lights GMC SIERRA 1500 2011 Owner's Manual

Black plate (4,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
6-4 Lighting
Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can
make it easier for others to see the
front of your vehicle during the day.
Fully functional daytime running
lamps are required on all vehicles
first sold in Canada.
The DRL system comes on when
the following conditions are met:
.The ignition is on.
.The exterior lamps control is
in AUTO.
.The transmission is not in Park.
.The light sensor determines it is
daytime.
When the DRL system is on,
only the DRL lamps are on.
The taillamps, sidemarker,
instrument panel lights, and
other lamps will not be on.
When it begins to get dark, the
automatic headlamp system
switches from DRL to the
headlamps. To turn off the DRL lamps, turn
the exterior lamps control to the
OFF position and then release.
For vehicles first sold in Canada,
the transmission must be in the
P (Park) position before the DRL
lamps can be turned off.
Automatic Headlamp
System
When it is dark enough outside, the
automatic headlamp system turns
on the headlamps at the normal
brightness, along with the taillamps,
sidemarker, parking lamps, and the
instrument panel lights. The radio
lights will also be dim.
To turn off the automatic headlamp
system, turn the exterior lamps
switch to the off position and then
release it. For vehicles first sold in
Canada, the transmission must be
in the P (Park) position before the
automatic headlamp system can
be turned off.
The vehicle has a light sensor
located on the top of the instrument
panel which regulates when the
automatic headlamps turn on.
Do not cover the sensor, otherwise
the headlamps will come on
whenever the ignition is on.
The system may also turn on the
headlamps when driving through a
parking garage or heavy overcast
weather. This is normal.
There is a delay in the transition
between the daytime and
nighttime operation of the Daytime
Running Lamps (DRL) and the
automatic headlamp systems
so that driving under bridges
or bright overhead street lights
does not affect the system.

Black plate (7,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Lighting 6-7
Auxiliary
Roof-Mounted Lamp
If the vehicle has this feature, this
button includes wiring provisions for
a dealer or a qualified service center
to install an auxiliary roof lamp.
This button is located on the
overhead console.
When the wiring is connected to
an auxiliary roof‐mounted lamp,
pressing the bottom of the buttonwill activate the lamp and illuminate
an indicator light at the bottom of
this button. Pressing the top of the
button will turn off the roof‐mounted
lamp and indicator.
The emergency roof lamp circuit
is fused at 30 amps, so the total
current draw of the attached lamps
should be less than this value.
The attachment points for the roof
lamp circuits are two blunt cut
wires located above the overhead
console, a dark green switched
power wire and a black ground wire.
For more information on roof mount
emergency lamp installation, please
visit the GM Upfitter website at
www.gmupfitter.com or contact your
dealer.
If the vehicle has this button,
the vehicle may have the snow
plow prep package. For further
information, see
Adding a Snow
Plow or Similar Equipment on
page 9‑125.
Interior Lighting
Instrument Panel
Illumination Control
D(Instrument Panel
Brightness): This feature controls
the brightness of the instrument
panel lights and is located next
to the exterior lamps control.
Push the knob to extend out and
then it can be turned.

Black plate (8,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
6-8 Lighting
Turn the knob clockwise or
counterclockwise to brighten
or dim the instrument panel lights.
Turning the knob to the farthest
clockwise position turns on the
dome lamps.
Cargo Lamp
The cargo lamps come on by
turning the instrument panel
brightness control knob to the
farthest clockwise position.
This knob is located on the
instrument panel and also
turns on the dome lamps.
The cargo lamps can be used if
more light is needed in the cargo
area of the vehicle or in the top-box
storage units.
Dome Lamps
The dome lamps are located in the
overhead console.
They come on when any door is
opened and turn off after all the
doors are closed.
Turn the instrument panel
brightness knob located below
the dome lamp override button,
clockwise to the farthest position to
manually turn on the dome lamps.
The dome lamps remain on until the
knob is turned counterclockwise.
Dome Lamp Override
The dome lamp override button is
located next to the exterior lamps
control.
k(Dome Off):Press the button
in and the dome lamps remain
off when a door is opened. Press
the button again to return it to the
extended position so that the dome
lamps come on when a door is
opened.

