GMC CANYON 2009 Get To Know Guide

11
4. To turn Program Type off (while
seeking), press the SEEK or SEEK
TYPE button, or wait for the seek to
complete. All stations will now be
available when you press the SEEK
button.
Activate the Alternate Frequency
feature
• Press and hold the BAND button for
two seconds to turn it on; repeat to
turn it off.
When turned on, AF ON appears on the
radio display and the radio may switch
to stronger stations of the same PTY.
ALERT!
This message appears on the display
when a local or national emergency
announcement is available. If a CD is
playing, the announcement will override
it. ALERT! announcements cannot be
turned off, and are not affected by tests
of the Emergency Broadcast System.
MP3 Capability (if equipped)
A CD-R or CD-RW containing MP3
audio tracks will play automatically when
inserted into the CD player. TheftLock
When TheftLock is activated, your radio
will not operate if it is stolen. This fea-
ture works by learning a portion of your
vehicle’s VIN (Vehicle Identification
Number). If the radio is installed on a
different vehicle, it will not operate and
LOC or LOCKED (depending on radio
equipped) will appear on the display.
A blinking red light indicates that the
system is armed.
XM
®Radio (if equipped)
XM Radio offers more than 170 chan-
nels of digital-quality sound that goes
wherever you go — coast to coast. After
a free three-month trial period, activation
and service subscription fees apply.
Service is based in the continental U.S.
and Canada. For more information, visit
XM online at www.XMradio.comor call
1-800-929-2100.
Access XM Radio on equipped
vehicles
• Press the BAND button until XM1 or
XM2 appears on the display.
See Section 3 of your Owner Manual.
Note:CDs with any affixed labels may
jam in the CD player. Label a CD using
a permanent marker. If more than one
CD is inserted into the slot at a time,
or if scratched or damaged CDs are
played, the CD player could be
damaged. When using the CD player,
use only CDs in good condition without
labels; load one CD at a time; and keep
the CD player and the loading slot free
of foreign materials, liquids or debris.
Radio Antenna
The fixed mast radio antenna is
designed to withstand most car washes.
Check occasionally to make sure the
mast is still tightened to the fender. If
tightening is required, tighten it by hand,
and then use the special tool (located in
the glove box) to turn it one-quarter turn.
See Section 3 of your Owner Manual.

Getting to Know Your Canyon12
CONVENIENCE
Headlamp Controls
The exterior lamps control is located on
the instrument panel to the left of the
steering wheel.
Turn off all exterior lamps, including
the Daytime Running Lamps
• Turn the knob to the OFF position
().
Activate the Automatic Headlamp
System that illuminates all exterior
lamps and the instrument panel/radio
lights when they are needed
• If not already in the AUTO position,
turn the knob to AUTO.
Manually illuminate the parking
lamps, exterior tail/side-marker lamps
and instrument panel/radio lights
• Turn the knob to this position ( ).
Activate the headlamps, exterior tail/
side-marker lamps and instrument
panel/radio lights
• Turn the knob to this position ( ).
See Section 3 of your Owner Manual.
Automatic Headlamp System
During daytime driving, your vehicle’s
Automatic Headlamp System may
temporarily switch the headlamps and
instrument panel lights, including the
radio display, to the nighttime mode.
This occurs when encountering darker
conditions, such as under a bridge or
inside a parking garage.
When you start the vehicle at night, the
automatic headlamps may not come on
immediately. The system uses a light
sensor located on top of the instrument
panel. To ensure proper headlamp sys-
tem operation, avoid placing objects or
stickers on or near the sensor.
See Section 3 of your Owner Manual.
Fog Lamps (if equipped)
The fog lamp button
is located near the
exterior lamps control.
Turn on the fog
lamps
• Press the button once while the
headlamps or parking lamps are on.
The button’s indicator light will glow
when the fog lamps are on.

