2011 GMC SIERRA 1500 climate control

Black plate (87,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-87
Some gasolines that are
not reformulated for low
emissions can contain an
octane-enhancing additive
called methylcyclopentadienyl
manganese tricarbonyl (MMT);
ask the attendant where you buy
gasoline whether the fuel contains
MMT. We recommend against
the use of such gasolines. Fuels
containing MMT can reduce
spark plug life and affect emission
control system performance.
The malfunction indicator lamp
might turn on. If this occurs,
return to your dealer for service.
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol)
Vehicles that have a FlexFuel badge
and a yellow fuel cap can use either
unleaded gasoline or ethanol fuel
containing up to 85% ethanol (E85).
For all other vehicles, use only the
unleaded gasoline described under
Recommended Fuel on page 9‑84.We encourage the use of E85 in
vehicles that are designed to use it.
The ethanol in E85 is a
“renewable”
fuel, meaning it is made from
renewable sources such as corn
and other crops.
Many service stations will not have
an 85% ethanol fuel (E85) pump
available. The U.S. Department
of Energy has an alternative fuels
website (www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/
locator/stations/) that can help you
find E85 fuel. Those stations that
do have E85 should have a label
indicating ethanol content. Do not
use the fuel if the ethanol content is
greater than 85%.
At a minimum, E85 should meet
ASTM Specification D 5798.
By definition, this means that fuel
labeled E85 will have an ethanol
content between 70% and 85%.
Filling the fuel tank with fuel
mixtures that do not meet ASTM
specifications can affect driveability
and could cause the malfunction
indicator lamp to come on. To ensure quick starts in the
wintertime, the E85 fuel must be
formulated properly for your climate
according to ASTM specification
D 5798. If you have trouble starting
on E85, it could be because the
E85 fuel is not properly formulated
for your climate. If this happens,
switching to gasoline or adding
gasoline to the fuel tank can
improve starting. For good starting
and heater efficiency below 0°C
(32°F), the fuel mix in the fuel tank
should contain no more than 70%
ethanol. It is best not to alternate
repeatedly between gasoline and
E85. If you do switch fuels, it is
recommended that you add as
much fuel as possible
—do not
add less than 11 L (3 gal) when
refueling. You should drive the
vehicle immediately after refueling
for at least 11 km (7 mi) to allow
the vehicle to adapt to the change
in ethanol concentration.

Black plate (92,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
9-92 Driving and Operating
Driving with a Trailer
{WARNING
When towing a trailer, exhaust
gases may collect at the rear
of the vehicle and enter if the
liftgate, trunk/hatch, or rear-most
window is open.
Engine exhaust contains Carbon
Monoxide (CO) which cannot be
seen or smelled. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death.
To maximize safety when towing
a trailer:
.Have the exhaust system
inspected for leaks and make
necessary repairs before
starting a trip.
.Never drive with the liftgate,
trunk/hatch, or rear-most
window open.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.Fully open the air outlets
on or under the instrument
panel.
.Adjust the Climate Control
system to a setting that
brings in only outside air
and set the fan speed to the
highest setting. See Climate
Control System in the Index.
For more information about
Carbon Monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust on page 9‑44.
Towing a trailer requires a
certain amount of experience.
The combination you are driving is
longer and not as responsive as the
vehicle itself. Get acquainted with
the handling and braking of the rig
before setting out for the open road. Before starting, check all trailer
hitch parts and attachments, safety
chains, electrical connectors,
lamps, tires, and mirrors. If the
trailer has electric brakes, start the
combination moving and then apply
the trailer brake controller by hand
to be sure the brakes work.
During the trip, check occasionally
to be sure that the load is secure
and the lamps and any trailer
brakes still work.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the
vehicle ahead as you would when
driving the vehicle without a trailer.
This can help to avoid heavy
braking and sudden turns.

Black plate (52,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
10-52 Vehicle Care
FusesUsage
16 Passenger Side
Low-Beam
Headlamp
17 Air Conditioning
Compressor
18 Oxygen Sensors
19 Transmission
Controls (Ignition)
20 Fuel Pump
21 Fuel System
Control Module
22 Not Used
23 Not Used
24 Fuel Injectors,
Ignition Coils
(Left Side)
25 Trailer Park Lamps
26 Driver Side Park
Lamps
27 Passenger Side
Park Lamps Fuses
Usage
28 Fog Lamps
29 Horn
30 Passenger Side
High-Beam
Headlamp
31 Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL)
32 Driver Side
High-Beam
Headlamp
33 Daytime Running
Lamps 2
34 Sunroof
35 Key Ignition
System, Theft
Deterrent System
36 Windshield Wiper
37 SEO B2 Upfitter
Usage (Battery)
38 Electric Adjustable
Pedals Fuses
Usage
39 Climate Controls
(Battery)
40 Airbag System
(Ignition)
41 Amplifier
42 Audio System
43 Miscellaneous
(Ignition),
Cruise Control
44 Not Used
45 Airbag System
(Battery)
46 Instrument Panel
Cluster
47 Power Take-Off
48 Auxiliary Climate
Control (Ignition)
49 Center
High-Mounted
Stoplamp (CHMSL)
50 Rear Defogger

