wheel GMC CANYON 2009 Get To Know Guide

Congratulations on your purchase of a GMC Canyon. Please read this information and your Owner Manual
to ensure an outstanding ownership experience. Note that your vehicle may not include all the features
described in this booklet. Keep this booklet with your Owner Manual for easy reference.
DRIVER INFORMATION
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Instrument Panel Cluster . . . . . . .3
Driver Information Center . . . . . . .4
SAFETY & SECURITY
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Child Comfort Guide . . . . . . . . . . .5
Child Restraints (LATCH) . . . . . . .6
Automatic Door Locks . . . . . . . . .6
Rear Door Security Locks . . . . . .6
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Content Theft-Deterrent System .7
OnStar
® . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
COMFORT
Power Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Heated Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Manual/Power Lumbar . . . . . . . . .9
Preventing Window Fogging . . . .9
ENTERTAINMENT
Audio Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Radio Antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
CONVENIENCE
Headlamp Controls . . . . . . . . . . .12
Automatic Headlamp System . . .12
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Cargo Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Dome Lamp Override . . . . . . . . .13
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Rear Seat Folding Operation . . .14Flexible Tailgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Cargo Tie-Downs and
Bed Rails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Two-Tier Loading and
Optional Bed Extender . . . . . . . .15
PERFORMANCE & MAINTENANCE
Starting Your Engine . . . . . . . . . .16
Resetting the Oil Life System . .16
Automatic Locking Differential .16
Four-Wheel Drive System . . . . . .16
StabiliTrak
®– Stability Control
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Tire Pressure Monitor . . . . . . . . .19
OWNER INFORMATION
Roadside Assistance . . . . . . . . .20
My GMLink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Getting to Know Your Canyon2
The main features of the instrument
panel include:
A. Air Outlets
B. Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
C. Instrument Panel Cluster
D. Hazard Warning Flashers Button
E. Passenger Front Airbag
F. Exterior Lamp Controls
G. Parking Brake Release H. Horn
I. StabiliTrak Button/Four-Wheel Drive
Buttons (if equipped)
J. Audio System
K. Cigarette Lighter
(if equipped)
L. Climate Control System
M. Accessory Power Outlet
N. Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
O. Glove Box
See Section 3 of your Owner Manual.
Instrument Panel
DRIVER INFORMATION

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.

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.