shift GMC CANYON 2010 Owner's Guide

Two-Tiered Loading
By positioning four 2” X 6” wooden planks across
the width of the pickup box, you can create an
upper load platform. The planks must be inserted
in the pickup box depressions. The length of
the planks must allow for at leasta2cm(3/4 inch)
bearing surface on each end of the plank.
When using this upper load platform, be sure the
load is securely tied down to prevent it from
shifting. The load’s center of gravity should be
positioned in a zone over the rear axle.
Any load that extends beyond the vehicle’s
taillamp area must be properly marked according
to local laws and regulations.
Remember not to exceed the Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR) of the rear axle.
Add-On Equipment
When you carry removable items, you may need
to put a limit on how many people you carry
inside your vehicle. Be sure to weigh your vehicle
before you buy and install the new equipment.
Notice
:Overloading the vehicle may cause
damage. Repairs would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Do not overload the vehicle.Remember not to exceed the Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR) of the rear axle.
A reinforcement kit for mounting a toolbox is
recommended. See your dealer/retailer.
Truck-Camper Loading Information
The vehicle was neither designed nor intended
to carry a slide-in type camper.
Notice
:Adding a slide-in camper or similar
equipment to the vehicle can damage it,
and the repairs would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Do not install a slide-in
camper or similar equipment on the vehicle.
Pickup Conversion to Chassis Cab
We are aware that some vehicle owners might consider
having the pickup box removed and a commercial or
recreational body installed. However, we recommend
that conversions of this type not be done to pickups.
Owners should be aware that, as manufactured, there
are differences between a chassis cab and a pickup with
the box removed which could affect vehicle safety.
5-40

3. Turn the engine off and firmly set the parking brake.
SeeParking Brake on page 3-30.
4. Securely attach the vehicle being towed to the tow
vehicle.
{WARNING:
Shifting a full-time four-wheel-drive vehicle’s
transfer case into N (Neutral) can cause the
vehicle to roll even if the automatic transmission is
in P (Park) or the manual transmission is in any
gear. You or others could be injured. Make sure
the parking brake is firmly set before the transfer
case is shifted to N (Neutral).5. Shift the transfer case to N (Neutral). See “Shifting
into N (Neutral)” underFour-Wheel Drive on
page 3-25.
6. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF and remove the
key — the front wheels will still turn.
7. Release the parking brake only after the vehicle
being towed is firmly attached to the towing
vehicle.
After towing see “Shifting Out of N (Neutral)” under
Four-Wheel Drive on page 3-25.
If the vehicle being towed will not be started or driven
for six weeks or more, remove the battery cable from the
negative terminal (post) of the battery to prevent the
battery from draining.
5-43

Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicles
Use the following procedure to dolly tow a
four-wheel-drive vehicle from the front:
1. Attach the dolly to the tow vehicle following the
dolly manufacturer’s instructions.
2. Drive the front wheels onto the dolly.
3. Put an automatic transmission in P (Park) or a
manual transmission in 1 (First).
4. Turn the engine off and firmly set the parking brake.
SeeParking Brake on page 3-30.
{WARNING:
Shifting a full-time four-wheel-drive vehicle’s
transfer case into N (Neutral) can cause the
vehicle to roll even if the automatic transmission is
in P (Park) or the manual transmission is in any
gear. You or others could be injured. Make sure
the parking brake is firmly set before the transfer
case is shifted to N (Neutral).
5. Secure the vehicle to the dolly following the
manufacturer’s instructions.
6. Shift the transfer case to N (Neutral). See “Shifting
into N (Neutral)” underFour-Wheel Drive on
page 3-25.
7. Release the parking brake only after the vehicle
being towed is firmly attached to the towing vehicle.
8. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
After towing, see “Shifting Out of N (Neutral)” under
Four-Wheel Drive on page 3-25.
If the vehicle being towed will not be started or driven
for six weeks or more, remove the battery cable from the
negative terminal (post) of the battery to prevent the
battery from draining.
5-45

Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicles
Use the following procedure to dolly tow a
four-wheel-drive vehicle from the rear:
1. Attach the dolly to the tow vehicle following the
dolly manufacturer’s instructions.
2. Drive the rear wheels onto the dolly.
3. Firmly set the parking brake. SeeParking Brake on
page 3-30.
4. Put an automatic transmission in P (Park) or a
manual transmission in 1 (First).5. Secure the vehicle to the dolly following the
manufacturer’s instructions.
6. Use an adequate clamping device designed for
towing to ensure that the front wheels are locked
into the straight position.
{WARNING:
Shifting a full-time four-wheel-drive vehicle’s
transfer case into N (Neutral) can cause the
vehicle to roll even if the automatic transmission is
in P (Park) or the manual transmission is in any
gear. You or others could be injured. Make sure
the parking brake is firmly set before the transfer
case is shifted to N (Neutral).
7. Shift the transfer case to N (Neutral). See “Shifting
into N (Neutral)” underFour-Wheel Drive on
page 3-25.
8. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
If the vehicle being towed will not be started or
driven for six weeks or more, remove the battery
cable from the negative terminal (post) of the battery
to prevent the battery from draining.
After towing, see “Shifting Out of N (Neutral)” under
Four-Wheel Drive on page 3-25.
5-47

Pulling A Trailer
Here are some important points:
•There are many different laws, including speed limit
restrictions, having to do with trailering. Make sure
the rig will be legal, not only where you live but
also where you will be driving. A good source for
this information can be state or provincial police.
•Consider using a sway control. See “Hitches” later
in this section.
•Do not tow a trailer at all during the first 500 miles
(800 km) the new vehicle is driven. The engine,
axle or other parts could be damaged.
•Then, during the first 500 miles (800 km) that a
trailer is towed, do not drive over 50 mph (80 km/h)
and do not make starts at full throttle. This helps
the engine and other parts of the vehicle wear in at
the heavier loads.
•Vehicles with automatic transmissions can tow in
D (Drive), but you may want to shift to a lower
gear selection if the transmission shifts too often
(e.g., under heavy loads and/or hilly conditions).
If the vehicle has a manual transmission it is better
not to use the highest gear.Three important considerations have to do with weight:
•The weight of the trailer
•The weight of the trailer tongue
•The weight on the vehicle’s tires
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It depends on how the rig is used. For example, speed,
altitude, road grades, outside temperature and how
much the vehicle is used to pull a trailer are all
important. It can depend on any special equipment on
the vehicle, and the amount of tongue weight the vehicle
can carry. See “Weight of the Trailer Tongue” later in
this section for more information.
Maximum trailer weight is calculated assuming only the
driver is in the tow vehicle and it has all the required
trailering equipment. The weight of additional optional
equipment, passengers and cargo in the tow vehicle
must be subtracted from the maximum trailer weight.
5-49

Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gearbeforestarting
down a long or steep downgrade. If the transmission is
not shifted down, the brakes might have to be used so
much that they would get hot and no longer work well.
Vehicles with automatic transmissions can tow in
D (Drive), but you may want to shift to a lower gear
selection if the transmission shifts too often (e.g., under
heavy loads and/or hilly conditions). If the vehicle has
a manual transmission it is better not to use the
highest gear.
When towing at high altitude on steep uphill grades,
consider the following: Engine coolant will boil at a lower
temperature than at normal altitudes. If the engine is
turned off immediately after towing at high altitude on
steep uphill grades, the vehicle may show signs similar to
engine overheating. To avoid this, let the engine run whileparked, preferably on level ground, with an automatic
transmission in P (Park) or a manual transmission in
N (Neutral) with the parking brake applied, for a
few minutes before turning the engine off. If the overheat
warning comes on, seeEngine Overheating on page 6-35.
Parking on Hills
{WARNING:
Parking the vehicle on a hill with the trailer
attached can be dangerous. If something goes
wrong, the rig could start to move. People can be
injured, and both the vehicle and the trailer can be
damaged. When possible, always park the rig on a
flat surface.
5-58

