Where to Put the Restraint
Accident statistics show that children are safer if they
are restrained in the rear rather than the front seat.
We recommend that children and child restraints
be secured in a rear seat, including: an infant or a child
riding in a rear-facing child restraint; a child riding in
a forward-facing child seat; an older child riding in
a booster seat; and children, who are large enough,
using safety belts.
Air Suspension Seats
{CAUTION:
A child restraint cannot be secured properly in
an air-suspension type seat. This is because
an air-suspension seat is designed to move up
and down for an adult passenger. Do not use a
child restraint in an air-suspension seat.If your vehicle is a regular cab model with an
air-suspension seat in the right front passenger’s
position, there is no place in your vehicle to secure a
child restraint. The only answer is to have infants
and young children make the trip in another vehicle,
where they can get the protection they need.
Bucket or Bench Seats
If your vehicle is a regular cab model with a bucket or
bench seat in the right front passenger’s position,
the child restraint must be secured properly.
If your vehicle has airbags and you need to secure a
child restraint in the right front passenger’s seat, there is
a switch on the instrument panel that you can use to
turn off the passenger’s airbag. SeeAirbag Off Switch
on page 1-56andSecuring a Child Restraint in the Right
Front Seat Position on page 1-44for more on this,
including important safety information.
A label on your sun visor says, “Never put a rear-facing
child seat in the front.” This is because the risk to the
rear-facing child is so great, if the airbag deploys.
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Starting Your Engine
1. Without pushing the accelerator pedal, turn your
ignition key to START. When the engine starts, let
go of the key. The idle speed will go down as
your engine gets warm.
2. If the engine does not start in 10 seconds, push the
accelerator pedal all the way down and crank the
engine for five more seconds, unless it starts sooner.
3. If your engine still will not start, or starts but then
stops, it could be flooded with too much gasoline.
Wait 15 seconds to let the starter motor cool down.
Do Steps 1 through 3 again.
When the engine starts, let go of the key and the
accelerator pedal.
Notice:The engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle. If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the way the
engine operates. Before adding electrical equipment,
check with your dealer/retailer. If you do not, your
engine might not perform properly. Any resulting
damage would not be covered by your vehicle’s
warranty.
If you ever need to have your vehicle towed, see
Towing Your Vehicle on page 4-24.
Gasoline Engine Warm-Up
When you have started your engine, let it run for
20 or 30 seconds to warm up before you put a load on
the engine.
Drive at moderate speeds for the first 2 to 3 miles
(3.2 to 4.8 km), especially in cold weather. SeeHigh
Idle System on page 2-20.
Restarting the Gasoline 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.
Stopping the Gasoline Engine
Let your engine idle for a few seconds before turning it
off after you have finished driving your vehicle.
If you shift to NEUTRAL (N) or PARK (P), set the
parking brake.
If your vehicle has a two-speed axle, put the range
selector in low. To be sure the axle has shifted into low,
engage the clutch and transmission; the vehicle may
move slightly when you do this.
2-13
The engine will not go into idle shutdown mode if:
•The Power Take-Off (PTO) equipment is operating.
SeePower Take-Off (PTO) on page 2-32for more
information.
•The engine coolant temperature is below 60° F.
The engine idle shutdown will be activated once
the vehicle coolant reaches 60°F or above.
•The Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) is in regeneration
mode and the green DPF lamp is illuminated to
notify the driver that DPF is regenerating. The
engine idle shutdown mode will be overridden for
the time necessary to complete the regeneration
process, up to a maximum of 30 minutes.
•Service or maintenance is being performed on the
engine. The engine idle shutdown mode may be
deactivated, by using a diagnostic scan tool,
for a period of up to a maximum of 60 minutes.
The ENGINE SHUTDOWN WARNING LIGHT will come
on and a continuous chime will alert the driver
30 seconds before the engine goes into idle shutdown
mode. The engine shutdown warning light and chime will
stay on for the entire duration of the idle shutdown
event to inform the driver that the engine is in idle
shutdown mode. SeeEngine Shutdown Warning Light
on page 3-39for more information.After the engine shutdown occurs, the engine is no
longer running, and the ignition is still in the ON/RUN
position, all accessories can be used. Turn the ignition
switch to START to restart the engine or turn it to
LOCK/OFF to prevent the battery from draining.
High Idle System
High Idle System with Switch
If your vehicle has this
feature, the manual high
idle switch is located in the
instrument panel
switchbank.
2-20
Shifting Out of NEUTRAL
To shift the transfer case out of NEUTRAL, do the
following:
1. Set the parking brake. SeeParking Brake (With
Hydraulic Brakes) on page 2-38orParking Brake
(With Air Brakes) on page 2-41for parking
brake apply procedure.
2. Apply the regular brake pedal.
3. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN with the engine off.
4. Put the transmission in NEUTRAL (N).
5. Turn the transfer case knob to the desired shift
position (Two-Wheel High, Four-Wheel High,
Four-Wheel Low).
6. After the transfer case has shifted out of NEUTRAL,
the indicator light goes out.
