2010 GMC CANYON headlamp

Exterior Lamps
The exterior lamp control is located on the instrument
panel on the left side of the steering wheel.
O(Exterior Lamps):Turn the knob, located to the
right of this symbol, to choose one of the four exterior
lamp positions.
O(Off):Turns off all exterior lamps including the
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL).AUTO:Turns the headlamps on automatically at
normal brightness, together with the following:
•Sidemarker Lamps
•Taillamps
•Parking Lamps
•Instrument Panel Lights
SeeAutomatic Headlamp System on page 4-12for more
information.
;(Parking Lamps):Turns on the parking lamps,
together with the following:
•Sidemarker Lamps
•Taillamps
•License Plate Lamps
•Instrument Panel Lights
2(Headlamps):Turns on the headlamps, together
with the previously listed lamps and lights.
4-10

Headlamps on Reminder
If a door is open, a reminder chime sounds when the
headlamps or parking lamps are manually turned on
and the key is out of the ignition. To turn off the chime,
turn the headlamp switch to off and then back on. In the
automatic mode, the headlamps turn off once the ignition
is in LOCK/OFF.
For vehicles first sold in Canada, if the parking
lamps are turned on manually, the Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL) will stay on.
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier for
others to see the front of your vehicle during the day.
Fully functional daytime running lamps are required
on all vehicles first sold in Canada.The DRL system will come on when the following
conditions are met:
•The ignition is on.
•The exterior lamps control is in AUTO.
•The transmission is not in P (Park) if you have an
automatic transmission.
•The light sensor determines it is daytime.
When the DRL are on, only the parking lamps or
reduced intensity low beam headlamps will be on.
The taillamps, sidemarkers, and other lamps will not
be on. The instrument panel will not be lit up either.
When it begins to get dark, the headlamps will
automatically switch from DRL to the regular headlamps.
The regular headlamp system should be turned on
when needed.
4-11

Automatic Headlamp System
When it is dark enough outside, the automatic headlamp
system will turn on after the transmission has been
shifted from P (Park) to D (Drive). The headlamps,
taillamps, sidemarker, parking lamps, roof marker
lamps, and the instrument panel lights turn on at normal
brightness. The radio lights will become dimmer when
the headlights are off compared to when the headlights
are on.
The vehicle has a light sensor located on the top of
the instrument panel. Do not cover the sensor, or the
system will be on whenever the ignition is on.
The system can turn on the headlamps when driving in
a parking garage, through a tunnel or when there is
overcast weather. This is normal.
There is a delay in the transition between the daytime and
nighttime operation of the Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
and the automatic headlamp system so that driving under
bridges or bright overhead street lights does not affect the
system. The DRL and automatic headlamp system will
only be affected when the light sensor detects a change
in lighting lasting longer than the delay.If the vehicle is started in a dark garage, the automatic
headlamp system will come on immediately. Once the
vehicle leaves the garage, it will take about one minute
for the automatic headlamp system to change to DRL if it
is light outside. During that delay, the instrument panel
cluster may not be as bright as usual. Make sure the
instrument panel brightness control is in the full bright
position. SeeInstrument Panel Brightness on page 4-13.
Fog Lamps
The fog lamp button is located near the exterior lamps
control.
#:For vehicles with fog lamps, press to turn the fog
lamps on or off. An indicator light will turn on in the
button when the fog lamps are on.
The parking lamps or low-beam headlamps must be
on for the fog lamps to work. The fog lamps will go off
whenever the high-beam headlamps come on. When
the high beams go off, the fog lamps come on again.
Some localities have laws that require the headlamps to
be on along with the fog lamps.
4-12

Exterior Cargo Lamps
The cargo lamps can be used if more light is needed in
the cargo area of the vehicle or in the top-box storage
units.
This button is located
on the driver side of the
instrument panel near the
exterior lamp control.
Press to turn the cargo lamps on and off.
The dome lamps must be on for the cargo lamps to
come on. SeeDome Lamp on page 4-13.
Instrument Panel Brightness
D(Instrument Panel Lights):Turn the thumbwheel
up or down to brighten or dim the instrument panel lights
and the radio display. The instrument panel lights, cluster,
and radio display do not dim to complete darkness. The
instrument panel light brightness control will only work if
the headlamps or parking lamps are on. SeeExterior
Lamps on page 4-10.
Dome Lamp
The dome lamps, located in the front and cargo area of
the vehicle, come on when any door is opened.
Turn the dome lamps on by turning the thumbwheel,
located next to the exterior lamps control, all the way up.
In this position, the lamps remain on whether a door
is opened or closed.
Reading Lamps
Press the lens on the lamps to turn each reading lamp
on or off.
These lamps will not come on with the dome lamps.
4-13

