2003 GMC SIERRA ESP

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.
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2003 - Sierra Denali

CD Changer
The compact disc changer plays up to six standard size
CDs continuously. Individual CDs may be loaded or
ejected into or from any position.
A green light on each numbered button indicates a CD
is loaded in the respective position. An amber light
on a numbered button indicates that a CD is playing.
When loading CDs, the loading slot indicators turn
amber to indicate that the player is ready to accept a
CD. CDs can be loaded or ejected with the radio or the
ignition being on or off.
You must load CDs with the label side up. If you do not,
the player will automatically eject the CDs.
Notice:Loading CDs with adhesive labels will
damage the player.
To load a CD, perform the following steps:
1. Press the LOAD button. Available positions will
blink amber.
2. Select a position by pressing the desired numbered
button with the amber blinking light. If a button is
not pressed withinfive seconds, the changer will go
to the lowest available position.
3. Load the CD when the loading slot indicators turn
amber. An internal door will open allowing a single
CD to be inserted into the changer. After
approximately 10 seconds the changer will be ready
to play.
To load two or more CDs, perform the
following steps:
1. Press and hold the LOAD button. Thefirst CD will
be loaded into the lowest numbered empty position.
2. Load a single CD when the loading slot indicators
turn amber. After about 10 seconds the changer will
cycle to the next available position.
3. Repeat Step 2 until all CDs are loaded into all of
the desired positions. If you do not wish to load all
of the positions, you can cancel the load all
function by pressing a button with a greenflashing
indicator light or wait 20 seconds for the changer
to time out.
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Audio Steering Wheel Controls
You can control certain radio functions using the buttons
on your steering wheel.
g(OnStar/Voice Recognition):If your vehicle has
OnStar®, you can press this button to interact with
the OnStar®system. See the OnStar®manual provided
with your vehicle for more information.
IF your vehicle does not have OnStar
®, pressing this
button will mute the audio system.
PROG (Program):Press this button to play a station
you have programmed on the radio preset pushbuttons
on the selected band. If a cassette tape is playing,
press this button to play the other side of the tape. If a
CD is playing, press this button to go to the next
available CD.
QSOURCER:Press this button to select AM, FM1,
FM2, or XM1 or XM2, (USA only, if equipped), or a
cassette tape or CD. The cassette or CD must be loaded
to play. Available loaded sources are shown on the
display as a tape or a CD symbol.
QSEEKR:Press the up or the down arrow to seek
to the next or to the previous radio station and stay
there.
QVOLR:Press the up or the down arrow to increase
or to decrease volume.
Understanding Radio Reception
AM
The range for most AM stations is greater than for FM,
especially at night. The longer range, however, can
cause stations to interfere with each other. AM can pick
up noise from things like storms and power lines. Try
reducing the treble to reduce this noise if you ever get it.
FM Stereo
FM stereo will give you the best sound, but FM signals
will reach only about 10 to 40 miles (16 to 65 km).
Tall buildings or hills can interfere with FM signals,
causing the sound to come and go.
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means that a woman generally will reach a higher BAC
level than a man of her same body weight will when
each has the same number of drinks.
The law in an increasing number of U.S. states, and
throughout Canada, sets the legal limit at 0.08 percent.
In some other countries, the limit is even lower. For
example, it is 0.05 percent in both France and Germany.
The BAC limit for all commercial drivers in the United
States is 0.04 percent.
The BAC will be over 0.10 percent after three to six
drinks (in one hour). Of course, as we’ve seen, it
depends on how much alcohol is in the drinks, and how
quickly the person drinks them.
But the ability to drive is affected well below a BAC of
0.10 percent. Research shows that the driving skills
of many people are impaired at a BAC approaching
0.05 percent, and that the effects are worse at night.
All drivers are impaired at BAC levels above
0.05 percent. Statistics show that the chance of being in
a collision increases sharply for drivers who have a
BAC of 0.05 percent or above. A driver with a BAC level
of 0.06 percent has doubled his or her chance of
having a collision. At a BAC level of 0.10 percent, the
chance of this driver having a collision is 12 times
greater; at a level of 0.15 percent, the chance is
25 times greater!
The body takes about an hour to rid itself of the alcohol
in one drink. No amount of coffee or number of cold
showers will speed that up.“I’ll be careful”isn’t the rightanswer. What if there’s an emergency, a need to take
sudden action, as when a child darts into the street?
A person with even a moderate BAC might not be able
to react quickly enough to avoid the collision.
There’s something else about drinking and driving that
many people don’t know. Medical research shows
that alcohol in a person’s system can make crash
injuries worse, especially injuries to the brain, spinal
cord or heart. This means that when anyone who
has been drinking—driver or passenger—is in a
crash, that person’s chance of being killed or
permanently disabled is higher than if the person had
not been drinking.
{CAUTION:
Drinking and then driving is very dangerous.
Your reflexes, perceptions, attentiveness and
judgment can be affected by even a small
amount of alcohol.You can have a serious—or
even fatal—collision if you drive after drinking.
Please don’t drink and drive or ride with a
driver who has been drinking.Ride home in a
cab; or if you’re with a group, designate a
driver who will not drink.
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2003 - Sierra Denali

Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go
where you want it to go. They are the brakes, the
steering and the accelerator. All three systems have to
do their work at the places where the tires meet
the road.
Sometimes, as when you’re driving on snow or ice, it’s
easy to ask more of those control systems than the
tires and road can provide. That means you can lose
control of your vehicle.
Braking
Braking action involvesperception timeand
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That’sperception time.Then you have to bring up your
foot and do it. That’sreaction time.
Averagereaction timeis about 3/4 of a second.
But that’s only an average. It might be less with one
driver and as long as two or three seconds or more with
another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination
and eyesight all play a part. So do alcohol, drugs
and frustration. But even in 3/4 of a second, a vehicle
moving at 60 mph (100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m).
That could be a lot of distance in an emergency,
so keeping enough space between your vehicle and
others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road (whether it’s pavement
or gravel); the condition of the road (wet, dry, icy); tire
tread; the condition of your brakes; the weight of
the vehicle and the amount of brake force applied.
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Manual Selectable Ride
The main function of this system is to provide superior
ride comfort while trailering or fully loaded, as well
as for unloaded driving. This system also helps
to provide:
Improved trailering stability
Improved handling response when trailering or fully
loaded
This button is located on
the center of the
instrument panel near the
radio. Press it to activate
the selectable ride
setting as desired.
An indicator light near the
button will illuminate
whenever the system is
active.
It is recommended to use this system as follows:
For optimum ride comfort in an unloaded vehicle
the button should be out and the indicator light
will not be illuminated. This switch position indicates
NORMAL levels of ride control or damping.
For optimum ride comfort when trailering, fully
loaded, driving off-road, or when personal
preferences demand more control the button should
be pressed in with the indicator light illuminated.
This switch position indicates FIRM levels of
ride control or damping.
The following guide can also be used to help determine
the best setting.
NORMAL:The indicator light will be off when the
system is in this setting. Use for normal city and highway
driving. Provides a smooth, soft ride when the vehicle
is unloaded.
FIRM (Unloaded):Press the switch to activate this
setting, the indicator light will illuminate. Use this setting
when road conditions or personal preference demand
more control. Provides more“feel″or response to
the road conditions.
FIRM (Loaded):Press the switch to activate this
setting, the indicator light will illuminate. Use this setting
to minimize trailer inputs to the vehicle or when the
vehicle is fully loaded. This setting is also appropriate
for off-road driving.
You can select a setting at any time based on road and
trailering conditions to provide the best ride and
handling. Select a new setting whenever driving
conditions change.
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4:In this mode all four wheels will help steer the
vehicle. If you want to use 4 wheel steering, and your
vehicle is not in this mode, press the button, until
the 4 indicator, located to the right of the 4 Wheel Steer
button, lights up. If the 4 indicator isashing you will
have to center the steering wheel by turning it to the left
or right.
At slower speeds the front and rear wheels will turn in
opposite directions. This helps the vehicle make
tighter turns, such as during parking, cornering and
turning into tight spaces.At higher speeds the front and rear wheels will turn in
the same direction. This improves stability of the vehicle
during lane changes and sweeping turns.
_(4 Wheel Steer tow mode):When towing a
trailer the 4 wheel steer tow mode provides enhanced
stability allowing the trailer to follow the path of the
tow vehicle more closely, especially during lane
changes.
In this mode the system operates much like the 4 mode,
but is enhanced for trailer towing. It is recommended
for all types and weights of trailers. Slower Speeds (below 40 m.p.h./64 km/h)
Higher Speeds (40 m.p.h./64 km/h and above)
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Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to
pass while you’re awaiting an opportunity. For
one thing, following too closely reduces your area
of vision, especially if you’re following a larger
vehicle. Also, you won’t have adequate space if the
vehicle ahead suddenly slows or stops. Keep
back a reasonable distance.
When it looks like a chance to pass is coming up,
start to accelerate but stay in the right lane and
don’t get too close. Time your move so you will be
increasing speed as the time comes to move
into the other lane. If the way is clear to pass, you
will have a“running start”that more than makes
up for the distance you would lose by dropping
back. And if something happens to cause you to
cancel your pass, you need only slow down
and drop back again and wait for another
opportunity.
If other vehicles are lined up to pass a slow vehicle,
wait your turn. But take care that someone isn’t
trying to pass you as you pull out to pass the slow
vehicle. Remember to glance over your shoulder
and check the blind spot.
Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder and
start your left lane change signal before moving out
of the right lane to pass. When you are far
enough ahead of the passed vehicle to see its frontin your inside mirror, activate your right lane change
signal and move back into the right lane.
(Remember that if your right outside mirror is
convex, the vehicle you just passed may seem to
be farther away from you than it really is.)
Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time on
two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the
next vehicle.
Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lamps are notashing, it
may be slowing down or starting to turn.
If you’re being passed, make it easy for the
following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you
can ease a little to the right.
Loss of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems (brakes,
steering and acceleration) don’t have enough friction
where the tires meet the road to do what the driver has
asked.
In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying to steer
and constantly seek an escape route or area of
less danger.
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