GMC Sonoma 2003 User Manual

2003 GMC Sonoma Owner Manual M

Seats and Restraint Systems

Front Seats Rear Seats Safety Belts Child Restraints Air Bag System Restraint System Check

Features and Controls

Keys Doors and Locks Windows Theft-Deterrent Systems Starting and Operating Your Vehicle Mirrors Storage Areas Sunroof Vehicle Personalization

Instrument Panel

Instrument Panel Overview Climate Controls Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators Audio System(s)

............................................... 1-3

............................................... 1-9

............................................. 1-11

....................................... 1-31

....................................... 1-55

........................................................ 2-2

....................................... 2-7

................................................. 2-13

.................................................... 2-37

......................................... 2-40

.................................................. 2-50

............................................. 3-1

...................................... 3-19

....................................... 3-40

........................... 1-1

............................ 1-66

..................................... 2-1

............................ 2-16

............................. 2-52

.......................... 3-2

........... 2-18

......... 3-23

Driving Your Vehicle

Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle Towing

Service and Appearance Care

Service Fuel Checking Things Under the Hood Rear Axle Four-Wheel Drive Front Axle Bulb Replacement Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement Tires Appearance Care Vehicle Identiﬁcation Electrical System Capacities and Speciﬁcations Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts

Maintenance Schedule

Customer Assistance Information

Customer Assistance Information Reporting Safety Defects

Index

................................................... 4-45

..................................................... 5-3

......................................................... 5-4

...................................................... 5-62

.................................................................1

....................................... 4-1

.......................... 5-1

............... 5-10

............................................... 5-52

..................................... 5-52

............................................... 5-53

.................................... 5-54

..................................... 5-84

................................. 5-92

...................................... 5-93

..................... 5-99

..................................... 6-1

................................ 6-2

.................... 7-1

.................. 7-2

........................... 7-10

..... 4-2

......... 5-60

.... 5-101

Canadian Owners

You can obtain a French copy of this manual from your dealer or from:

Helm, Incorporated P.O. Box 07130 Detroit, MI 48207

GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, GMC, the GMC Emblem and the name SONOMA 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.

Litho in U.S.A. Part No. X2308 A First Edition

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 will ﬁnd that pictures and words work together to explain things.

Index

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

{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.”

iii

Vehicle Damage Warnings

Vehicle Symbols

Also, in this book you will ﬁnd these notices:

Notice:

damage your vehicle.

A notice will 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.

These mean there is something that could

Your vehicle has components and labels that use symbols instead of text. Symbols, used on your vehicle, are shown along with the text describing the operation or information relating to a speciﬁc component, control, message, gage or indicator.

If you need help ﬁguring out a speciﬁc name of a component, gage or indicator, reference the following topics:

• Seats and Restraint Systems in Section 1

• Features and Controls in Section 2

• Instrument Panel Overview in Section 3

• Climate Controls in Section 3

• Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators in Section 3

• Audio System(s) in Section 3

• Engine Compartment Overview in Section 5

These are some examples of vehicle symbols you may ﬁnd on your vehicle:

Model Reference

This manual covers these models:

Regular Cab Pickup

Extended Cab Pickup

Crew Cab

Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems

Front Seats ......................................................1-3

Manual Seats ................................................1-3

Power Seats ..................................................1-4

Manual Lumbar ..............................................1-4

Power Lumbar ...............................................1-5

Heated Seats .................................................1-5

Reclining Seatbacks ........................................1-6

Head Restraints .............................................1-7

Seatback Latches ...........................................1-8

Rear Seats .......................................................1-9

Rear Seat Operation .......................................1-9

Jump Seat ...................................................1-10

Safety Belts ...................................................1-11

Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone ................1-11

Questions and Answers About Safety Belts ......1-15

How to Wear Safety Belts Properly .................1-16

Driver Position ..............................................1-17

Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy ..................1-23

Right Front Passenger Position .......................1-24

Center Passenger Position .............................1-24

Rear Seat Passengers (Extended Cab

Jump Seat) ..............................................1-26

Rear Seat Passengers (Crew Cab

Safety Belt Extender .....................................1-30

Child Restraints .............................................1-31

Older Children ..............................................1-31

Infants and Young Children ............................1-33

Child Restraint Systems .................................1-37

Where to Put the Restraint (Regular Cab

and Extended Cab Pickup) .........................1-40

Where to Put the Restraint (Crew

Cab

Top Strap ....................................................1-42

Top Strap Anchor Location .............................1-43

Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for Securing a Child Restraint Designed for Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Securing a Child Restraint in a Center Securing a Child Restraint in the Right

Pickup) ............................................1-41

Children (LATCH System) ...........................1-44

the LATCH System ....................................1-46

Outside Seat Position ................................1-46

Seat Position ............................................1-49

Front Seat Position ....................................1-49

) ................1-27

1-1

Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems

Air Bag System ..............................................1-55

Where Are the Air Bags? ...............................1-57

When Should an Air Bag Inﬂate? ....................1-59

What Makes an Air Bag Inﬂate? .....................1-59

How Does an Air Bag Restrain? .....................1-59

What Will You See After an Air Bag Inﬂates? ...1-60

Air Bag Off Switch ........................................1-61

1-2

Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle .........1-64

Adding Equipment to Your Air Bag-Equipped

Vehicle ....................................................1-65

Restraint System Check ..................................1-66

Checking Your Restraint Systems ...................1-66

Replacing Restraint System Parts

After a Crash ............................................1-66

Front Seats

Manual Seats

This section tells you about the seats – how to adjust them, and fold them up and down.

{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.

Move the lever located under the front of a manual seat up to unlock it. Slide the seat to where you want it and release the lever. Try to move the seat with your body to make sure the seat is locked into place.

