2004 GMC CANYON Owner's Manual

Ignition Positions
With the key in the ignition
switch, you can turn to four
different positions.
{CAUTION:
On manual transmission vehicles, turning the
key to LOCK will lock the steering column and
result in a loss of ability to steer the vehicle.
This could cause a collision. If you need to
turn the engine off while the vehicle is moving,
turn the key only to ACC. Do not push the key
in while the vehicle is moving.LOCK (A):This position locks your steering wheel,
ignition and transmission on automatic transmission
vehicles. If your vehicle has a manual transmission, this
position locks your steering wheel. It is a theft-deterrent
feature. You will only be able to remove your key
when the ignition is turned to LOCK.
If you have an automatic transmission, the ignition
switch cannot be turned to LOCK unless the shift lever
is in PARK (P).
Notice:Using a tool to force the key from the
ignition switch could cause damage or break the
key. Use the correct key and turn the key only with
your hand. Make sure the key is all the way in. If
it is, turn the steering wheel left and right while you
turn the key hard. If none of this works, then
your vehicle needs service.
ACC (ACCESSORY) (B):This is the position in which
you can operate your electrical accessories or items
plugged into the accessory power outlets. It also unlocks
the steering wheel and ignition. Use this position if
your vehicle must be pushed or towed.
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ON (C):This is the position that the switch returns to
after you start your engine and release the switch.
The switch stays in ON when the engine is running.
But even when the engine is not running, you can use
ON to operate your electrical accessories and to display
some instrument panel cluster warning and indicator
lights.
START (D):This is the position that starts the engine.
When the engine starts, release the key. The ignition
switch will return to ON for normal driving.
When the engine is not running, ACC and ON allow you
to operate your electrical accessories, such as the
radio or items plugged into the accessory power outlets.
A warning tone will sound if you open the driver’s
door when the ignition is in ACC or LOCK and the key
is in the ignition.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
Your vehicle is equipped with Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) which will allow certain features of your
vehicle to continue working for up to 20 minutes after the
ignition key is turned to LOCK.
Your radio and power windows will work when the
ignition key is in ON or ACC. Once the key is turned
from ON to OFF, these features will continue to work
for up to 20 minutes or until a door is opened.
Starting Your Engine
Automatic Transmission
Move your shift lever to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N).
Your engine will not start in any other position — that is a
safety feature. To restart when you are already moving,
use NEUTRAL (N) only.
Notice:Do not try to shift to PARK (P) if your
vehicle is moving. If you do, you could damage the
transmission. Shift to PARK (P) only when your
vehicle is stopped.
Manual Transmission
The gear selector should be in NEUTRAL and the
parking brake engaged. Hold the clutch pedal to the oor
and start the engine. Your vehicle will not start if the
clutch pedal is not all the way down — that is a safety
feature.
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Starting Your Engine
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn the
ignition key to START. When the engine starts,
let go of the key. The idle speed will go down as
your engine gets warm.
Notice:Holding your key in START for longer than
15 seconds at a time will cause your battery to
be drained much sooner. And the excessive heat
can damage your starter motor. Wait about
15 seconds between each try to help avoid draining
your battery or damaging your starter.
2. If the engine does not start within 10 seconds, push
the accelerator pedal all the way to the oor, while
you hold the ignition key in START. When the
engine starts, let go of the key and let up on the
accelerator pedal. Wait about 15 seconds between
each try.
Depending on the outside temperature, the engine
starter may continue cranking the engine up to
approximately four seconds after you release the
ignition key. This is normal.When starting your engine in very cold weather
(below 0°F or 18°C), do this:
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn the
ignition key to START and hold it there up to
15 seconds. When the engine starts, let go of
the key.
2. If your engine still will not start (or starts but then
stops), it could be ooded with too much gasoline.
Try pushing your accelerator pedal all the way
to the oor and holding it there as you hold the key
in START for about three seconds. When the
engine starts, let go of the key and accelerator.
If the vehicle starts briey but then stops again,
do the same thing, but this time keep the pedal
down for ve or six seconds. This clears the extra
gasoline from the engine.
Notice:Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle. If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the way the
engine operates. Before adding electrical equipment,
check with your dealer. If you do not, your engine
might not perform properly.
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Engine Coolant Heater
Your vehicle may be equipped with this feature.
In very cold weather, 0°F (–18°C) or colder, the engine
coolant heater can help. You’ll get easier starting
and better fuel economy during engine warm-up.
Usually, the coolant heater should be plugged in a
minimum of four hours prior to starting your vehicle.
At temperatures above 32°F (0°C), use of the coolant
heater is not required.
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
The cord is located in the engine compartment
behind the underhood fuse block on the driver’s side
of the vehicle.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110–volt AC outlet.
{CAUTION:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock. Also, the
wrong kind of extension cord could overheat
and cause a re. You could be seriously
injured. Plug the cord into a properly grounded
three-prong 110-volt AC outlet. If the cord will
not reach, use a heavy-duty three-prong
extension cord rated for at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and
store the cord as it was before to keep it away
from moving engine parts. If you don’t, it could be
damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature,
the kind of oil you have, and some other things.
Instead of trying to list everything here, we ask that you
contact your dealer in the area where you’ll be parking
your vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice for
that particular area.
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Automatic Transmission Operation
Your automatic transmission has a shift lever on the
steering column.
