GMC C-Series 1999 Owner's Manual

The 1999 GMC C-Series Owner’s Manual

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1-1 Seats and Restraint Systems

This section tells you how to use your seats and safety belts properly.

2-1 Features and Controls

This section explains how to start and operate your vehicle.

3-1 Comfort Controls and Audio Systems

This section tells you how to adjust the ventilation and comfort controls and how to operate your audio system.

4-1 Your Driving and the Road

Here you’ll find helpful information and tips about the road and how to drive under different conditions.

5-1 Problems on the Road

This section tells you what to do if you have a problem while driving, such as a flat tire or overheated engine, etc.

6-1 Service and Appearance Care

Here the manual tells you how to keep your vehicle running properly and looking good.

7-1 Maintenance Schedule

This section tells you when to perform vehicle maintenance and what fluids and lubricants to use.

8-1 Customer Assistance Information

This section tells you how to contact GMC for assistance and how to get service and owner publications. It also gives you information on “Reporting Safety Defects” on page 8

9-1 Index

Here’s an alphabetical listing of almost every subject in this manual. You can use it to quickly find something you want to read.

-6.

GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, GMC and the GMC Emblem are registered trademarks of General Motors Corporation.

This manual includes the latest information at the time it was printed. We reserve the right to make changes in the product after that time without further notice. For vehicles first sold in Canada, substitute the name “General Motors of Canada Limited” for GM Medium Duty Truck Division whenever it appears in this manual.

Please keep this manual in your vehicle, so it will be there if you ever need it when you’re on the road. If you sell the vehicle, please leave this manual in it so the new owner can use it.

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We support voluntary technician certification.

For Canadian Owners Who Prefer a French Language Manual:

Aux propriétaires canadiens: Vous pouvez vous

procurer un exemplaire de ce guide en français chez votre concessionaire ou au:

DGN Marketing Services Ltd. 1577 Meyerside Dr. Mississauga, Ontario L5T 1B9

How to Use this Manual

Many people read their owner’s manual from beginning to end when they first receive their new vehicle. If you do this, it will help you learn about the features and controls for your vehicle. In this manual, you’ll find that pictures and words work together to explain things quickly.

Index

A good place to look for what you need is the Index in back of the manual. It’s an alphabetical list of what’s in the manual, and the page number where you’ll find it.

Safety Warnings and Symbols

You will find a number of safety cautions in this book. We use a box and the word CAUTION to tell you about things that could hurt you if you were to ignore the warning.

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CAUTION:

These mean there is something that could hurt you or other people.

In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is. Then we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce the hazard. Please read these cautions. If you don’t, you or others could be hurt.

You will also find a circle with a slash through it in this book. This safety symbol means “Don’t,” “Don’t do this” or “Don’t let this happen.”

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Vehicle Damage Warnings

Also, in this book you will find these notices:

NOTICE:

These mean there is something that could damage your vehicle.

In the notice area, we tell you about something that can damage your vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be covered by your warranty, and it could be costly. But the notice will tell you what to do to help avoid the damage.

When you read other manuals, you might see CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in different words.

You’ll also see warning labels on your vehicle. They use the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.

Vehicle Symbols

These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.

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For example, these symbols are used on an original battery:

CAUTION

POSSIBLE

INJURY

PROTECT

EYES BY

SHIELDING

CAUSTIC BATTERY

ACID COULD

CAUSE

BURNS

AVOID

SPARKS OR

FLAMES

SPARK OR

FLAME

COULD

EXPLODE

BATTERY

These symbols are important for you and your passengers whenever your vehicle is driven:

DOOR LOCK

UNLOCK

FASTEN

SEAT

BELTS

POWER

WINDOW

AIR BAG

These symbols have to do with your lamps:

MASTER

LIGHTING

SWITCH

TURN

SIGNALS

PARKING

LAMPS

HAZARD WARNING FLASHER

DAYTIME

RUNNING

LAMPS

FOG LAMPS

These symbols are on some of your controls:

WINDSHIELD

WIPER

WINDSHIELD

WASHER

WINDSHIELD

DEFROSTER

REAR

WINDOW

DEFOGGER

VENTILATING

FAN

These symbols are used on warning and indicator lights:

ENGINE

COOLANT

TEMP

BATTERY

CHARGING

SYSTEM

BRAKE

COOLANT

ENGINE OIL

PRESSURE

ANTI-LOCK

BRAKES

Here are some other symbols you may see:

FUSE

LIGHTER

HORN

SPEAKER

FUEL

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Model Reference

This manual contains information which covers conventional cab models as shown. Most models are unfinished from the factory.

