2008 GMC SIERRA steering

Driving in Mud, Sand, Snow, or Ice
When you drive in mud, snow, or sand, your wheels will
not get good traction. You cannot accelerate as
quickly, turning is more difficult, and you will need longer
braking distances. If your vehicle has four-wheel
drive, seeFour-Wheel Drive on page 2-36for transfer
case mode selection.
It is best to use a low gear when you are in mud — the
deeper the mud, the lower the gear. In really deep
mud, the idea is to keep your vehicle moving so you do
not get stuck.
When you drive on sand, you will sense a change in
wheel traction. But it will depend upon how loosely
packed the sand is. On loosely packed sand, such as
on beaches or sand dunes, your tires will tend to
sink into the sand. This has an effect on steering,
accelerating, and braking. Drive at a reduced speed and
avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers.Hard packed snow and ice offer the worst tire traction.
On these surfaces, it is very easy to lose control.
On wet ice, for example, the traction is so poor that you
will have difficulty accelerating. And if you do get
moving, poor steering and difficult braking can cause
you to slide out of control.
{CAUTION:
Driving on frozen lakes, ponds, or rivers can
be dangerous. Underwater springs, currents
under the ice, or sudden thaws can weaken the
ice. Your vehicle could fall through the ice and
you and your passengers could drown. Drive
your vehicle on safe surfaces only.
4-25

After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that has collected on the
underbody, chassis, or under the hood. These
accumulations can be a re hazard.
After operation in mud or sand, have the brake linings
cleaned and checked. These substances can cause
glazing and uneven braking. Check the body structure,
steering, suspension, wheels, tires, and exhaust
system for damage. Also, check the fuel lines and
cooling system for any leakage.
Your vehicle will require more frequent service due to
off-road use. Refer to the Maintenance Schedule
for additional information.
Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving
because some drivers are likely to be impaired — by
alcohol or drugs, with night vision problems, or by
fatigue.Night driving tips include:
Drive defensively.
Do not drink and drive.
Reduce headlamp glare by adjusting the inside
rearview mirror.
Slow down and keep more space between you and
other vehicles because your headlamps can only
light up so much road ahead.
Watch for animals.
When tired, pull off the road.
Do not wear sunglasses.
Avoid staring directly into approaching headlamps.
Keep the windshield and all glass on your vehicle
clean — inside and out.
Keep your eyes moving, especially during turns or
curves.
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But,
as we get older, these differences increase. A
50-year-old driver might need at least twice as much
light to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
4-27

StabiliTrak®improves your ability to accelerate when
driving on a slippery road. But you can turn StabiliTrak®
off if you ever need to. SeeStabiliTrak®System on
page 4-6andIf Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice,
or Snow on page 4-34. Even with StabiliTrak
®, slow
down and adjust your driving to the road conditions.
Under certain conditions, you might want to turn
StabiliTrak
®off, such as when driving through deep
snow and loose gravel, to help maintain vehicle motion
at lower speeds.
The Antilock Brake System (ABS) improves your
vehicle’s stability when you make a hard stop on a
slippery road. Even though you have ABS, begin
stopping sooner than you would on dry pavement. See
Antilock Brake System (ABS) on page 4-4.
Allow greater following distance on any slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be ne until
you hit a spot that is covered with ice. On an
otherwise clear road, ice patches can appear in
shaded areas where the sun cannot reach, such as
around clumps of trees, behind buildings, or under
bridges. Sometimes the surface of a curve or an
overpass can remain icy when the surrounding roads
are clear. If you see a patch of ice ahead of you,
brake before you are on it. Try not to brake while you
are actually on the ice, and avoid sudden steering
maneuvers.
If You Are Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in a
serious situation. You should probably stay with
your vehicle unless you know for sure that you are near
help and you can hike through the snow. Here are
some things to do to summon help and keep yourself
and your passengers safe:
Turn on the hazard warning ashers.
Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that
you have been stopped by the snow.
Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you.
If you do not have blankets or extra clothing, make
body insulators from newspapers, burlap bags,
rags, oor mats — anything you can wrap around
yourself or tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
4-32

Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine
again and repeat this only when you feel really
uncomfortable from the cold. But do it as little as
possible. Preserve the fuel as long as you can. To help
keep warm, you can get out of the vehicle and do
some fairly vigorous exercises every half hour or so until
help comes.
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow
Slowly and cautiously spin the wheels to free your
vehicle when stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow. See
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out on page 4-34.
If your vehicle has a traction system, it can often help to
free a stuck vehicle. Refer to your vehicle’s traction
system in the Index. If the stuck condition is too severe
for the traction system to free the vehicle, turn the
traction system off and use the rocking method.
{CAUTION:
If you let your vehicle’s tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you or others
could be injured. The vehicle can overheat,
causing an engine compartment re or other
damage. Spin the wheels as little as possible
and avoid going above 35 mph (55 km/h) as
shown on the speedometer.
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
seeTire Chains on page 5-90.
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
First, turn the steering wheel left and right to clear
the area around the front wheels. For four-wheel-drive
vehicles, shift into Four-Wheel High. For vehicles
with StabiliTrak
®, turn the traction control part of the
system off. SeeStabiliTrak®System on page 4-6. Then
shift back and forth between REVERSE (R) and a
forward gear, spinning the wheels as little as possible.
4-34