If parking the rig on a hill:
1. Press the brake pedal, but do not shift into P (Park)
yet for vehicles with an automatic transmission, or
into gear for vehicles with a manual transmission.
Turn the wheels into the curb if facing downhill
or into traffic if facing uphill.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer
wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
brake pedal until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then apply the parking
brake and shift into P (Park) for vehicles with an
automatic transmission or into gear for vehicles with
a manual transmission.5. If the vehicle has four-wheel-drive, be sure
the transfer case is in a drive gear and not in
N (Neutral). SeeFour-Wheel Drive on page 3-25
for more information.
6. Release the brake pedal.
Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal while you:
•Start the engine
•Shift into a gear
•Release the parking brake
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the
chocks.
5-59

Checking the Fluid Level
To prepare the vehicle:
1. Park the vehicle on a level place. Keep the engine
running.
2. With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever
in P (Park).
3. With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift
lever through each gear range, pausing for about
three seconds in each range. Then, position
the shift lever in P (Park).
4. Let the engine run at idle for three minutes or more.Then, without shutting off the engine:
1. Flip the handle up and then pull out the dipstick
and wipe it with a clean rag or paper towel.
The automatic transmission
dipstick handle with this
symbol on it is located in
the engine compartment on
the passenger side of the
vehicle.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview on page 6-12
for more information on location.
2. Push it back in all the way, wait three seconds, and
pull it back out again.
6-23

If No Steam is Coming from the Engine
Compartment
If an engine overheat warning is displayed but no steam
can be seen or heard, the problem may not be too
serious. Sometimes the engine can get a little too hot
when the vehicle:
•Climbs a long hill on a hot day.
•Stops after high-speed driving.
•Idles for long periods in traffic.
•Tows a trailer. See “Driving on Grades” under
Towing a Trailer on page 5-48.
If the overheat warning is displayed with no sign of
steam:
1. Turn the air conditioning off.
2. Turn the heater on to the highest temperature and
to the highest fan speed. Open the windows as
necessary.
3. In heavy traffic, let the engine idle in N (Neutral)
while stopped. If it is safe to do so, pull off the
road, shift to P (Park) or N (Neutral) and let
the engine idle.
If the temperature overheat gage is no longer in the
overheat zone or an overheat warning no longer
displays, the vehicle can be driven. Continue to drivethe vehicle slow for about 10 minutes. Keep a safe
vehicle distance from the car in front of you. If the
warning does not come back on, continue to drive
normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park the
vehicle right away.
If there is no sign of steam, idle the engine for three
minutes while parked. If the warning is still displayed,
turn off the engine until it cools down.Engine Fan Noise
This vehicle has a clutched engine cooling fan. When the
clutch is engaged, the fan spins faster to provide more air
to cool the engine. In most everyday driving conditions,
the clutch is not engaged. This improves fuel economy
and reduces fan noise. Under heavy vehicle loading,
trailer towing and/or high outside temperatures, the fan
speed increases when the clutch engages. So you may
hear an increase in fan noise. This is normal and should
not be mistaken as the transmission slipping or making
extra shifts. It is merely the cooling system functioning
properly. The fan will slow down when additional cooling
is not required and the clutch disengages.
You may also hear this fan noise when you start the
engine. It will go away as the fan clutch disengages.
6-36

Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on the hazard
warning flashers. SeeHazard Warning Flashers
on page 4-3.
{WARNING:
Changing a tire can be dangerous. The vehicle
can slip off the jack and roll over or fall on you or
other people. You and they could be badly injured
or even killed. Find a level place to change your
tire. To help prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put an automatic transmission shift lever in
P (Park), or shift a manual transmission to
1 (First) or R (Reverse).
WARNING: (Continued)
WARNING: (Continued)
3. If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle,
be sure the transfer case is in a drive
gear – not in Neutral.
4. Turn off the engine and do not restart while
the vehicle is raised.
5. Do not allow passengers to remain in the
vehicle.
To be even more certain the vehicle will not move,
put blocks at the front and rear of the tire farthest
away from the one being changed. That would be
the tire on the other side, at the opposite end of
the vehicle.
6-80