GMC Sierra 2001 User Manual

Every

2001 Sierra

under warranty is

backed with the

following

services:

1-800-GMC-8782

(

For vehicles purchased in Canada,

(

For vehicles purchased in Canada,

call

that provides in an emergency:

1-800-268-6800

)

Courtesy

Transportation

Trip Routing

Free Free Free Free

lockout assistance dead-battery assistance out-of-fuel assistance flat-tire change

Emergency

towing

2001 GMC Sierra Owner's Manual

Litho in U.S.A. Part Number X2115 A First Edition

Section

Table of Contents

Seats and Restraint Systems

Seats and Seat Controls Safety Belts

Features and Controls

Windows Keys and Door Locks Keyless Entry System (If Equipped) Tailgate Automatic Transmission Manual Transmission Four-Wheel Drive Operation (If Equipped) Parking Brake Tilt Wheel (If Equipped) Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever

Air Bag System Restraint Systems for Children

Windshield Wipers Cruise Control Exterior and Interior Lamps Mirrors Storage Compartments Accessory Power Outlets OnStar® System (If Equipped) Instrument Panel, Warning Lights and Gages Message Center

Section

Table of Contents (cont'd)

Comfort Controls and Audio Systems

Heating and Air Conditioning Setting the Radio Clock

Your Driving and the Road

Your Driving, the Road and Your Vehicle Defensive Driving Drunken Driving Control of a Vehicle Braking Steering

Problems on the Road

Hazard Warning Flashers Jump Starting Towing Your Vehicle

Radio/Cassette Player/CD Player Radio Theft-Deterrent Feature (If Equipped)

Driving Tips for Various Road Conditions Off-Road Driving Recreational Vehicle Towing Loading Your Vehicle Towing a Trailer

Engine Overheating Changing a Flat Tire If You're Stuck

iii

Section

Table of Contents (cont'd)

Service and Appearance Care

Fuel Checking Fluids and Lubricants GM Oil Life System™ (If Equipped) Engine Air Cleaner/Filter Passenger Compartment Air Filter (If Equipped) Brakes Bulb Replacement

Maintenance Schedule

Scheduled Maintenance Owner Checks and Services Periodic Maintenance Inspections

Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement Tires and Wheels Appearance Care Electrical System/Fuses and Circuit Breakers Capacities and Specifications Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts

Recommended Fluids and Lubricants Maintenance Records

Table of Contents (cont'd)

Customer Assistance Information

Section

Customer Satisfaction Procedures Customer Assistance Offices

Roadside Assistance and Courtesy Transportation

Warranty Information (See Warranty Manual) Reporting Safety Defects on page 8-10 Service Publications

Index

In the Index you will find an alphabetical listing of almost every subject in this manual.

You can use it to quickly find something you want to read.

Please refer to the last page of this manual for your

Service Station Guide

GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, GMC, the GMC Emblem and the name SIERRA 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 after that time without further notice. For vehicles first sold in Canada, substitute the name “General Motors of Canada Limited” for GMC 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.

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.

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.

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.

vii

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.”

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.

viii

Vehicle Symbols

These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle. Also see “Warning Lights and Gages” in the Index.

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:

CHILD RESTRAINT TOP STRAP

ANCHOR

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

FUEL

Model Reference

This manual covers these models:

Regular Cab Pickup

Extended Cab Pickup

Chassis Cab

Crew Cab

Service Station Guide

For

a More

Detailed Look at

What's Under the Hood

See Section 6*

Hood Release

See Section 6

Windshield Washer

Fluid

See Section 6

*For vehicles equipped with a diesel engine, see the Diesel Engine Supplement

Engine Oil Dipstick

Battery

See Section 6

Cooling System

See Section 5*

See Section 6*

Tire Pressure

See Section 6

Oil Viscosity

Engine Oil

See Section 6*

Spare Tire Pressure

See Section 5

Fuel

See Section 6*

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 air bags and safety belts.

