GMC SIERRA 1500 2012 Owner's Guide

Black plate (25,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
In Brief 1-25
2. Press the plus/minus buttons,located on the steering column
shift lever, to select the desired
range of gears for current driving
conditions. See Manual Mode on
page 9‑38.
While using Range Selection Mode,
cruise control and the Tow/Haul
mode can be used.
Grade Braking is not available when
Range Selection Mode is active.
See Tow/Haul Mode on page 9‑39.
Four-Wheel Drive
If the vehicle has Four-Wheel Drive,
you can send the engine's driving
power to all four wheels for extra
traction.
Transfer Case Buttons
The vehicle will have one of these
three styles of transfer case
controls. Use these controls to
shift into and out of the different
Four-Wheel Drive modes. Manual Transfer Case
This transfer case shift lever is on
the floor to the right of the driver.
Electronic Transfer CaseThis transfer case knob is located
next to the steering column.

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1-26 In Brief
Automatic Transfer Case
This transfer case knob is located
next to the steering column.
Each transfer case design offers
different drive options. The list
below describes the different drive
options that may be available.2
m(Two-Wheel-Drive High):
This
setting is used for driving in most
street and highway situations.
AUTO (Automatic Four-Wheel
Drive): This setting is ideal for
use when road surface traction
conditions are variable.
4
m(Four-Wheel 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. N (Neutral):
Shift the transfer case
to Neutral only when towing the
vehicle. See Recreational Vehicle
Towing on page 10‑93 orTrailer
Towing on page 9‑78.
4
n(Four-Wheel-Drive Low): This
setting 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.
See Four-Wheel Drive on
page 9‑40.

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In Brief 1-27
Vehicle Features
Radio(s)
Radio with USB, CD, and DVD (MP3)
O:Press to turn the system on
and off. Turn to increase or
decrease the volume. BAND:
Press to choose between
FM, AM, or XM™, if equipped.
f: Select radio stations.
©SEEK or¨SEEK: Seek or scan
stations.
4: 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. Press to display additional text
information related to the current
FM-RDS or XM station; or CD, MP3,
or WMA song. If information is
available during XM, CD, MP3,
or WMA playback, 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.
For more information about these
and other radio features, see
Operation on page 7‑3.
For vehicles with a Rear Seat
Entertainment System (RSE) and
Rear Seat Audio System (RSA), see
Rear Seat Entertainment (RSE)
System on page 7‑37 andRear
Seat Audio (RSA) System on
page 7‑46 for more information.

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1-28 In Brief
Storing Radio Stations
A maximum of 36 stations can be
stored as favorites using the six
softkeys located below the radio
station frequency tabs and by using
the radio FAV button. Press FAV 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
stations.
For more information, see“Storing
Radio Stations” inAM-FM Radio on
page 7‑9.
Setting the Clock
To set the time and date:
1. Turn the ignition key to ACC/
ACCESSORY or ON/RUN, then
press
O, to turn the radio on.
2. Press
Hto display HR, MIN,
MM, DD, and YYYY (hour,
minute, month, day, and year). 3. Press the softkey located under
any one of the labels to be
changed.
4. To increase or decrease the time or date, turn
fclockwise or
counter‐clockwise.
For detailed instructions on setting
the clock for the vehicle's specific
audio system, see Clock on
page 5‑7.
Satellite Radio
XM is a satellite radio service based
in the 48 contiguous United States
and 10 Canadian provinces.
XM satellite radio has a wide
variety of programming and
commercial-free music, coast to
coast, and in digital-quality sound. A fee is required to receive the
XM service.
For more information, refer to:
.www.xmradio.com or call
1-800-929-2100 (U.S.)
.www.xmradio.ca or call
1-877-438-9677 (Canada)
See Satellite Radio on page 7‑11.
Portable Audio Devices
This vehicle may have an auxiliary
input located on the radio faceplate
and a USB port located in the center
console or on the instrument panel.
External devices such as an iPod
®,
laptop computer, MP3 player, CD
changer, or USB storage device can
be connected to the auxiliary port
using a 3.5 mm (1/8 in) input cable
or the USB port depending on the
audio system.
See “Using the Auxiliary Input
Jack” and“Using the USB Port” in
Auxiliary Devices on page 7‑32.

