spare tire GMC SIERRA 1500 2012 Owners Manual

Black plate (6,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
9-6 Driving and Operating
.Try to avoid sudden steering,
acceleration, or braking,
including reducing vehicle speed
by shifting to a lower gear. Any
sudden changes could cause
the tires to slide.
Remember: Antilock brakes help
avoid only the braking skid.
Off-Road Driving
Four-wheel-drive vehicles can be
used for off-road driving. Vehicles
without four-wheel drive and
vehicles not equipped with All
Terrain (AT) or On-Off Road (OOR)
tires must not be driven off-road
except on a level, solid surface. To
contact the tire manufacturer for
more information about the original
equipment tires, see the Limited
Warranty and Owner Assistance
Information manual.
Controlling the vehicle is the key to
successful off-road driving. One of
the best ways to control the vehicle
is to control the speed.
{WARNING
When driving off-road, bouncing
and quick changes in direction
can easily throw you out of
position. This could cause you to
lose control and crash. You and
your passengers should always
wear safety belts.
Before Driving Off-Road
.Have all necessary maintenance
and service work completed.
.Fuel the vehicle, fill fluid levels,
and check inflation pressure in
all tires, including the spare,
if equipped.
.Read all the information about
four-wheel-drive vehicles in this
manual.
.Make sure all underbody
shields, if equipped, are properly
attached.
.Know the local laws that apply to
off-road driving. To gain more ground clearance if
needed, it may be necessary to
remove the front fascia lower
air dam.
Notice:
Operating the vehicle
for extended periods without
the front fascia lower air dam
installed can cause improper air
flow to the engine. Re‐attach the
front fascia air dam after off-road
driving.
Loading the Vehicle for
Off-Road Driving
{WARNING
.Unsecured cargo on the
load floor can be tossed
about when driving over
rough terrain. You or your
passengers can be struck by
flying objects. Secure the
cargo properly.
(Continued)

Black plate (96,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
9-96 Driving and Operating
Be sure to follow the proper
installation instructions included
with any electrical equipment that is
installed.
Notice:Leaving electrical
equipment on for extended
periods will drain the battery.
Always turn off electrical
equipment when not in use and
do not use equipment that
exceeds the maximum amperage
rating of 40 amperes for the
auxiliary battery provision.
Trailer Wiring Harness
The vehicle is equipped with one of
the following wiring harnesses for
towing a trailer or hauling a slide-in
camper. Basic Trailer Wiring
All regular, extended cab and crew
cab pickups have a seven-wire
trailer towing harness.
For vehicles not equipped with
heavy duty trailering, the harness
is secured to the vehicle's frame
behind the spare tire mount. The
harness requires the installation of a
trailer connector, which is available
through your dealer.
If towing a light-duty trailer with
a standard four-way round pin
connector, an adapter is available
from your dealer.
Heavy-DutyTrailer Wiring Harness
PackageFor vehicles equipped with
heavy duty trailering, the harness
connector is mounted in the bumper.
The seven-wire harness contains
the following trailer circuits:
.Yellow: Left Stop/Turn Signal
.Dark Green: Right Stop/Turn
Signal
.Brown: Taillamps
.White: Ground
.Light Green: Back-up Lamps

Black plate (2,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
10-2 Vehicle Care
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . 10-52
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-55
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-58
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-60
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-60
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-62
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-65
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-65
Dual Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . 10-67
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-68
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-68
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-70 Uniform Tire Quality
Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-70
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-72
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-72
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-74
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . 10-75
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-76
Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . 10-87
Jump Starting
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-88
Towing
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . 10-93
Recreational Vehicle
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-93
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-98
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-101
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-104
General Information
For service and parts needs,
visit your dealer. You will receive
genuine GM parts and GM-trained
and supported service people.
Genuine GM parts have one of
these marks:

