2009 GMC SIERRA 1500 tow

CAUTION: (Continued)
And, if you leave the vehicle with the engine
running, it could overheat and even catch re.
You or others could be injured. Do not leave
the vehicle with the engine running unless you
have to.
If you have to leave the vehicle with the engine running,
be sure your vehicle is in P (Park) and the parking
brake is rmly set before you leave it. After you move
the shift lever into P (Park), hold the regular brake pedal
down. Then, see if you can move the shift lever away
from P (Park) without rst pulling it toward you.
If you can, it means that the shift lever was not fully
locked into P (Park).
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you do not shift your
transmission into P (Park) properly, the weight of
the vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl
in the transmission. You may nd it difficult to pull the
shift lever out of P (Park). This is called torque lock.
To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then
shift into P (Park) properly before you leave the
driver seat. To nd out how, seeShifting Into Park
on page 2-52.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out
of P (Park) before you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have
another vehicle push yours a little uphill to take
some of the pressure from the parking pawl in the
transmission, then you will be able to pull the shift lever
out of P (Park).
2-53

Running the Vehicle While Parked
It is better not to park with the engine running. But if you
ever have to, here are some things to know.
{CAUTION:
Idling a vehicle in an enclosed area with poor
ventilation is dangerous. Engine exhaust may
enter the vehicle. Engine exhaust contains Carbon
Monoxide (CO) which cannot be seen or smelled.
It can cause unconsciousness and even death.
Never run the engine in an enclosed area that has
no fresh air ventilation. For more information,
seeEngine Exhaust on page 2-55.
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of the vehicle if
the automatic transmission shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake rmly set.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
The vehicle can roll. Do not leave the 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 the vehicle will not move, even when you are
on fairly level ground, always set the parking brake
and move the shift lever to P (Park).
{CAUTION:
Four-wheel drive vehicles with the transfer case in
N (Neutral) will allow the vehicle to roll, even if the
automatic transmission shift lever is in P (Park). So,
be sure the transfer case is in a drive gear — not in
N (Neutral). Always set the parking brake.
Follow the proper steps to be sure the vehicle will not
move. SeeShifting Into Park on page 2-52.
If pulling a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer on page 4-53.
2-56

Mirrors
Manual Rearview Mirror
Hold the inside rearview mirror in the center to move it
for a clearer view behind your vehicle. Adjust the
mirror to avoid glare from the headlamps behind you.
Push the tab forward for daytime use and pull it for
nighttime use.
Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror
The vehicle may have an automatic dimming inside
rearview mirror.
Vehicles with OnStar
®have three additional control
buttons for the OnStar®system. See your dealer/retailer
for more information about OnStar®and how to
subscribe to it. SeeOnStar®System on page 2-70for
more information about the services OnStar®provides.
O(On/Off):Press to turn the dimming feature on or off.
The vehicle may also have a Rear Vision Camera (RVC).
SeeRear Vision Camera (RVC) on page 2-64for more
information.
If the vehicle has RVC, the
Obutton may not be
available.
Automatic Dimming Mirror Operation
Automatic dimming reduces the glare from the
headlamps of the vehicle behind you. The dimming
feature comes on and the indicator light illuminates
each time the ignition is turned to start.
Cleaning the Mirror
Do not spray glass cleaner directly on the mirror.
Use a soft towel dampened with water.
Outside Manual Mirrors
Adjust the outside mirror so that the side of the vehicle
and the area behind are seen.
Manually fold the mirrors inward to prevent damage
when going through an automatic car wash. To fold,
push the mirror toward the vehicle. Push the mirror
outward, to return to its original position.
Using hood-mounted air deectors and add-on convex
mirror attachments could decrease mirror performance.
2-57

