Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol)
If the vehicle has the 4.8L V8 engine (VIN Code A), the
5.3L V8 engine (VIN Code 4), or the 6.0L V8 engine
(VIN Code G) and the N15 flexible fuel option, you can
use either unleaded gasoline or ethanol fuel containing
up to 85% ethanol (E85). SeeFuel on page 6-5.In
all other engines, use only the unleaded gasoline
described underGasoline Octane on page 6-6.
Vehicles that have the 4.8L V8 engine (VIN Code A),
the 5.3L V8 engine (VIN Code 4), or the 6.0L V8 engine
(VIN Code G) and the N15 flexible fuel option have a
yellow fuel cap and can use 85% ethanol fuel (E85). See
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) on page 6-8.
Driving for Better Fuel Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel mileage. Here are some
driving tips to get the best fuel economy possible.
•Avoid fast starts and accelerate smoothly.
•Brake gradually and avoid abrupt stops.
•Avoid idling the engine for long periods of time.
•When road and weather conditions are appropriate,
use cruise control, if equipped.
•Always follow posted speed limits or drive more
slowly when conditions require.
•Keep vehicle tires properly inflated.
•Combine several trips into a single trip.
•Replace the vehicle’s tires with the same TPC Spec
number molded into the tire’s sidewall near the size.
•Follow recommended scheduled maintenance.
Roadside Assistance Program
U.S.:1-800-GMC-8782 (462-8782)
TTY Users:1-888-889-2438
Canada:1-800-268-6800
As the owner of a new GMC, you are automatically
enrolled in the Roadside Assistance program. This
program provides technically trained advisors who are
available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, minor repair
information or towing arrangements.
Online Owner Center
The Online Owner Center is a complimentary service
that includes online service reminders, vehicle
maintenance tips, online owner manual, special
privileges and more.
Sign up today at:www.gmownercenter.com/gmc
(U.S.) orwww.gm.ca(Canada).
1-18
Rollover capable roof-rail airbags are designed to help
contain the head and chest of occupants in the
outboard seating positions in the first, second, and third
rows, if equipped. The rollover capable roof-rail
airbags are designed to help reduce the risk of full or
partial ejection in rollover events, although no system
can prevent all such ejections.
But airbags would not help in many types of collisions,
primarily because the occupant’s motion is not
toward those airbags. SeeWhen Should an Airbag
In ate? on page 2-65for more information.
Airbags should never be regarded as anything more
than a supplement to safety belts.
What Will You See After an Airbag
In ates?
After the frontal airbags inflate, they quickly deflate, so
quickly that some people may not even realize an
airbag inflated. Roof-rail airbags may still be at least
partially inflated for some time after they deploy. Some
components of the airbag module may be hot for
several minutes. For location of the airbag modules, see
What Makes an Airbag In ate? on page 2-66.
The parts of the airbag that come into contact with you
may be warm, but not too hot to touch. There may
be some smoke and dust coming from the vents in the
deflated airbags. Airbag inflation does not preventthe driver from seeing out of the windshield or being
able to steer the vehicle, nor does it prevent people
from leaving the vehicle.
{WARNING:
When an airbag inflates, there may be dust in the
air. This dust could cause breathing problems for
people with a history of asthma or other breathing
trouble. To avoid this, everyone in the vehicle
should get out as soon as it is safe to do so. If
you have breathing problems but cannot get out of
the vehicle after an airbag inflates, then get fresh
air by opening a window or a door. If you
experience breathing problems following an airbag
deployment, you should seek medical attention.
The vehicle has a feature that may automatically unlock
the doors (if equipped with power door locks), turn on
the interior lamps and hazard warning flashers, and shut
off the fuel system after the airbags inflate. You can
lock the doors, turn off the interior lamps and turn the
hazard warning flashers by using the controls for
those features.
2-67
An emission system malfunction might be corrected by
doing the following:
•Make sure the fuel cap is fully installed. SeeFilling
the Tank on page 6-10. The diagnostic system can
determine if the fuel cap has been left off or
improperly installed. A loose or missing fuel cap
allows fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere. A few
driving trips with the cap properly installed should
turn the light off.
•If the vehicle has been driven through a deep
puddle of water, the vehicle’s electrical system
might be wet. The condition is usually corrected
when the electrical system dries out. A few driving
trips should turn the light off.
