display GMC SIERRA 1500 2012 Owners Manual

Black plate (1,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
2012 GMC Sierra Owner ManualM
In Brief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-8
Vehicle Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-27
Performance and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-35
Keys, Doors, and Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Keys and Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Exterior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Interior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19
Roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-22
Seats and Restraints . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10 Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-21
Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-39
Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Storage Compartments . . . . . . . . 4-1
Instruments and Controls . . . . 5-1
Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Information Displays . . . . . . . . . . 5-30
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-39
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . 5-48
Universal Remote System . . . . 5-56
Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Lighting Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9 Infotainment System
. . . . . . . . . 7-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9
Audio Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-15
Rear Seat Infotainment . . . . . . . 7-37
Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-48
Trademarks and License Agreements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-55
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . 8-1
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-10
Driving and Operating . . . . . . . . 9-1
Driving Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Starting and Operating . . . . . . . 9-25
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 9-35
Drive Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-53

Black plate (24,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
1-24 In Brief
Dual Automatic Climate Control System
A. Driver and PassengerTemperature Controls
B. Fan Control
C. AUTO
D. Defrost
E. Air Recirculation
F. Outside Air
G. Air Delivery Mode Control H. Display
I. Power Button
J. Rear Window Defogger
K. Air Conditioning
L. PASS (Passenger)
See
Dual Automatic Climate Control
System on page 8‑5.
Transmission
Range Selection Mode
The Range Selection Mode switch,
if equipped, is located on the shift
lever.
To enable the Range Selection
feature:
1. Move the column shift lever to the M (Manual) position. The
current range will appear next
to the M. This is the highest
attainable range with all lower
gears accessible. As an
example, when 5 (Fifth) gear
is selected, 1 (First) through
5 (Fifth) gears are available.

Black plate (27,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
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.

Black plate (28,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
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.

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 (35,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
In Brief 1-35
Performance and
Maintenance
StabiliTrak®System
If equipped, the vehicle has a
traction control system that limits
wheel spin and the StabiliTrak
system that assists with directional
control of the vehicle in difficult
driving conditions. Both systems
turn on automatically every time the
vehicle is started.
.To turn off traction control, press
and release
gon the instrument
panel. The appropriate DIC
message displays. See Ride
Control System Messages on
page 5‑44.
.To turn off both traction control
and StabiliTrak, press and
hold
guntilgilluminates and
the appropriate DIC message
displays. See Ride Control
System Messages on page 5‑44.
.Press and releasegagain to
turn on both systems.
For more information, see
StabiliTrak
®System on page 9‑55.
Tire Pressure Monitor
This vehicle may have a Tire
Pressure Monitor System (TPMS).
The TPMS warning light alerts you
to a significant loss in pressure of
one of the vehicle's tires. If the
warning light comes on, stop as
soon as possible and inflate the
tires to the recommended pressure
shown on the Tire and Loading
Information label. See Vehicle Load
Limits on page 9‑16. The warning
light will remain on until the tire
pressure is corrected. During cooler conditions, the low tire
pressure warning light may appear
when the vehicle is first started and
then turn off. This may be an early
indicator that the tire pressures are
getting low and the tires need to be
inflated to the proper pressure.
The TPMS does not replace normal
monthly tire maintenance. It is the
driver
’s responsibility to maintain
correct tire pressures.
See Tire Pressure Monitor System
on page 10‑60.
Engine Oil Life System
The engine oil life system calculates
engine oil life based on vehicle use
and, on most vehicles, displays a
DIC message when it is necessary
to change the engine oil and filter.
The oil life system should be reset
to 100% only following an oil
change.

