2004 GMC SONOMA Owner's Manual

Parking Over Things That Burn
{CAUTION:
Things that can burn could touch hot exhaust
parts under your vehicle and ignite. Do not
park over papers, leaves, dry grass or other
things that can burn.
Engine Exhaust
{CAUTION:
Engine exhaust can kill. It contains the gas
carbon monoxide (CO), which you can not see
or smell. It can cause unconsciousness and
death.
You might have exhaust coming in if:
Your exhaust system sounds strange or
different.
Your vehicle gets rusty underneath.
Your vehicle was damaged in a collision.
Your vehicle was damaged when driving
over high points on the road or over road
debris.
Repairs were not done correctly.
Your vehicle or exhaust system had been
modied improperly.
If you ever suspect exhaust is coming into
your vehicle:
Drive it only with all the windows down to
blow out any CO; and
Have your vehicle xed immediately.
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Running Your Engine While You
Are Parked
It is better not to park with the engine running. But if
you ever have to, here are some things to know.
{CAUTION:
Idling the engine with the climate control
system off could allow dangerous exhaust into
your vehicle. See the earlier Caution under
Engine Exhaust on page 2-29.
Also, idling in a closed-in place can let deadly
carbon monoxide (CO) into your vehicle even if
the climate control fan is at the highest setting.
One place this can happen is a garage.
Exhaust — with CO — can come in easily.
NEVER park in a garage with the engine
running.
Another closed-in place can be a blizzard. See
Winter Driving on page 4-38.
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle
if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with
the parking brake rmly set. Your vehicle can
roll. Do not leave your vehicle when the engine
is running unless you have to. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured. To
be sure your vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground, always set your
parking brake and move the shift lever to
PARK (P).
Follow the proper steps to be sure your vehicle will not
move. SeeShifting Into Park (P) on page 2-26.
If you are pulling a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer on
page 4-55.
2-30

Mirrors
Manual Rearview Mirror
Pull the tab under the mirror toward you to reduce the
glare from headlamps behind you after dark. Push
the tab away from you for normal daytime operation.
Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror
If your vehicle has this feature, the mirror automatically
changes to reduce glare from headlamps behind
you. A photocell on the back of the mirror senses when
it is becoming dark outside. Another photocell built
into the mirror surface senses when headlamps
are behind you.
At night, when the glare is too high, the mirror will
gradually darken to reduce glare. This change may take
a few seconds. The mirror will return to its clear
daytime state when the vehicle is put into REVERSE (R)
or when the glare is reduced.
AUTO (Automatic Dimming):This button is located at
the base of the mirror. Use it to turn on the automatic
feature. The button has an indicator light to show it is on.
OFF:Press this button to turn the automatic
feature off.
Time Delay
The automatic mirror has a time delay feature which
prevents unnecessary switching from the night back to
the day position. This delay prevents rapid changing
of the mirror as you drive under lights and through traffic.
Cleaning the Photocells
Use a cotton swab and glass cleaner to clean the
photocells and mirror face when necessary.
Cleaning the Mirror
When cleaning the mirror, use a paper towel or similar
material dampened with glass cleaner. Do not spray
glass cleaner directly on the mirror as that may cause
the liquid cleaner to enter the mirror housing.
Outside Manual Mirror
Adjust your outside mirrors so you can see a little of the
side of your vehicle and the area beside and behind
your vehicle from a comfortable driving position.
You can also fold the mirrors in before entering a car
wash. Pull the mirrors in toward the vehicle. Push
the mirrors back out when finished.
2-31

Outside Power Mirrors
If your vehicle has this
feature, the controls are
located on the driver’s door
armrest.
Move the selector switch to the left or right to choose
the driver’s or passenger’s mirror, then use the
arrows located on the four-way control pad to move the
mirror in the direction you want the mirror to go.
Put the selector switch back in the center position when
finished adjusting the mirror so that you don’t
accidentally bump into the control pad and get the
mirror out of adjustment.
Outside Convex Mirror
A convex mirror’s surface is curved so you can see
more from the driver’s seat.
{CAUTION:
A convex mirror can make things (like other
vehicles) look farther away than they really are.
If you cut too sharply into the right lane, you
could hit a vehicle on your right. Check your
inside mirror or glance over your shoulder
before changing lanes.
Outside Heated Mirrors
Your vehicle may be equipped with heated outside
rearview mirrors.
2-32

The heated mirror button is
located to the lower right
of the mode knob on
the climate control system.
The button has an
indicator light to indicate if
the heated mirror feature
is on or off.
When the heated mirror feature is turned on, the
defogger will warm the mirrors to help clear them of
snow or condensation. The heated mirror feature
will turn off automatically when the mirror is clear.Storage Areas
Glove Box
To open your glove box, lift the lever on the front of the
glove box and lower the door. The glove box should
not be open while you are driving.
Overhead Console
If your vehicle has this feature, the overhead console
includes reading lamps, a compartment for a garage
door opener, a temperature and compass display and a
storage compartment for sunglasses.
2-33

Reading Lamps
Press the button near
each lamp to turn the
reading lamps on and off.
The lamps can also be swiveled to point in the desired
direction.
Installing a Garage Door Opener
1. Open the compartment door by pressing the latch
forward.
2. Peel the protective
backing from the hook
and loop patch.
Press it firmly to the back of your garage door
opener, as close to the center of the opener
as possible.
3. Center the garage door opener activation button
over the console door button and press the opener
firmly into place.
2-34

4. The pegs inside the compartment door are used to
make sure the button on the compartment door will
contact the control button on the garage door
opener.
5. Add one peg at a time until the garage door opener
operates with the compartment door closed when
you press the button.Now, with the compartment
door closed, press the
button again to make sure
the garage door operates
properly.
With the garage door opener positioned properly and
the right number of pegs in place, you should only have
to press the button lightly to operate the opener.
2-35

Temperature and Compass Display
The outside air temperature and the compass are
displayed at the front of the overhead console. The
buttons are located to the left of the display.
ON/OFF:Press this button to turn the display on or off.US/MET:Press this button for the temperature to be
displayed in either degrees Farenheit (English) or
Celsius (metric).
Before you turn on the ignition and move the vehicle,
the temperature indicated will be the last outside
temperature recorded with the ignition on.
If the outside temperature is 37°F (3°C) or lower when
you turn on the ignition, the word ICE will appear
on the display. This is a warning to the driver that road
conditions may be icy, and that appropriate precautions
should be taken.
The compass is self-calibrating, so it does not need to
be manually set. However, when your vehicle is new, the
compass may function erratically. If it does, CAL
(Calibration) will appear on the display. To correct the
calibration, drive in a complete 360° circle three
times and the compass will function normally.
2-36