brake light GMC SIERRA 1500 2011 Owner's Manual

Black plate (66,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
9-66 Driving and Operating
Shifting Out of Four-Wheel
Drive Low
To shift from Four-Wheel Drive
Low to Four-Wheel Drive High,
AUTO or Two-Wheel Drive High,
the vehicle must be stopped or
moving less than 5 km/h (3 mph)
with the transmission in N (Neutral)
and the ignition in ON/RUN.
The preferred method for shifting
out of Four-Wheel Drive Low
is to have the vehicle moving
1.6 to 3.2 km/h (1 to 2 mph). Turn
the knob to the Four-Wheel Drive
High, AUTO or Two-Wheel Drive
High position. You must wait for
the Four-Wheel Drive High, AUTO
or Two-Wheel Drive High indicator
light to stop flashing and remain
on before shifting the transmission
into gear.
Notice:Shifting the transmission
into gear before the requested
mode indicator light has stopped
flashing could damage the transfer case. To help avoid
damaging the vehicle, always
wait for the mode indicator lights
to stop flashing before shifting
the transmission into gear.
It is typical for the vehicle to
exhibit significant engagement
noise and bump when shifting
between Four-Wheel Drive Low
and Four-Wheel Drive High ranges
or from N (Neutral) with the engine
running.
If the knob is turned to the
Four-Wheel Drive High, AUTO,
or Two-Wheel Drive High switch
position when the vehicle is in gear
and/or moving, the Four-Wheel
Drive High, AUTO or Two-Wheel
Drive High indicator light will flash
for 30 seconds but will not complete
the shift unless the vehicle is
moving less than 5 km/h (3 mph)
and the transmission is in
N (Neutral).
Shifting into Neutral
To shift the transfer case to
N (Neutral) do the following:
1. Make sure the vehicle is parked
so that it will not roll.
2. Set the parking brake and apply the regular brake pedal.
See Parking Brake on page 9‑69
for more information.
3. Shifting the transfer case into N (Neutral) can be done with
or without the engine running.
Shifting without the engine
running should be done with
the ignition in ON/RUN.
4. Put the transmission in N (Neutral).
5. Shift the transfer case to Two-Wheel Drive High.

Black plate (67,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-67
6. Turn the transfer case dialclockwise to N (Neutral) until
it stops and hold it there until
the N (Neutral) light starts
blinking. This will take at least
10 seconds. Then slowly release
the dial to the four low position.
The N (Neutral) light will come
on when the transfer case shift
to N (Neutral) is complete.
7. If the engine is running, make sure that the transfer case is
in N (Neutral) by shifting the
transmission to R (Reverse)
for one second, then shift the
transmission to D (Drive) for
one second.
8. Turn the ignition to ACC/ACCESSORY, which
will turn the engine off.
9. Place the transmission shift lever in P (Park). 10. Release the parking brake prior
to moving the vehicle.
11. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
Shifting Out of Neutral
To shift out of N (Neutral) do the
following:
1. Set the parking brake and apply the regular brake pedal.
2. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN with the engine off, and shift the
transmission to N (Neutral).
3. Turn the transfer case dial to Two-Wheel Drive High,
Four-Wheel Drive High,
or AUTO.
After the transfer case has
shifted out of N (Neutral), the
N (Neutral) light will go out. 4. Release the parking brake prior
to moving the vehicle.
Notice: Shifting the transmission
into gear before the requested
mode indicator light has stopped
flashing could damage the
transfer case. To help avoid
damaging the vehicle, always
wait for the mode indicator lights
to stop flashing before shifting
the transmission into gear.
5. Start the engine and shift the transmission to the desired
position.

