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
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.
If the system senses low engine coolant, the five beat
per second alarm and the low coolant warning light
will come on.
The five beats per second tone alarm means that your
engine will shut down in about 25 to 30 seconds.
There is also an engine shutdown light to indicate that
the engine will shut down. SeeEngine Shutdown
Warning Light on page 3-40.
Pull off the road and shut off the engine. Do not start it
until the reason for the problem is known, and the
problem is fixed. If the engine shuts down when you
are still in traffic, you can restart the engine and
get another 25 to 30 seconds of operation.Do this only if you have to, since there is a problem that
can harm the engine if it is not fixed. Engine automatic
shutdown, for gasoline engines, requires activation
by your dealer.
Notice:If you try to operate the vehicle after the
engine automatically shuts down, you may damage
the vehicle. Have your vehicle repaired as soon
as possible.
Ambulance, Fire, and Rescue Packages
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.
If the system senses low engine coolant, the five beat
per second alarm and the low coolant warning light
will come on.
The engine will not shutdown, but you should have the
vehicle checked as soon as you can.
2-20
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
For all engines this feature is already turned on. The
automatic quick warm-up on the DURAMAX®engine
can be turned off and on by doing the following
procedure:
1. Turn the ignition to RUN, with the vehicle off.
2. Press the accelerator pedal to the floor and hold it
while quickly pressing and fully releasing the brake
pedal three times in less than eight seconds.
3. Release the accelerator pedal and start the engine.
The green exhaust brake/restrictor light below the
radio controls will be lit for 10 seconds.
If this feature is turned off, by doing the procedure
described previously, and then the engine is
started, the exhaust brake/restrictor light will flash
for 10 seconds and then it will turn off.
When the engine is started, it will slowly increase to the
high idle speed after a delay of a few seconds; up to
about two minutes. For this method to work properly
there must be no throttle or brake pedal faults, and the
throttle pedal must not fall below 75 percent of wide
open throttle while pressing the brake pedal.The engine idle speed will return to normal once the
following conditions are met:
•Once engine coolant temperature reaches about
150°F (65°C).
•The intake temperature reaches a certain level.
The high idle speed will be temporarily interrupted and
the engine speed will return to normal if any of the
following conditions occur:
•The brake pedal is applied.
•The accelerator pedal is pressed.
•The automatic transmission is shifted out of
PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N).
•The clutch pedal on the manual transmission is
pressed.
•Vehicle speed is detected.
Once these conditions no longer exist, the engine
idle speed will slowly increase to high idle after the
normal delay, if the conditions for engine coolant
temperature and air intake temperature are still met.
2-23
Engine Checks Before Operating
When you have started your engine, let it run for
20 to 30 seconds before you put a load on the engine.
But do not leave the vehicle while the engine is running.
Avoid unnecessary idling of diesel engine equipped
vehicles.
If the engine idles too long, the temperature of the
engine coolant will fall below the normal operating
range. Low engine operating temperature causes
several conditions which affect engine operation and
reduce engine life.
The engine should be permitted to go through a
warm-up period. Operate the vehicle at a minimum
of 600 rpm during the warm-up period. During this period
and during operation, the following observations
should be made.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 3-38for
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 3-36for 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 3-33for 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 3-47for more information.
2-24
•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 3-31for 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 3-32for 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.
2-25