Black plate (6,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
6-6 Lighting
Turn and Lane-Change
Signals
An arrow on the instrument panel
cluster flashes in the direction of
the turn or lane change.
Move the lever all the way up or
down to signal a turn.
Raise or lower the lever for less
than one second until the arrow
starts to flash to signal a lane
change. This causes the turn
signals to automatically flash
three times. It will flash six times
if tow-haul mode is active. Holding
the turn signal lever for more than
one second will cause the turn
signals to flash until you release
the lever.The lever returns to its starting
position whenever it is released.
If after signaling a turn or a lane
change the arrows flash rapidly or
do not come on, a signal bulb could
be burned out.
Have the bulbs replaced. If the bulb
is not burned out, check the fuse.
See
Fuses and Circuit Breakers on
page 10‑50.
Turn Signal On Chime
If the turn signal is left on for more
than 1.2 km (3/4 of a mile), a chime
will sound at each flash of the turn
signal and the message TURN
SIGNAL ON will also appear in the
Driver Information Control (DIC).
To turn the chime and message off,
move the turn signal lever to the off
position.
Fog Lamps
For vehicles with fog lamps, the
control is located next to the exterior
lamps control on the instrument
panel, to the left of the steering
column.
The ignition must be in the ON/RUN
position for the fog lamps to
come on.
#(Fog Lamps): Press to turn the
fog lamps on or off. A light will come
on in the instrument panel cluster.
When the fog lamps are turned on,
the parking lamps automatically
turn on.
When the headlamps are changed
to high beam, the fog lamps also go
off. When the high-beam headlamps
are turned off, the fog lamps will
come on again.
Some localities have laws that
require the headlamps to be on
with the fog lamps.
Black plate (93,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-93
Passing
More passing distance is
needed when towing a trailer.
The combination will not accelerate
as quickly and is longer so it is
necessary to go much farther
beyond the passed vehicle before
returning to the lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering
wheel with one hand. To move the
trailer to the left, move that hand
to the left. To move the trailer to
the right, move your hand to the
right. Always back up slowly and,
if possible, have someone
guide you.
Making Turns
Notice:Making very sharp turns
while trailering could cause the
trailer to come in contact with
the vehicle. The vehicle could be
damaged. Avoid making very
sharp turns while trailering.
When turning with a trailer,
make wider turns than normal.
Do this so the trailer will not strike
soft shoulders, curbs, road signs,
trees, or other objects. Avoid jerky
or sudden maneuvers. Signal well
in advance.
If the trailer turn signal bulbs burn
out, the arrows on the instrument
panel will still flash for turns. It is
important to check occasionally to
be sure the trailer bulbs are still
working.
Driving on Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a
lower gear beforestarting down
a long or steep downgrade. If the
transmission is not shifted down,
the brakes might get hot and no
longer work well.
Vehicles can tow in D (Drive).
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear if the transmission shifts too
often under heavy loads and/or
hilly conditions.
The Tow/Haul Mode may be used
if the transmission shifts too often.
See Tow/Haul Mode on page 9‑51.
When towing at high altitude on
steep uphill grades, consider the
following: Engine coolant will boil
at a lower temperature than at
normal altitudes. If the engine is
turned off immediately after towing
at high altitude on steep uphill
grades, the vehicle may show
signs similar to engine overheating.
Black plate (1,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-1
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . 10-3
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-7
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . 10-11
Automatic Transmission Fluid (4-Speed
Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Automatic Transmission Fluid (6-Speed
Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . 10-19
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22 Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . 10-25
Overheated Engine
Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . 10-29
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Noise Control System . . . . . . 10-38
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . 10-39
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-40
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-40
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-40
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-41
Glass Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-41
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
Pick-Up Box Identification and Fender Marker
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-45
Taillamps (Chassis Cab Models) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-46
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-46
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) and
Cargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-47
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . 10-48
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-49
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Black plate (45,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-45
A. Sidemarker Lamp
B. Low Beam Headlamp
C. High Beam Headlamp
D. Turn Signal Lamp/Parking Lamp 4. Turn the bulb socket
counterclockwise to remove it
from the headlamp assembly
and pull it straight out.
5. Unplug the electrical connector from the old bulb by releasing
the clips on the bulb socket.
6. Replace it with a new bulb socket.
7. Plug in the electrical connector to the new bulb socket.
8. Reinstall the new bulb socket into the headlamp assembly and
turn it clockwise to secure.
Pick-Up Box Identification
and Fender Marker
Lamps
The pick-up box identification lamps
are LEDs. For replacement of the
LED lighting assembly contact your
dealer.