Black plate (36,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
1-36 In Brief
Resetting the Oil Life System
To reset the Engine Oil Life System
on most vehicles:
1. Display OIL LIFE REMAININGon the DIC. If the vehicle does
not have DIC buttons, the
vehicle must be in P (Park) to
access this display.
2. Press and hold the SET/RESET button on the DIC, or the trip
odometer reset stem if the
vehicle does not have DIC
buttons, for more than
five seconds. The oil life will
change to 100%.
On all vehicles, the Engine Oil Life
System can be reset as follows:
1. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN with the engine off.
2. Fully press the accelerator pedal slowly three times within
five seconds.
3. Display OIL LIFE REMAINING on the DIC. If the display shows
100%, the system is reset. See
Engine Oil Life System on
page 10‑10.
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol)
Vehicles that have a FlexFuel badge
and a yellow fuel cap can use either
unleaded gasoline or ethanol fuel
containing up to 85% ethanol (E85).
See Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) on
page 9‑71. For all other vehicles,
use only the unleaded gasoline
described under Recommended
Fuel on page 9‑68.
Driving for Better Fuel
Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel
mileage. Here are some driving
tips to get the best fuel economy
possible.
.Avoid fast starts and accelerate
smoothly.
.Brake gradually and avoid
abrupt stops.
.Avoid idling the engine for long
periods of time.
.When road and weather
conditions are appropriate, use
cruise control.
.Always follow posted speed
limits or drive more slowly when
conditions require.
.Keep vehicle tires properly
inflated.
.Combine several trips into a
single trip.
.Replace the vehicle's tires with
the same TPC Spec number
molded into the tire's sidewall
near the size.
.Follow recommended scheduled
maintenance.
Roadside Assistance
Program
U.S.: 1-888-881-3302
TTY Users (U.S.): 1-888-889-2438
Canada: 1-800-268-6800
Mexico: 01-800-466-0801

Black plate (4,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
2-4 Keys, Doors, and Windows
PressingKon the RKE transmitter
disarms the content theft‐deterrent
system. See Anti-theft Alarm
System on page 2‑11.
L(Vehicle Locator/Panic
Alarm): Press and release to
locate the vehicle. The turn signal
lamps flash and the horn sounds
three times.
Press and hold
Lfor more than
two seconds to activate the panic
alarm. The turn signal lamps flash
and the horn sounds repeatedly for
30 seconds. The alarm turns off
when the ignition is moved to
ON/RUN or
Lis pressed again.
The ignition must be in LOCK/OFF
for the panic alarm to work.
Programming Transmitters to
the Vehicle
Only RKE transmitters programmed
to this vehicle will work. If a
transmitter is lost or stolen, a
replacement can be purchased and
programmed through your dealer. When the replacement transmitter
is programmed to this vehicle, all
remaining transmitters must also be
reprogrammed. Any lost or stolen
transmitters will no longer work
once the new transmitter is
programmed. Each vehicle can
have up to eight transmitters
programmed to it. See your dealer
for transmitter programming.
Battery Replacement
Replace the battery if the
REPLACE BATTERY IN REMOTE
KEY message displays in the DIC.
Notice:
When replacing the
battery, do not touch any of the
circuitry on the transmitter. Static
from your body could damage the
transmitter.To replace the battery:
1. Separate the transmitter with a flat, thin object, such as a flat
head screwdriver.
.Carefully insert the tool
into the notch located
along the parting line of the
transmitter. Do not insert
the tool too far. Stop as
soon as resistance is felt.
.Twist the tool until the
transmitter is separated.
2. Remove the old battery. Do not use a metal object.

Black plate (1,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
Instruments and Controls 5-1
Instruments and
Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . 5-2
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . 5-2
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . 5-4
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Cigarette Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Ashtrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Engine Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15 Engine Coolant Temperature
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Voltmeter Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . 5-17
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . 5-18
Airbag On-Off Light . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Charging System Light . . . . . . 5-22
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Four-Wheel-Drive Light . . . . . . 5-26
Tow/Haul Mode Light . . . . . . . . 5-26
StabiliTrak
®OFF Light . . . . . . . 5-27
Traction Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak
®Light . . . . 5-27
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . 5-28
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . 5-28
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . 5-29
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . 5-30
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-30
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . 5-39
Battery Voltage and ChargingMessages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-39
Brake System Messages . . . . 5-40
Door Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . 5-40
Engine Cooling System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-41
Engine Oil Messages . . . . . . . . 5-42
Engine Power Messages . . . . 5-42
Fuel System Messages . . . . . . 5-43
Key and Lock Messages . . . . . 5-43
Lamp Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-43
Object Detection System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-43
Ride Control System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-44
Airbag System Messages . . . . 5-45
Anti-theft Alarm System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-45
Starting the Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-45
Tire Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-45