13
Cargo Lamps (if equipped)
The cargo lamps provide illumination of
the cargo area and the interiors of the
top-box storage units. The controls are
located near the exterior lamps control.
Turn on the cargo lamps
• Press the button once.
The button’s indicator light will glow
when the lamps are on.
See Section 3 of your Owner Manual.
Note: To turn your cargo lamps on, the
dome lamp override must not be activat-
ed, and the dome lamps must be on.
Dome Lamp Override
To prevent your vehicle’s dome lamps
from illuminating when a door is opened,
press the dome lamp override button
located below the exterior lamps knob.
See Section 3 of your Owner Manual.
Turn off the fog lamps
• Press the button again.
The fog lamps will shut off whenever the
high beam headlamps are turned on,
and will reactivate when the high beam
headlamps are dimmed or turned off.
The fog lamps are canceled each time
the ignition is turned off and, when
needed, must be turned on manually
after restarting the vehicle.
See Section 3 of your Owner Manual.
Sunroof (if equipped)
The sunroof control buttons are located
on the headliner. The sunshade is
opened and closed manually.
Open/vent the sunroof
Press and hold the

button until the
sunroof is in the desired position.
Close the sunroof
Press and hold the
button until the
sunroof is in the desired position. After
closing the sunroof, continue to hold the
button for approximately two seconds to
ensure the sunroof is properly sealed.
See Section 2 of your Owner Manual.

Getting to Know Your Canyon14
Rear Seat Folding Operation
(if equipped)
Fold down the forward-facing rear
seat on Extended Cab models
• Pull down on the bottom of the seat
until it is in place.
Store the seat
• Push the entire seat up until it is flush
with the trim panel.
Note:To ensure that the hinges or
latches do not damage the safety belt or
cause the belt buckle to rattle, fold and
store the belt between the seat cushion
and seatback using the Velcro attach-
ments provided on the lower portion of
the seat.
Fold the Crew Cab’s rear seatbacks
forward
1. Insert a small-tipped tool into the slot
to unlatch the center safety belt
buckle and move the belt to the side,
out of the way.
2. Grasp the loop located on the side of
the seatback (A) and pull it until you
hear a click.
A
Flexible Tailgate
The tailgate features a flexible design
that allows it to be positioned fully
up, fully down, removed, or partially
lowered.
Remove the
tailgate
1. With the
tailgate fully
open, lift it
up slightly.
2. Remove the
retaining
cable from
each side of the tailgate by pulling the
clip away from the bolt head while
pushing the cable bracket forward.
When the larger part of the hole on
the bracket is over the bolt, slide the
bracket off.
3. With the tailgate partially down, lift up
on the passenger’s side and pull the
tailgate toward you; then move the
tailgate to the right to release the driv-
er’s side. Remove the entire tailgate.
Note: The rear seat storage compart-
ments must be in the rearward position
before folding the seat down.
3. Fold the seatback down.
Repeat the process to fold the other
seatback.
Return the Crew Cab’s rear seatbacks
to the upright position
1. Lift the seatback up and push it into
place.
2. Reconnect the center safety belt latch
plate with the buckle.
3. Push and pull on the seatback to
ensure that it is secured.
Repeat these steps for the other seat-
back as necessary.
See Section 1 of your Owner Manual.

