1997 GMC JIMMY transmission

Shift Light
SHIFT
You have the shift light
if you
have a manual
transmission. This light
comes on very briefly as a
bulb check when you start
the engine. Shilting when
the indicator light is
on wi 11
help you get the best fuel
economy. See "Shift Light"
in the Index.
Check Gages Light
1 The CHECK GAGES light
1 will come on briefly when
you are starting the enlrine.
CHECK
GAGES
Daytime Running Lamps Indicator Light
This light is on the
instrument panel.
It goes on
whenever the DRL are on,
the ignition is on. the
headlamp switch is
off
and the parking brake is :*.:(-J
-e released.
2-80

I-
=
If you have a nlanual transfer case shift lever,
shifting the transfer case
to NEUTRAL (N) can
cause your whicle to roll even if the transmission
is in PARK (P) (,or, if you have the manual
transmission, even
if you’re in gear). This is
because the NEUTRAL (N) position on the
transfer case overrides the transmission.
If you
are going to leave your vehicle, set the parking
brake and shift the transmission to
PARK (Pj (or,
put your manual transmission in FIRST (1)).
Rut do not shift the transfer case to the
NEUTRAI, (N) position. Leave the transfer case
in the
2HI,4HI or 4LO position.
4-22 . ., . , .~

Q.' Am I likely to stall when going downhill?
A: It's nl~lch mo~x likely to happen going ~~phill. But if
it happens going downhill, here's whut to do.
Stop your vehicle by applying the reg~11;~I brakes.
Shift to PARK (P) (or to NEUTRAL (N) with the
Apply the
parking brake.
manual transmission) and, while still braking. restart
the engine.
and drive straight
down.
Shif't back to a low gear, release the parking brake.
if the engine won't start, get out md gct help.
Driving Across an Incline
Sooner or later, an off-road trail will probably go m-oss
the incline of a hill. if this happens, yo^^ have to decide
whether to try to drive across the inc!int.. Here are some
things to consider:
A hill that can be driven straight up 01- down may be
too steep to drive across. When you go straight LIP or
down a hill, the length of the wheel base (the
distance from the front wheels to the I-car whecls)
reduces the likelihood
the vehic!e will tumble cnd
over end.
But wlwn you drive i~cross an incline. the
much more narrow track width (the distance bctwee1l
the left and right wheels) nay not prevent the vehicle r
Driving across an incline that's too steep will
make your vehicle roll over. You could be
seriously injured or killed. If you have any doubt
about the steepness
of the incline, don't drive
across it. Find another route instead.

0
0
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid
levels and also
the brakes, tires, cooling system and
transmission. These parts can work hard on
mountain roads.
Know
how to go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this:
let your engine do some of the
slowing down.
Shift to a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long hill.
If you don’t shift down, your brakes could get so
hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would then
have poor braking or even none going down
a
hill. You could crash. Shift down to let your
engine assist your brakes on
a steep
downhill slope.
A CAUTION: . -.
Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with the
ignition
otf is dangerous. Your brakes will have to
do all the work
of slowing down. They could get so
hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would then
have poor braking or even none going down a hill.
You could crash. Always have your engine running
and your vehicle in gear when
you go downhill.
0 Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down to a
lower gear. The lower gears help cool yo~~r engine and
transmission, and you can climb the hill better.
0 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.
0 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 nmuntains that warn of
special problems. Examples are long grades, passing or
no-passing zones. a falling rocks area or winding
roads.
Be alert to these and take appropriate action.
4-36

Recreational Vehicle Towing (Four-wheel Drive With
7
Shift Transfer Case Only)
1.
2.
3.
3.
Set the par' * lg brake firmly.
Place an automatic transmission
in PARK (P) or a
manual transmission in FIRST ( I ).
Firmly attach the vehicle being towed to the tow
vehicle.
Do not tow the vehicle by the rear bumper
bar. Refer
to the hitch manufacturer's instructions.
Place the manual shift transfer case shift lever
in
NEUTRAL (N).
A CAUTION:
Shifting the transfer case into NEUTRAL (N) can
cause your vehicle to roll even if the transmission
is
in PARK (P), for an automatic transmission, or
if your vehicle is in gear, for a manual
transmission. You
or others could be injured.
Make sure the parking brake
is firmly set before
you shift the transfer case into
NEUTRAL (N).
5. Release the parking brake only after the vehicle
being towed is firmly attached
to the tow vehicle.
6. Insert the ignition key into the ignition switch and
turn
it one notch forward of the LOCK position. This
places the key
in the OFF position, which unlocks
the steering column while preventing battery drain.
Unlocking the steering column will allow
for proper
movement
of the front wheelshires during towing.
4-41

