
Black plate (6,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
9-6 Driving and Operating
Loss of Control
Let us review what driving experts
say about what happens when the
three control systems—brakes,
steering, and acceleration —do not
have enough friction where the tires
meet the road to do what the driver
has asked.
In any emergency, do not give up.
Keep trying to steer and constantly
seek an escape route or area of
less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of
the vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid
most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions,
and by not overdriving those
conditions. But skids are always
possible. The three types of skids correspond
to the vehicle's three control
systems. In the braking skid,
the wheels are not rolling. In the
steering or cornering skid, too much
speed or steering in a curve causes
tires to slip and lose cornering force.
And in the acceleration skid, too
much throttle causes the driving
wheels to spin.
If the vehicle starts to slide, ease
your foot off the accelerator pedal
and quickly steer the way you
want the vehicle to go. If you start
steering quickly enough, the vehicle
may straighten out. Always be ready
for a second skid if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when
water, snow, ice, gravel, or other
material is on the road. For safety,
slow down and adjust your driving to
these conditions. It is important to
slow down on slippery surfaces
because stopping distance is longer
and vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with
reduced traction, try to avoid
sudden steering, acceleration,
or braking, including reducing
vehicle speed by shifting to a lower
gear. Any sudden changes could
cause the tires to slide. You might
not realize the surface is slippery
until the vehicle is skidding. Learn
to recognize warning clues
—such
as enough water, ice, or packed
snow on the road to make a
mirrored surface —and slow
down when you have any doubt.
Remember: Antilock brakes help
avoid only the braking skid.

Black plate (20,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
9-20 Driving and Operating
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet
weather driving tips include:
.Allow extra following distance.
.Pass with caution.
.Keep windshield wiping
equipment in good shape.
.Keep the windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled.
.Have good tires with proper
tread depth. SeeTires on
page 10‑57.
.Turn off cruise control.
Highway Hypnosis
Always be alert and pay attention
to your surroundings while driving.
If you become tired or sleepy, find
a safe place to park the vehicle
and rest.
Other driving tips include:
.Keep the vehicle well ventilated.
.Keep interior temperature cool.
.Keep your eyes moving —scan
the road ahead and to the sides.
.Check the rearview mirror and
vehicle instruments often.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips for
driving in these conditions include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
.Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
.Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{WARNING
If you do not shift down, the
brakes could get so hot that they
would not work well. You would
then have poor braking or even
none going down a hill. You could
crash. Shift down to let the engine
assist the brakes on a steep
downhill slope.

Black plate (22,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
9-22 Driving and Operating
Blizzard Conditions
Being stuck in snow can be a
serious situation. Stay with the
vehicle unless there is help nearby.
If possible, use theRoadside
Assistance Program (U.S. and
Canada) on page 13‑8 orRoadside
Assistance Program (Mexico) on
page 13‑10. To get help and keep
everyone in the vehicle safe:
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
.Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.
{WARNING
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may
cause exhaust gases to get
inside. Engine exhaust contains
Carbon Monoxide (CO) which
cannot be seen or smelled.
It can cause unconsciousness
and even death.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
If the vehicle is stuck in the snow:
.Clear away snow from around
the base of your vehicle,
especially any that is blocking
the exhaust pipe.
.Check again from time to
time to be sure snow does
not collect there.
.Open a window about 5 cm
(2 in) on the side of the
vehicle that is away from
the wind to bring in fresh air.
.Fully open the air outlets
on or under the instrument
panel.
.Adjust the climate control
system to a setting that
circulates the air inside
the vehicle and set the fan
speed to the highest setting.
See Climate Control System
in the Index.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
For more information about
carbon monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust on page 9‑44.
Snow can trap exhaust gases
under your vehicle. This can
cause deadly CO (Carbon
Monoxide) gas to get inside.
CO could overcome you and kill
you. You cannot see it or smell it,
so you might not know it is in your
vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base of your vehicle,
especially any that is blocking the
exhaust.
Run the engine for short periods
only as needed to keep warm, but
be careful.

