1998 GMC SIERRA wheel

Ignition Positions
You can use your key to turn your ignition switch to five
different positions.
C
I
E
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. It doesn’t lock the steering
wheel
like LOCK. Use OFF if you must have your
vehicle
in motion while the engine is off (for example, if
your vehicle is being pushed).
RUN (D): This is the position for driving.
START (E): This starts your engine.
ACCESSORY
(A): ACCESSORY lets you use things
like the radio, power windows and the windshield
wipers when the engine
is off. Push in the key and turn
it toward you. Your steering wheel will re~nain locked,
just
as it was before you inserted the key.
~ On manual transmission vehicles, turning the key
to LOCK
will lock the steering column and result
in a loss
of ability to steer the vehicle. This could
cause
a collision. If you need to turn the engine
off while the vehicle is moving, turn the key only
to
OFF. Don’t press the key release button while
the vehicle is moving.
I
2-11
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.
Key Release Button (Manual Tr :--:I: ssion)
The ignition key cannot be
relnoved from the ignition
of manual transmission
vehicles unless the key
release button is used.
To remove the key on n-mual 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.
Starting Your Gasoline Engine
If you have ;I diesel engine, see “Starting Your Diesel
Engine”
in the Diesel Engine Supplement.
Automatic Transmission
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.
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.
2-12
ProCarManuals.com

Automatic Transmission Operation
I
There are several different positions for your shift lever.
If your vehicle is equipped with an automatic
transmission, it now features an electronic shift position
indicator within the instrument cluster. This display
must be powered anytime the shift lever is capable of
being moved out of
PARK (P). This means that if your
key is
in OFF, rather than LOCK, there will be a small
current drain on your battery which could discharge
your battery over a period
of time. If you have to leave
your key in the ignition in
OFF for an extended period,
it is recommended that you disconnect the battery cable
from the battery
to prevent discharging your battery.
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).
If you have four-wheel drive, your vehicle will be
free to roll
-- even if your shift lever is in
PARK (P)
-- if your transfer case is in
NEUTRAL
(N). So, be sure the transfer case is in
a drive gear, two-wheel high (2H) or four-wheel
high
(4H) or four-wheel low (4L) -- not in
NEUTRAL (N). See “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in
the Index.
If you’re pulling a trailer, see “Towing
a Trailer” in the Index.
2-15
ProCarManuals.com

REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
I 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.
NEUTRAL
(N): In this position. your engine doesn't
connect with the wheels. To restart when you're already
moving,
use NEUTRAL (Nj only. Also, use
NEUTRAL (N) when your vehicle is being towed.
' A CAUTION:
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.
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.
2-16
ProCarManuals.com

AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (@): This position is
for normal driving.
If you need more power for passing,
and you’re:
Going less than about 35 mph (56 kndh), push your
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
0 Going about 35 rnph (56 kndh) or more. push the
accelerator
all the way down.
You’ll shift down to the next gear and have more power.
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE
(@) can be used when
towing
a trailer. carrying a heavy load, driving on steep
hills or for off-road driving. You may want
to shif’t the
transmission to
THIRD (3) or. if necessary, a lower gear
selection
if the transmission shifts too often.
THIRD (3): This position is also used for norrnal
driving, however
it offers more power and lower fuel
economy than AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE
(@).
SECOND (2): This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy. You can use SECOND (2) on hills.
It can help control your speed as you go clown steep
mountain
roads, but then you would also want to use
your brakes off and on.
If you manually select SECOND (2), the transmission will
drive
in second gear. You may use this feature for reducing
torque to the
rex wheels when you are trying to start your
vehicle from
a stop on slippery road surfaces.
FIRST (1): This position gives you even Inore power
(but lower fuel economy) than SECOND (2). You can
LIS~ it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the
selector lever is put
in FIRST (1 j while the vehicle is
moving forward, the transmission won’t shift into first
E war 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.
2-17
ProCarManuals.com

NOTICE:
Up Shift Light
4l
If you have a manual
Shift to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle is transmission, you may have
a SHIFT light. This light
stopped. Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your
vehicle is moving could damage your transmission. will show you when to shift
best fuel economy.
to the next higher gear for
SHIFT
AI - - , use REVERSE (R), along with the parking brake,
when turning
off your engine and parking your vehicle.
Shift Speeds
I JOU skip more than one gear when you
downshift, you could lose control
of your vehicle.
And you could injure yourself or others. Don’t shift
down more than one gear when you downshift.
If your speed drops below 20 mph (32 kmh), or if the
engine
is not running smoothly, you should downshift to
the next lower gear. You may have to downshift two or
more gears to keep the engine running smoothly or for
good performance. When
this light comes on,
you can shift to the next
higher gear if weather, road and traffic conditions let
you. For the best fuel economy, accelerate slowly and
shift when the light comes on.
While
you accelerate, it is normal for the light to go on
and
off if you quickly change the position of the
accelerator. Ignore the
SHIFT light when you downshift.
If your vehicle has four-wheel drive and
is equipped
with a manual transmission, disregard the SHIFT light
when
the transfer case is in 4-Wheel Low.
I
2-20
ProCarManuals.com

Four-wheel Drive (If Equipped)
If your vehicle has four-wheel drive, you can send your
engine’s driving power to all four wheels for
extra
traction. To get the most satisfaction out of four-wheel
drive, you must be familiar with its operation. Read the
part that follows before using four-wheel drive. You
should use
2-WHEEL HIGH (2H) for most normal
driving conditions.
I i
I NOTICE:
Driving in the 4-WHEEL HIGH (4H) or
4-WHEEL LOW (4L) positions for a long time
on dry or wet pavement could shorten the life
of
your vehicle’s drivetrain.
Front Axle Locking Feature
The front axle locks and unlocks automatically when you
shift the transfer case. Some delay for the axle to lock or
unlock is normal.
If the outside temperature is very hot, or
the vehicle has been used under hard driving conditions,
there may
be a slight delay for the axle to unlock.
Manual Transfer Case (If Equipped)
The transfer case shift lever is on the floor to the right of
the driver. Use this lever to shift into and out of
four-wheel drive.
2-21
ProCarManuals.com

I ~ The front axle portion of the indicator diagram will light
up when you shift into four-wheel drive and the front
axle engages.
Some delay between shifting and the indicator’s lighting
is normal. If the front axle light does not go out
immediately after you shift out of four-wheel drive,
1 have your dealer check your system.
An indicator near the lever shows you the transfer
case settings:
2-Wheel High (2H): This setting is for driving in most
street and highway situations. Your front axle is not
engaged in two-wheel drive. 4-Wheel High
(4H): This setting engages your front
axle to help drive your vehicle. Use
4H when you need
extra traction and in most off-road situations.
Shifting the transfer case to
NEUTRAL (N) can
cause your vehicle to roll even
if the transmission
is in
PARK (P), or if you have a manual
transmission, even if you are in gear. You or
someone else could be seriously injured. Be
sure
to set the parking brake before placing the
transfer case in
NEUTRAL (N). See “Parking
Brake” in the Index.
NEUTRAL (N): Shift to this setting only when your
vehicle needs to be towed or when using a power take-off.
4-Wheel
Low (4L): This setting also engages your front
axle to give you extra power and also gives you
a higher
driveline ratio. It should be used only for off-road driving.
2-22
ProCarManuals.com