2009 GMC SIERRA steering

Driver Information Center (DIC)
Your vehicle has a Driver Information Center (DIC).
The DIC displays information about your vehicle. It also
displays warning messages if a system problem is
detected.
All messages will appear in the DIC display located
below the tachometer in the instrument panel cluster.
The DIC comes on when the ignition is on. After a short
delay, the DIC will display the information that was
last displayed before the engine was turned off.
If your vehicle has DIC buttons, see “DIC Operation and
Displays (With DIC Buttons)” later in this section and
DIC Vehicle Customization (With DIC Buttons) on
page 3-76for the displays available.
If your vehicle does not have DIC buttons, see “DIC
Operation and Displays (Without DIC Buttons)” later in
this section for the displays available.
DIC Operation and Displays
(With DIC Buttons)
If your vehicle has DIC buttons, the information below
explains the operation of this system.
The DIC has different displays which can be accessed
by pressing the DIC buttons located on the instrument
panel, next to the steering wheel.
The DIC displays trip, fuel, and vehicle system
information, and warning messages if a system problem
is detected.
The DIC also allows some features to be customized.
SeeDIC Vehicle Customization (With DIC Buttons)
on page 3-76for more information.
If your vehicle has DIC buttons, you can also use
the trip odometer reset stem to view some of the
DIC displays. See “DIC Operation and Displays
(Without DIC Buttons)” later in this section.
3-53

4(Information) (XM Satellite Radio Service, MP3, and
RDS Features):Press to switch the display between
the radio station frequency and the time.
When the ignition is in the OFF position, press
4to
display the time. For vehicles with XM, MP3, WMA or
RDS features, press
4to display additional text
information related to the current FM-RDS or XM station;
or CD, MP3 or WMA song. If information is available
during XM, CD, MP3 or WMA playback, the song
title information displays on the top line of the display
and artist information displays on the bottom line.
When information is not available, “NO INFO” displays.
Setting Preset Stations (AM-FM Radio)
If the radio does not have XM, up to 18 stations
(six FM1, six FM2, and six AM), can be programmed on
the six numbered pushbuttons. To program presets:
1. Turn the radio on.
2. Press BAND to select FM1, FM2, or AM.
3. Tune in the desired station.
4. Press and hold one of the six numbered
pushbuttons for three seconds until a beep sounds.
Whenever that pushbutton is pressed and
released, the station that was set, returns.
5. Repeat the Steps 2 through 4 for each pushbutton.
Storing a Radio Station as a Favorite
Drivers are encouraged to set up their radio station
favorites while the vehicle is parked. Tune to favorite
stations using the presets, favorites button, and
steering wheel controls, if the vehicle has this feature.
SeeDefensive Driving on page 4-2.
FAV (Favorites):If the vehicle has XM and has a FAV
button, a maximum of 36 stations can be programmed
as favorites using the six pushbuttons positioned
below the radio station frequency labels and by using
the radio favorites page button (FAV button). Press the
FAV button to go through up to six pages of favorites,
each having six favorite stations available per page.
Each page of favorites can contain any combination of
AM, FM, or XM (if equipped) stations.
The balance/fade and tone settings that were previously
adjusted, are stored with the favorite stations.
To store a station as a favorite:
1. Tune to the desired radio station.
2. Press the FAV button to display the page where the
station will be stored.
3. Press and hold one of the six pushbuttons until a
beep sounds. When that pushbutton is pressed
and released, the station that was set, returns.
4. Repeat the steps for each pushbutton radio station
to store as a favorite.
3-92

Bluetooth Controls
Use the buttons located on the steering wheel to
operate the in-vehicle Bluetooth system. SeeAudio
Steering Wheel Controls on page 3-141for more
information.
bg(Push To Talk):Press to answer incoming calls,
to conrm system information, and to start speech
recognition.
cx(Phone On Hook):Press to end a call, reject
a call, or to cancel an operation.
Pairing
A Bluetooth enabled cell phone must be paired to the
in-vehicle Bluetooth system rst and then connected to
the vehicle before it can be used. See the cell phone
manufacturers user guide for Bluetooth functions before
pairing the cell phone. If a Bluetooth phone is not
connected, calls will be made using OnStar
®
Hands-Free Calling, if available. Refer to the OnStar
owner’s guide for more information.Pairing Information:
Up to ve cell phones can be paired to the in-vehicle
Bluetooth system.
The pairing process is disabled when the vehicle
is moving.
The in-vehicle Bluetooth system automatically links
with the rst available paired cell phone in the
order the phone was paired.
Only one paired cell phone can be connected to
the in-vehicle Bluetooth system at a time.
Pairing should only need to be completed once,
unless changes to the pairing information have
been made or the phone is deleted.
To link to a different paired phone, see Linking to a
Different Phone later in this section.
Pairing a Phone
1. Press and holdbgfor two seconds. The system
responds with “Ready” followed by a tone.
2. Say “Bluetooth”. The system responds with
“Bluetooth ready” followed by a tone.
3. Say “Pair”. The system responds with instructions
and a four digit PIN number. The PIN number will
be used in Step 4.
3-120

