2011 GMC SIERRA 1500 fuel

Black plate (33,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-33
Information Displays
Driver Information
Center (DIC)
The vehicle has a Driver Information
Center (DIC).
The DIC displays information about
this 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.The DIC has different displays
which can be accessed by
pressing the DIC buttons located
on the instrument panel, next to
the steering wheel. If the vehicle
does not have DIC buttons, the trip
odometer reset stem can be used
to access some of the menu items.
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. See
Vehicle
Personalization (with DIC Buttons)
on page 5‑52 for more information.
DIC Buttons
The buttons are the trip/fuel, vehicle
information, customization, and
set/reset buttons. The button
functions are detailed in the
following pages.
3(Trip/Fuel):Press this
button to display the odometer,
trip odometer, fuel range, average
economy, fuel used, timer,
transmission temperature, and
instantaneous economy and Active
Fuel Management™ indicator.

Black plate (34,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
5-34 Instruments and Controls
The compass and outside
temperature will also be shown
in the display. The temperature
will be shown in °C or °F depending
on the units selected.
T(Vehicle Information):Press
this button to display the oil life,
units, tire pressure readings for
vehicles with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS), trailer
brake gain and output information
for vehicles with the Integrated
Trailer Brake Control (ITBC) system,
engine hours, compass zone
setting, and compass recalibration.
U(Customization): Press this
button to customize the feature
settings on the vehicle. See Vehicle
Personalization (with DIC Buttons)
on page 5‑52 for more information.
V(Set/Reset):Press this button to
set or reset certain functions and to
turn off or acknowledge messages
on the DIC.
Trip/Fuel Menu Items
(with DIC Buttons)
3(Trip/Fuel): Press this button
to scroll through the following menu
items:
Odometer
Press the trip/fuel button until
ODOMETER displays. This display
shows the distance the vehicle has
been driven in either kilometers (km)
or miles. Pressing the trip odometer
reset stem will also display the
odometer.
To switch between metric and
English measurements, see “Units”
later in this section.
Trip Odometer
Press the trip/fuel button until TRIP
displays. This display shows the
current distance traveled in either
kilometers (km) or miles since the
last reset for the trip odometer.
Pressing the trip odometer reset
stem will also display the trip
odometer. The trip odometer can be reset to
zero by pressing the set/reset
button while the trip odometer is
displayed. You can also reset the
trip odometer while it is displayed
by pressing and holding the trip
odometer reset stem.
The trip odometer has a feature
called the retro-active reset. This
can be used to set the trip odometer
to the number of miles (kilometers)
driven since the ignition was last
turned on. This can be used if the
trip odometer is not reset at the
beginning of the trip.
To use the retro-active reset feature,
press and hold the set/reset button
for at least four seconds. The trip
odometer will display the number of
kilometers (km) or miles driven since
the ignition was last turned on and
the vehicle was moving. Once the
vehicle begins moving, the trip
odometer will accumulate mileage.

Black plate (35,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-35
For example, if the vehicle was
driven 8 km (5 miles) before it
is started again, and then the
retro-active reset feature is
activated, the display will show
8 km (5 miles). As the vehicle
begins moving, the display will
then increase to 8.2 km (5.1 miles),
8.4 km (5.2 miles), etc.
Fuel Range
Press the trip/fuel button until
FUEL RANGE displays. This display
shows the approximate number of
remaining kilometers (km) or miles
the vehicle can be driven without
refueling. The display will show
LOW if the fuel level is low.
The fuel range estimate is based
on an average of the vehicle's fuel
economy over recent driving history
and the amount of fuel remaining
in the fuel tank. This estimate will
change if driving conditions change.For example, if driving in traffic and
making frequent stops, this display
may read one number, but if the
vehicle is driven on a freeway,
the number may change even
though the same amount of fuel
is in the fuel tank. This is because
different driving conditions produce
different fuel economies. Generally,
freeway driving produces better
fuel economy than city driving.
Fuel range cannot be reset.
Average Economy
Press the trip/fuel button
until AVG ECONOMY displays.
This display shows the
approximate average liters per
100 kilometers (L/100 km) or miles
per gallon (mpg). This number is
calculated based on the number of
L/100 km (mpg) recorded since the
last time this menu item was reset.
To reset AVG ECONOMY, press
and hold the set/reset button.Fuel Used
Press the trip/fuel button until
FUEL USED displays. This display
shows the number of liters (L) or
gallons (gal) of fuel used since the
last reset of this menu item. To reset
the fuel used information, press
and hold the set/reset button while
FUEL USED is displayed.
Timer
Press the trip/fuel button until
TIMER displays. This display can
be used as a timer.
To start the timer, press the
set/reset button while TIMER is
displayed. The display will show
the amount of time that has passed
since the timer was last reset, not
including time the ignition is off.
Time will continue to be counted as
long as the ignition is on, even if
another display is being shown
on the DIC. The timer will record
up to 99 hours, 59 minutes, and
59 seconds (99:59:59) after which
the display will return to zero.

