brake GMC CANYON 2012 Owner's Manual

Black plate (2,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
2012 GMC Canyon Owner ManualM
Driving and Operating. . . . . . . . 9-1
Driving Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Starting and Operating . . . . . . . 9-24
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 9-33
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Drive Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Ride Control Systems . . . . . . . . 9-44
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-47
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-49
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-54
Conversions and Add-Ons . . . 9-64 Vehicle Care
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Vehicle Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-40
Wheels and Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-87
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-91
Appearance Care . . . . . . . . . . . 10-96
Service and Maintenance . . . 11-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 11-1
Maintenance Schedule . . . . . . . 11-3
Special Application
Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-9 Additional Maintenance
and Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-10
Recommended Fluids, Lubricants, and Parts . . . . . . 11-13
Maintenance Records . . . . . . . 11-17
Technical Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Vehicle Identification . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Vehicle Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2
Customer Information . . . . . . . 13-1
Customer Information . . . . . . . . 13-1
Reporting Safety Defects . . . . 13-18
Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-20
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i-1

Black plate (5,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
Introduction v
Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols
that may be found on the vehicle
and what they mean. For more
information on the symbol, refer to
the Index.
9:Airbag Readiness Light
#:Air Conditioning
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
J:OnStar®Hands-Free Phone
J:Brake System
Warning Light
": Charging System
I:Cruise Control
B: Engine Coolant Temperature
O:Exterior Lamps
#:Fog Lamps
.: Fuel Gauge
+:Fuses
3: Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer
j: LATCH System Child
Restraints
*: Malfunction Indicator Lamp
::Oil Pressure
}:Power
>:Safety Belt Reminders
7:Tire Pressure Monitor
d:Traction Control/StabiliTrak®
M:Windshield Washer Fluid

Black plate (3,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-3
A.Air Vents on page 8‑3.
B. Turn and Lane‐Change Lever. See Turn and Lane-Change
Signals on page 6‑5.
Windshield Wiper/Washer on
page 5‑2.
C. Instrument Cluster on page 5‑7.
D. Hazard Warning Flashers on
page 6‑4.
E. Passenger Side Airbag. See Airbag System on page 3‑21. F.
Exterior Lamp Controls on
page 6‑1.
Fog Lamps on page 6‑6
(If Equipped).
Exterior Cargo Lamps on
page 6‑6.
G. Parking Brake on page 9‑42.
H. Data Link Connector (DLC) (Out of View). See Malfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 5‑12.
I. Horn on page 5‑2. J.
StabiliTrak®System on
page 9‑45.
Four-Wheel Drive on
page 10‑30.
K. Infotainment on page 7‑1.
L. Climate Control Systems on
page 8‑1.
M. Power Outlets on page 5‑5.
N. Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator on page 5‑11.

Black plate (14,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
1-14 In Brief
Four-Wheel Drive
Four-wheel drive sends engine
power to all four wheels for extra
traction.
The transfer case buttons are
located to the right of the steering
wheel on the instrument panel.Use these buttons to shift into and
out of four-wheel drive.
2
m(Two-Wheel High):
Use for
driving in most street and highway
situations.
{WARNING
Shifting the transfer case to
N (Neutral) can cause the vehicle
to roll even if the transmission is
in P (Park). You or someone else
could be seriously injured. Be
sure to set the parking brake
before placing the transfer case in
N (Neutral). See Parking Brake on
page 9‑42. N (Neutral):
Use the N (Neutral)
position only when towing the
vehicle. See Recreational Vehicle
Towing on page 10‑91.
4
m(Four-Wheel High): Use when
extra traction is needed in most
off-road situations.
4
n(Four-Wheel Low): Use this
position to deliver extra torque to all
four wheels. Used for extreme off‐
road conditions. See Four-Wheel
Drive on page 9‑37.