Black plate (9,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Lighting 6-9
Reading Lamps
For vehicles with reading lamps,
they are located on the overhead
console.
To turn on the reading lamps, press
the button located next to each
lamp. To turn them off, press the
button again.
The vehicle may also have reading
lamps in other locations. To turn the
lamps on or off, press the button
located next to the lamp.
If the vehicle has a DVD Rear Seat
Entertainment (RSE) system, press
the lamp lenses to turn the lamps on
or off.
The lamps are fixed and cannot be
adjusted.
Lighting Features
Entry Lighting
The vehicle has an illuminated entry
feature.
When the doors are opened, the
dome lamps will come on if the
dome override button is in the
extended position. If the dome
override button is pressed in,
the lamps will not come on.
Exit Lighting
The interior lamps come on when
the key is removed from the ignition.
They turn off automatically in
20 seconds. The lights do not come
on if the dome override button is
pressed in.
Battery Load
Management
The vehicle has Electric Power
Management (EPM) that estimates
the battery's temperature and state
of charge. It then adjusts the voltage
for best performance and extended
life of the battery.
When the battery's state of charge
is low, the voltage is raised slightly
to quickly bring the charge back up.
When the state of charge is high,
the voltage is lowered slightly to
prevent overcharging. If the vehicle
has a voltmeter gauge or a voltage
display on the Driver Information
Center (DIC), you may see the
voltage move up or down. This is
normal. If there is a problem, an
alert will be displayed.

Black plate (11,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-11
Scanning the Terrain
Off-road driving can take you over
many different kinds of terrain.
Be familiar with the terrain and
its many different features.
Surface Conditions:Off-roading
surfaces can be hard-packed dirt,
gravel, rocks, grass, sand, mud,
snow, or ice. Each of these surfaces
affects the vehicle's steering,
acceleration, and braking in different
ways. Depending on the surface,
slipping, sliding, wheel spinning,
delayed acceleration, poor traction,
and longer braking distances can
occur. Surface Obstacles:
Unseen or
hidden obstacles can be hazardous.
A rock, log, hole, rut, or bump can
startle you if you are not prepared
for them. Often these obstacles are
hidden by grass, bushes, snow,
or even the rise and fall of the
terrain itself.
Some things to consider:
.Is the path ahead clear?
.Will the surface texture change
abruptly up ahead?
.Does the travel take you uphill or
downhill?
.Will you have to stop suddenly
or change direction quickly?
When driving over obstacles or
rough terrain, keep a firm grip on
the steering wheel. Ruts, troughs,
or other surface features can jerk
the wheel out of your hands. When driving over bumps, rocks,
or other obstacles, the wheels can
leave the ground. If this happens,
even with one or two wheels, you
cannot control the vehicle as well or
at all.
Because you will be on an unpaved
surface, it is especially important to
avoid sudden acceleration, sudden
turns, or sudden braking.
Off-roading requires a different kind
of alertness from driving on paved
roads and highways. There are no
road signs, posted speed limits,
or signal lights. Use good judgment
about what is safe and what is not.

Black plate (37,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-37
C (ON/RUN):This position can
be used to operate the electrical
accessories and to display some
instrument panel cluster warning
and indicator lights. 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 the 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 and the
ignition is in ACC/ACCESSORY or
LOCK/OFF, and the key is in the
ignition.Starting the Engine
If the vehicle has a Duramax diesel
engine, see the Duramax diesel
supplement for more information.
If the vehicle is a hybrid, see
the hybrid supplement for more
information.
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.
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). The engine will not start
in any other position. To restart the
engine when the vehicle is already
moving, use N (Neutral) only.
Notice: The engine is designed to
work with the electronics in the
vehicle. If you add electrical parts
or accessories, you could change
the way the engine operates. Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your
dealer. If you do not, the engine
might not perform properly.
Any resulting damage would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty.
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 your engine gets
warm. 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.