Outside Towing Mirrors
If the vehicle has towing mirrors, they can be adjusted
for a clearer view of the objects behind you. Manually
pull out the mirror head to extend it for better visibility
when towing a trailer.
Manually fold the mirrors forward or rearward. The lower
portion of the mirror is convex. A convex mirror’s
surface is curved to see more from the driver seat.
The convex mirror can be adjusted manually to
the driver preferred position for better vision.
The mirror may have a turn signal arrow that ashes
in the direction of the turn or lane change.
Outside Power Mirrors
Vehicles with outside
power mirrors have
controls located on the
driver door.
To adjust each mirror:
1. Press (A) or (B) to select the driver or passenger
side mirror.
2. Press one of the four arrows located on the control
pad to adjust the mirror.
3. Adjust the outside mirror so that the side of the
vehicle and the area behind are seen.
4. Press either (A) or (B) again to deselect the mirror.
Manually fold the mirrors inward to prevent damage
when going through an automatic car wash. To fold,
push the mirror toward the vehicle. Push the mirror
outward, to return to its original position.
2-58

Notice:If you use URPA while the tailgate is
lowered, it may not detect an object behind your
vehicle, and you might back into the object and
damage your vehicle. Always verify the tailgate is
closed when using URPA or turn off URPA when
driving with the tailgate lowered.
When the System Does Not Seem to
Work Properly
If the URPA system will not activate due to a temporary
condition, the message PARK ASSIST OFF will be
displayed on the DIC and a red light will be shown on
the rear URPA display when the shift lever is moved into
R (Reverse). This occurs under the following conditions:
The driver disables the system.
The ultrasonic sensors are not clean. Keep the
vehicle’s rear bumper free of mud, dirt, snow,
ice and slush. For cleaning instructions, see
Washing Your Vehicle on page 5-118.
A trailer was attached to the vehicle, or a bicycle or
an object was hanging out of the tailgate during the
last drive cycle, the red light may illuminate in
the rear display. Once the attached object is
removed, URPA will return to normal operation.
A tow bar is attached to the vehicle.
The vehicle’s bumper is damaged. Take the vehicle
to your dealer/retailer to repair the system.
Other conditions may affect system performance,
such as vibrations from a jackhammer or the
compression of air brakes on a very large truck.
If the system is still disabled, after driving forward at
least 15 mph (25 km/h), take the vehicle to your
dealer/retailer.
2-63

Cargo Management System
For vehicles with a cargo management system, it is
located in the bed of the truck. The system contains
three rails located on the front and sides of the bed.
The system has four adjustable cargo tie-downs, that can
be placed on the upper and lower slides of the rail.
To adjust a tie-down, pull the locator pin out and move
the tie-down to another location making sure the
locator pin lines up with a locator hole on the rail.
The tie-down pin may not be installed correctly if the pindoes not line up, turn it over and reinstall. The tie-down
will not move when the pin is completely installed.
The maximum load for each rail is 500 lbs (227 kg).
The rails are notched at each end which allows the
tie-downs to be removed and placed on another rail.
To remove, pull the locator pin out and slide the tie-down
to the end of the rail and pull back.
To remove or install cargo tie-downs at the front of the
bed, slide the corner cap towards the center of the
bed to expose the rail notches. To remove the corner
cap, pull either edge away from the rail.
To remove the system, loosen the toggle bolts on each
rail until they can be removed from the bed of the
truck. To replace the system, place the toggle bolts and
rails into their original locations and tighten them to a
torque setting of 12.5 ft lbs (17Y).
If the system is removed to install a bed liner, make sure
there is no bed liner material in the installation points.
Notice:If cargo is tied down using the horizontal
slots on the top of the pickup box, the box could be
damaged. Using the horizontal slots on the top of the
pickup box for tie-down locations may cause damage
to the pickup box and would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Only use the tie-down loops if
the vehicle does not have the cargo management
system.
2-83

