Black plate (1,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
2011 GMC Sierra Owner ManualM
In Brief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-8
Vehicle Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-26
Performance and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-33
Keys, Doors and Windows . . . 2-1
Keys and Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Exterior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Interior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18
Roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-21
Seats and Restraints . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29
Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-49 Storage
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Storage Compartments . . . . . . . . 4-1
Instruments and Controls . . . . 5-1
Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Warning Lights, Gauges, and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Information Displays . . . . . . . . . . 5-33
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-41
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . 5-52
Universal Remote System . . . . 5-61
Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Lighting Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8
Audio Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-15
Rear Seat Infotainment . . . . . . . 7-39
Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-50 Climate Controls
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . 8-1
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-11
Driving and Operating . . . . . . . . 9-1
Driving Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Starting and Operating . . . . . . . 9-34
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-44
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 9-46
Drive Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-54
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-68
Ride Control Systems . . . . . . . . 9-70
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-73
Object Detection Systems . . . . 9-76
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-84
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-90
Conversions and
Add-Ons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-125
Black plate (5,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Introduction v
Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols
that may be found on the vehicle
and what they mean. For more
information on the symbol, refer
to the Index.
0:Adjustable Pedals
9:Airbag Readiness Light
#:Air Conditioning
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
%:Audio Steering Wheel Controls
or OnStar®
$: Brake System Warning Light
":Charging System
I:Cruise Control
B: Engine Coolant Temperature
O:Exterior Lamps
#:Fog Lamps
.: Fuel Gauge
+:Fuses
3: Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer
j: LATCH System Child
Restraints
*: Malfunction Indicator Lamp
::Oil Pressure
g:Outside Power Foldaway
Mirrors
}: Power
/:Remote Vehicle Start
>:Safety Belt Reminders
7:Tire Pressure Monitor
_: Tow/Haul Mode
F:Traction Control
M:Windshield Washer Fluid
Black plate (1,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
In Brief 1-1
In Brief
Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel(Base/Uplevel Version) . . . . . . 1-2
Instrument Panel (Premium Version) . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Initial Drive Information
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-8
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11
Memory Features . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13
Heated Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
Head Restraint Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15 Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
Sensing System for
Passenger Airbag . . . . . . . . . . 1-16
Mirror Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17
Throttle and Brake Pedal Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . 1-20
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-20
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-23
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
Vehicle Features
Radio(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-26
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-27
Portable Audio Devices . . . . . . 1-28
Bluetooth
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-28
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . 1-28 Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-29
Navigation System . . . . . . . . . . . 1-30
Driver Information
Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-30
Rear Vision
Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-31
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 1-31
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-32
Universal Remote System . . . 1-32
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-32
Performance and Maintenance
StabiliTrak®System . . . . . . . . . 1-33
Tire Pressure Monitor . . . . . . . . 1-34
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . 1-34
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . 1-35
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-35
Roadside Assistance Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-36
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-36
Black plate (15,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
In Brief 1-15
Heated Seats
If available, the controls are on the
driver and passenger doors.
I:Press to heat the
seatback only.
J: Press to heat the seat and
seatback.
See Heated Front Seats on
page 3‑8.
Head Restraint
Adjustment
Do not drive until the head restraints
for all occupants are installed and
adjusted properly.
To achieve a comfortable seating
position, change the seatback
recline angle as little as necessary
while keeping the seat and the
head restraint height in the proper
position.
For more information see Head
Restraints on page 3‑2 andSeat
Adjustment on page 3‑3.
Safety Belts
Refer to the following sections for
important information on how to use
safety belts properly.
.Safety Belts on page 3‑11.
.How to Wear Safety Belts
Properly on page 3‑15.
.Lap-Shoulder Belt on page 3‑21.
.Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) on
page 3‑57.
Black plate (8,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
2-8 Keys, Doors and Windows
Door Locks
{WARNING
Unlocked doors can be
dangerous.
.Passengers, especially
children, can easily open
the doors and fall out of a
moving vehicle. When a door
is locked, the handle will not
open it. The chance of being
thrown out of the vehicle in
a crash is increased if the
doors are not locked. So, all
passengers should wear
safety belts properly and
the doors should be locked
whenever the vehicle is
driven.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.Young children who get into
unlocked vehicles may be
unable to get out. A child can
be overcome by extreme heat
and can suffer permanent
injuries or even death from
heat stroke. Always lock the
vehicle whenever leaving it.