Black plate (68,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
9-68 Driving and Operating
Brakes
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
This vehicle has the Antilock
Brake System (ABS), an advanced
electronic braking system that helps
prevent a braking skid.
When the engine is started and the
vehicle begins to drive away, ABS
checks itself. A momentary motor
or clicking noise might be heard
while this test is going on, and
it might even be noticed that
the brake pedal moves a little.
This is normal.If there is a problem with ABS, this
warning light stays on. SeeAntilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
on page 5‑28.
If driving safely on a wet road
and it becomes necessary to
slam on the brakes and continue
braking to avoid a sudden obstacle,
a computer senses that the wheels
are slowing down. If one of the
wheels is about to stop rolling,
the computer will separately
work the brakes at each wheel.
ABS can change the brake pressure
to each wheel, as required, faster
than any driver could. This can help
the driver steer around the obstacle
while braking hard. As the brakes are applied, the
computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls
braking pressure accordingly.
Remember: ABS does not change
the time needed to get a foot up to
the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too
close to the vehicle in front of you,
there will not be enough time to
apply the brakes if that vehicle
suddenly slows or stops. Always
leave enough room up ahead to
stop, even with ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold
the brake pedal down firmly and let
ABS work. You might hear the ABS
pump or motor operating and feel
the brake pedal pulsate, but this is
normal.

Black plate (69,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-69
Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows the driver to steer and
brake at the same time. In many
emergencies, steering can help
more than even the very best
braking.
Parking Brake
Set the parking brake by holding
the regular brake pedal down, then
pushing down the parking brake
pedal.If the ignition is on, the brake
system warning light will come on.
See
Brake System Warning Light on
page 5‑27.
Notice: Driving with the parking
brake on can overheat the brake
system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system
parts. Make sure that the parking
brake is fully released and the
brake warning light is off before
driving.
To release the parking brake, hold
the regular brake pedal down, then
push down momentarily on the
parking brake pedal until you feel
the pedal release. Slowly pull your
foot up off the parking brake pedal.
If the parking brake is not released
when you begin to drive, the brake
system warning light will flash and a
chime will sound warning you that
the parking brake is still on.
If you are towing a trailer and
are parking on a hill, see Driving
Characteristics and Towing Tips on
page 9‑91.
Brake Assist (Except
With 4.3L V6 Engine)
If this vehicle has StabiliTrak®, it
also has a Brake Assist feature
designed to assist the driver in
stopping or decreasing vehicle
speed in emergency driving
conditions. This feature uses the
stability system hydraulic brake
control module to supplement
the power brake system under
conditions where the driver has
quickly and forcefully applied the
brake pedal in an attempt to quickly
stop or slow down the vehicle.
The stability system hydraulic brake
control module increases brake
pressure at each corner of the
vehicle until the ABS activates.

Black plate (72,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
9-72 Driving and Operating
When TCS or StabiliTrak is
turned off, the StabiliTrak light
and the appropriate message
will be displayed on the DIC to
warn the driver. The vehicle will
still have brake-traction control
when traction control is off, but will
not be able to use the engine speed
management system. See“Traction
Control Operation” next for more
information.
When the traction control system
has been turned off, system noises
may still be heard as a result of the
brake-traction control coming on.
It is recommended to leave the
system on for normal driving
conditions, but it may be necessary
to turn the system off if the vehicle
is stuck in sand, mud, ice or snow,
and you want to “rock”the vehicle
to attempt to free it. It may also be
necessary to turn off the system
when driving in extreme off-road
conditions where high wheel spin
is required. See If the Vehicle is
Stuck on page 9‑23. When the transfer case is in 4LO,
the stability system is automatically
disabled, the StabiliTrak light comes
on, and the STABILITRAK OFF
message will appear on the DIC.
Both traction control and StabiliTrak
are automatically disabled in this
condition.
Traction Control Operation
The traction control system is part
of the StabiliTrak system. Traction
control limits wheel spin by reducing
engine power to the wheels (engine
speed management) and by
applying brakes to each individual
wheel (brake-traction control) as
necessary.
The traction control system is
enabled automatically when the
vehicle is started. It will activate
and the StabiliTrak light will flash
if it senses that any of the wheels
are spinning or beginning to lose
traction while driving. If traction
control is turned off, only the
brake-traction control portion
of traction control will work.
The engine speed management
will be disabled. In this mode,
engine power is not reduced
automatically and the driven
wheels can spin more freely.
This can cause the brake-traction
control to activate constantly.
Notice:
If the wheel(s) of one axle
is allowed to spin excessively
while the StabiliTrak
®, ABS, brake
warning lights, and any relevant
DIC messages are displayed, the
transfer case could be damaged.
The repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Reduce
engine power and do not spin
the wheel(s) excessively while
these lights and messages are
displayed.