Trailer Brake Control Panel
A. Manual Trailer Brake Apply Lever
B. Trailer Gain Adjustment ButtonsThe ITBC system has a control panel located on the
instrument panel to the left of the steering column. See
Instrument Panel Overview (Base/Uplevel version)
on page 3-4orInstrument Panel Overview (Premium
version) on page 3-6for more information on location.
The control panel allows you to adjust the amount
of output, referred to as trailer gain, available to
the electric trailer brakes and allows you to manually
apply the trailer brakes. The Trailer Brake Control Panel
is used along with the Trailer Brake Display Page on
the DIC to adjust and display power output to the trailer
brakes.
Trailer Brake DIC Display Page
The ITBC system displays messages into the vehicle’s
Driver Information Center (DIC). SeeDIC Warnings
and Messages on page 3-63for more information.
4-80

Before you start, check all trailer hitch parts and
attachments, safety chains, electrical connector, lamps,
tires and mirror adjustment. If the trailer has electric
brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and then
apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be sure
the brakes are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the
load is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer
brakes are still working.
While towing a trailer or when exposed to long periods
of sunshine, the oor of the truck bed may become
very warm. Avoid putting items in the truck bed
that might be affected by high ambient temperatures.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as
you would when driving your vehicle without a trailer.
This can help you avoid situations that require
heavy braking and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when
you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re a good deal
longer, you’ll need to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then, to move the trailer to the left, just move that hand
to the left. To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly and, if possible,
have someone guide you.
Making Turns
Notice:Making very sharp turns while trailering
could cause the trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns
than normal. Do this so your trailer won’t strike
soft shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees or other objects.
Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.
4-87

Service............................................................5-4
Accessories and Modications..........................5-4
California Proposition 65 Warning.....................5-4
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements.....5-5
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-5
Adding Equipment to the Outside of Your
Vehicle......................................................5-6
Fuel................................................................5-6
Gasoline Octane............................................5-6
Gasoline Specications....................................5-6
California Fuel...............................................5-7
Additives.......................................................5-7
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol)..................................5-8
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-9
Filling the Tank............................................5-10
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.....................5-12
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-12
Hood Release..............................................5-13
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-14
Engine Oil (Gasoline Engine)..........................5-15
Engine Oil Life System..................................5-18
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
(Gasoline Engines)....................................5-19Automatic Transmission Fluid
(6-Speed Transmission)..............................5-22
Automatic Transmission Fluid
(4-Speed Transmission)..............................5-25
Engine Coolant.............................................5-28
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap..................5-30
Engine Overheating.......................................5-30
Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode
(V8 Engines Only).....................................5-33
Cooling System............................................5-34
Engine Fan Noise.........................................5-39
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-39
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-40
Brakes........................................................5-42
Battery........................................................5-45
Jump Starting...............................................5-46
Rear Axle.......................................................5-51
Four-Wheel Drive............................................5-52
Front Axle......................................................5-54
Noise Control System.....................................5-56
Tampering with Noise Control System
Prohibited.................................................5-56
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

A. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter (Gasoline Engines) on page 5-19.
B. Air Filter Restriction Indicator (If Equipped).
SeeEngine Air Cleaner/Filter (Gasoline Engines)
on page 5-19.
C. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. SeeCooling
System on page 5-34andCoolant Surge Tank
Pressure Cap on page 5-30.
D. Positive (+) Terminal. SeeJump Starting
on page 5-46.
E. Battery. SeeBattery on page 5-45.
F. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil (Gasoline Engine) on page 5-15.
G. Automatic Transmission Dipstick. See “Checking the
Fluid Level” underAutomatic Transmission Fluid
(6-Speed Transmission) on page 5-22orAutomatic
Transmission Fluid (4-Speed Transmission)
on page 5-25.
H. Remote Negative (−) Terminal (Out of View). See
Jump Starting on page 5-46.
I. Engine Oil Dipstick (Out of View). See “Checking
Engine Oil” underEngine Oil (Gasoline Engine)
on page 5-15.
J. Engine Cooling Fan. SeeCooling System
on page 5-34.
K. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. SeePower Steering
Fluid on page 5-39.L. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid”
underBrakes on page 5-42.
M. Underhood Fuse Block. SeeUnderhood Fuse Block
on page 5-126.
N. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding
Washer Fluid” underWindshield Washer Fluid
on page 5-40.
Engine Oil (Gasoline Engine)
If your vehicle has a diesel engine, see “Engine Oil” in
the DURAMAX®Diesel manual.
Checking Engine Oil
It is a good idea to check the engine oil every time you
get fuel. In order to get an accurate reading, the oil
must be warm and the vehicle must be on level ground.
The engine oil dipstick handle is a yellow loop. See
Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-14for
the location of the engine oil dipstick.
1. Turn off the engine and give the oil several minutes
to drain back into the oil pan. If you do not do this,
the oil dipstick might not show the actual level.
2. Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel
or cloth, then push it back in all the way. Remove it
again, keeping the tip down, and check the level.
5-15