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
Low Coolant Warning Light............................3-37
Wait to Start Indicator (Diesel Engine).............3-37
Malfunction Indicator Lamp.............................3-38
Oil Pressure Gage........................................3-38
Low Oil Level Light.......................................3-39
Change Engine Oil Light................................3-40
Engine Overspeed Warning Light....................3-40
Engine Shutdown Warning Light.....................3-40
Transmission Temperature Gage.....................3-41
Exhaust Brake Indicator Light.........................3-41
Differential Lock Indicator Light.......................3-42
Reduced Engine Power Light.........................3-42
Highbeam On Light.......................................3-43
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
Indicator Light...........................................3-43
Low Washer Fluid Warning Light.....................3-44
Check Gages Warning Light...........................3-44Fuel Gage...................................................3-45
Water in Fuel Warning Light...........................3-46
Air Filter Restriction Indicator..........................3-46
Air Pressure Gage........................................3-47
Hourmeter Gage...........................................3-47
Audio System(s).............................................3-48
Setting the Time...........................................3-49
AM-FM Radio...............................................3-50
Radio with Cassette......................................3-53
Radio with CD..............................................3-59
Theft-Deterrent Feature (Non-RDS Radios).......3-64
Radio Reception...........................................3-64
Care of the Cassette Tape Player...................3-65
Care of Your CDs.........................................3-66
Care of the CD Player...................................3-67
Fixed Mast Antenna......................................3-67
Chime Level Adjustment................................3-67
Section 3 Instrument Panel
3-2
Transmission Temperature Gage
If you have an automatic
transmission and this
gage, it is located above
the switchbank in the
center of the instrument
panel.
When your ignition is on, the gage shows the
temperature of the transmission oil. A reading in the
warning zone, the red area beginning at 300°F (150°C),
means you must stop driving and check into the
cause. One possible cause is a low oil level in the
transmission.
Notice:If you drive your vehicle with the
transmission temperature gage above normal
operating range, you can damage the transmission.
This could lead to costly repairs that would not
be covered by your warranty. Do not drive your
vehicle while the transmission temperature gage
reading is above normal. See your dealer for service.
Exhaust Brake Indicator Light
If your vehicle is equipped
with an exhaust brake, you
will have this light,
located above the climate
controls in the center
of the instrument panel.
The exhaust brake indicator light will come on and stay
on whenever the diesel engine exhaust brake or
exhaust restrictor is active. For more information, see
Diesel Engine Exhaust Brake on page 2-27andExhaust
Restrictor (Engine Warm-Up) on page 2-22.
3-41
Service............................................................5-3
California Proposition 65 Warning.....................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-4
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.....................................5-17
Fuel Filter Replacement.................................5-18
Fuels in Foreign Countries.............................5-19
Filling the Tank............................................5-20
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.....................5-21
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-22
Hood Latches...............................................5-22
Engine Oil (Caterpillar
®Diesel Engine).............5-24
Engine Oil (DURAMAX®Diesel)......................5-24
Engine Oil (Gasoline Engine)..........................5-28
Engine Oil Life System (Gasoline Engine)........5-31
Engine Oil Life System (DURAMAX
®Diesel).....5-33
Engine Oil Life System
(Caterpillar
®Diesel Engine).........................5-34Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-35
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-36
Manual Transmission Fluid.............................5-37
Engine Coolant
(Gas and DURAMAX
®Engines)...................5-38
Engine Coolant (Caterpillar®Diesel Engines).....5-40
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap..................5-40
Engine Overheating.......................................5-40
Cooling System
(Gas and DURAMAX
®Engines)...................5-42
Engine Fan Noise.........................................5-47
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-47
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-48
Brakes........................................................5-49
Battery........................................................5-58
Jump Starting...............................................5-59
Rear Axle.......................................................5-64
Rear Axle Shift Motor....................................5-65
Four-Wheel Drive............................................5-65
Front Axle......................................................5-66
Noise Control System.....................................5-67
Tampering with Noise Control System
Prohibited.................................................5-67
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-68
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-69
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1
Notice:Your vehicle was not designed for fuel that
contains methanol. Do not use fuel containing
methanol. It can corrode metal parts in your fuel
system and also damage the plastic and rubber
parts. That damage would not be covered under
your warranty.
Some gasolines that are not reformulated for low
emissions may contain an octane-enhancing additive
called methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT); ask the attendant where you buy gasoline
whether the fuel contains MMT. General Motors
recommends against the use of such gasolines. Fuels
containing MMT can reduce the life of spark plugs
and the performance of the emission control system may
be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp may turn
on. If this occurs, return to your authorized GM dealer for
service.Diesel Engine Fuel
For the Caterpillar®diesel, see the Caterpillar®
Operation & Maintenance Manual for information
concerning fuel usage.
Notice:Diesel fuel or fuel additives not
recommended in this manual could damage your
fuel system and engine. Your warranty would
not cover this damage. And:
Diesel fuel that has been mixed with engine oil
or automatic transmission uid could damage
your engine and emission controls.