Partially lower the tailgate
1. With the tailgate fully open, lift it up
slightly.
2. Remove the retaining cable from
each side of the tailgate by pulling the
clip away from the bolt head while
pushing the cable bracket forward.
When the larger part of the hole on
the bracket is over the bolt, slide the
bracket off.
3. Slide the
lower end fit-
ting onto the
top bolt on
each side of
the tailgate.
Partially
lower the
tailgate.
Tailgate lock (if equipped)
The tailgate also includes a lock that
can be used when the tailgate is in a
normal, upright position.
See Section 2 of your Owner Manual.
15
Two-Tier Loading and
Optional Bed Extender
You can create an upper load platform
by positioning four 2x6 wooden planks
across the width of the pickup box.
Insert the planks into the pickup box
depressions (below), allowing for at
least a 3/4-inch (2-cm) bearing surface
on each end of the plank.
Ensure that the upper-tier load is
securely tied down, with its center of
gravity in a zone over the rear axle.
See Section 4 of your Owner Manual.
Cargo Tie-Downs and Bed Rails
To secure loads, use the cargo tie-down
loops inside the cargo bed area. If your
truck is equipped with bed rails, do not
attempt to use them to secure loads,
as they are for appearance only. Using
the bed rails as a load anchor not only
can damage them but may cause the
load to loosen, possibly causing injury.
See Section 4 of your Owner Manual.
Note:An accessory bed extender,
available from your dealer, provides
even more flexibility for longer loads.
Note:The tailgate cannot be closed in
this position. The top end fitting of the
bracket must be anchored on the bot-
tom bolt to close the tailgate.
Cargo bed depressions for two-tier loading

Getting to Know Your Canyon16
With four-wheel drive, you can send
power to all four wheels for extra trac-
tion. The controls are located on the
instrument panel, to the right of the
steering wheel.
Four-Wheel Drive Modes
2

(2HI): This setting is used for most
street and highway driving conditions.
The front axle is not engaged in this
mode.
Four-Wheel Drive System
(if equipped)
PERFORMANCE & MAINTENANCE
Starting Your Engine
With your foot off the accelerator pedal,
turn the ignition key to Start. When the
engine starts, let go of the key. Avoid
holding your key in the Start position
for longer than 15 seconds at a time.
Excessive starter operation can drain
your battery much sooner and excessive
heat can damage your starter motor. If
more than one try to start the engine is
necessary, wait about 15 seconds
between the first and second attempts.
See Section 2 of your Owner Manual.
Automatic Locking Differential
(if equipped)
Your axle may be equipped with an
automatic locking differential feature that
helps increase traction when traveling at
speeds less than 20 mph.
Once engaged, both rear wheels will
“lock” and rotate at the same speed,
improving vehicle traction. If one wheel
has poor traction, such as when on ice,
snow or mud, power will be transferred
to the wheel with better traction.
Resetting the Oil Life System
The Oil Life System calculates engine
oil life based on vehicle use and dis-
plays CHANGE OIL on the Driver
Information Center when it’s necessary
to change the engine oil and filter. The
Oil Life System should be reset only
following an oil change.
To reset the Oil Life System:
1. Turn on the ignition, with the
engine off.
2. Press and release the control stem
on the instrument cluster until OIL
LIFE is displayed.
3. Once the alternating OIL LIFE and
RESET messages appear, press and
hold the control stem until several
beeps sound. This confirms that the
Oil Life System has been reset.
4. Turn off the ignition.
See Sections 3 and 5 of your Owner Manual.
Note: The Oil Life System does not
replace the need to follow the mainte-
nance schedule in the Owner Manual.
It also does not measure how much oil
is in the engine.

17
(manual transmission). The preferred
method for shifting into 4LO is to
have the vehicle moving at just under
3 mph (5 km/h).
2. Press and release the 4LO button
and wait for the 4LO indicator light to
stop flashing and remain illuminated
before shifting the transmission into
gear or releasing the clutch pedal.
Shift from 4LO to 2HI or 4HI
1. Stop the vehicle or drive at 3 mph
(5 km/h) or slower, with the transmis-
sion in Neutral (automatic transmis-
sion) or the clutch pedal depressed
(manual transmission). The preferred
method for shifting out of 4LO is to
have the vehicle moving at just under
3 mph (5 km/h).
2. Press and release the 2HI or 4HI
button and wait for the 2HI or 4HI
indicator light to stop flashing and
remain illuminated before shifting the
transmission into gear or releasing
the clutch pedal.
Note: When shifting into and out of
4LO, it is normal to hear and feel
positive gear feedback, typically referred
to as “clunk” (noise) and seat “bump”
(feel). If a shift is made with the vehicle
stopped, the indicator light may remain
flashing slowly. It may be necessary to
shift the transmission momentarily into
Reverse and Drive (automatic transmis-
sion) or Reverse and 1st (manual trans-
mission) and rock the vehicle slightly to
get the light to come on fully.
N(Neutral): Shift the vehicle’s transfer
case to N only when towing your
vehicle.
4