Black plate (37,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
Vehicle Care 10-37
3. Install the new blade onto thearm connector and make sure
the grooved areas are fully set in
the locked position.
For the proper type and size, see
Maintenance Replacement Parts on
page 11‑15.
Glass Replacement
If the windshield or front side
glass must be replaced, see your
dealer to determine the correct
replacement glass.
Headlamp Aiming
The vehicle has a visual optical
headlamp aiming system. The aim
of the headlamps has been preset
at the factory and should need no
further adjustment.
However, if the vehicle is damaged
in a crash, the aim of the headlamps
may be affected and adjustment
may be necessary.
If oncoming vehicles flash their high
beams at you, this may mean the
vertical aim of the headlamps needs
to be adjusted.
It is recommended that the vehicle
be taken to the dealer for service if
the headlamps need to be adjusted.
It is possible, however, to re-aim the
headlamps as described. The vehicle should:.Be placed so the headlamps
are 7.6 m (25 ft) from a
light‐colored wall.
.Have all four tires on a level
surface which is level all the way
to the wall.
.Be placed so it is perpendicular
to the wall.
.Not have any snow, ice, or mud
on it.
.Be fully assembled and all other
work stopped while headlamp
aiming is being performed.
.Be loaded with a full tank of
fuel and one person or 75 kg
(160 lbs) sitting on the
driver seat.
.Have the tires properly inflated.
.Have the spare tire in its proper
location in the vehicle.

Black plate (59,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
Vehicle Care 10-59
Overinflated tires, or tires
that have too much air, can
result in:
.Unusual wear.
.Poor handling.
.Rough ride.
.Needless damage from
road hazards.
The Tire and Loading
Information label on the
vehicle indicates the original
equipment tires and the correct
cold tire inflation pressures. The
recommended pressure is the
minimum air pressure needed to
support the vehicle's maximum
load carrying capacity.
For additional information
regarding how much weight
the vehicle can carry, and an
example of the Tire and Loading
Information label, see Vehicle
Load Limits on page 9‑16. How the vehicle is loaded
affects vehicle handling and ride
comfort. Never load the vehicle
with more weight than it was
designed to carry.
When to Check
Check the tires once a month
or more.
Do not forget the spare tire,
if the vehicle has one. See
Full-Size Spare Tire on
page 10‑87
for additional
information.
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type
gauge to check tire pressure.
Proper tire inflation cannot be
determined by looking at the tire.
Check the tire inflation pressure
when the tires are cold, meaning
the vehicle has not been driven
for at least three hours or no
more than 1.6 km (1 mi). Remove the valve cap from the
tire valve stem. Press the tire
gauge firmly onto the valve to
get a pressure measurement.
If the cold tire inflation pressure
matches the recommended
pressure on the Tire and
Loading Information label, no
further adjustment is necessary.
If the inflation pressure is low,
add air until the recommended
pressure is reached. If the
inflation pressure is high, press
on the metal stem in the center
of the tire valve to release air.
Re-check the tire pressure with
the tire gauge.
Return the valve caps on the
valve stems to prevent leaks
and keep out dirt and moisture.