To replace a pickup box fender
marker lamp bulb:
1. Press the tab from the back to
remove the lamp.
2. Turn the bulb socket counterclockwise to remove
from the lamp assembly.
3. Gently pry the bulb from the socket.
4. Install the new bulb in socket.
5. Reinstall socket into lamp assembly.
6. Reinstall the lamp assembly.
Black plate (46,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
10-46 Vehicle Care
Taillamps (Chassis
Cab Models)
A. Backup Lamp
B. Stoplamp/Taillamp/TurnSignal Lamp To replace one of these bulbs:
1. Remove the four screws.
2. Lift the lens off the lamp
assembly.
3. Turn the old bulb counterclockwise and
pull the it straight out
from the socket.
4. Install a new bulb into the socket, turn it clockwise, and
press it in until it is tight.
5. Reinstall the lens and the four screws.
Taillamps, Turn Signal,
Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps
To replace one of these bulbs:
1. Open the tailgate. See Tailgate
on page 2‑10 for more
information.
2. Remove the two rear lamp assembly screws near the
tailgate latch strikerpost and pull
rearward until disengaging the
two outer pins on the taillamp
assembly from the vehicle.
Black plate (47,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-47
A. Stoplamp/TurnSignal/Taillamp
B. Back-up Lamp
C. Sidemarker Lamp
3. Turn the bulb socket counterclockwise to remove it
from the taillamp assembly.
4. Pull the old bulb straight out from the socket.
5. Press a new bulb into the socket and turn the socket clockwise
into the taillamp assembly.
6. Reinstall the taillamp assembly.
Center High-Mounted
Stoplamp (CHMSL) and
Cargo Lamp
To replace one of these bulbs:
1. Remove the two screws and lift off the lamp assembly.
A. Cargo Lamp
B. Center High-MountedStoplamp (CHMSL) Bulb 2. On the reverse side of the lamp
assembly, remove the bulb
socket by turning it one quarter
turn counterclockwise and pull it
straight out.
3. Remove the bulb by pulling it straight out of the socket.
4. Install the bulb by pushing the bulb straight into the socket.
5. Install the bulb socket into the lamp asembly by turning it
one quarter turn clockwise.
6. Reinstall the lamp assembly and tighten the screws.
Black plate (48,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
10-48 Vehicle Care
License Plate Lamp
To replace one of these bulbs:
1. Reach under the rear bumper forthe bulb socket.
2. Turn the bulb socketcounterclockwise and pull
the bulb socket out of the
lamp assembly.
3. Pull the old bulb straight out from the bulb socket.
4. Install the new bulb.
5. Reverse Steps 1 and 2 to reinstall the bulb socket.
Replacement Bulbs
Exterior Lamp Bulb Number
Back-up Lamp 921
Back-up Lamp* 1156
Cargo Lamp
and Center
High-Mounted
Stoplamp
(CHMSL) 912
Fender Marker W5WLL
High-Beam
Headlamp 9005
Low-Beam
Headlamp H11Exterior Lamp Bulb
Number
License
Plate Lamp 168
Stoplamp/Taillamp/
Turn Signal Lamp 3047K
Sidemarker Lamp 194
Stoplamp/Turn
Signal Lamp/
Taillamp* 1157
* Chassis Cab Models
For replacement bulbs not listed
here, contact your dealer.
Black plate (2,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
i-2 INDEX
AuxiliaryRoof Mounted Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Auxiliary Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-34
Axle, Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Axle, Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
B
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34 Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-98
Load Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Power Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10
Voltage and ChargingMessages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-41
Blade Replacement, Wiper . . . 10-41
Bluetooth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-50
Brake Pedal and AdjustableThrottle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Brake System Warning Light . . . 5-27
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30 Antilock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-68
Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-69 Brakes (cont.)
Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-69
System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-42
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Break-In, New Vehicle . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48 Center High-MountedStoplamp (CHMSL) and
Cargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-47
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
License Plate Lamps . . . . . . . 10-48
Pickup-Box Identification and Fender Marker
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-45
Taillamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-46
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and
Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . 10-46
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-77
C
Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
California
Fuel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . 9-85
Perchlorate MaterialsRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Camera, Rear Vision . . . . . . . . . . 9-78
Canadian Vehicle Owners . . . . . . . . iii
Capacities and Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2
Carbon Monoxide Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-44
Tailgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
Cargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Cautions, Danger, and
Warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
CD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-15
CD/DVD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-22
Center Console Storage . . . . . . . . 4-2