2003 GMC SIERRA DENALI steering wheel

Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where your tires meet
the road probably have good traction. the
least traction of all. You can get wet ice when it’s
about freezing (32°F; OOC) and freezing rain begins
to fall. Try to avoid driving on wet ice until salt and sand
crews can get there.
However,
if there is snow or ice between your tires and Whatever the condition - smooth ice, packed, blowing
the road, you can have a very slippery situation.
You’ll have a lot less traction or “grip” and will need to
be very careful. Accelerate gently. Try not to break the fragile traction.
If
or loose snow - drive with caution.
you accelerate too fast, the drive wheels will spin and
polish the surface under the tires even more.
m
What’s the worst time for this? “Wet ice.” Very cold
snow or ice can be slick and hard to drive on. But wet
ice can be even more trouble because it may offer Your
anti-lock brakes improve your vehicle’s stability
when you make a hard stop on a slippery road.
Even though you have an anti-lock braking system,
you’ll want to begin stopping sooner than you would on
dry pavement. See
Braking on page 4-6.
Allow greater following distance on any slippery
road.
0 Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine
until you hit a spot that’s covered with ice. On
an otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear
in
shaded areas where the sun can’t reach: around
clumps
of trees, behind buildings or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface of a curve or an overpass
may remain icy when the surrounding roads
are clear.
If you see a patch of ice ahead of you,
brake before you are on it. Try not to brake
while you’re actually on the ice, and avoid sudden
steering maneuvers.
4-39

Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels. Then shift back
and forth between REVERSE
(R) and a forward gear,
spinning the wheels as little as possible. Release
the accelerator pedal while you shift, and press lightly
on the accelerator pedal when the transmission is
in gear. By slowly spinning your wheels in the forward
and reverse directions, you will cause a rocking
motion that may free your vehicle.
If that doesn’t get
you out after a few tries, you may need to be towed out.
Or, you can use your recovery hooks
if your vehicle
has them.
If you do need to be towed out, see Towing
Your Vehicle on page 4-45.
Using the Recovery Hooks
I
Your vehicle is equipped with recovery hooks. The
hooks are provided at the front of your vehicle. You may
need to use them
if you’re stuck off-road and need to
be pulled to some place where you can continue driving.
4-43

Making Turns
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as
you would when driving your vehicle without a trailer.
This can help you avoid situations that require
heavy braking and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when
you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re a good deal
longer, you’ll need to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return to your lane.
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.
Your vehicle is equipped with four-wheel steering and
if
you use it while backing your trailer the same rules
apply. However, with four-wheel steering your rig will
respond more quickly and it may take additional practice
to get used to backing up with four-wheel steering.
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.
4-57

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

Checking Things Under
1-eH
od
Things ti.-- burn c2.. 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.
Hood Release
To open the hood do the following:
1. Pull the handle inside
the vehicle located
under and to the left
of
the steering wheel.
5-1 0

Used Replacement Wheels
-
Putting a used wheel your vehicle is
dangerous. You can’t know how it’s been used
or how far
it’s been driven. It could fail
suddenly and cause a crash.
If you have to
replace a wheel, use a new
GM original
equipment wheel.
I I
Tire Chains
Don’t use lire chains. There’s not enough
clearance. Tire chains used on a vehicle
without the proper amount sf clearance can cause damage to the brakes, suspension or
other vehicle parts. The area damaged by the
CAUTION: (Continued) tire chains could cause
, -u to lose cc..-rol
of
your vehicle and you or others may be injured in
a crash. Use another type of traction device only
if its manufacturer recommends it for use on
your vehicle and tire size combination and road
conditions. Follow that manufacturer’s
instructions. To help avoid damage to your
vehicle, drive slowly, readjust or remove the
device
if it’s contacting your vehicle, and don’t
spin your wheels.
If you do find traction devices
that will
fit, install them on the rear tires.
If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” while you’re driving,
especially
if you maintain your tires properly. If air
goes out of a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out
slowly. But
if you should ever have a “blowout”, here are
a few tips about what to expect and what
to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot
off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, and then gently brake to
a stop well out of the traffic lane.
5-68

A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a Changing a Flat Tire
skid and may require the same correction you’d use
in a skid. In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by by driving slowly
to a level place. Turn on your
steering
the way you want the vehicle to go. it may be hazard warning flashers.
very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake
to a stop - well off the road if possible.
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how
to use your
jacking equipment to change a flat tire safely.
C..-nging a tire can cause
an injury. The
vehicle can slip
off the jack and roll over you
or other people. You and they could be badly
injured. Find a level place to change your tire.
To help prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put the shift lever in PARK (P).
3. Turn off the engine.
4. Put the wheel blocks at the front and rear
of the tire farthest away from the one
being changed. That
would be the tire on
the other side of the vehicle, at the
opposite end.
5-69

Section 6 Maintenance Schedule
Maintenance Schedule ...................................... 6.2
introduction
................................................... 6.2
Your Vehicle and the Environment
.................... 6-2
Maintenance Requirements
.............................. 6-2
How This Section is Organized
......................... 6-3
Part A: Scheduled Maintenance Services
........... 6-4
Using Your Maintenance Schedule
.................... 6-4
Scheduled Maintenance
................................... 6-5
Part
B: Owner Checks and Services ................ 6-10
At Each Fuel Fill
.......................................... 6-10
At Least Once a Month
................ ......... 6-10
At Least Twice a Year
............................... 6-11 At Least
Once a Year
................................... 6-11
Part
C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections ......... 6.14
Steering and Suspension Inspection
................ 6.14
Exhaust System inspection
............................ 6-14
Fuel System Inspection
.................................. 6.14
Engine Cooling System inspection
................... 6.14
(All-Wheel Drive) Inspection
........................ 6.15
Brake System Inspection
................................ 6.15
Part
D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants .... 6-16
Part E: Maintenance Record
........................... 6.18
Transfer Case and
Front Axle
6- 1