audio GMC SIERRA 1500 2012 User Guide

Black plate (1,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
Infotainment System 7-1
Infotainment
System
Introduction
Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Theft-Deterrent Feature . . . . . . . 7-2
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-3
Radio
AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-11
Radio Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-14
Fixed Mast Antenna . . . . . . . . . 7-15
Satellite Radio Antenna . . . . . . 7-15
Audio Players
CD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-15
CD/DVD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-21
Auxiliary Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-32
Rear Seat Infotainment
Rear Seat Entertainment(RSE) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-37
Rear Seat Audio (RSA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-46
Phone
Bluetooth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-48
Trademarks and License
Agreements
Trademarks and LicenseAgreements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-55
Introduction
Infotainment
Determine which radio the vehicle
has and read the following pages to
become familiar with its features.
{WARNING
Taking your eyes off the road for
extended periods could cause a
crash resulting in injury or death
to you or others. Do not give
extended attention to infotainment
tasks while driving.
This system provides access to
many audio and non‐audio listings.

Black plate (2,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
7-2 Infotainment System
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.
The vehicle has Retained
Accessory Power (RAP). With RAP,
the audio system can be played
even after the ignition is turned off.
See Retained Accessory Power
(RAP) on page 9‑29 for more
information.
Navigation/Radio System
For vehicles with a navigation radio
system, see the separate Navigation
System Manual.
Theft-Deterrent Feature
TheftLock®is designed to
discourage theft of the vehicle's
radio by learning a portion of the
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
The radio does not operate if it is
stolen or moved to a different
vehicle.

Black plate (5,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
Infotainment System 7-5
Radio with USB, CD, and DVD (MP3)
The vehicle has one of these radios
as its audio system.
Radios with CD and DVD
Vehicles with a USB, CD, and DVD
radio have a Bose®Surround
Sound System. Some of its features are explained later in this section,
“Adjusting the Speakers
(Balance/Fade).”
Vehicles with a USB, CD, and DVD
radio may have a Rear Seat
Entertainment (RSE) system. See
Rear Seat Entertainment (RSE)System on page 7‑37
for more
information on the vehicle's RSE
system.
The DVD player is the top slot
on the radio faceplate. The
player is capable of reading the
DTS‐programmed DVD Audio or
DVD Video media. (DTS and DTS
Digital Surround are registered
trademarks of Digital Theater
Systems, Inc.)
Dolby and the double-D symbol are
trademarks of Dolby Laboratories.
Manufactured under license from
Dolby Laboratories.
Using the Radio
O(Power/Volume): Press to turn
the system on and off.
Turn clockwise or counterclockwise
to increase or decrease the volume.
4(Information) (AM-FM Radio and
AM-FM Radio with CD): Press
to switch the display between the
radio station frequency and the
time. While the ignition is off, press
this button to display the time.

Black plate (7,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
Infotainment System 7-7
EQ (Equalization):Press this
button to choose bass and treble
equalization settings designed for
different types of music. Selecting
MANUAL, or changing bass or
treble, returns the EQ to the manual
bass and treble settings.
Unique EQ settings can be saved
for each source.
Setting the Tone (Bass/
Midrange/Treble) (All Except
AM-FM Radio and Radio
with CD)
BASS/MID/TREB (Bass, Midrange,
or Treble): To adjust the bass,
midrange, or treble:
1. Press the
fknob until the tone
control tabs display.
2. Highlight the desired tone control tab by doing one of the
following:
.Press thefknob.
.Press the softkey under the
desired tab. 3. Adjust the setting by doing one
of the following:
.Turn thefknob clockwise
or counterclockwise.
.Press the¨SEEK,
or
©SEEK.
.Press the\FWD,
or
sREV.
If a station's frequency is weak or if
there is static, decrease the treble.
To quickly adjust bass, midrange,
or treble to the middle position,
press the softkey positioned under
the BASS, MID, or TREB tab for
more than two seconds. A beep
sounds and the level adjusts to the
middle position. To quickly adjust all tone and
speaker controls to the middle
position, press the
fknob for more
than two seconds until a beep
sounds.
EQ (Equalization): Press this
button to choose bass and treble
equalization settings designed for
different types of music. Selecting
MANUAL, or changing bass or
treble, returns the EQ to the manual
bass and treble settings.
Unique EQ settings can be saved
for each source.
If the radio has a Bose
®audio
system, the EQ settings are either
MANUAL or TALK.

