steering GMC SIERRA 1500 2012 Owner's Manual

Black plate (24,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
5-24 Instruments and Controls
The following may correct an
emission system malfunction:
.Check that the fuel cap is fully
installed. SeeFilling the Tank on
page 9‑72. The diagnostic
system can determine if the
fuel cap has been left off or
improperly installed. A loose or
missing fuel cap allows fuel to
evaporate into the atmosphere.
A few driving trips with the cap
properly installed should turn the
light off.
.Check that good quality fuel is
used. Poor fuel quality causes
the engine not to run as
efficiently as designed and may
cause stalling after start-up,
stalling when the vehicle is
changed into gear, misfiring,
hesitation on acceleration,
or stumbling on acceleration.
These conditions might go away
once the engine is warmed up. If one or more of these conditions
occurs, change the fuel brand used.
It will require at least one full tank of
the proper fuel to turn the light off.
See
Recommended Fuel on
page 9‑68.
If none of the above have made
the light turn off, your dealer can
check the vehicle. The dealer has
the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to fix any
mechanical or electrical problems
that might have developed.Emissions Inspection and
Maintenance Programs
Some local governments may have
programs to inspect the on-vehicle
emission control equipment. For
the inspection, the emission system
test equipment is connected
to the vehicle’s Data Link
Connector (DLC).
The DLC is under the instrument
panel to the left of the steering
wheel. See your dealer if assistance
is needed.
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.

Black plate (30,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
5-30 Instruments and Controls
Cruise Control Light
For vehicles equipped with cruise
control, this light comes on
whenever the cruise control is set.
The light goes out when the cruise
control is turned off. SeeCruise
Control on page 9‑58 for more
information.
Information Displays
Driver Information
Center (DIC)
The vehicle has a Driver Information
Center (DIC).
The DIC displays information about
this vehicle. It also displays warning
messages if a system problem is
detected.
All messages will appear in
the DIC display located below the
tachometer in the instrument panel
cluster.
The DIC comes on when the ignition
is on. After a short delay, the DIC
will display the information that was
last displayed before the engine
was turned off. The DIC has different displays
which can be accessed by pressing
the DIC buttons located on the
instrument panel, next to the
steering wheel. If the vehicle does
not have DIC buttons, the trip
odometer reset stem can be used to
access some of the menu items.
The DIC displays trip, fuel, and
vehicle system information, and
warning messages if a system
problem is detected.
The DIC also allows some features
to be customized. See
Vehicle
Personalization (With DIC Buttons)
on page 5‑48 for more information.
If the vehicle has a diesel
engine, see the Duramax
®diesel
supplement for more information.

Black plate (1,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
Lighting 6-1
Lighting
Exterior Lighting
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lamps OffReminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Automatic Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . 6-5
Turn and Lane-Change Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Auxiliary Roof-Mounted Lamp . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Interior Lighting
Instrument Panel IlluminationControl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Cargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Lighting Features
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Battery Load Management . . . . 6-9
Battery Power Protection . . . . 6-10
Exterior Lighting
Exterior Lamp Controls
The exterior lamps control is located
on the instrument panel to the left of
the steering wheel.
It controls the following systems:
.Headlamps
.Taillamps
.Parking Lamps
.License Plate Lamps
.Instrument Panel Lights
.Roof Marker Lamps
(If Equipped)

Black plate (5,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
Lighting 6-5
If the vehicle is not equipped
with DIC buttons, exit lighting is
automatic. When it is dark enough
outside, the exterior lamps remain
on for 30 seconds after the ignition
is moved from ON/RUN to
LOCK/OFF.
For vehicles without a radio, the
instrument panel light remains on for
30 seconds with the driver door
closed. For vehicles with a radio,
the instrument panel light remains
on for 10 minutes with the driver
door closed. SeeRetained
Accessory Power (RAP) on
page 9‑29.
The regular headlamp system can
be turned on when needed.Hazard Warning Flashers
|(Hazard Warning Flashers):
Press this button located on top of
the steering column, to make the
front and rear turn signal lamps
flash on and off. This warns others
that you are having trouble. Press
again to turn the flashers off.
When the hazard warning flashers
are on, the vehicle's turn signals will
not work.
Turn and Lane-Change
Signals
An arrow on the instrument panel
cluster flashes in the direction of the
turn or lane change.
Move the lever all the way up or
down to signal a turn.
Raise or lower the lever for less
than one second until the arrow
starts to flash to signal a lane
change. This causes the turn
signals to automatically flash
three times. It will flash six times
if tow-haul mode is active.

