Instrument Panel Cluster
Your instrument panel cluster is designed to let you know at a glance how your vehicle is running. You’ll know how
fast your going, about how much fuel is left and many other things you’ll need to drive safely and economically.
United States Diesel Engine shown, Canada and Gasoline Engine similar
3-25
Wait to Start Indicator
(Diesel Engine)
If your vehicle has the DURAMAX®6600, you will have
glow plugs. If your vehicle has the DURAMAX®7800,
you will have glow plugs and an inlet heater. If your
vehicle has a Caterpillar
®engine, you will have an
inlet heater.
The light in the center of
the instrument panel will
come on when the
inlet heater is on and the
ignition key is in RUN.
Wait until the indicator light turns off before turning the
ignition key to START.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
Service Engine Soon Light
If this light comes on or
flashes while you are
driving, two things
may happen.
First, you will not notice any difference in engine
performance, but your tail pipe emissions may increase.
Second, your engine may not run properly or may
stall without warning. If either of these things happen,
drive or tow your vehicle to your dealer for service.
This light should come on when the ignition is on, but
the engine is not running, as a check to show you
it is working. If it does not come on at all, have
it repaired.
Notice:If you keep driving your vehicle with this
light on, after awhile, your emission controls
may not work as well, your fuel economy may not
be as good, and your engine may not run as
smoothly. This could lead to costly repairs that may
not be covered by your warranty.
3-36
Low Washer Fluid Warning Light
This light will come on
when your vehicle is low
on windshield washer fluid.
For more information, seeWindshield Washer Fluid on
page 5-46.
Check Gages Warning Light
This light will come on as
you’re starting the engine,
just as a check.
If this light comes on and stays on while you are driving.
it means that either your engine coolant temperature
gage or your engine oil pressure gage may be showing
a reading in the warning zone.When the check gages light comes on, you will also
hear a warning tone. The tone and the light will
stay activated until the problem is corrected.
This light may also come on if your vehicle is equipped
with the optional automatic engine shutdown system
and engine shutdown has begun. SeeEngine Alarm and
Automatic ShutdownunderStarting the Diesel Engine
on page 2-14.
Fuel Gage
Your fuel gage is located
on the right side of your
instrument panel cluster.
When the ignition is on, your fuel gage lets you know
about how much fuel you have left. When the gage first
shows empty, you’ll still have a little fuel left, but you
should get more fuel soon.
3-42
If your vehicle has dual fuel tanks, the reading on the
gage is the total fuel left in both tanks.
Here are four concerns of some operators. None of
these shows a problem with your fuel gage:
•The gage moves a little when you turn a corner or
speed up.
•The gage does not go back to empty when you turn
off the ignition.
•At the gas station, the pump shuts off before the
gage reads full.
•It takes a little more or less fuel to fill up than the
gage indicated.
If you have a Caterpillar
®diesel engine, also see your
Caterpillar®Operation & Maintenance Manual.
Water in Fuel Warning Light
If your vehicle has the 6.6L
or 7.8L DURAMAX®diesel
engine, this light will
come on to warn you that
there is water in the
fuel system.
For more information on how this light works, seeWater
in Fuel on page 5-10.
Air Filter Restriction Indicator
If your vehicle has this
feature, the gage is
located above the
switchbank in the center of
the instrument panel. It
monitors the engine
air filter.
As the filter gets dirty, the yellow indicator will begin to
rise. When it reaches 25 inches of vacuum on the
scale, the filter should be replaced.
After replacing the filter, reset the gage by pressing in
the yellow reset button at the bottom of the gage.
If you have a Caterpillar
®diesel engine, also see your
Caterpillar®Operation & Maintenance Manual.
3-43
{CAUTION:
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 cannot 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 if any is blocking your exhaust
pipe. And check around again from time to time
to be sure snow does not collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that is 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 (or batteries) charged. You will
need a well-charged battery (or batteries) to restart the
vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on with your
headlamps. Let the heater run for a while.
If you have a diesel engine, you may have to run it at a
higher speed to get enough heat.
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.
4-29
Loading Your Vehicle
There is a vehicle specific GVW Rating label on your
vehicle that shows how much weight it may properly
carry. It also shows the size of your original tires and the
inflation pressures needed to obtain the gross weight
capacity of your vehicle. This is called the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR).