Black plate (74,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
9-74 Driving and Operating
When the brakes are applied, cruise
control is turned off.
For vehicles with an Allison or
Hydra‐Matic 6‐speed automatic
transmission, see“Grade Braking
and Cruise Grade Braking
(Allison Transmission) under
Tow/Haul Mode on page 9‑51
for an explanation of how cruise
control interacts with the Range
Selection Mode, tow/haul and
grade braking systems.
For vehicles with the StabiliTrak
system that begins to limit wheel
spin while you are using cruise
control, the cruise control will
automatically disengage. See
StabiliTrak
®System on page 9‑70.
When road conditions allow the
cruise control to be safely used
again, it can be turned back on.
The cruise control buttons are
located on the left side of the
steering wheel.
I(On/Off): Press to turn the
system on or off. The indicator light
is on when cruise control is on and
turns off when cruise control is off.
+ RES (Resume/Accelerate):
Press briefly to resume to a
previously set speed, or press
and hold to accelerate.
SET −(Set/Coast): Press to set
the speed and activate cruise
control or make the vehicle
decelerate.
[(Cancel): Press to disengage
cruise control without erasing the
set speed from memory.
Setting Cruise Control
If the cruise button is on when not in
use, it could get bumped and go into
cruise when not desired. Keep the
cruise control switch off when cruise
is not being used.
The cruise control light on the
instrument panel cluster will come
on after the cruise control has been
set to the desired speed.
1. Press
I.
2. Get up to the desired speed.
3. Press the SET− button located
on the steering wheel and
release it.
4. Take your foot off the accelerator.

Black plate (76,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
9-76 Driving and Operating
Ending Cruise Control
There are three ways to end cruise
control:
.To disengage cruise control;
step lightly on the brake pedal.
.Press[on the steering wheel.
.To turn off the cruise control,
press
Ion the steering wheel.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is
erased from memory by pressing
the
Ibutton or if the ignition is
turned off.
Object Detection
Systems
Ultrasonic Parking Assist
For vehicles with the Ultrasonic
Rear Parking Assist (URPA) system,
it operates at speeds less than
8 km/h (5 mph), and assists the
driver with parking and avoiding
objects while in R (Reverse).
The sensors on the rear bumper
are used to detect the distance to
an object up to 2.5 m (8 ft) behind
the vehicle, and at least 25.4 cm
(10 in) off the ground.
{WARNING
The Ultrasonic Rear Parking
Assist (URPA) system does not
replace driver vision. It cannot
detect:
.Objects that are below the
bumper, underneath the
vehicle, or too close or far
from the vehicle.
.Children, pedestrians,
bicyclists, or pets.
If you do not use proper care
before and while backing, vehicle
damage, injury, or death could
occur. Even with URPA, always
check behind the vehicle before
backing up. While backing, be
sure to look for objects and check
the vehicle's mirrors.

