0 Rub with a clean, damp cloth to remove dirt. You may have to do it
more than once.
0 Things like tar, asphalt and shoe polish will stain if you don’t get them
off quickly. Use
a clean cloth and GM vinyMeather cleaner.
Cleaning Leather
Use a soft cloth with lukewarm water and a mild soap or saddle soap.
For stubborn stains, use GM vinylheather cleaner.
Never use oils, varnishes, solvent-based or abrasive cleaners, furniture
polish or shoe polish on leather.
0 Soiled leather should be cleaned immediately. If dirt is allowed to work
into finish,
it can harm the leather.
Cleaning the Top of the Instrument Panel
Use only mild soap and water to clean the top surfaces of the instrument
panel. Sprays containing silicones
or waxes may cause annoying reflections
in the windshield and even make it difficult to see through the windshield
under certain conditions.
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