Dome Lamp Override
The dome lamp override button is located below the
exterior lamps control.
E(Dome Lamp Override):Press this button in to
make the dome lamps remain off when the doors are
open. To return the lamps to automatic operation,
press
Eagain and return it to the out position.
Exit Lighting
The interior lamps will come on when the key is
removed from the ignition. The lamps will not come
on if the dome override button is pressed in.
Electric Power Management
The vehicle has Electric Power Management (EPM)
that estimates the battery’s temperature and state
of charge. It then adjusts the voltage for best
performance and extended life of the battery.
When the battery’s state of charge is low, the voltage is
raised slightly to quickly bring the charge back up. When
the state of charge is high, the voltage is lowered slightly
to prevent overcharging. If the vehicle has a voltmeter
gage or a voltage display on the Driver InformationCenter (DIC), you may see the voltage move up or down.
This is normal. If there is a problem, an alert will be
displayed.
The battery can be discharged at idle if the electrical
loads are very high. This is true for all vehicles.
This is because the generator (alternator) may not
be spinning fast enough at idle to produce all the
power that is needed for very high electrical loads.
A high electrical load occurs when several of the following
are on, such as: headlamps, high beams, fog lamps,
rear window defogger, climate control fan at high speed,
heated seats, engine cooling fans, trailer loads, and loads
plugged into accessory power outlets.
EPM works to prevent excessive discharge of the
battery. It does this by balancing the generator’s output
and the vehicle’s electrical needs. It can increase
engine idle speed to generate more power, whenever
needed. It can temporarily reduce the power demands
of some accessories.
Normally, these actions occur in steps or levels, without
being noticeable. In rare cases at the highest levels of
corrective action, this action may be noticeable to the
driver. If so, a Driver Information Center (DIC) message
might be displayed, such as BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE,
BATTERY VOLTAGE LOW, or LOW BATTERY. If this
message is displayed, it is recommended that the driver
reduce the electrical loads as much as possible. SeeDIC
Warnings and Messages on page 4-37.
4-14

If the light comes on and stays on, it means that oil is
not flowing through the engine properly. The vehicle
could be low on oil and it might have some other system
problem.
Security Light
For information regarding
this light and the vehicle’s
security system, see
Content Theft-Deterrent
on page 3-13.
Cruise Control Light
The cruise control light
comes on whenever the
cruise control is set.
The light goes out when the cruise control is turned off.
SeeCruise Control on page 4-7for more information.
Highbeam On Light
This light comes on when
the high-beam headlamps
are in use.
SeeHeadlamp High/Low-Beam Changer on page 4-5
for more information.
Fuel Gage
When the ignition is on,
the fuel gage shows how
much fuel the vehicle
has remaining in the
fuel tank.
4-32

•Attach a flag to the vehicle to be more visible to
approaching traffic on trails or hills.
•Sound the horn as you approach the top of the hill
to let opposing traffic know you are there.
•Use headlamps even during the day to make the
vehicle more visible to oncoming traffic.
{WARNING:
Driving to the top (crest) of a hill at full speed can
cause an accident. There could be a drop-off,
embankment, cliff, or even another vehicle. You
could be seriously injured or killed. As you near
the top of a hill, slow down and stay alert.If the vehicle stalls, or is about to stall, and you cannot
make it up the hill:
•Push the brake pedal to stop the vehicle and keep
it from rolling backwards and apply the parking
brake.
•If the engine is still running, shift the transmission to
R (Reverse), release the parking brake, and slowly
back down the hill in R (Reverse).
•If the engine has stopped running, you need to
restart it. With the brake pedal pressed and the
parking brake still applied, shift the automatic
transmission to P (Park) or the manual transmission
to Neutral and restart the engine. Then, shift to
R (Reverse), release the parking brake, and slowly
back down the hill as straight as possible in
R (Reverse).
•While backing down the hill, put your left hand on the
steering wheel at the 12 o’clock position so you can
tell if the wheels are straight and can maneuver as
you back down. It is best to back down the hill with
the wheels straight rather than in the left or right
direction. Turning the wheel too far to the left or right
will increase the possibility of a rollover.
5-19

Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving because
some drivers are likely to be impaired — by alcohol or
drugs, with night vision problems, or by fatigue.
Night driving tips include:
•Drive defensively.
•Do not drink and drive.
•Reduce headlamp glare by adjusting the inside
rearview mirror.
•Slow down and keep more space between you and
other vehicles because headlamps can only light up
so much road ahead.
•Watch for animals.
•When tired, pull off the road.
•Do not wear sunglasses.
•Avoid staring directly into approaching headlamps.
•Keep the windshield and all glass on your vehicle
clean — inside and out.
•Keep your eyes moving, especially during turns or
curves.
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime.
But, as we get older, these differences increase.
A 50-year-old driver might need at least twice as much
light to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
5-25