Page 15 of 20

Partially lower the tailgate
1. With the tailgate fully open, lift it up
slightly.
2. Remove the retaining cable from
each side of the tailgate by pulling the
clip away from the bolt head while
pushing the cable bracket forward.
When the larger part of the hole on
the bracket is over the bolt, slide the
bracket off.
3. Slide the
lower end fit-
ting onto the
top bolt on
each side of
the tailgate.
Partially
lower the
tailgate.
Tailgate lock (if equipped)
The tailgate also includes a lock that
can be used when the tailgate is in a
normal, upright position.
See Section 2 of your Owner Manual.
15
Two-Tier Loading and
Optional Bed Extender
You can create an upper load platform
by positioning four 2x6 wooden planks
across the width of the pickup box.
Insert the planks into the pickup box
depressions (below), allowing for at
least a 3/4-inch (2-cm) bearing surface
on each end of the plank.
Ensure that the upper-tier load is
securely tied down, with its center of
gravity in a zone over the rear axle.
See Section 4 of your Owner Manual.
Cargo Tie-Downs and Bed Rails
To secure loads, use the cargo tie-down
loops inside the cargo bed area. If your
truck is equipped with bed rails, do not
attempt to use them to secure loads,
as they are for appearance only. Using
the bed rails as a load anchor not only
can damage them but may cause the
load to loosen, possibly causing injury.
See Section 4 of your Owner Manual.
Note:An accessory bed extender,
available from your dealer, provides
even more flexibility for longer loads.
Note:The tailgate cannot be closed in
this position. The top end fitting of the
bracket must be anchored on the bot-
tom bolt to close the tailgate.
Cargo bed depressions for two-tier loading
Page 16 of 20

Getting to Know Your Canyon16
With four-wheel drive, you can send
power to all four wheels for extra trac-
tion. The controls are located on the
instrument panel, to the right of the
steering wheel.
Four-Wheel Drive Modes
2
(2HI): This setting is used for most
street and highway driving conditions.
The front axle is not engaged in this
mode.
Four-Wheel Drive System
(if equipped)
PERFORMANCE & MAINTENANCE
Starting Your Engine
With your foot off the accelerator pedal,
turn the ignition key to Start. When the
engine starts, let go of the key. Avoid
holding your key in the Start position
for longer than 15 seconds at a time.
Excessive starter operation can drain
your battery much sooner and excessive
heat can damage your starter motor. If
more than one try to start the engine is
necessary, wait about 15 seconds
between the first and second attempts.
See Section 2 of your Owner Manual.
Automatic Locking Differential
(if equipped)
Your axle may be equipped with an
automatic locking differential feature that
helps increase traction when traveling at
speeds less than 20 mph.
Once engaged, both rear wheels will
“lock” and rotate at the same speed,
improving vehicle traction. If one wheel
has poor traction, such as when on ice,
snow or mud, power will be transferred
to the wheel with better traction.
Resetting the Oil Life System
The Oil Life System calculates engine
oil life based on vehicle use and dis-
plays CHANGE OIL on the Driver
Information Center when it’s necessary
to change the engine oil and filter. The
Oil Life System should be reset only
following an oil change.
To reset the Oil Life System:
1. Turn on the ignition, with the
engine off.
2. Press and release the control stem
on the instrument cluster until OIL
LIFE is displayed.
3. Once the alternating OIL LIFE and
RESET messages appear, press and
hold the control stem until several
beeps sound. This confirms that the
Oil Life System has been reset.
4. Turn off the ignition.
See Sections 3 and 5 of your Owner Manual.
Note: The Oil Life System does not
replace the need to follow the mainte-
nance schedule in the Owner Manual.
It also does not measure how much oil
is in the engine.
Page 18 of 20

Getting to Know Your Canyon18
8. Turn the engine off.
9. Place the transmission shift
lever in Park (P), or First (1) for
vehicles equipped with a manual
transmission.
10.Turn the ignition to Lock.
11. Release the parking brake prior to
towing.
Shifting out of Neutral
1. Set the parking brake and press and
hold the regular brake pedal.
2. Shift the transmission to Neutral (N),
or press the clutch pedal for vehicles
with a manual transmission, and turn
the ignition to Run with the engine off.
3. Press the button for the desired
transfer case shift position (2HI,
4HI, or 4LO).
4. After the transfer case has shifted
out of Neutral, the indicator light will
go out.
5. Release the parking brake.
6. You may start the engine and shift
the transmission to the desired
position.
See Section 2 of your Owner Manual.
Shift the transfer case into or out of
Neutral
Shifting into Neutral
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Turn the ignition to Run but leave the
engine off.
3. Press the regular brake pedal and
shift the transmission in Neutral (N),
or depress the clutch for vehicles
with a manual transmission.
4. Shift the transfer case to two-wheel
high.
5. Press and hold the two-wheel high
and four-wheel low buttons at the
same time for 10 seconds. The
Neutral (N) light will come on when
the transfer case shift to Neutral (N)
is complete.
6. Start the engine.
7. Press and hold the regular brake
pedal and shift the transmission to
Reverse (R) for one second; then
shift the transmission to Drive (D) for
one second, or First (1) for vehicles
with manual transmissions and let
out the clutch, to ensure the transfer
case is in Neutral. If not, repeat this
procedure starting at the third step.
Note: Shifting the transfer case to
Neutral can cause your vehicle to roll
even if the transmission is in Park (P) or
in gear. You or someone else could be
seriously injured. Be sure to set the
parking brake before placing the trans-
fer case in Neutral.
Page 20 of 20

Getting to Know Your Canyon20
Roadside Assistance
My GMLink
1-800-GMC-8782
(1-800-462-8782)
TTY Users: 1-888-889-2438
As the proud owner of a GMC Canyon,
you are automatically enrolled in the
GMC Roadside Assistance program.
This value-added service is intended to
provide you with peace of mind as you
drive in the city or travel the open road.
GMC’s Roadside Assistance toll-free
number is staffed by a team of techni-
cally trained advisors who are available
24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The
advisors can provide minor repair infor-
mation over the phone or make arrange-
ments to tow your vehicle to the nearest
GMC dealer.
GMC will provide the following services
for 5 years/100,000 miles at no expense
to you:
• Fuel delivery
• Lockout service (identification
required)
• Tow to nearest dealership for
warranty service
• Flat tire assistance
• Jump starts
For prompt and efficient assistance
when calling, please provide the follow-
ing information to the advisor:
The GMC Owner Center at My GMLink
is a complimentary service for GMC
owners, a one-stop resource to enhance
your GMC ownership experience.
Exclusive member benefits include
online service reminders, vehicle
maintenance tips, online owner manual,
special privileges and more. Sign up
today at www.mygmlink.com. • Location of the vehicle
• Telephone number and your location
• Vehicle model, year and color
• Vehicle mileage
• Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
• Vehicle license plate number
GMC reserves the right to limit services
or reimbursement to an owner or driver
when, in GMC’s judgment, the claims
become excessive in frequency or type
of occurrence.
Roadside Assistance and OnStar
(if equipped)
If you have a current OnStar subscrip-
tion, press the OnStar button and the
vehicle will send your current GPS loca-
tion to an OnStar Advisor who will speak
to you, assess your problem, contact
Roadside Assistance and relay your
exact location so you will get the help
you need.
Certain restrictions, precautions and safety procedures apply to your vehicle. Please read your Owner
Manual for complete instructions. All information contained herein is based on information available at the
time of printing and is subject to change without notice. Copyright 2008 by GM Corp. All rights reserved.
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OWNER INFORMATION
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