1998 GMC ENVOY wheel

Ignition Positions
Use the key to turn the ignition switch to
five different positions.
C
ACCESSORY (A): This position lets you use things
like the radio and
the windshield wipers when the
engine is
off. Push in the key and turn it toward you.
Your steering wheel will remain locked, just as it was
before you inserted the key.
I NOTICE:
Don’t operate accessories in the ACCESSORY
position for long periods
of time. Prolonged
operation
of accessories in the ACCESSORY
position could drain your battery and prevent
you from starting your vehicle.
LOCK
(B): This position locks your ignition, steering
wheel and transmission.
It’s a theft-deterrent feature.
You will only be able to remove your key when the
ignition is turned to LOCK.
OFF (C): This position lets you turn off the engine but
still turn the steering wheel. Use
OFF if you must have
your vehicle in motion while the engine is off (for
example, if your vehicle is being towed).
RUN (D): This is the position for driving.
START (E): This position starts your engine.
2-14
ProCarManuals.com

NOTICE:
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.
Retained Accessory Power
Your vehicle is equipped with a Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) feature which will allow certain features
on your vehicle to continue to work up to
20 minutes
after the ignition key
is turned to OFF.
Your radio, power windows, sunroof and overhead
console will work when the ignition key is in RUN or
ACCESSORY. Once the key is turned from RUN to
OFF, these features will continue to work for up to
20 minutes or until a door is opened.
Starting Your Engine
Move your shift lever to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N).
Your engine won’t start in any other position -- that’s a
safety feature.
To restart when you’re already moving,
use NEUTRAL (N) only.
I 1
I NOTICE:
Don’t try to shift to PARK (P) if your vehicle is
moving.
If you do, you could damage the
transmission. Shift to
PARK (P) only when your
vehicle
is stopped.
1. Without pushing the accelerator pedal, turn your
ignition key to START. When the engine starts, let
go of the key. The idle speed will go down as your
engine gets warm.
2-15
ProCarManuals.com

Automi ic Transmission Operation
There are several different positions for your shift lever.
PARK (P): This locks your rear wheels. It’s the best
position to use when you start your engine because your
vehicle can’t move easily.
It is 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.
Don’t leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless
you have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured.
To be sure your
vehicle won’t move, even when you’re on fairly
level ground, always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to
PARK (P).
See “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in the Index. If
you’re pulling
a trailer, see “Towing a Trailer” in
the Index.
Ensure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before
starting the engine. Your vehicle has
a
Brake-Transmission Shift Interlock (BTSI). You have to
fully apply your regular brakes before you can shift
from PARK (P) when the ignition key is
in RUN. If you
cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on the shift
lever
-- push the shift lever all the way into PARK (P)
(press
the button in on the console shift lever) as you
maintain brake application. Then move the shift lever
into the gear
you wish. See “Shifting Out of PARK (P)”
in the Index.
REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
NOTICE:
Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle
is moving forward could damage your
transmission. Shift to
REVERSE (R) only
after your vehicle is stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging your transmission, see
“Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow”
in the Index.
2-18
ProCarManuals.com

NEUTRAL (N): In this position, your engine doesn’t
connect with the wheels.
To restart when you’re already
moving, use
NEUTRAL (N) only.
Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) while
your engine
is “racing” (running at high speed) is
dangerous. Unless your foot is firmly on the
brake pedal, your vehicle could move very rapidly.
You could lose control and hit people or
objects. Don’t shift out
of PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL (N) while your engine is racing.
ml
I NOTICE:
Damage to your transmission caused by shifting
out
of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) with the
engine racing isn’t covered by your warranty. DRIVE
(D):
This position is for normal driving. If you
need more power for passing, and you’re:
0 Going less than about 35 mph (55 krdh), push your
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (55 krdh) or more, push the
accelerator all the way down.
You’ll shift down
to the next gear and have more power.
DRIVE
(D) should not be used when towing a trailer,
carrying a heavy load, driving on steep hills, or for
off-road driving. Select THIRD
(3) when operating the
vehicle under any of these conditions.
THIRD (3): This position is also used for normal
driving, however it offers more power and lower fuel
economy than DRIVE (D).
You should use THIRD (3)
when towing a trailer, carrying a heavy load, driving on
steep hills or winding roads or for off-road driving.
SECOND (2): This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy than
THIRD (3). You can use
SECOND
(2) on hills. It can help control your speed as
you
go down steep mountain roads, but then you would
also want to use your brakes
off and on.
You can also use SECOND
(2) for starting your vehicle
from a stop
on slippery road surfaces.
2-19
ProCarManuals.com