Black plate (60,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
10-60 Vehicle Care
Tire Pressure for
High-Speed Operation
{WARNING
Driving at high speeds, 160 km/h
(100 mph) or higher, puts an
additional strain on tires.
Sustained high-speed driving
causes excessive heat buildup
and can cause sudden tire failure.
You could have a crash and you
or others could be killed. Some
high-speed rated tires require
inflation pressure adjustment for
high-speed operation. When
speed limits and road conditions
are such that a vehicle can be
driven at high speeds, make sure
the tires are rated for high-speed
operation, in excellent condition,
and set to the correct cold tire
inflation pressure for the
vehicle load.Vehicles with P265/70R17 or
P275/55R20 size tires require
inflation pressure adjustment when
driving the vehicle at speeds of
160 km/h (100 mph) or higher.
Set the cold tire inflation pressure
to 20 kPa (3 psi) above the
recommended cold tire pressure
shown on the Tire and Loading
Information label.
Return the tires to the
recommended cold tire inflation
pressure when high-speed driving
has ended. See
Vehicle Load Limits
on page 9‑16 andTire Pressure on
page 10‑58.
Tire Pressure Monitor
System
The Tire Pressure Monitor System
(TPMS) uses radio and sensor
technology to check tire pressure
levels. The TPMS sensors monitor
the air pressure in your tires and
transmit tire pressure readings to a
receiver located in the vehicle. Each tire, including the spare
(if provided), should be checked
monthly when cold and inflated to
the inflation pressure recommended
by the vehicle manufacturer on the
vehicle placard or tire inflation
pressure label. (If your vehicle has
tires of a different size than the size
indicated on the vehicle placard or
tire inflation pressure label, you
should determine the proper tire
inflation pressure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your
vehicle has been equipped with a
tire pressure monitoring system
(TPMS) that illuminates a low tire
pressure telltale when one or
more of your tires is significantly
under‐inflated.
Accordingly, when the low tire
pressure telltale illuminates, you
should stop and check your tires
as soon as possible, and inflate
them to the proper pressure.

Black plate (62,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
10-62 Vehicle Care
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation
This vehicle may have a Tire
Pressure Monitor System (TPMS).
The TPMS is designed to warn the
driver when a low tire pressure
condition exists. TPMS sensors are
mounted onto each tire and wheel
assembly, excluding the spare tire
and wheel assembly. The TPMS
sensors monitor the air pressure in
the tires and transmit the tire
pressure readings to a receiver
located in the vehicle.
When a low tire pressure condition
is detected, the TPMS illuminates
the low tire pressure warning light
located on the instrument cluster.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.
A message to check the pressure in
a specific tire displays in the Driver
Information Center (DIC). The low
tire pressure warning light and the
DIC warning message come on at
each ignition cycle until the tires
are inflated to the correct inflation
pressure. If the vehicle has DIC
buttons, tire pressure levels can be
viewed. For additional information
and details about the DIC operation
and displays, see Driver Information
Center (DIC) on page 5‑30 andTire
Messages on page 5‑45.
The low tire pressure warning light
may come on in cool weather when
the vehicle is first started, and then
turn off as the vehicle is driven.
This could be an early indicator that
the air pressure is getting low and
needs to be inflated to the proper
pressure. A Tire and Loading Information
label shows the size of the original
equipment tires and the correct
inflation pressure for the tires when
they are cold. See
Vehicle Load
Limits on page 9‑16, for an example
of the Tire and Loading Information
label and its location. Also see Tire
Pressure on page 10‑58.
The TPMS can warn about a
low tire pressure condition but it
does not replace normal tire
maintenance. See Tire Inspection
on page 10‑65, Tire Rotation on
page 10‑65 andTires on
page 10‑50.
Notice: Tire sealant materials are
not all the same. A non-approved
tire sealant could damage the
TPMS sensors. TPMS sensor
damage caused by using an
incorrect tire sealant is not
covered by the vehicle
warranty. Always use only the
GM-approved tire sealant
available through your dealer or
included in the vehicle.

