Conditions of operation
If... Then...
The driver’s safety belt is not
buckled before the ignition switch
is turned to the ON position...The safety belt warning light
illuminates 1-2 minutes and the
warning chime sounds 4-8 seconds.
The driver’s safety belt is buckled
while the indicator light is
illuminated and the warning chime
is sounding...The safety belt warning light and
warning chime turn off.
The driver’s safety belt is buckled
before the ignition switch is
turned to the ON position...The safety belt warning light and
indicator chime remain off.
BeltMinder
The BeltMinder feature is a supplemental warning to the safety belt
warning function. This feature provides additional reminders to the
driver that the driver’s safety belt is unbuckled by intermittently
sounding a chime and illuminating the safety belt warning lamp in the
instrument cluster.
If... Then...
The driver’s safety belt is not
buckled before the vehicle has
reached at least 3 mph (5 km/h)
and 1-2 minutes have elapsed
since the ignition switch has been
turned to ON...The BeltMinder feature is activated -
the safety belt warning light
illuminates and the warning chime
sounds for 6 seconds every 30
seconds, repeating for approximately 5
minutes or until safety belt is buckled.
The driver’s safety belt is buckled
while the safety belt indicator light
is illuminated and the safety belt
warning chime is sounding...The BeltMinder feature will not
activate.
The driver’s safety belt is buckled
before the ignition switch is
turned to the ON position...The BeltMinder feature will not
activate.
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75
The following are reasons most often given for not wearing safety belts:
(All statistics based on U.S. data)
Reasons given... Consider...
“Crashes are rare events”36700 crashes occur every day.The
more we drive, the more we are
exposed to“rare”events, even for
good drivers.1 in 4 of us will be
seriously injured in a crash during
our lifetime.
“I’m not going far”3of4fatal crashes occur within25
miles of home.
“Belts are uncomfortable”We design our safety belts to enhance
comfort. If you are uncomfortable -
try different positions for the safety
belt upper anchorage and seatback
which should be as upright as
possible; this can improve comfort.
“I was in a hurry”Prime time for an accident.
BeltMinder reminds us to take a few
seconds to buckle up.
“Seat belts don’t work”Safety belts,when used properly,
reduce risk of deathto front seat
occupants by45% in cars,and by
60% in light trucks.
“Traffic is light”Nearly 1 of 2 deaths occur in
single-vehicle crashes,many when
no other vehicles are around.
“Belts wrinkle my clothes”Possibly, but a serious crash can do
much more than wrinkle your clothes,
particularly if you are unbelted.
“The people I’m with don’t
wear belts”Set the example, teen deaths occur 4
times more often in vehicles with
TWO or MORE people. Children and
younger brothers/sisters imitate
behavior they see.
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BeltMinder activation and deactivation procedure
1. Turn the ignition switch to the RUN (or ON) position. (DO NOT
START THE ENGINE.)
2. Wait until the safety belt warning light turns off. (Approximately 1–2
minutes.)
•Steps 3–5 must be completed within 60 seconds or the procedure will
have to be repeated.
3. Buckle then unbuckle the safety belt three times, ending with the
safety belt unbuckled. This can be done before or during BeltMinder
warning activation.
4. Turn on the parklamps/headlamps, turn off the parklamps/headlamps.
5. Buckle then unbuckle the safety belt three times, ending with the
safety belt unbuckled.
•After step 5 the safety belt warning light will be turned on for three
seconds.
6. Within seven seconds of the safety belt warning light turning off,
buckle then unbuckle the safety belt.
•This will disable BeltMinder if it is currently enabled, or enable
BeltMinder if it is currently disabled.
7. Confirmation of disabling BeltMinder is provided by the safety belt
warning light flashing four times per second for three seconds.
8. Confirmation of enabling BeltMinder is provided by:
•The safety belt warning light flashing four times per second for three
seconds.
•Followed by three seconds with the safety belt warning light off.
•Once again, the safety belt warning light will flash four times per
second for three seconds.
9. After receiving confirmation, the deactivation/activation procedure is
complete.
Safety belt extension assembly
If the safety belt is too short when fully extended, there is an eight inch
(20 cm) safety belt extension assembly that can be added (part number
611C22). This assembly can be obtained from your dealer at no cost.
Use only extensions manufactured by the same supplier as the safety
belt. Manufacturer identification is located at the end of the webbing on
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78
STARTING PROCEDURES
Operating precautions
•Always shift to a lower gear at high altitudes to prevent engine
smoking.
•Avoid extended and unnecessary idling.
Diesel engine vapors are combustible. Do not operate the engine
in an enclosed area. These vapors can be sucked through the air
intake system and cause an explosion which may result in severe
bodily injury and extensive property damage.
Starting the engine
1. Ensure headlamps and all accessories are turned off, the parking
brake is applied and the transmission is in the neutral position (or P
[Park] for Allison 2400 transmissions).
If your vehicle is equipped with an
air intake heater, the heater will
activate in cooler weather. If the
WAIT TO START light illuminates,
do notcrank the engine until the
light goes off.
If equipped with an air intake heater, DO NOT use ether or any
other starting fluids. The use of starting fluids (ether) in an
engine equipped with an air intake heater could cause an explosion
and result in property damage and/or personal injury.
2. Do not depress the accelerator during starting the engine.
3. Start the engine.
If the engine does not start after 30 seconds of cranking, allow two
minutes for the starter to cool before trying again. Excessive cranking
may damage the starter.