•Make sure to fuel the vehicle with quality fuel.
Poor fuel quality causes the engine not to run
as efficiently as designed and can cause: stalling
after start-up, stalling when the vehicle is changed
into gear, misfiring, hesitation on acceleration,
or stumbling on acceleration. These conditions
might go away once the engine is warmed up.
If one or more of these conditions occurs, change
the fuel brand used. It will require at least one
full tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off.
SeeGasoline Octane on page 6-6.
If none of the above have made the light turn off, your
dealer/retailer can check the vehicle. The dealer/retailer
has the proper test equipment and diagnostic tools to
fix any mechanical or electrical problems that might have
developed.
Emissions Inspection and Maintenance
Programs
Some state/provincial and local governments have or
might begin programs to inspect the emission control
equipment on the vehicle. Failure to pass this inspection
could prevent getting a vehicle registration.
Here are some things to know to help the vehicle pass
an inspection:
•The vehicle will not pass this inspection if the check
engine light is on with the engine running, or if the
key is in ON/RUN and the light is not on.
•The vehicle will not pass this inspection if the
OBD II (on-board diagnostic) system determines
that critical emission control systems have not been
completely diagnosed by the system. The vehicle
would be considered not ready for inspection.
This can happen if the battery has recently been
replaced or if the battery has run down. The
diagnostic system is designed to evaluate critical
emission control systems during normal driving. This
can take several days of routine driving. If this
has been done and the vehicle still does not pass
the inspection for lack of OBD II system readiness,
your dealer/retailer can prepare the vehicle for
inspection.
4-33
An arrow on the fuel gage indicates the side of the
vehicle the fuel door is on.
The gage first indicates empty before the vehicle is out
of fuel, and the fuel tank should be refueled soon.
Listed are four situations customers might experience
with the fuel gage. None of these indicate a problem with
the fuel gage:
•At the gas station, the fuel pump shuts off before
the gage reads full.
•It takes a little more or less fuel to fill up than the
fuel gage indicated. For example, the gage may
have indicated the tank was half full, but it actually
took a little more or less than half the tank’s
capacity to fill the tank.
•The gage moves a little while turning a corner or
speeding up.
•The gage does not go back to empty when the
ignition is turned off.
If the vehicle has the DURAMAX Diesel engine, see the
DURAMAX Diesel manual for more information.
Driver Information Center (DIC)
Your vehicle has a Driver Information Center (DIC).
All messages will appear in the DIC display located at
the bottom of the instrument panel cluster. The DIC
buttons are located on the instrument panel, next to 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.
The DIC displays trip, fuel, and vehicle system
information, and warning messages if a system problem
is detected.
If your vehicle has these features, the DIC also displays
the compass direction and the outside air temperature
when viewing the trip and fuel information. The compass
direction appears on the top right corner of the DIC
display. The outside air temperature automatically
appears in the bottom right corner of the DIC display.
If there is a problem with the system that controls
the temperature display, the numbers will be replaced
with dashes. If this occurs, have the vehicle serviced by
your dealer/retailer.
The DIC also allows some features to be customized.
SeeDIC Vehicle Customization on page 4-52for
more information.
4-37
•The message could display if the stability system
takes longer than usual to complete its diagnostic
checks due to driving conditions.
•The message displays if an engine or vehicle
related problem has been detected and the vehicle
needs service. See your dealer/retailer.
The message turns off as soon as the conditions that
caused the message to be displayed are no longer
present.
STARTING DISABLED SERVICE
THROTTLE
This message displays if the starting of the engine is
disabled due to the electronic throttle control system.
Have your vehicle serviced by your dealer/retailer
immediately.
This message only appears while the ignition is in
ON/RUN, and will not disappear until the problem is
resolved.
This message cannot be acknowledged.
TIGHTEN GAS CAP
This message may display and a chime may be heard
along with the check engine light on the instrument
panel cluster if the vehicle’s fuel cap is not tightened
properly. SeeMalfunction Indicator Lamp on page 4-31.Reinstall the fuel cap fully. SeeFilling the Tank on
page 6-10. The diagnostic system can determine if the
fuel cap has been left off or improperly installed.
A loose or missing fuel cap allows fuel to evaporate
into the atmosphere. A few driving trips with the
cap properly installed should turn this light and
message off.