FIRST (1): This position gives you even more power
but lower fuel economy than SECOND (2). You can use
it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the
selector lever
is put in FIRST (1) while the vehicle is
moving forward, the transmission won’t shift into
FIRST (1) until the vehicle is going slowly enough.
NOTICE:
If your rear wheels can’t rotate, don’t try to
drive. This might happen if you were stuck in
very deep sand or mud or were up against a solid
object. You could damage your transmission.
Also, if you
stop when going uphill, don’t hold
your vehicle there with only the accelerator
pedal. This could overheat and damage the
transmission.
Use your brakes or shift into
PARK
(P) to hold your vehicle in position
on a hill.
Parking Brake
To set the parking brake. hold the regular brake pedal
down with your
right foot. Push down the parking brake
pedal with your left foot.
If the ignition is on, the brake
system warning light
will come on.
To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down.
Pull the BRAKE RELEASE lever. It is located on the
bottom of the driver’s side of the instrument panel.
2-20
ProCarManuals.com

Locking Rear Axle
Your locking rear axle can give you additional traction
on snow, mud, ice, sand or gravel.
It works like a
standard axle most
of the time, but when one of the rear
wheels has no traction and the other does, this feature
will allow the wheel with traction to move the vehicle.
Four-wheel Drive
Because your vehicle has four-wheel drive, you can
send your engine’s driving power to all four wheels for
extra traction.
To shift out of two-wheel drive and into
four-wheel drive, push the
4HI or 4LO button on the
transfer case switch. You should use
2HI for most
normal driving conditions.
Driving in the 4HI or 4LO positions for a long
time on dry
or wet pavement could shorten the
life
of your vehicle’s drivetrain.
Electronic Transfer Case
The transfer case switches
are above the radio controls.
Use
these switches to shift into and out of four-wheel
drive.
You can choose among three driving settings:
2HI: This setting is for driving in most street and
highway situations. Your front axle is not engaged in
two-wheel drive.
4HI: This setting engages your front axle to help drive
your vehicle. Use
4HI when you need extra traction,
such as on snowy or icy roads, or in most
off-road situations.
2-26
ProCarManuals.com

4LO: This setting also engages your front axle to give
you extra traction. You may never need 4LO. It sends
the maximum power to all four wheels.
You might
choose 4LO if you were driving off-road in sand, mud
or deep snow and climbing or descending steep hills.
Indicator lights in the switches show
you which setting
you are in. The indicator lights will come on briefly
when you turn on the ignition and one will stay on.
If the lights do not come on, you should take your
vehicle in for service. An indicator light will flash
while shifting. It will remain illuminated when the
shift is completed.
Shifting from 2HI to 4HI
Press and release the 4HI switch. This can be done at
any speed, and the front axle will lock automatically.
Shifting from 4HI to 2HI
Press and release the 2HI switch. This can be done at
any speed, and the front axle will unlock automatically.
Shifting from 2HI or 4HI to 4LO
To shift from 2HI or 4HI to 4L0, the vehicle must be
stopped
or moving less than 3 mph (4.8 kmh) with the
transmission
in NEUTRAL (N). The preferred method
for shifting into 4LO is to
have your vehicle moving 1 to
2 mph (1.6 to 3.2 kmh). Press and release the 4LO
switch. You must wait for the 4LO indicator light to stop
flashing and remain illuminated before shifting your
transmission into gear.
If the 4LO switch
is pressed when your vehicle is in
gear and/or moving,
the 4LO indicator light will flash
for
30 seconds and not complete the shift unless your
vehicle
is moving slower than 3 mph (4.8 kdh) and the
transmission is in NEUTRAL
(N).
If your transfer case does not shift into 4L0, your
transmission indicator switch may require adjustment.
With your transmission in NEUTRAL (N), press and
release the 4LO switch. While the 4LO indicator light
is
flashing, shift your transmission into PARK (P). Wait
until the 4LO indicator light remains illuminated before
shifting your transmission into gear. This will get you
into 4L0, but you should take your vehicle in for service
to restore normal operation.
2-27
ProCarManuals.com

Press the side of the switch with the down arrow to
lower the window.
Press the side of the switch
with the up arrow to raise
the window.
Express-Down Window
The driver’s window switch has an express-down
feature that allows
you to lower it without holding the
window switch, Hold the. driver’s window switch down
for more than half a second to activate
the express-down
feature, Lightly tap the switch
to open the window
slightly. The express-down feature can be interrupted at
any time by pressing the up arrow end
of the switch.
Lockout Switch
Your vehicle has a lockout feature to prevent passengers
from operating power windows. It is located on the
driver’s door. Press
LOCK to activate this feature. Press
NORM to have the windows return to normal operation.
Horn
To sound the horn, press the horn symbols on the
steering wheel pad.
2-29
ProCarManuals.com