Black plate (8,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
7-8 Infotainment System
Adjusting the Speakers
(Balance/Fade) (AM-FM Radio
and AM-FM Radio with CD)
To adjust the balance or fade:
1. Press
`or press thefknob
until the speaker control label
displays.
2. To adjust the setting, do one of the following:
.Turn thefknob.
.Press either¨SEEK,
or
©SEEK.
.Press either\FWD,
or
sREV.
Adjusting the Speakers
(Balance/Fade) (All Except
AM-FM Radio and Radio
with CD)
BAL/FADE (Balance/Fade): To
adjust the balance or fade:
1. Press the
fknob until the
speaker control tabs display.
2. Highlight the desired speaker control tab by doing one of the
following:
.Press thefknob.
.Press the softkey under the
desired tab.
3. Adjust the setting by doing one of the following:
.Turn thefknob clockwise
or counterclockwise.
.Press the¨SEEK,
or
©SEEK.
.Press the\FWD,
or
sREV. To quickly adjust all speaker and
tone controls to the middle position,
press the
fknob for more than
two seconds.
If the Rear Seat Audio (RSA) is
turned on, the radio disables FADE
and mutes the rear speakers.
Radio Messages
Calibration Error: The audio
system has been calibrated
for the vehicle from the factory.
If Calibration Error displays, it
means that the radio has not been
configured properly for the vehicle
and it must be returned to your
dealer for service.
Locked or Loc: One of these
messages will display when the
THEFTLOCK
®system has locked
up the radio. Take the vehicle to
your dealer for service.
If any error occurs repeatedly or
if an error cannot be corrected,
contact your dealer.

Black plate (13,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
Infotainment System 7-13
XM Radio Messages
XL (Explicit Language
Channels):These channels, or
any others, can be blocked at a
customer's request, by calling
1-800-929-2100 in the U.S. and
1-877-438-9677 in Canada.
XM Updating: The encryption code
in the receiver is being updated, and
no action is required. This process
should take no longer than
30 seconds.
No XM Signal: The system is
functioning correctly, but the vehicle
is in a location that is blocking the
XM signal. When the vehicle is
moved into an open area, the signal
should return.
Loading XM: The audio system is
acquiring and processing audio and
text data. No action is needed. This
message should disappear shortly.
Channel Off Air: This channel is
not currently in service. Tune in to
another channel. Channel Unauth:
This channel is
blocked or cannot be received with
your XM subscription package.
Channel Unavail: This previously
assigned channel is no longer
assigned. Tune to another station.
If this station was one of the
presets, choose another station for
that preset button.
No Artist Info: No artist
information is available at this time
on this channel. The system is
working properly.
No Title Info: No song title
information is available at this time
on this channel. The system is
working properly.
No CAT Info: No category
information is available at this time
on this channel. The system is
working properly.
No Information: No text or
informational messages are
available at this time on this
channel. The system is working
properly. No Subscription Please Renew:
The XM subscription needs to
be reactivated. Contact XM at
www.xmradio.com or call
1-800-929-2100 in the U.S.
and www.xmradio.ca or call
1-877-438-9677 in Canada.
CAT Not Found:
There are no
channels available for the selected
category. The system is working
properly.
XM Theftlocked: The XM receiver
in the vehicle could have previously
been in another vehicle. For security
purposes, XM receivers cannot be
swapped between vehicles. If this
message is received after having
the vehicle serviced, check with
your dealer.
XM Radio ID: If tuned to channel 0,
this message alternates with the
XM Radio eight‐digit radio ID label.
This label is needed to activate the
service.

