cruise control GMC SIERRA 2010 User Guide

Turn the tow/haul mode on and off by pressing the
button, located on the end of the shift lever. When the
tow/haul is on, a light on the instrument panel cluster
will come on.
SeeTow/Haul Mode Light
on page 4‑49for more
information.
Also see “Tow Haul Mode” underTowing a Trailer
on
page 5‑50for more information.
Grade Braking (Allison Transmission®
or Hydra-Matic®6-Speed Automatic
Transmission)
The Grade Braking shift modes can be activated by
pressing the button on the end of the shift control lever.
While in Range Selection Mode , Grade Braking is
deactivated allowing the driver to select a desired range
of gears.
Grade Braking is only active while the Tow/Haul Mode
is selected and you are not in the Range Selection
Mode. See “Tow/Haul Mode listed previously and
Automatic Transmission Operation
on page 3‑28for
more information on the Range Selection Mode. Grade
Braking assists in maintaining desired vehicle speeds
when driving on downhill grades by automatically
implementing a shift schedule that utilizes the engine
and transmission to slow the vehicle. This reduces wear
on the braking system and increases control of the vehicle. Grade Braking monitors vehicle speed,
acceleration, engine torque and brake pedal usage.
Using this information, it detects when the truck is on a
downhill grade and the driver desires to slow the vehicle
by pressing the brake.
Also see
Towing a Trailer
on page 5‑50for more
information.
Cruise Grade Braking (Allison
Transmission®or Hydra-Matic®
6-Speed Automatic Transmission)
Cruise Grade Braking assists when driving on a
downhill grade. It maintains vehicle speed by
automatically implementing a shift schedule that uses
the engine and the transmission to slow the vehicle.
Cruise Grade Braking operates while Cruise Control is
engaged in Tow/Haul mode to assist in maintaining
vehicle speed under loaded vehicle conditions.
It utilizes vehicle acceleration and deviation from
desired speed to determine the correct gear for the
operating condition. If vehicle speed is above the
desired speed the transmission will downshift to slow
the vehicle. If vehicle speed is near or below desired
speed the trans will upshift, allowing vehicle speed to
increase.
While in the Range Select Mode (RSM) mode, cruise
grade braking is not available.
See Automatic Transmission Operation on page 3‑28.
3-35

Section 4 Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-3
Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Tilt Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Turn and Lane-Change Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
Windshield Wipers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6
Windshield Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7
Exterior Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10
Headlamps on Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12
Automatic Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12
Puddle Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-13
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-13
Auxiliary Roof-Mounted Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-14
Instrument Panel Brightness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-14
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-14
Dome Lamp Override . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15
Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15
Cargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15 Electric Power Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-16
Battery Run-Down Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-16
Accessory Power Outlet(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-17
Ashtray(s) and Cigarette Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-18
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-18
Climate Control System (With Heater Only) . . . . 4-18
Climate Control System (With Air Conditioning) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-20
Dual Automatic Climate Control System . . . . . . . 4-22
Outlet Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-29
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators . . . . . . . . . .4-29
Instrument Panel Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-30
Speedometer and Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-31
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-31
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-31
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-32
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-33
Airbag Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-34
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-36
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-37
Voltmeter Gage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-38
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-39
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . 4-40
StabiliTrak
®Indicator Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-41
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-41
4-1

Section 4 Instrument Panel
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-42
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-42
Oil Pressure Gage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-46
Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-47
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-48
Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-48
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-48
Highbeam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-48
Four-Wheel-Drive Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-49
Tow/Haul Mode Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-49
Fuel Gage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-49
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-50
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-51
DIC Operation and Displays (With DIC Buttons) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-51
DIC Operation and Displays (Without DIC Buttons) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-58
DIC Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-62
DIC Warnings and Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-65
DIC Vehicle Customization (With DIC Buttons) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-75 Audio System(s)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-84
Setting the Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-84
Radio(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-87
Using an MP3 (Radios with CD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-107
Using an MP3 (Radios with CD and DVD) . . . . 4-114
XM Radio Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-122
Navigation/Radio System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-123
Bluetooth
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-123
Rear Seat Entertainment (RSE) System . . . . . . 4-134
Rear Seat Audio (RSA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-143
Theft-Deterrent Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-145
Audio Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-145
Radio Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-148
Fixed Mast Antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-149
XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna System . . . . . . . . 4-149
4-2

