parking brake GMC CANYON 2012 Owner's Manual

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 (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 (24,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
5-24 Instruments and Controls
FLUID
This message displays if the brake
fluid is low. Check the brake fluid as
soon as possible and have your
vehicle serviced by your dealer.
SeeBraking on page 9‑4 for more
information. Press and release the
reset stem to acknowledge the
message and clear it from the
display.
PARK BRK (Brake)
This message displays when the
parking brake is set. See Parking
Brake on page 9‑42 andAntilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
on page 5‑16 for more information.
The message clears from the
display after the parking brake is
released or by pressing and
releasing the reset stem.
Door Ajar Messages
DOORS
This message displays when one or
more of the doors is ajar. Check all
the doors on your vehicle to make
sure they are closed. The message
clears from the display after all of
the doors are closed.
Engine Cooling System
Messages
AC (Air Conditioning) OFF
This message displays when the
engine coolant temperature is too
high and the air conditioning in your
vehicle needs to be turned off. See
Engine Overheating on page 10‑23
and Climate Control Systems on
page 8‑1 for more information. This
message displays along with the
ENG HOT message.
ENG (Engine) HOT
This message displays when the
engine coolant temperature is hot.
Check the engine coolant
temperature gauge. See Engine
Coolant Temperature Gauge on
page 5‑9. Have your vehicle
serviced by your dealer as soon as
possible if you suspect the engine is
overheating. See Engine
Overheating on page 10‑23 for
more information.
Engine Oil Messages
CHANGE OIL
This message displays when the oil
needs to be changed. Check the oil
in your vehicle as soon as possible
and have your vehicle serviced by
your dealer. See Engine Oil on
page 10‑9 andMaintenance
Schedule on page 11‑3 for more
information. Press and release the
reset stem to acknowledge the
message and clear it from the
display.

Black plate (2,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
7-2 Infotainment System
This system provides access to
many audio and non audio listings.
To minimize taking your eyes off the
road while driving, do the following
while the vehicle is parked:
.Become familiar with the
operation and controls of the
audio system.
.Set up the tone, speaker
adjustments, and preset radio
stations.For more information, see
Defensive
Driving on page 9‑3.
Notice: Contact your dealer
before adding any equipment.
Adding audio or communication
equipment could interfere with
the operation of the engine, radio,
or other systems, and could
damage them. Follow federal
rules covering mobile radio and
telephone equipment. Notice:
The chime signals related
to safety belts, parking brake, and
other functions of the vehicle
operate through the radio/
entertainment system. If that
equipment is replaced or
additional equipment is added to
the vehicle, the chimes may not
work. Make sure that replacement
or additional equipment is
compatible with the vehicle
before installing it. See
Accessories and Modifications on
page 10‑4.

Black plate (1,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-1
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . 9-12
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . 9-13
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 9-13
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-14
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 9-16
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-18
Truck-Camper LoadingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-24
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Shifting Into Park (Automatic Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Shifting out of Park (Automatic Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Parking (Manual Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-33
Manual Transmission
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . 9-35
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-43
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-44
StabiliTrak
®System . . . . . . . . . 9-45
Limited-Slip Rear Axle . . . . . . . 9-46
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-47

Black plate (8,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
9-8 Driving and Operating
When driving on hills:
.Use a low gear and keep a firm
grip on the steering wheel.
.Maintain a slow speed.
.When possible, drive straight up
or down the hill.
.Slow down when approaching
the top of the hill.
.Use headlamps even during the
day to make the vehicle more
visible.
{WARNING
Driving to the top of a hill at high
speed can cause an accident.
There could be a drop-off,
embankment, cliff, or even
another vehicle. You could be
seriously injured or killed. As you
near the top of a hill, slow down
and stay alert.
.Never go downhill forward or
backward with either the
transmission or transfer case in
N (Neutral). The brakes could
overheat and you could lose
control.
{WARNING
If the vehicle has the two‐speed
automatic transfer case, shifting
the transfer case to N (Neutral)
can cause your vehicle to roll
even if the transmission is in
P (Park) for an automatic
transmission or any gear position
for a manual transmission. This is
because the N (Neutral) position
on the transfer case overrides the
transmission. You or someone
else could be injured. If leaving
the vehicle, set the parking brake
and shift the transmission to
P (Park) for an automatic
transmission or any gear position(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
for a manual transmission. Shift
the transfer case to any position
but N (Neutral).
.When driving down a hill, keep
the vehicle headed straight
down. Use a low gear because
the engine will work with the
brakes to slow the vehicle and
help keep the vehicle under
control.
{WARNING
Heavy braking when going down
a hill can cause your brakes to
overheat and fade. This could
cause loss of control and you or
others could be injured or killed.
Apply the brakes lightly when
descending a hill and use a
low gear to keep vehicle speed
under control.