Black plate (6,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
6-6 Lighting
Holding the turn signal lever for
more than one second will cause
the turn signals to flash until you
release the lever.
The lever returns to its starting
position whenever it is released.
If after signaling a turn or a lane
change the arrows flash rapidly or
do not come on, a signal bulb could
be burned out.
Have the bulbs replaced. If the bulb
is not burned out, check the fuse.
SeeFuses and Circuit Breakers on
page 10‑44.
Turn Signal On Chime
If the turn signal is left on for more
than 1.2 km (0.75 mi), a chime will
sound at each flash of the turn
signal and the message TURN
SIGNAL ON will also appear in the
Driver Information Control (DIC). To
turn the chime and message off,
move the turn signal lever to the off
position.Fog Lamps
For vehicles with fog lamps, the
control is located next to the exterior
lamps control on the instrument
panel, to the left of the steering
column.
The ignition must be in the ON/RUN
position for the fog lamps to
come on.
#(Fog Lamps): Press to turn the
fog lamps on or off. A light will come
on in the instrument panel cluster.
When the fog lamps are turned on,
the parking lamps automatically
turn on.
When the headlamps are changed
to high beam, the fog lamps also go
off. When the high-beam headlamps
are turned off, the fog lamps will
come on again.
Some localities have laws that
require the headlamps to be on with
the fog lamps.
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.

Black plate (10,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
7-10 Infotainment System
Storing Radio Stations
Drivers are encouraged to store the
radio station while the vehicle is
parked; seeDefensive Driving on
page 9‑3. Tune to stored radio
stations using the presets, favorites
button, and steering wheel controls,
if the vehicle has this feature.
Radios that have a FAV button store
radio stations as favorites. Up to
36 stations can be programmed as
favorites using the six softkeys
below the radio station frequency
tabs and by using the FAV button.
Press the FAV button to go through
up to six pages of favorites, each
having six favorite stations available
per page. Each page of favorites
can contain any combination of AM,
FM, or XM, if equipped, stations.
Radios that do not have a FAV
button store radio stations as
presets. Up to 18 stations (6 FM1,
6 FM2, and 6 AM), can be
programmed on the six numbered
pushbuttons. Setting Preset Stations
To store presets:
1. Tune to a radio station.
2. Press and hold one of the
six numbered pushbuttons for
three seconds until a beep
sounds.
3. Repeat Steps 1 and 2 to store additional radio stations.
Storing a Radio Station as a
Favorite
To store a station as a favorite:
1. Tune to a radio station.
2. Press the FAV button to display the page where the station will
be stored.
3. Press and hold one of the six softkeys until a beep sounds.
4. Repeat Steps 1 through 3 to store additional radio stations. The number of favorites pages can
be set up using the MENU button.
To set up the number of favorites
pages:
1. Press the MENU button.
2. Press the softkey located below
the FAV 1-6 tab.
3. Select the number of favorites pages by pressing the softkey
located below the displayed
page numbers.
4. Press the FAV button, or let the menu time out, to return to the
original main radio screen
showing the radio station
frequency tabs and to begin the
process of programming
favorites.

Black plate (12,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
7-12 Infotainment System
3. To exit the category searchmode, press the FAV button or
BAND button to display the
favorites again.
Adding and Removing Categories
Categories cannot be added or
removed while the vehicle is moving
faster than 8 km/h (5 mph).
To add or remove a category:
1. Press the MENU button.
2. Press the softkey located below the XM CAT tab.
3. Turn the
fknob to display the
category to add or remove.
4. Press the softkey located under the Add or Remove tab.
To restore all removed
categories, press the softkey
under the Restore All tab.
5. Repeat the steps to remove more categories.
Storing XM Channels
Drivers are encouraged to store
XM channels while the vehicle is
parked; see Defensive Driving on
page 9‑3. Tune to stored radio
stations using the presets, favorites
button, and steering wheel controls,
if the vehicle has this feature.
Up to 36 stations can be
programmed as favorites using the
six softkeys below the radio station
frequency tabs and by using the
FAV button. Press the FAV button
to go through up to six pages of
favorites, each having six favorite
stations available per page. Each
page of favorites can contain any
combination of AM, FM, or XM,
if equipped, stations.
Storing an XM Channel as a
Favorite
To store a station as a favorite:
1. Tune to an XM channel.
2. Press the FAV button to display the page where the station will
be stored. 3. Press and hold one of the
six softkeys until a beep sounds.
4. Repeat Steps 1 through 3 to store additional radio stations.
The number of favorites pages can
be set up using the MENU button.
To set up the number of favorites
pages:
1. Press the MENU button.
2. Press the softkey located below the FAV 1-6 tab.
3. Select the number of favorites pages by pressing the softkey
located below the displayed
page numbers.
4. Press the FAV button, or let the menu time out, to return to the
original main radio screen
showing the radio station
frequency tabs and to begin
the process of programming
favorites.

