GMC SIERRA 2011 Owner's Manual

Black plate (1,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
2011 GMC Sierra Owner ManualM
In Brief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-8
Vehicle Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-26
Performance and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-33
Keys, Doors and Windows . . . 2-1
Keys and Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Exterior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Interior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18
Roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-21
Seats and Restraints . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29
Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-49 Storage
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Storage Compartments . . . . . . . . 4-1
Instruments and Controls . . . . 5-1
Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Warning Lights, Gauges, and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Information Displays . . . . . . . . . . 5-33
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-41
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . 5-52
Universal Remote System . . . . 5-61
Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Lighting Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8
Audio Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-15
Rear Seat Infotainment . . . . . . . 7-39
Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-50 Climate Controls
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . 8-1
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-11
Driving and Operating . . . . . . . . 9-1
Driving Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Starting and Operating . . . . . . . 9-34
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-44
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 9-46
Drive Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-54
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-68
Ride Control Systems . . . . . . . . 9-70
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-73
Object Detection Systems . . . . 9-76
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-84
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-90
Conversions and
Add-Ons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-125

Black plate (2,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
2011 GMC Sierra Owner ManualM
Vehicle Care. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Vehicle Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-49
Wheels and Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-57
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-98
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-103
Appearance Care . . . . . . . . . . 10-108
Service and Maintenance . . . 11-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 11-1
Scheduled Maintenance . . . . . . 11-2
Recommended Fluids,
Lubricants, and Parts . . . . . . . 11-8
Maintenance Records . . . . . . . 11-12 Technical Data
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Vehicle Identification . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Vehicle Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2
Customer Information . . . . . . . 13-1
Customer Information . . . . . . . . 13-1
Reporting Safety Defects . . . . 13-16
Vehicle Data Recording and
Privacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-17
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i-1

Black plate (3,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Introduction iii
The names, logos, emblems,
slogans, vehicle model names,
and vehicle body designs appearing
in this manual including, but not
limited to, GM, the GM logo, GMC,
the GMC Truck Emblem, and
SIERRA are trademarks and/or
service marks of General Motors
LLC, its subsidiaries, affiliates,
or licensors.
This manual describes features that
may or may not be on your specific
vehicle either because they are
options that you did not purchase
or due to changes subsequent to
the printing of this owner manual.Please refer to the purchase
documentation relating to your
specific vehicle to confirm each
of the features found on your
vehicle. For vehicles first sold
in Canada, substitute the name
“General Motors of Canada Limited”
for GMC Division wherever it
appears in this manual.
If the vehicle has the Duramax
®
Diesel engine, see the Duramax
diesel supplement for additional and
specific information on this engine.
If the vehicle is a hybrid, see the
hybrid supplement for more
information.
Keep this manual in the vehicle for
quick reference.
Canadian Vehicle Owners
Propriétaires Canadiens
A French language copy of this
manual can be obtained from your
dealer or from:
On peut obtenir un exemplaire de
ce guide en français auprès du
concessionnaire ou à l'adresse
suivante:
Helm, Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
1-800-551-4123
Numéro de poste 6438
de langue française
www.helminc.com
Litho in U.S.A.
Part No. 25965915 B Second Printing©2010 General Motors LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Black plate (4,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
iv Introduction
Using this Manual
To quickly locate information
about the vehicle, use the Index
in the back of the manual. It is an
alphabetical list of what is in the
manual and the page number
where it can be found.
Danger, Warnings, and
Cautions
Warning messages found on vehicle
labels and in this manual describe
hazards and what to do to avoid or
reduce them.
Dangerindicates a hazard with a
high level of risk which will result in
serious injury or death.
Warning orCaution indicates a
hazard that could result in injury
or death.
{WARNING
These mean there is something
that could hurt you or other
people.
Notice: This means there is
something that could result in
property or vehicle damage.
This would not be covered by
the vehicle's warranty.
A circle with a slash through it
is a safety symbol which means
“Do Not,” “Do not do this,” or
“Do not let this happen.”
Symbols
The vehicle has components and
labels that use symbols instead of
text. Symbols are shown along with
the text describing the operation or
information relating to a specific
component, control, message,
gauge, or indicator.
M: This symbol is shown when
you need to see your owner manual
for additional instructions or
information.
*: This symbol is shown when
you need to see a service manual
for additional instructions or
information.