TIRE LEARNING ACTIVE
If your vehicle has the Tire Pressure Monitor System
(TPMS), this message displays when the system
is re-learning the tire positions on your vehicle. SeeDIC
Operation and Displays on page 4-38for more
information. The tire positions must be re-learned after
rotating the tires or after replacing a tire or sensor.
SeeTire Inspection and Rotation on page 6-69,
Tire Pressure Monitor System on page 6-65, and
In ation - Tire Pressure on page 6-63for more
information.
TRACTION CONTROL OFF
If your vehicle has StabiliTrak, this message displays
when the Traction Control System (TCS) is turned
off. Adjust your driving accordingly. SeeStabiliTrak
®
System on page 5-5for more information.
4-51
Towing a Trailer
If the vehicle has a diesel engine, see the DURAMAX®
Diesel manual for more information.
{WARNING:
The driver can lose control when pulling a trailer if
the correct equipment is not used or the vehicle is
not driven properly. For example, if the trailer is
too heavy, the brakes may not work well — or
even at all. The driver and passengers could be
seriously injured. The vehicle may also be
damaged; the resulting repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty. Pull a trailer only
if all the steps in this section have been followed.
Ask your dealer/retailer for advice and information
about towing a trailer with the vehicle.Notice:Pulling a trailer improperly can damage the
vehicle and result in costly repairs not covered
by the vehicle warranty. To pull a trailer correctly,
follow the advice in this section and see your
dealer/retailer for important information about
towing a trailer with the vehicle.
To identify the trailering capacity of the vehicle, read the
information in “Weight of the Trailer” that appears
later in this section.
Trailering is different than just driving the vehicle by
itself. Trailering means changes in handling,
acceleration, braking, durability and fuel economy.
Successful, safe trailering takes correct equipment, and
it has to be used properly.
The following information has many time-tested,
important trailering tips and safety rules. Many of these
are important for your safety and that of your
passengers. So please read this section carefully before
pulling a trailer.
5-26
Filling the Tank
{WARNING:
Fuel vapor burns violently and a fuel fire can
cause bad injuries. To help avoid injuries to you
and others, read and follow all the instructions on
the fuel pump island. Turn off the engine when
refueling. Do not smoke near fuel or when
refueling the vehicle. Do not use cellular phones.
Keep sparks, flames, and smoking materials away
from fuel. Do not leave the fuel pump unattended
when refueling the vehicle. This is against the law
in some places. Do not re-enter the vehicle while
pumping fuel. Keep children away from the fuel
pump; never let children pump fuel.The tethered fuel cap is
located behind a hinged
fuel door on the driver side
of the vehicle.
If the vehicle has E85 fuel capability, the fuel cap will be
yellow and state that E85 or gasoline can be used.
SeeFuel E85 (85% Ethanol) on page 6-8.
To remove the fuel cap, turn it slowly counterclockwise.
While refueling, hang the tethered fuel cap from the
hook on the fuel door.
6-10
{WARNING:
Fuel can spray out on you if you open the fuel cap
too quickly. If you spill fuel and then something
ignites it, you could be badly burned. This spray
can happen if the tank is nearly full, and is more
likely in hot weather. Open the fuel cap slowly and
wait for any hiss noise to stop. Then unscrew the
cap all the way.
Be careful not to spill fuel. Do not top off or overfill the
tank and wait a few seconds after you have finished
pumping before removing the nozzle. Clean fuel
from painted surfaces as soon as possible. See
Washing Your Vehicle on page 6-99.
When replacing the fuel cap, turn it clockwise until it
clicks. Make sure the cap is fully installed. The
diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap has
been left off or improperly installed. This would allow fuel
to evaporate into the atmosphere. SeeMalfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 4-31.
{WARNING:
If a fire starts while you are refueling, do not
remove the nozzle. Shut off the flow of fuel by
shutting off the pump or by notifying the station
attendant. Leave the area immediately.
Notice:If you need a new fuel cap, be sure to get
the right type. Your dealer/retailer can get one
for you. If you get the wrong type, it may not t
properly. This may cause the malfunction indicator
lamp to light and may damage the fuel tank and
emissions system. SeeMalfunction Indicator Lamp
on page 4-31.
6-11