1-3

Power Seats

If your vehicle has this feature, there will be a control on the outboard side of the front seat(s).

Vertical Control: Move the reclining front seatback forward or rearward by moving the control toward the front or rear of the vehicle.

Manual Lumbar

If your vehicle has this feature, there will be a knob located on the outboard side of the driver’s seat.

Horizontal Control: Raise or lower the front of the seat by raising or lowering the forward edge of the control.

Raise or lower the rear of the seat by raising or lowering the rear edge of the control. Move the seat forward or rearward by moving the whole control toward the front or the rear of the vehicle.

Moving the whole control up or down raises or lowers the whole seat.

1-4

Turn the knob counterclockwise to increase lumbar support and clockwise to decrease lumbar support.

Power Lumbar

Heated Seats

If your vehicle has this feature, there will be a control located on the outboard side of the front seat(s).

Press and hold the front of the control until you have the desired lumbar support. To decrease lumbar support, press and hold the rear of the control.

If your vehicle has this feature, the controls are located on the outboard side of the front seats.

This feature will quickly heat the lower cushion and lower back of the driver’s and front passenger’s seats for added comfort.

Press the lower part of the switch to turn the heater on low. Press the upper part of the switch to turn the heater on high. Put the switch in the center position to turn the heater off.

The passenger’s safety belt must be engaged for the heated seat feature to work on the passenger’s seat.

1-5

Reclining Seatbacks

To adjust a manual seatback, lift the lever on the outboard side of the seat.

Release the lever to lock the seatback where you want it. To return the seat to an upright position, pull up on the lever without pushing on the seatback.

If your vehicle is equipped with the vertical power seat control described in pressing it rearward allows the seatback to recline.

Power Seats on page 1-4

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

1-6

{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 because it won’t be against your body. Instead, it will be in front of you. 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

Head restraints are ﬁxed on some models and adjustable on others. Slide an adjustable head restraint up or down so that the top of the restraint is closest to the top of your head. This position reduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash.

1-7

Seatback Latches

The front seatback folds forward to let people get into the rear seat or to access the storage area behind the seat.

To fold the front seatback forward, push the lever on the side of the seat rearward and pull the seatback forward.

To return the seatback to the upright position, push the seatback all the way back until the latch catches. If the seatback was reclined before being folded forward, it will return to the reclined position.

{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.

1-8

Rear Seats

Rear Seat Operation

The rear seatback can be tilted forward to let you reach the area behind it.

To tilt the seatback forward, lift up on the lever located at the base of the seatback on the driver’s or passenger’s side and then push the seatback forward.

To 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.

{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.

{CAUTION:

A safety belt that is improperly routed, not properly attached, or twisted won’t provide the protection needed in a crash. The person wearing the belt could be seriously injured. After raising the rear seatback, always check to be sure that the safety belts are properly routed and attached, and are not twisted.

1-9

Jump Seat

If your vehicle has an extended cab pickup, there is a jump seat in the rear area.

To fold the jump seat down, pull down on the pull tab on the bottom of the seat until the seat is in place, then move the seatback to a vertical position. To store the seat, fold the seatback down on the cushion, then push the entire seat up until it is ﬂush with the trim panel.

Don’t let the safety belts be damaged by the hinges or the latches. Safety belts should be folded and stored between the seat cushion and seatback.

1-10

Safety Belts

Safety Belts: They Are 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.

{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.

1-11

Your vehicle has a light that comes on as a reminder to buckle up. See

Safety Belt Reminder Light on page 3-26

Why Safety Belts Work

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

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

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!

1-12

They work

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

Put someone on it. Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider

doesn’t stop.

1-13

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

1-14

or the instrument panel...

Questions and Answers About Safety Belts

Q: Won’t I be trapped in the vehicle after an

accident if I’m wearing a safety belt?

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.

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,

can

so you you are belted.

unbuckle and get out, is

much

greater if

1-15

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 safety belts – not instead of them. Every air bag 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.

with

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 – even one that isn’t your fault – you 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.

How to Wear Safety Belts Properly

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 or

Infants and Young Children on page 1-33

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.

Older Children on page 1-31

. Follow

1-16

Driver Position

This part describes the driver’s restraint system.

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 so you can sit up straight. To see how, see “Seats” in the Index.

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

The shoulder belt may lock if you pull the belt across you very quickly. If this happens, let the belt go back slightly to unlock it. Then pull the belt across you more slowly.

4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks. Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure.

If the belt isn’t long enough, see

Extender on page 1-30

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.

Safety Belt

1-17

5. To make the lap part tight, pull down on the buckle end of the belt as you pull up on the shoulder belt.

1-18

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 crash, or if you pull the belt very quickly out of the retractor.

Q: What’s wrong with this?

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

as much protection this way.

{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.

1-19

Q: What’s wrong with this?

A: The belt is buckled in the wrong place.

{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.

1-20

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.

{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.

1-21

Q: What’s wrong with this?

A: The belt is twisted across the body.

{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.

1-22

To unlatch the belt, just push the button on the buckle. The belt should go back out of the way.

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.

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.

1-23

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 Front Passenger Position

To learn how to wear the right front passenger’s safety belt properly, see

The right front passenger’s safety belt works the same way as the driver’s safety belt – except for one thing. If you ever pull the shoulder portion of the belt out all the way, you will engage the child restraint locking feature. If this happens, just let the belt go back all the way and start again.

Driver Position on page 1-17

Center Passenger Position

Lap Belt

If your vehicle has a front bench seat, someone can sit in the center position. If your vehicle is a Crew

Cab

model, someone can sit in the center rear position.

1-24

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