2011 GMC SIERRA 1500 key

Black plate (87,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-87
For regular cab models, the
equipment you will need is
behind the passenger seat.
For extended and crew cab
models, the equipment is on the
shelf behind the passenger side
second row seat.
1. Turn the knob on the jackcounterclockwise to lower the
jack head to release the jack
from its holder.
2. Remove the wheel blocks and the wheel block retainer
by turning the wing nut
counterclockwise.
3. Remove the wing nut used to retain the storage bag and tools
by turning it counterclockwise.
You will use the jack handle
extensions and the wheel wrench
to remove the underbody-mounted
spare tire.
A. Spare Tire (Valve Stem Pointed Down)
B. Hoist Assembly
C. Hoist Cable
D. Tire/Wheel Retainer
E. Hoist Shaft
F. Hoist End of Extension Tool
G. Hoist Shaft Access Hole
H. Wheel Wrench
I. Jack Handle Extensions
J. Spare Tire Lock (If equipped) 1. Open the spare tire lock cover
on the bumper and use the
ignition key to remove the spare
tire lock (J). To remove the spare
tire lock, insert the ignition key
turn and pull straight out.
2. Assemble the wheel wrench (H)and the two jack handle
extensions (I) as shown.

Black plate (105,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-105
5. Release the parking brake onlyafter the vehicle being towed is
firmly attached to the towing
vehicle.
6. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF and remove the key —the
steering wheel will still turn.
After towing, see “Shifting Out of
Neutral” underFour-Wheel Drive on
page 9‑54 for the proper procedure
to take the vehicle out of the Neutral
position.Dolly Towing
Front Towing (Front Wheels Off
the Ground) –Two-Wheel-Drive
Vehicles
Notice: If a two-wheel-drive
vehicle is towed with the rear
wheels on the ground, the transmission could be damaged.
The repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Never
tow the vehicle with the rear
wheels on the ground.
Two-wheel-drive vehicles should
not be towed with the rear wheels
on the ground. Two-wheel-drive
transmissions have no provisions
for internal lubrication while being
towed.
To dolly tow a two‐wheel‐drive
vehicle, the vehicle must be towed
with the rear wheels on the dolly.
See
“Rear Towing (Rear Wheels Off
the Ground)” later in this section for
more information.

Black plate (4,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
11-4 Service and Maintenance
.Lubricate the front suspension,
steering linkage, and parking
brake cable guides. Control arm
ball joints on 2500/3500 series
vehicles require lubrication but
should not be lubricated unless
their temperature is−12°C
(10°F) or higher, or they could
be damaged. Control arm ball
joints on 1500 series vehicles
are maintenance‐free. Vehicles
used under severe commercial
operating conditions require
lubrication on a regular basis
every 5 000 km/3,000 miles.
.Body hinges and latches, key
lock cylinders, folding seat
hardware, and tailgate hinges,
linkage, and handle pivot points lubrication. See
Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants on
page 11‑8. More frequent
lubrication may be required
when the vehicle is exposed
to a corrosive environment.
Applying silicone grease on
weatherstrips with a clean cloth
makes them last longer, seal
better, and not stick or squeak.
.Restraint system component
check. See Safety System
Check on page 3‑27.
.Fuel system inspection for
damage or leaks.
.Exhaust system and nearby heat
shields inspection for loose or
damaged components.
.Vehicles with diesel engine
or GVWR above 4 536 kg
(10,000 lbs) only: Shields
inspection for damage or
looseness. Adjust or replace
as required. This is a Noise
Emission Control Service.
Applicable to vehicles sold in the
United States and recommended
for vehicles sold in Canada.

Black plate (8,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
11-8 Service and Maintenance
Recommended Fluids, Lubricants, and Parts
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
This maintenance section applies to vehicles with a gasoline engine. If the vehicle has a diesel engine and/or an
Allison Transmission, see the maintenance schedule section in the DURAMAX®Diesel manual.
Fluids and lubricants identified below by name, part number, or specification can be obtained from your dealer.
Usage Fluid/Lubricant
Engine Oil The engine requires engine oil approved to the dexos specification. Oils
meeting this specification can be identified with the dexos certification
mark. Look for and use only an engine oil that displays the dexos
certification mark of the proper viscosity grade. See
Engine Oil on
page 10‑7.
Engine Coolant 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and use only DEX-COOL coolant.
See
Engine Coolant on page 10‑22.
Hydraulic Brake System DOT 3 Hydraulic Brake Fluid (GM Part No. 12377967,
in Canada 89021320).
Windshield Washer Optikleen
®Washer Solvent.
Power Steering System GM Power Steering Fluid (GM Part No. 89021184, in Canada 89021186).
Automatic Transmission DEXRON
®-VI Automatic Transmission Fluid.
Key Lock Cylinders Multi-Purpose Lubricant, Superlube (GM Part No. 12346241,
in Canada 10953474).