Black plate (53,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-53
FusesUsage
51 Heated Mirrors
52 SEO B1 Upfitter
Usage (Battery)
53 Cigarette Lighter,
Auxiliary Power
Outlet
54 SEO Upfitter
Usage
55 Climate Controls
(Ignition)
56 Engine Control
Module, Secondary
Fuel Pump
(Ignition)
J-Case Fuses Usage
57 Cooling Fan 1
58 Not Used
59 Heavy Duty
Antilock Brake
System J-Case
Fuses Usage
60 Cooling Fan 2
61 Antilock Brake
System 1
62 Starter
63 Stud 2
(Trailer Brakes)
64 Left Bussed
Electrical Center 1
65 Not Used
66 Heated Windshield
Washer System
67 Transfer Case
68 Stud 1 (Trailer
Connector
Battery Power)
(Optional - 40A
Fuse Required)
69 Mid-Bussed
Electrical Center 1
70 Climate Control
Blower J-Case
Fuses Usage
71 Not Used
72 Left Bussed
Electrical Center 2
Relays Usage
FAN HI Cooling Fan High
Speed
FAN LO Cooling Fan Low
Speed
FAN CNTRL Cooling Fan
Control
HDLP
LO/HID Low-Beam
Headlamp
FOG LAMP Front Fog Lamps
A/C
CMPRSR Air Conditioning
Compressor
STRTR Starter
PWR/TRN Powertrain
FUEL PMP Fuel Pump
PRK LAMP Parking Lamps

Black plate (55,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-55
FusesUsage
6 Driver Side Turn
Signal, Stoplamp
7 Instrument Panel
Back Lighting
8 Passenger Side Turn
Signal, Stoplamp
9 Passenger Door
Module, Driver Unlock
10 Power Door Lock 2
(Unlock Feature)
11 Power Door Lock 2
(Lock Feature)
12 Stoplamps, Center
High‐
Mounted
Stoplamp
13 Rear Climate Controls
14 Power Mirror Fuses
Usage
15 Body Control
Module (BCM)
16 Accessory Power
Outlets
17 Interior Lamps
18 Power Door Lock 1
(Unlock Feature)
19 Rear Seat
Entertainment
20 Ultrasonic Rear
Parking Assist, Power
Liftgate
21 Power Door Lock 1
(Lock Feature)
22 Driver Information
Center (DIC)
23 Rear Wiper
24 Cooled Seats Fuses
Usage
25 Driver Seat Module,
Remote Keyless Entry
System
26 Driver Power Door
Lock (Unlock Feature)
Circuit
Breaker Usage
LT DR Driver Side Power
Window Circuit
Breaker
Harness
Connector Usage
LT DR Driver Door
Harness
Connection
BODY Harness Connector
BODY Harness Connector

Black plate (80,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
10-80 Vehicle Care
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading
Quality grades can be found
where applicable on the tire
sidewall between tread shoulder
and maximum section width.
For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A
The following information relates
to the system developed by the
United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA), which grades tires
by treadwear, traction, and
temperature performance.
This applies only to vehicles
sold in the United States.
The grades are molded on the
sidewalls of most passenger car
tires. The Uniform Tire QualityGrading (UTQG) system
does not apply to deep
tread, winter-type snow tires,
space-saver, or temporary use
spare tires, tires with nominal
rim diameters of 10 to 12 inches
(25 to 30 cm), or to some
limited-production tires.
While the tires available on
General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary
with respect to these grades,
they must also conform to
federal safety requirements and
additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC)
standards.
All Passenger Car Tires Must
Conform to Federal Safety
Requirements In Addition To
These Grades.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a
comparative rating based
on the wear rate of the tire
when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified
government test course.
For example, a tire graded
150 would wear one and a
half (1½) times as well on
the government course as
a tire graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of
their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in
driving habits, service practices
and differences in road
characteristics and climate.

Black plate (3,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
INDEX i-3
Center High-MountedStoplamp (CHMSL) and
Cargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-47
Center Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Chains, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-83
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Check Engine Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
IgnitionTransmission Lock . . . . . . . . 10-40
Child Restraints Infants and YoungChildren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-51
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . 3-57
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-49
Securing . . . . . . . . . . 3-66, 3-69, 3-78
Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-54 Cigarette Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
Cleaning
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-108
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-112
Climate Control Systems . . . 8-1, 8-4 Air Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . 8-1, 8-4
Dual Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-5
Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1, 8-4
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Cluster, Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Collision Damage Repair . . . . . 13-12
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Coolant Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Engine TemperatureGauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17 Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20
Engine Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-44
Courtesy Transportation Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-11
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-73 Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
Cupholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Customer Assistance . . . . . . . . . . 13-6
Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-5
Text Telephone (TTY)Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-6
Customer Information Service PublicationsOrdering Information . . . . . . 13-15
Customer Satisfaction Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-1, 13-3

Black plate (4,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
i-4 INDEX
D
Damage Repair, Collision . . . . . 13-12
Danger, Warnings, andCautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
Data Recorders, Event . . . . . . . 13-17
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Devices, Auxiliary . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-34
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Door Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-43
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Power Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Rear Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-33 Driving
Characteristics and
Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-91
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Drunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 9-20
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Off-Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-35
Dual Automatic Climate Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-5
Dual Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-75
DVD
Rear Seat EntertainmentSystem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-39
DVD/CD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-22
E
E85 Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-87
Electrical Equipment, Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-125
Electrical System Engine CompartmentFuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-49
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . 10-19
Check and Service EngineSoon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 10-6
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Coolant Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20