2012 GMC CANYON parking brake

Black plate (92,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
10-92 Vehicle Care
Dinghy Towing
Two-Wheel Drive Vehicles
Notice:If the vehicle is towed
with all four wheels on the
ground, the drivetrain
components could be damaged.
The repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Do not
tow the vehicle with all four
wheels on the ground.
Two-wheel-drive vehicles should
not be towed with all four wheels on
the ground. Two-wheel-drive transmissions have
no provisions for internal lubrication
while being towed.
Four-Wheel Drive Vehicles
Use the following procedure to
dinghy tow a four-wheel-drive
vehicle:
1. Position the vehicle being towed
behind the tow vehicle.
2. Put an automatic transmission in P (Park) or a manual
transmission in 1 (First). 3. Turn the engine off and firmly set
the parking brake. See Parking
Brake on page 9‑42.
4. Securely attach the vehicle being towed to the tow vehicle.
{WARNING
Shifting a full‐time four‐wheel‐
drive vehicle's transfer case into
N (Neutral) can cause the vehicle
to roll even if the automatic
transmission is in P (Park) or the
manual transmission is in any
gear. You or others could be
injured. Make sure the parking
brake is firmly set before the
transfer case is shifted to
N (Neutral).
5. Shift the transfer case to N (Neutral). See “Shifting into
N (Neutral)” underFour-Wheel
Drive on page 10‑30.

Black plate (93,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-93
6. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFFand remove the key —the front
wheels will still turn.
7. Release the parking brake only after the vehicle being towed is
firmly attached to the towing
vehicle.
After towing see “Shifting Out of
N (Neutral)” underFour-Wheel Drive
on page 10‑30.
If the vehicle being towed will not be
started or driven for six weeks or
more, remove the battery cable from
the negative terminal (post) of the
battery to prevent the battery from
draining.Dolly Towing
Front Towing (Front Wheels Off
the Ground) –Two‐Wheel‐Drive
Vehicles
Notice: If a two-wheel drive
vehicle is towed with the rear
wheels on the ground, the
transmission could be damaged.
The repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Never
tow the vehicle with the rear
wheels on the ground. Two-wheel-drive vehicles should not
be towed with the rear wheels on
the ground. Two-wheel-drive
transmissions have no provisions
for internal lubrication while
being towed.
To dolly tow a two‐wheel‐drive
vehicle, the vehicle must be towed
with the rear wheels on the dolly.
See
“Rear Towing (Rear Wheels Off
the Ground)” later in this section for
more information.

Black plate (94,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
10-94 Vehicle Care
Front Towing (Front Wheels Off
the Ground)–Four-Wheel-Drive
Vehicles
Use the following procedure to dolly
tow a four-wheel-drive vehicle from
the front:
1. Attach the dolly to the tow
vehicle following the dolly
manufacturer's instructions.
2. Drive the front wheels onto the dolly.
3. Put an automatic transmission in P (Park) or a manual
transmission in 1 (First). 4. Turn the engine off and firmly set
the parking brake. See Parking
Brake on page 9‑42.
{WARNING
Shifting a full‐time four‐wheel‐
drive vehicle's transfer case into
N (Neutral) can cause the vehicle
to roll even if the automatic
transmission is in P (Park) or the
manual transmission is in any
gear. You or others could be
injured. Make sure the parking
brake is firmly set before the
transfer case is shifted to
N (Neutral).
5. Secure the vehicle to the dolly following the manufacturer's
instructions.
6. Shift the transfer case to N (Neutral). See “Shifting into
N (Neutral)” underFour-Wheel
Drive on page 10‑30. 7. Release the parking brake only
after the vehicle being towed is
firmly attached to the towing
vehicle.
8. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
After towing, see “Shifting Out of
N (Neutral)” underFour-Wheel Drive
on page 10‑30.
If the vehicle being towed will not be
started or driven for six weeks or
more, remove the battery cable from
the negative terminal (post) of the
battery to prevent the battery from
draining.

Black plate (95,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-95
Rear Towing (Rear Wheels Off the
Ground)–Two‐Wheel‐Drive
Vehicles
Use the following procedure to dolly
tow a two-wheel-drive vehicle from
the rear:
1. Attach the dolly to the tow
vehicle following the dolly
manufacturer's instructions.
2. Drive the rear wheels onto the dolly. 3. Firmly set the parking brake.
See Parking Brake on
page 9‑42.
4. Put an automatic transmission in P (Park) or a manual
transmission in 1 (First).
5. Secure the vehicle to the dolly following the manufacturer's
instructions.
6. Use an adequate clamping device designed for towing to
ensure that the front wheels are
locked into the straight position.
7. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF. If the vehicle being towed will
not be started or driven for
six weeks or more, remove the
battery cable from the negative
terminal (post) of the battery to
prevent the battery from
draining. Rear Towing (Rear Wheels Off the
Ground)
–Four‐Wheel‐Drive
VehiclesUse the following procedure to dolly
tow a four-wheel-drive vehicle from
the rear:
1. Attach the dolly to the tow
vehicle following the dolly
manufacturer's instructions.
2. Drive the rear wheels onto the dolly.
3. Firmly set the parking brake. See Parking Brake on
page 9‑42.