Black plate (36,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
5-36 Instruments and Controls
To stop the timer, press the set/reset
button briefly while TIMER is
displayed.
To reset the timer to zero, press
and hold the set/reset button while
TIMER is displayed.
Transmission Temperature
Press the trip/fuel button until
TRANS TEMP displays. This
display shows the temperature of
the automatic transmission fluid
in either degrees Celsius (°C) or
degrees Fahrenheit (°F).
Instantaneous Economy and
Active Fuel Management™
Indicator
If the vehicle has this display, press
the trip/fuel button until INST ECON
V8 displays. This display shows the
current fuel economy at a particular
moment and will change frequently
as driving conditions change.This display shows the
instantaneous fuel economy in
liters per 100 kilometers (L/100 km)
or miles per gallon (mpg). Unlike
average economy, this screen
cannot be reset.
An Active Fuel Management
indicator displays on the right
side of the DIC, while INST ECON
displays on the left side. Active
Fuel Management allows the engine
to operate on either four or eight
cylinders, depending on driving
demands. When Active Fuel
Management is active, V4 will
display on the DIC. When Active
Fuel Management is inactive,
V8 will display. See
Active Fuel
Management
®on page 9‑44 for
more information.
Blank Display
This display shows no information.
Vehicle Information Menu
Items (with DIC Buttons)
T(Vehicle Information): Press
this button to scroll through the
following menu items:
Oil Life
Press the vehicle information
button until OIL LIFE REMAINING
displays. This display shows an
estimate of the oil's remaining
useful life. If you see 99% OIL LIFE
REMAINING on the display, that
means 99% of the current oil life
remains. The engine oil life system
will alert you to change the oil on
a schedule consistent with your
driving conditions.
When the remaining oil life is low,
the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message will appear on the display.
See “CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON”
under Engine Oil Messages on
page 5‑45. You should change the
oil as soon as you can. See Engine
Oil on page 10‑7. In addition to the
engine oil life system monitoring the
oil life, additional maintenance is

Black plate (46,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
5-46 Instruments and Controls
Fuel System Messages
FUEL LEVEL LOW
This message displays and a
chime may sound if the fuel level
is low. Refuel as soon as possible.
SeeFuel Gauge on page 5‑15
and Fuel on page 9‑84 for more
information.
TIGHTEN GAS CAP
This message may display along
with the check engine light on
the instrument panel cluster if the
vehicle's fuel cap is not tightened
properly. See Malfunction Indicator
Lamp on page 5‑25. Reinstall
the fuel cap fully. See Filling the
Tank on page 9‑88. 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.
Key and Lock Messages
REPLACE BATTERY IN
REMOTE KEY
This message displays if a Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter
battery is low. The battery needs
to be replaced in the transmitter.
See “Battery Replacement” under
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation on page 2‑3.
Lamp Messages
TURN SIGNAL ON
This message displays and a chime
sounds if a turn signal is left on for
1.2 km (0.75 mile). Move the turn
signal/multifunction lever to the off
position.
Object Detection System
Messages
PARK ASST BLOCKED SEE
OWNERS MANUAL
If the vehicle has the Ultrasonic
Rear Parking Assist (URPA) system,
this message displays if there is
something interfering with the park
assist system. See Ultrasonic
Parking Assist on page 9‑76 for
more information.
PARK ASSIST OFF
If the vehicle has the Ultrasonic
Rear Parking Assist (URPA) system,
after the vehicle has been started,
this message displays to remind the
driver that the URPA system has
been turned off. Press the set/reset
button or the trip odometer reset
stem to acknowledge this message
and clear it from the DIC display.
To turn the URPA system back on,
see Ultrasonic Parking Assist on
page 9‑76.

