Lumbar Adjustment
Your seats may have this feature.
The lumbar adjustment
knob is located on the
seatback, on the inboard
side of the driver’s seat and
on the outboard side of the
passenger’s seat.
For more support to your lower back, turn the lumbar
adjustment knob clockwise. To decrease the amount of
lumbar support, turn the knob counterclockwise.
Seatback Adjustment
{CAUTION:
You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to
adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle
is moving. The sudden movement could startle
and confuse you, or make you push a pedal
when you do not want to. Adjust the driver’s
seat only when the vehicle is not moving.
{CAUTION:
If the seatback is not locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there. Always
push and pull on the seatback to be sure it is
locked.
1-3
Starting and Operating Your
Vehicle
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice:Your vehicle does not need an elaborate
break-in. But it will perform better in the long run if
you follow these guidelines:
Let the engine warm up before you operate your
vehicle under load.
Keep your speed at 55 mph (88 km/h) or less for
the rst 500 miles (805 km).
Do not drive at any one speed, fast or slow, for
the rst 500 miles (805 km). Do not make
full-throttle starts.
Avoid making hard stops for the rst 200 miles
(322 km) or so. During this time the new brake
linings are not yet broken in. Hard stops
with new linings can mean premature wear and
earlier replacement. Follow this breaking-in
guideline every time you get new brake linings.
Use the lowest gear you can when you start a
loaded vehicle in motion and when going up
hills to avoid overloading the engine.
Check and adjust engine and transmission uid
levels often and be sure tires are properly
in ated for the load you are carrying.
When new, parking brake linings have not yet
been broken in. When linings are new, it is
possible that the vehicle could move while the
parking brake is applied. Before using the
parking brake on grades, follow the parking
brake burnish procedure. SeeParking Brake
Burnish Procedure on page 2-43.
If you have a Caterpillar®diesel engine, see the
Caterpillar®Diesel Engine Operation and
Maintenance Manual.
2-10
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
While your engine is idling and before you turn it off,
you can make a list of any operational or handling
concerns to give to responsible maintenance personnel
so they can handle them right away.
Moisture will condense in a fuel tank that is almost
empty if the engine has not run for a while, even just
overnight under some conditions. So, it is always best to
refuel your vehicle at the end of each run.
Starting the Diesel Engine
Your vehicle’s diesel engine starts differently than a
gasoline engine. Read the following pages to learn how
to start, restart, warm-up, and stop your diesel engine.
The information applies to Caterpillar
®Diesel Engine,
6.6L DURAMAX®Diesel Engine, Isuzu 6H Diesel
Engine, unless otherwise noted.
If you have a Caterpillar
®Diesel Engine, also refer to
your Caterpillar®Diesel Engine Operation &
Maintenance Manual for the starting procedure.
Automatic Transmission
Move the shift lever to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N). The
engine will not start in any other position — that is a
safety feature. To restart when you are already moving,
use NEUTRAL (N) only.
Notice:Do not try to shift to PARK (P) if your
vehicle is moving. If you do, you could damage the
transmission. Shift to PARK (P) only when your
vehicle is stopped.
Manual Transmission
Move the shift lever to NEUTRAL and hold the clutch
pedal to the floor while starting the engine. Your vehicle
will not start if the clutch pedal is not all the way
down — that is a safety feature.
2-14
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
This system can be used to increase your engine idle
speed whenever the following conditions are met:
•The brake pedal is not pressed.
•The vehicle is at a complete stop for vehicles with
diesel engines. The vehicle must not be moving
and the accelerator must not be pressed for vehicles
with gasoline engines.
•If the vehicle has manual transmission the clutch
pedal is not pressed or, if the vehicle has the
automatic transmission it is in NEUTRAL (N) or
PARK (P).
The manual high idle feature is activated by pressing
the switch on the instrument panel. When the switch is
pressed again, or any of the previous conditions are
not met, manual high idle will be deactivated.
The manual high idle has been preset at the factory.
Your dealer may change the setting to fit your needs.
For vehicles with Caterpillar
®diesel engines, the
high idle switch can be used to set any desired high
idle speed.To set a new temporary engine idle speed do the
following:
1. Make sure all of the previously described conditions
are met.
2. Press the accelerator pedal to the desired engine
speed.
3. Momentarily press the manual high idle switch.
The temporary high idle speed will be set. This new high
idle rpm level will be remembered by the system until
either the ignition is turned to OFF or a new high
idle speed is set.
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 2-26for more information.
Idle speed will then return to normal when the engine
reaches the preset operating temperature or has
been operating for at least 10 minutes.
2-21