WAIT
TO
START
Driving
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After the engine starts:
•On some engines, the WAIT TO
START light should illuminate
after the engine starts. Allow the
engine to idle about three
minutes or until the engine
coolant temperature gauge begins to rise. Maintain idle speed until the
WAIT TO START light cycles off to indicate the air intake heater has
shut off (approximately six minutes). Operating the engine at higher
speeds will reduce the effectiveness of the air inlet heater.
•Do not increase engine speed
until the oil pressure gauge
indicates normal pressure.
•Ensure engine oil pressure is
indicated on the gauge within 15
seconds after starting.
•Idle the engine for three to five
minutes before operating with a
full load.
•Try to limit engine idle to 10 minutes. Excessive idling reduces fuel
economy.
•When starting a cold engine, increase the engine speed (RPM) slowly
to make sure adequate lubrication is available to the bearings.
Restarting after running out of fuel
The fuel system may need to be purged of air, refer toRunning out of
fuelin theMaintenance and specificationschapter.
Cold weather operation
Do not use volatile starting aids such as ether, propane or
gasoline in the engine air intake system. Glow plugs may ignite
vapors which can cause engine damage or personal injury.
In order to operate the engine in temperatures of 32°F(0°C) or lower,
read the following instructions:
•Make sure that the batteries are of sufficient size and are fully
charged. Check other electrical components to make sure they’re in
optimum condition.
•Use a permanent-type engine coolant solution to protect the engine
against damage from freezing.
WAIT
TO
START
L
H
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Hot weather operation
•Keep the engine cooling system filled with a clean, permanent coolant
solution to protect against damage from overheating.
•Fill the fuel tank at the end of daily operation to prevent condensation
in the fuel system.
•Keep external surfaces of the engine, radiator, charge air cooler, A/C
condenser and accessories clean to avoid dirt build-up.
Above normal coolant temperatures could be experienced while driving
in a transmission gear ratio which lugs the engine. To correct this
problem, engine speed should be increased by downshifting in to the
next lower gear to increase engine RPM.
Starting a turbocharged engine with the vehicle on a steep grade
When starting a diesel engine when the loaded vehicle is on a grade, the
engine RPM will start to fall slightly when the clutch is engaged; do not
disengage the clutch and try to increase engine RPM as this may damage
driveline components. The engine will recover as the vehicle begins
moving.
Engine shutdown
Allow the engine to idle for three to five minutes before shutting it
down. The larger the engine, the greater the need for this idling period.
However, do not let the engine idle for more than 10 minutes.
Engine automatic shutdown warning light or chime (if equipped)
Your vehicle may be equipped with an automatic shutdown feature that
stops the engine in the event of high coolant temperature, low engine oil
pressure or low engine coolant level. A warning light in the instrument
cluster and a warning chime will indicate high engine coolant
temperature or low engine oil pressure. If the temperature and/or
pressure becomes too high or too low, the engine will automatically shut
down.
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90
Backing up
To reduce the risk of the possibility of personal injury while
backing the vehicle, always be sure your vehicle’s path is clear.
Before backing your vehicle, be sure you can do so safely. If anything
behind the cab limits your view, do not rely on mirrors alone to assure
that your intended path is clear. If other people are in the vicinity, have
someone standing well behind your vehicle and outside of your intended
path (visible through an exterior mirror) guide you as you back up.
Although OSHA or some governmental regulations may require the use
of an electrical or mechanical back-up alarm to warn bystanders, such an
alarm does not assure that the intended path is clear. When in doubt, get
out of the vehicle and visually check the intended path is clear; back-up
slowly as to allow others time to move, if necessary.
If an electrical back-up alarm is installed, it should be connected to the
back-up lamp circuit.
Parking your vehicle
Always use the parking brake. When parking on a grade, block the
wheels and turn the front wheels to one side so that if the vehicle rolls,
the front tires will act against the curb to stop the vehicle. The front
wheels will be more effective at stopping a rolling vehicle than the rear
wheels.
When parking your vehicle, do not leave the transmission in
gear; if the key is in the ON position and the vehicle rolls, the
engine could start. Failure to follow these instructions could result in
an unattended vehicle moving, possibly causing personal injury or
property damage.
Driving through water
If driving through deep or standing water is unavoidable, proceed very
slowly especially if the depth is not known. Never drive through water
that is higher than the bottom of the hubs (for trucks) or the bottom of
the wheel rims (for cars). Traction or brake capability may be limited
and your vehicle may stall. Water may also enter your engine’s air intake
and severely damage your engine, drive axles or the transmisison
(through the breather ports).
Once through the water, always dry the brakes by moving your vehicle
slowly while applying light pressure on the brake pedal. Wet brakes do
not stop the vehicle as quickly as dry brakes.
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92
The reserve system provides reduced braking power, so the vehicle
should be operated under these conditions with caution, and only to seek
service repair and remove the vehicle from the roadway.
For Hydromax, under normal operating conditions noise of the fluid
flowing through the booster may be heard whenever the brake is applied.
This condition is normal. Vehicle service is not required.
If braking performance or pedal response becomes very poor, even when
the pedal is strongly applied, this may indicate the presence of air in the
hydraulic system or fluid leakage. Stop the vehicle safely as soon as
possible and seek service immediately.
If the red BRAKE warning lamp in
the instrument cluster remains
illuminated after engine start up,
this indicates a system failure in the
master cylinder of the brake system. Stop the vehicle safely as soon as
possible and seek service immediately.
If the yellow BRAKE RESERVE
(E-motor) warning light remains on
while the engine is running, this
indicates inadequate hydraulic
booster pressure or reserve pump
system failure. Stop the vehicle safely as soon as possible and seek
service immediately.
BRAKE
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