2003 GMC SIERRA DENALI headlamp

Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving. One
reason is that some drivers are likely to be impaired
- by
alcohol or drugs, with night vision problems, or by fatigue.
Here are some tips on night driving.
Drive defensively.
0 Don’t drink and drive.
0 Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the
glare from headlamps behind you.
Since you can’t see as well, you may need to slow
down and keep more space between you and
other vehicles.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your
headlamps can light up only
so much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you’re tired, pull off the road in a safe place
and rest.
No one can see as well at night as
in the daytime. But
as we get older these differences increase.
A
50-year-old driver may require at least twice as much
light to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
What you do in the daytime can also affect your
night vision. For example,
if you spend the day in bright
sunshine you are wise to wear sunglasses. Your
eyes will have less trouble adjusting to night. But
if
you’re driving, don’t wear sunglasses at night. They may
cut down on glare from headlamps, but they also
make a lot of things invisible.
You can be temporarily blinded by approaching
headlamps. It can take a second
or two, or even several
seconds, for your eyes to re-adjust to the dark. When
you are faced with severe glare (as from a driver
who doesn’t lower the high beams, or a vehicle with
misaimed headlamps), slow down a little. Avoid staring
directly into the approaching headlamps.
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Keep your windshield and all the glass on your vehicle
clean
- inside and out. Glare at night is made much
worse by dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the glass
can build up a film caused by dust. Dirty glass makes
lights dazzle and flash more than clean glass would,
making the pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that your headlamps light up far less of a
roadway when you are in a turn or curve. Keep
your eyes moving; that way, it’s easier to pick out dimly
lighted objects. Just
as your headlamps should be
checked regularly for proper aim,
so should your eyes
be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from
night blindness
- the inability to see in dim light - and
aren’t even aware of
it.
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet
road, you can’t stop, accelerate or turn as well
because your tire-to-road traction isn’t as good as on
dry roads. And, if your tires don’t have much tread left,
you’ll get even less traction. It’s always wise to go
slower
and be cautious if rain starts to fall while you are
driving. The surface may get wet suddenly when your
reflexes are tuned for driving on dry pavement.
4-30

Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can build up
under your tires that they can actually ride on the
water. This can happen
if the road is wet enough and
you’re going fast enough. When your vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no contact with the road.
Hydroplaning doesn’t happen often. But it can
if
your tires do not have much tread or if the pressure in
one or more is low. It can happen
if a lot of water is
standing on the road. If you can see reflections
from trees, telephone poles or other vehicles, and
raindrops “dimple” the water’s surface, there could be
hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds. There
just isn’t a hard and fast rule about hydroplaning.
The best advice is to slow down when it is raining.
Driving Through Deep Standing Water
Notice: If you drive too quickly through deep
puddles or standing water, water can come in
through your engine’s air intake and badly damage your engine. Never drive through water that is
slightly lower than the underbody
of your vehicle. If
you can’t avoid deep puddles or standing water,
drive through them very slowly.
Driving Through Flowhg W=+er
--m
Flowing or rushing water creates strong forces.
If you try to drive through flowing water, as you
might at a low water crossing, your vehicle can
be carried away.
As little as six inches of
flowing water can carry away
a smaller vehicle.
If this happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Don’t ignore police
warning signs, and otherwise be very cautious
about trying to drive through flowing water.
Some Other Rainy Weather Tips
Turn on your low-beam headlamps - not just your
parking lamps
- to help make you more visible to
others.
Besides slowing down, allow some extra following
distance. And be especially careful when you
pass another vehicle. Allow yourself more clear
room ahead, and be prepared to have your
view restricted by road spray.
Have good tires with proper tread depth. See
Tires
on page 5-6 I.
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Snow can trap exhaust gases under your
vehicle. This can cause deadly CO (carbon
monoxide) gas to get inside. CO could
overcome you and kill you. You can’t see
it or
smell
it, so you might not know it is in your
vehicle. Clear away snow from around the
base of your vehicle, especially any that is
blocking your exhaust pipe. And check around
again from time to time to be sure snow
doesn’t collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that’s away from the wind. This will
help keep
CO out. Run your
engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little
faster than just idle. That is, push the accelerator
slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat that you get and
it keeps the battery charged.
You will need a
well-charged battery to restart the vehicle, and possibly
for signaling later on with your headlamps. Let the
heater run for a while.
Then, shut the engine
off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine
again and repeat this only when you feel really
uncomfortable from the cold.
But do it as little as
possible. Preserve the fuel as long as you can. To help
keep warm, you can get out of the vehicle and do
some fairly vigorous exercises every half hour or
so until
help comes.
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Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
Service ............................................................ 5.3
Doing Your Own Service Work
......................... 5-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside
of Your Vehicle
........................................... 5-4
Fuel
................................................................ 5.5
Gasoline Octane
............................................ 5.5
Gasoline Specifications
.................................... 5.5
California Fuel
............................................... 5.6
Additives
....................................................... 5.6
Fuels in Foreign Countries
................. ....... 5.7
Filling Your Tank
......................................... 5-7
Filling a Portable Fuel Container
.................... 5-9
the Hood
............................................. 5.10
Hood Release
........................................ ,.5-10
Engine Compartment Overview
....................... 5.12
Checking
Things Under
Engine Oil
................................................... 5.13
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
................................ 5.19
Engine Coolant
............................................. 5.24
Engine Overheating
....................................... 5.27
Cooling System
............................................ 5.30
Automatic
Transmission Fluid
........................ -5-21
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap
.................. 5-27 Engine
Fan Noise
......................................... 5.36
Power Steering Fluid
..................................... 5.37
Windshield Washer Fluid
................................ 5-38
Brakes
........................................................ 5.39
Battery
........................................................ 5.42
Jump Starting
............................................... 5.43
All-Wheel Drive
......................... .............. 5-49
Rear Axle
....................................................... 5-50
Front Axle
...................................................... 5-51
Bulb Replacement
.......................................... 5-52
Halogen Bulbs
.............................................. 5-52
Headlamps
................................................. -5-52
Roof Marker Lamps
...................................... 5-54
Cargo Lamp
............................................. 5-56
Taillamps
..................................................... 5-58
Replacement Bulbs
....................................... 5-59
Front
Turn Signal, Sidemarker
and Daytime
Running Lamps
......................................... 5-53
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) and
Pickup
Box Identification and Fender Marker
Lamps
..................................................... 5-58
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.............. 5-60
5-
1

Bulb Replacement
For any bulb changing procedure not listed in this
section, contact your dealer.
See
Replacement Bulbs on page 5-59 for the proper
types
of bulbs to use.
Halogen Bulbs
Headlamps
Halogen bulbs have pressurized gas inside
and can burst
if you drop or scratch the bulb.
You or others could be injured. Be sure to read
and follow the instructions on the bulb
package.
1. Your vehicle is equipped with two pins, remove the
two pins on the top of the headlamp assembly.
To
remove the pins, turn the outer pin outward and
pull it straight up.
To remove the inner pin, turn it in
and pull it straight up.
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A. Low-Beam Headlamp
B. High-Beam Headlamp
Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker and
Daytime Running Lamps
2. Pull the headlamp assembly out.
3. Unplug the electrical connector.
4. Turn the old bulb counterclockwise and remove it
from the headlamp assembly.
5. Put the new bulb into the assembly and turn it
clockwise until it is tight. Use care not to touch
the bulb with your fingers or hands.
6. Plug in the electrical connector.
A. Sidemarker Lamp
B. Retainer Clip
C. Front Turn Signal Lamp
D. Daytime Running Lamp (DRL)
1. Remove the headlamp assembly as mentioned
previously.
7. Put the headlamp assembly back into the vehicle.
Install and tighten the two pins.
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2. Press the retainer clip (B), located behind the turn
signal housing, towards the outside
of the vehicle.
3. Pull the turn signal housing out of the vehicle.
4. Press the locking release lever, turn the bulb socket
counterclockwise and remove it from the turn signal
housing.
5. Remove the old bulb from the bulb socket.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Put a new bulb into the bulb socket. Use care not
to touch the bulb with your fingers or hands.
Put the bulb socket back into the turn signal
housing and turn it clockwise until it locks.
Put the turn signal housing back into the vehicle
placing the hook and posts on the inner side into
the alignment holes first, then the outer side into the
retainer bracket until you hear a click.
Put the headlamp assembly back into the vehicle.
Roof Marker Lamps
5-54