
Black plate (15,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Infotainment System 7-15
Fixed Mast Antenna
The fixed mast antenna can
withstand most car washes without
being damaged as long as it is
securely attached to the base.
If the mast becomes slightly bent,
straighten it out by hand. If the
mast is badly bent, replace it.
Occasionally check to make sure
the antenna is tightened to its base.
If tightening is required, tighten
by hand until fully seated plus
one quarter turn.
Satellite Radio Antenna
The XM Satellite Radio antenna
is located on the roof of the
vehicle. Keep the antenna clear
of obstructions for clear radio
reception.
If the vehicle has a sunroof, the
performance of the XM system
(if equipped) may be affected
if the sunroof is open.
Audio Players
CD Player
Care of the CD Player
Do not add any label to a CD.
It could get caught in the CD.
If a CD is recorded on a personal
computer and a description label is
needed, try labeling the top of the
recorded CD with a marking pen.
The use of CD lens cleaners
is not advised, due to the risk of
contaminating the lens of the CD
optics with lubricants internal to
the CD player mechanism.Notice:
If a label is added to
a CD, or more than one CD is
inserted into the slot at a time,
or an attempt is made to play
scratched or damaged CDs, the
CD player could be damaged.
While using the CD player, use
only CDs in good condition
without any label, load one CD at
a time, and keep the CD player
and the loading slot free of
foreign materials, liquids, and
debris.
If an error displays, see “CD Player
Messages” later in this section.

Black plate (9,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-9
WARNING (Continued)
.Heavy loads on the roof raise
the vehicle's center of gravity,
making it more likely to roll
over. You can be seriously or
fatally injured if the vehicle
rolls over. Put heavy loads
inside the cargo area, not on
the roof. Keep cargo in the
cargo area as far forward
and low as possible.
There are some important things to
remember about how to load your
vehicle.
.The heaviest things should be
on the floor, forward of the rear
axle. Put heavier items as far
forward as you can.
.Be sure the load is properly
secured, so things are not
tossed around.
You will find other important
information under Vehicle Load
Limits on page 9‑25 andTires on
page 10‑57.
Environmental Concerns
Off-road driving can provide
wholesome and satisfying
recreation. However, it also
raises environmental concerns.
We recognize these concerns
and urge every off-roader to follow
these basic rules for protecting
the environment:
.Always use established trails,
roads, and areas that have been
specially set aside for public
off-road recreational driving and
obey all posted regulations.
.Avoid any driving practice
that could damage shrubs,
flowers, trees, or grasses or
disturb wildlife. This includes
wheel-spinning, breaking down
trees, or unnecessary driving
through streams or over soft
ground.
.Always carry a litter bag and
make sure all refuse is removed
from any campsite before
leaving.
.Take extreme care with open
fires (where permitted), camp
stoves, and lanterns.
.Never park your vehicle over
dry grass or other combustible
materials that could catch fire
from the heat of the vehicle's
exhaust system.

Black plate (40,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
9-40 Driving and Operating
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP)
The following vehicle accessories
can be used for up to 10 minutes
after the engine is turned off:
.Audio System
.Power Windows
.OnStar System (if equipped)
.Sunroof (if equipped)
These features work when
the key is in ON/RUN or
ACC/ACCESSORY. Once
the key is turned from ON/RUN
to LOCK/OFF, the windows and
sunroof continue to work up to
10 minutes until any door is opened.
The radio continues to work for
up to 10 minutes or until the driver
door is opened.
Engine Coolant Heater
The engine heater can provide
easier starting and better fuel
economy during engine warm-up
in cold weather conditions at
or below −18°C (0°F). Vehicles
with an engine heater should be
plugged in at least four hours before
starting. An internal thermostat in
the plug-end of the cord may exist
which will prevent engine coolant
heater operation at temperatures
above −18°C (0°F).
If the vehicle has a diesel engine,
see the Duramax Diesel supplement
for more information.
To Use the Engine Coolant
Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord. The cord
is secured to the Engine
Compartment Fuse Block
with a clip. Carefully remove
the wire tie which bundles the
electrical plug. Do not cut the
electrical cord.
3. Plug the cord into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
{WARNING
Plugging the cord into an
ungrounded outlet could cause
an electrical shock. Also, the
wrong kind of extension cord
could overheat and cause a fire.
(Continued)

Black plate (129,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-129
Emergency Roof Lamp
Provisions
Vehicles with the RPO VYU snow
plow prep package also have an
emergency roof lamp provision
package, RPO TRW. Wiring for the
emergency roof lamp is provided
above the overhead console. See
Auxiliary Roof-Mounted Lamp on
page 6‑7for switch location.
Pickup Conversion to
Chassis Cab
We are aware that some vehicle
owners might consider having
the pickup box removed and a
commercial or recreational body
installed. Owners should be aware
that, as manufactured, there are
differences between a chassis cab
and a pickup with the box removed
which could affect vehicle safety.
The components necessary to adapt
a pickup to permit its safe use with
a specialized body should be
installed by the body builder.

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 (5,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Service and Maintenance 11-5
Additional Required Services
At the First 160 km/100 Miles,
1 600 km/1,000 Miles, and
10 000 km/6,000 Miles
.For vehicles with dual
wheels: Check dual wheel
nut torque. For proper
torque, seeCapacities and
Specifications on page 12‑2.
Every 12 000 km/7,500 Miles
.Rotate tires. Tires should
be rotated every 12 000 km/
7,500 miles. See Tire Rotation
on page 10‑73.
At Each Fuel Stop
.Engine oil level check.
See Engine Oil on page 10‑7.
.Engine coolant level check.
SeeEngine Coolant on
page 10‑22.
.Windshield washer fluid level
check. See Washer Fluid on
page 10‑29. Once a Month
.Tire inflation pressures
check. See
Tire Pressure on
page 10‑66.
.Tire wear inspection. See Tire
Inspection on page 10‑73.
.Sunroof track and seal
inspection, if equipped.
See Sunroof (Extended Cab) on
page 2‑21 orSunroof (Crew
Cab) on page 2‑22.
Once a Year
.See Starter Switch Check on
page 10‑39.
.See Automatic Transmission
Shift Lock Control Function
Check on page 10‑40.
.See Ignition Transmission Lock
Check on page 10‑40.
.See Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check on
page 10‑40.
.Accelerator pedal check for
damage, high effort, or binding.
Replace if needed.
.Underbody flushing service.
.Hood/Decklid/Liftgate/Liftglass
Support Gas Strut Service:
Visually inspect gas strut,
if equipped, for signs of wear,
cracks, or other damage. Check
the hold open ability of the gas
strut. Contact your dealer if
service is required.

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

Black plate (7,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
INDEX i-7
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . 10-67
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . 9-20
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . 9-70
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
How to Wear Safety BeltsProperly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15
I
Idle SystemFast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-39
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-40
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13 Infants and Young Children,
Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-51
Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Instrument Panel Storage Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
J
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-98
K
Key and Lock Messages . . . . . . . 5-46
Keyless Entry
Remote (RKE) System . . . . . . . . 2-3
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
L
Labeling, Tire Sidewall . . . . . . . . 10-58
Lamp Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-46
Lamps
Auxiliary RoofMounted Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Cargo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Daytime Running (DRL) . . . . . . . 6-4
Dome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Exterior Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lamps Off
Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
License Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Malfunction Indicator . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Pick-Up Box Identification and Fender Marker . . . . . . . . 10-45
Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Taillamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-46