Vehicle Access

Cab Door Locks and Handles

One common key operates the ignition switch and all of the door locks.
IMPORTANT: Each key is numbered. Record the number so a duplicate key can be made, if needed.
To unlock the driver's door from outside the cab, insert the key in the lockset and turn it one-quarter turn clockwise. See Fig. 2.1 . To remove the key, turn it counterclockwise to the original position. Pull out on the door pull handle to open the door.
  • 1. Key
  • 2. Lockset
  • 3. Door Pull Handle
Fig. 2.1, Exterior Door Handle
To unlock the passenger's door from outside the cab, insert the key in the lockset and turn it one-quarter turn counterclockwise. Turn the key clockwise to the original position to remove it.
NOTE: The cab door locks can be operated when the doors are open.
To lock a door from outside the cab, insert the key in the lockset and turn it in the direction opposite to the unlocking direction (counterclockwise for the driver's door, clockwise for the passenger's door). Close the door if it is open.
To lock either door from inside the cab, push the lock button downwards. See Fig. 2.2 .
  • 1. Lock Button
  • 2. Integral Door Upper Grab Handle
  • 3. Door Lever
Fig. 2.2, Door Interior
To open the door from the inside, lift up on the door lever. This will unlatch the door whether or not it is locked.
To unlock the door without unlatching it, pull the lock button upwards.

Grab Handles and Access Steps

WARNING
Wet or dirty shoe soles greatly increase the chance of slipping or falling. If your soles are wet or dirty, be especially careful when climbing onto, or down from, the back-of-cab area.
Always maintain three-point contact with the back-of-cab access supports while entering and exiting the back-of-cab area. Three-point contact means both feet and one hand, or both hands and one foot, on the grab handles, steps, and deck plates. Other areas are not meant to support back-of-cab access, and grabbing or stepping in the wrong place could lead to a fall, and personal injury.
Be careful not to get hands or feet tangled in hoses or other back-of-cab equipment. Carelessness could cause a person to trip and fall, with possible injury.

Entering the Driver Side

When entering the cab from the driver side, use the grab handle and access steps as follows:
1.
Open the driver side door, and place anything that you are carrying in the cab.
2.
Using both hands, grasp the grab handle that is on the B-pillar, or use your left hand on the integral door lower grab handle. See Fig. 2.3 . Reach up as far as is comfortable.
  • 1. Steering Wheel
  • 2. B-Pillar Grab Handle
  • 3. Bottom Step
  • 4. Top Step
  • 5. Integral Door Lower Grab Handle
Fig. 2.3, Driver-Side Steps and Grab Handle
3.
Place your right foot on the bottom step, and pull yourself up. Move your left hand to the integral door upper grab handle.
4.
Place your left foot on the top step.
5.
Grasp the steering wheel with your left hand, and step up.
6.
Step into the cab with your right foot first, and grasp the steering wheel with your right hand.

Exiting the Driver Side

Exit the cab from the driver side as follows:
IMPORTANT: Do not attempt to exit the cab while carrying any items in your hands.
1.
Grasp the steering wheel with both hands, place your left foot on the top step, then stand on the threshold facing into the cab.
2.
Using your right hand, grasp the grab handle, located on the B-pillar.
3.
Move your right foot to the bottom step.
4.
Move your left hand to the integral door lower grab handle.
5.
Step to the ground with your left foot first.

Entering the Passenger Side

When entering the cab from the passenger side, use the grab handles and access steps as follows:
1.
Open the passenger-side door, and place anything that you are carrying in the cab.
2.
Using your left hand, grasp the grab handle that's on the rear of the door opening. See Fig. 2.4 .
  • 1. Lower Grab Handle
  • 2. Upper Grab Handle
  • 3. Integral Door Lower Grab Handle
  • 4. Top Step
Fig. 2.4, Passenger-Side Steps and Grab Handles
3.
Using your right hand, grasp the integral door lower grab handle.
4.
Place your right foot on the bottom step, and step up to the upper step with your left foot.
5.
Place your right foot on the top step, and step up.
6.
Move your right hand to the upper grab handle on the windshield post.
7.
Step into the cab with your left foot first.

Exiting the Passenger Side

Exit the cab from the passenger side as follows:
IMPORTANT: Do not attempt to exit the cab while carrying any items in your hands.
1.
Using both hands, grasp the grab handle thats on the windshield post, and place your right foot on the top step while standing up from the seat facing inward.
2.
Place your left foot on the bottom step.
3.
Move your left hand to the lower grab handle located at the rear edge of the door opening. See Fig. 2.4 .
4.
Move your right hand to the integral door lower grab handle.
5.
Step to the ground with your right foot first.

