1998 GMC SIERRA Owners Manual

Shifting Out of PARK (P)
(Automatic Transmission)
Your vehicle has a brake-transmission shift interlock
system. You have to fully apply your regular brakes
before you can shift from PARK
(P) when the ignition is
in
RUN. See “Automatic Transmission” in the Index.
If you cannot shift out of PARK
(P), ease pressure on
the shift lever and push the shift lever all the way up
into PARK
(P) as you maintain brake application. Then,
move the shift lever
to any gear you want.
If you ever hold the brake pedal down but still can’t
shift
out of PARK (P), try this:
1. Turn the key to OFF.
2. Apply and hold the brake until the end of Step 4.
3. Shift to NEUTRAL (N).
4. Start the vehicle and shift to the drive gear you want.
5. Have the brake-transmission shift interlock system
fixed as
soon as you can.
Parking Your Vehicle
(Manual Transmission Models
Only)
Before you get out of your vehicle, put your manual
transmission in REVERSE
(R), turn off the engine, and
firmly apply the parking brake.
If you have four-wheel drive, be sure your transfer case
is in a drive gear. Your vehicle could roll if it isn’t.
If
you are parking on a hill, or if you are pulling a
trailer, see “Towing a Trailer” in
the Index.
2-29
ProCarManuals.com

Pa ng Over Things That Burn
--
Things that can burn could touch hot exhaust
parts under your vehicle and ignite. Don’t park
over papers, leaves, dry grass or other things that
can burn.
Engine Exhaust
0
0
Engine exhaust can kill. It contains the gas
carbon monoxide
(CO), which you can’t see or
smell. It can cause unconsciousness and death.
You might have exhaust coming in
if:
Your exhaust system sounds strange
or different.
Your vehicle gets rusty underneath.
Your vehicle was damaged in
a collision.
Your vehicle
was damaged when driving over
high points on the road or over road debris.
Repairs weren’t done correctly.
Your vehicle or exhaust system had been
modified improperly.
If you ever suspect exhaust is coming into
your vehicle:
0 Drive it only with all the windows down to
0 Have your vehicle fixed immediately. blow out any
CO; and
2-30
ProCarManuals.com

Running Your Engine While You’re
Parked (Automatic
1 ~ ission) an
It’s better not to park with the engme rblllling. But if
ever you have to, here are some things to know.
c
A A AUTION: -1
i Idling the engine with the air system control off
could allow dangerous exhaust into your vehicle
(see the earlier Caution under “Engine Exhaust”).
Also, idling in a closed-in place can let deadly
carbon monoxide
(CO) into your vehicle even if
the fan switch is at the highest setting. One place
this can happen is a garage. Exhaust
-- with
CO -- can come in easily. NEVER park in a
garage with the engine running.
Another closed-in place can be a blizzard. (See
“Blizzard” in the Index.)
4 CAUT- IN: -
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.
Don’t leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you’ve 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).
If you have four-wheel drive and your transfer case is in
NEUTRAL (N), your vehicle will be 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). Always
set your parking brake. Follow the proper steps to be
sure your vehicle won’t move.
See ”Shifting Into
PARK
(P)” in the Index.
If you’re pulling a trailer. see “Towing a Trailer” in
the Index.
2-31
ProCarManuals.com

Locking Rear Axle (If Equipped)
If you have this feature, 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.
Windows
Manual Windows Power Windows
(If Equipped)
Turn the
hand crank on each door to raise or lower
manual windows.
Regular and Extended Cab
2-32
ProCarManuals.com

Crew Cab
If you have the optional power windows, the controls
are on each of the side doors.
The driver’s door has a switch for the passenger
windows as well. Your power windows will work when
the ignition has been turned
to ACCESSORY or RUN. Press the rear
of the
switch with the power window
symbol on
it to lower the window.
Press the front of
the switch with the power window
symbol
on it to raise the window.
The driver’s window also has an express down feature
that allows the window to be lowered without holding
the switch. Press and hold the side of the window switch
marked
AUTO for one second to activate the express
down mode. The express down mode can be canceled at
any time by pressing the opposite side
of the switch. To
open the window partway, lightly tap the switch until the
window is at the desired position.
Lockout Switch (Crew Cab)
If you have a Crew Cab and power windows, the power
window switch has
a lockout feature. This feature
prevents the rear windows from operating when
the
front driver’s side switch is in LOCK. The windows can
still be operated using the driver’s window switch.
When the switch is moved
to NORM, the rear power
windows will operate again.
2-33
ProCarManuals.com

Swing-Out Windows (Extended Cab)
Sliding Rear Window (If Equipped)
To open the sliding rear window, unlock the latch lever
by moving the lever toward the front
of the cab. 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 to 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, press the pad
in the center of the steering wheel to sound the horn.
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 puli the
lever. Move the steering wheel to
a comfortable level,
then release the lever to lock the wheel
in place.
2-34
ProCarManuals.com

Turn SignaVIWultifunction Lever Turn Signal and Lane Change Signals
The turn signal has two upward (for right) and two
downward (for left) positions. These positions allow you
to signal
a turn or a lane change.
To signal a turn, move the lever all the way up or
down. When
the turn is finished, the lever will
return automatically.
An arrow on the instrument
panel will flash
in the
direction
of the turn or
lane change.
The lever on the left side
of the steering column
includes your:
0 Turn Signal and Lane Change Indicator
0 Headlamp High/Low Beam Changer
0 Windshield Wipers
0 Windshield Washer
0 Cruise Control (If Equipped)
To signal a lane change, just raise or lower the lever
until the arrow starts to flash. Hold it there
until you
complete your lane change. The lever will return by
itself when you release it.
If you move the lever all the way up or down, and the
arrow flashes at twice the normal rate,
a signal bulb may be
burned out and other drivers may not see your
turn signal.
2-35
ProCarManuals.com

If a bulb is burned out, replace it to help avoid an
accident. If the arrows don’t go on at all when you
signal
a turn, check for burned-out bulbs and a blown
fuse (see “Fuses and Circuit Breakers”
in the Index).
Headlamp HighLow-Beam Changer
To change the headlamps from low to high beam or high
to low beam, pull the multifunction lever all the way
toward
you. Then release it.
When the high beams are
on, this light
on the
instrument panel also will
be on.
Windshield Wipers
You control the windshield
wipers
by turning the knob
with the wiper
symbol on it.
For a single wiping cycle, turn the knob to MIST. Hold
it there until the wipers start, then let
go. The wipers will
stop after one cycle.
If you want more cycles, hold the
knob on MIST longer.
You can set
the wiper speed for a long or short delay
between wipes. This can be very useful
in light rain or
snow. Turn the knob to choose the delay time. The
closer to
LOW, the shorter the delay.
2-36
ProCarManuals.com