When the shoulder belt is pulled out all the way,
it will lock. If it does, let it go back all the way and
start again. If the belt is not long enough, see
Safety Belt Extender on page 1-26. Make sure the
release button on the buckle is positioned so
you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt
quickly if you ever had to.
3. To make the lap part tight, pull down on the buckle
end of the belt as you pull up on the shoulder part.The lap part of the belt should be worn low and snug on
the hips, just touching the thighs. In a crash this applies
force to the strong pelvic bones. And you would be less
likely to slide under the lap belt. If you slid under it, the
belt would apply force at your abdomen. This could cause
serious or even fatal injuries. The shoulder belt should go
over the shoulder and across the chest. These parts of
the body are best able to take belt restraining forces.
The safety belt locks if there is a sudden stop or a crash,
or if you pull the belt very quickly out of the retractor.
1-25
Starting and Operating
Your Vehicle
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice:Your vehicle does not need an elaborate
break-in. But it will perform better in the long run if
you follow these guidelines:
Let your engine warm up before you operate
your vehicle under load.
Keep your speed at 55 mph (88 km/h) or less for
the rst 500 miles (805 km).
Do not drive at any one speed, fast or slow,
for the rst 500 miles (805 km). Do not make
full-throttle starts.
Avoid making hard stops for the rst 200 miles
(322 km) or so. During this time your new brake
linings are not yet broken in. Hard stops with new
linings can mean premature wear and earlier
replacement. Follow this breaking-in guideline
every time you get new brake linings.
Use the lowest gear you can when you start a
loaded vehicle in motion and when going up hills
to avoid overloading the engine.
Check and adjust engine and transmission uid
levels often and be sure tires are properly
in ated for the load you are carrying.
If you have a Caterpillar®diesel engine, see the
Caterpillar®Diesel Engine Operation and
Maintenance Manual.
2-11
Automatic Transmission
Set the parking brake and move your shift lever to
NEUTRAL (N) or PARK (P), if so equipped. Your engine
will not start in any other position — that is a safety
feature.
Manual Transmission
Set the parking brake, shift to neutral NEUTRAL (N)
and hold the clutch pedal to the floor while starting
the engine.
Starter Motor Operation
•The starter motor will disengage if you release
the key or the engine reaches a predetermined
engine speed.
•To prevent overheating, the starter motor will
disengage after continuously operating for
15 seconds. You must release the key from the
start position to re-engage the starter.
•The starter motor will not engage if the engine
is already running.
•The starter motor will disengage if, after
two seconds, the starter pinion gear does not
engage the flywheel or there is no engine
rpm signal from the engine speed sensor.
Starting Your Engine
1. Without pushing the accelerator pedal, turn your
ignition key to START. When the engine starts,
let go of the key. The idle speed will go down as
your engine gets warm.
2. If the engine does not start in 10 seconds, push the
accelerator pedal all the way down and crank the
engine for five more seconds, unless it starts sooner.
3. If your engine still will not start, or starts but then
stops, it could be flooded with too much gasoline.
Wait 15 seconds to let the starter motor cool down.
Do Steps 1 through 3 again.
When the engine starts, let go of the key and the
accelerator pedal.
Notice:Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle. If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the way the
engine operates. Before adding electrical equipment,
check with your dealer. If you do not, your engine
might not perform properly. Any resulting damage
would not be covered by your vehicle’s warranty.
If you ever need to have your vehicle towed,
seeTowing Your Vehicle on page 4-35.
2-13
Gasoline Engine Warm-Up
When you have started your engine, let it run for
20 or 30 seconds to warm up before you put a load
on the engine.
Drive at moderate speeds for the first 2 to 3 miles
(3.2 to 4.8 km), especially in cold weather. SeeHigh
Idle System (Caterpillar
®Diesel/Gasoline Engine)
on page 2-19.
Restarting the Gasoline Engine While
Moving (Automatic Transmission)
If you have to restart the engine while the vehicle is
moving, you will first have to shift to NEUTRAL (N).