C6H042 C7H042

C7H064

Since C-Series models delivered from the factory are finished in a variety of ways by a number of companies, you’ll probably find other manuals in your finished vehicle. These manuals are put there by the companies that have added components or equipment to the C-Series model. Read all these materials this manual your vehicle.

-- carefully, to get all of the information on

-- as well as

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Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems

Here you’ll find information about the seats in your vehicle and how to use your safety belts properly. You can also learn about some things you should not do with safety belts.

-2 Seats and Seat Controls

-6 Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone

-10 Here are Questions Many People Ask About

Safety Belts

-11 How to Wear Safety Belts Properly

1 1

-11 Driver Position

-21 Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy

-21 Right Passenger Position

-- and the Answers

-22 Center Passenger Position

1 1

-23 Children

-26 Child Restraints

1 1

-33 Larger Children

-36 Safety Belt Extender

1 1

-36 Checking Your Restraint Systems

-36 Replacing Restraint System Parts

After a Crash

1-1

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Seats and Seat Controls

This section tells you about the seats in your vehicle and how to adjust them.

CAUTION:

You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to adjust the seat while the vehicle is moving. The sudden movement could startle and confuse you, or make you push a pedal when you don’t want to. Adjust the driver’s seat only when the vehicle is not moving.

Bucket and Bench Seats

If your vehicle has a bucket or bench seat, you can adjust it with this lever at the front of the seat.

Slide the lever toward the outer seat support to unlock it. Slide the seat to where you want it. Then, release the lever and try to move the seat with your body to make sure the seat is locked into place.

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Head Restraints

Some seats have adjustable head restraints. Slide an adjustable head restraint up or down so that the top of the restraint is closest to the top of your ears. This position reduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash.

Seatback Latches

The front of the full-width bench seat seatback folds forward to let you reach the rear of the cab. Bucket seats have outboard-mounted levers to tilt the seatbacks forward or rearward.

Your seatback will move back and forth freely unless you come to a sudden stop If your vehicle is parked going down a fairly steep hill, the seatback may not fold without some help from you.

-- then it will lock into place.

T o fold the seatback forward, push the seatback toward the rear of the vehicle as you lift this latch. The latch must be down for the seat to work properly.

Bench Seat Shown

CAUTION:

If the seatback isn’t locked, it could move forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always press rearward on the seatback to be sure it is locked.

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National Seats (If Equipped)

If your vehicle has the low-back National seat, there are six ways you can adjust the seat.

If your vehicle has the high five ways you can adjust the seat.

-back National seat, there are

Height Adjustment

T o adjust the height of a self (hand push the seat height adjustment pump lever, located on the lower outboard side, down and continue pumping to raise the seat. Press the lever and hold it to lower the seat.

T o adjust the height of air on the front left inflate. Pull the knob to deflate.

-hand side on the seat. Push the knob to

-sourced seats, use the knob

-contained seat

-pumped air seat),

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Lumbar Adjustments

T o adjust the height of the cushion, lift the cushion height adjustment handle up and forward. You can choose between two settings. The handle is located underneath the seat, in the front.

T o get more support in the lumbar area of your back, turn the lumbar adjustment knob. The knob is located on the upper cushion, on the inboard side of the driver’s seat and the outboard side of the passenger’s seat.

Seatback Adjustment

Fore

-and-Aft Adjustment

T o tilt the seatback, turn the backrest tilt knob. The knob is located on the lower cushion, on the outboard side of the driver’s seat and the inboard side of the passenger’s seat.

T o slide the seat forward or backward, move the lever toward the passenger’s side. The seat will lock in at 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) increments. The lever is located underneath the seat, in the front.

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Chugger-Snubber Lock-Out Feature (If Equipped)

This handle is located on the lower outboard side of the driver’s seat and the inboard side of the passenger’s seat. Move the handle down to isolate any backslap experienced while in tractor/trailer operation or while operating a dump truck application. This is only available on low

-back seats.

Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone

This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts properly. It also tells you some things you should not do with safety belts.

CAUTION:

Don’t let anyone ride where he or she can’t wear a safety belt properly. If you are in a crash and you’re not wearing a safety belt, your injuries can be much worse. You can hit things inside the vehicle or be ejected from it. You can be seriously injured or killed. In the same crash, you might not be if you are buckled up. Always fasten your safety belt, and check that your passengers’ belts are fastened properly too.

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CAUTION:

It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area, inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision, people riding in these areas are more likely to be seriously injured or killed. Do not allow people to ride in any area of your vehicle that is not equipped with seats and safety belts. Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and using a safety belt properly.