.Outsiders can easily enter
through an unlocked door
when you slow down or stop
the vehicle. Locking the doors
can help prevent this from
happening.
There are several ways to lock and
unlock the vehicle.
From outside, use the Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter
or the key in the driver door. From inside, use the power door
locks or manual door locks. To lock
or unlock the door with the manual
locks, push down or pull up on the
manual lock knob.
Power Door Locks
With power door locks, the switches
on the front doors can be used to
lock and unlock the vehicle.
K(Unlock):
Press to unlock the
doors.
Q(Lock): Press to lock the doors.
Delayed Locking
The vehicle may have the delayed
locking feature. When locking the
doors with the power lock switch
and a door is open, the doors will
lock five seconds after the last door
is closed. You will hear three chimes
to signal that the delayed locking
feature is in use.
Black plate (10,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
2-10 Keys, Doors and Windows
Doors
Rear Doors
(Extended Cab)
To open a rear access door from
the outside, first open the front door.
Then, use the handle located on the
front edge of the rear access door to
open it.The rear access door must be
closed before the front door can
close.
To open a rear access door from
the inside, first open the front door.
Then, use the handle located on
the inside of the rear access door
to open.
Tailgate
{WARNING
It is extremely dangerous to
ride on the tailgate, even when
the vehicle is operated at low
speeds. People riding on the
tailgate can easily lose their
balance and fall in response
to vehicle maneuvers. Falling
from a moving vehicle may
result in serious injuries or death.
Do not allow people to ride on the
tailgate. Be sure everyone in your
vehicle is in a seat and using a
safety belt properly.
On vehicles with a lock on the
tailgate, use the key to lock or
unlock the tailgate.
Black plate (1,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-1
Seats and
Restraints
Head Restraints
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Front Seats
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Center Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Power Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . 3-4
Lumbar Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Heated Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Rear Seats
Rear Seats (Extended CabFull Bench) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Rear Seats (All Split Bench and Hybrid Full Bench) . . . . . 3-11
Safety Belts
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
How to Wear Safety BeltsProperly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . 3-21
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26 Lap Belt (Crew and
Extended Cab) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
Safety Belt Extender . . . . . . . . . 3-27
Safety System Check . . . . . . . . 3-27
Safety Belt Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-28
Replacing Safety Belt System Parts After a Crash . . . . . . . . . 3-28
Airbag System
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . 3-31
When Should an AirbagInflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-32
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34
How Does an Airbag Restrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-35
What Will You See After an Airbag Inflates? . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-35
Airbag On-Off Switch . . . . . . . . 3-37
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-40
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-46
Adding Equipment to the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . 3-46
Airbag System Check . . . . . . . . 3-48
Replacing Airbag System Parts After a Crash . . . . . . . . . 3-48
Child Restraints
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-49
Infants and YoungChildren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-51
Child Restraint Systems . . . . . 3-54
Where to Put the Restraint . . . 3-56
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-57
Replacing LATCH System Parts After a Crash . . . . . . . . . 3-66
Securing Child Restraints (Rear Seat Position) . . . . . . . . 3-66
Securing Child Restraints (Right Front Seat
Position) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-69
Securing Child Restraints (Center Front Seat
Position) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-78
Black plate (6,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
3-6 Seats and Restraints
Lumbar Adjustment
Manual Lumbar
If equipped, increase or decrease
manual lumbar support by turning
the knob forward or rearward.
Power Lumbar
To adjust the power lumbar support,
if equipped:
.On vehicles with two-way
lumbar, press and hold the
top or bottom of the control to
increase or decrease lumbar
support.
.On vehicles with four-way
lumbar, press and hold the front
or rear of the control to increase
or decrease lumbar support.
To raise or lower the height of
the support, press and hold the
top or bottom of the control.
Reclining Seatbacks
{WARNING
Sitting in a reclined position when
the vehicle is in motion can be
dangerous. Even when buckled
up, the safety belts cannot do
their job when reclined like this.
The shoulder belt cannot do its
job because it will not be against
your body. Instead, it will be in
front of you. In a crash, you could
go into it, receiving neck or other
injuries.
The lap belt cannot do its job
either. In a crash, the belt could
go up over your abdomen.
The belt forces would be
there, not at your pelvic bones.
This could cause serious
internal injuries.(Continued)