Black plate (9,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-9
If the vehicle stalls on a hill:
1. Apply the brakes to stop thevehicle, and then apply the
parking brake.
2. Shift into P (Park) for an automatic transmission or
1 (First) for a manual
transmission and then
restart the engine.
.If driving uphill when the
vehicle stalls, shift to
R (Reverse), release the
parking brake, and back
straight down.
.Never try to turn the vehicle
around. If the hill is steep
enough to stall the vehicle,
it is steep enough to cause
it to roll over.
.If you cannot make it up the
hill, back straight down
the hill.
.Never back down a hill in
N (Neutral) using only
the brake.
.The vehicle can roll
backward quickly and you
could lose control.
.If driving downhill when the
vehicle stalls, shift to a
lower gear, release the
parking brake, and drive
straight down the hill.
3. If the vehicle cannot be restarted after stalling, set the parking
brake, shift an automatic
transmission into P (Park) or a
manual transmission into
1 (First), and turn the vehicle off.
3.1. Leave the vehicle and seek help. 3.2. Stay clear of the path the
vehicle would take if it
rolled downhill.
.Avoid turns that take the vehicle
across the incline of the hill.
A hill that can be driven straight
up or down might be too steep to
drive across. Driving across an
incline puts more weight on the
downhill wheels which could
cause a downhill slide or a
rollover.
.Surface conditions can
be a problem. Loose gravel,
muddy spots, or even wet grass
can cause the tires to slip
sideways, downhill. If the
vehicle slips sideways, it can hit
something that will trip it –a
rock, a rut, etc. –and roll over.
.Hidden obstacles can make the
steepness of the incline more
severe. If a rock is driven across
with the uphill wheels, or if the
downhill wheels drop into a rut
or depression, the vehicle can tilt
even more.

Black plate (25,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-25
A (STOPPING THE ENGINE/
LOCK/OFF):When the vehicle is
stopped, turn the ignition switch to
LOCK/OFF to turn the engine off.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
will remain active. See Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) on
page 9‑28.
This position locks the ignition.
It also locks the transmission on
automatic transmission vehicles.
It locks the steering wheel on
manual transmission vehicles.
The key can only be removed
in LOCK/OFF.
Do not turn the engine off when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause a
loss of power assist in the brake
and steering systems and disable
the airbags. If the vehicle must be shut off in an
emergency:
1. Brake using a firm and steady
pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to neutral. This can be done while the vehicle is
moving. After shifting to neutral,
firmly apply the brakes and steer
the vehicle to a safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop. Shift to P (Park) with an automatic
transmission, or neutral with a
manual transmission. Turn the
ignition to LOCK/OFF. 4. Set the parking brake. See
Parking Brake on page 9‑42.
{WARNING
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may cause loss of power
assist in the brake and steering
systems and disable the airbags.
While driving, only shut the
vehicle off in an emergency.
If the vehicle cannot be pulled over,
and must be shut off while driving,
turn the ignition to ACC/
ACCESSORY.
On vehicles with an automatic
transmission, the shift lever must be
in P (Park) to turn the ignition switch
to LOCK/OFF.
The steering can bind with the
wheels turned off center. If this
happens, move the steering wheel
from right to left while turning the
key to ACC/ACCESSORY. If this
doesn't work, then the vehicle
needs service.

Black plate (26,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
9-26 Driving and Operating
B (ACC/ACCESSORY):This is the
position in which you can operate
the electrical accessories or items
plugged into the accessory power
outlets. On automatic transmission
vehicles, this position unlocks the
ignition. On manual transmission
vehicles, it unlocks the ignition and
steering wheel . Use this position if
the vehicle must be pushed or
towed.
C (ON/RUN): This position can be
used to operate the electrical
accessories and to display some
instrument panel cluster warning
and indicator lights. This position
can also be used for service and
diagnostics, and to verify the proper
operation of the malfunction
indicator lamp as may be required
for emission inspection purposes.
The switch stays in this position
when the engine is running. The
transmission is also unlocked in this
position on automatic transmission
vehicles. If you leave the key in the ACC/
ACCESSORY or ON/RUN position
with the engine off, the battery could
be drained. You may not be able to
start your vehicle if the battery is
allowed to drain for an extended
period of time.
D (START):
This is the position that
starts the engine. When the engine
starts, release the key. The ignition
switch returns to ON/RUN for
driving.
A warning tone will sound when the
driver door is opened, the ignition is
in ACC/ACCESSORY or LOCK/OFF
and the key is in the ignition.
Starting the Engine
Place the transmission in the
proper gear.
Automatic Transmission
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). The engine will not start
in any other position. To restart the
vehicle when it is already moving,
use N (Neutral) only. Notice:
Do not try to shift to
P (Park) if the vehicle is moving.
If you do, you could damage the
transmission. Shift to P (Park)
only when the vehicle is stopped.
Manual Transmission
The shift lever should be in
N (Neutral) and the parking brake
engaged. Hold the clutch pedal
down to the floor and start the
engine. The vehicle will not start if
the clutch pedal is not all the
way down.
Starting Procedure
1. With your foot off the accelerator
pedal, turn the ignition key to
START. When the engine starts,
let go of the key. The idle speed
will go down as the engine
warms. Do not race the engine
immediately after starting it.
Operate the engine and
transmission gently to allow the
oil to warm up and lubricate all
moving parts.