Black plate (5,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Introduction v
Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols
that may be found on the vehicle
and what they mean. For more
information on the symbol, refer
to the Index.
0:Adjustable Pedals
9:Airbag Readiness Light
#:Air Conditioning
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
%:Audio Steering Wheel Controls
or OnStar®
$: Brake System Warning Light
":Charging System
I:Cruise Control
B: Engine Coolant Temperature
O:Exterior Lamps
#:Fog Lamps
.: Fuel Gauge
+:Fuses
3: Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer
j: LATCH System Child
Restraints
*: Malfunction Indicator Lamp
::Oil Pressure
g:Outside Power Foldaway
Mirrors
}: Power
/:Remote Vehicle Start
>:Safety Belt Reminders
7:Tire Pressure Monitor
_: Tow/Haul Mode
F:Traction Control
M:Windshield Washer Fluid

Black plate (6,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
vi Introduction
2NOTES

Black plate (1,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
In Brief 1-1
In Brief
Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel(Base/Uplevel Version) . . . . . . 1-2
Instrument Panel (Premium Version) . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Initial Drive Information
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-8
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11
Memory Features . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13
Heated Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
Head Restraint Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15 Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
Sensing System for
Passenger Airbag . . . . . . . . . . 1-16
Mirror Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17
Throttle and Brake Pedal Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . 1-20
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-20
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-23
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
Vehicle Features
Radio(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-26
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-27
Portable Audio Devices . . . . . . 1-28
Bluetooth
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-28
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . 1-28 Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-29
Navigation System . . . . . . . . . . . 1-30
Driver Information
Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-30
Rear Vision
Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-31
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 1-31
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-32
Universal Remote System . . . 1-32
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-32
Performance and Maintenance
StabiliTrak®System . . . . . . . . . 1-33
Tire Pressure Monitor . . . . . . . . 1-34
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . 1-34
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . 1-35
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-35
Roadside Assistance Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-36
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-36

Black plate (2,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
1-2 In Brief
Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel (Base/Uplevel Version)

Black plate (3,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
In Brief 1-3
A.Air Vents on page 8‑11.
B. Turn and Lane-Change Signals
on page 6‑6.
Windshield Wiper/Washer on
page 5‑5.
C. Driver Information Center (DIC) Buttons. See Driver Information
Center (DIC) on page 5‑33.
D. Hazard Warning Flashers on
page 6‑5.
E. Instrument Cluster on
page 5‑13.
F. Shift Lever. See Automatic
Transmission on page 9‑46.
Tow/Haul Selector Button
(If Equipped). See Tow/Haul
Mode on page 9‑51.
Range Selection Mode (Allison
Transmission and Hydra-Matic
®
6‐Speed Button (If Equipped).
See Manual Mode on
page 9‑50. G.
Infotainment on page 7‑1.
H. Instrument Panel Storage on
page 4‑1.
I. Integrated Trailer Brake Controller (If Equipped).
See Trailer Towing on
page 9‑95.
J. Exterior Lamp Controls on
page 6‑1.
K. Data Link Connector (DLC) (Out of View). See Malfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 5‑25.
L. Hood on page 10‑5.
M. Parking Brake on page 9‑69.
N. Dome Lamps on page 6‑8.
Fog Lamps on page 6‑6
(If Equipped).
O. Cruise Control on page 9‑73.
P. Steering Wheel Adjustment on
page 5‑2. Q.
Horn on page 5‑5.
R. Steering Wheel Controls on
page 5‑3 (If Equipped).
S. Automatic Transfer Case Control (If Equipped).
See Four-Wheel Drive on
page 10‑34.
T. Ashtray (If Equipped). See Ashtrays on page 5‑12 and
Cigarette Lighter on page 5‑11.
U. StabiliTrak
®System on
page 9‑70 (If Equipped).
Ultrasonic Parking Assist on
page 9‑76 (If Equipped).
Pedal Adjust Button
(If Equipped). See Adjustable
Throttle and Brake Pedal on
page 9‑35.
Exhaust Brake (If Equipped).
See “Brakes” in the Duramax
Diesel Supplement.

Black plate (4,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
1-4 In Brief
V.Power Outlets on page 5‑10.
W. Climate Control Systems
(with Air Conditioning) on
page 8‑1 orClimate Control
Systems (with Heater Only) on
page 8‑4 (If Equipped).
Dual Automatic Climate
Control System on page 8‑5
(If Equipped).
X. Power Take Off (PTO) Control (If Equipped). See Power Take
Off (PTO) in the Duramax diesel
supplement Index.
Y. Passenger Airbag Off Control (If Equipped). See Airbag
On-Off Switch on page 3‑37.