1997 GMC SIERRA steering wheel

I NOTICE: I
If your key seems stuck in LOCK and you can’t
turn it, be sure
you are using the correct key; if
so, is it all the way in? If it is, then turn the
steering wheel left and right while you turn the
key hard. But turn the key only with your hand.
Using
a tool to force it could break the key or the
ignition switch. If none of this works, then your
vehicle needs service.
Key Release Button
of manual transmiss~on
vehicles unless the key
release button
is used.
To remove the key on manual transmission vehicles,
turn the key to
OFF, then press the button and turn the
key to
LOCK. Do not hold the button in while turning
the key to
OFF. Keeping your finger on the button, pull
the key straight out.
On automatic transmission vehicles, turn the key to
LOCK and pull it straight out.
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Swing-Out Windows (Extended Cab)
To open a rear swing-out
window, just flip the
latch open and swing the
glass out.
The latch will catch when the window is fully open and
hold the window in the open position.
Sliding Rear Window (If Equipped)
To open the sliding rear window, unlock the latch lever
by moving the lever toward the driver’s side. Release
the lever from the latch plate and slide the window
toward the driver’s side
of the vehicle.
To close the window, slide the window toward the
passenger’s side of the vehicle. The latch lever will
automatically snap locked on the latch plate. Try to open
the window without releasing the latch lever to be sure
the window is in the locked position.
Horn
On air bag-equipped vehicles, press the air bag module
in the center
of the steering wheel to sound the horn.
On vehicles not equipped with an air bag,
psS the pad
in the center of the steering wheel to sound the horn.
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Tilt Wheel (If Equipped)
A tilt steering wheel allows
you to adjust the steering
wheel before you drive.
You can also raise
it to the highest level to give your
legs more room when
you enter and exit the vehicle.
To tilt the wheel, hold the steering wheel and pull the
lever. Move the steering wheel to a comfortable level,
then release the lever to lock the wheel in place.
lhrn SignaVMultifunction Lever
I, WIPER MIST-
The lever on the left side of the steering column
includes your:
Turn Signal and Lane Change Indicator,
Headlamp High/Low Beam Changer,
Windshield Wipers,
Windshield Washer and
0 Cruise Control (If Equipped).
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Remember: Anti-lock doesn’t change the time you need
to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too close to the vehicle in
front of you, you won’t have time to apply your brakes
if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave
enough room up ahead
to stop, even though you have
anti-lock brakes.
Using Anti-Lock
Don’t pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down
and let anti-lock work for you. You may feel the brakes
vibrate, or you may notice some noise, but this is normal.
On vehicles
with four-wheel drive, your anti-lock brakes
work at all times
-- whether you are in two-wheel drive
or four-wheel drive.
Braking in Emergencies
With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help you more
than even the very best braking.
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer but
it will take much more effort.
Variable Effort Steering
This system varies the amount of steering effort
proportionate
to your vehicle speed. Steering is easier
at lower speeds for maneuvering and parking ease. As
your vehicle speed increases, the steering effort also
increases.
At highway speeds, the amount of steering
effort is increased for vehicle control and stability.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It’s important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on
the news happen on curves. Here’s
why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to
the same laws of physics when driving on curves. The
traction of the tires against the road surface makes
it
possible for the vehicle to change its path when you turn
the front wheels. If there’s no traction, inertia will keep
the vehicle going in the same direction.
If you’ve ever
tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you’ll understand this.
The traction you can get
in a curve depends on the
condition of your tires and the road surface, the angle
at
which the curve is banked, and your speed. While you’re
in a curve, speed is the one factor you can control.
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Suppose you’re steering through a sharp,curve. Then you
suddenly accelerate.
Both control systems -- steering and
acceleration
-- have to do their work where the tires meet
the road. Adding the sudden acceleration can demand too
much
of those places. You can lose control.