(4HI): This setting engages the front
axle to provide extra traction on snowy
or icy roads and during most off-road
situations. Do not drive on pavement in
four-wheel drive for long periods, as it
may cause premature powertrain wear.
4
(4LO): This setting engages the
front axle and sends maximum power to
all four wheels for extremely low-traction
conditions. You might choose 4LO for
driving off-road in sand, mud or deep
snow and for climbing or descending
steep hills.
Indicator lights in the buttons show
which setting is currently selected.
Shift from 2HI to 4HI
• Press the 4HI button while driving at
any speed.
Shift from 4HI to 2HI
• Press the 2HI button while driving at
any speed.
Shift from 2HI or 4HI to 4LO
1. Stop the vehicle or drive at 3 mph
(5 km/h) or slower, with the transmis-
sion in Neutral (automatic transmis-
sion) or the clutch pedal depressed
Note: The indicator lights can flash at
two speeds. Fast flashing means the
conditions were not met to make the
desired shift; typically, the vehicle was
going too fast, the automatic transmis-
sion was not in Neutral, or the clutch
pedal was not fully depressed. Slow
flashing means the shift is in progress.
If the transfer case is unable to make a
requested shift, the indicator light will
flash slowly for 30 seconds and then
return to the previous setting.

Getting to Know Your Canyon18
8. Turn the engine off.
9. Place the transmission shift
lever in Park (P), or First (1) for
vehicles equipped with a manual
transmission.
10.Turn the ignition to Lock.
11. Release the parking brake prior to
towing.
Shifting out of Neutral
1. Set the parking brake and press and
hold the regular brake pedal.
2. Shift the transmission to Neutral (N),
or press the clutch pedal for vehicles
with a manual transmission, and turn
the ignition to Run with the engine off.
3. Press the button for the desired
transfer case shift position (2HI,
4HI, or 4LO).
4. After the transfer case has shifted
out of Neutral, the indicator light will
go out.
5. Release the parking brake.
6. You may start the engine and shift
the transmission to the desired
position.
See Section 2 of your Owner Manual.
Shift the transfer case into or out of
Neutral
Shifting into Neutral
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Turn the ignition to Run but leave the
engine off.
3. Press the regular brake pedal and
shift the transmission in Neutral (N),
or depress the clutch for vehicles
with a manual transmission.
4. Shift the transfer case to two-wheel
high.
5. Press and hold the two-wheel high
and four-wheel low buttons at the
same time for 10 seconds. The
Neutral (N) light will come on when
the transfer case shift to Neutral (N)
is complete.
6. Start the engine.
7. Press and hold the regular brake
pedal and shift the transmission to
Reverse (R) for one second; then
shift the transmission to Drive (D) for
one second, or First (1) for vehicles
with manual transmissions and let
out the clutch, to ensure the transfer
case is in Neutral. If not, repeat this
procedure starting at the third step.
Note: Shifting the transfer case to
Neutral can cause your vehicle to roll
even if the transmission is in Park (P) or
in gear. You or someone else could be
seriously injured. Be sure to set the
parking brake before placing the trans-
fer case in Neutral.

