2001 GMC SIERRA key

ii
Table of Contents
Windows
Keys and Door Locks
Keyless Entry System (If Equipped)
Tailgate
Automatic Transmission
Manual Transmission
Four-Wheel Drive Operation (If Equipped)
Parking Brake
Tilt Wheel (If Equipped)
Turn Signal/Multifunction LeverWindshield Wipers
Cruise Control
Exterior and Interior Lamps
Mirrors
Storage Compartments
Accessory Power Outlets
OnStar® System (If Equipped)
Instrument Panel, Warning Lights and Gages
Message Center Seats and Seat Controls
Safety BeltsAir Bag System
Restraint Systems for Children
Section
1
Section
2
Seats and Restraint Systems
Features and Controls

1-25
The best way to protect the fetus is to protect the
mother. When a safety belt is worn properly, it's more
likely that the fetus won't be hurt in a crash. For
pregnant women, as for anyone, the key to making
safety belts effective is wearing them properly.
Right Front Passenger Position
To learn how to wear the right front passenger's safety belt
properly, see ªDriver Positionº earlier in this section.
The right front passenger's safety belt works the same
way as the driver's safety belt
-- except for one thing.
If you ever pull the shoulder portion of the belt out all
the way, you will engage the child restraint locking
feature. If this happens, just let the belt go back all the
way and start again.
Air Bag System
This part explains the air bag system.
Your vehicle has air bags
-- one air bag for the driver
and another air bag for the right front passenger.
Frontal air bags are designed to help reduce the risk of
injury from the force of an inflating air bag. But these
air bags must inflate very quickly to do their job and
comply with federal regulations.Here are the most important things to know about the
air bag system:
CAUTION:
You can be severely injured or killed in a crash if
you aren't wearing your safety belt
-- even if you
have air bags. Wearing your safety belt during a
crash helps reduce your chance of hitting things
inside the vehicle or being ejected from it.
Air bags are ªsupplemental restraintsº to the
safety belts. All air bags are designed to work
with safety belts, but don't replace them.
Air bags are designed to work only in moderate
to severe crashes where the front of your vehicle
hits something. They aren't designed to inflate
at all in rollover, rear, side or low
-speed frontal
crashes. And, for unrestrained occupants,
air bags may provide less protection in frontal
crashes than more forceful air bags have
provided in the past. Everyone in your vehicle
should wear a safety belt properly
-- whether or
not there's an air bag for that person.

1-32
Medical Condition. A passenger has a medical
condition which, according to his or her physician:

causes the passenger air bag to pose a special risk
for the passenger; and

makes the potential harm from the passenger air bag
in a crash greater than the potential harm from
turning off the air bag and allowing the passenger,
even if belted, to hit the dashboard or windshield
in a crash.
CAUTION:
If the right front passenger's air bag is turned off
for a person who isn't in a risk group identified
by the national government, that person won't
have the extra protection of an air bag. In a
crash, the air bag wouldn't be able to inflate and
help protect the person sitting there. Don't turn
off the passenger's air bag unless the person
sitting there is in a risk group.
To turn off the right front passenger's air bag, insert
your ignition key into the switch, push in, and move the
switch to AIR BAG OFF.
The AIR BAG OFF light will come on to let you know
that the right front passenger's air bag is off. The right
front passenger's air bag will remain off until you turn it
back on again, and the AIR BAG OFF light will stay on
to remind you that the air bag is off.

1-33
CAUTION:
If the air bag readiness light ever comes on when
you have turned off the air bag, it means that
something may be wrong with the air bag system.
The right front passenger's air bag could inflate
even though the switch is off.
If your vehicle is a regular cab pickup and
this ever happens, don't let anyone whom the
national government has identified as a member
of a passenger air bag risk group sit in the right
front passenger's position (for example, don't
secure a rear
-facing child restraint in your
vehicle) until you have your vehicle serviced.
If your vehicle is an extended cab pickup and
this ever happens, don't let anyone whom the
national government has identified as a member
of a passenger air bag risk group sit in the right
front passenger's position (for example, don't
secure a rear
-facing child restraint in the right
front passenger's seat) until you have your
vehicle serviced.
To turn the right front passenger's air bag on again,
insert your ignition key into the switch, push in, and
move the switch to the ON position.

