flat tire GMC SIERRA 2011 Owner's Guide

Black plate (90,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
10-90 Vehicle Care
Front Position - 1500 Models
4. Position the jack under the vehicle as shown. If the flat tire
is on the front of the vehicle
(1500 Model vehicles), position
the jack under the bracket
attached to the vehicle's frame,
behind the flat tire.Front Position - All Other Models
Position the jack under the
vehicle as shown. If the flat tire
is on the front of the vehicle (all
other models), position the jack
on the frame behind the flat tire.Rear Position –1500 Models
5. If the flat tire is on the rear, for 1500 models position the
jack under the rear axle about
2 inches (5 cm) inboard of the
shock absorber bracket.

Black plate (91,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-91
Rear Position–All Other Models
For all other models, position the
jack under the rear axle between
the spring anchor and the shock
absorber bracket.
If you have added a snow plow
to the front of your vehicle, lower
the snow plow fully before
raising the vehicle.
Make sure that the jack head is
positioned so that the rear axle
is resting securely between
the grooves that are on the
jack head.
{WARNING
Getting under a vehicle when it
is jacked up is dangerous. If the
vehicle slips off the jack, you
could be badly injured or killed.
Never get under a vehicle when
it is supported only by a jack.
{WARNING
Raising the vehicle with the
jack improperly positioned can
damage the vehicle and even
make the vehicle fall. To help
avoid personal injury and vehicle
damage, be sure to fit the jack lift
head into the proper location
before raising the vehicle. 6. Turn the wheel wrench
clockwise to raise the vehicle.
Raise the vehicle far enough off
the ground so there is enough
room for the spare tire to fit
under the wheel well.
7. Remove all the wheel nuts andtake off the flat tire.

Black plate (92,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
10-92 Vehicle Care
{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, use a cloth or
a paper towel to do this; but be
sure to use a scraper or wire
brush later, if needed, to get all
the rust or dirt off. SeeIf a Tire
Goes Flat on page 10‑84.
8. Remove any rust or dirt from the wheel bolts, mounting surfaces,
and spare wheel.
9. Install the spare tire.
{WARNING
Never use oil or grease on bolts
or nuts because the nuts might
come loose. The vehicle's wheel
could fall off, causing a crash.
10. Put the wheel nuts back on with the rounded end of the
nuts toward the wheel.
11. Tighten each wheel nut by hand. Then use the wheel
wrench to tighten the nuts
until the wheel is held against
the hub.
12. Turn the wheel wrench counterclockwise to lower
the vehicle. Lower the jack
completely.

Black plate (94,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
10-94 Vehicle Care
When you reinstall the regular
wheel and tire, you must also
reinstall either the center cap,
or bolt-on hub cap, depending
on what your vehicle is equipped
with. For center caps, place the cap
on the wheel and tap it into place
until it seats flush with the wheel.
The cap only goes on one way.
Be sure to line up the tab on the
center cap with the indentation on
the wheel. For bolt-on hub caps,
align the plastic nut caps with the
wheel nuts and then tighten by
hand. Then use the wheel wrench
to tighten.Storing a Flat or Spare Tire
and Tools
{WARNING
Storing a jack, a tire, or other
equipment in the passenger
compartment of the vehicle could
cause injury. In a sudden stop or
collision, loose equipment could
strike someone. Store all these in
the proper place.
Notice: Storing an aluminum
wheel with a flat tire under your
vehicle for an extended period
of time or with the valve stem
pointing up can damage the
wheel. Always stow the wheel
with the valve stem pointing
down and have the wheel/tire
repaired as soon as possible.
Store the tire under the rear of the
vehicle in the spare tire carrier.
A. Flat or Spare Tire (Valve Stem Pointed Down)
B. Hoist Assembly
C. Hoist Cable
D. Tire/Wheel Retainer
E. Hoist Shaft
F. Hoist End of Extension Tool
G. Hoist Shaft Access Hole
H. Wheel Wrench
I. Jack Handle Extensions
J. Spare Tire Lock (If Equipped)

