2002 GMC SIERRA heating

2-52
Ashtray and Cigarette Lighter
The ashtray is located in the center console. Press the
raised area on the access door to use the ashtray.
To remove the ashtray first locate the indent on the right
side of the ashtray. Then, place an instrument, such as a
pen, in the indent and pry the ashtray out.
NOTICE:
If you store paper or other things that burn
in your ashtrays, they could be set on fire by
cigarettes or other smoking materials. That could
cause a fire and possibly damage your vehicle.
Do not store papers and other things that burn in
your ashtrays.
To use the cigarette lighter, push it in all the way, and
let go. When it's ready, it will pop back out by itself.
NOTICE:
Holding a cigarette lighter in with your hand
while it's heating can make it overload, damaging
the lighter and the heating element. Just push the
lighter all the way in and let go. When it's done,
it will pop back out by itself.
Sun Visors
To block out glare, you can swing down the top and
bottom visors. You can also swing the bottom visor
from side
-to-side. The visors also have an extension
that can be pulled out for additional glare protection.
Illuminated Visor Vanity Mirrors
Pull the sun visor down and lift the mirror cover to
turn on the lamps. There is a slide switch to adjust
the intensity of the lamps.

2-70 Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
United States Canada
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 250
F (122
C) mark. If the
gage reaches the 260
F (125
C) mark, it indicates that
the cooling system is working beyond its capacity.
See ªEngine Overheatingº in the Index.
Transmission Temperature Gage
United States Canada
Your vehicle is equipped with a transmission
temperature gage.
When your ignition is on, the gage shows the temperature
of the transmission fluid. The normal operating range is
from 100
F (38
C) to about 265
F (130
C).

2-79 Low Coolant
This message is displayed
when the cooling system is
low on coolant.
The engine may overheat. See ªEngine Coolantº in the
Index and have your vehicle serviced as soon as you can.
Check Coolant Temp
This message is displayed
when the cooling system
temperature gets hot.
Check the coolant temperature gage and the coolant
level. See ªEngine Coolantº and ªEngine Coolant
Temperature Gageº in the Index.
Engine Overheated
This message is displayed
when the cooling system
temperature gets too hot.
This message will be displayed after the air conditioning
system has automatically turned off for the engine
coolant protection mode. See ªEngine Overheatingº
in the Index for further information.
Reduced Engine Power
This message is displayed
when the cooling system
temperature gets too hot
and the engine further
enters the engine coolant
protection mode.
See ªEngine Overheatingº in the Index for
further information.

3-
3-1
Section 3 Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
In this section, you'll find out how to operate the comfort control and audio systems offered with your vehicle.
Be sure to read about the particular systems supplied with your vehicle.
3
-2 Comfort Controls
3
-4 Air Conditioning
3
-5 Heating
3
-5 Defogging and Defrosting
3
-6 Rear Window Defogger
3
-7 Ventilation System
3
-8 Audio Systems
3
-8 Setting the Clock for Systems with HR and
MIN Buttons
3
-9AM-FM Stereo with Cassette Tape Player and
Automatic Tone Control3
-13 Rear Seat Audio (RSA)
3
-16 Compact Disc Changer
3
-19 Theft-Deterrent Feature
3
-21 Audio Steering Wheel Controls
3
-22 Understanding Radio Reception
3
-22 Tips About Your Audio System
3
-23 Care of Your Cassette Tape Player
3
-24 Care of Your Compact Discs
3
-24 Care of Your Compact Disc Player
3
-24 Fixed Mast Antenna

3-5 Heating
The heater works best if you keep your windows closed
while using it. On cold days, use the floor or bi
-level
modes with the temperature knob in the red area.
On cold days, approximately 32
F (
-0
C) or lower you
may experience differences in how the transmission
shifts until the engine is warm. This feature
automatically 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.
If you use the engine coolant heater before starting your
engine in cold weather, 20
F (
-8
C) or lower, the
heating system will produce warmer air faster to heat the
passenger compartment.
The use of an engine coolant heater also reduces the
time it takes for the engine to reach normal operating
temperature. For more information, see ªEngine Coolant
Heaterº in the Index.
Defogging and Defrosting
On cool, humid days, use blend mode to keep the
windshield and side windows clear. Use defrost mode to
remove fog or ice from the windshield in extremely
humid or cold conditions. Use defrost mode with the
temperature knob toward the red area and the fan knob
turned all the way clockwise.

3-7 Ventilation System
For mild outside temperatures when little heating or
cooling is needed, use vent and the outside air setting to
direct outside air through your vehicle. Air will flow in
through the instrument panel outlets.
Your vehicle's ventilation system supplies outside air to
the inside of your vehicle when it is moving. With the
side windows closed, air will flow into the front air
inlet grilles, through the vehicle, and out the air
exhaust valves.
Outside air will also enter the vehicle when the heater or
the air conditioning compressor is running, unless you
have the recirculation button pressed. For more
information on the recirculation button, see ªAir
Conditioningº earlier in this section.
Your vehicle has air
outlets in the center and
on the sides of your
instrument panel.
You can move the outlets from side
-to-side or up and
down to direct the flow of air. The left driver and
passenger outlets have shut off levers. Turn the lever to
the left to shut off air flow or to the right to allow air
flow. When you close an outlet, it will increase the flow
of air coming out of any outlets that are open. The
center outlet does not completely shut off airflow.

3-8
Ventilation Tips

Keep the hood and front air inlet free of ice, snow or
any other obstruction (such as leaves). The heater
and defroster will work far better, reducing the
chance of fogging the inside of your windows.

When you enter a vehicle in cold weather, turn the
fan knob all the way toward the red area for a few
moments before driving. This helps clear the intake
ducts of snow and moisture, and reduces the chance
of fogging the inside of your windows.

Keep the air path under the front seats clear of
objects. This helps air to circulate throughout
your vehicle.

The use of non
-GM approved hood air deflectors
may adversely affect the performance of the heating
and air conditioning system.
Passenger Compartment Air Filter
Your vehicle is equipped with a passenger compartment
air filter, which filters outside air entering the vehicle.
For information on replacing the filter see ªPassenger
Compartment Air Filterº in the Index.
Audio Systems
Your audio system has been designed to operate easily
and give years of listening pleasure. You will get the
most enjoyment out of it if you acquaint yourself with it
first. Find out what your audio system can do and how
to operate all of its controls to be sure you're getting the
most out of the advanced engineering that went into it.
Your vehicle has a feature called Retained Accessory
Power (RAP). With RAP, you can play your audio
system even after the ignition is turned off. See
ªRetained Accessory Powerº in the Index.
Setting the Clock for Systems with HR and
MN Buttons
Press and hold HR until the correct hour appears on the
display. Press and hold MN until the correct minute
appears on the display. To display the clock with the
ignition off, press RECALL or HR/MN and the time
will be displayed for a few seconds. There is an initial
two
-second delay before the clock goes into the
time
-set mode.

4-56 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
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.
You can tow in DRIVE (D). 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).
You may also want to activate the tow/haul mode if the
transmission shifts too often. See ªTow/Haul Modeº in
the Index.
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) for a
few minutes before turning the engine off. If you do
get the overheat warning, see ªEngine Overheatingº in
the Index.