Aftermarket diesel fuel additives are not tested
by General Motors. Some additives, particularly
those which contain alcohol or water
emulsi ers, may damage your fuel system. If
you believe that unique circumstances call for a
fuel additive to be used, consult your dealer
for advice.
If you ever run out of diesel fuel, it can be
difficult to restart your engine. To avoid
this, never let your tank get empty.
If gasoline is ever accidentally added to the fuel
tank, to avoid severe engine damage, do not run the
engine until the fuel tank can be drained.
If you run out of fuel,Running Out of Fuel on page 5-17
tells you how to restart your engine.
5-7
How to Inspect the Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter
Locate the filter change indicator. When the change
indicator turns black or is in the red/orange change area,
replace the filter and reset the indicator.
To inspect the engine air cleaner/filter, remove the filter
from the vehicle and lightly shake the filter to release
loose dust and dirt. If the filter remains caked with dirt, a
new filter is required.
{CAUTION:
Operating the engine with the air cleaner/ lter
off can cause you or others to be burned.
The air cleaner not only cleans the air; it helps
to stop ames if the engine back res. If it is
not there and the engine back res, you could
be burned. Do not drive with it off, and be
careful working on the engine with the air
cleaner/ lter off.
Notice:If the air cleaner/ lter is off, a back re can
cause a damaging engine re. And, dirt can easily get
into your engine, which will damage it. Always have
the air cleaner/ lter in place when you are driving.
Automatic Transmission Fluid
When to Check
A good time to check your automatic transmission fluid
level is when the engine oil is checked. See your
Allison Automatic Transmission Operator’s Manual to
find out when to change your transmission fluid
and filters.
How to Check and What to Use
The Allison Automatic Transmission Operator’s Manual
that came with the vehicle shows how to check the
automatic transmission fluid and what fluid to use.
Automatic Transmission External Filter
Your automatic transmission filter requires periodic
replacement.
Consult the Allison Automatic Transmission Operator’s
Manual that came with the vehicle for proper change
intervals.
5-36
Manual Transmission Fluid
When to Check
A good time to have it checked is when the engine oil is
checked. Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to find
out when to check and change your manual
transmission fluid. SeeScheduled Maintenance on
page 6-5.
How to Check and What to Use
Check the fluid level only when your engine is off, the
vehicle is parked on a level place, and the transmission
is cool enough for you to rest your fingers on the
transmission case.
To check the transmission fluid level, do the following:
1. Remove the filler plug.
2. Check to be sure that the lubricant level is up to
the bottom of the fill opening. On heavy duty
transmissions, an inch of oil level equals about
one gallon of fluid.
3. If the fluid level is good, reinstall the plug and be
sure it is fully seated. If the fluid level is low, add
more fluid as described in the next steps. Refer to
the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of fluid to use. SeePart C: Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-33.
How to Add Fluid
To add transmission fluid, do the following:
1. Remove the filler plug.
2. Add fluid at the filler plug hole. Add only enough
fluid to bring the fluid level up to the bottom of the
fill opening. Refer to the Maintenance Schedule
to determine the proper fluid to use. See
Part C: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on
page 6-33.
3. Reinstall the filler plug. Be sure the plug is fully
seated.
5-37
Footnotes
† = The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or the
California Air Resources Board has determined that the
failure to perform this maintenance item will not nullify
the emission warranty or limit recall liability prior to
the completion of the vehicle’s useful life. We, however,
urge that all recommended maintenance services be
performed at the indicated intervals and the
maintenance be recorded.
(1)= If your vehicle has an Allison Transmission
®, your
GM owner manual is supplemented by an Allison
Transmission
®Operator’s Manual. Always refer to these
manuals for related maintenance services.
(2)= An Emission Control Service.
(3)= A Noise Emission Control Device.
(4)= Applies to vehicles sold in the United States and is
recommended for vehicles sold in Canada.(5)= Check fluid level in brake master cylinder, power
steering pump, axle, transmission, and hydraulic
spring parking brake pump (if equipped). A low fluid
level in the brake master cylinder can indicate
worn brake linings and should be checked accordingly.
(6)= Inspect brake lines and hoses for proper
hook-up, binding, leaks, cracks, chafing, etc. Inspect
disc brake pads for wear and rotors for surface
condition. Inspect caliper assemblies. Check brake
pedal for excessive free play or travel (or every
6 months, whichever occurs first) and have serviced if
needed. Check brakes more often if driving habits
and conditions result in frequent braking.
(7)= This vehicle has the Engine Oil Life System. This
system will show you when to change the engine oil
and filter — usually between 3,000 miles (5 000 km) and
12,000 miles (20 000 km) since your last oil change.
Under severe conditions, the indicator may come
on before 3,000 miles (5 000 km). Never drive your
7.8L diesel engine vehicle more than 12,000 miles
(20 000 km), or 12 months, or 600 engine hours, without
an oil and filter change.
6-22