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.
If you are trying to start your engine after you
have run out of fuel, seeRunning Out of Fuel
on page 262.
When your engine is cold, let it run for a few
minutes before you move your vehicle. This lets
oil pressure build up. Your engine will sound louder
when it is cold.
Notice:If you are not in an idling vehicle and
the engine overheats, you would not be there to
see the overheated engine indication. This
could damage your vehicle. Do not let your
engine run when you are not in your vehicle.Cold Weather Starting
If your vehicle has the 6.6L DURAMAX®Diesel
Engine and the Isuzu 6H 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.
101
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 304.
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 253.
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.
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. See
Engine Shutdown Warning Light on page 177.
104
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.
105
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.
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 175for more information.
109
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage............ 173
Low Coolant Warning Light....................... 173
Wait to Start Indicator............................... 174
Malfunction Indicator Lamp........................ 174
Oil Pressure Gage..................................... 175
Low Oil Level Light................................... 176
Change Engine Oil Light........................... 176
Engine Overspeed Warning Light.............. 177
Engine Shutdown Warning Light................ 177
Transmission Temperature Gage............... 178
Exhaust Brake Indicator Light.................... 178
Differential Lock Indicator Light.................. 178
Reduced Engine Power Light.................... 179
Highbeam On Light................................... 179
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
Indicator Light........................................ 179
Low Washer Fluid Warning Light............... 180
Check Gages Warning Light...................... 180
Fuel Gage................................................. 181Water in Fuel Warning Light...................... 182
Air Filter Restriction Indicator..................... 182
Air Pressure Gage..................................... 183
Hourmeter Gage........................................ 183
Audio System(s)......................................... 184
Setting the Time........................................ 185
AM-FM Radio............................................ 186
Radio with Cassette.................................. 189
Radio with CD........................................... 195
Theft-Deterrent Feature
(Non-RDS Radios)................................. 201
Radio Reception........................................ 201
Care of the Cassette Tape Player............. 202
Care of Your CDs..................................... 203
Care of the CD Player.............................. 204
Fixed Mast Antenna.................................. 204
Chime Level Adjustment............................ 204
Section 3 Instrument Panel
138
Oil Pressure Gage
The engine oil pressure gage, on the lower right
portion of your instrument panel cluster, shows
engine oil pressure in psi (pounds per square inch)
or in kPa (kilopascals). Oil pressure may vary
with outside temperature and oil viscosity,
but readings of 30 to 40 psi (205 to 275 kPa) on
gasoline engines at operating temperature
and moderate road speeds are normal. If you
have a diesel engine, the normal operating range
should be between 35 and 70 psi (240 to 480 kPa).A reading in the low pressure zone may be
caused by a dangerously low oil level or other
problem.
If you have a Caterpillar
®diesel engine, also see
your Caterpillar®Operation & Maintenance
Manual.
{CAUTION:
Do not keep driving if the oil pressure is
low. If you do, your engine can become so
hot that it catches re. You or others
could be burned. Check your oil as soon
as possible and have your vehicle
serviced.
Notice:Lack of proper engine oil maintenance
may damage the engine. The repairs would
not be covered by your warranty. Always follow
the maintenance schedule in this manual for
changing engine oil.
United StatesCanada
175
Low Washer Fluid Warning Light
This light is located
above the climate
controls in the center of
the instrument panel.
This light will come on when your vehicle is low on
windshield washer fluid.
For more information, seeWindshield Washer
Fluid on page 296.
Check Gages Warning Light
This light will come on
as you’re starting the
engine, just as a check.
If this light comes on and stays on while you are
driving. It means that either your engine coolant
temperature gage or your engine oil pressure gage
may be showing a reading in the warning zone.
When the check gages light comes on, you
will also hear a warning tone. The tone and the
light will stay activated until the problem is
corrected.
This light may also come on if your vehicle is
equipped with the optional automatic engine
shutdown system and engine shutdown has
begun. SeeEngine Alarm and Automatic
ShutdownunderStarting the Diesel Engine on
page 100.
180
Service........................................................ 248
California Proposition 65 Warning.............. 248
Doing Your Own Service Work.................. 249
Engine Fan Breakage................................ 250
Fuel............................................................. 251
Gasoline Octane........................................ 251
Gasoline Specifications.............................. 251
Additives................................................... 252
Diesel Engine Fuel.................................... 253
What Fuel to Use...................................... 253
Very Cold Weather Operation.................... 256
Water in Fuel............................................ 256
Running Out of Fuel.................................. 262
Fuel Filter Replacement............................. 263
Fuels in Foreign Countries........................ 264
Filling the Tank......................................... 264
Filling a Portable Fuel Container............... 266Checking Things Under the Hood.............. 266
Hood Latches............................................ 267
Engine Oil (Caterpillar
®Diesel Engine)...... 268
Engine Oil (Gasoline Engine).................... 268
Engine Oil (DURAMAX
®/Isuzu Diesel
Engine).................................................. 272
Engine Oil Life System
(Gasoline Engine).................................. 276
Engine Oil Life System
(DURAMAX
®Diesel)............................... 278
Engine Oil Life System
(Caterpillar
®Diesel Engine).................... 279
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter............................ 280
Automatic Transmission Fluid.................... 282
Manual Transmission Fluid........................ 283
Engine Coolant (Gas and
DURAMAX
®/Isuzu Engines).................... 284
Engine Coolant (Caterpillar®Diesel
Engines)................................................ 287
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap............ 288
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
245