If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points:
0
0
0
0
There are many different laws, including speed limit
restrictions, 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
2,000 lbs. (900 kg) or less. You should always
use a sway control
if your trailer will weigh more
than
2,000 lbs. (900 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/h) and
don’t nuke starts at
full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts
of your vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.
If you have an automatic transmission, you can use
DRIVE
(D) (or, as you need to, a lower gear) when
towing
a trailer. Operating your vehicle in
DRIVE (D) when towing a trailer will minimize heat
buildup and extend the life
of your transmission. If
you have a manual transmission and you are towing
a trailer, it‘s better not to use FIFTH (5) gear. Just
drive
in FOURTH (4) gear (or, as you need to, a
lower gear).
Three important considerations have to do
with weight:
the weight of the trailer,
0 the weight of the trailer tongue
and the weight on your vehicle’s tires.
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It depends on how you plan to use your rig. For
example, speed, altitude, road grades, outside
temperature and how much your vehicle
is used to pull a
trailer are all important. And,
it can also depend on any
special equipment that you have on your vehicle.
The following chart shows how much your trailer can
weigh, based upon your vehicle model and options.
4-46

When towing a trailer, the ~~rrows on your instrument
panel
will flash for turns even if the bulbs on the trailer
itre burned out. Thus. you may think drivers behind you
are seeing your signal when they are not. It's important
to check occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs arc
still working.
Driving On Grades
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reducc your
speed
to around 45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the
possibility
of engine and transmission ovc.rheating.
If you have an automatic transmission. you should use
DRIVE
(D) when towing a trailer. Operating your
vehicle
in DRIVE (D) when towing a trailer will
minimize heat buildup and extend the life
of your
trrmsmission. Or:
if you have ;1 manual transmission. it's
better not to use FIFTH (5) gear. just drive in
FOURTH (4) gear (or, as you need to, a I~MW gear). Whcn
towins at high altitude
on steep uphill grades,
consider the following: Engine coolant will boil at a
lower temperature than at normal altitudes. If yo^^ turn
your engine off immediately after towing
at high altitude
on steep uphill grades, your \:ellicle may show signs
similar to engine overheating.
To avoid this. let the
engine
r~~n while parked (preferably on level grout1d)
with the automatic transmission in PARK (Pj (or the
1manuaI transmission out of
gear and the parking brake
applied) 1'01-
;I few minutes before turning the engine off.
If you do get the overheat warning. see "Engine
Overheating"
in the Index.
Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle. with a trailer
attached.
on a hill. If something goes wrong, your rig
could start
to move. People can be injured, and both
yo~~r vehicle and the trailer can
be damaged.
4-52

1.
L. 7
3.
4.
5.
6.
Apply your regultu- brakes, but don‘t shift into
PARK (P) yet. or into gear for a nxmual
transmission. Then
t111-n your wheels into the curb if
facing downhill or into traffic if facing uphill.
Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular
brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
Reapply the reglrlar brakes. Then apply your parking
brake,
and then shift into PARK (P). or
REVERSE (R) for a manual transmission.
If yo^^ have ;t I’our-~yheel-dl-ive \:ellick with a
manual transfer case shift lever, be SLIR the transfer
case
is in a drive gear -- not in NEUTRAL (N).
Release the regular brakes. It can
be dangerous to get out of your vehicle
if
the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can
roll.
If you have left the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You
01- others could be
injured.
‘li) be sure your vehicle won’t n~ove, even
when you’re
on fairly level ground, use the steps
that follow.
If you have four-wheel drive with
a nlanual
transfer case shift lever and your transfer case
is
in NEUTRAL (N), your vehicle will he free to
roll, even
if your shift lever is in PARK (P). So, be
sure the transfer case is in a drive gear
-- not in
NEUTRAL (N).
4-53