Black plate (59,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-59
Electronic Transfer Case
The transfer case knob is located
next to the steering column.
Use the dial to shift into and out of
four-wheel drive.
Recommended Transfer Case Settings
Driving ConditionsTransfer Case Settings
2m 4m4n N
Normal YES Severe YES
Extreme YES
Vehicle in Tow* YES
*See Recreational Vehicle Towing on page 10‑103 orTowing the Vehicle
on page 10‑103.
You can choose among four driving
settings:
Indicator lights in the dial
show which setting you are in.
The indicator lights will come on
briefly when you turn on the ignition
and one will stay on. If the lights do
not come on, you should take the
vehicle to your dealer for service.
An indicator light flashes while
shifting the transfer case and remains illuminated when the
shift is complete. If for some
reason the transfer case cannot
make a requested shift, it will return
to the last chosen setting.
2
m(Two-Wheel Drive High):
This
setting is used for driving in most
street and highway situations.
The front axle is not engaged in
Two-Wheel Drive. This setting also
provides the best fuel economy.

Black plate (61,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-61
Turn the knob to the Four-Wheel
Drive Low position. You must
wait for the Four-Wheel Drive
Low indicator light to stop flashing
and remain on before shifting the
transmission in 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 transfer case N (Neutral)
with the engine running.
If the knob is turned to the
Four-Wheel Drive Low position
when the vehicle is in gear and/or
moving, the Four-Wheel Drive
Low indicator light will flash for 30 seconds and not complete the
shift unless the vehicle is moving
less than 5 km/h (3 mph) and the
transmission is in N (Neutral).
After 30 seconds the transfer
case will shift to Four-Wheel
Drive High mode.
Shifting Out of Four-Wheel
Drive Low
To shift from Four-Wheel Drive
Low to Four-Wheel Drive High,
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 or Two-Wheel Drive
High position. You must wait
for the Four-Wheel Drive High 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 transfer case N (Neutral)
with the engine running.
If the knob is turned to the
Four-Wheel Drive High,
or Two-Wheel Drive High switch
position when the vehicle is in gear
and/or moving, the Four-Wheel
Drive High, or Two-Wheel Drive
High indicator light will flash for
30 seconds but will not complete the
shift unless your vehicle is moving
less than 3 mph (5 km/h) and the
transmission is in N (Neutral).

Black plate (63,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-63
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.
Excessively shifting the transfer
case into or out of the different
modes may cause the transfer case
to enter the shift protection mode.
This will protect the transfer case
from possible damage and will only
allow the transfer case to respond
to one shift per 10 seconds.
The transfer case may stay in this
mode for up to three minutes.Automatic Transfer Case
The transfer case knob is located
next to the steering column.
Use the dial to shift into and out of
Four-Wheel Drive. You can choose among five driving
settings:
Indicator lights in the dial
show which setting you are in.
The indicator lights will come on
briefly when you turn on the ignition
and one will stay on. If the lights do
not come on, you should take the
vehicle to your dealer for service.
An indicator light will flash while
shifting the transfer case. It will
remain illuminated when the shift
is complete. If for some reason
the transfer case cannot make a
requested shift, it will return to
the last chosen setting.
2
m(Two-Wheel Drive High):
This
setting is used for driving in most
street and highway situations.
The front axle is not engaged in
Two-Wheel Drive. This setting also
provides the best fuel economy.

Black plate (65,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-65
Shifting Into Two-Wheel
Drive High
Turn the knob to the Two-Wheel
Drive High position. This can be
done at any speed, except when
shifting from Four-Wheel Drive Low.
The indicator light will flash while
shifting. It will remain on when the
shift is completed.
Shifting Into Four-Wheel
Drive Low
When Four-Wheel Drive Low is
engaged, vehicle speed should
be kept below 72 km/h (45 mph).
Extended high-speed operation in
Four-Wheel Drive Low may damage
or shorten the life of the drivetrain.To shift to the Four-Wheel Drive
Low position, the ignition must be
in ON/RUN and the vehicle must be
stopped or moving less than 5 km/h
(3 mph) with the transmission in
N (Neutral). The preferred method
for shifting into 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
Low position. You must wait for the
Four-Wheel Drive Low 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 Low position
when the vehicle is in gear and/or
moving, the Four-Wheel Drive
Low indicator light will flash for
30 seconds and not complete the
shift unless the vehicle is moving
less than 5 km/h (3 mph) and the
transmission is in N (Neutral).
After 30 seconds the transfer
case will shift to Four-Wheel
Drive High mode.