-2 Seats and Seat Controls

-12 Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone

-17 Here Are Questions Many People Ask

About Safety Belts

-18 How to Wear Safety Belts Properly

1 1

-18 Driver Position

-24 Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy

-25 Right Front Passenger Position

1 1

-25 Air Bag System

-35 Center Passenger Position

-- and the Answers

-36 Rear Seat Passengers

1 1

-40 Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for

Children and Small Adults

1-42 Children

-46 Restraint Systems for Children

1 1

-67 Older Children

-70 Safety Belt Extender

-70 Checking Your Restraint Systems

1 1

-70 Replacing Restraint System Parts

After a Crash

1-1

Seats and Seat Controls

This section tells you about the seats -- how to adjust them, and fold them up and down. It also tells you about reclining front seatbacks and head restraints.

Manual Front Seat

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 don’t want to. Adjust the driver’s seat only when the vehicle is not moving.

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

Lift the lever at the front of the seat to unlock it. Using your body, slide the seat to where you want it. Then, release the lever and try to move the seat with your body in order to make sure the seat is locked into place.

1-2

Manual Lumbar Control (If Equipped)

If your vehicle has a lumbar adjustment, you can increase or decrease lumbar support in an area of the lower seatback. It is located on the outboard side of the seat cushion.

T o increase or decrease support, turn the knob toward the front or rear of the vehicle.

Power Seat(s) (If Equipped)

Horizontal Control: If your vehicle has a power seat,

you can adjust it with this control located on the outboard edge of the seat.

Raise or lower the front of the seat by raising or lowering the forward edge of the button. Raise or lower the rear of the seat by raising or lowering the rear edge of the button.

1-3

Move the seat forward or rearward by moving the whole button toward the front or toward the rear of the vehicle.

Moving the whole button up or down raises or lowers the entire seat cushion.

Vertical Control: If your vehicle has power reclining seats, you can use this button to adjust the angle of the seatback. Move the reclining front seatback rearward or forward by moving the button toward the rear or toward the front of the vehicle. See “Reclining Seatbacks” in the Index for further information.

Power Lumbar Control (If Equipped)

If you have power lumbar adjustment, you can increase or decrease lumbar support in an area of the lower seatback. The control is located on the on outboard of the cushion seat.

T o increase support, press and hold the front of the control. Let go of the control when the lower seatback reaches the desired level of support.

T o decrease support, press and hold the rear of the control. Let go of the control when the lower seatback reaches the desired level of support.

You can also reshape the back wing area of the lower seatback.

T o increase support, press and hold the top of the control. Let go of the control when the lower seatback reaches the desired level of support.

T o decrease support, press and hold the bottom of the control. Let go of the control when the lower seatback reaches the desired level of support.

1-4

Memory Seat (If Equipped)

Heated Front Seats (If Equipped)

The memory function controls the driver’s seat cushion and recliner positions. The control is located on the driver’s side door panel.

It does not store the lumbar or back support positions. T o set your memory seat:

1. Adjust the driver’s seat to your desired position.

2. Press the SET button and then press the 1 or 2 side of the memory control within five seconds.

When your vehicle is in PARK (P), press the 1 or 2 button of the memory control to recall the seat setting.

T o do the same thing for a second driver, follow the preceding steps, but press the other number of the memory control.

If your vehicle has heated front seats, the ignition must be in RUN for them to operate.

The control for the driver’s side heated seat is located on the driver’s side door panel. The control for the passenger’s side heated seat is located on the passenger’s side door panel.

T o activate the heated seats, press the button once for the HI heat setting. Press the button again for the LO heat setting. T o turn off the heated seats, press the button a third time. An indicator light on the button will illuminate for each heat setting anytime the heated seats are operating.

1-5

Reclining Seatbacks

T o adjust the front seatback, lift the lever upward. The lever is located on the outboard side of the seat cushion. Release the lever to lock the seatback where you want it. Lift the lever again upward and the seatback will go to an upright position.

If your vehicle has power seats with a power recliner, see “Power Seats” in the Index for further information on how to operate the reclining seatback feature.

1-6

But don’t have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is moving.

CAUTION:

Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle is in motion can be dangerous. Even if you buckle up, your safety belts can’t do their job when you’re reclined like this.

The shoulder belt can’t do its job. In a crash, you could go into it, receiving neck or other injuries.

The lap belt can’t do its job either. In a crash the belt could go up over your abdomen. The belt forces would be there, not at your pelvic bones. This could cause serious internal injuries.

For proper protection when the vehicle is in motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit well back in the seat and wear your safety belt properly.

