2000 GMC SONOMA instrument panel

3-20
AM-FM: While in the CD mode, press this button to
stop playing the CD and play the radio. The CD symbol
will still display but the word CD will be replaced with
either AM, FM1 or FM2. (If the radio is turned off, the
disc stays in the player and will resume playing at the
point where it stopped.)
CD AUX: To switch between the player and the radio
when a disc is playing, press the AM
-FM button. To
return to the player, press CD AUX. When a disc is
playing, the letters CD and the CD symbol will appear
on the display. (If the radio is turned off, the disc stays
in the player and will resume playing at the point where
it stopped.)
EJECT: Press this button to eject the disc from the
player and play the radio. When the same or a new disc
is inserted, the disc will start playing on track one. If a
compact disc is left sitting in the opening for more than
a few seconds, the player will pull the CD back in. The
radio will continue playing. When the ignition is off,
press this button to load a CD.
Remote Cassette Tape Player (If Equipped)
If you have an AM-FM Stereo Audio Compact Disc
Automatic Tone Control System that includes a remote
cassette player, the cassette player is located in the
center of the instrument panel.
Your tape player is built to work best with tapes that are
up to 30 to 45 minutes long on each side. Tapes longer
than that are so thin they may not work well in this player.
To load a cassette tape with the ignition off, first press
EJECT on the remote player. Then, insert the cassette tape.
The tape will play if the ignition is on but the radio is off.
Once the tape is playing, use the control knobs for VOL,
AUTO TONE, BAL, FADE, BASS and TREB just as
you do for the radio. A lighted tape symbol shows when
a cassette tape is in the player. A lighted arrow will
also appear and show the direction of play when a
tape is active.

4-40
Dust or dirt can enter the back of the transmission
through the opening created by removing the propeller
shaft if proper protection is not provided. Also, check
the transmission fluid level before driving the vehicle.
When towing your vehicle, turn the ignition to OFF.
To prevent your battery from draining while towing,
remove the RDO BATT fuse from the instrument panel
fuse block. Be sure to replace the fuse when you reach
your destination. See ªFuses and Circuit Breakersº in
the Index.
Be sure to use the proper towing equipment designed for
recreational vehicle towing. Follow the instructions for
the towing equipment.Loading Your Vehicle
The Certification/Tire label is found on the driver's door
edge, above the door latch. The label shows the size of
your original tires and the inflation pressures needed to
obtain the gross weight capacity of your vehicle. This is
called the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). The
GVWR includes the weight of the vehicle, all occupants,
fuel, cargo and trailer tongue weight, if pulling a trailer.

4-52 Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then, to move the trailer to the left, just move that hand
to the left. To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly and, if
possible, have someone guide you.
Making Turns
NOTICE:
Making very sharp turns while trailering could
cause the trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
When you're turning with a trailer, make wider turns than
normal. Do this so your trailer won't strike soft shoulders,
curbs, road signs, trees or other objects. Avoid jerky or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well in advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have extra
wiring and a heavy
-duty turn signal flasher.
The arrows on your instrument panel will flash
whenever you signal a turn or lane change. Properly
hooked up, the trailer lamps will also flash, telling other
drivers you're about to turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on your instrument panel
will flash for turns even if the bulbs on the trailer are burned
out. Thus, you may think drivers behind you are seeing your
signal when they are not. It's important to check occasionally
to be sure the trailer bulbs are still working.
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 should use
THIRD (3) when towing a trailer. Operating your
vehicle in THIRD (3) when towing a trailer will
minimize heat buildup and extend the life of your
transmission. Or, if you have a manual transmission, it's
better not to use FIFTH (5). Just drive in FOURTH (4)
(or, as you need to, a lower gear).

5-8
Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage on your
vehicle's instrument panel. See ªGagesº in the Index.
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.

6-3
CAUTION:
You can be injured and your vehicle could be
damaged if you try to do service work on a
vehicle without knowing enough about it.

Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, the proper replacement parts
and tools before you attempt any vehicle
maintenance task.

Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts and
other fasteners. ªEnglishº and ªmetricº
fasteners can be easily confused. If you use
the wrong fasteners, parts can later break
or fall off. You could be hurt.
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle
Things you might add to the outside of your vehicle can
affect the airflow around it. This may cause wind noise
and affect windshield washer performance. Check with
your dealer before adding equipment to the outside of
your vehicle.
Fuel (Gasoline)
The 8th digit of your vehicle identification number
(VIN) shows the code letter for your engine. You will
find the VIN at the top left of your instrument panel.
(See ªVehicle Identification Numberº in the Index.)
If you have the 2200 L4 (Code 5) engine, you may use
either regular unleaded gasoline or ethanol fuel up to
85% (E
-85); also see ªFuel (85% Ethanol/E-85)º
following. If you have the 2200 L4 (Code 4) engine or
the 4.3L V6 engine, use only regular unleaded gasoline.
Use regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or
higher. It is recommended that the gasoline meet
specifications which have been developed by the
American Automobile Manufacturers Association
(AAMA) and endorsed by the Canadian Motor Vehicle
Manufacturers Association for better vehicle
performance and engine protection. Gasolines meeting
the AAMA specification could provide improved
driveability and emission control system performance
compared to other gasolines.

