2011 GMC SIERRA stop start

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 (11,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-11
Scanning the Terrain
Off-road driving can take you over
many different kinds of terrain.
Be familiar with the terrain and
its many different features.
Surface Conditions:Off-roading
surfaces can be hard-packed dirt,
gravel, rocks, grass, sand, mud,
snow, or ice. Each of these surfaces
affects the vehicle's steering,
acceleration, and braking in different
ways. Depending on the surface,
slipping, sliding, wheel spinning,
delayed acceleration, poor traction,
and longer braking distances can
occur. Surface Obstacles:
Unseen or
hidden obstacles can be hazardous.
A rock, log, hole, rut, or bump can
startle you if you are not prepared
for them. Often these obstacles are
hidden by grass, bushes, snow,
or even the rise and fall of the
terrain itself.
Some things to consider:
.Is the path ahead clear?
.Will the surface texture change
abruptly up ahead?
.Does the travel take you uphill or
downhill?
.Will you have to stop suddenly
or change direction quickly?
When driving over obstacles or
rough terrain, keep a firm grip on
the steering wheel. Ruts, troughs,
or other surface features can jerk
the wheel out of your hands. When driving over bumps, rocks,
or other obstacles, the wheels can
leave the ground. If this happens,
even with one or two wheels, you
cannot control the vehicle as well or
at all.
Because you will be on an unpaved
surface, it is especially important to
avoid sudden acceleration, sudden
turns, or sudden braking.
Off-roading requires a different kind
of alertness from driving on paved
roads and highways. There are no
road signs, posted speed limits,
or signal lights. Use good judgment
about what is safe and what is not.

Black plate (13,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-13
Driving Uphill
Once you decide it is safe to drive
up the hill:
.Use a low gear and get a firm
grip on the steering wheel.
.Get a smooth start up the hill
and try to maintain speed.
Not using more power than
needed can avoid spinning
the wheels or sliding.
{WARNING
Turning or driving across steep
hills can be dangerous. You could
lose traction, slide sideways, and
possibly roll over. You could be
seriously injured or killed. When
driving up hills, always try to go
straight up.
.Try to drive straight up the hill if
at all possible. If the path twists
and turns, you might want to find
another route.
.Ease up on the speed as you
approach the top of the hill.
.Attach a flag to the vehicle to
be more visible to approaching
traffic on trails or hills.
.Sound the horn as you approach
the top of the hill to let opposing
traffic know you are there.
.Use headlamps even during the
day to make the vehicle more
visible to oncoming traffic.
{WARNING
Driving to the top (crest) of a
hill at full speed can cause an
accident. There could be a
drop-off, embankment, cliff,
or even another vehicle. You
could be seriously injured or
killed. As you near the top of a
hill, slow down and stay alert.If the vehicle stalls, or is about to
stall, and you cannot make it up
the hill:
.Push the brake pedal to stop
the vehicle and keep it from
rolling backwards and apply
the parking brake.
.If the engine is still running, shift
the transmission to R (Reverse),
release the parking brake, and
slowly back down the hill in
R (Reverse).
.If the engine has stopped
running, you need to restart it.
With the brake pedal pressed
and the parking brake still
applied, shift the transmission to
P (Park) and restart the engine.
Then, shift to R (Reverse),
release the parking brake,
and slowly back down the
hill as straight as possible
in R (Reverse).

Black plate (15,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-15
Driving Downhill
When off-roading takes you
downhill, consider:
.How steep is the downhill? Will I
be able to maintain vehicle
control?
.What is the surface like?
Smooth? Rough? Slippery?
Hard-packed dirt? Gravel?
.Are there hidden surface
obstacles? Ruts? Logs?
Boulders?
.What is at the bottom of the hill?
Is there a hidden creek bank or
even a river bottom with large
rocks?
If you decide you can go down
a hill safely, try to keep the vehicle
headed straight down. Use a low
gear so engine drag can help the
brakes so they do not have to do all
the work. Descend slowly, keeping
the vehicle under control at all
times.
{WARNING
Heavy braking when going
down a hill can cause your
brakes to overheat and fade.
This could cause loss of control
and a serious accident. Apply the
brakes lightly when descending a
hill and use a low gear to keep
vehicle speed under control.
Things not to do when driving down
a hill:
.When driving downhill, avoid
turns that take you across the
incline of the hill. A hill that is
not too steep to drive down
might be too steep to drive
across. The vehicle could
roll over.
.Never go downhill with the
transmission in N (Neutral),
called free-wheeling. The brakes
will have to do all the work and
could overheat and fade.
Vehicles are much more likely to
stall when going uphill, but if it
happens when going downhill:
1. Stop the vehicle by applying the regular brakes and apply the
parking brake.
2. Shift to P (Park) and, while still braking, restart the engine.
3. Shift back to a low gear, release the parking brake, and drive
straight down.
4. If the engine will not start, get out and get help.