Notice:Driving with the parking brake on can
overheat the brake system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system parts. Verify that
the parking brake is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.7. Release the parking brake.
8. Start the engine and shift the transmission lever to
the desired position.
Excessively shifting the transfer case into or out of the
different modes can cause the transfer case to enter the
shift protection mode. This protects the transfer case from
possible damage and only allows the transfer case to
respond to one shift per 10 seconds. The transfer case
can stay in this mode for up to three minutes.
Parking
{CAUTION:
If you do not park your vehicle properly, it can
roll. If you have left the engine running, it can
move very quickly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure your vehicle will not move,
even when you are on level ground, follow the
steps below.
2-37
Temperature Knob:Turn the middle knob located
clockwise or counterclockwise to increase or decrease
the temperature inside of your vehicle. Turn the
knob toward the red area for warmer air. Turn the knob
toward the blue area for cooler air.
Turn the mode knob on the far right clockwise or
counterclockwise to direct the airflow inside of your
vehicle.
To change the current mode, select one of the following:
9(Off):This setting turns the system off.
H(Vent):This mode directs air to the instrument
panel vents.
)(Bi-Level):This mode directs half of the air to the
instrument panel vents, then directs the remaining
air to the floor vents. Cooler air is directed to the upper
vents and warmer air to the floor vents.
6(Floor):This mode directs most of the air to the floor
vents. Use this mode to send air to the rear of the vehicle.
Keep the area under the front seats free of objects that
could obstruct airflow to the rear of the vehicle.
The mode knob can also be used to select the defrost
mode. For more information, see “Defogging and
Defrosting” later in this section.If your vehicle has air conditioning, the controls will look
like this:
On hot days, open the windows to let hot inside air
escape; then close them. This helps to reduce the time
it takes for the vehicle to cool down. It also helps the
system to operate more efficiently.
<(Maximum Air Conditioning):Turn the right knob
to this setting for maximum cooling. This setting
puts the system in recirculation mode and helps to
maximize your air conditioner’s performance and your
vehicle’s fuel economy. This setting also cools the
air the fastest.
Y(Air Conditioning):This setting is used for normal
cooling on hot days. It cools outside air and directs
it through the instrument panel vents.Vehicles With Air Conditioning
3-21
Engine Speed Limiter
All engines have electronic engine speed limiting.
The engine limited speeds range between
2,900 and 4,400 rpm depending on engine option
content.
Engine Road Speed Governor
This system controls maximum vehicle speed
automatically and reduces engine power until vehicle
speed gets down to maximum governed speed.
The default setting for C4500 and C5500 models up to
19,500 lbs GVWR is 80 to 85 mph (128 to 136 km/h).
Most other models have a default setting of 75 mph
(120 km/h), although some tire sizes and tread
patterns may limit maximum speed to 55 to 65 mph
(86 to 105 km/h). You may have a label on the headliner
of your vehicle with more information on your engine
road speed governor. See your GM dealer for
assistance with programming your engine limited speed.
Safety Belt Reminders
Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the engine is started, a light will come on for
several seconds to remind people to fasten their
safety belts.
The safety belt light will
also come on and stay on
for several seconds.
Safety Belt Reminder Tone
If your vehicle has this feature, when the engine is
started, a tone will sound for several seconds to remind
people to fasten their safety belts.
3-27
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.
3-37
Setting the Tone (Bass/Treble)
AUDIO:To adjust the bass or the treble, press and
release the AUDIO button until BAS (bass) or TRE
(treble) displays. Then press and hold the up
wor the
down
xarrow to increase or to decrease. If a station
is weak or has static, decrease the treble.
To adjust bass or treble to the middle position, select
BAS or TRE. Then press and hold the AUDIO button for
more than two seconds until a beep sounds. B and a
zero or T and a zero displays.
To adjust both tone controls and both speaker controls
to the middle position, first end out of audio mode
by pressing another button, causing the radio to perform
that function, or by waiting five seconds for the display
to return to the time of day. Then press and hold
the AUDIO button for more than two seconds until a
beep sounds. CEN (center) displays.
Adjusting the Speakers (Balance/Fade)
AUDIO:To adjust the balance between the right
and the left speakers, press and release the AUDIO
button until BAL (balance) displays. Then press and hold
the up
wor the downxarrow to move the sound
toward the right or the left speakers.
To adjust the fade between the front and the rear
speakers, press and release the AUDIO button until
FAD (fade) displays. Then press and hold either arrow
to move the sound toward the front or the rear speakers.
To adjust balance or fade to the middle position,
select BAL or FAD. Then press and hold AUDIO for
more than two seconds until a beep sounds. B (balance)
and a zero or F (fade) and a zero displays.
To adjust both tone controls and both speaker controls
to the middle position, first end out of audio mode
by pressing another button, causing the radio to perform
that function, or by waiting five seconds for the display
to return to the time of day. Then press and hold
the AUDIO button for more than two seconds until a
beep sounds. CEN displays.
Fade may not be available if the vehicle is a regular
cab model.
3-50