2011 GMC SIERRA wheel

Black plate (116,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
9-116 Driving and Operating
Camper/Fifth-Wheel Trailer Wiring
Package
The seven-wire camper harness
is located under the front edge of
the pickup box on the driver side
of the vehicle, attached to the
frame bracket. A connector must
be added to the wiring harness
which connects to the camper.
The harness contains the following
camper/trailer circuits:
.Yellow: Left Stop/Turn Signal
.Dark Green: Right Stop/Turn
Signal
.Brown: Taillamps
.White: Ground
.Light Green: Back-up Lamps
.Red: Battery Feed
.Dark Blue: Trailer Brake
If the vehicle is equipped with the
“Heavy-Duty Trailering”option,
please refer to “Heavy-Duty Trailer
Wiring Package” earlier in this
section.
When the camper-wiring harness
is ordered without the heavy-duty
trailering package, an eight-wire
harness with a seven-pin connector
is located at the rear of the vehicle
and is tied to the vehicle's frame.
Electric Brake Control Wiring
Provisions
These wiring provisions are
included with the vehicle as part
of the trailer wiring package. These
provisions are for an electric brake
controller. The instrument panel
contains blunt cut wires behind the
steering column for the trailer brake
controller. The harness contains the
following wires:
.Dark Blue: Brake Signal to
Trailer Connector
.Red/Black: Battery
.Light Blue/White: Brake Switch
.White: Ground
The harness should be installed by
your dealer or a qualified service
center.

Black plate (118,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
9-118 Driving and Operating
Integrated Trailer Brake
Control System
The vehicle may have an Integrated
Trailer Brake Control (ITBC) system
for electric trailer brakes.
This symbol is located on the
Trailer Brake Control Panel on
vehicles with an Integrated Trailer
Brake Control system. The power
output to the trailer brakes is based
on the amount of brake pressure
being applied by the vehicle’s brake
system. This available power output
to the trailer brakes can be adjusted
to a wide range of trailering
situations.
The ITBC system is integrated
with the vehicle’s brake, antilock
brake, and StabiliTrak (if equipped)
systems. In trailering conditions thatcause the vehicle’s antilock brake
or StabiliTrak systems to activate,
power sent to the trailer's brakes
will be automatically adjusted to
minimize trailer wheel lock-up.
This does not imply that the trailer
has StabiliTrak.
2500 and 3500 series vehicles
with StabiliTrak have a Trailer Sway
Control (TSC) feature. See
Trailer
Sway Control (TSC) on page 9‑124.
2500 and 3500 series vehicles
with StabiliTrak have a Hill Start
Assist (HSA) feature. See Hill Start
Assist (HSA) on page 9‑70.
If the vehicle’s brake, antilock
brake, or StabiliTrak systems are
not functioning properly, the ITBC
system may not be fully functional
or may not function at all. Make
sure all of these systems are
fully operational to ensure full
functionality of the ITBC system.
The ITBC system is powered
through the vehicle's electrical
system. Turning the ignition off
will also turn off the ITBC system. The ITBC system is fully functional
only when the ignition is in ON or
in RUN.
The ITBC system can only be used
with trailers with electric brakes.
{WARNING
Connecting a trailer that is not
compatible with the ITBC system
may result in reduced or complete
loss of trailer braking. There
may be an increase in stopping
distance or trailer instability which
could result in personal injury or
damage to the vehicle, trailer,
or other property. An aftermarket
controller may be available for
use with trailers with surge, air,
or electric‐over‐hydraulic trailer
brake systems. To determine the
type of brakes on the trailer and
the availability of controllers,
check with your trailer
manufacturer or dealer.

Black plate (122,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
9-122 Driving and Operating
Use the following procedure to
correctly adjust Trailer Gain for
each towing condition:
1. Make sure the trailer brakes arein proper working condition.
2. Connect a properly loaded trailer to the vehicle and make
all necessary mechanical
and electrical connections.
See Vehicle Load Limits on
page 9‑25 for more information.
3. After the electrical connection is made to a trailer equipped with
electric brakes:
.A TRAILER CONNECTED
message will be briefly
displayed on the DIC.
.The Trailer Brake Display
Page will appear on the
DIC showing TRAILER
GAIN and TRAILER
OUTPUT.
.In the Trailer Output display
on the DIC, “- - - - - -”will
disappear if there is no
error present. Connecting
a trailer without electric
brakes will not clear the
six dashed lines.
4. Adjust the Trailer Gain by using the gain adjustment (+ / -)
buttons on the Trailer Brake
Control Panel.
5. Drive the vehicle with the trailer attached on a level road
surface representative of the
towing condition and free of
traffic at about 32 to 40 km/h
(20 to 25 mph) and fully apply
the Manual Trailer Brake Apply
Lever.
Adjusting trailer gain at speeds
lower than 32 to 40 km/h
(20 to 25 mph) may result
in an incorrect gain setting. 6. Adjust the Trailer Gain to just
below the point of trailer wheel
lock-up, indicated by trailer
wheel squeal or tire smoke
when a trailer wheel locks.
Trailer wheel lock-up may not
occur if towing a heavily loaded
trailer. In this case, adjust the
Trailer Gain to the highest
allowable setting for the towing
condition.
7. Re-adjust Trailer Gain any time vehicle loading, trailer loading or
road surface conditions change
or if trailer wheel lock-up is
noticed at any time while towing.