This safety feature prevents starting the engine when
the transmission is in a drive gear.
Stopping the Gasoline Engine
Let your engine idle for a few seconds before turning it
off after you have finished driving your vehicle.
If you shift to NEUTRAL (N) or PARK (P), set the
parking brake.
If your vehicle has a two-speed axle, put the range
selector in LOW. To be sure the axle has shifted into
LOW, engage the clutch and transmission; the vehicle
may move slightly when you do this.While your engine is idling and before you turn it off,
you can make a list of any operational or handling
concerns to give to responsible maintenance personnel
so they can handle them right away.
Moisture will condense in a fuel tank that is almost
empty if the engine has not run for a while, even just
overnight under some conditions. So, it is always best
to refuel your vehicle at the end of each run.
Starting the Diesel Engine
Your vehicle’s diesel engine starts differently than a
gasoline engine. Read the following pages to learn how
to start, restart, warm-up, and stop your diesel engine.
The information applies to both Caterpillar
®diesel
engine and DURAMAX®diesel engine unless
otherwise noted.
If you have a Caterpillar
®diesel engine, also refer to
your Caterpillar®diesel engine Operation & Maintenance
Manual for the starting procedure.
2-14
Automatic Transmission
Move your shift lever to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N).
Your engine will not start in any other position — that is
a safety feature. To restart when you are already
moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only.
Notice:Do not try to shift to PARK (P) if your
vehicle is moving. If you do, you could damage the
transmission. Shift to PARK (P) only when your
vehicle is stopped.
Manual Transmission
Move your shift lever to NEUTRAL and hold the
clutch pedal to the floor while starting the engine.
Your vehicle will not start if the clutch pedal is not
all the way down — that is a safety feature.
Starting Your Engine
1. Turn your ignition key to RUN.
Observe the wait to start light. SeeWait to
Start Indicator (Diesel Engine) on page 3-36.
This light may not come on if the engine is hot.
2. As soon as the wait to start light goes off,
immediately turn the ignition key to START.
When the engine starts, let go of the key.
If your vehicle is equipped with a DURAMAX
®6600
engine, it has a fast warm-up glow plug system.
The wait to start light will illuminate for a much
shorter time than most diesel engines, due to the
rapid heating of the glow plug system.
Notice:Holding your key in START for longer than
15 seconds at a time will cause your battery to
be drained much sooner. And the excessive heat
can damage your starter motor.
Notice:If the wait to start light stays on after
starting your vehicle, your vehicle may not run
properly. Have your vehicle serviced right away.
3. If the engine does not start after 15 seconds
of cranking, turn the ignition key to OFF. Wait
one minute for the starter to cool, then try the same
steps again.
2-15
Cold Weather Starting
(Caterpillar®Diesel)
Because the diesel engine uses compression ignition,
it is harder to start in cold weather than a gasoline
engine. The air intake heater and use of the proper
engine oil, optional engine coolant heaters and optional
ether injection systems help cold weather starting.
See the Caterpillar
®Diesel Engine Operation &
Maintenance Manual for more information.
Restarting the Diesel Engine While
Moving (Automatic Transmission)
If you have to restart the engine while the vehicle is
moving, you will first have to shift to NEUTRAL (N).
This safety feature prevents starting the engine when
the transmission is in a drive gear for more information.
Stopping the Diesel Engine
1. Set the parking brake and shift to NEUTRAL (N)
or PARK (P).
2. Turn the ignition key to OFF.
If your vehicle has a two-speed axle, see
Two-Speed Rear Axle Electric Shift Control on
page 2-26.
If you have a Caterpillar
®diesel engine, see your
Caterpillar®Diesel Engine Operation & Maintenance
Manual for additional information.
Diesel Engine Warm-Up
Several factors affect how quickly your diesel engine
warms up. These can include outside temperature,
engine load, idle time and your vehicle’s option content.