What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on the
accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle
the way you want it
to go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves
warn that you should
adjust your speed. Of course,
the posted speeds are
based on good weather and road conditions. Under less
favorable conditions you’ll want to go slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you approach a
curve, do
it before you enter the curve, while your front
wheels are straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed so you can “drive” through the
curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate until you are out
of the curve, and then
accelerate gently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective
than braking. For example, you come over a hill
and
find a truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls
out from nowhere, or a child darts out from between
parked cars and stops right in front of you. You can
avoid these problems by braking
-- if you can stop
in time. But sometimes you can’t; there isn’t room.
That’s the time for evasive action -- steering around
the problem.
Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like
these. First apply your brakes. (See “Braking
in
Emergencies” earlier in this section.) It is better to
remove as much speed as you can from a possible
collision. Then steer around the problem, to the left or
right depending on the space available.
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Off-Road Recovery
An emergency like this requires close attention and a
quick decision. If you are holding the steering wheel at
the recommended
9 and 3 o’clock positions, you can
turn it a full 180 degrees very quickly without removing
either hand. But you have
to act fast, steer quickly, and
just
as quickly straighten the wheel once you have
avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency situations are always
possible is a good reason to practice defensive driving at
all times and wear safety belts properly. You may
find sometime that your right wheels have
dropped off
the edge of a road onto the shoulder while
you’re driving.
I
I OFF- ROAD RECOVERY /
I
7 SLOWDOWN
edge of paved surface
If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the
pavement, recovery should be fairly easy. Ease off the accelerator and then,
if there is nothing in the way, steer
so that your vehicle straddles the edge of the pavement.
You can
turn the steering wheel up to one-quarter turn
until the right front tire contacts the pavement edge. Then
turn your steering wheel to go straight down the roadway.
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If other cars are lined up to pass a slow vehicle, wait
your turn. But take care that someone
isn’t trying to
pass you as
you pull out to pass the slow vehicle.
Remember to glance over your shoulder and check
the blind spot.
Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder and
start your left lane change signal before moving out
of the right lane to pass. When you are far enough
ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front
in your
inside mirror, activate your right lane change signal
and move back into the right lane. (Remember that
if
your right outside mirror is convex, the vehicle you
just passed may seem to be farther away from you
than
it really is.)
on two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the
next vehicle.
Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lamps are not flashing,
it may
be slowing down or starting to turn.
following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you
can ease a little to the right.
0 Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time
If you’re being passed, make it easy for the
Loss of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say about what
happens when
the three control systems (brakes, steering
and acceleration) don’t have enough friction where the
tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked.
In
any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying to steer and
constantly seek
an escape route or area of less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions, and by not
“overdriving” those conditions. But skids are always
possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle’s
three control systems. In
the braking skid, your wheels
aren’t rolling. In
the steering or cornering skid, too
much speed or steering
in a curve causes tires to slip and
lose cornering force. And
in the acceleration skid, too
much throttle causes the driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid and an acceleration skid are best
handled by easing your foot off the accelerator pedal.
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If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way
you want the
vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough, your
vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for
a
second skid if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel or other material is on the road. For safety, you’ll
want to slow down and adjust your driving to these
conditions.
It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration or
braking (including engine braking by shifting to a lower
gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires to slide.
You may not realize the surface is slippery until your
vehicle is skidding.
Learn to recognize warning
clues
-- such as enough water, ice or packed snow on
the road to make a “mirrored surface”
-- and slow
down when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti-lock brake system (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
Driving Guidelines
Off-Road Driving with Your
Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicle
This off-road guide is for vehicles that have
four-wheel drive.
Also, see “Anti-Lock Brakes” in the Index.
If your vehicle doesn’t have four-wheel drive, you
shouldn’t drive off-road unless you’re
on a level,
solid surface.
Off-road dnving can be great fun. But
it does have
some definite hazards. The greatest of these is the
terrain itself.
“Off-roading” means you’ve left the great North
American road system behind. Traffic lanes aren’t
marked. Curves aren’t banked. There are no road signs.
Surfaces can be slippery, rough, uphill
or downhill. In
short, you’ve gone right back to nature.
Off-road driving involves some new skills. And that’s
why it’s very important that you read this guide. You’ll \
find many driving tips and suggestions. These will help
make your off-road driving safer and more enjoyable.
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