steering GMC SIERRA 2010 Owner's Guide

Ignition Positions
The ignition switch has
four different positions.
To shift out of P (Park), the ignition must be in ON/RUN
or ACC/ACCESSORY and the regular brake pedal must
be applied.
A (LOCK/OFF) : This position locks the ignition. It also
locks the transmission on automatic transmission
vehicles. The key can be removed in LOCK/OFF.
On vehicles with an automatic transmission, the shift
lever must be in P (Park) to turn the ignition switch to
LOCK/OFF. The steering can bind with the wheels turned off center.
If this happens, move the steering wheel from right to
left while turning the key to ACC/ACCESSORY. If this
doesn't work, then the vehicle needs service.
Notice:
Using a tool to force the key to turn in the
ignition could cause damage to the switch or break
the key. Use the correct key, make sure it is all the
way in, and turn it only with your hand. If the key
cannot be turned by hand, see your dealer/retailer.
B (ACC/ACCESSORY) : This position lets things like
the radio and the windshield wipers operate while the
engine is off. Use this position if the vehicle must be
pushed or towed.
C (ON/RUN) : This position can be used to operate the
electrical accessories and to display some instrument
panel cluster warning and indicator lights. The switch
stays in this position when the engine is running.
The transmission is also unlocked in this position on
automatic transmission vehicles.
If you leave the key in the ACC/ACCESSORY or
ON/RUN position with the engine off, the battery could
be drained. You may not be able to start the vehicle if
the battery is allowed to drain for an extended period
of time.
3-22

Fast Idle System
Fast Idle System with Switch
If the vehicle has this
feature it is available only
with cruise control. The
manual fast idle switch is
operated using the cruise
control buttons located on
the left hand side of the
steering wheel.
This system can be used to increase engine idle speed
whenever the following conditions are met:
.The park brake is set.
.The brake pedal is not pressed.
.The vehicle must not be moving and the
accelerator must not be pressed. To control the fast idle:
.To Enable the Fast idle, press and release the
Cruise Control On/Off button and ensure that the
LED is lit.
.For the preset Fast Idle, press and release the
cruise set switch. This will set the preset fast idle
speed.
.For the variable fast idle, press and hold the
accelerator at the desired RPM, then press and
release the cruise control cruise set switch to set
the desired idle speed.
When the fast idle is active the Driver Information
Center (DIC) will display “FAST IDLE ON.”
One of the following actions will turn off the fast idle:
.Pressing the brake.
.Selecting the Cancel button.
.Releasing the Parking Brake.
.The transmission shifter is moved out of P (Park)
or N (Neutral).
.Selecting the cruise control on/off button when it
was previously on.
3-25

To use this feature, do the following:1. Move the shift lever to M (Manual Mode).
2. Press the plus/minus buttons, located on the steering column shift lever, to select the desired
range of gears for current driving conditions.
When M (Manual Mode) is selected a number displays
next to the M, indicating the current gear.
This number is the highest gear that can be used.
However, the vehicle can automatically shift to lower
gears as it adjusts to driving conditions. This means
that all gears below that number are available. When
5 (Fifth) is selected, 1 (First) through 5 (Fifth) gears are
automatically shifted by the vehicle, but 6 (Sixth) cannot
be used until the plus/minus button located on the
steering column lever is used to change to the gear.
Grade Braking is not available when Range Selection
Mode is active. See Tow/Haul Mode on page 3‑34.
While using Range Selection Mode, cruise control and
the Tow/Haul mode can be used. Notice:
Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle in
one place on a hill using only the accelerator pedal
may damage the transmission. The repair will not be
covered by the vehicle warranty. If you are stuck, do
not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill, use the
brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
Low Traction Mode
If your vehicle has the Allison Transmission®, or the
Hydra-Matic®6-Speed Automatic Transmission,
it has a Low Traction Mode that can assist in vehicle
acceleration when road conditions are slippery, such as
with ice or snow. While the vehicle is at a stop, select
the second gear range using Range Selection Mode.
This will limit torque to the wheels after it detects wheel
slip, preventing the tires from spinning.
3-33