Black plate (19,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Customer Information 13-19
Radio Frequency
Identification (RFID)
RFID technology is used in some
vehicles for functions such as tire
pressure monitoring and ignition
system security, as well as in
connection with conveniences
such as key fobs for remote door
locking/unlocking and starting, and
in-vehicle transmitters for garage
door openers. RFID technology in
GM vehicles does not use or record
personal information or link with
any other GM system containing
personal information.
Radio Frequency
Statement
This vehicle has systems that
operate on a radio frequency that
comply with Part 15 of the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC)
rules and with Industry Canada
Standards RSS‐210/220/310.
Operation is subject to the following
two conditions:
1. The device may not causeinterference.
2. The device must accept any interference received, including
interference that may cause
undesired operation of the
device.
Changes or modifications to any
of these systems by other than an
authorized service facility could void
authorization to use this equipment.

Black plate (7,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
INDEX i-7
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . 10-67
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . 9-20
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . 9-70
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
How to Wear Safety BeltsProperly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15
I
Idle SystemFast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-39
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-40
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13 Infants and Young Children,
Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-51
Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Instrument Panel Storage Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
J
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-98
K
Key and Lock Messages . . . . . . . 5-46
Keyless Entry
Remote (RKE) System . . . . . . . . 2-3
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
L
Labeling, Tire Sidewall . . . . . . . . 10-58
Lamp Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-46
Lamps
Auxiliary RoofMounted Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Cargo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Daytime Running (DRL) . . . . . . . 6-4
Dome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Exterior Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lamps Off
Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
License Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Malfunction Indicator . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Pick-Up Box Identification and Fender Marker . . . . . . . . 10-45
Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Taillamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-46

Black plate (9,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
INDEX i-9
Messages (cont.)Fuel System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-46
Key and Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-46
Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-46
Object Detection System . . . . . 5-46
Ride Control System . . . . . . . . . . 5-47
Starting the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 5-48
Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-49
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-50
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-41
Vehicle Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-50
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-51
Mirrors Automatic Dimming
Rearview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18
Convex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Folding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Heated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Manual Rearview . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18
Park Tilt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Trailer Tow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Monitor System, Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-68N
NavigationVehicle Data Recordingand Privacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-18
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Noise Control System . . . . . . . . 10-38
O
Object Detection System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-46
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14 Trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Off-Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Oil Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-7
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . .10-11
Engine Oil PressureGauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-45
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31 Older Children, Restraints . . . . . 3-49
Online Owner Center . . . . . . . . . . 13-6
OnStar
®System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-36
Operation, Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2
Outlets Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Overheating, Engine . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
P
Park
Shifting Into . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Shifting Out of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-43
Park Tilt Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Parking Assist, Ultrasonic . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-76
Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-69
Brake and P (Park)Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-40
Over Things That Burn . . . . . . . 9-43

Black plate (10,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
i-10 INDEX
Passenger Airbag StatusIndicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Passenger Sensing System . . . 3-40
Perchlorate Materials Requirements, California . . . . . 10-3
Personalization Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-52
Phone Bluetooth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-50
Pickup Conversion to Chassis Cab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-129
Pickup-Box Identification and Fender Marker
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-45
Power Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Protection, Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10
Retained Accessory (RAP) . . . 9-40
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Steering Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19 Pregnancy, Using Safety
Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
Privacy Radio FrequencyIdentification (RFID) . . . . . . . 13-19
Program Courtesy Transportation . . . . .13-11
Proposition 65 Warning, California . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
R
Radio FrequencyIdentification (RFID) . . . . . . . . 13-19
Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-19
Radios AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8
CD/DVD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-22
Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-14
Satellite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10
Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37 Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-73 Rear Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Rear Seat Audio (RSA)
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-48
Rear Seat Entertainment System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-39
Rear Seat Audio (RSA) . . . . . . . 7-48
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10, 3-11
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . 9-78
Rear Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-20
Rearview Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18 Automatic Dimming . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-8
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . 9-84
Records Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11-12
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10-103
Reimbursement Program, GM Mobility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-7
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3