Black plate (17,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-17
Stalling on an Incline
{WARNING
Getting out on the downhill (low)
side of a vehicle stopped across
an incline is dangerous. If the
vehicle rolls over, you could be
crushed or killed. Always get out
on the uphill (high) side of the
vehicle and stay well clear of the
rollover path.
If the vehicle stalls when crossing
an incline, be sure you, and
any passengers, get out on the
uphill side, even if the door there
is harder to open. If you get out on
the downhill side and the vehicle
starts to roll over, you will be right
in its path.
If you have to walk down the slope,
stay out of the path the vehicle will
take if it does roll over.
Driving in Mud, Sand, Snow,
or Ice
When you drive in mud, snow,
or sand, the wheels do not get
good traction. Acceleration is not
as quick, turning is more difficult,
and braking distances are longer.
It is best to use a low gear when
in mud —the deeper the mud, the
lower the gear. In really deep mud,
keep the vehicle moving so it does
not get stuck.
When driving on sand, wheel
traction changes. On loosely packed
sand, such as on beaches or sand
dunes, the tires will tend to sink into
the sand. This affects steering,
accelerating, and braking. Drive at
a reduced speed and avoid sharp
turns or abrupt maneuvers. Hard packed snow and ice offer
the worst tire traction. On these
surfaces, it is very easy to lose
control. On wet ice, for example,
the traction is so poor that you
will have difficulty accelerating.
And, if the vehicle does get moving,
poor steering and difficult braking
can cause it to slide out of control.
{WARNING
Driving on frozen lakes, ponds,
or rivers can be dangerous.
Underwater springs, currents
under the ice, or sudden thaws
can weaken the ice. Your vehicle
could fall through the ice and
you and your passengers could
drown. Drive your vehicle on safe
surfaces only.

Black plate (18,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
9-18 Driving and Operating
Driving in Water
{WARNING
Driving through rushing water can
be dangerous. Deep water can
sweep your vehicle downstream
and you and your passengers
could drown. If it is only shallow
water, it can still wash away the
ground from under your tires, and
you could lose traction and roll
the vehicle over. Do not drive
through rushing water.
Heavy rain can mean flash flooding,
and flood waters demand extreme
caution. Find out how deep the water is
before driving through it. Do not
try it if it is deep enough to cover
the wheel hubs, axles, or exhaust
pipe
—you probably will not get
through. Deep water can damage
the axle and other vehicle parts.
If the water is not too deep, drive
slowly through it. At faster speeds,
water splashes on the ignition
system and the vehicle can stall.
Stalling can also occur if you get the
tailpipe under water. If the tailpipe is
under water, you will never be able
to start the engine. When going
through water, remember that when
the brakes get wet, it might take
longer to stop. See Driving on Wet
Roads on page 9‑19.
After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that
has collected on the underbody,
chassis, or under the hood. These
accumulations can be a fire hazard.
After operation in mud or sand,
have the brake linings cleaned and
checked. These substances can
cause glazing and uneven braking.
Check the body structure, steering,
suspension, wheels, tires, and
exhaust system for damage and
check the fuel lines and cooling
system for any leakage.
The vehicle requires more frequent
service due to off-road use. Refer
to the Maintenance Schedule for
additional information.

Black plate (34,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
9-34 Driving and Operating
When the truck‐camper is
loaded, drive to a scale and
weigh on the front and on the
rear wheels separately to
determine axle loads. Individual
axle loads should not exceed
either of the gross axle weight
ratings (GAWR). The total axle
loads should not exceed your
vehicle's gross vehicle weight
rating (GVWR). These ratings
are given on the vehicle
certification label attached to
the rear edge of the driver door.
See“Certification/Tire Label”
under Vehicle Load Limits on
page 9‑25. If weight ratings
are exceeded, move or remove
items to bring all weights below
the ratings.
See your dealer for more
information on curb weights,
cargo weights, Cargo Weight
Rating and the correct center
of gravity zone.Starting and
Operating
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice: The vehicle does not
need an elaborate break-in. But it
will perform better in the long run
if you follow these guidelines:
.Keep the vehicle speed at
88 km/h (55 mph) or less for
the first 805 km (500 miles).
.Do not drive at any one
constant speed, fast or
slow, for the first 805 km
(500 miles). Do not make
full-throttle starts. Avoid
downshifting to brake or
slow the vehicle.
.Avoid making hard stops for
the first 322 km (200 miles)
or so. During this time the
new brake linings are not
yet broken in. Hard stops
with new linings can mean
premature wear and earlier
replacement. Follow this
breaking-in guideline every
time you get new brake
linings.
.Do not tow a trailer during
break-in. See Trailer
Towing on page 9‑95 for the
trailer towing capabilities
of the vehicle and more
information.
Following break‐in, engine speed
and load can be gradually
increased.

Black plate (37,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-37
C (ON/RUN):This position can
be used to operate the electrical
accessories and to display some
instrument panel cluster warning
and indicator lights. The switch
stays in this position when the
engine is running. The transmission
is also unlocked in this position on
automatic transmission vehicles.
If you leave the key in the
ACC/ACCESSORY or ON/RUN
position with the engine off, the
battery could be drained. You may
not be able to start the vehicle if the
battery is allowed to drain for an
extended period of time.
D (START): This is the position that
starts the engine. When the engine
starts, release the key. The ignition
switch returns to ON/RUN for
driving.
A warning tone will sound when
the driver door is opened and the
ignition is in ACC/ACCESSORY or
LOCK/OFF, and the key is in the
ignition.Starting the Engine
If the vehicle has a Duramax diesel
engine, see the Duramax diesel
supplement for more information.
If the vehicle is a hybrid, see
the hybrid supplement for more
information.
Notice: Do not try to shift to
P (Park) if the vehicle is moving.
If you do, you could damage the
transmission. Shift to P (Park)
only when the vehicle is stopped.
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). The engine will not start
in any other position. To restart the
engine when the vehicle is already
moving, use N (Neutral) only.
Notice: The engine is designed to
work with the electronics in the
vehicle. If you add electrical parts
or accessories, you could change
the way the engine operates. Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your
dealer. If you do not, the engine
might not perform properly.
Any resulting damage would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty.
Starting Procedure
1. With your foot off the accelerator
pedal, turn the ignition key to
START. When the engine starts,
let go of the key. The idle speed
will go down as your engine gets
warm. Do not race the engine
immediately after starting it.
Operate the engine and
transmission gently to allow
the oil to warm up and lubricate
all moving parts.