Black plate (19,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-19
Engine Oil Life System
The engine oil life system calculates
engine oil life based on vehicle use
and displays a DIC message when
it is necessary to change the engine
oil and filter.
Resetting the Oil Life System
1. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN,with the engine off.
2. Press and release the stem in the lower center of the
instrument cluster until the OIL
LIFE message is displayed.
3. Once the alternating OIL LIFE and RESET messages appear,
press and hold the stem until
several beeps sound. This
confirms that the oil life system
has been reset.
4. Turn the key to LOCK/OFF.
See Engine Oil Life System on
page 10‑12.
Driving for Better Fuel
Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel
mileage. Here are some driving tips
to get the best fuel economy
possible.
.Avoid fast starts and accelerate
smoothly.
.Brake gradually and avoid
abrupt stops.
.Avoid idling the engine for long
periods of time.
.When road and weather
conditions are appropriate, use
cruise control.
.Always follow posted speed
limits or drive more slowly when
conditions require.
.Keep vehicle tires properly
inflated.
.Combine several trips into a
single trip.
.Replace the vehicle's tires with
the same TPC Spec number
molded into the tire's sidewall
near the size.
.Follow recommended scheduled
maintenance.
Roadside Assistance
Program
U.S.: 1-888-881-3302
TTY Users (U.S.): 1-888-889-2438
Canada: 1-800-268-6800
Mexico: 01-800-466-0801
As the owner of a new GMC, you
are automatically enrolled in the
Roadside Assistance program.
See Roadside Assistance Program
(U.S. and Canada) on page 13‑8 or
Roadside Assistance Program
(Mexico) on page 13‑10 for more
information.

Black plate (27,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-27
Airbags should never be regarded
as anything more than a supplement
to safety belts.
What Will You See after
an Airbag Inflates?
After the frontal airbags inflate, they
quickly deflate, so quickly that some
people may not even realize the
airbags inflated. Roof-rail airbags
may still be at least partially inflated
for some time after they deploy.
Some components of the airbag
module may be hot for several
minutes. For location of the airbag
modules, seeWhat Makes an
Airbag Inflate? on page 3‑26.
The parts of the airbag that come
into contact with you may be warm,
but not too hot to touch. There may
be some smoke and dust coming
from the vents in the deflated
airbags. Airbag inflation does not
prevent the driver from seeing out of
the windshield or being able to steer
the vehicle, nor does it prevent
people from leaving the vehicle.
{WARNING
When an airbag inflates, there
may be dust in the air. This dust
could cause breathing problems
for people with a history of
asthma or other breathing trouble.
To avoid this, everyone in the
vehicle should get out as soon as
it is safe to do so. If you have
breathing problems but cannot
get out of the vehicle after an
airbag inflates, then get fresh air
by opening a window or a door.
If you experience breathing
problems following an airbag
deployment, you should seek
medical attention.
The vehicle has a feature that may
automatically unlock the doors
(if equipped with power door locks),
turn the interior lamps on, flash the
hazard warning flashers, turn off the
radio, and shut off the fuel system
after the airbag inflates. You can
lock the doors again by using the door lock. The interior lamps and
hazard warning flashers will
deactivate after approximately
15 minutes.
{WARNING
A crash severe enough to inflate
the airbags may have also
damaged important functions in
the vehicle, such as the fuel
system, brake and steering
systems, etc. Even if the vehicle
appears to be drivable after a
moderate crash, there may be
concealed damage that could
make it difficult to safely operate
the vehicle.
Use caution if you should attempt
to restart the engine after a crash
has occurred.
In many crashes severe enough to
inflate the airbag, windshields are
broken by vehicle deformation.

Black plate (1,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-1
Instruments and
Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . 5-2
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . 5-2
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Cigarette Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Ashtrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Chime Level Adjustment . . . . . . 5-6
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8 Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Engine Coolant Temperature
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . 5-9
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . 5-10
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Charging System Light . . . . . . 5-12
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
StabiliTrak
®OFF Light . . . . . . . 5-17
Traction Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak
®Light . . . . 5-17
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . 5-18
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Battery Voltage and ChargingMessages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Brake System Messages . . . . 5-23
Door Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Engine Cooling System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Engine Oil Messages . . . . . . . . 5-24
Engine Power Messages . . . . 5-25
Fuel System Messages . . . . . . 5-25
Lamp Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Ride Control System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Service Vehicle Messages . . . 5-27
Tire Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Transmission Messages . . . . . 5-27