Cruise Control
{WARNING:
Cruise control can be dangerous where you
cannot drive safely at a steady speed. So, do not
use the cruise control on winding roads or in
heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous on slippery
roads. On such roads, fast changes in tire traction
can cause excessive wheel slip, and you could
lose control. Do not use cruise control on slippery
roads.
For vehicles with cruise control, a speed of about
40 km/h (25 mph) or more can be maintained without
keeping your foot on the accelerator. Cruise control
does not work at speeds below about 40 km/h (25 mph). When the brakes are applied, cruise control is
turned off.
For vehicles with an Allison
®or Hydra‐Matic 6‐speed
automatic transmission, see “Grade Braking and Cruise
Grade Braking (Allison Transmission) under Tow/Haul
Mode
on page 3‑34for an explanation of how cruise
control interacts with the Range Selection Mode,
tow/haul and grade braking systems.
For vehicles with the StabiliTrak
®system that begins
to limit wheel spin while you are using cruise control,
the cruise control will automatically disengage.
See StabiliTrak
®Systemon page 5‑6. When road
conditions allow the cruise control to be safely used
again, it can be turned back on.
4-7

The cruise control buttons
are located on left side of
the steering wheel.
T(On/Off):Turns the system on or off. The indicator
light is on when cruise control is on and turns off when
cruise control is off.
+ RES (Resume/Accelerate) : Press to make the
vehicle accelerate or resume to a previously set speed.
SET −(Set/Coast) : Press to set the speed or make the
vehicle decelerate.
[(Cancel): Press to cancel cruise control without
erasing the set speed from memory.
Setting Cruise Control
Cruise control will not work if the parking brake is set,
or if the master cylinder brake fluid level is low.
The cruise control light on the instrument panel cluster
will come on after the cruise control has been set to the
desired speed.
{WARNING:
If you leave your cruise control on when you are
not using cruise, you might hit a button and go
into cruise when you do not want to. You could be
startled and even lose control. Keep the cruise
control switch off until you want to use cruise
control.
1. Press
T.
2. Get up to the desired speed.
3. Press the SET− button located on the steering
wheel and release it.
4. Take your foot off the accelerator.
4-8

Resuming a Set Speed
If the brakes are applied while the cruise control is set,
the cruise control is disengaged. But it does not need to
be reset.
Once the vehicle speed reaches about 40 km/h
(25 mph) or more, press the +RES button on the
steering wheel. The vehicle will go back to the previous
set speed and stay there.
Increasing Speed While Using Cruise
Control
To increase the cruise speed while using cruise control:
.Press and hold the +RES button on the steering
wheel until the desired speed is reached, then
release it.
.To increase vehicle speed in small increments,
press the +RES button. Each time this is done,
the vehicle goes about 1.6 km/h (1 mph) faster.
Reducing Speed While Using Cruise
Control
To reduce the vehicle speed while using cruise control:
.Press and hold the SET–button on the steering
wheel until the desired lower speed is reached,
then release it.
.To slow down in very small amounts, press the
SET– button on the steering wheel briefly.
Each time this is done, the vehicle goes about
1.6 km/h (1 mph) slower.
Passing Another Vehicle While Using
Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase the vehicle
speed. When you take your foot off the pedal, the
vehicle will slow down to the previous set cruise speed.
4-9

Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well the cruise control will work on hills depends
upon the vehicle speed, load, and the steepness of the
hills. While going up steep hills, you might have to
step on the accelerator pedal to maintain the vehicle's
speed. While going downhill, you might have to brake or
shift to a lower gear to keep the vehicle's speed down.
When the brakes are applied the cruise control turns off.
Ending Cruise Control
There are three ways to end cruise control:
.Step lightly on the brake pedal.
.Press[on the steering wheel.
.PressTon the steering wheel.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed memory is erased, when
the cruise control or the ignition is turned off.
Exterior Lamps
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
The exterior lamps control has four positions:
O(Off): Turns off the automatic headlamps and
daytime running lamps (DRL). Turn the headlamp
control to the off position again to turn the automatic
headlamps or DRL back on.
For vehicles first sold in Canada, the off position will
only work when the vehicle is shifted into P (Park).
4-10

