1999 GMC SIERRA coolant

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v
For example,
these symbols
are used on an
original battery:
CAUTION
POSSIBLE
INJURY
PROTECT
EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
BATTERY
ACID COULD
CAUSE
BURNS
AVOID
SPARKS OR
FLAMES
SPARK OR
FLAME
COULD
EXPLODE
BATTERY
These symbols
are important
for you and
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle is
driven:
DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK
FASTEN
SEAT
BELTS
POWER
WINDOW
AIR BAG
These symbols
have to do with
your lamps:
MASTER
LIGHTING
SWITCH
TURN
SIGNALS
PARKING
LAMPS
HAZARD
WARNING
FLASHER
DAYTIME
RUNNING
LAMPS
FOG LAMPS
These symbols
are on some of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
WINDSHIELD
WASHER
WINDSHIELD
DEFROSTER
REAR
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
VENTILATING
FAN
These symbols
are used on
warning and
indicator lights:
ENGINE
COOLANT
TEMP
BATTERY
CHARGING
SYSTEM
BRAKE
COOLANT
ENGINE OIL
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK
BRAKES
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
LIGHTER
HORN
SPEAKER
FUEL
Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.

2-
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2-1
Section 2 Features and Controls
Here you can learn about the many standard and optional features on your vehicle, and information on starting,
shifting and braking. Also explained are the instrument panel and the warning systems that tell you if everything is
working properly
-- and what to do if you have a problem.
2
-2 Keys
2
-3 Tailgate
2
-4 Third Door (If Equipped)
2
-5 Door Locks
2
-6 Keyless Entry System (If Equipped)
2
-9 Theft
2
-10 Passlock

2-10 New Vehicle ªBreak-Inº
2
-11 Ignition Positions
2
-13 Starting Your Gasoline Engine
2
-15 Engine Coolant Heater (If Equipped)
2
-16 Automatic Transmission Operation
2
-19 Manual Transmission Operation
2
-21 Four-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)
2
-25 Parking Brake
2
-27 Shifting Into Park (P)
(Automatic Transmission Only)
2
-29 Shifting Out of Park (P)
(Automatic Transmission)2
-30 Parking Your Vehicle
(Manual Transmission Only)
2
-30 Parking Over Things That Burn
2
-31 Engine Exhaust
2
-31 Running Your Engine While You're Parked
(Automatic Transmission)
2
-32 Locking Rear Axle (If Equipped)
2
-32 Windows
2
-35 Tilt Wheel (If Equipped)
2
-35 Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
2
-41 Exterior Lamps
2
-42 Interior Lamps
2
-44 Mirrors
2
-51 Storage Compartments
2
-60 Instrument Panel
2
-62 Instrument Panel Cluster
2
-64 Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators

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2-15
Engine Coolant Heater (If Equipped)
In very cold weather,
0
F (
-18
C) or colder,
the engine coolant
heater can help. You'll
get easier starting and
better fuel economy
during engine warm
-up.
Usually, the coolant
heater should be
plugged in a minimum
of four hours prior to
starting your vehicle.
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
The engine coolant heater electrical cord is located
on the driver's side of the engine compartment, near
the power steering reservoir.3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110
-volt AC outlet.
CAUTION:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock. Also, the wrong
kind of extension cord could overheat and cause
a fire. You could be seriously injured. Plug the
cord into a properly grounded three
-prong
11 0
-volt AC outlet. If the cord won't reach, use a
heavy
-duty three-prong extension cord rated for
at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and store
the cord as it was before to keep it away from moving
engine parts. If you don't, it could be damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead of
trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your dealer in the area where you'll be parking your
vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice for that
particular area.

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2-69 Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
With the anti-lock brake
system, this light will come
on when you start your
engine and may stay on
for several seconds.
That's normal.
If the light stays on, or comes on when you're driving,
your vehicle needs service. If the regular brake system
warning light isn't on, you still have brakes, but you
don't have anti
-lock brakes. If the regular brake system
warning light is also on, you don't have anti
-lock brakes
and there's a problem with your regular brakes. See
ªBrake System Warning Lightº earlier in this section.
The anti
-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly 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.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the engine
coolant temperature.
It also provides an indicator of how hard your vehicle is
working. During a majority of the operation, the gage
will read 210
F (100
C) or less. If you are pulling a
load or going up hills, it is normal for the temperature to
fluctuate and approach the 260
F (125
C) mark. If the
gage reaches the 260
F (125
C) mark, it indicates that
the cooling system is working beyond its capacity.
The ªProblems on the Road,º section of this manual
shows what to do. See ªEngine Overheatingº in
the Index.