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In Brief 1-29
Bluetooth®
For vehicles with a Bluetooth
system, it allows users with a
Bluetooth‐enabled cell phone to
make and receive hands-free calls
using the vehicle’s audio system
and controls.
The Bluetooth‐enabled cell phone
must be paired with the Bluetooth
system before it can be used in the
vehicle. Not all phones will support
all functions. For more information,
visit www.gm.com/bluetooth.
For more information, see Bluetooth
on page 7‑48.
Steering Wheel Controls
If available, some audio controls
can be adjusted at the steering
wheel.
w: Press to go to the next favorite
radio station, track on a CD,
or folder on an iPod
®or USB
device.
c/x: Press to go to the
previous favorite radio station, track
on a CD, or folder on an iPod
®or
USB device. Press to reject an
incoming call, or to end a call.
b/g: Press to silence the vehicle
speakers only. Press again to turn
the sound on. Press and hold longer
than two seconds to interact with
OnStar
®or Bluetooth systems,
if equipped.
+
e: Press to increase volume.
−
e: Press to decrease volume.
SRCE: Press to switch between
the radio and CD, and for equipped
vehicles, the DVD, front auxiliary,
and rear auxiliary.
¨: Press to seek the next radio
station, the next track or chapter
while sourced to the CD or DVD
slot, or to select tracks and folders
on an iPod or USB device.
For more information, see Steering
Wheel Controls on page 5‑2.

Black plate (30,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
1-30 In Brief
Cruise Control
T: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: Press briefly to make the
vehicle resume to a previously set
speed, or press and hold to
accelerate.
SET −:Press to set the speed and
activate cruise control or make the
vehicle decelerate.
[: Press to disengage cruise
control without erasing the set
speed from memory.
See Cruise Control on page 9‑58.
Navigation System
If the vehicle has a navigation
system, there is a separate
navigation system manual that
includes information on the radio,
audio players, and navigation
system.
The navigation system provides
detailed maps of most major
freeways and roads. After a
destination has been set, the
system provides turn-by-turn
instructions for reaching the
destination. In addition, the system
can help locate a variety of points of
interest (POIs), such as banks,
airports, restaurants, and more.
See the navigation system manual
for more information.
Driver Information
Center (DIC)
The DIC display is located at the
bottom of the instrument panel
cluster. It shows the status of many
vehicle systems and enables
access to the personalization menu.
The DIC buttons are located on
the instrument panel, next to the
steering wheel.
Some vehicles do not have the
buttons shown, however some of
the menus can be viewed by using
the trip odometer reset stem.

Black plate (31,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
In Brief 1-31
3:Press to display the
odometer, trip odometer, fuel range,
average economy, fuel used, timer,
instantaneous economy and Active
Fuel Management™ indicator,
and transmission temperature.
The compass and outside air
temperature will also be shown in
the display. The temperature will be
shown in °C or °F depending on the
units selected.
T: Press to display the oil life,
units, tire pressure readings for
vehicles with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS), trailer
brake gain and output information
for vehicles with the Integrated
Trailer Brake Control (ITBC) system,
engine hours, compass zone
setting, and compass recalibration.
U: Press to customize the feature
settings on your vehicle. See
Vehicle Personalization (With DIC
Buttons) on page 5‑48 for more
information.
V: Press to set or reset certain
functions and to turn off or
acknowledge messages on the DIC.
For more information, see Driver
Information Center (DIC) on
page 5‑30.
Vehicle Customization
Some vehicle features can be
programmed by using the DIC
buttons next to the steering wheel.
These features include:
.Language
.Door Lock and Unlock Settings
.RKE Lock and Unlock Feedback
.Lighting
.Chime Volume
.Memory Features
See Vehicle Personalization (With
DIC Buttons) on page 5‑48.
Rear Vision
Camera (RVC)
If available, the RVC displays a
view of the area behind the vehicle
when the vehicle is shifted into
R (Reverse). This is displayed on
the inside rearview mirror or the
navigation screen, if equipped.
To clean the camera lens, located
in the bezel of the tailgate handle,
rinse it with water and wipe it with a
soft cloth.
For more information, see Rear
Vision Camera (RVC) on page 9‑62.
Ultrasonic Parking Assist
If available, the Ultrasonic Rear
Parking Assist (URPA) system uses
sensors on the rear bumper to
assist with parking and avoiding
objects while in R (Reverse).
It operates at speeds less than
8 km/h (5 mph). URPA uses audible
beeps to provide distance and
system information.