The GVWR includes the weight of the vehicle, all
occupants, fuel and cargo.The GVW Rating label is provided by the final
manufacturer and should be on the door or door jamb.
It also tells you the maximum weights for the front
and rear axles, called Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR). To find out the actual loads on your front and
rear axles, you need to go to a weigh station and
weigh your vehicle. Your dealer can help you with this.
Be sure to spread out your load equally on both
sides of the center line.
Never exceed the GVWR for your vehicle, or the GAWR
for either the front or rear axle.
And, if you do have a heavy load, you should spread
it out.
4-32
Service............................................................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-4
Two Safety Cautions about Engine Fan
Breakage...................................................5-5
Fuel................................................................5-6
Gasoline Octane............................................5-6
Gasoline Specifications....................................5-6
Additives.......................................................5-6
Diesel Engine Fuel.........................................5-7
What Fuel to Use...........................................5-8
Very Cold Weather Operation.........................5-10
Water in Fuel...............................................5-10
Running Out of Fuel.....................................5-15
Fuel Filter Replacement.................................5-16
Fuels in Foreign Countries.............................5-17
Filling the Tank............................................5-18
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.....................5-19
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-20
Hood Latches...............................................5-20
Engine Oil (Caterpillar
®Diesel Engine).............5-22
Engine Oil (DURAMAX®Diesel)......................5-22
Engine Oil (Gasoline Engine)..........................5-26
Engine Oil Life System (Gasoline Engine)........5-29
Engine Oil Life System (DURAMAX
®Diesel).....5-31
Engine Oil Life System (Caterpillar®
Diesel Engine)..........................................5-32Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-33
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-34
Manual Transmission Fluid.............................5-35
Engine Coolant (Gas and
DURAMAX
®Engines).................................5-36
Engine Coolant (Caterpillar®Diesel Engines).....5-38
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap..................5-38
Engine Overheating.......................................5-38
Cooling System (Gas and
DURAMAX
®Engines).................................5-40
Engine Fan Noise.........................................5-45
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-45
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-46
Brakes........................................................5-47
Battery........................................................5-55
Jump Starting...............................................5-56
Rear Axle.......................................................5-60
Rear Axle Shift Motor....................................5-62
Four-Wheel Drive............................................5-62
Front Axle......................................................5-63
Noise Control System.....................................5-64
Tampering with Noise Control System
Prohibited.................................................5-64
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-65
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-65
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1
Other Service Items........................................5-66
Fuel Filter....................................................5-66
Primary Fuel Filter and Water Separator..........5-67
Secondary Fuel Filter and Water Separator/
Heater (Caterpillar
®Diesel)..........................5-68
Automatic Ether Injection System
(Caterpillar
®Diesel)....................................5-68
Front Wheel Bearings with Oil-Filled Hubs........5-69
Air Conditioning System.................................5-70
Tires..............................................................5-70
Inflation - Tire Pressure.................................5-71
Wheel Loading.............................................5-71
Dual Tire Operation.......................................5-72
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-72
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-73
Tightening the Wheel Nuts.............................5-73
Wheel Replacement......................................5-77
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-78
Appearance Care............................................5-79
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.................5-80
Fabric/Carpet...............................................5-81
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other
Plastic Surfaces........................................5-82
Care of Safety Belts......................................5-82
Weatherstrips...............................................5-82Washing Your Vehicle...................................5-83
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses.....................5-83
Finish Care..................................................5-83
Windshield and Wiper Blades.........................5-84
Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels................5-84
Tires...........................................................5-85
Sheet Metal Damage.....................................5-85
Finish Damage.............................................5-85
Underbody Maintenance................................5-85
Chemical Paint Spotting.................................5-85
Vehicle Identi cation......................................5-87
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).................5-87
Service Statement.........................................5-87
Service Parts Identification Label.....................5-88
Electrical System............................................5-88
Add-On Electrical Equipment..........................5-88
Headlamp Wiring..........................................5-88
Windshield Wiper Fuses................................5-88
Fusible Links................................................5-89
Power Windows and Other Power Options.......5-89
Fuses and Circuit Breakers............................5-89
Instrument Panel Fuse Block..........................5-89
Underhood Fuse Block..................................5-92
Capacities and Speci cations..........................5-95
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts.........5-100
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-2