service GMC SIERRA 1500 2011 Workshop Manual

Black plate (36,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
9-36 Driving and Operating
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 9‑40.
This position locks the ignition.
It also locks the transmission on
automatic transmission vehicles.
The key can 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. 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), and turn the ignition
to LOCK/OFF. On vehicles with
an automatic transmission, the
shift lever must be in P (Park)
to turn the ignition switch to the
LOCK/OFF position.
4. Set the parking brake. See Parking Brake on page 9‑69. 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.
Notice:
Using a tool to force the
key to turn in the ignition could
cause damage to the switch or
break the key. Use the correct
key, make sure it is all the way in,
and turn it only with your hand.
If the key cannot be turned by
hand, see your dealer.
B (ACC/ACCESSORY): This
position lets things like the radio
and the windshield wipers operate
while the engine is off. Use this
position if the vehicle must be
pushed or towed.

Black plate (43,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-43
Shifting Out of Park
This vehicle is equipped with
an electronic shift lock release
system. The shift lock release is
designed to:
.Prevent ignition key removal
unless the shift lever is in
P (Park) with the shift lever
button fully released.
.Prevent movement of the shift
lever out of P (Park), unless
the ignition is in ON/RUN or
ACC/ACCESSORY and the
regular brake pedal is applied.
The shift lock release is always
functional except in the case of an
uncharged or low voltage (less than
9 volt) battery.
If the vehicle has an uncharged
battery or a battery with low voltage,
try charging or jump starting the
battery. See Jump Starting on
page 10‑98 for more information. To shift out of P (Park) use the
following:
1. Apply the brake pedal.
2. Move the shift lever to the
desired position.
If you still are unable to shift out of
P (Park):
1. Ease the pressure on the shift lever.
2. While holding down the brake pedal, press the shift lever all
the way into P (Park).
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If you are still having a problem
shifting, then have the vehicle
serviced soon.
Parking Over Things
That Burn
{WARNING
Things that can burn could touch
hot exhaust parts under the
vehicle and ignite. Do not park
over papers, leaves, dry grass,
or other things that can burn.

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 (60,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
9-60 Driving and Operating
4m(Four-Wheel Drive High):Use
the Four-Wheel Drive High position
when extra traction is needed, such
as on snowy or icy roads or in most
off-road situations. This setting also
engages the front axle to help drive
the vehicle. This is the best setting
to use when plowing snow.
4
n(Four-Wheel Drive Low): This
setting also engages the front axle
and delivers extra torque. You may
never need this setting. It sends
maximum power to all four wheels.
You might choose Four-Wheel
Drive Low while driving off-road in
deep sand, deep mud, deep snow,
and while climbing or descending
steep hills.
If the vehicle has StabiliTrak
®,
shifting into Four-Wheel Drive
Low will turn Traction Control and
StabiliTrak off. See StabiliTrak
®
System on page 9‑70.
{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). SeeParking Brake
on page 9‑69.
N (Neutral): Shift the vehicle's
transfer case to N (Neutral)
only when towing the vehicle.
See Recreational Vehicle Towing on
page 10‑103 orTowing the Vehicle
on page 10‑103 for more
information.
If the SERVICE 4 WHEEL DRIVE
message stays on, you should
take the vehicle to your dealer for
service. See “SERVICE 4 WHEEL
DRIVE message” under
Transmission Messages on
page 5‑50. 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.
See
“Shifting Out of Four-Wheel
Drive Low” for more information.
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).

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 (64,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
9-64 Driving and Operating
AUTO (Automatic Four-Wheel
Drive):This setting is ideal for
use when road surface traction
conditions are variable. When
driving the vehicle in AUTO,
the front axle is engaged, but the
vehicle's power is sent only to the
front and rear wheels automatically
based on driving conditions. Driving
in this mode results in slightly lower
fuel economy than Two-Wheel
Drive High.
4
m(Four-Wheel Drive High): Use
the Four-Wheel Drive High position
when extra traction is needed, such
as on snowy or icy roads or in most
off-road situations. This setting also
engages the front axle to help drive
the vehicle. This is the best setting
to use when plowing snow. 4
n(Four-Wheel Drive Low):
This
setting also engages the front axle
and delivers extra torque. You may
never need this setting. It sends
maximum power to all four wheels.
You might choose Four-Wheel Drive
Low if you are driving off-road in
deep sand, deep mud, deep snow,
and while climbing or descending
steep hills.
If the vehicle has StabiliTrak
®,
shifting into Four-Wheel Drive
Low will turn Traction Control and
StabiliTrak off. See StabiliTrak
®
System on page 9‑70.
{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). SeeParking Brake on
page 9‑69. N (Neutral):
Shift the vehicle's
transfer case to N (Neutral)
only when towing the vehicle.
See Recreational Vehicle Towing on
page 10‑103 orTowing the Vehicle
on page 10‑103 for more
information.
If the SERVICE 4 WHEEL DRIVE
message stays on, you should
take the vehicle to your dealer for
service. See “SERVICE 4 WHEEL
DRIVE message” under
Transmission Messages on
page 5‑50.
Shifting Into Four-Wheel Drive
High or AUTO (Automatic
Four-Wheel Drive)
Turn the knob to the Four-Wheel
Drive High or AUTO 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.