Black plate (61,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-61
Exiting the Feature
Settings Menu
The feature settings menu will be
exited when any of the following
occurs:
.The vehicle is no longer in
ON/RUN.
.The trip/fuel or vehicle
information DIC buttons are
pressed.
.The end of the feature settings
menu is reached and exited.
.A 40-second time period has
elapsed with no selection made.
Universal Remote
System
SeeRadio Frequency Statement on
page 13‑19 for information
regarding Part 15 of the Federal
Communications Commission
(FCC) rules and Industry Canada
Standards RSS-210/220/310.
Universal Remote System
Programming
Vehicles with the Universal Remote
System will have these buttons
located in the headliner. This system provides a way to
replace up to three remote control
transmitters used to activate
devices such as garage door
openers, security systems, and
home automation devices.
Do not use this system with any
garage door opener that does not
have the stop and reverse feature.
This includes any garage door
opener model manufactured before
April 1, 1982.
Read the instructions completely
before attempting to program the
transmitter. Because of the steps
involved, it may be helpful to
have another person assist with
programming the transmitter.

Black plate (1,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-1
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . 9-19
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 9-20
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . 9-23
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Truck-Camper LoadingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-34
Adjustable Throttle and BrakePedal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 9-37 Fast Idle System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-39
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Engine Coolant Heater . . . . . . . 9-40
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Shifting Out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-43
Parking Over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-43
Active Fuel Management
®. . . 9-44
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-44
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-45
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-46
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-50
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-54
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-68
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-69
Brake Assist (Except With 4.3L V6 Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-69
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . 9-70
Ride Control Systems
StabiliTrak®System . . . . . . . . . 9-70
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-73
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-73
Object Detection Systems
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 9-76
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-78
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-84
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . 9-84
Gasoline Specifications(U.S. and Canada Only) . . . . 9-85
California Fuel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-85
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 9-86
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-86
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . 9-87
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-88
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-90

Black plate (7,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-7
Off-Road Driving
Vehicles with four-wheel drive
can be used for off-road driving.
Vehicles without four-wheel drive
and vehicles with 20‐inch tire/wheel
assemblies should not be driven
off-road except on a level, solid
surface.
The airbag system is designed to
work properly under a wide range
of conditions, including off‐road
usage. Always wear your safety belt
and observe safe driving speeds,
especially on rough terrain.
Drinking and driving can be very
dangerous on any road and this is
certainly true for off-road driving.
At the very time you need special
alertness and driving skills, your
reflexes, perceptions, and judgment
can be affected by even a small
amount of alcohol. You could have aserious
—or even fatal —accident
if you drink and drive or ride with a
driver who has been drinking.
Off-roading can be great fun but has
some definite hazards. The greatest
of these is the terrain itself. When
off-road driving, traffic lanes are not
marked, curves are not banked, and
there are no road signs. Surfaces
can be slippery, rough, uphill,
or downhill.
Avoid sharp turns and abrupt
maneuvers. Failure to operate the
vehicle correctly off‐road could
result in loss of vehicle control
or vehicle rollover.
Off-roading involves some new
skills. That is why it is very
important that you read these
driving tips and suggestions to
help make off-road driving safer
and more enjoyable.
Before You Go Off-Roading
.Have all necessary maintenance
and service work done.
.Make sure there is enough fuel,
that fluid levels are where they
should be, and that the spare
tire is fully inflated.
.Be sure to read all
the information about
four-wheel-drive vehicles
in this manual.
.Make sure all underbody
shields, if the vehicle has them,
are properly attached.
.Know the local laws that apply
to off-roading where you will
be driving or check with law
enforcement people in the area.
.Be sure to get the necessary
permission if you will be on
private land.