Black plate (49,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
Infotainment System 7-49
When to Speak:A short tone
sounds after the system responds
indicating when it is waiting for a
voice command. Wait until the tone
and then speak.
How to Speak: Speak clearly in a
calm and natural voice.
Audio System
When using the in‐vehicle Bluetooth
system, sound comes through the
vehicle's front audio system
speakers and overrides the audio
system. Use the audio system
volume knob, during a call, to
change the volume level. The
adjusted volume level remains in
memory for later calls. To prevent
missed calls, a minimum volume
level is used if the volume is turned
down too low.
Bluetooth Controls
Use the buttons located on the
steering wheel to operate the
in‐vehicle Bluetooth system. See
Steering Wheel Controls on
page 5‑2 for more information.
b/g(Push To Talk): Press to
answer incoming calls, confirm
system information, and start
speech recognition.
c/x(End): Press to end a call,
reject a call, or cancel an operation.
Pairing
A Bluetooth enabled cell phone
must be paired to the Bluetooth
system and then connected to the
vehicle before it can be used. See
the cell phone manufacturer's user
guide for Bluetooth functions before
pairing the cell phone. If a Bluetooth
phone is not connected, calls will be
made using OnStar Hands‐Free
Calling, if equipped. See OnStar
Overview on page 14‑1 for more
information. Pairing Information
.A Bluetooth phone with MP3
capability cannot be paired to
the vehicle as a phone and an
MP3 player at the same time.
.Up to five cell phones can be
paired to the Bluetooth system.
.The pairing process is disabled
when the vehicle is moving.
.Pairing only needs to be
completed once, unless the
pairing information on the cell
phone changes or the cell phone
is deleted from the system.
.Only one paired cell phone can
be connected to the Bluetooth
system at a time.
.If multiple paired cell phones are
within range of the system, the
system connects to the first
available paired cell phone in the
order that they were first paired
to the system. To connect to a
different paired phone, see
“Connecting to a Different
Phone”
later in this section.

Black plate (1,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
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 . . . . . . . . 9-11
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . 9-12
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 9-12
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-13
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 9-15
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-16
Truck-Camper LoadingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-25
Adjustable Throttle and BrakePedal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26 Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Fast Idle System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Engine Coolant Heater . . . . . . . 9-30
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Active Fuel Management
®. . . 9-32
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-35
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-39
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-53
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-54
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-54
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . 9-54
Ride Control Systems
StabiliTrak®System . . . . . . . . . 9-55
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-58
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-58
Object Detection Systems
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 9-61
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-62
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-68
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . 9-68
Gasoline Specifications (U.S.and Canada Only) . . . . . . . . . . 9-69
California Fuel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-69
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 9-69
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-70
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . 9-71
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-72
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-73

Black plate (4,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
9-4 Driving and Operating
Control of a Vehicle
Braking, steering, and accelerating
are important factors in helping to
control a vehicle while driving.
Braking
Braking action involves perception
time and reaction time. Deciding
to push the brake pedal is
perception time. Actually doing
it is reaction time.
Average driver reaction time is
about three-quarters of a second.
In that time, a vehicle moving at
100 km/h (60 mph) travels 20 m
(66 ft), which could be a lot of
distance in an emergency.
Helpful braking tips to keep in mind
include:
.Keep enough distance between
you and the vehicle in front
of you.
.Avoid needless heavy braking.
.Keep pace with traffic.If the engine ever stops while the
vehicle is being driven, brake
normally but do not pump the
brakes. Doing so could make the
pedal harder to push down. If the
engine stops, there will be some
power brake assist but it will be
used when the brake is applied.
Once the power assist is used up, it
can take longer to stop and the
brake pedal will be harder to push.
Steering
Hydraulic Power Steering
Your vehicle has hydraulic
power steering. It may require
maintenance. See Power Steering
Fluid
Power Steering Fluid on
page 10‑25.
If power steering assist is lost
because the engine stops or the
power steering system is not
functioning, the vehicle can be
steered but may required increased
effort. See your dealer if there is a
problem. If the vehicle is a hybrid, see the
hybrid supplement for more
information.
Curve Tips
.Take curves at a reasonable
speed.
.Reduce speed before entering a
curve.
.Maintain a reasonable steady
speed through the curve
.Wait until the vehicle is out of
the curve before accelerating
gently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
.There are some situations when
steering around a problem may
be more effective than braking.
.Holding both sides of the
steering wheel allows you to turn
180 degrees without removing
a hand.
.Antilock Brake System (ABS)
allows steering while braking.