1997 GMC SIERRA Owners Manual

A. Dome Lamp Switch
B. Lamp Controls
C. Air Outlets
D. Multifunction Lever
E. Instrument Cluster
E Gearshift Lever
G. Audio System
H. Comfort Control System
I. Glove Box
J. Supplemental Inflatable Restraint (Air Bag)
(If Equipped)
K. Ashtray
L. Cupholder
M. Auxiliary Power Outlets
N. Storage Area or Compact Disc Player (If Equipped)
0. Rear Window Defogger Switch (If Equipped)
P. Passenger Supplemental Inflatable Restraint
Q. Tilt Lever (If Equipped)
R. Parking Brake Release
S. Hood Release
T. Fuse Block (Air Bag)
Off Switch (If Equipped)
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Instrument Panel Cluster
SERVlCE ENGINE SOON
CHECK GAGES
c
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United States version shown, Canada similar.
Your instrument cluster is designed to let you know at a glance how your vehicle is running. You'll know how fast you're
going, about how much fuel
you have and many other things you'll need to know to drive safely and economically.
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Speedometer and Odometer
Your speedometer lets you see your speed in both miles
per hour (mph) and kilometers per hour (km/h). Your
odometer shows how far your vehicle has been driven,
in either miles (used in the United States) or kilometers
(used
in Canada).
TamperResistant Odometer
Your odometer is tamper-resistant. The odometer will
show silver lines between the numbers
if someone tries
to turn
it back.
You may wonder what happens if your vehicle needs a
new odometer installed. If the new odometer can be set
to the mileage total of the old odometer, then
it must be.
But
if it can’t, then it’s set at zero, and a label must be
put
on the driver’s door to show the old mileage reading
when the new odometer was installed.
Wip Odometer
The trip odometer can tell you how far your vehicle has
been driven since
you last set the trip odometer to zero.
To reset the trip odometer, fully press the reset button
located near the trip odometer readout. If the reset
button is not fully pressed, the trip odometer may not go
all the way back to zero. If it doesn’t, you may have to
press the reset button again to reset the readout to zero.
Tachometer
Your tachometer displays the engine speed in
revolutions per minute
(rpm).
I NOTICE:
On vehicles with a manual transmission, if you
operate the engine with the tachometer in the
red
area, your engine or other parts could be damaged.
Damage
to your engine or vehicle caused by
operating the engine in the red area isn’t covered
by your vehicle warranty. Don’t operate the
engine with the tachometer in the red area.
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Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
This part describes the warning lights and gages that
may be on your vehicle. The pictures will help you
locate them.
Warning lights and gages can signal that something is wrong before it becomes serious enough to cause an
expensive repair or replacement. Paying attention to
your warning lights and gages could also save you or
others from injury.
Warning lights come on when there may be or is a
problem with one of your vehicle’s functions.
As you
will see in the details on the next few pages, some
warning lights come on briefly when you start the
engine just to let
you know they’re working. If you are
familiar with this section, you should not be alarmed
when this happens. Gages can
indicate when there may
be or is a problem
with one of your vehicle’s functions. Often gages and
warning lights work together to let you know when
there’s a problem with your vehicle.
When one
of the warning lights comes on and stays on
when you are driving, or when one of the gages shows
there may
be a problem, check the section that tells you
what to
do about it. Please follow this manual’s advice.
Waiting to do repairs can be costly
-- and even
dangerous.
So please get to know your warning lights
and gages. They’re a big help.
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Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is turned to RUN or START, a tone will
come on for about eight seconds to remind people to
fasten their
safety belts, unless the driver’s safety belt is
already buckled.
The safety belt light will
also come on and stay on
for about
20 seconds,
then it will flash for about
55 seconds. If the driver’s
belt is already buckled,
neither the tone nor the
light will come on.
Air Bag Readiness Light
There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument panel,
which shows
AIR BAG. The system checks the air bag’s
electrical system for malfunctions. The light tells you if there is an electrical problem. The system check includes the
air bag sensors, the air bag module, the wiring and the
diagnostic module.
For more information on the air bag
system,
see “Air Bag” in the Index.
AIR
BAG
This light will come on
when you start your engine,
and it will
flash for a few
seconds. Then the light
should go out. This means
the system is ready.
If the air bag readiness light stays on after you start the
engine or comes on when you are driving, your air bag
system may not work properly. Have your vehicle
serviced right away.
The air bag readiness light should flash for
a few
seconds when you turn the ignition key to
RUN. If the
light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be
ready to warn you if there
is a problem.
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AIR BAG OFF Light (Except Crew Cab)
When you turn the right front passenger’s air bag off,
this light will come on and stay on to remind you that
the air bag has been turned off. This light will go off
when
you turn the air bag back on again. See “Securing
a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position” in
the Index for more
on this, including important
safety information.
I A CAUTION:
If the right front passenger’s air bag is turned
off, an adult or a child who is no longer an infant
sitting in the right front passenger’s position
won’t have the extra protection
of an air bag. In
a crash, the air bag wouldn’t be able to inflate
and help protect the person sitting there. Make sure the air bag is turned on unless
you are using
a rear-facing child restraint in the right front
seat position.
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/I CAUTION: I
If the air bag readiness light ever comes on when
you have turned
off the air bag, it means that
something may be wrong with the air bag system.
The right front passenger’s
air bag could inflate
even though the switch is
off. If this ever
happens, don’t secure a rearfacing child
restraint in your vehicle until you have your
vehicle serviced.
Charging System Indicator Light
This light should come on
briefly when you
turn on the
ignition, before starting the
engine, as a check to show
you it is working.
After the engine starts, the light should go out.
If it stays
on or comes on while you are driving, you may have a
problem with your charging system. It could indicate a
problem with the generator drive belt, or some other
charging system problem. Have it checked right away.
Driving while this light is on could drain your battery.
If you must drive a
short distance with this light on, it
helps to turn
off all your accessories, such as the radio
and the air conditioner.
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Voltmeter
When your engine is not
running, but the ignition is
in
RUN, this gage shows
your battery's state of
charge in
DC volts.
When the engine is running, the gage shows the
condition of the charging
system. Readings between the
low and high warning zones indicate the normal
operating range. Readings
in the low warning zone may occur when
a
large number of electrical accessories are operating in
the vehicle and the engine is left at an idle for an
extended period. This condition is normal since the
charging system is not able to provide full power at
engine idle.
As engine speeds are increased, this
condition should correct itself as higher engine speeds
allow the charging system to create maximum power.
You can only drive for a short time with the reading in
either warning zone. If you must drive, turn off all
unnecessary accessories.
Readings in either warning zone indicate
a possible
problem
in the electrical system. Have the vehicle
serviced as soon
as possible.
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