trailer GMC SIERRA 2007 Owner's Guide

Blank Display
This display shows no information.
DIC Operation and Displays
(Without DIC Buttons)
If your vehicle does not have DIC buttons, the
information below explains the operation of
this system.
The DIC has different displays which can be
accessed by pressing the trip odometer reset stem
located on the instrument panel cluster. Pressing
the trip odometer reset stem will also turn off,
or acknowledge, DIC messages.
The DIC displays trip and vehicle system
information, and warning messages if a system
problem is detected.
If your vehicle does not have DIC buttons, you
can use the trip odometer reset stem to view the
following displays: odometer, engine hours,
trip odometer, transmission temperature, trailer
brake gain and output information for vehicles withthe Integrated Trailer Brake Control (ITBC)
system, oil life, Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM)
system programming for vehicles with a TPM
system, Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter
programming, and display language.
If your vehicle has DIC buttons, you can use the
trip odometer reset stem to view the following
displays: odometer, engine hours, trip odometer,
and display language.
Trip Odometer Reset Stem Menu Items
Odometer
Press the trip odometer reset stem until
ODOMETER displays. This display shows the
distance the vehicle has been driven in either
miles (mi) or kilometers (km).
Engine Hours
To display the ENGINE HOURS, place the ignition
in LOCK or ACCESSORY, then press and hold
the trip odometer reset stem for four seconds while
viewing the ODOMETER. This display shows
the total number of hours the engine has run.
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Trip Odometer
Press the trip odometer reset stem until TRIP
displays. This display shows the current distance
traveled in either miles (mi) or kilometers (km)
since the last reset for the trip odometer.
The trip odometer can be reset to zero by pressing
and holding the trip odometer reset stem while
the trip odometer is displayed.
The trip odometer has a feature called the
retro-active reset. This can be used to set the trip
odometer to the number of miles (kilometers)
driven since the ignition was last turned on. This
can be used if the trip odometer is not reset at the
beginning of the trip.
To use the retro-active reset feature, press and
hold the trip odometer reset stem for at least
four seconds. The trip odometer will display the
number of miles (mi) or kilometers (km) driven
since the ignition was last turned on and the
vehicle was moving. Once the vehicle begins
moving, the trip odometer will accumulate mileage.
For example, if the vehicle was driven 5 miles
(8 km) before it is started again, and then
the retro-active reset feature is activated, thedisplay will show 5 miles (8 km). As the vehicle
begins moving, the display will then increase
to 5.1 miles (8.2 km), 5.2 miles (8.4 km), etc.
If the retro-active reset feature is activated after
the vehicle is started, but before it begins moving,
the display will show the number of miles (mi)
or kilometers (km) that were driven during the last
ignition cycle.
Transmission Temperature
Press the trip odometer reset stem until TRANS
TEMP displays. This display shows the
temperature of the automatic transmission uid in
either degrees Fahrenheit (°F) or degrees
Celsius (°C).
Trailer Gain and Output
On vehicles with the Integrated Trailer Brake
Control (ITBC) system, the trailer brake display
appears in the DIC. Press the trip odometer reset
stem until TRAILER GAIN and OUTPUT display.
TRAILER GAIN shows the trailer gain setting. This
setting can be adjusted from 0.0 to 10.0 with
either a trailer connected or disconnected.
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To adjust this setting, see “Integrated Trailer
Brake Control System” underTowing a Trailer on
page 445for more information.
OUTPUT shows the power output to the trailer
anytime a trailer with electric brakes is connected.
Output is displayed in 0 to 10 bars. Dashes
may appear in the OUTPUT display. See
“Integrated Trailer Brake Control System” under
Towing a Trailer on page 445for more information.
Oil Life
To access this display, the vehicle must be in
PARK (P). Press the trip odometer reset stem until
OIL LIFE REMAINING displays. This display
shows an estimate of the oil’s remaining useful
life. If you see 99% OIL LIFE REMAINING on the
display, that means 99% of the current oil life
remains. The engine oil life system will alert you to
change your oil on a schedule consistent with
your driving conditions.
When the remaining oil life is low, the CHANGE
ENGINE OIL SOON message will appear on the
display. See “CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON” under
DIC Warnings and Messages on page 279. You
should change your oil as soon as you can.SeeEngine Oil (Gasoline Engine) on page 500.In
addition to the engine oil life system monitoring the
oil life, additional maintenance is recommended in
the Maintenance Schedule in this manual. See
Scheduled Maintenance (Gasoline Engine) on
page 623for more information.
Remember, you must reset the OIL LIFE display
yourself after each oil change. It will not reset
itself. Also, be careful not to reset the OIL LIFE
display accidentally at any time other than
when the oil has just been changed. It cannot be
reset accurately until the next oil change. To
reset the engine oil life system, seeEngine Oil
Life System on page 503.
Relearn Tire Positions
To access this display, the vehicle must be in
PARK (P). If your vehicle has a Tire Pressure
Monitor (TPM) system, after rotating the tires or
after replacing a tire or sensor, the system
must re-learn the tire positions. To re-learn the tire
positions, seeTire Pressure Monitor System on
page 561. SeeTire Inspection and Rotation
on page 565andDIC Warnings and Messages on
page 279for more information.
277