If your vehicle has a safety belt reminder light, a light comes on as a reminder to buckle up. (See “Safety Belt Reminder Light” in the Index.)

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If your vehicle has a safety belt reminder tone, a tone comes on as a reminder to buckle up. See “Safety Belt Reminder T one” in the Index.

In most states and Canadian provinces, the law says to wear safety belts. Here’s why: They work.

You never know if you’ll be in a crash. If you do have a crash, you don’t know if it will be a bad one.

A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so serious that even buckled up a person wouldn’t survive. But most crashes are in between. In many of them, people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk away . Without belts they could have been badly hurt or killed.

After more than 30 years of safety belts in vehicles, the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does matter ... a lot!

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Why Safety Belts Work

Q: Aren’t safety belts for kids?

A: Yes. And they’re for adult truckers, and anyone

else who rides in your vehicle.

Here’s why: when your vehicle goes, say, 30 mph (50 km/h), so do you and your passengers.

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If the vehicle hits something, it stops -- right then. But nothing stops the people. They keep moving.

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Then something will stop them. It could be the windshield.

Or it could be the instrument panel. Now , what if you and your passengers were to give that

big vehicle a chance to deal with the force of the impact, instead of you?

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With belts, you slow down as the vehicle does. You get more time to stop.

You stop over more distance, and your strongest bones take the forces. Safety belts are for everyone.

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Here Are Questions Many People Ask About Safety Belts

Won’t I be trapped in the vehicle after an

accident if I’m wearing a safety belt?

-- and the Answers

A: You could be -- whether you’re wearing a safety

belt or not. But you can unbuckle a safety belt, even if you’re upside down. And your chance of being conscious during and after an accident, so you can unbuckle and get out, is much greater if you are belted.

Q: If my vehicle has air bags, why should I have to

wear safety belts?

A: Air bags are in many vehicles today and will be

in most of them in the future. But they are supplemental systems only; so they work with safety belts system ever offered for sale has required the use of safety belts. Even if you’re in a vehicle that has air bags, you still have to buckle up to get the most protection. That’s true not only in frontal collisions, but especially in side and other collisions.

-- not instead of them. Every air bag

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Q: If I’m a good driver, and I never drive far from

home, why should I wear safety belts?

A: You may be an excellent driver, but if you’re in an

accident your passengers can be hurt. Being a good driver doesn’t protect you from things beyond your control, such as bad drivers.

Most accidents occur within 25 miles (40 km) of home. And the greatest number of serious injuries and deaths occur at speeds of less than 40 mph (65 km/h).

Safety belts are for everyone.

-- even one that isn’t your fault -- you and

How to Wear Safety Belts Properly

Adults

This part is only for people of adult size. Be aware that there are special things to know about safety

belts and children. And there are different rules for smaller children and babies. If a child will be riding in your vehicle, see the part of this manual called “Children.” Follow those rules for everyone’s protection.

First, you’ll want to know which restraint systems your vehicle has.

We’ll start with the driver position.

Driver Position

This part describes the driver’s restraint system.

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Lap-Shoulder Belt

The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here’s how to wear it properly.

1. Close and lock the door.

2. Adjust the seat (to see how, see “Seats” in the Index) so you can sit up straight.

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Suspension (B)

3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you. Don’t let it get twisted.

4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.

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Bench (A)

For suspension-type seats (B), if the belt stops before it reaches the buckle, tilt the latch plate and keep pulling until you can buckle the belt. Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure. If the belt is pulled out all the way so that it locks, press down on the button on the retractor cover to make it retract.

If the belt isn’t long enough, see “Safety Belt Extender” at the end of this section.

Make sure the release button on the buckle is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to.

Suspension (B)

5. T o make the lap part tight on suspension seats (B), pull down on the buckle end of the belt as you pull up on the shoulder belt.

-type

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If the shoulder belt is too tight:

Pull out the belt at least 5 inches (130 mm).

Let it go back all the way.

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You can add a small amount of slack. The system works like a window shade. T o add a little slack, pull down on the shoulder belt just a little than 1 inch (25 mm).

If it’s now too loose, pull it out like you did before and start again.

If you move around in the vehicle and your shoulder belt becomes loose, be sure to make it tight again.

-- no more

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The lap part of the belt should be worn low and snug on the hips, just touching the thighs. In a crash, this applies force to the strong pelvic bones. And you’d be less likely to slide under the lap belt. If you slid under it, the belt would apply force at your abdomen. This could cause serious or even fatal injuries. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the chest. These parts of the body are best able to take belt restraining forces.