StabiliTrak®Indicator Light.............................3-44
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
(US-Canada).............................................3-44
Tire Pressure Light.......................................3-45
Malfunction Indicator Lamp.............................3-45
Oil Pressure Gage (US-Canada).....................3-48
Oil Pressure Light.........................................3-49
Security Light...............................................3-50
Fog Lamp Light............................................3-50
Cruise Control Light......................................3-50
Highbeam On Light.......................................3-50
Four-Wheel-Drive Light..................................3-51
Tow/Haul Mode Light....................................3-51
Fuel Gage...................................................3-51
Low Fuel Warning Light.................................3-52
Driver Information Center (DIC).......................3-53
DIC Operation and Displays
(With DIC Buttons)....................................3-53
DIC Operation and Displays
(Without DIC Buttons)................................3-59DIC Compass..............................................3-63
DIC Warnings and Messages.........................3-66
DIC Vehicle Customization
(With DIC Buttons)....................................3-75
Audio System(s).............................................3-84
Setting the Clock..........................................3-85
Radio(s)......................................................3-87
Using an MP3 (Radio with CD or
Six-Disc CD Player).................................3-106
Using an MP3 (Radio with CD and
DVD Player)...........................................3-111
XM Radio Messages...................................3-117
Navigation/Radio System..............................3-118
Bluetooth
®.................................................3-118
Rear Seat Entertainment (RSE) System.........3-129
Rear Seat Audio (RSA)................................3-138
Theft-Deterrent Feature................................3-140
Audio Steering Wheel Controls......................3-140
Radio Reception.........................................3-141
Fixed Mast Antenna....................................3-142
XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna System............3-142
Section 3 Instrument Panel
3-2

The main components of the instrument panel are the following:
A.Outlet Adjustment on page 3-33.
B.Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-9.
C.Driver Information Center (DIC) on page 3-53.
D.Hazard Warning Flashers on page 3-8.
E.Instrument Panel Cluster (US-Canada) on page 3-34.
F. Shift Lever. SeeAutomatic Transmission
Operation on page 2-28. Tow/Haul Selector
Button (If Equipped). SeeTow/Haul Mode on
page 2-34. Range Selection Mode (Allison
Transmission and Hydra-Matic
®6-Speed Button
(If Equipped). SeeAutomatic Transmission Operation
on page 2-28.
G.Audio System(s) on page 3-84.
H.Instrument Panel Storage on page 2-81.
I. Integrated Trailer Brake Controller (If Equipped).
SeeTowing a Trailer on page 4-53.
J.Exterior Lamps on page 3-16.
K.Hood Release on page 5-14.
L.Parking Brake on page 2-50.
M.Dome Lamp Override on page 3-20.Dome Lamps on
page 3-20.Fog Lamps on page 3-19(If Equipped).
N.Cruise Control on page 3-12.
O.Tilt Wheel on page 3-8.P.Horn on page 3-8.
Q.Audio Steering Wheel Controls on page 3-140
(If Equipped).
R. Automatic Transfer Case Control (If Equipped).
SeeFour-Wheel Drive on page 2-37.
S. Ashtray (If Equipped). SeeAshtray(s) and Cigarette
Lighter on page 3-23.
T.StabiliTrak
®System on page 4-6(If Equipped).
Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist (URPA) on page 2-61
(If Equipped). Pedal Adjust Button (If Equipped).
SeeAdjustable Throttle and Brake Pedal on
page 2-26. Heated Windshield Washer Fluid Button
(If Equipped).Windshield Washer on page 3-12.
U.Accessory Power Outlet(s) on page 3-22.
V.Climate Control System (With Heater Only) on
page 3-24orClimate Control System (With Air
Conditioning) on page 3-25andDual Automatic
Climate Control System on page 3-27.
W. Power Take Off (PTO) Control (If Equipped).
See Power Take Off (PTO) in the Duramax
Diesel Supplement Index.
X. Passenger Airbag Off Control (If Equipped).
SeeAirbag Off Switch on page 1-81.
Y.Glove Box on page 2-80.
3-5