Black plate (15,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-15
The vehicle may not pass
inspection if:
.The malfunction indicator lamp is
on with the engine running, or if
the light does not come on when
the ignition is turned to ON/RUN
while the engine is off. See your
dealer for assistance in verifying
proper operation of the
malfunction indicator lamp.
.The OBD II (On-Board
Diagnostics) system determines
that critical emission control
systems have not been
completely diagnosed. The
vehicle would be considered not
ready for inspection. This can
happen if the 12-volt battery has
recently been replaced or run
down. The diagnostic system is
designed to evaluate critical
emission control systems during
normal driving. This can take
several days of routine driving.If this has been done and the
vehicle still does not pass the
inspection for lack of OBD II
system readiness, your dealer
can prepare the vehicle for
inspection.
Brake System Warning
Light
The vehicle brake system consists
of two hydraulic circuits. If one
circuit is not working, the remaining
circuit can still work to stop the
vehicle. For normal braking
performance, both circuits need
to be working
If the warning light comes on, there
could be a brake problem. Have the
brake system inspected right away.
EnglishMetric
This light comes on briefly when the
ignition key is turned to ON/RUN.
If it does not, have it fixed so it will
be ready to warn if there is a
problem.
When the ignition is on, the brake
system warning light comes on
when the parking brake is set. See
Parking Brake on page 9‑42 for
more information. The light stays on
if the parking brake does not
release fully. If it stays on after the
parking brake is fully released, it
means there is a brake problem.

Black plate (16,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
5-16 Instruments and Controls
If the light comes on while driving,
pull off the road and stop. The brake
pedal might be harder to push, or it
might go closer to the floor. It can
take longer to stop. If the light is still
on, have the vehicle towed for
service. SeeTowing the Vehicle on
page 10‑91.
{WARNING
The brake system might not be
working properly if the brake
system warning light is on.
Driving with the brake system
warning light on can lead to a
crash. If the light is still on after
the vehicle has been pulled off
the road and carefully stopped,
have the vehicle towed for
service.
Antilock Brake System
(ABS) Warning Light
The Antilock Brake System (ABS)
light comes on briefly when the
engine is started.
If the light does not come on, have it
fixed so it will be ready to warn if
there is a problem.
If the ABS light stays on, turn the
ignition off. If the light comes on
while driving, stop as soon as it is
safely possible and turn the ignition
off. A chime may also sound when
the light comes on steady. Then start the engine again to reset
the system. If the ABS light stays
on, or comes on again while driving,
the vehicle needs service. If the
regular brake system warning light
is not on, the vehicle still has
brakes, but not antilock brakes.
If the regular brake system warning
light is also on, the vehicle does not
have antilock brakes and there is a
problem with the regular brakes.
See
Brake System Warning Light on
page 5‑15.
See Driver Information Center (DIC)
on page 5‑20 for all brake related
DIC messages.

Black plate (23,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-23
Vehicle Messages
Messages are displayed on the DIC
to notify the driver that the status of
the vehicle has changed and that
some action may be needed by the
driver to correct the condition.
Multiple messages may appear one
after another. The messages are
displayed for several seconds each.
Some messages may not require
immediate action, but you should
press and release the trip odometer
reset stem to acknowledge that you
received the messages and to clear
them from the display. Each
message must be acknowledged
individually.
Some messages cannot be cleared
from the DIC display because they
are more urgent. These messages
require action before they can be
cleared. You should take any
messages that appear on the
display seriously and remember that
clearing the messages only makes
the messages disappear, not correct
the problem.The following are the possible
messages that can be displayed
and some information about them.
Battery Voltage and
Charging Messages
SERVICE CHARG (Charge)
SYS (System)
This message displays if there is a
problem with the battery charging
system. Under certain conditions,
the battery warning light may also
turn on in the instrument panel
cluster. See
Charging System Light
on page 5‑12. The battery will not
be charging at an optimal rate and
the vehicle will lose the ability to
enter the fuel economy mode. The
vehicle is safe to drive, however
have the electrical system checked
by your dealer. Press and release
the reset stem to acknowledge the
message and clear it from the
display.
Brake System Messages
ABS (Antilock Brake System)
FAULT
This message displays if there is a
problem with the Antilock Brake
System (ABS). Check the ABS as
soon as possible and have your
vehicle serviced by your dealer. See
Braking on page 9‑4 andAntilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
on page 5‑16 for more information.
Press and release the reset stem to
acknowledge the message and
clear it from the display.
BRAKES
This message displays if there is a
problem with the brakes. Check the
brakes as soon as possible and
have your vehicle serviced by your
dealer. See Braking on page 9‑4
and Antilock Brake System (ABS)
Warning Light on page 5‑16 for
more information. Press and release
the reset stem to acknowledge the
message and clear it from the
display.