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
Stopping the Diesel Engine
1. Apply 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. Shift into NEUTRAL for a manual transmission or
PARK (P) for an automatic transmission.
3. Turn the ignition key to OFF.
If your vehicle has a two-speed axle, see
Two-Speed Rear Axle on page 2-27.
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.
If Your Diesel Engine Will Not Start
If you have run out of fuel, seeRunning Out of Fuel on
page 5-17.
If you are not out of fuel, and your engine will not start,
do this:
Turn your ignition key to RUN. Immediately after the wait
to start light goes off, turn the ignition key to START.
If the light does not go off, wait a few seconds, then try
starting your engine again. And, see your dealer/retailer
as soon as you can for a starting system check.
If the light comes on and then goes off and you know
your batteries are charged, but your engine still will not
start, your vehicle needs service.
2-17
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 5-66.
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 5-9.
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, and a low or
high engine oil pressure. If high engine temperature
is detected, you will hear a tone alarm at two beats per
second. If a low or high 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 3-39.
2-18
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/retailer.
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. SeeCheck
Gages Warning Light on page 3-42for more information.
Idle Shutdown
If your vehicle has a diesel engine it could have an
engine idle shutdown feature.
This feature automatically shuts down the engine after it
idles continuously for five minutes and if the following
conditions are met:
•The parking brake is set.
•The vehicle is at a complete stop.
•The automatic transmission is in NEUTRAL (N) or
PARK (P).
If the parking brake is not engaged, then the engine
shuts down after 15 minutes of continuous idling
operation.
The driver can reset the engine shutdown timer by
momentarily changing the position of the accelerator,
brake, or clutch pedal or by shifting the transmission out
of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N). Once reset, the engine
idle shutdown will restart the shutdown sequence
described above, and will continue to do so until the
engine shuts down or the vehicle is driven.
2-19
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 3-37for
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 3-35for 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 3-32for 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 3-46for more information.
•The charging system light should come on when the
ignition key is turned to ON/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 3-30for 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 3-31for 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.
2-24
To set the foot pedal parking brake, hold the regular
brake pedal down with your right foot. Push down
the parking brake pedal with your left foot.
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle
without the parking brake rmly set. Your
vehicle can roll. If you have left the engine
running, the vehicle can move suddenly. You or
others could be injured. To be sure your vehicle
will not move, even when you are on fairly level
ground, always set the parking brake.
To set the hand lever parking brake, hold the regular
brake pedal down with your right foot. Pull up on
the handle with your right hand, until it stops.If the ignition is on when the parking brake is set, the
brake system warning light will come on.
Once the parking brake is applied, slowly remove your
foot from the regular brake pedal, while checking to
see if the vehicle moves. If the vehicle does start
to move, press the regular brake pedal and adjust the
parking brake holding force. See “Parking Brake
Adjustment” later in this section.
If the parking brake still does not set, take the vehicle to
your dealer/retailer for service.
To release the foot pedal parking brake, hold the
regular brake pedal down. Pull the brake release handle,
located just above the parking brake pedal.
To release the hand lever parking brake, hold the
regular brake pedal down and push down on the handle
until it stops.
If the ignition is on when the parking brake is released,
the brake system warning light will go off.
2-39
For vehicles with Power Take-Off (PTO), monitor the
instrument panel cluster for lights related to the DPF.
All engines consume some amount of engine oil. This is
normal. The by-product of combustion of engine oil is
ash. The ash will become trapped in the DPF over
the life of the vehicle. Eventually, the buildup of ash will
restrict the exhaust gases and the DPF will need to
be cleaned or replaced.
SeeAccessories and Modifications on page 5-4for
important information.
Manual Regeneration Procedure
{CAUTION:
During DPF regeneration, the exhaust system
and exhaust gases are very hot. Stay clear of
the tailpipe area and do not park over things
that burn. You or others could be burned or
your vehicle could catch re. SeeParking Over
Things That Burn on page 2-44.If the yellow or red DPF indicator is on, you can clean
the DPF by performing a manual regeneration.
When it is safe to do so, stop the vehicle. Perform
manual DPF regeneration in a well ventilated area.
Manual DPF regeneration must be performed outdoors,
as follows. Once manual regeneration is started,
complete the regeneration in a single operation if
possible. If manual regeneration is not completed, as
indicated by the green DPF indicator going off, and the
yellow or red indicator light remains on, automatic
regeneration might not be allowed until the vehicle is
stopped and manual regeneration is performed
until completed.
1. Check engine oil and engine coolant levels to be
sure they are at proper operating levels.
2. To prevent running out of fuel during regeneration,
make sure there is at least a quarter of a tank
of fuel.
3. Check to make sure the area near the exhaust
tailpipe and under the exhaust system are clear
of any materials that could catch fire. Keep people
away from the area of the exhaust system and
exhaust gases.
2-48
Exhaust Brake Indicator Light.........................3-40
Differential Lock Indicator Light.......................3-40
Reduced Engine Power Light.........................3-41
Highbeam On Light.......................................3-41
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) Indicator
Light........................................................3-41
Low Washer Fluid Warning Light.....................3-42
Power Take-Off Light....................................3-42
Check Gages Warning Light...........................3-42
Fuel Gage...................................................3-43
Water in Fuel Warning Light...........................3-44
Change Fuel Filter Warning Light....................3-44Diesel Particulate Filter Warning Light..............3-45
Air Filter Restriction Indicator..........................3-45
Air Pressure Gage........................................3-46
Hourmeter Gage...........................................3-46
Audio System(s).............................................3-47
Setting the Clock..........................................3-48
Radio(s)......................................................3-48
Theft-Deterrent Feature..................................3-57
Radio Reception...........................................3-58
Fixed Mast Antenna......................................3-58
Chime Level Adjustment................................3-58
Section 3 Instrument Panel
3-2