User manual GMC SONOMA 2001

[. . . ] Every 2001 Sonoma under warranty is backed with the following services: 1-800-GMC-8782 (For vehicles purchased in Canada, call 1-800-268-6800) that provides in an emergency: Courtesy Transportation Trip Routing Free lockout assistance Free dead-battery assistance Free out-of-fuel assistance Free flat-tire change Emergency towing 2001 GMC Sonoma Owner's Manual Litho in U. S. A. Part Number X2108 A First Edition © Copyright General Motors Corporation 2000 All Rights Reserved i Table of Contents Seats and Restraint Systems Section 1 Seats and Seat Controls Safety Belts Air Bag Systems Restraint Systems for Children Features and Controls Section 2 Windows Keys and Door Locks Remote Keyless Entry (If Equipped) Tailgate Automatic Transmission (If Equipped) Manual Transmission Operation (If Equipped) Four-Wheel Drive (If Equipped) Parking Brake Tilt Wheel (If Equipped) Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever Windshield Wipers Cruise Control (If Equipped) Exterior and Interior Lamps Mirrors Storage Compartments Accessory Power Outlets OnStar® System (If Equipped) Instrument Panel, Warning Lights and Gages ii Table of Contents (cont'd) Comfort Controls and Audio Systems Section 3 Heating and Air Conditioning Setting the Radio Clock Radio/Cassette Player/CD Player Radio Theft-Deterrent Feature (If Equipped) Your Driving and the Road Section 4 Defensive Driving Drunken Driving Control of a Vehicle Braking Steering Driving Tips for Various Road Conditions Off-Road Driving Recreational Vehicle Towing Loading Your Vehicle Towing a Trailer Problems on the Road Section 5 Hazard Warning Flashers Jump Starting Towing Your Vehicle Engine Overheating Changing a Flat Tire If You're Stuck iii Table of Contents (cont'd) Service and Appearance Care Section 6 Fuel Checking Fluids and Lubricants Engine Air Cleaner/Filter Brakes Bulb Replacement Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement Tires and Wheels Appearance Care Electrical System Capacities and Specifications Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts Maintenance Schedule Section 7 Scheduled Maintenance Owner Checks and Services Periodic Maintenance Inspections Recommended Fluids and Lubricants Maintenance Records iv Table of Contents (cont'd) Customer Assistance Information Section 8 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 Section 9 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 v We support voluntary technician certification. 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. [. . . ] If the hill is steep enough to stall your vehicle, it's steep enough to cause you to roll over if you turn around. If you can't make it up the hill, you must back straight down the hill. 4-20 Q: A: Suppose, after stalling, I try to back down the hill and decide I just can't do it. Set the parking brake, put your transmission in PARK (P) (or the manual transmission in FIRST (1)) and turn off the engine. Exit on the uphill side and stay clear of the path the vehicle would take if it rolled downhill. D Are there hidden surface obstacles?Is there a hidden creek bank or even a river bottom with large rocks? If you decide you can go down a hill safely, then try to keep your vehicle headed straight down, and use a low gear. This way, engine drag can help your brakes and they won't have to do all the work. Descend slowly, keeping your vehicle under control at all times. Driving Downhill When off-roading takes you downhill, you'll want to consider a number of things: CAUTION: Heavy braking when going down a hill can cause your brakes to overheat and fade. Apply the brakes lightly when descending a hill and use a low gear to keep vehicle speed under control. D How steep is the downhill?Will I be able to maintain vehicle control? D What's the surface like?Gravel? 4-21 Q: A: Are there some things I should not do when driving down a hill?These are important because if you ignore them you could lose control and have a serious accident. Q: A: Am I likely to stall when going downhill?But if it happens going downhill, here's what to do. D Stop your vehicle by applying the regular brakes. Apply the parking brake. D When driving downhill, avoid turns that take you across the incline of the hill. A hill that's not too steep to drive down may be too steep to drive across. This is called "free-wheeling. " Your brakes will have to do all the work and could overheat and fade. D Shift to PARK (P) (or to NEUTRAL (N) with the manual transmission) and, while still braking, restart the engine. and drive straight down. D Never go downhill with the transmission in D Shift back to a low gear, release the parking brake, D If the engine won't start, get out and get help. 4-22 Driving Across an Incline Sooner or later, an off-road trail will probably go across the incline of a hill. If this happens, you have to decide whether to try to drive across the incline. Here are some things to consider: For reasons like these, you need to decide carefully whether to try to drive across an incline. Just because the trail goes across the incline doesn't mean you have to drive it. The last vehicle to try it might have rolled over. D A hill that can be driven straight up or down may be too steep to drive across. When you go straight up or down a hill, the length of the wheel base (the distance from the front wheels to the rear wheels) reduces the likelihood the vehicle will tumble end over end. But when you drive across an incline, the much more narrow track width (the distance between the left and right wheels) may not prevent the vehicle from tilting and rolling over. Also, driving across an incline puts more weight on the downhill wheels. [. . . ] You may write to: Transport Canada 330 Sparks Street Tower C Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N5 8-10 REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS TO GENERAL MOTORS In addition to notifying NHTSA (or Transport Canada) in a situation like this, we certainly hope you'll notify us. Please call us at 1-800-GMC-8782 (1-800-462-8782), or write: Pontiac-GMC Customer Assistance Center P. O. Box 33172 Detroit, MI 48232-5172 In Canada, please call us at 1-800-263-3777 (English) or 1-800-263-7854 (French). Or, write: General Motors of Canada Limited Customer Communication Centre, 163-005 1908 Colonel Sam Drive Oshawa, Ontario L1H 8P7 8-11 2001 GMC SERVICE PUBLICATIONS ORDERING INFORMATION The following publications covering the operation and servicing of your vehicle can be purchased by filling out the Service Publication Order Form in this book and mailing it in with your check, money order, or credit card information to Helm, Incorporated (address below. ) CURRENT PUBLICATIONS FOR 2001 GMC SERVICE MANUALS Service Manuals have the diagnosis and repair information on engines, transmission, axle, suspension, brakes, electrical, steering, body, etc. [. . . ]