It features an electronic shift position indicator within the
instrument cluster. This display must be powered
anytime the shift lever is capable of being moved out of
PARK (P). This means that if your key is in OFF, but
not locked, there will be a small current drain on
your battery which could discharge your battery over a
period of time. If you need to leave your key in the
ignition in OFF for an extended period, it is
recommended that you disconnect the battery cable
from the battery to prevent discharging your battery.
There are several different positions for your shift lever.
PARK (P):This position locks your rear wheels. It is
the best position to use when you start your engine
because your vehicle cannot move easily.
{CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake rmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Do not leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured. To be sure your
vehicle will not move, even when you are on
fairly level ground, always set your parking
brake and move the shift lever to PARK (P). See
Shifting Into Park (P) (Automatic Transmission)
on page 2-30. If you are pulling a trailer,
seeTowing a Trailer on page 4-60.
Make sure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before
starting the engine. Your vehicle has an automatic
transmission shift lock control system. You have to
fully apply your regular brakes before you can shift
from PARK (P) when the ignition key is in RUN.
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If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on
the shift lever by pushing the shift lever all the way into
PARK (P) as you maintain brake application. Then move
the shift lever into the gear you want. SeeShifting
Out of Park (P) (Automatic Transmission) on page 2-32.
REVERSE (R):Use this gear to back up.
Notice:Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle
is moving forward could damage the transmission.
The repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Shift to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle is
stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging your transmission,
see If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow on
page 4-44.
{CAUTION:
If you have four-wheel drive, your vehicle will
be free to roll — even if your shift lever is in
PARK (P) — if your transfer case is in NEUTRAL.
So, be sure the transfer case is in a drive gear,
two-wheel high (2H) or four-wheel high (4H) or
four-wheel low (4L) — not in NEUTRAL.
SeeShifting Into Park (P) on page 2-30.
NEUTRAL (N):In this position, your engine does not
connect with the wheels. To restart when you are
already moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only.
{CAUTION:
Shifting into a drive gear while your engine is
running at high speed is dangerous. Unless
your foot is rmly on the brake pedal, your
vehicle could move very rapidly. You could
lose control and hit people or objects. Do not
shift into a drive gear while your engine is
running at high speed.
Notice:Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N)
with the engine running at high speed may damage
the transmission. The repairs would not be covered
by your warranty. Be sure the engine is not running
at high speed when shifting your vehicle.
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DRIVE (D):This position is for normal driving. If you
need more power for passing, and you are:
Going less than about 35 mph (55 km/h), push your
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator all the way down.
You will shift down to the next gear and have more
power.
DRIVE (D) should not be used when towing a trailer,
carrying a heavy load, driving on steep hills, or for
off-road driving. Select THIRD (3) when operating the
vehicle under any of these conditions.
THIRD (3):This position is also used for normal driving.
However, it offers more power and lower fuel economy
than DRIVE (D). You should use THIRD (3) when towing
a trailer, carrying a heavy load, driving on steep hills
or winding roads or for off-road driving.SECOND (2):This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy than THIRD (3). You can use
SECOND (2) on hills. It can help control your speed as
you go down steep mountain roads, but then you
would also want to use your brakes off and on. You can
also use SECOND (2) for starting your vehicle from a
stop on slippery road surfaces.
FIRST (1):This position gives you even more power
but lower fuel economy than SECOND (2). You can use
it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the
shift lever is put in FIRST (1) while the vehicle is moving
forward, the transmission will not shift into FIRST (1)
until the vehicle is going slowly enough.
Notice:Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle
in one place on a hill using only the accelerator
pedal may damage the transmission. If you
are stuck, do not spin the tires. When stopping on a
hill, use the brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
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Manual Transmission Operation
Five-Speed
This is your shift pattern.
Here is how to operate your manual transmission:
FIRST (1):Press the clutch pedal and shift into
FIRST (1). Then, slowly let up on the clutch pedal as
you slowly press down on the accelerator pedal.
You can shift into FIRST (1) when you are going less
than 20 mph (30 km/h). If you have come to a complete
stop and it is hard to shift into FIRST (1), put the shift
lever in NEUTRAL and let up on the clutch. Then press
the clutch pedal back down and shift into FIRST (1).SECOND (2):Press the clutch pedal as you let up on
the accelerator pedal and shift into SECOND (2).
Then, slowly let up on the clutch pedal as you press the
accelerator pedal.
THIRD, FOURTH AND FIFTH (3, 4 and 5):Shift into
THIRD (3), FOURTH (4) and FIFTH (5) the same way
you do for SECOND (2). Slowly let up on the clutch pedal
as you press the accelerator pedal.
To stop, let up on the accelerator pedal and press the
brake pedal. Just before the vehicle stops, press the
clutch pedal and the brake pedal, and shift to NEUTRAL.
NEUTRAL:Use this position when you start or idle
your engine.
REVERSE (R):To back up, press the clutch pedal.
After the vehicle stops, shift into REVERSE (R).
Slowly let up on the clutch pedal as you press the
accelerator pedal. If it is hard to shift, let the shift
lever return to NEUTRAL and release the clutch
pedal. Then press the clutch again and shift into
REVERSE (R). Do not attempt to shift into the ft
h gear position prior to shifting into REVERSE (R).
Your transmission has a lock out feature which prevents
a fth gear to reverse gear shift.
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