1996 GMC SIERRA warning

To turn off the flashers, press the button until the first
click and release.
When the hazard warning flashers are
on, your turn
signals won’t work.
Other Warning Devices
If you carry reflective triangles, you can use them to
warn others. Set one up at the side
of the road about
300 feet (100 m) behind your vehicle.
Jump Starting
If your battery has run down, you may want to
use another vehicle and some jumper cables to start
your vehicle. But please use the following steps to
do
it safely.
NOTICE:
Ignoring these steps could result in costly damage
to your vehicle that wouldn’t be covered by your
vehicle warranty.
Don’t try to start your vehicle
by pushing or
pulling it. This could damage your vehicle, even if
you have a manual transmission. And if you have
an automatic transmission, it won’t start that
way.
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A CAUTION:
Batteries can hurt you.
dangerous because:
They contain acid that can burn you.
They contain gas that can explode or ignite.
They contain enough electricity to burn you.
If you don’t follow these steps exactly, some or all
of these things can hurt you.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery
with a negative ground system.
I NOTICE:
If the other system isn’t a 12-volt system with a
negative ground, both vehicles can be damaged.
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12. Remove the cables in reverse order to prevent
electrical shorting. Take care that they don’t touch
each other or any other metal.
I
A. Heavy Metal Engine Part
B. Good Battery
C. Dead Battery
Towing Your Vehicle
Try to have your GM dealer or a professional towing
service tow your vehicle. See “Roadside Assistance”
in the Index.
If your vehicle has been changed since it was
factory-new, by adding such things as fog lamps,
aero skirting, or special tires and wheels, these’
instructions may not be correct.
Before you do anything, turn on the hazard
warning flashers.
When you call, tell the towing service:
That your vehicle .has rear-wheel drive, or that it has
The make, model and year of your vehicle.
Whether you can move the shift lever for the
If there was an accident, what was damaged.
When the towing service arrives, let the tow operator
know that this manual contains detailed towing
instructions and illustrations. The operator may want to
see them.
the four-wheel-drive
option.
transmission
and transfer case, if you have one.
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If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
If you get the overheat warning but see or hear no
steam, the problem may
not be too serious. Sometimes
the engine can get
a little too hot when you:
Climb a long hill on a hot day.
0 Stop after high-speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
Tow a trailer. See “Driving on Grades” in the Index.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try
this for a minute or so:
I. If you have an air conditioner, turn it off.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window
as necessary.
3. If you’re in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while
driving
-- AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (0)
or THIRD (3) for automatic transmissions.
If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can drive.
Just to be safe, drive slower
for about 10 minutes. If the
warning doesn’t come back
on, you can drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there’s still
no sign of steam, push the accelerator
until the engine speed is about twice as fast as normal
idle speed. Bring the engine speed back
to normal idle
speed after two or three minutes. Now see
if the warning
stops.
But then, if you still have the warning, turn of
the engine nrzd get everyone nut of the vehicle until it
cools down.
You
may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
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NOTICE:
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Engine damage from running your engine without coolant isn’t covered by your warranty.
If there seems to be no leak, start the engine again. See
if the fan speed increases when idle speed is doubled by
pushing the accelerator pedal down.
If it doesn’t, your
vehicle needs service. Turn
off the engine.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant level
isn’t at or above the
COLD mark, add a SO/SO mixture
of ciecu? wter (preferably distilled) and DEX-COOL”
(orange-colored, silicate-free) antifreeze at the coolant
recovery tank.
(See (‘Engine Coolant” in the Index for
more information.)
I A CAUTION:
Adding only plain water to your cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water, or some other
liquid like
alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mix
will. Your vehicle’s coolant warning
system
is set for the proper coolant mix. With
plain water or the wrong mix, your engine could
get too hot but you wouldn’t get the overheat
warning. Your engine could catch fire and you or
others
could be burned. Use a 50/50 mix of clean
water and
DEX-COOL TM antifreeze.
I NOTICE:
In cold weather, water can freeze and crack
the engine, radiator, heater core and other parts.
Use the recommended coolant and the proper
coolant mix.
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You can be burned if’ you spill coolant on hot
engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol
and it will burn if the engine parts are hot
enough. Don’t
spill coolant on a hat engine.
When the coolant in the coolant recovery tank is at or
above
the COLD mark, start your vehicle.
If the overheat warning continues. there’s one more
thing you can try. You can add the proper coolant mix
directly to the radiator, but be sure the cooling system is
cool before you do it.
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Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your hazard
warning
flashers.
Changing a tire can cause an injury. The vehicle
can slip
off the jack and roll over you or other
people.
You and they could be badly injured.
Find a level place to change your tire.
To help
prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put an automatic transmission shift lever in
PARK (P) or shift a manual transmission to
FIRST (1) or REVERSE: (K).
3. If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle,
be sure the transfer case is
in a drive
gear
-- not in NEUTRAL (N).
4. Turn off the engine.
CAUTION: (Continued)
To be even more certain the vehicle won't move,
you can put blocks at the front and rear of the
tire farthest away from the one being changed.
That would be the tire on the other side of the
vehicle, at the opposite end.
The following
steps will tell you how to use the jack and
change a tire.
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What to Do with Used Oil
Did you know that used engine oil contains certain
elements that
may be unhealthy for your skin and could
even cause cancer? Don’t let used
oil stay on your skin
for very long. Clean your skin and nails with soap and
water, or
a good hand cleaner. Wash or properly throw
away clothing or rags containing used engine oil. (See
the manufacturer’s warnings about the use and disposal
of oil products.)
Used
oil can be a real threat to the environment. If you
change your own
oil, be sure to drain all free-flowing oil
from the filter before disposal. Don’t ever dispose
of oil
by putting it in the trash, pouring it on the ground, into
sewers,
or into streams or bodies of water. Instead,
recycle
it by taking it to a place that collects used oil. If
you have a problem properly disposing of your used oil,
ask your dealer, a service station or a local recycling
center for
help.
Air Cleaner
Your air cleaner is located between the battery and
coolant recovery tank.
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A 50/50 mixture of water and the proper coolant for
your vehicle
will:
Give freezing prorecrlon down to -34°F (-37°C).
Give boiling protection up to 265°F (129°C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine temperature.
Let the warning gages work as they should.
NOTICE:
When adding coolant it is important that you use
DEX-COOL TM (orange-colored, silicate-free)
coolant meeting
GM Specification 6277M.
If silicated coolant is added to the system,
premature engine, heater core or radiator
corrosion may result.
In addition, the engine
coolant will require change sooner
-- at
30,000 miles (50 000 km) or 24 months,
whichever occurs first. use
a mixture
of one-half dum wwter (preferably
distilled) and one-half
DEX-COOL” (orange-colored.
silicate-free) antifreeze that meets
GM Specification
6277M. which
won‘t damage aluminum parts. Use
GM Engine Coolant Supplement (sealer) (GM Part
No. 363462 1 ) with any complete coolant change. If you
use this mixture.
you don’t need to add anything else.
Adding only plain water to your cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water, or some other
liquid like alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mix will. Your vehicle’s coolant warning
system
is set for the proper coolant mix. With
plain water or the wrong mix, your engine could
get
too hot but you wouldn’t get the overheat
warning. Your engine could catch fire and you or
others could be burned. Use a
50150 mix of clean
water and
DEX-COOL TM (orange-colored,
silicate-free) antifreeze.
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