Black plate (76,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
9-76 Driving and Operating
Ending Cruise Control
There are three ways to end cruise
control:
.To disengage cruise control;
step lightly on the brake pedal.
.Press[on the steering wheel.
.To turn off the cruise control,
press
Ion the steering wheel.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is
erased from memory by pressing
the
Ibutton or if the ignition is
turned off.
Object Detection
Systems
Ultrasonic Parking Assist
For vehicles with the Ultrasonic
Rear Parking Assist (URPA) system,
it operates at speeds less than
8 km/h (5 mph), and assists the
driver with parking and avoiding
objects while in R (Reverse).
The sensors on the rear bumper
are used to detect the distance to
an object up to 2.5 m (8 ft) behind
the vehicle, and at least 25.4 cm
(10 in) off the ground.
{WARNING
The Ultrasonic Rear Parking
Assist (URPA) system does not
replace driver vision. It cannot
detect:
.Objects that are below the
bumper, underneath the
vehicle, or too close or far
from the vehicle.
.Children, pedestrians,
bicyclists, or pets.
If you do not use proper care
before and while backing, vehicle
damage, injury, or death could
occur. Even with URPA, always
check behind the vehicle before
backing up. While backing, be
sure to look for objects and check
the vehicle's mirrors.

Black plate (79,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-79
Vehicles without Navigation
System
The Rear Vision Camera system is
designed to help the driver when
backing up by displaying a view of
the area behind the vehicle. When
the key is in the ON/RUN position
and the driver shifts the vehicle
into R (Reverse), the video image
automatically appears on the inside
rearview mirror. Once the driver
shifts out of R (Reverse), the video
image automatically disappears
from the inside rearview mirror.
Turning the Rear Vision Camera
System Off or On
To turn off the RVC system, press
and hold
z, located on the inside
rearview mirror, until the left
indicator light turns off. The RVC
display is now disabled. To turn the RVC system on again,
press and hold
zuntil the left
indicator light illuminates. The RVC
system display is now enabled and
the display will appear in the mirror
normally.
Vehicles with Navigation
System
The RVC system is designed to
help the driver when backing up by
displaying a view of the area behind
the vehicle. When the driver shifts
the vehicle into R (Reverse), the
video image automatically appears
on the navigation screen. Once the
driver shifts out of R (Reverse), the
navigation screen will go back to the
last screen that had been displayed,
after a delay. Turning the Rear Vision Camera
System On or Off
To turn the RVC system on or off:
1. Shift into P (Park).
2. Press the MENU button to enter
the configure menu options,
then press the MENU hard key
to select Display or touch the
Display screen button.
3. Select the Rear Camera Options screen button. The Rear Camera
Options screen will display.
4. Select the Video screenbutton. When the Video screen
button is highlighted the RVC
system is on.

Black plate (83,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-83
When the System Does Not
Seem to Work Properly
The RVC system might not work
properly or display a clear image if:
.The RVC is turned off.
See“Turning the Rear Camera
System On or Off” earlier in this
section.
.It is dark.
.The sun or the beam of
headlights is shining directly
into the camera lens.
.Ice, snow, mud, or anything else
builds up on the camera lens.
Clean the lens, rinse it with
water, and wipe it with a soft
cloth.
.The back of the vehicle is in an
accident. If this happens, the
position and mounting angle
of the camera can change or
the camera can be affected.
Be sure to have the camera
and its position and mounting
angle checked at your dealer.
The RVC system display in the
rearview mirror may turn off or not
appear as expected due to one
of the following conditions. If this
occurs the left indicator light on
the mirror will flash.
.A slow flash may indicate a
loss of video signal, or no video
signal present during the reverse
cycle.
.A fast flash may indicate that
the display has been on for the
maximum allowable time during
a reverse cycle, or the display
has reached an Over
Temperature limit.
The fast flash conditions are
used to protect the video
device from high temperature
conditions. Once conditions
return to normal the device will
reset and the green indicator
will stop flashing.
During any of these fault conditions,
the display will be blank and the
indicator will continue to flash as
long as the vehicle is in R (Reverse)
or until the conditions return to
normal.
Pressing and holding
zwhen the
left indicator light is flashing will turn
off the video display along with the
left indicator light.

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 (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