Black plate (63,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
Vehicle Care 10-63
TPMS Malfunction Light and
Message
The TPMS will not function properly
if one or more of the TPMS sensors
are missing or inoperable. When the
system detects a malfunction, the
low tire pressure warning light
flashes for about one minute and
then stays on for the remainder of
the ignition cycle. A DIC warning
message also displays. The
malfunction light and DIC warning
message come on at each ignition
cycle until the problem is corrected.
Some of the conditions that can
cause these to come on are:
.One of the road tires has been
replaced with the spare tire.
The spare tire does not have a
TPMS sensor. The malfunction
light and the DIC message
should go off after the road tire
is replaced and the sensor
matching process is performed
successfully. See "TPMS Sensor
Matching Process" later in this
section.
.The TPMS sensor matching
process was not done or
not completed successfully
after rotating the tires. The
malfunction light and the DIC
message should go off after
successfully completing the
sensor matching process. See
"TPMS Sensor Matching
Process" later in this section.
.One or more TPMS sensors
are missing or damaged. The
malfunction light and the DIC
message should go off when the
TPMS sensors are installed and
the sensor matching process is
performed successfully. See
your dealer for service.
.Replacement tires or wheels do
not match the original equipment
tires or wheels. Tires and wheels
other than those recommended
could prevent the TPMS from
functioning properly. SeeBuying
New Tires on page 10‑68.
.Operating electronic devices or
being near facilities using radio
wave frequencies similar to the
TPMS could cause the TPMS
sensors to malfunction.
If the TPMS is not functioning
properly, it cannot detect or signal a
low tire condition. See your dealer
for service if the TPMS malfunction
light and DIC message come on
and stay on.
TPMS Sensor Matching
Process
Each TPMS sensor has a unique
identification code. The identification
code needs to be matched to a new
tire/wheel position after rotating the
vehicle’s tires or replacing one or
more of the TPMS sensors. Also,
the TPMS sensor matching
process should be performed after
replacing a spare tire with a road
tire containing the TPMS sensor.

Black plate (65,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
Vehicle Care 10-65
9. Turn the ignition switch toLOCK/OFF.
10. Set all four tires to the recommended air pressure
level as indicated on the Tire
and Loading Information label.
Tire Inspection
We recommend that the tires,
including the spare tire, if the
vehicle has one, be inspected
for signs of wear or damage at
least once a month.
Replace the tire if:
.The indicators at three or
more places around the tire
can be seen.
.There is cord or fabric
showing through the tire's
rubber.
.The tread or sidewall is
cracked, cut, or snagged
deep enough to show cord or
fabric.
.The tire has a bump, bulge,
or split.
.The tire has a puncture, cut,
or other damage that cannot
be repaired well because of
the size or location of the
damage.
Tire Rotation
Tires should be rotated every
12 000 km (7,500 mi). See
Maintenance Schedule on
page 11‑3.
Tires are rotated to achieve
a uniform wear for all tires.
The first rotation is the most
important.
Any time unusual wear is
noticed, rotate the tires as
soon as possible and check the
wheel alignment. Also check for
damaged tires or wheels. See
When It Is Time for New Tires
on page 10‑68 andWheel
Replacement on page 10‑72. If your vehicle has dual rear
wheels, also see
Dual Tire
Rotation on page 10‑67.
Use this rotation pattern when
rotating the tires if the vehicle
has single rear wheels.

Black plate (66,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
10-66 Vehicle Care
Use this rotation pattern when
rotating the tires if the vehicle
has dual rear wheels (except
polished forged aluminum
wheels).
Vehicles with polished forged
aluminum dual wheels have
three unique wheels; a front, a
rear outer and a rear inner.
These wheels cannot be rotated
to another position, however,
they can be rotated from left to
right to the same position.Use this rotation pattern when
rotating the tires if the vehicle
has polished forged aluminum
dual rear wheels. The spare
wheel can be used in any
position and can be rotated with
the rear inner wheels.
When installing dual wheels,
check that the vent holes in the
inner and outer wheels on each
side are lined up.
Adjust the front and rear tires
to the recommended inflation
pressure on the Tire andLoading Information label after
the tires have been rotated. See
Tire Pressure on page 10‑58
and
Vehicle Load Limits on
page 9‑16.
Check that all wheel nuts are
properly tightened. See “Wheel
Nut Torque” underCapacities
and Specifications on
page 12‑2.{WARNING
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the
parts to which it is fastened, can
make wheel nuts become loose
after time. The wheel could come
off and cause an accident. When
changing a wheel, remove any
rust or dirt from places where the
wheel attaches to the vehicle. In
an emergency, a cloth or a paper
towel can be used; however, use
a scraper or wire brush later to
remove all rust or dirt.