Black plate (97,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-97
Full-Size Spare Tire
Your vehicle, when new, had a
fully-inflated spare tire. A spare
tire may lose air over time, so
check its inflation pressure regularly.
SeeTire Pressure on page 10‑66
and Vehicle Load Limits on
page 9‑25 for information regarding
proper tire inflation and loading your
vehicle. For instruction on how to
remove, install or store a spare tire,
see “Removing the Flat Tire and
Installing the Spare” and“Storing a
Flat or Spare Tire and Tools” under
Tire Changing on page 10‑86. Notice:
If the vehicle has
four-wheel drive and the different
size spare tire is installed on the
vehicle, do not drive in four-wheel
drive until you can have your
flat tire repaired and/or replaced.
You could damage the vehicle,
and the repair costs would not
be covered by your warranty.
Never use four-wheel drive when
the different size spare tire is
installed on the vehicle.
Your vehicle may have a different
size spare tire than the road tires
originally installed on your vehicle.
This spare tire was developed for
use on your vehicle, so it is all right
to drive on it. If your vehicle has
four-wheel drive and the different
size spare tire is installed, keep
the vehicle in two-wheel drive. After installing the spare tire on your
vehicle, you should stop as soon as
possible and make sure the spare
tire is correctly inflated. Have the
damaged or flat road tire repaired
or replaced as soon as you can
and installed back onto your vehicle.
This way, the spare tire will be
available in case you need it again.
Do not mix tires and wheels of
different sizes, because they will
not fit. Keep your spare tire and its
wheel together. If your vehicle has
a spare tire that does not match
your vehicle's original road tires
and wheels in size and type, do not
include the spare in the tire rotation.

Black plate (3,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Service and Maintenance 11-3
If the engine oil life system is reset
accidentally, service the vehicle
within 5 000 km/3,000 miles since
the last service. Reset the oil life
system whenever the oil is changed.
SeeEngine Oil Life System on
page 10‑11.
Every Engine Oil Change
.Change engine oil and
filter. Reset oil life system.
See Engine Oil on page 10‑7
and Engine Oil Life System on
page 10‑11. An Emission Control
Service.
.Engine coolant level check.
See Engine Coolant on
page 10‑22.
.Engine cooling system
inspection. Visual inspection
of hoses, pipes, fittings, and
clamps and replacement,
if needed.
.Windshield washer fluid level
check. See Washer Fluid on
page 10‑29.
.Windshield wiper blade
inspection for wear, cracking,
or contamination and windshield
and wiper blade cleaning,
if contaminated. See Exterior
Care on page 10‑108. Worn
or damaged wiper blade
replacement. See Wiper Blade
Replacement on page 10‑41.
.Tire inflation pressures
check. See Tire Pressure on
page 10‑66.
.Tire wear inspection. See Tire
Inspection on page 10‑73.
.Rotate tires if necessary.
See Tire Rotation on
page 10‑73.
.Fluids visual leak check
(or every 12 months, whichever
occurs first). A leak in any
system must be repaired and
the fluid level checked.
.Engine air cleaner filter
inspection. See Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 10‑19.
.Brake system inspection
(or every 12 months, whichever
occurs first).
.For vehicles with Allison
Transmission®only: At the first
engine oil change only, replace
external transmission filter.
.Steering and suspension
inspection. Visual inspection
for damaged, loose, or missing
parts or signs of wear.

Black plate (5,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Service and Maintenance 11-5
Additional Required Services
At the First 160 km/100 Miles,
1 600 km/1,000 Miles, and
10 000 km/6,000 Miles
.For vehicles with dual
wheels: Check dual wheel
nut torque. For proper
torque, seeCapacities and
Specifications on page 12‑2.
Every 12 000 km/7,500 Miles
.Rotate tires. Tires should
be rotated every 12 000 km/
7,500 miles. See Tire Rotation
on page 10‑73.
At Each Fuel Stop
.Engine oil level check.
See Engine Oil on page 10‑7.
.Engine coolant level check.
SeeEngine Coolant on
page 10‑22.
.Windshield washer fluid level
check. See Washer Fluid on
page 10‑29. Once a Month
.Tire inflation pressures
check. See
Tire Pressure on
page 10‑66.
.Tire wear inspection. See Tire
Inspection on page 10‑73.
.Sunroof track and seal
inspection, if equipped.
See Sunroof (Extended Cab) on
page 2‑21 orSunroof (Crew
Cab) on page 2‑22.
Once a Year
.See Starter Switch Check on
page 10‑39.
.See Automatic Transmission
Shift Lock Control Function
Check on page 10‑40.
.See Ignition Transmission Lock
Check on page 10‑40.
.See Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check on
page 10‑40.
.Accelerator pedal check for
damage, high effort, or binding.
Replace if needed.
.Underbody flushing service.
.Hood/Decklid/Liftgate/Liftglass
Support Gas Strut Service:
Visually inspect gas strut,
if equipped, for signs of wear,
cracks, or other damage. Check
the hold open ability of the gas
strut. Contact your dealer if
service is required.