Black plate (96,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
10-96 Vehicle Care
4. Put an automatic transmission inP (Park) or a manual
transmission in 1 (First).
5. Secure the vehicle to the dolly following the manufacturer's
instructions.
6. Use an adequate clamping device designed for towing to
ensure that the front wheels are
locked into the straight position.
{WARNING
Shifting a full‐time four‐wheel‐
drive vehicle's transfer case into
N (Neutral) can cause the vehicle
to roll even if the automatic
transmission is in P (Park) or the
manual transmission is in any
gear. You or others could be
injured. Make sure the parking
brake is firmly set before the
transfer case is shifted to
N (Neutral). 7. Shift the transfer case to
N (Neutral). See “Shifting into
N (Neutral)” underFour-Wheel
Drive on page 10‑30.
8. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF. If the vehicle being towed will
not be started or driven for six
weeks or more, remove the
battery cable from the negative
terminal (post) of the battery to
prevent the battery from
draining.
After towing, see “Shifting Out of
N (Neutral)” underFour-Wheel Drive
on page 10‑30.
Appearance Care
Exterior Care
Washing the Vehicle
To preserve the vehicle's finish,
wash it often and out of direct
sunlight.
Notice: Do not use petroleum
based, acidic, or abrasive
cleaning agents as they can
damage the vehicle's paint, metal,
or plastic parts. If damage
occurs, it would not be covered
by the vehicle's warranty.
Approved cleaning products can
be obtained from your dealer.
Follow all manufacturer
directions regarding correct
product usage, necessary safety
precautions, and appropriate
disposal of any vehicle care
product.

Black plate (5,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
Service and Maintenance 11-5
.Check starter switch. SeeStarter
Switch Check on page 10‑32.
.Check automatic transmission
shift lock control function. See
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function Check on
page 10‑33.
.Check ignition transmission lock.
See Ignition Transmission Lock
Check on page 10‑33.
.Check parking brake and
automatic transmission park
mechanism. See Park Brake and
P (Park) Mechanism Check on
page 10‑34.
.Check accelerator pedal for
damage, high effort, or binding.
Replace if needed.
.Visually inspect gas strut for
signs of wear, cracks, or other
damage. Check the hold open
ability of the strut. See your
dealer if service is required.

Black plate (13,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
Service and Maintenance 11-13
Recommended Fluids, Lubricants, and Parts
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
Fluids and lubricants identified below by name, part number, or specification can be obtained from your dealer.Usage Fluid/Lubricant
Engine Oil Use only engine oil licensed to the dexos1 specfication, or equivalent, of
the proper SAE viscosity grade. ACDelco dexos1 Synthetic Blend is
recommended. See
Engine Oil on page 10‑9.
Engine Coolant 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and use only DEX-COOL Coolant.
See
Engine Coolant on page 10‑19.
Hydraulic Brake System DOT 3 Hydraulic Brake Fluid (GM Part No. 12377967, in
Canada 89021320).
Windshield Washer Optikleen
®Washer Solvent.
Parking Brake Cable Guides Chassis Lubricant (GM Part No. 12377985, in Canada 88901242) or
lubricant meeting requirements of NLGI #2, Category LB or GC-LB.
Power Steering System GM Power Steering Fluid (GM Part No. 89021184, in Canada 89021186).
Automatic Transmission DEXRON
®-VI Automatic Transmission Fluid.
Manual Transmission Manual Transmission Fluid (GM Part No. 89021806, in Canada 89021807).
Hydraulic Clutch System Hydraulic Clutch Fluid (GM Part No. 12345347, in Canada 10953517) or
equivalent DOT-3 brake fluid.

Black plate (2,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
i-2 INDEX
B
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-87
Load Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Power Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Voltage and ChargingMessages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Blade Replacement, Wiper . . . 10-34
Bluetooth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-22
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . 5-15
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27 Antilock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-43
Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Break-In, New Vehicle . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39 Center High-MountedStoplamp (CHMSL) . . . . . . . 10-38
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36 Bulb Replacement (cont'd)
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
License Plate Lamps . . . . . . . 10-39
Taillamps, Turn Signal,
Stoplamps, and
Back-up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-63
C
Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
California Fuel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . 9-50
Perchlorate MaterialsRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Canadian Vehicle Owners . . . . . . . . iii
Capacities and
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2
Carbon Monoxide Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Tailgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-14
Cautions, Danger, and Warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
CD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-16
Center Console Storage . . . . . . . . 4-2 Center High-Mounted
Stoplamp (CHMSL) . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Chains, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-68
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . 5-12
Check Engine Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
IgnitionTransmission Lock . . . . . . . . 10-33
Child Restraints Infants and YoungChildren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-38
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . 3-44
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-36
Securing . . . . . . . . . . 3-55, 3-57, 3-59
Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-40
Cigarette Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-41
Cleaning Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-96
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-100
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . . 8-1 Air Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Cluster, Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7