Black plate (127,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-127
Canada
In order to calculate the amount of
weight any front accessory, such as
a snow plow, is adding to the front
axle, use the following formula:(W x (A + W.B.)) /W.B.= Weight
the accessory is adding to the
front axle.
Where: W = Weight of added accessory
A = Distance that the accessory
is in front of the front axle
W.B. = Vehicle Wheelbase For example, adding a 318 kg
(700 lb) snow plow actually adds
more than 318 kg (700 lbs) to the
front axle. Using the formula, if the
snow plow is 122 cm (4 ft) in front of
the front axle and the wheel base is
305 cm (10 ft), then:
W = 318 kg (700 lb)
A = 122 cm (4 ft)
W.B. = 305 cm (10 ft)
(W x (A + W.B.))/W.B. =
(700 x (4 + 10))/10 = 445 kg (980 lbs)
So, if the front axle reserve capacity
is more than 445 kg (980 lbs), you
could add the snow plow without
exceeding the front GAWR.
You can add heavier equipment
on the front of the vehicle if you
compensate for it by carrying fewer
passengers, less cargo, or by
positioning cargo toward the rear.

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 (2,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
10-2 Vehicle Care
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-57
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . 10-58
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . 10-61
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-62
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-66
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-67
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-68
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-69
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-73
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-73
Dual Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . 10-75
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-76
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-77
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-79 Uniform Tire Quality
Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-80
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-81
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-82
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-83
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . 10-84
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-86
Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . 10-97
Jump Starting
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-98
Towing
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . 10-103
Recreational Vehicle
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-103
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-108
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-112
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-116
General Information
For service and parts needs,
visit your dealer. You will receive
genuine GM parts and GM-trained
and supported service people.
Genuine GM parts have one of
these marks:

Black plate (31,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-31
Some driving conditions or climates
can cause a brake squeal when
the brakes are first applied or
lightly applied. This does not mean
something is wrong with the brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are
necessary to help prevent brake
pulsation. When tires are rotated,
inspect brake pads for wear and
evenly tighten wheel nuts in
the proper sequence to torque
specifications inCapacities and
Specifications on page 12‑2.
If the vehicle has rear drum brakes,
they do not have wear indicators,
but if a rear brake rubbing noise is
heard, have the rear brake linings
inspected immediately. Rear brake
drums should be removed and
inspected each time the tires are
removed for rotation or changing. Drum brakes have an inspection
hole to inspect lining wear during
scheduled maintenance. When
the front brake pads are replaced,
have the rear brakes inspected, too.
Brake linings should always be
replaced as complete axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal
does not return to normal height,
or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a
sign that brake service might
be required.
Brake Adjustment
Every time the brakes are applied,
with or without the vehicle moving,
the brakes adjust for wear.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a vehicle is
complex. Its many parts have to be
of top quality and work well together
if the vehicle is to have really good
braking. The vehicle was designed
and tested with top-quality brake
parts. When parts of the braking
system are replaced, be sure to get
new, approved replacement parts.
If this is not done, the brakes might
not work properly. For example,
installing disc brake pads that
are wrong for the vehicle, can
change the balance between the
front and rear brakes
—for the
worse. The braking performance
expected can change in many
other ways if the wrong replacement
brake parts are installed.

Black plate (34,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
10-34 Vehicle Care
Battery
If the vehicle is a Hybrid, see
the Hybrid Supplement for more
information.
This vehicle has a maintenance free
battery (or batteries). Refer to the
replacement number on the original
battery label when a new battery is
needed. SeeEngine Compartment
Overview on page 10‑6 for battery
location.
{DANGER
Battery posts, terminals, and
related accessories contain lead
and lead compounds, chemicals
known to the State of California
to cause cancer and reproductive
harm. Wash hands after handling.
Vehicle Storage
{WARNING
Batteries have acid that can burn
you and gas that can explode.
You can be badly hurt if you are
not careful. See Jump Starting on
page 10‑98 for tips on working
around a battery without
getting hurt.
Infrequent Usage: Remove the
black, negative (−) cable from the
battery to keep the battery from
running down.
Extended Storage: Remove the
black, negative (−) cable from the
battery or use a battery trickle
charger.
Four-Wheel Drive
Transfer Case
When to Check Lubricant
Refer to Scheduled Maintenance on
page 11‑2 to determine when to
check the lubricant.
How to Check Lubricant
Electric Shift Transfer Case
A. Fill Plug
B. Drain Plug