Black plate (9,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Customer Information 13-9
Services Provided
.Emergency Fuel Delivery:
Delivery of enough fuel for the
vehicle to get to the nearest
service station.
.Lock‐Out Service:Service to
unlock the vehicle if you are
locked out. A remote unlock
may be available if you have
OnStar
®. For security reasons,
the driver must present
identification before this
service is given.
.Emergency Tow From a Public
Road or Highway: Tow to the
nearest GMC dealer for warranty
service, or if the vehicle was in
a crash and cannot be driven.
Assistance is also given when
the vehicle is stuck in the sand,
mud, or snow.
.Flat Tire Change: Service to
change a flat tire with the spare
tire. The spare tire, if equipped,
must be in good condition and properly inflated. It is the owner's
responsibility for the repair or
replacement of the tire if it is not
covered by the warranty.
.Battery Jump Start:
Service to
jump start a dead battery.
.Trip Routing Service: Detailed
maps of North America when
requested either with the
most direct route or the most
scenic route. Additional travel
information is also available.
Allow three weeks for delivery.
.Trip Interruption Benefits
and Assistance: If your
trip is interrupted due
to a warranty failure,
incidental expenses may
be reimbursed during the
5 years/(160 000 km)
100,000 miles Powertrain
warranty period. Items
considered are hotel, meals,
and rental car.
Services Not Included in
Roadside Assistance
.Impound towing caused by
violation of any laws.
.Legal fines.
.Mounting, dismounting,
or changing of snow tires,
chains, or other traction devices.
.Towing or services for vehicles
driven on a non-public road or
highway.
Services Specific to
Canadian‐Purchased Vehicles
.Fuel Delivery: Reimbursement
is approximately $5 Canadian.
Diesel fuel delivery may be
restricted. Propane and other
fuels are not provided through
this service.
.Lock-Out Service: Vehicle
registration is required.
.Trip Routing Service: Limit of
six requests per year.

Black plate (5,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
INDEX i-5
Engine (cont.)Cooling System Messages . . . 5-44
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-6
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-44
Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Overheated Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-45
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 9-45
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Engine Oil
Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10-11
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-45
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . 9-112
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . 13-17
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Extender, Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . 3-27
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lamps Off Reminder . . . 6-3F
Fan Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Fast Idle System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-39
Features Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13
Filter
Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . 10-19
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . 6-5
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-84 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-86
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-116
Fluid AutomaticTransmission . . . . . . . 10-13, 10-16
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Four-Wheel Drive Transfer Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-54
Power Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29 Fog Lamps
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Folding Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . 10-34, 9-54
Four-Wheel-Drive Light . . . . . . . . 5-29
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Front Fog Lamps Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
Front Seats Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Heated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-84 Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-86
E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . . . . . . . 9-87
Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-90
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-88
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . 9-86
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . . 9-85
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . 5-31

Black plate (13,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
INDEX i-13
T
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
Tailgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Taillamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-46Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-46
Text Telephone (TTY) Users . . . 13-6
Theft-Deterrent Systems . . . . . . . 2-13 Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Throttle, Adjustable . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Tires Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-77
Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-83
Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-86
Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-61
Different Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-79
Dual Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-75
Full-Size Spare . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-97
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . 10-84
Inflation Monitor System . . . . 10-69
Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-73
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-49 Tires (cont.)
Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-67
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-30
Pressure Monitor System . . . 10-68
Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-73
Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . 10-58
Terminology and
Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-62
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-80
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-81
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-82
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-76
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51
Tow/Haul Mode Light . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Towing Driving Characteristics . . . . . . . . 9-91
Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9-112
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 9-90
Recreational Vehicle . . . . . . . 10-103 Towing (cont.)
Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-95
Trailer Sway
Control (TSC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-124
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-103
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) . . . . . . . . 9-124
Tow Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-95
Transfer Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-54
Transmission
Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46
Fluid, Automatic . . . . . 10-13, 10-16
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-50
Transportation Program, Courtesy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-11
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Truck-Camper Loading Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Turn and Lane-Change Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Turn Signal Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-46