CHECK TIRE PRESSURE
If your vehicle has a Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM)
system, this message displays when the
pressure in one or more of the vehicle’s tires need
to be checked. This message also displays
LEFT FRONT, RIGHT FRONT, LEFT REAR, or
RIGHT REAR to indicate which tire needs to
be checked. You can receive more than one tire
pressure message at a time. To read the other
messages that may have been sent at the same
time, press the set/reset button or the trip
odometer reset stem. If a tire pressure message
appears on the DIC, stop as soon as you can.
Have the tire pressures checked and set to those
shown on the Tire Loading Information label.
SeeTires on page 550,Loading Your Vehicle on
page 425, andInation - Tire Pressure on
page 559. The DIC display also shows the tire
pressure values for the front and rear tires
by pressing the vehicle information button. See
“DIC Operation and Displays (With DIC Buttons)”
earlier in this section. If the tire pressure is
low, the low tire pressure warning light comes on.
SeeTire Pressure Light on page 259.
CHECK TRAILER WIRING
On vehicles with the Integrated Trailer Brake
Control (ITBC) system, this message may display
and a chime may sound when one of the
following conditions exists:
A trailer with electric brakes becomes
disconnected from the vehicle.
If the disconnect occurs while the vehicle
is stopped, this message clears itself
after a short time.
If the disconnect occurs while the vehicle
is moving, this message stays on until
the ignition is turned off.
There is a short in the wiring to the electric
trailer brakes.
When this message displays, power is no longer
available to the trailer brakes.
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As soon as it is safe to do so, carefully pull your
vehicle over to the side of the road and turn
the ignition off. Check the wiring connection to the
trailer and turn the ignition back on. This
message clears if the trailer is reconnected. This
message also clears if you acknowledge it. If
this message still displays, either your vehicle or
the trailer needs service. See your dealer.
See “Integrated Trailer Brake Control System”
underTowing a Trailer on page 445for more
information.
DRIVER DOOR OPEN
This message displays and a chime sounds if the
driver’s door is not fully closed and the vehicle
is in a drive gear. Stop and turn off the vehicle,
check the door for obstructions, and close the door
again. Check to see if the message still appears
on the DIC.
ENGINE HOT A/C (Air Conditioning)
TURNED OFF
This message displays when the engine coolant
becomes hotter than the normal operating
temperature. SeeEngine Coolant Temperature
Gage on page 258. To avoid added strain on a hot
engine, the air conditioning compressor
automatically turns off. When the coolant
temperature returns to normal, the air conditioning
compressor turns back on. You can continue to
drive your vehicle.
If this message continues to appear, have the
system repaired by your dealer as soon as
possible to avoid damage to the engine.
ENGINE OIL LOW ADD OIL
If your vehicle has an oil level sensor, this
message displays if the oil level in the vehicle is
low. Check the oil level and correct it as
necessary. You may need to let the vehicle cool
or warm up and cycle the ignition to be sure
this message clears.
This message clears itself after 10 seconds, until
the next ignition cycle. SeeEngine Oil (Gasoline
Engine) on page 500for additional information.
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SERVICE TRAILER BRAKE SYSTEM
On vehicles with the Integrated Trailer Brake
Control (ITBC) system, this message displays and
a chime sounds when there is a problem with
the ITBC system.
When this message displays, power is no longer
available to the trailer brakes.
As soon as it is safe to do so, carefully pull your
vehicle over to the side of the road and turn
the ignition off. Check the wiring connection to the
trailer and turn the ignition back on. If this
message still displays, either your vehicle or the
trailer needs service. See your dealer.
See “Integrated Trailer Brake Control System”
underTowing a Trailer on page 445for more
information.
STABILITRAK OFF
If your vehicle has StabiliTrak®, this message
displays when you turn off StabiliTrak®, or when
the stability control has been automatically
disabled. To limit wheel spin and realize the full
benets of the stability enhancement system, you
should normally leave StabiliTrak
®on. However,
you should turn StabiliTrak®off if your vehicle gets
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow and you wantto rock your vehicle to attempt to free it, or if you
are driving in extreme off-road conditions and
require more wheel spin. SeeIf Your Vehicle is
Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow on page 422.To
turn the StabiliTrak
®system on or off, see
StabiliTrak®System on page 381.
There are several conditions that can cause this
message to appear.
One condition is overheating, which could
occur if StabiliTrak®activates continuously
for an extended period of time.
The message also displays if the brake
system warning light is on. SeeBrake System
Warning Light on page 256.
The message could display if the stability
system takes longer than usual to complete its
diagnostic checks due to driving conditions.
The message displays if an engine or vehicle
related problem has been detected and the
vehicle needs service. See your dealer.
The message also displays if the vehicle is
shifted into 4LO.
The message turns off as soon as the conditions
that caused the message to be displayed are
no longer present.
287