19
StabiliTrak®– Stability Control
System (if equipped)
StabiliTrak is an advanced computer-
controlled vehicle stability and traction
enhancement system that assists with
directional control of the vehicle in diffi-
cult driving conditions. It turns on auto-
matically every time you start your vehi-
cle. To limit wheelspin and help maintain
directional control, you should always
leave the system
on. However, if
your vehicle
becomes stuck in
sand, mud or snow
and rocking the
vehicle is required,
the system should
be turned off.
To turn off the traction control part of
the system, press the (StabiliTrak)
button on the center of the instrument
panel. TRAC OFF will appear on the
Driver Information Center (DIC).
To turn off the traction control and stabil-
ity control systems, press and hold the
button for five seconds. STAB SYS
OFF will appear on the DIC.
The StabiliTrak warning light on the
instrument panel cluster will illuminate
when either part of the system is
turned off.
Press the button again to turn on
the system.
See Section 4 of your Owner Manual.
Tire Pressure Monitor
The Tire Pressure Monitor alerts you
when a significant reduction in pressure
occurs in one or more of your vehicle’s
tires by illuminating the (Low Tire
Pressure) warning light on the instru-
ment panel cluster. The low tire pres-
sure warning light will remain on until
you correct the tire pressure. A LOW
TIRE message may also appear on
the DIC.
Correcting the Tire Pressure
When the low tire pressure warning light
illuminates, you must inflate the tire to
the proper tire pressure (just as you
must refuel the vehicle when the low fuel
warning light illuminates). The Tire and
Loading Information label shows the
correct tire pressure for the tires when
they’re cold. “Cold” means your vehicle
has been sitting for at least three hours
or driven no more than one mile.
You can temporarily clear the DIC
message by acknowledging it with your
DIC controls. However, at the next
vehicle start-up, the DIC message will
reappear if the tire pressure has not
been corrected.
During cooler conditions, the low tire
pressure warning light may appear when
the vehicle is first started and then turn
off as you start to drive. This could be an
early indicator that your tire pressures
are getting low and the tires need to be
inflated to the proper pressure.
See Section 5 of your Owner Manual.
Note:The Tire Pressure Monitor can
alert you about low tire pressure, but it
doesn’t replace normal monthly tire
maintenance.

Getting to Know Your Canyon20
Roadside Assistance
My GMLink
1-800-GMC-8782
(1-800-462-8782)
TTY Users: 1-888-889-2438
As the proud owner of a GMC Canyon,
you are automatically enrolled in the
GMC Roadside Assistance program.
This value-added service is intended to
provide you with peace of mind as you
drive in the city or travel the open road.
GMC’s Roadside Assistance toll-free
number is staffed by a team of techni-
cally trained advisors who are available
24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The
advisors can provide minor repair infor-
mation over the phone or make arrange-
ments to tow your vehicle to the nearest
GMC dealer.
GMC will provide the following services
for 5 years/100,000 miles at no expense
to you:
• Fuel delivery
• Lockout service (identification
required)
• Tow to nearest dealership for
warranty service
• Flat tire assistance
• Jump starts
For prompt and efficient assistance
when calling, please provide the follow-
ing information to the advisor:
The GMC Owner Center at My GMLink
is a complimentary service for GMC
owners, a one-stop resource to enhance
your GMC ownership experience.
Exclusive member benefits include
online service reminders, vehicle
maintenance tips, online owner manual,
special privileges and more. Sign up
today at www.mygmlink.com. • Location of the vehicle
• Telephone number and your location
• Vehicle model, year and color
• Vehicle mileage
• Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
• Vehicle license plate number
GMC reserves the right to limit services
or reimbursement to an owner or driver
when, in GMC’s judgment, the claims
become excessive in frequency or type
of occurrence.
Roadside Assistance and OnStar
(if equipped)
If you have a current OnStar subscrip-
tion, press the OnStar button and the
vehicle will send your current GPS loca-
tion to an OnStar Advisor who will speak
to you, assess your problem, contact
Roadside Assistance and relay your
exact location so you will get the help
you need.
Certain restrictions, precautions and safety procedures apply to your vehicle. Please read your Owner
Manual for complete instructions. All information contained herein is based on information available at the
time of printing and is subject to change without notice. Copyright 2008 by GM Corp. All rights reserved.
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OWNER INFORMATION
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