Your vehicle may be equipped with some features
that can help the engine reach operating temperature
sooner. Some of these features are discussed below.
Also, remember that an automatic transmission
adds heat to the cooling system through the heat
exchanger in the radiator. Because of this, vehicles
equipped with automatic transmissions are often able to
retain engine coolant heat better than manual
transmission vehicles.
See your Caterpillar
®Operation & Maintenance manual
for additional diesel engine warm-up information.
2-17
If Your Diesel Engine Will Not Start
If you have run out of fuel, seeRunning Out of Fuel on
page 5-15.
If you are not out of fuel, and your engine will not start,
do this:
Turn your ignition key to RUN. Immediately after the wait
to start light goes off, turn the ignition key to START.
If the light does not go off, wait a few seconds, then try
starting your engine again. And, see your dealer as
soon as you can for a starting system check.
If the light comes on and then goes off and you know
your batteries are charged, but your engine still will not
start, your vehicle needs service.
If the light does not come on when the engine is cold,
your vehicle needs service.
If your batteries do not have enough charge to start
your engine, seeBattery on page 5-55.
Be sure you have the right oil for your engine, and that
you have changed the oil at the proper times. If you
use the wrong oil, your engine may be harder to start.Be sure you are using the proper fuel for existing
weather conditions. SeeWhat Fuel to Use on page 5-8.
If the engine starts, runs a short time, then stops,
your vehicle needs service.
{CAUTION:
Do not use gasoline or starting aids, such as
ether, in the air intake. They could damage
your engine. There could also be a re, which
could cause serious personal injury.
Engine Alarm and Automatic
Shutdown
Your check gages warning light will come on if the
system senses high engine temperature or low engine
oil pressure. If high engine temperature or low engine oil
pressure is detected, you will also hear a tone alarm
at two beats per second. The alarm and the light
will remain on until the condition is fixed. If the engine
temperature or oil pressure condition worsens, the
tone alarm will go to five beats per second.
2-18
During this warm-up period, check your warning lights
and gages:
•If oil pressure does not begin to rise within
15 seconds of starting, stop the engine and find the
cause. SeeOil Pressure Gage on page 3-37for
more information.
•If the engine coolant temperature gage needle goes
into the hot area on the gage, stop the engine and
find the cause of the overheating. SeeEngine
Coolant Temperature Gage on page 3-35for
more information.
•If you have air brakes, the dual-needle air pressure
gage should read at least 115 psi (790 kPa) for
both service systems before you try to move
the vehicle. When air pressure is below 60 psi
(420 kPa), the LOW AIR light will come on and you
will hear a tone alarm. SeeBrake System Warning
Light on page 3-31for more information. If the
pressure does not build up or drops during warm-up,
stop the engine and find the cause before you try
to move the vehicle. Recommended air pressure
before driving is 120 psi (830 kPa). SeeAir
Pressure Gage on page 3-44for more information.
•The charging system light should come on when
the ignition key is turned to RUN or START and
should go out when the engine is running above
idle. If the light does not go out or comes back on
during normal engine operation, have the charging
system checked right away. (This light tells you
if the generator is not charging; it does not reflect
the condition of the battery.) SeeCharging System
Light on page 3-30for more information.
•The voltmeter charge indicator gage tells you the
condition of your battery’s charge. The gage
should be in the center area during engine
operation. The red area on the left indicates an
undercharge condition; the red area on the
right indicates an overcharge. If the gage is in
either red area, have the battery and charging
system checked right away. SeeVoltmeter Gage
on page 3-30for more information.
Notice:Do not allow the engine to operate at low
idle for more than ve minutes. This can cause
low engine operating temperatures which can
affect engine operation and reduce engine life.
Engine idle speed should be increased to 1200 rpm
whenever extended idle is required. Once started,
the engine should be placed under load to allow the
engine coolant temperature to reach 150°F (66°C)
before shutting off the engine.
2-23