Black plate (71,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-71
When the vehicle is started
and begins to move, the system
performs several diagnostic checks
to insure there are no problems.
The system may be heard or
felt while it is working. This is
normal and does not mean there
is a problem with the vehicle.
The system should initialize
before the vehicle reaches 32 km/h
(20 mph). In some cases, it may
take approximately 3.2 km (2 mi) of
driving before the system initializes.
If cruise control is being used when
StabiliTrak activates, the cruise
control automatically disengages.
The cruise control can be
re-engaged when road conditions
allow. SeeCruise Control on
page 9‑73 for more information.
If the system fails to turn on or
activate, the StabiliTrak light
along with one of the following
messages will be displayed
on the Driver Information
Center (DIC): TRACTION CONTROL OFF, SERVICE
TRACTION CONTROL,
STABILITRAK OFF, SERVICE
STABILITRAK. If these DIC
messages appear, make sure the
StabiliTrak system has not been
turned off using the StabiliTrak
on/off button. Then turn the vehicle
off, wait 15 seconds, and turn it
back on again to reset the system.
If any of these messages still
appear on the DIC, the vehicle
should be taken in for service.
For more information on the DIC
messages, see
Ride Control
System Messages on page 5‑47.
The StabiliTrak light will flash on the
instrument panel cluster when the
system is both on and activated. The system may be heard or felt
while it is working; this is normal.
The traction control disable button
is located on the instrument panel
below the climate controls.
The Traction Control System (TCS)
part of StabiliTrak can be turned
off by pressing and releasing the
StabiliTrak button. To disable both
TCS and StabiliTrak, press and
hold
5untilFilluminates and the
appropriate DIC message displays.
TCS and StabiliTrak can be turned
on by pressing and releasing the
StabiliTrak button if they are not
automatically shut off for any other
reason.

Black plate (73,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-73
The traction control system may
activate on dry or rough roads
or under conditions such as
heavy acceleration while turning
or abrupt upshifts/downshifts of the
transmission. When this happens,
a reduction in acceleration may be
noticed, or a noise or vibration may
be heard. This is normal.
If cruise control is being used when
the system activates, the StabiliTrak
light will flash and cruise control will
automatically disengage. Cruise
control may be reengaged when
road conditions allow. SeeCruise
Control on page 9‑73.
StabiliTrak may also turn off
automatically if it determines that
a problem exists with the system.
If the problem does not clear itself
after restarting the vehicle, see your
dealer for service. 2500 and 3500 series vehicles
with StabiliTrak have a Trailer Sway
Control (TSC) feature. See
Trailer
Sway Control (TSC) on page 9‑124.
2500 and 3500 series vehicles
with StabiliTrak have a Hill Start
Assist (HSA) feature. See Hill Start
Assist (HSA) on page 9‑70.
Adding non‐dealer accessories can
affect the vehicle's performance.
See Accessories and Modifications
on page 10‑3.
Locking Rear Axle
Vehicles with a locking rear axle can
give more traction on snow, mud,
ice, sand, or gravel. It works like a
standard axle most of the time, but
when traction is low, this feature will
allow the rear wheel with the most
traction to move the vehicle.
Cruise Control
{WARNING
Cruise control can be dangerous
where you cannot drive safely at
a steady speed. So, do not use
the cruise control on winding
roads or in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous
on slippery roads. On such roads,
fast changes in tire traction can
cause excessive wheel slip, and
you could lose control. Do not use
cruise control on slippery roads.
For vehicles with cruise control, a
speed of about 40 km/h (25 mph)
or more can be maintained
without keeping your foot on the
accelerator. Cruise control does
not work at speeds below about
40 km/h (25 mph).

Black plate (77,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-77
How the System Works
URPA comes on automatically
when the shift lever is moved into
R (Reverse). A single tone sounds
to indicate the system is working.
URPA operates only at speeds less
than 8 km/h (5 mph).
An obstacle is indicated by audible
beeps. The interval between the
beeps becomes shorter as the
vehicle gets closer to the obstacle.
When the distance is less than
30 cm (12 in) the beeps are
continuous.
To be detected, objects must be at
least 25.4 cm (10 in) off the ground
and below tailgate level. Objects
must also be within 2.5 m (8 ft) from
the rear bumper. This distance may
be less during warmer or humid
weather.
The system can be disabled by
pressing the rear park aid disable
button located next to the radio.
The indicator light comes on and
PARK ASSIST OFF displays on the
Driver Information Center (DIC) to
indicate that URPA is off; seeObject
Detection System Messages on
page 5‑46.
Notice: If you use URPA while
the tailgate is lowered, it may
not detect an object behind your
vehicle, and you might back into
the object and damage your
vehicle. Always verify the tailgate
is closed when using URPA or
turn off URPA when driving with
the tailgate lowered.
When the System Does Not
Seem to Work Properly
The following messages may be
displayed on the DIC:
SERVICE PARK ASSIST: If this
message occurs, take the vehicle to
your dealer to repair the system.
PARK ASSIST OFF: This message
occurs if the driver disables the
system.
PARK ASST BLOCKED SEE
OWNERS MANUAL: This
message can occur under the
following conditions:
.The ultrasonic sensors are not
clean. Keep the vehicle's rear
bumper free of mud, dirt, snow,
ice, and slush. For cleaning
instructions, see “Washing the
Vehicle” underExterior Care on
page 10‑108.

Black plate (81,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-81
Rear Vision Camera Error
Messages
Service Rear Vision Camera
System:This message can display
when the system is not receiving
information it requires from other
vehicle systems.
If any other problem occurs or if a
problem persists, see your dealer.
Rear Vision Camera Location
The rear vision camera is located in
the bezel for the tailgate handle. The camera uses a special lens.
The distance of the image that
appears on the screen differs from
the actual distance. The area
displayed by the camera is limited.
The camera does not display
objects which are close to either
corner of the bumper or under the
bumper. The area displayed on
the screen can vary according
to vehicle orientation or road
conditions.
The following illustration shows
the field of view that the camera
provides.
A. View displayed by the camera
B. Corner of the rear bumper