Cab-to-Sleeper Access

To open the sleeper access on vehicles with vinyl sleeper curtains, unzip the sleeper curtains. If desired, unsnap the curtains all the way around the sides and top, and remove the curtains.
To open the sleeper access on vehicles with velour sleeper curtains, unfasten the snaps at one side, then push the curtain to the opposite side.

Sleeper Door

The sleeper door ( Fig. 2.5 , Ref. 1) is not intended for entry or exit. The door is intended only as a convenient means to stow or remove personal belongings in and from the sleeper area. To open the sleeper door from the inside, push down on the lever handle located inside the sleeper compartment aft of the door, or pull out on the upper lever located inside the cab door opening; see Fig. 2.6 . To open the sleeper door from outside, open the cab door, then pull out on the upper lever located inside the cab door opening. To close the door, pull on the strap attached to the inside of the door, or push it closed from the outside, until it latches.
IMPORTANT: The sleeper doors are two-stage latching. When closing the doors, ensure that they are completely latched to prevent wind noise and water intrusion.
  • 1. Sleeper Door
  • 2. Luggage Compartment Door
Fig. 2.5, Sleeper Doors
  • 1. Sleeper Door Lever
  • 2. Luggage Door Lever
Fig. 2.6, Sleeper Door Levers

Sleeper Luggage Door

To open the sleeper luggage door, pull out on the lower lever located inside the cab door opening. See Fig. 2.6 . To close the door, push it closed until it latches.

Back-of-Cab Access

WARNING
External surfaces of the exhaust system remain hot after the engine has been shut down. When accessing the back of the cab or sleeper, do not touch any part of the exhaust system, or severe burns could occur.
When trailer air and electrical connections cannot be reached conveniently from the ground, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations require commercial carriers to provide back-of-cab access.
Optional grab handles are mounted either on both cab sidewalls, or on the left sidewall only. See Fig. 2.7 . Steps are mounted either on the fuel tank(s) or on metal brackets. When a deck plate is necessary, it is mounted across the top of the frame rails.
IMPORTANT: Climb onto, and down from, back-of-cab access facing in toward the vehicle, as you would on a ladder. Do not climb up or down facing out away from the vehicle.
  • 1. Steps
  • 2. Grab Handle
  • 3. Deck Plate
Fig. 2.7, Back-of-Cab Access
WARNING
Wet or dirty shoe soles greatly increase the chance of slipping or falling. If your soles are wet or dirty, be especially careful when climbing onto, or leaving, the back-of-cab area.
Always maintain three-point contact with the back-of-cab access supports while entering and exiting the back-of-cab area. Three-point contact means both feet and one hand, or both hands and one foot, on the grab handles, steps, and deck plates. Other areas are not meant to support back-of-cab access, and grabbing or stepping in the wrong place could lead to a fall, and personal injury.
Be careful not to get hands or feet tangled in hoses or other back-of-cab equipment. Carelessness could cause a person to trip and fall, with possible injury.

Entering Back-of-Cab

When climbing onto the deck plate, do the following:
1.
Grasp the sidewall grab handle with both hands. Reach up as far as is comfortable.
2.
Place one foot on the bottom step and pull yourself up.
3.
Place your other foot on the top step.
4.
Move your lower hand to a higher position on the grab handle.
5.
Step onto the deck plate.

Climbing Down from Back-of-Cab

To climb down from the back-of-cab area:
1.
Grasp the sidewall grab handle with both hands.
2.
Step one foot at a time onto the top step.
3.
Move your upper hand to a lower position on the grab handle.
4.
Move one foot to the bottom step.
5.
Move your upper hand to a lower position on the grab handle.
6.
Step to the ground with your upper foot first.

Hood Opening and Closing

A grab handle at the front of the hood provides a hand-hold for hood tilting. Two tilt-assist struts help to tilt the hood open, and to return it to the operating position. A damper controls the closing rate of the hood and hood straps prevent the hood from overtravel. In the operating position, the hood is secured by a hold-down latch on each side of the hood.

To Tilt the Hood

1.
Apply the parking brakes.
2.
Release both hood hold-down latches by pulling the ends outward.
CAUTION
Do not let the hood free-fall to the full-open position. To do so could cause damage to the hood or hood straps.
3.
Using the bumper step and grab handle, slowly tilt the hood until the straps support it. See Fig. 2.8 .
Fig. 2.8, Hood Tilting

To Return the Hood

1.
Grasp the grab handle, and lift the hood a just-over-center position.
2.
As the hood goes over center, the hood damper controls the rate of descent to the operating position.
3.
Make sure the hood is flush with the cowl, then secure the hood by engaging both hood hold-down latches.
IMPORTANT: Make sure that both hold-down latches are fully engaged before operating the vehicle.