GMC SIERRA 1998 User manual

SIERRA
~~
COMFORTABLY 1N COMMAND.'"

The 1998 GMC Sierra Owner's Manual
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Seatsand Restraint Systems
This section tells you how to use your seats and safety belts properly. Tt also explains the air bag system.
Featuresand Controls
This section explains how to start and operate your vehicle.
Comfort Controls and AudioSystems
This section tells you how to adjust the ventilation and comfort controls and how to operate your audio system.
Your Driving and the Road
Here you'll find helpful information and tips about the road and how to drive under different conditions.
Problemson the Road
This section tells what to do if you have a problem while driving? suchas a flat tire or overheated engine, etc.
Serviceand Appearance Care
Here the manual tells you how to keep your vehicle running properly and looking good.
Maintenance Schedule
This section tells you when to perform vehicle maintenance and what fluids and lubricants to use.
Customer AssistanceInformation
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- 10.
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.
i

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
in the product 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 itwhen 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.
X9804 B First Edition
WE SUPPORT
VOLUNTARY TECHNICIAN
CERTIFICATION
THROUGH
National Institute far
AUTOMOTIVE
SERVICE
EXCELLENCE
We support voluntary
technician certification.
For Canadian Owners Who Prefer a
French Language Manual:
Aux propribtaires canadiens: Vous pouvez vous
procurer un exemplaire de ce guide enfraqaischez
votre concessionaire
ou au:
DGN Marketing Services Ltd.
1500 Bonhill Rd.
Mississauga, Ontario L5T IC7
@CopyrightGeneral Motors Corporation
1997
All Rights Reserved
ii

How to Use this Manual
Many people readtheir owner’s manual from beginning
to end when they first receive their new vehicle. If you
dothis, it will help
you learn about the features and
controls foryour 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 alphabeticallist 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.
A CAUTION: 1
These meanthere is something that could hurt
you or other people.
I
In the caution area,we tell you what the hazard is. Then
we tell you what to do tohelp avoid
or reduce the
hazard. Please read these cautions.If you don’t, you or
others could be hurt.
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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:
I 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.
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Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
For example.
these symbols
are used
on an
originnl battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT
EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
ACID COULD
BATTERY
CAUSE
BURNS
AVOID
SPARKS OR
FLAMES
SPARK OR ,\I/,
COULD
FLAME
EXPLODE
BATTERY
These symbols
are important
for you
and
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle is
driven:
DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK
FASTEN
SEAT
BELTS
POWER
WINDOW
These symbols
have to do with
your lamps:
SIGNALS e e
TURN
RUNNING *'***'O
DAYTIME
LAMPS *
FOG LAMPS # 0
These symbols
are on some of
your controls:
WIPER Q
WINDSHIELD
DEFROSTER
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
VENTILATING
FAN
These symbols
are used on
warning and
indicator lights:
ENGINE k
COOLANT - td
TEMP -
CHARGING
BATTERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE (@)
rr
ENGINE OIL w,
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK (@)
BRAKES
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE -%-
t
LIGHTER
HORN )tr
SPEAKER
b
FUEL no
V

Model Reference
.s manual covers these models:
Regular Cab Pickup
Extended Cab Pickup
Crew Cab
Chassis Cab
Ill
3500 HD Chassis Cab
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Section 1 Seats and RestraintSystems
Here you’ll find information aboutthe seats in your vehicle andhow to use your safety belts properly. You can also
learn about some thingsyou should not do with air bagsand safety belts.
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Seats and Seat Controls
Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone
Here Are QuestionsMany People
Ask About
Safety Belts
-- and the Answers
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
Driver Position
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
Right Front Passenger Position
Air Bag System
Center Passenger Position
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1-40
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Rear Seat Passengers
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Gu’idesfor
Children and Small Adults
Children
Child Restraints
Larger Children
Safety Belt Extender
Checking Your Restraint Systems
Replacing Restraint System
Parts After
a Crash

