Keys...............................................................2-2
Remote Keyless Entry System.........................2-3
Remote Keyless Entry System Operation...........2-4
Doors and Locks.............................................2-6
Door Locks....................................................2-6
Power Door Locks..........................................2-7
Windows.........................................................2-8
Manual Windows............................................2-9
Power Windows.............................................2-9
Sliding Rear Window.....................................2-10
Sun Visors...................................................2-10
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle................2-11
New Vehicle Break-In....................................2-11
Ignition Positions..........................................2-12
Engine Starter Over-Crank Protection..............2-12
Starting the Gasoline Engine..........................2-13
Starting the Diesel Engine..............................2-15
Engine Alarm and Automatic Shutdown............2-20
High Idle System..........................................2-21
Exhaust Restrictor (Engine Warm-Up)..............2-22
Engine Checks Before Operating....................2-24
Engine Coolant Heater..................................2-26
Diesel Engine Exhaust Brake.........................2-27Two-Speed Rear Axle Electric Shift Control......2-28
Air Shift Control (Automatic Transmission)........2-29
Automatic Transmission Operation...................2-30
Manual Transmission Operation......................2-31
Power Take-Off (PTO)...................................2-35
Four-Wheel Drive..........................................2-35
Parking.......................................................2-40
Hydraulic Brakes (Parking Brake Operation)......2-40
Propshaft Brake Burnish Procedure.................2-41
Air Brake.....................................................2-42
Air Suspension.............................................2-44
Parking Over Things That Burn.......................2-45
Engine Exhaust............................................2-45
Running the Engine While Parked...................2-46
Mirrors...........................................................2-47
Manual Rearview Mirror.................................2-47
Outside Manual Mirrors..................................2-47
Outside Power Mirrors...................................2-47
Outside Convex Mirrors.................................2-48
Outside Heated Mirrors..................................2-48
Storage Areas................................................2-49
Center Console Storage Area.........................2-49
Section 2 Features and Controls
2-1
Cold Weather Starting
If your vehicle has the DURAMAX®Diesel Engine, the
following notice applies:
Notice:Your diesel engine has an electric air
intake heater system which reduces white smoke
and helps start the engine in cold weather. Do
not spray starting uid into the air intake where it
can contact the heater elements.
If you do not have the GM Automatic Ether Injection
System, do not use starting uid or you could
damage your engine. If you have the GM system,
use only GM approved starting uid that has
been tested to establish compatibility with the air
inlet heater system.The following tips will help you get good starting in cold
weather.•Use the recommended engine oil when the outside
temperature drops below freezing. SeeEngine Oil
(Caterpillar
®Diesel Engine) on page 5-24or
Engine Oil (DURAMAX®Diesel) on page 5-24or
Engine Oil (Gasoline Engine) on page 5-28.
When the outside temperature drops below
0°F (−18°C), use of the optional engine coolant
block heater is recommended.
•If you experience longer cranking times, notice
an unusual amount of exhaust smoke or are at
higher altitudes (over 7,000 ft. or 2 135 m), you may
use your optional engine coolant block heater.
SeeEngine Coolant Heater on page 2-26.
•SeeWhat Fuel to Use on page 5-8for information
on what fuel to use in cold weather.
2-17
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 2-28.
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.
2-18
Automatic High Idle System
The automatic high idle feature will engage whenever
you start your vehicle and the engine is below the preset
operating temperature. This will help decrease engine
warm-up time.
On vehicles that have the Caterpillar
®diesel engine you
may have an exhaust restrictor that will operate in
High Idle mode. The exhaust brake switch must be on
for this feature to operate. SeeDiesel Engine Exhaust
Brake on page 2-27for more information.
Idle speed will then return to normal under any of the
following conditions:
•The engine reaches the preset operating
temperature or has been operating for at least
10 minutes.
•The brake pedal is pressed.
•The manual transmission clutch pedal is pressed
or, if the vehicle has automatic transmission, it is
shifted from NEUTRAL (N) or PARK (P).
•The vehicle speed exceeds about 5 mph (8 km/h).
•The throttle is pressed.