Audio Steering Wheel Controls
Vehicles with audio
steering wheel controls
could differ depending on
the vehicle’s options.
Some audio controls
can be adjusted at the
steering wheel.
w(Next):Press to go to the next radio station stored
as a favorite, or the next track if a CD/DVD is playing.
xc(Previous/End):Press to go to the previous
radio station stored as a favorite, the next track
if a CD/DVD is playing, to reject an incoming call, or
end a current call.
bg(Mute/Push to Talk):Press to silence the vehicle
speakers only. Press again to turn the sound on.
For vehicles with OnStar
®or Bluetooth systems press
and hold
bgfor longer than two seconds to interact
with those systems. SeeOnStar®System on page 2-71
andBluetooth®on page 3-119in this manual for more
information.SRCE (Source/Voice Recognition):Press to switch
between the radio (AM, FM, XM), CD, and for vehicles
with, DVD, front auxiliary, and rear auxiliary.
For vehicles with the navigation system, press and hold
this button for longer than one second to initiate
voice recognition. See “Voice Recognition” in the
Navigation System manual for more information.
+
e−e(Volume):Press to increase or to decrease
the radio volume.
¨(Seek):Press to go to the next radio station while in
AM, FM, or XM™. Press
¨to go to the next track or
chapter while sourced to the CD or DVD slot. Press
the
¨if multiple discs are loaded to go to the next disc
while sourced to a CD player.
Radio Reception
Frequency interference and static can occur during
normal radio reception if items such as cell phone
chargers, vehicle convenience accessories, and external
electronic devices are plugged into the accessory power
outlet. If there is interference or static, unplug the item
from the accessory power outlet.
3-141

Your Driving, the Road, and the Vehicle............4-2
Driving for Better Fuel Economy.......................4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-2
Drunk Driving.................................................4-3
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-3
Braking.........................................................4-4
Antilock Brake System (ABS)...........................4-5
Braking in Emergencies...................................4-6
StabiliTrak
®System........................................4-6
Locking Rear Axle..........................................4-9
Steering........................................................4-9
Off-Road Recovery.......................................4-10
Passing.......................................................4-11
Loss of Control.............................................4-11
Off-Road Driving...........................................4-12
Driving at Night............................................4-25
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-25Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-26
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-26
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-27
Winter Driving..............................................4-28
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Ice, or Snow.............................................4-30
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out.................4-30
Recovery Hooks...........................................4-31
Loading the Vehicle......................................4-32
Adding a Snow Plow or Similar Equipment.......4-38
Truck-Camper Loading Information..................4-42
Pickup Conversion to Chassis Cab..................4-45
Towing..........................................................4-45
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-45
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-45
Towing a Trailer...........................................4-51
Trailer Recommendations...............................4-84
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1

Drunk Driving
{CAUTION:
Drinking and then driving is very dangerous. Your
reexes, perceptions, attentiveness, and judgment
can be affected by even a small amount of alcohol.
You can have a serious — or even fatal — collision
if you drive after drinking. Do not drink and drive or
ride with a driver who has been drinking. Ride home
in a cab; or if you are with a group, designate a
driver who will not drink.
Death and injury associated with drinking and driving is
a global tragedy.
Alcohol affects four things that anyone needs to drive a
vehicle: judgment, muscular coordination, vision, and
attentiveness.
Police records show that almost 40 percent of all motor
vehicle-related deaths involve alcohol. In most cases,
these deaths are the result of someone who was drinking
and driving. In recent years, more than 17,000 annual
motor vehicle-related deaths have been associated with
the use of alcohol, with about 250,000 people injured.For persons under 21, it is against the law in every
U.S. state to drink alcohol. There are good medical,
psychological, and developmental reasons for
these laws.
The obvious way to eliminate the leading highway
safety problem is for people never to drink alcohol
and then drive.
Medical research shows that alcohol in a person’s
system can make crash injuries worse, especially
injuries to the brain, spinal cord, or heart. This means
that when anyone who has been drinking — driver
or passenger — is in a crash, that person’s chance
of being killed or permanently disabled is higher than
if the person had not been drinking.
Control of a Vehicle
The following three systems help to control the vehicle
while driving — brakes, steering, and accelerator.
At times, as when driving on snow or ice, it is easy to
ask more of those control systems than the tires and
road can provide. Meaning, you can lose control of
the vehicle. SeeStabiliTrak
®System on page 4-6.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect
vehicle performance. SeeAccessories and Modifications
on page 5-4.
4-3

Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows the driver to steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help more than
even the very best braking.
Brake Assist (Except With 4.3L V6 Engine)
If this vehicle has StabiliTrak®, it also has a Brake
Assist feature designed to assist the driver in stopping
or decreasing vehicle speed in emergency driving
conditions. This feature uses the stability system
hydraulic brake control module to supplement the
power brake system under conditions where the driver
has quickly and forcefully applied the brake pedal in
an attempt to quickly stop or slow down the vehicle.
The stability system hydraulic brake control module
increases brake pressure at each corner of the vehicle
until the ABS activates. Minor brake pedal pulsations
or pedal movement during this time is normal and
the driver should continue to apply the brake pedal as
the driving situation dictates The Brake Assist feature
will automatically disengage when the brake pedal
is released or brake pedal pressure is quickly
decreased.
StabiliTrak®System
The vehicle may have a vehicle stability enhancement
system called StabiliTrak. It is an advanced computer
controlled system that assists the driver with directional
control of the vehicle in difficult driving conditions.
StabiliTrak activates when the computer senses a
discrepancy between the intended path and the direction
the vehicle is actually traveling. StabiliTrak selectively
applies braking pressure at any one of the vehicle’s
brakes to assist the driver with keeping the vehicle
on the intended path.
When the vehicle is started and begins to move, the
system performs several diagnostic checks to insure
there are no problems. The system may be heard or felt
while it is working. This is normal and does not mean
there is a problem with the vehicle. The system should
initialize before the vehicle reaches 20 mph (32 km/h).
In some cases, it may take approximately two miles of
driving before the system initializes.
If cruise control is being used when StabiliTrak
activates, the cruise control automatically disengages.
The cruise control can be re-engaged when road
conditions allow. SeeCruise Control on page 3-13
for more information.
4-6

If the system fails to turn on or activate, the StabiliTrak
light along with one of the following messages will be
displayed on the Driver Information Center (DIC):
TRACTION CONTROL OFF, SERVICE TRACTION
CONTROL, STABILITRAK OFF, SERVICE
STABILITRAK. If these DIC messages appear, make
sure the StabiliTrak system has not been turned off
using the StabiliTrak on/off button. Then turn the steering
wheel clockwise from the nine o’clock position to the
three o’clock position. If this clears the message(s), the
vehicle does not need servicing. If this does not clear the
message(s), then turn the vehicle off, wait 15 seconds,
and then turn it back on again to reset the system. If any
of these messages still appear on the DIC, the vehicle
should be taken in for service. For more information on
the DIC messages, seeDriver Information Center (DIC)
on page 3-53.
The StabiliTrak light will
ash on the instrument
panel cluster when the
system is both on and
activated.
The system may be heard or felt while it is working; this
is normal.The traction control disable
button is located on the
instrument panel below
the climate controls.
The traction control part of StabiliTrak can be turned off
by pressing and releasing the StabiliTrak button if both
systems (traction control and StabiliTrak) were previously
on. To disable both TCS and StabiliTrak, press and hold
the button for ve seconds.
TCS and StabiliTrak can be turned on by pressing and
releasing the StabiliTrak button if not automatically
shut off for any other reason.
When TCS or StabiliTrak is turned off, the StabiliTrak
light and the appropriate message will be displayed
on the DIC to warn the driver. The vehicle will still have
brake-traction control when traction control is off, but
will not be able to use the engine speed management
system. See “Traction Control Operation” next for
more information.
When the traction control system has been turned off,
system noises may still be heard as a result of the
brake-traction control coming on.
4-7