Black plate (15,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
Infotainment System 7-15
Fixed Mast Antenna
The fixed mast antenna can
withstand most car washes without
being damaged as long as it is
securely attached to the base.
If the mast becomes slightly bent,
straighten it out by hand. If the mast
is badly bent, replace it.
Occasionally check to make sure
the antenna is tightened to its base.
If tightening is required, tighten
by hand until fully seated plus
one quarter turn.
Satellite Radio Antenna
The XM Satellite Radio antenna is
located on the roof of the vehicle.
Keep the antenna clear of
obstructions for clear radio
reception.
If the vehicle has a sunroof, the
performance of the XM system
(if equipped) may be affected if the
sunroof is open.
Audio Players
CD Player
Care of the CD Player
Do not add any label to a CD.
It could get caught in the CD. If a
CD is recorded on a personal
computer and a description label is
needed, try labeling the top of the
recorded CD with a marking pen.
The use of CD lens cleaners is
not advised, due to the risk of
contaminating the lens of the CD
optics with lubricants internal to the
CD player mechanism.
Notice:If a label is added to a
CD, more than one CD is inserted
into the slot at a time, or an
attempt is made to play scratched
or damaged CDs, the CD player
could be damaged. While using
the CD player, use only CDs in
good condition without any label,
load one CD at a time, and keep the CD player and the loading slot
free of foreign materials, liquids,
and debris.
If an error displays, see
“CD Player
Messages” later in this section.Care of CDs
If playing a CD-R, the sound quality
can be reduced due to CD-R or
CD-RW quality, the method of
recording, the quality of the music
that has been recorded, and the
way the CD-R or CD-RW has been
handled. Handle them carefully.
Store CD-Rs or CD-RWs in their
original cases or other protective
cases and away from direct sunlight
and dust. The CD player scans the
bottom surface of the disc. If the
surface of a CD is damaged, such
as cracked, broken, or scratched,
the CD does not play properly or not
at all. Do not touch the bottom side
of a CD while handling it; this could
damage the surface. Pick up CDs
by grasping the outer edges or the
edge of the hole and the outer edge.

Black plate (16,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
7-16 Infotainment System
If the surface of a CD is soiled,
clean it with a soft, lint‐free cloth or
dampen a clean, soft cloth in a mild,
neutral detergent solution mixed
with water. Make sure the wiping
process starts from the center to
the edge.
Inserting a CD (Single CD
Player)
Insert a CD partway into the slot,
label side up. The player pulls it in
and the CD should begin playing.
Inserting a CD(s) (Six-Disc CD
Player)
LOAD^:Press to load CDs into
the CD player. This CD player holds
up to six CDs.
To insert one CD:
1. Press and release the LOAD button.
2. Wait for the message to insert the disc. 3. Load a CD. Insert the CD
partway into the slot, label side
up. The player pulls the CD in.
To insert multiple CDs:
1. Press and hold the LOAD button for two seconds. A beep sounds
and Load All Discs displays.
2. Wait for the message on when to insert the discs. The CD player
takes up to six CDs.
3. Press the LOAD button again to cancel loading more CDs.
Ejecting a CD (Single CD
Player)
ZEJECT: Press and release to
eject the disc. Remove the CD
when Remove Disc displays. If the
disc is not removed, after several
seconds the disc is automatically
pulled back into the player.
Ejecting a CD (Six-Disc CD
Player)
ZEJECT: Press and release
to eject the disc that is currently
playing. Remove the CD when
Remove Disc displays. If the disc is
not removed, after several seconds
the disc is automatically pulled back
into the player.
To eject all CDs, press and
hold the
ZEJECT button for
two seconds.
Playing a CD
If the ignition or radio is turned off
with a CD in the player, it stays in
the player. When the ignition or
radio is turned on, the CD starts
playing where it stopped, if it was
the last selected audio source. The
CD is controlled by the buttons on
the radio faceplate or by the RSA
unit. See Rear Seat Audio (RSA)
System on page 7‑46 for more
information.