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2-74 Up Shift Light (If Equipped)
This light is used on
some models with
manual transmissions.
The SHIFT indicator light will help you get the best fuel
economy. See ªShift Lightº or ªShift Speedsº in this
section for more information.
Daytime Running Lamps Indicator Light
This light goes on
whenever the DRL
are on.
When it begins to get dark, the DRL indicator light is a
reminder to turn on your headlamps.
Check Gages Light
This light will come on
briefly when you are
starting the engine.
If the light comes on and stays on while you are driving,
it could indicate a problem with your vehicle. It could be
a problem with your oil pressure, coolant temperature,
or some other problem. Check your various gages to see
if they are in the warning zones. If they are, have your
vehicle serviced right away.

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3-4 Air Conditioning
On hot days, open the windows long enough to let hot
air inside escape. This reduces the time it takes for your
vehicle to cool down. Then keep your windows closed
for the air conditioner to work its best.
The recirculation button, between the fan and
temperature knobs, allows the air inside your vehicle to
be recirculated. This setting helps to maximize your air
conditioner's performance and your vehicle's fuel
economy. This setting also cools the air the fastest and
can be used to keep unwanted odors and/or dust from
entering the vehicle. When using the air conditioner,
turn off recirculation after the vehicle reaches a
comfortable interior temperature. When the right knob
on the control panel is between HEATER and
DEFROST, the recirculation feature will not function.
The A/C button, between the temperature and mode
knobs, allows the air coming into your vehicle to be
cooled. This setting is useful for normal cooling on hot
days. When you use A/C with the recirculation button
pushed in, turn off recirculation as soon as the vehicle
reaches a comfortable interior temperature.With the A/C on, turn the temperature knob to MAX for
maximum cooling. This setting also puts the system in
the recirculation mode and helps to maximize your air
conditioner's performance and your vehicle's fuel
economy. This setting also cools the air the fastest. After
the vehicle's interior reaches a comfortable temperature,
turn the temperature knob clockwise, to place the air
conditioning system in the normal mode.
Heating
The heater works best if you keep your windows closed
while using it. On cold days, use the HEATER or
VENT/HEAT setting with the temperature knob in the
red area.
If you use the engine coolant heater before starting your
engine in cold weather, 20
F (
-8
C) or lower, your
heating system will produce warmer air faster, to heat
the passenger compartment in cold weather.
The use of an engine coolant heater also reduces the
time it takes for the engine to reach normal operating
temperature, and shortens the time it takes the heater to
reach full output. For more information, see ªEngine
Coolant Heaterº in the Index.

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4-58 Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade. If you don't shift
down, you might have to use your brakes so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
If you have an automatic transmission, you can tow in
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (
). You may want to
shift the transmission to THIRD (3) or, if necessary, a
lower gear selection if the transmission shifts too often
(e.g., under heavy loads and/or hilly conditions).
If you have a manual transmission and you are towing a
trailer, it's better not to use FIFTH (5) gear. Just drive in
FOURTH (4) gear (or, as you need to, a lower gear).
When towing at high altitude on steep uphill grades,
consider the following: Engine coolant will boil at a
lower temperature than at normal altitudes. If you turn
your engine off immediately after towing at high altitude
on steep uphill grades, your vehicle may show signs
similar to engine overheating. To avoid this, let the
engine run while parked (preferably on level ground)
with the automatic transmission in PARK (P) (or the
manual transmission out of gear and the parking brake
applied) for a few minutes before turning the engine off.
If you do get the overheat warning, see ªEngine
Overheatingº in the Index.
Parking on Hills
CAUTION:
You really should not park your vehicle, with a
trailer attached, on a hill. If something goes
wrong, your rig could start to move. People can
be injured, and both your vehicle and the trailer
can be damaged.
But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here's
how to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don't shift into
PARK (P) yet for an automatic transmission, or into
gear for a manual transmission.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your
parking brake and shift into PARK (P) for an
automatic transmission, or REVERSE (R) for a
manual transmission.

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5-9
Engine Overheating
(Gasoline Engine)
You will find a coolant temperature gage on your
vehicle's instrument panel. See ªEngine Coolant
Temperature Gageº in the Index.
If your vehicle has a diesel engine, see ªEngine
Overheatingº in the Diesel Engine Supplement.
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
CAUTION:
Steam from an overheated engine can burn you
badly, even if you just open the hood. Stay away
from the engine if you see or hear steam coming
from it. Just turn it off and get everyone away
from the vehicle until it cools down. Wait until
there is no sign of steam or coolant before you
open the hood.
If you keep driving when your engine is
overheated, the liquids in it can catch fire. You or
others could be badly burned. Stop your engine if
it overheats, and get out of the vehicle until the
engine is cool.
NOTICE:
If your engine catches fire because you keep
driving with no coolant, your vehicle can be
badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.