2010 GMC CANYON steering

Ignition Positions
The ignition switch has
four different positions.
To shift out of P (Park), turn the ignition to ON/RUN and
apply the regular brake pedal.
Notice:Using a tool to force the key to turn in the
ignition could cause damage to the switch or break
the key. Use the correct key, make sure it is all the
way in, and turn it only with your hand. If the key
cannot be turned by hand, see your dealer/retailer.
(A) LOCK/OFF:This position locks the ignition. It also
locks the transmission on automatic transmission
vehicles. It locks the steering wheel on manual
transmission vehicles. The key can on be removed
in LOCK/OFF.On vehicles with an automatic transmission, the shift
lever must be in P (Park) to turn the ignition switch
to LOCK/OFF.
The steering can bind with the wheels turned off center.
If this happens, move the steering wheel from right to
left while turning the key to ACC/ACCESSORY.
If this doesn’t work, then the vehicle needs service.
(B) ACC/ACCESSORY:This is the position in which
you can operate the electrical accessories or items
plugged into the accessory power outlets. On automatic
transmission vehicles, this position unlocks the
ignition. On manual transmission vehicles, it unlocks the
ignition and steering wheel. Use this position if the
vehicle must be pushed or towed.
(C) ON/RUN:This position can be used to operate
the electrical accessories and to display some
instrument panel cluster warning and indicator lights.
The switch stays in this position when the engine
is running. The transmission is also unlocked in this
position on automatic transmission vehicles.
If you leave the key in the ACC/ACCESSORY or
ON/RUN position with the engine off, the battery could
be drained. You may not be able to start your vehicle
if the battery is allowed to drain for an extended period
of time.
3-17

Automatic Transmission Operation
The vehicle has a shift lever on the steering column.
It features an electronic shift position indicator within the
instrument cluster. This display is powered anytime
the shift lever is capable of being moved out of P (Park).
This means that if the ignition is turned off, but not in
LOCK/OFF, there will be a small current drain on
the battery which could discharge the battery over a
period of time. If you need to leave the key in the ignition
but not in LOCK/OFF for an extended period, it is
recommended that you disconnect the battery cable
from the battery to prevent discharging the battery.
There are several different positions for the shift lever.
P (Park):This position locks the rear wheels. It is
the best position to use when you start the engine
because the vehicle cannot move easily.
{WARNING:
It is dangerous to get out of the vehicle if the shift
lever is not fully in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. 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). SeeShifting Into
Park (Automatic Transmission) on page 3-31.
If you are pulling a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer on
page 5-48.
Make sure the shift lever is fully in P (Park) before
starting the engine. The vehicle has an automatic
transmission shift lock control system. You must fully
apply the brake pedal before you can shift from P (Park)
when the ignition key is in ON/RUN. If you cannot
shift out of P (Park), ease pressure on the shift lever by
pushing the shift lever all the way into P (Park) as
you maintain brake application. Then move the shift
lever into another gear. SeeShifting Out of Park
(Automatic Transmission) on page 3-32.
3-21

Shift Speeds
{WARNING:
If you skip a gear when you downshift, you could
lose control of the vehicle. You could injure
yourself or others. Do not shift down more than
one gear at a time when you downshift.
Four-Wheel Drive
If the vehicle has four-wheel drive, you can send the
engine’s driving power to all four wheels for extra
traction. To get the best performance out of four-wheel
drive, you must be familiar with its operation. Read
this section before using four-wheel drive. You should
use two-wheel-drive high for most normal driving
conditions.
Notice:Driving on clean, dry pavement in
four-wheel drive for an extended period of time can
cause premature wear on the vehicle’s powertrain.
Do not drive on clean, dry pavement in Four-Wheel
Drive for extended periods of time.Notice:If the vehicle has four-wheel drive and the
different size spare tire is installed on the vehicle,
do not drive in four-wheel drive until you can have
your at tire repaired and/or replaced. You could
damage the vehicle, and the repair costs would not
be covered by your warranty. Never use four-wheel
drive when the different size spare tire is installed on
the vehicle.
Notice:If the vehicle has four-wheel drive and the
compact spare tire is installed on the vehicle, do not
drive in four-wheel drive until you can have the at
tire repaired and/or replaced. You could damage the
vehicle, and the repair costs would not be covered by
your warranty. Never use four-wheel drive when the
compact spare tire is installed on the vehicle.
The transfer case buttons are located to the right of the
steering wheel on the instrument panel.
3-25

Instrument Panel Overview
Hazard Warning Flashers
|(Hazard Warning Flasher):Press this button
located on the instrument panel, to make the front and
rear turn signal lamps flash on and off. This warns
others that you are having trouble.
Press
|again to turn the flashers off.
The turn signals do not work while the hazard warning
flashers are on.
Horn
To sound the horn, press the horn symbol on the
steering wheel pad.
Tilt Wheel
To adjust the steering wheel:
1. Hold the steering wheel and pull the lever
toward you.
2. Move the steering wheel up or down into a
comfortable position.
3. Release the lever to lock the wheel in place.
Do not adjust the steering wheel while driving.
4-3

Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
The lever on the left side of the steering column
includes the following:
G: Turn and Lane Change Signals
53: Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
N: Windshield Wipers
L: Windshield Washer
J: Cruise Control
Flash-to-Pass.
Information for these features is on the pages following.
Turn and Lane-Change Signals
An arrow on the instrument
panel cluster flashes in the
direction of the turn or
lane change.
Move the lever all the way up or down to signal a turn.
Raise or lower the lever until the arrow starts to flash
to signal a lane change. Hold it there until the lane
change is complete.
The lever returns to its starting position when it is
released.
If after signaling a turn or a lane change the arrows
flash rapidly or do not come on, a signal bulb may be
burned out.
Have the bulbs replaced. If the bulb is not burned out,
check the fuse. For bulb replacement, seeTaillamps,
Turn Signal, Stoplamps and Back-up Lamps on
page 6-53. For a blown fuse or circuit breaker,
seeFuses and Circuit Breakers on page 6-111.
4-4

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

Your Driving, the Road, and the Vehicle............5-2
Defensive Driving...........................................5-2
Drunk Driving.................................................5-2
Control of a Vehicle........................................5-3
Braking.........................................................5-3
Antilock Brake System (ABS)...........................5-5
Braking in Emergencies...................................5-5
StabiliTrak
®System........................................5-6
Traction Control System (TCS).........................5-8
Limited-Slip Rear Axle.....................................5-9
Steering........................................................5-9
Off-Road Recovery.......................................5-11
Passing.......................................................5-11
Loss of Control.............................................5-12
Off-Road Driving...........................................5-13
Driving at Night............................................5-25
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................5-26Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................5-27
Highway Hypnosis........................................5-27
Hill and Mountain Roads................................5-28
Winter Driving..............................................5-29
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Ice, or Snow.............................................5-31
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out.................5-32
Recovery Hooks...........................................5-32
Loading the Vehicle......................................5-33
Truck-Camper Loading Information..................5-40
Pickup Conversion to Chassis Cab..................5-40
Towing..........................................................5-41
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................5-41
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................5-41
Towing a Trailer...........................................5-48
Trailer Recommendations...............................5-60
Section 5 Driving Your Vehicle
5-1

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.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect
vehicle performance. SeeAccessories and Modications
on page 6-3.
Braking
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 4-25.
Braking action involves perception time and reaction
time. Deciding to push the brake pedal is perception
time. Actually doing it is reaction time.
5-3