1-34 Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle
Air bags affect how your vehicle should be serviced.
There are parts of the air bag system in several places
around your vehicle. You don't want the system to
inflate while someone is working on your vehicle.
Your dealer and the service manual have information
about servicing your vehicle and the air bag system.
To purchase a service manual, see ªService and Owner
Publicationsº in the Index.
CAUTION:
For up to 10 minutes after the ignition key is
turned off and the battery is disconnected, an air
bag can still inflate during improper service. You
can be injured if you are close to an air bag when
it inflates. Avoid wires wrapped with yellow tape
or yellow connectors. They are probably part of
the air bag system. Be sure to follow proper
service procedures, and make sure the person
performing work for you is qualified to do so.
The air bag system does not need regular maintenance.
Adding Equipment to Your Air
Bag-Equipped Vehicle
Q:If I add a push bumper or a bicycle rack to
the front of my vehicle, will it keep the air bags
from working properly?
A:As long as the push bumper or bicycle rack is
attached to your vehicle so that the vehicle's basic
structure isn't changed, it's not likely to keep the
air bags from working properly in a crash.
Q:Is there anything I might add to the front of
the vehicle that could keep the air bags from
working properly?
A:Yes. If you add things that change your vehicle's
frame, bumper system, front end sheet metal or
height, they may keep the air bag system from
working properly. Also, the air bag system may not
work properly if you relocate any of the air bag
sensors. If you have any questions about this,
you should contact Customer Assistance before
you modify your vehicle. The phone numbers and
addresses for Customer Assistance are in Step Two of
the Customer Satisfaction Procedure in this manual.
See ªCustomer Satisfaction Procedureº in the Index.

2-
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
-1 Windows
2-5 Keys
2-6 Door Locks
2-10 Keyless Entry System (If Equipped)
2-13 Rear Doors
2-14 Tailgate
2-15 Theft
2-16 Content Theft-Deterrent (If Equipped)
2-17 Passlock

2-18 New Vehicle ªBreak-Inº
2-18 Ignition Positions
2-20 Starting Your Engine
2-23 Engine Coolant Heater (If Equipped)
2-24 Automatic Transmission Operation
2-28 Manual Transmission Operation
2-34 Four-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)
2-43 Parking Brake
2-44 Shifting Into PARK (P)
(Automatic Transmission Only)2
-46 Shifting Out of PARK (P)
(Automatic Transmission Only)
2
-47 Parking Your Vehicle
(Manual Transmission Models Only)
2
-47 Parking Over Things That Burn
2-48 Engine Exhaust
2-48 Running Your Engine While You're Parked
(Automatic Transmission)
2
-49 Manual Selectable Ride (If Equipped)
2-51 Locking Rear Axle
2-52 Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
2-58 Exterior Lamps
2-61 Interior Lamps
2-63 Mirrors
2-76 OnStar
System (If Equipped)
2-80 The Instrument Panel - Your
Information System
2
-82 Instrument Panel Cluster
2-84 Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
2-99 Message Center

2-5
Keys
CAUTION:
Leaving children in a vehicle with the ignition
key is dangerous for many reasons. A child or
others could be badly injured or even killed.
They could operate the power windows or other
controls or even make the vehicle move. Don't
leave the keys in a vehicle with children.

2-6
Your vehicle has one
double
-sided key for the
ignition and all door locks.
Your vehicle may also have
a key that locks and unlocks
only the center floor
console (if equipped).
If you ever lose your keys, your dealer will be able to
assist you with obtaining replacements.
Door Locks
CAUTION:
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.

Passengers -- especially children -- can
easily open the doors and fall out of a
moving vehicle. When a door is locked, the
handle won't open it. You increase the
chance of being thrown out of the vehicle in
a crash if the doors aren't locked. So, wear
safety belts properly and lock the doors
whenever you drive.

Young children who get into unlocked
vehicles may be unable to get out. A child
can be overcome by extreme heat and can
suffer permanent injuries or even death
from heat stroke. Always lock your vehicle
whenever you leave it.

Outsiders can easily enter through an
unlocked door when you slow down or stop
your vehicle. Locking your doors can help
prevent this from happening.