The safety belt locks if there’s a sudden stop or a crash.

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Q: What’s wrong with this?

A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It won’t give nearly

as much protection this way.

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CAUTION:

You can be seriously hurt if your shoulder belt is too loose. In a crash, you would move forward too much, which could increase injury. The shoulder belt should fit against your body. Don’t allow more than 1 inch (25 mm) of slack.

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Q: What’s wrong with this?

A: The belt is buckled in the wrong place.

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CAUTION:

You can be seriously injured if your belt is buckled in the wrong place like this. In a crash, the belt would go up over your abdomen. The belt forces would be there, not at the pelvic bones. This could cause serious internal injuries. Always buckle your belt into the buckle nearest you.

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Q: What’s wrong with this?

A: The shoulder belt is worn under the arm. It should

be worn over the shoulder at all times.

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CAUTION:

You can be seriously injured if you wear the shoulder belt under your arm. In a crash, your body would move too far forward, which would increase the chance of head and neck injury. Also, the belt would apply too much force to the ribs, which aren’t as strong as shoulder bones. You could also severely injure internal organs like your liver or spleen.

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Q: What’s wrong with this?

A: The belt is twisted across the body.

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CAUTION:

You can be seriously injured by a twisted belt. In a crash, you wouldn’t have the full width of the belt to spread impact forces. If a belt is twisted, make it straight so it can work properly, or ask your dealer to fix it.

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Bench (A) Suspension (B)

T o unlatch the belt, just push the button on the buckle. The belt should go back out of the way. For a suspension-type seat, if the belt is pulled out all the way so that it locks, press down on the button on the retractor cover to make it retract.

Before you close the door, be sure the belt is out of the way . If you slam the door on it, you can damage both the belt and your vehicle.

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Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy

Safety belts work for everyone, including pregnant women. Like all occupants, they are more likely to be seriously injured if they don’t wear safety belts.

A pregnant woman should wear a lap-shoulder belt, and the lap portion should be worn as low as possible, below the rounding, throughout the pregnancy.

The best way to protect the fetus is to protect the mother. When a safety belt is worn properly, it’s more likely that the fetus won’t be hurt in a crash. For pregnant women, as for anyone, the key to making safety belts effective is wearing them properly.

Right Passenger Position

The right passenger’s safety belt works the same way as the driver’s safety belt. See “Driver Position” earlier in this section.

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Center Passenger Position

Lap Belt

If your vehicle has a full bench seat or a two-passenger bench seat, someone can sit in the center position.

When you sit in a center seating position, you have a lap safety belt, which has no retractor. To make the belt longer, tilt the latch plate and pull it along the belt.

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T o make the belt shorter, pull its free end as shown until the belt is snug.

Buckle, position and release it the same way as the lap part of a lap see “Safety Belt Extender” at the end of this section.

Make sure the release button on the buckle is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to.

-shoulder belt. If the belt isn’t long enough,

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Children

Everyone in a vehicle needs protection! That includes infants and all children smaller than adult size. Neither the distance traveled nor the age and size of the traveler changes the need, for everyone, to use safety restraints. In fact, the law in every state in the United States and in every Canadian province says children up to some age must be restrained while in a vehicle.

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Smaller Children and Babies

CAUTION:

Smaller children and babies should always be restrained in a child or infant restraint. The instructions for the restraint will say whether it is the right type and size for your child. A very young child’s hip bones are so small that a regular belt might not stay low on the hips, as it should. Instead, the belt will likely be over the child’s abdomen. In a crash, the belt would apply force right on the child’s abdomen, which could cause serious or fatal injuries. So, be sure that any child small enough for one is always properly restrained in a child or infant restraint.

Infants need complete support, including support for the head and neck. This is necessary because an infant’s neck is weak and its head weighs so much compared with the rest of its body. In a frontal crash, an infant in a rear

-facing restraint settles into the restraint, so the crash

forces can be distributed across the strongest part of the infant’s body, the back and shoulders. A baby should be secured in an appropriate infant restraint. This is so important that many hospitals today won’t release a newborn infant to its parents unless there is an infant restraint available for the baby’s first trip in a motor vehicle.

We know securing a child can present real problems in a medium you can properly secure a child restraint is the center seating position, the place that has the lap belt only. But your vehicle may not have a center seating position. Or, even if you have one, you may find that the child restraint keeps you from operating the shift lever or other controls. The only answer may be to have the smaller children make the trip in another vehicle, where they can get the protection they need.

-duty vehicle like yours. The only place where

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