2003 GMC SIERRA Owner's Manual

Setting Cruise Control
{CAUTION:
If you leave your cruise control on when you’re
not using cruise, you might hit a button and go
into cruise when you don’t want to. You could
be startled and even lose control. Keep the
cruise control switch off until you want to use
cruise control.
1. Move the cruise control switch to on.
2. Get up to the speed you want.
3. Press in the set button at the end of the lever and
release it.
4. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal.
The cruise light on the
instrument panel will
illuminate when the cruise
control is engaged.
Resuming a Set Speed
Suppose you set your cruise control at a desired speed
and then you apply the brake or press the clutch
pedal (if equipped). This, of course, disengages the
cruise control. But you don’t need to reset it.
Once you’re going about 25 mph (40 km/h) or more,
you can move the cruise control switch from on to
resume/accelerate briefly.
You’ll go right back up to your chosen speed and
stay there.
If you hold the switch at resume/accelerate briefly, the
vehicle will keep going faster until you release the switch
or apply the brake. So unless you want to go faster,
don’t hold the switch at resume/accelerate.
3-9
2003 - Sierra Denali

Increasing Speed While Using Cruise
Control
There are two ways to go to a higher speed:
•Use the accelerator pedal to get to the higher
speed. Press the set button at the end of the lever,
then release the button and the accelerator
pedal. You’ll now cruise at the higher speed.
•Move the cruise switch from on to
resume/accelerate. Hold it there until you get up to
the speed you want, and then release the switch.
To increase your speed in very small amounts,
move the switch to resume/accelerate briefly.
Each time you do this, your vehicle will go about
1 mph (1.6 km/h) faster.
Reducing Speed While Using Cruise
Control
•
Press and hold the set button at the end of the
lever until you reach the lower speed you want, then
release it.
•To slow down in very small amounts, press the set
button briefly. Each time you do this, you’ll go
about 1 mph (1.6 km/h) slower.
Passing Another Vehicle While Using
Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase your speed.
When you take your foot off the pedal, your vehicle will
slow down to the cruise control speed you set earlier.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well your cruise control will work on hills depends
upon your speed, load and the steepness of the
hills. When going up steep hills, you may want to step
on the accelerator pedal to maintain your speed.
When going downhill, you may have to brake or shift to
a lower gear to keep your speed down. Of course,
applying the brake takes you out of cruise control. Many
driversfind this to be too much trouble and don’t use
cruise control on steep hills.
Ending Cruise Control
There are three ways to turn off the cruise control:
•Step lightly on the brake pedal.
•Step lightly on the clutch pedal (if equipped).
•Move the cruise control switch to off.
Erasing Speed Memory
When you turn off the cruise control or the ignition, your
cruise control set speed memory is erased.
3-10
2003 - Sierra Denali

Exterior Lamps
The control on the driver’s side of the instrument panel
operates the exterior lamps.
Turn the control clockwise to operate the lamps.
The exterior lamp control has four positions:
9(OFF):Turning the control to this position turns off
the Daytime Running Lamps (DRL), and the automatic
headlamps. An indicator light will illuminate when
this position is selected.AUTO (Automatic):Turning the control to this position
puts the system into automatic headlamp mode.
An indicator light will illuminate when this position is
selected.
;(Parking Lamps):Turning the control to this
position turns on the parking lamps, together with the
following:
•Sidemarker Lamps
•Taillamps
•License Plate Lamps
•Instrument Panel Lights
•Roof Marker Lamps (If Equipped)
5(Headlamps):Turning the control to this position
turns on the headlamps, together with the previously
listed lamps and lights.
You can switch your headlamps from high to low-beam
by pushing the turn signal/multifunction lever towards
the instrument panel.
3-11
2003 - Sierra Denali

Automatic Headlamp System
When it is dark enough outside, your automatic
headlamp system will turn on your headlamps at the
normal brightness along with other lamps such as
the taillamps, sidemarker, parking lamps and the
instrument panel lights. The radio lights will also be dim.
Your vehicle is equipped with a headlamp off delay,
which will keep the headlamps on for a short time after
the ignition is turned off. For more information see
DIC Operation and Displays on page 3-42.
Your vehicle has a light sensor located on the top of the
instrument panel in the defroster grille. Be sure it is
not covered, or the system will be on whenever
the ignition is on.
The system may also turn on your headlamps when
driving through a parking garage, heavy overcast
weather or a tunnel. This is normal.
There is a delay in the transition between the daytime
and nighttime operation of the Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL) and the automatic headlamp systems so
that driving under bridges or bright overhead street
lights does not affect the system. The DRL and
automatic headlamp system will only be affected when
the light sensor sees a change in lighting lasting
longer than the delay.If you start your vehicle in a dark garage, the automatic
headlamp system will come on immediately. Once
you leave the garage, it will take approximately
one minute for the automatic headlamp system to
change to DRL if it is bright enough outside. During that
delay, your instrument panel cluster may not be as
bright as usual. Make sure your instrument panel
brightness control is in the full bright position. See
“Instrument Panel Brightness Control”underInterior
Lamps on page 3-15.
To idle your vehicle with the automatic headlamp
system off, turn the control to the off position.
You may be able to turn off your automatic headlamp
system. See Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) later in this
section for more information.
Your headlamps will also stay on after you exit the
vehicle. You can program this feature using the Driver
Information Center. SeeDriver Information Center (DIC)
on page 3-42
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamps if you need them.
3-12
2003 - Sierra Denali