6-4
Be sure the posted octane is at least 87. If the octane is
less than 87, you may get a heavy knocking noise when
you drive. If it's bad enough, it can damage your engine.
If you're using fuel rated at 87 octane or higher and you
hear heavy knocking, your engine needs service. But
don't worry if you hear a little pinging noise when
you're accelerating or driving up a hill. That's normal,
and you don't have to buy a higher octane fuel to get rid
of pinging. It's the heavy, constant knock that means
you have a problem.
If your vehicle is certified to meet California Emission
Standards (indicated on the underhood emission control
label), it is designed to operate on fuels that meet
California specifications. If such fuels are not available
in states adopting California emissions standards, your
vehicle will operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting
federal specifications, but emission control system
performance may be affected. The malfunction indicator
lamp on your instrument panel may turn on and/or your
vehicle may fail a smog
-check test. (See ªMalfunction
Indicator Lampº in the Index.) If this occurs, return to
your authorized GM dealer for diagnosis to determine
the cause of failure. In the event it is determined that the
cause of the condition is the type of fuels used, repairs
may not be covered by your warranty.Some gasolines that are not reformulated for low
emissions may contain an octane
-enhancing additive
called methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT); ask your service station operator whether or not
the fuel contains MMT. General Motors does not
recommend the use of such gasolines. If fuels containing
MMT are used, spark plug life may be reduced and your
emission control system performance may be affected.
The malfunction indicator lamp on your instrument
panel may turn on. If this occurs, return to your
authorized GM dealer for service.
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the United States
are now required to contain additives that will help
prevent deposits from forming in your engine and fuel
system, allowing your emission control system to
function properly. Therefore, you should not have to add
anything to the fuel. In addition, gasolines containing
oxygenates, such as ethers and ethanol, and
reformulated gasolines may be available in your area to
contribute to clean air. General Motors recommends that
you use these gasolines, particularly if they comply with
the specifications described earlier.

6-5
NOTICE:
Your vehicle was not designed for fuel that
contains methanol. Don't use it. It can corrode
metal parts in your fuel system and also damage
plastic and rubber parts. That damage wouldn't
be covered under your warranty.
Fuel E-85 (85% Ethanol)
The 8th digit of your vehicle identification number
(VIN) shows the code letter for your engine. You will
find the VIN at the top left of your instrument panel.
(See ªVehicle Identification Numberº in the Index.)
If you have the 2200 L4 (Code 5) engine, you may
use either regular unleaded gasoline or ethanol fuel
up to 85% (E
-85); also see ªFuel (Gasoline)º listed
previously. If you have the 2200 L4 (Code 4) engine
or the 4.3L V6 engine use only regular gasoline.
Only vehicles with the 2200 L4 (Code 5) engine may
use 85% ethanol fuel (E
-85).Most service stations will not have an 85% ethanol fuel
(E
-85) pump available. Those stations that do have E-85
should have a label indicating minimum ethanol content.
Do not use the fuel if the minimum ethanol content is
greater than 85%. Your vehicle may not operate
properly if the ethanol content is greater than 85%.
At a minimum, E
-85 should meet ASTM
D 5798 specifications.
To insure quick starts in the wintertime, the E
-85 fuel
must be formulated properly for your climate according
to ASTM specification D 5798. If you have trouble
starting on E
-85, it may be because your E-85 fuel
is not properly formulated for your climate. If this
happens, switching to gasoline or adding gasoline to
your fuel tank may improve starting. Mixing gasoline
and E
-85 in your fuel tank will not cause any
problems with your vehicle. For good starting and
heater efficiency below 32
F (0
C), the fuel mix
in the fuel tank should contain a maximum of
50% ethanol.

6-10
Checking Things Under the Hood
CAUTION:
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts and
start a fire. These include liquids like fuel, oil,
coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer and other
fluids, and plastic or rubber. You or others could
be burned. Be careful not to drop or spill things
that will burn onto a hot engine.
To open the hood, first pull
the handle inside the vehicle
on the lower left side of the
instrument panel.Lift the hood, release the hood prop from its retainer and
put the hood prop into the slot in the hood.