Black plate (114,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
9-114 Driving and Operating
Trailer Brakes
A loaded trailer that weighs more
than 900 kg (2,000 lbs) needs to
have its own brake system that
is adequate for the weight of the
trailer. Be sure to read and follow
the instructions for the trailer brakes
so they are installed, adjusted, and
maintained properly.
If the vehicle is equipped with
StabiliTrak, the trailer cannot tap
into the vehicle's hydraulic brake
system.
The trailer brake system can tap
into the vehicle's hydraulic brake
system only if:
.The trailer parts can withstand
20 650 kPa (3,000 psi) of
pressure.
.The trailer's brake system
will use less than 0.3 cc
(0.02 cubic inch) of fluid from
the vehicle's master cylinder.
Otherwise, both braking systems
will not work well or at all.If everything checks out this far,
make the brake tap at the port on
the master cylinder that sends the
fluid to the rear brakes. Use only
steel brake tubing to make the tap.
Auxiliary Battery
The auxiliary battery provision can
be used to supply electrical power
to additional equipment that may be
added, such as a slide-in camper.
If the vehicle has this provision,
this relay will be located on the
driver side of the vehicle, next to
the underhood electrical center.
Be sure to follow the proper
installation instructions included
with any electrical equipment that
is installed.
Notice:
Leaving electrical
equipment on for extended
periods will drain the battery.
Always turn off electrical
equipment when not in use
and do not use equipment that
exceeds the maximum amperage
rating for the auxiliary battery
provision.
Trailer Wiring Harness
The vehicle is equipped with one of
the following wiring harnesses for
towing a trailer or hauling a slide-in
camper.
Basic Trailer Wiring
All regular, extended cab and crew
cab pickups have a seven‐wire
trailer towing harness.
For vehicles not equipped with
heavy duty trailering, the harness
is secured to the vehicle's frame
behind the spare tire mount.
The harness requires the installation
of a trailer connector, which is
available through your dealer.
If towing a light‐duty trailer with
a standard four‐way round pin
connector, an adapter is available
from your dealer.

Black plate (115,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-115
Heavy-DutyTrailer Wiring Harness
Package
For vehicles equipped with heavy
duty trailering, the harness is
connected to a bracket on the hitch
platform. The seven-wire harness
contains the following trailer circuits:
.Yellow: Left Stop/Turn Signal
.Dark Green: Right Stop/Turn
Signal
.Brown: Taillamps
.White: Ground
.Light Green: Back-up Lamps
.Red: Battery Feed*
.Dark Blue: Trailer Brake*
*The fuses for these two circuits
are installed in the underhood
electrical center, but the wires are
not connected. They should be
connected by your dealer or a
qualified service center. The fuse
and wire for the ITBC is factory
installed and connected if the
vehicle is equipped with an ITBC.
The fuse for the battery feed is
not required if the vehicle has an
auxiliary battery. If the vehicle does
not have an auxiliary battery, have
your dealer or authorized service
center install the required fuse. If charging a remote (non-vehicle)
battery, press the Tow/Haul Mode
button, if equipped, located at
the end of the shift lever. This will
boost the vehicle system voltage
and properly charge the battery.
If the trailer is too light for Tow/
Haul Mode, or the vehicle is not
equipped with Tow/Haul, turn on
the headlamps as a second way
to boost the vehicle system and
charge the battery.

Black plate (116,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
9-116 Driving and Operating
Camper/Fifth-Wheel Trailer Wiring
Package
The seven-wire camper harness
is located under the front edge of
the pickup box on the driver side
of the vehicle, attached to the
frame bracket. A connector must
be added to the wiring harness
which connects to the camper.
The harness contains the following
camper/trailer circuits:
.Yellow: Left Stop/Turn Signal
.Dark Green: Right Stop/Turn
Signal
.Brown: Taillamps
.White: Ground
.Light Green: Back-up Lamps
.Red: Battery Feed
.Dark Blue: Trailer Brake
If the vehicle is equipped with the
“Heavy-Duty Trailering”option,
please refer to “Heavy-Duty Trailer
Wiring Package” earlier in this
section.
When the camper-wiring harness
is ordered without the heavy-duty
trailering package, an eight-wire
harness with a seven-pin connector
is located at the rear of the vehicle
and is tied to the vehicle's frame.
Electric Brake Control Wiring
Provisions
These wiring provisions are
included with the vehicle as part
of the trailer wiring package. These
provisions are for an electric brake
controller. The instrument panel
contains blunt cut wires behind the
steering column for the trailer brake
controller. The harness contains the
following wires:
.Dark Blue: Brake Signal to
Trailer Connector
.Red/Black: Battery
.Light Blue/White: Brake Switch
.White: Ground
The harness should be installed by
your dealer or a qualified service
center.