Lamps On Reminder
A reminder chime will sound when your headlamps or
parking lamps are manually turned on and your ignition is
off, in LOCK, ACCESSORY, or your door is open.
To disable the chime, turn the light off, then back on.
Daytime Running Lamps
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier for
others to see the front of your vehicle during the
day. DRL can be helpful in many different driving
conditions, but they can be especially helpful in the short
periods after dawn and before sunset. Fully functional
daytime running lamps are required on all vehicles
first sold in Canada.
The DRL system will come on when the following
conditions are met:
•The ignition is on,
•the exterior lamp control is in AUTO
•the automatic transmission is not in PARK (P), and
•the light sensor determines it is daytime.When the DRL are on, only your DRL lamps will be on.
The taillamps, sidemarker and other lamps won’tbe
on. The instrument panel won’t be lit up either.
When it begins to get dark, the automatic headlamp
system will switch from DRL to the headlamps or the last
chosen headlamp setting that was used.
When you turn the exterior lamp control to off, the
headlamps will go off, and your DRL lamps will
illuminate, provided it is not dark outside.
Shifting the transmission into PARK (P) will allow you to
idle the vehicle with the DRL off. The DRL will stay
off until you release the parking brake or shift the
transmission out of PARK (P).
Puddle Lamps
Your vehicle is equipped with puddle lamps to help you
see the area near the base of the front doors when it
is dark out. The puddle lamps will illuminate when a door
is opened or when you press the UNLOCK button on
the keyless entry transmitter.
3-13
2003 - Sierra Denali

Fog Lamps
You can use your vehicle’s fog lamps for better vision in
foggy or misty conditions.
The fog lamp button is
located on the left side of
your instrument panel.
Your parking lamps and/or low-beam headlamps must
be on for your fog lamps to work.
Press the button to turn the fog lamps on while the
headlamps are on. Press the button again to turn them
off. An indicator light will glow in the button when
the fog lamps are on.
Remember, fog lamps alone will not give off as much
light as your headlamps. Never use the fog lamps in the
dark without turning on the headlamps.The fog lamps will go off whenever the high-beam
headlamps come on. When the high beams go off, the
fog lamps will come on again.
The fog lamps will be cancelled after the ignition is
turned off. If you still want to use the fog lamps after you
restart the vehicle, press the fog lamp button again.
Cargo Lamp
The cargo lamp button is
located on the left side of
the instrument panel.
Press the button to turn
the cargo lamp on.
Press the button again to
turn it off.
An indicator light on the instrument panel cluster will
illuminate when the cargo lamp is turned on, and
the ignition key is turned to RUN.
3-14
2003 - Sierra Denali

Interior Lamps
Instrument Panel Brightness Control
P
:This feature controls the brightness of the
instrument panel lights.
The thumbwheel for this feature is located next to the
exterior lamp control.
Turn the thumbwheel up to adjust the instrument panel
lights and return the radio display to full brightness
when the headlamps or parking lamps are on. To turn
on the dome lamps, with the vehicle doors closed,
turn the thumbwheel all the way up.
Exit Lighting
With exit lighting, the interior lamps will come on when
you remove the key from the ignition. The lamps will not
come on if the dome override button is pressed in.
Entry Lighting
Your vehicle is equipped with an illuminated entry
feature.
When a door is opened, the dome lamps and puddle
lamps will come on if the dome override button is in the
out position. If the dome override button is pressed
in, the lamps will not come on.
Front Reading Lamps
Your vehicle has front reading lamps located in the
overhead console. Press the round button located next
to the lamp to turn the lamp on. The lamps can be
adjusted to point in the direction you want them to go.
Press the button again to turn the lamp off.
3-15
2003 - Sierra Denali

Dome Lamps
The dome lamps will come on when you open a door
and the dome override button is in the out position.
You can also turn the dome lamps on by turning
the thumbwheel, located next to the exterior lamps
control, all the way up. In this position, the dome lamps
will remain on whether the doors are opened or
closed.
E:You can use the dome override button, located
below the exterior lamps control, to set the dome lamps
to come on automatically when the doors are opened,
or to remain off. To turn the lamps off, press the button
to the in position. With the button in this position, the
dome lamps will remain off when the doors are open.
To return the lamps to automatic operation, press
the button again and return the button to the out
position. With the button in this position, the dome lamps
will come on when you open a door.
Battery Run-Down Protection
This feature shuts off the dome, reading, glove box, and
underhood lamps if they are left on for more than
10 minutes when the ignition is turned off. The cargo
lamp will shut off after 20 minutes. This will keep
your battery from running down.
Accessory Power Outlets
With accessory power outlets you can plug in auxiliary
electrical equipment such as a cellular telephone or
other devices designed to operate with vehicle electrical
systems.
Your vehicle is equipped with several accessory power
outlets. The front outlet is located next to thefloor
console. Lift up on the door to access the outlet.
The second outlet is located in the center console. Press
the button on the side of the console door to access
the outlet. SeeCenter Console Storage Area on
page 2-39for more information.
There is also one accessory power outlet located on the
rear of the center console. Lift up on the doors to
access the outlets.
3-16
2003 - Sierra Denali