Black plate (17,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
Infotainment System 7-17
When a CD is inserted, the CD
symbol displays on the left side of
the radio display. As each new track
starts to play, the track number
displays.
The CD player can play the smaller
8 cm (3 in) single CDs with an
adapter ring. Full-size CDs and the
smaller CDs are loaded in the same
manner.
CD/AUX (CD/Auxiliary):Press to
cycle between CD or Auxiliary when
listening to the radio. The CD icon
and a message showing the disc
and/or track number will display
when a CD is in the player. Press
again and the system automatically
searches for an auxiliary input
device; see Auxiliary Devices on
page 7‑32 for more information.
If a portable audio player is not
connected, “No Input Device Found”
displays.
4(Information): Press to display
additional text information related to
the current song. If information is
available, the song title information displays on the top line of the
display and artist information
displays on the bottom line.
When information is not available,
“NO INFO”
displays.
f(Tune):Turn to select tracks on
the CD that is currently playing.
©SEEK: Press to go to the start
of the current track if more than
10 seconds on the CD have played.
Press to go to the previous track if
less than 10 seconds on the CD
have played.
Press and hold, or press multiple
times, to continue moving backward
through the tracks on the CD.
¨SEEK: Press to go to the next
track.
Press and hold, or press multiple
times, to continue moving forward
through the tracks on the CD.
sREV (Fast Reverse): Press
and hold to reverse playback quickly
within a track.
\FWD (Fast Forward): Press
and hold to advance playback
quickly within a track.
RPT (Repeat): For the AM-FM
Radio with CD, press and release
the RPT button to repeat the current
track. Press RPT again to turn off
repeat play.
RDM (Random): Press to listen
to tracks in random, rather than
sequential order. To use random, do
one of the following:
For the AM-FM Radio with CD:
1. Press the RDM button until the random icon displays.
2. Press the RDM button again until the random icon disappears
from the display.
For the Radio with CD (MP3) and
Radio with USB and CD (MP3):
1. Press the softkey positioned under the RDM tab until Random
Current Disc displays.
2. Press the softkey again to turn off random play.

Black plate (18,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
7-18 Infotainment System
For the Radio with USB and
Six-Disc CD (MP3):
1. Press the softkey positionedunder the RDM tab until
Randomize All Discs displays to
play tracks from all CDs loaded
in random order.
2. Press the softkey positioned under the RDM tab until Random
Current Disc displays to play
tracks from a single CD in
random order.
3. Press the same softkey again to turn off random play.
MP3‐Supported Files
The Radio with CD (MP3), Radio
with USB and CD (MP3), and Radio
with USB and Six-Disc CD (MP3)
have the capability of playing an
MP3 CD-R or CD-RW disc.
Format
Radios that have the capability of
playing MP3s can play .mp3 or .wma
files that were recorded onto a
CD-R or CD-RW disc. The files can be recorded with the following fixed
bit rates: 32 kbps, 40 kbps, 56 kbps,
64 kbps, 80 kbps, 96 kbps, 112 kbps,
128 kbps, 160 kbps, 192 kbps,
224 kbps, 256 kbps, and 320 kbps or
a variable bit rate.
Compressed Audio or Mixed Mode
Discs
The radio can play discs that
contain both uncompressed CD
audio and MP3 files. If both formats
are on the disc, the radio reads
all MP3 files first, then the
uncompressed CD audio files.
CD‐R‐
or CD‐RW‐Supported File
and Folder Structure
The radio supports:
.Up to 50 folders.
.Up to 8 folders in depth.
.Up to 50 playlists.
.Up to 255 files.
.Playlists with an .m3u or .wpl
extension.
.Files with an .mp3, .wma, or .cda
file extension.
Root Directory
The root directory is treated as a
folder. Files are stored in the root
directory when the disc or storage
device does not contain folders.
Files accessed from the root
directory of a CD display as
F1 ROOT.
Empty Folder
Folders that do not contain files are
skipped, and the player advances to
the next folder that contains files.
Order of Play
Compressed audio files are
accessed in the following order:
.Playlists (Px).
.Files stored in the root directory.
.Files stored in folders in the root
directory.