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. To get the most satisfaction out of Four-Wheel
Drive, you must be familiar with its operation. Read the
following before using Four-Wheel Drive. See the
appropriate text for the transfer case in the vehicle.
Notice:Driving on clean, dry pavement in
Four-Wheel-Drive High or Four-Wheel-Drive Low for
an extended period of time may cause premature
wear on your vehicle's powertrain. Do not drive on
clean, dry pavement in Four-Wheel-Drive High or
Four-Wheel-Drive Low for extended periods of time.
While driving on clean dry pavement and during tight
turns, you may experience vibration in the steering
system.
If the vehicle has StabiliTrak
®, shifting into
Four-Wheel-Drive Low will turn Traction Control and
StabiliTrak
®off. See StabiliTrak®System on page 5‑6.
Front Axle
The front axle engages and disengages automatically
when you shift the transfer case. Some delay for the
axle to engage or disengage is normal.
Manual Transfer Case
The transfer case shift lever is on the floor to the right of
the driver. Use this lever to shift into and out of
Four-Wheel Drive.
3-36

Electronic Transfer Case
The transfer case knob
is located next to the
steering column.
Use the dial to shift into and out of four-wheel drive.
Recommended Transfer Case Settings
Driving Conditions Transfer Case Settings
2m 4m4n N
Normal YES
Severe YES
Extreme YES
Vehicle in Tow* YES
*See Recreational Vehicle Towing
on page 5‑43or
Towing Your Vehicle on page 5‑43
You can choose among four driving settings:
Indicator lights in the dial show which setting you are in.
The indicator lights will come on briefly when you
turn on the ignition and one will stay on. If the lights
do not come on, you should take the vehicle to your
dealer/retailer for service. An indicator light flashes
while shifting the transfer case and remains illuminated
when the shift is complete. If for some reason the
transfer case cannot make a requested shift, it will
return to the last chosen setting.
2
m(Two-Wheel-Drive High): This setting is used for
driving in most street and highway situations. The front
axle is not engaged in Two-Wheel Drive. This setting
also provides the best fuel economy.
3-41

Automatic Transfer Case
The transfer case knob
is located next to the
steering column.
Use the dial to shift into and out of Four-Wheel Drive.
You can choose among five driving settings:
Indicator lights in the dial show which setting you are in.
The indicator lights will come on briefly when you turn
on the ignition and one will stay on. If the lights do not
come on, you should take the vehicle to your dealer/
retailer for service. An indicator light will flash while
shifting the transfer case. It will remain illuminated when
the shift is complete. If for some reason the transfer
case cannot make a requested shift, it will return to the
last chosen setting. 2
m(Two-Wheel-Drive High):
This setting is used for
driving in most street and highway situations. The front
axle is not engaged in Two-Wheel Drive. This setting
also provides the best fuel economy.
AUTO (Automatic Four-Wheel Drive) : This setting is
ideal for use when road surface traction conditions are
variable. When driving the vehicle in AUTO, the front
axle is engaged, but the vehicle's power is sent only to
the front and rear wheels automatically based on driving
conditions. Driving in this mode results in slightly lower
fuel economy than Two-Wheel-Drive High.
4
m(Four-Wheel-Drive 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. This setting also engages the front
axle to help drive the vehicle. This is the best setting to
use when plowing snow.
4
n(Four-Wheel-Drive Low): This setting also engages
the front axle and delivers extra torque. You may never
need this setting. It 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.
3-46

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

Instrument Panel Overview
Hazard Warning Flashers
|(Hazard Warning Flasher):Press this button
located on top of the steering column, to make the front
and rear turn signal lamps flash on and off. This warns
others that you are having trouble. Press again to turn
the flashers off.
When the hazard warning flashers are on, the vehicle's
turn signals will not work.
Horn
To sound the horn, press the horn symbols located on
the steering wheel.
Tilt Wheel
The tilt lever is located on the lower left side of the
steering column.
To adjust the steering wheel:
1. Hold the steering wheel and pull the lever.
2. Move the steering wheel to a comfortable position.
3. Release the lever to lock the wheel in place.
Do not adjust the steering wheel while driving.
4-3

Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
The lever on the left side of the steering column
includes the following:
G:Turn and Lane Change Signals
53 :Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
N :Windshield Wipers
L :Windshield Washer
Flash-to-Pass.
Exterior Lamps.
Information for these features is on the pages following.
Turn and Lane-Change Signals
An arrow on the
instrument panel cluster
flashes in the direction of
the turn or lane change.
Move the lever all the way up or down to signal a turn.
Raise or lower the lever for less than one second until
the arrow starts to flash to signal a lane change.
This causes the turn signals to automatically flash
three times. It will flash six times if tow-haul mode is
active. Holding the turn signal lever for more than
one second will cause the turn signals to flash until you
release the lever.
The lever returns to its starting position whenever it is
released.
If after signaling a turn or a lane change the arrows
flash rapidly or do not come on, a signal bulb could be
burned out.
Have the bulbs replaced. If the bulb is not burned out,
check the fuse. See Fuses and Circuit Breakers
on
page 6‑118.
4-4

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