Security Light
For information regarding
this light and the vehicle's
security system, see
Content Theft-Deterrent
on page 3‑17.
Fog Lamp Light
The fog lamp light comes
on when the fog lamps
are in use.
The light goes out when the fog lamps are turned off.
See Fog Lamps
on page 4‑13for more information.
Cruise Control Light
The cruise control light
comes on whenever the
cruise control is set.
The light goes out when the cruise control is turned off.
See Cruise Control
on page 4‑7for more information.
Highbeam On Light
This light comes on when
the high-beam headlamps
are in use.
See Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
on page 4‑5for more information.
4-48

StabiliTrak®System
The vehicle may have a vehicle stability enhancement
system called StabiliTrak. It is an advanced computer
controlled system that assists the driver with directional
control of the vehicle in difficult driving conditions.
StabiliTrak activates when the computer senses a
discrepancy between the intended path and the
direction the vehicle is actually traveling. StabiliTrak
selectively applies braking pressure at any one of the
vehicle's brakes to assist the driver with keeping the
vehicle on the intended path.
When the vehicle is started and begins to move, the
system performs several diagnostic checks to insure
there are no problems. The system may be heard or felt
while it is working. This is normal and does not mean
there is a problem with the vehicle. The system should
initialize before the vehicle reaches 20 mph (32 km/h).
In some cases, it may take approximately two miles of
driving before the system initializes.
If cruise control is being used when StabiliTrak
activates, the cruise control automatically disengages.
The cruise control can be re-engaged when road
conditions allow. SeeCruise Control
on page 4‑7for
more information. If the system fails to turn on or activate, the StabiliTrak
light along with one of the following messages will be
displayed on the Driver Information Center (DIC):
TRACTION CONTROL OFF, SERVICE TRACTION
CONTROL, STABILITRAK OFF, SERVICE
STABILITRAK. If these DIC messages appear, make
sure the StabiliTrak system has not been turned off
using the StabiliTrak on/off button. Then turn the
steering wheel clockwise from the nine o'clock position
to the three o'clock position. If this clears the
message(s), the vehicle does not need servicing. If this
does not clear the message(s), then turn the vehicle off,
wait 15 seconds, and then turn it back on again to reset
the system. If any of these messages still appear on the
DIC, the vehicle should be taken in for service. For
more information on the DIC messages, see
DIC
Warnings and Messages on page 4‑65.
The StabiliTrak light will
flash on the instrument
panel cluster when the
system is both on and
activated.
The system may be heard or felt while it is working; this
is normal.
5-6

In this mode, engine power is not reduced automatically
and the driven wheels can spin more freely. This can
cause the brake-traction control to activate constantly.
Notice:If the wheel(s) of one axle is allowed to spin
excessively while the StabiliTrak, ABS and brake
warning lights and any relevant DIC messages are
displayed, the transfer case could be damaged.
The repairs would not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Reduce engine power and do not spin the
wheel(s) excessively while these lights and
messages are displayed.
The traction control system may activate on dry or
rough roads or under conditions such as heavy
acceleration while turning or abrupt upshifts/downshifts
of the transmission. When this happens, a reduction in
acceleration may be noticed, or a noise or vibration may
be heard. This is normal.
If cruise control is being used when the system
activates, the StabiliTrak light will flash and cruise
control will automatically disengage. Cruise control may
be reengaged when road conditions allow. See Cruise
Control on page 4‑7.
StabiliTrak may also turn off automatically if it
determines that a problem exists with the system.
If the problem does not clear itself after restarting the
vehicle, see your dealer/retailer for service.Locking Rear Axle
Vehicles with a locking rear axle can give more traction
on snow, mud, ice, sand or gravel. It works like a
standard axle most of the time, but when traction is low,
this feature will allow the rear wheel with the most
traction to move the vehicle.
Steering
Power Steering
If the vehicle is a Two‐mode Hybrid, see the Two‐mode
Hybrid manual for more information.
If power steering assist is lost because the engine stops
or the system is not functioning, the vehicle can be
steered but it will take more effort.
Steering Tips
It is important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
Traction in a curve depends on the condition of the tires
and the road surface, the angle at which the curve is
banked, and vehicle speed. While in a curve, speed is
the one factor that can be controlled.
If there is a need to reduce speed, do it before entering
the curve, while the front wheels are straight.
5-8