TIGHTEN GAS CAP
This message may display along with the check
engine light on the instrument panel cluster if
the vehicle’s fuel cap is not tightened properly. See
Malfunction Indicator Lamp on page 260.
Reinstall the fuel cap fully. SeeFilling the Tank on
page 493. 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 this
light and message off.
TIRE LEARNING ACTIVE
If your vehicle has a Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM)
system, this message displays when the system
is re-learning the tire positions on your vehicle.
SeeDIC Operation and Displays (With DIC
Buttons) on page 268orDIC Operation and
Displays (Without DIC Buttons) on page 275for
more information. The tire positions must be
re-learned after rotating the tires or after replacing
a tire or sensor. SeeTire Inspection and
Rotation on page 565,Tire Pressure Monitor
System on page 561, andInation - Tire Pressure
on page 559for more information.
TRACTION CONTROL OFF
If your vehicle has StabiliTrak®, this message
displays when the Traction Control System (TCS)
is turned off. Adjust your driving accordingly.
SeeStabiliTrak
®System on page 381for more
information.
TRAILER CONNECTED
On vehicles with the Integrated Trailer Brake
Control (ITBC) system, this message displays
briey when a trailer with electric brakes is
rst connected to the vehicle.
This message clears itself after several seconds.
This message also clears if you acknowledge
it. After this message clears, the TRAILER
GAIN/OUTPUT display appears in the DIC.
See “TRAILER GAIN/OUTPUT” underDIC
Operation and Displays (With DIC Buttons) on
page 268orDIC Operation and Displays (Without
DIC Buttons) on page 275and “Integrated
Trailer Brake Control System” underTowing a
Trailer on page 445for more information.
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Your Driving, the Road, and
Your Vehicle............................................ 374
Defensive Driving...................................... 374
Drunken Driving........................................ 375
Control of a Vehicle.................................. 378
Braking...................................................... 378
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS).................. 379
Braking in Emergencies............................. 381
Locking Rear Axle..................................... 381
StabiliTrak
®System................................... 381
Steering.................................................... 385
Off-Road Recovery.................................... 387
Passing..................................................... 387
Loss of Control.......................................... 389
Off-Road Driving........................................ 390
Driving at Night......................................... 407
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads............ 408
City Driving............................................... 412
Freeway Driving........................................ 413Before Leaving on a Long Trip.................. 414
Highway Hypnosis..................................... 415
Hill and Mountain Roads........................... 416
Winter Driving........................................... 418
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Ice, or Snow.......................................... 422
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out........... 423
Recovery Hooks........................................ 424
Loading Your Vehicle................................ 425
Adding a Snow Plow or Similar
Equipment.............................................. 432
Truck-Camper Loading Information............ 436
Pickup Conversion to Chassis Cab............ 439
Towing........................................................ 439
Towing Your Vehicle................................. 439
Recreational Vehicle Towing...................... 439
Towing a Trailer........................................ 445
Trailer Recommendations.......................... 482
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
373

The Tire and Loading Information label also shows
the size of the original equipment tires (C) and
the recommended cold tire ination pressures (D).
For more information on tires and ination see
Tires on page 550andInation - Tire Pressure on
page 559.
There is also important loading information on the
vehicle Certication/Tire label. It tells you the
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and
the Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for the
front and rear axles. See “Certication/Tire Label”
later in this section.
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit
1. Locate the statement “The combined
weight of occupants and cargo should never
exceed XXX kg or XXX lbs” on your
vehicle’s placard.
2. Determine the combined weight of the driver
and passengers that will be riding in your
vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and passengers from XXX kg or XXX lbs.4. The resulting gure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity.
For example, if the “XXX” amount equals
1400 lbs and there will be ve 150 lb
passengers in your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and luggage load capacity is
650 lbs (1400−750 (5 x 150) = 650 lbs).
5. Determine the combined weight of luggage
and cargo being loaded on the vehicle. That
weight may not safely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capacity calculated in
Step 4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, the load
from your trailer will be transferred to your
vehicle. Consult this manual to determine how
this reduces the available cargo and luggage
load capacity of your vehicle. SeeTowing
a Trailer on page 445for important information
on towing a trailer, towing safety rules and
trailering tips.
426

Here are some important things to consider before
you do recreational vehicle towing:
What’s the towing capacity of the towing
vehicle? Be sure you read the tow vehicle
manufacturer’s recommendations.
How far will you tow? Some vehicles have
restrictions on how far and how long they
can tow.
Do you have the proper towing equipment?
See your dealer or trailering professional
for additional advice and equipment
recommendations.
Is your vehicle ready to be towed? Just as
you would prepare your vehicle for a long
trip, you’ll want to make sure your vehicle is
prepared to be towed. SeeBefore Leaving on
a Long Trip on page 414.
Dinghy Towing
Two-Wheel-Drive Vehicles
Notice:If you tow your vehicle with all
four wheels on the ground, the drivetrain
components could be damaged. The repairs
would not be covered by your warranty. Do not
tow your vehicle with all four wheels on the
ground.
Two-wheel-drive vehicles should not be towed
with all four wheels on the ground.
Two-wheel-drive transmissions have no provisions
for internal lubrication while being towed.
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