Black plate (32,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
1-32 In Brief
Keep the sensors on the vehicle's
rear bumper clean to ensure proper
operation.
SeeUltrasonic Parking Assist on
page 9‑61.
Power Outlets
Accessory power outlets can be
used to plug in electrical equipment,
such as a cell phone, MP3
player, etc.
The vehicle may have two
accessory power outlets located
below the climate control system,
or may have one accessory power
outlet and one cigarette lighter. The
cigarette lighter is designed to fit
only in the receptacle closest to the
driver.
There may be another accessory
power outlet in the rear cargo area.
If the vehicle has a floor console,
there is an accessory power outlet
inside the storage bin and one on
the rear of the floor console. The accessory power outlets are
powered, even when the ignition is
in LOCK/OFF. Continuing to use
power outlets while the ignition is in
LOCK/OFF may cause the vehicle's
battery to run down.
See
Power Outlets on page 5‑9.Universal Remote System
Vehicles with the Universal Remote
System will have these buttons
located in the headliner. This system provides a way to
replace up to three remote control
transmitters used to activate
devices such as garage door
openers, security systems, and
home automation devices.
Read the instructions completely
before attempting to program the
transmitter. Because of the steps
involved, it may be helpful to
have another person assist with
programming the transmitter.
See
Universal Remote System on
page 5‑56.

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In Brief 1-33
Sunroof
Extended Cab
On vehicles with a sunroof, the
sunroof only operates when the
ignition is in the ACC/ACCESSORY
or ON/RUN or the Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) is active.
SeeRetained Accessory Power
(RAP) on page 9‑29 for more
information. Vent:
From the closed position,
press and hold the rear of the switch
to vent the sunroof. To close the
sunroof, press and hold the front of
the switch.
Open: From the vent position,
the sunroof can be fully opened
either manually or by using the
express-open feature. To open
manually, press the rear of the
switch to the first detent and hold
until the sunroof has reached the
desired position. To open using
express-open, press the rear of the
switch to the second detent and
release. The sunroof will move to
the full open position. To stop the
sunroof partway, press the switch a
second time. Close:
From the vent, or open
position, press and hold the front of
the switch to close the sunroof.
The sunroof also has a roller
sunshade that can be used to block
the rays of the sun. To open the
sunshade, press and unlatch it, and
roll it back. To close, pull it forward
and latch it into the closed position.
See Sunroof (Crew Cab) on
page 2‑23 orSunroof (Extended
Cab) on page 2‑22.

Black plate (34,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
1-34 In Brief
Crew Cab
A. Open or Close
B. Vent
On vehicles with a sunroof, the
sunroof only operates when the
ignition is in the ACC/ACCESSORY
or ON/RUN or the Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) is active.
SeeRetained Accessory Power
(RAP) on page 9‑29 for more
information. Vent:
From the closed position,
press the rear of the passenger side
switch (B) to vent the sunroof.
Manual-Open/Manual-Close: To
open the sunroof, press and hold
the rear of the driver side switch (A)
until the sunroof reaches the
desired position. Press and hold the
front of the driver side switch to
close it.
Express-Open/Express-Close:
To express-open the sunroof, fully
press and release the rear of the
driver side switch (A) until the
sunroof reaches the desired
position. To express-close the
sunroof, fully press and release the
front of the driver side switch. Press
the switch again to stop it. When the sunroof is opened, an air
deflector will automatically raise.
The air deflector will retract when
the sunroof is closed.
The sunroof also has a sunshade
that you can pull forward to block
the rays of the sun. The sunshade
must be opened and closed
manually.
If an object is in the path of the
sunroof while it is closing, the
anti-pinch feature will detect the
object and stop the sunroof.
See
Sunroof (Crew Cab) on
page 2‑23 orSunroof (Extended
Cab) on page 2‑22.