Head Restraints

Slide the 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.

1-7

On some models, the head restraints tilt forward and rearward also.

T o tilt the head restraints forward, grasp the top of the restraint and move it forward to where you want it to go until you hear a click. It will then be locked into that position until you need to move it again. Pulling it forward past the last position will allow the restraint to return to its upright position.

Seatback Latches

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.

The seatbacks fold forward to let you access the rear of the cab.

T o fold a front seatback forward, pull this lever toward the front of the vehicle to release the seatback. The lever is located on the outboard side of the seat cushion.

T o return the seatback to the upright position, push the seatback rearward until it latches. After returning the seatback to its upright position, try to pull the seatback forward to make sure it is locked.

1-8

Easy Entry Seat (Extended Cab Only) (If Equipped)

CAUTION:

If any easy entry seat isn’t locked, it can move. In a sudden stop or crash, the person sitting there could be injured. And, even if there is no crash or sudden stop, a driver sitting in an unlocked easy entry seat could be startled by the sudden movement and hit the wrong control or pedal, causing an accident. After you’ve used it, be sure to push rearward on any easy entry seat to be sure it is locked.

The driver’s side manual front bucket seat and the driver’s side manual split bench seat in your vehicle may have an easy entry feature. This makes it easy to get in and out of the rear seat.

The lever is located on the outboard side of the seat. T o operate it, pull forward on the top of this lever and tilt the seatback fully forward toward the front of the vehicle.

When you do, the seat bottom will release. Pull or push the seat forward until it stops.

T o return the seat to its regular position, return the seatback to its upright position and push the whole seat rearward by the seatback until it latches without pulling forward on the adjustment lever.

After returning the seat to its regular position, try to move the seat with your body in order to make sure the seat is locked into place.

1-9

Rear Seat (Extended Cab)

Folding the Rear Seat

The extended cab’s rear seat can be folded up to provide more cargo space. To fold the seat:

1. Pull forward on the release strap located under the rear seat cushion.

2. Fold the seat cushion upward until it latches with the seatback.

3. Push and pull on the seat to make sure the seat is secure.

The extended cab’s rear seat can also be folded open for more seating space. T o use the seat:

1. Push rearward on the seat cushion while pulling up on the release strap under the seat cushion. Pull the seat cushion downward until it latches.

2. After pulling the seat cushion down, pull up on it to make sure it is locked.

1-10

Rear Seat (Crew Cab)

The second row rear seat is a 60/40 split seat. Either side of the rear seat may be folded down to give you more cargo space.

Before folding the rear seat on the driver’s side, insert the two buckles into the retainer in the seatback. That way , the buckles will be out of the way when the seat is folded and will be available for passengers to use when the seat is returned to the passenger position. Also, make sure that nothing is under or in front of the seat and that the head restraints are completely lowered.

T o fold, pull up on the strap loop at the rear of the seat cushion. Then, pull the seat cushion up and fold it forward.

After folding the seat cushion fully forward, pull the seatback forward and fold the seatback down until it is flat. If the seatback cannot fold flat because it interferes with the cushion, try moving the front seat forward and/or bringing the front seatback more upright. The lever at the base of the seat must be turned rearward to release the seatback.

To create a load floor, release the panels from the seatback by pushing forward on the latch. Then fold the panels back to cover the rear seat footwell area.

1-11

T o return the seat to the passenger position, lift the floor load panels and latch them into the seatback. Lift the seatback up and push rearward all the way. Then lower the seat cushion until it latches into position.

Pull forward on the seatback and up on the seat cushion to make sure the seat is securely in place.

Check to see that the buckles on the driver’s side seatback are accessible to the outboard and center occupant and are not under the seat cushions.

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.

And it explains the air bag system.

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.

1-12

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.

Your vehicle has a light that comes on as a reminder to buckle up. See “Safety Belt Reminder Light” 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!

1-13

Why Safety Belts Work

When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as it goes.

Ta ke the simplest vehicle. Suppose it’s just a seat on wheels.

Put someone on it.

1-14

Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider doesn’t stop.

The person keeps going until stopped by something. In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield ...

1-15

or the instrument panel ... or the safety belts!

With safety 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. That’s why safety belts make such good sense.

1-16

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

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 and 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

1-17

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