Seats and Seat Controls
This section tells you aboutthe 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
I
/!\ CAUTIO-.:
You can lose control of the vehicleif you try to
adjusta manual driver’s seat while the vehicle
is
moving. The sudden movement could startle and
confuseyou, or make you pusha pedal when you
don’t want to. Adjust the driver’s seat only when
the vehicleis
not moving.
If your vehicle has a manual
bucket, split bench or full
bench seat, you can adjust it
with
this lever at the front
of the seat.
Slidethe lever at the front of
the seat toward the
passenger’s side 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.
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Power Driver’s Seat (Option)
If your vehicle hasapower seat on the driver’s side, you can
adjust
it with these controls at the outsideedge of the seat.
You can use the round center knobto move the seat to
where you want it.
To raise the seat, move the knob up.
To lower the seat, move the knob down. To move the
seat forward,move the knob toward the front
of the
vehicle, To move the seat rearward, move the knob
toward the rear of the vehicle.
You can also raise and lower the front and rear
of the seat.
To raise the front of the seat, move thefront lever up. To
lower thefrontof the seat, move the front lever down. To
raise the rear of the seat, move the rear leverup. To lower
the rear
of the seat. move the rear lever down.
The switch located at the front
of this controlpanel
is for the power lumbar adjustment, which is
explained next.
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.
To increase support,press and hold the front of the
rocker switch.Let go of the switch when the lower
seatback reachesthe desired level
of support.
To decrease support,press and hold the rear of the
rocker switch. Let
go of the switch when the lower
seatback reaches the desired level
of support.
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To adjust the front seatback, move the lever rearward.
Release the lever to lock the seatback where you want it.
Move the lever again rearward and the seatback will
go
to an upright position.
But don’t have a seatback reclined if your vehicle
is moving.
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Sittingin a reclined position whenyour vehicle is
in motion can be dangerous. Evenif you buckle
up, your safety belts can’tdo theirjob when
you’re reclined like this.
The shoulderbelt can’t
do itsjob because it
won’t beagainstyour body. Instead,
it will be in
front of you. In a crashyou could go intoit,
receiving neckor otherinjuries.
The lap belt can’tdoits jobeither. Ina crashthe
belt could go up over your abdomen.The belt
forces would bethere, not
at your pelvic bones.
Thiscould causeseriousinternal injuries.
For proper protection whenthe vehicle
is in
motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit well
back in the seat and wear your safety belt properly.
~~
Head Restraints
Slide thehead restraint up ordown so that the topof the
restraintis closest to the topof your ears. This position
reduces the chanceof a neck injury in a crash.
Seatback Latches
The front seatbackof the base-level bench seat folds
forward to let you access the rearof the cab. Your
seatback willmove back and forthfreely,unless you
come to a sudden stop. Then itwill lock intoplace.
If
you have a Crew Cab,your front seatback isdesigned
not to fold forward.Access to the rear of the cabis
availableby using the rear doors.
The front seatback
of the splitbench seat and bucket
seats fold forward tolet you accessthe rear of the cab.
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To fold a front split bench
orbucket seatback forward,
pull this lever forward and
fold the seatback forward.
To return the seatback to the upright position,just push
the seatback rearward until it latches. After returning the
seatback to itsupright position, pull the seatback
forward to make sure it is locked.
If the seatback isn’t locked,it could move
forward in
a suddenstopor crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there. Always
press rearward on the seatbackto be sure
it
is locked.
Easy Entry Seat (Extended Cab Only)
The manual driver and passenger front bucket seats
and the manual 60/40 split bench seat of your vehicle
have an easy entry feature. Thismakes it easy to get in
and out of the rear seat. On vehicles with the power
driver’s seat,only the frontpassenger’s seat has the
easy entry feature.
To operatethe seat, pull
forward on the top of this
lever and tilt the back
forward toward the front of
the vehicle.
When you do, the seatbottom will release. Just pull or
push the seat forward until it stops.
To return the seat to its regular position, return the
seatback to itsupright position, then push the whole seat
rearward until it latches.
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After returning the seat to its regular position,try to
move the seat with your body in order to makesure the
seat islocked into place.
I A LAUTION:
If any easyentry seat isn’t locked,it can move. In
a sudden stopor crash, the person sittingthere
could beinjured.And, even ifthere
is no crash or
sudden stop,a driversitting in an unlocked easy
entry seat could bestartled by the sudden
movement and hit the wrong control or pedal,
causingan accident. Afteryou’ve usedit,be sure
to push rearward on any easy entry seat to be
sure it is locked.
Rear Seat(Extended Cab)
Foldingthe Rear Seat
The Extended Cab may have arear folding seat which
can be foldedup to provide more cargo space.
To fold
the seat:
’ 1. Pull forwardon the
RELEASE leverunder
the seat cushion,behind
the passenger’s side
front seat. Fold the
seatbackforward until
it latcheswith the
seatcushion.
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2. Lift the entire seat
and push it rearward
into place.
3. Make surethe seat is secure.
The Extended Cab’s rear seat can also be folded open
for more seating space. To use the seat:
1. Pull the entire seatforward until it is flat.
2. Then pull forward on the RELEASE lever under the
seat cushion,
on the passenger’s side of the rear seat.
Push the seatback rearward until it latches.
3. After pushing the seatbackupright into position, pull
the seatbackforward to make sure it is locked.
Rear Seat (Crew Cab)
The rear seatbackwithout a centerarmrest can be folded
forward to let you reach the area behind it. Your
seatbackwill move back and forth freely, unless you
come to asudden stop. Then, it will lock into place.
The rear seatback with
a center armrest folds forward to
let you access the area behind it.
To fold a seatback forward,
pull this leverforward and
fold the seatback forward.
To return the seatback to the upright position,just push
the seatbackrearward until it latches. After returning the
seatback to its upright position, pull the seatback
forward to make sure it is locked.
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