Exhaust Restrictor
(Engine Warm-Up)
Exhaust Restrictor
If your vehicle has a DURAMAX®7800 or Caterpillar®
diesel engine, it may have a feature called an Exhaust
Restrictor (NPE), which uses an air actuated valve
in the exhaust system to restrict exhaust gas flow which
enhances the engine and heater warm-up.
Automatic Quick Warm-Up
If your vehicle has with a DURAMAX®6600 engine, it
has a feature called an Automatic Quick Warm-Up,
which uses the turbocharger to restrict the exhaust gas
flow which enhances the engine and heater warm-up.
In both systems, exhaust restrictor or automatic
quick warm-up, the cold temperature high idle feature
elevates the engines idle speed, up to 1500 rpm,
and restricts the exhaust gas flow, when outside
temperatures are below 32°F (0°C), and the engine
coolant temperature is below certain levels. This feature
enhances heater performance by raising the engine
coolant temperature faster.
2-22
Engine Coolant Heater
Your vehicle may be equipped with this feature.
In very cold weather, 0°F (–18°C) or colder, the engine
coolant heater can help. You will get easier starting
and better fuel economy during engine warm-up.
Usually, the coolant heater should be plugged in a
minimum of four hours prior to starting your vehicle. At
temperatures above 32°F (0°C), use of the coolant
heater is not required.
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Find the plug-in outlet located under the
driver’s door.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
{CAUTION:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock. Also, the
wrong kind of extension cord could overheat
and cause a re. You could be seriously
injured. Plug the cord into a properly grounded
three-prong 110-volt AC outlet. If the cord will
not reach, use a heavy-duty three-prong
extension cord rated for at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and
store the cord as it was before to keep it away
from moving engine parts. If you do not, it could be
damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead
of trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your dealer in the area where you will be parking
your vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice
for that particular area.
2-26
Outlet Adjustment
Your vehicle has air outlets on the instrument panel that
allow you to adjust the direction and amount of airflow
inside the vehicle.
Move the lever on the outlet up or down to direct the
airflow. Increase or reduce the amount of airflow
by opening and closing the louvers. The outlets can be
moved side-to-side to direct the airflow.
Operation Tips
•
Keep the hood and front air inlets free of ice, snow,
or any other obstruction (such as leaves). The
heater and defroster will work far better, reducing
the chance of fogging the inside of your windows.
•Keep the air path under the front seats clear
of objects. This helps air to circulate throughout
your vehicle.
•Adding outside equipment to the front of your
vehicle, such as hood-air deflectors, may affect the
performance of the heating and air conditioning
system. Check with your dealer before adding
equipment to the outside of your vehicle.
Rear Heating System
If you have a crew cab
and your vehicle has a
rear heater, the
thumbwheel for this
feature is located on the
headliner.
To increase and decrease the flow of heated air to the
rear floor vents, turn the thumbwheel to the desired
fan speed. To turn the fan off, turn the thumbwheel all
the way down.
3-24
Low Coolant Warning Light
You have a low coolant
warning light. If this light
comes on, your system is
low on coolant and the
engine may overheat.
The warning light should come on briefly, as a check,
when you turn on the ignition.
When it comes on, you will also hear a warning tone at
several beats per second for 10 seconds. SeeEngine
Coolant (Gas and DURAMAX
®Engines) on page 5-38
orEngine Coolant (Caterpillar®Diesel Engines) on
page 5-40and have your vehicle serviced as soon as
you can.
This light may also come on if your vehicle is equipped
with the automatic engine shutdown system and
engine shutdown has begun. SeeEngine Alarm and
Automatic ShutdownunderStarting the Diesel Engine
on page 2-15.
Wait to Start Indicator
(Diesel Engine)
If your vehicle has the DURAMAX®6.6L diesel engine,
you will have glow plugs and an air intake heater. If
your vehicle has the DURAMAX
®7.8L diesel engine,
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 or glow plugs
are on and the ignition
key is in RUN.
Wait until the indicator light turns off before turning the
ignition key to START.
3-37
{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.
4-31