2012 GMC CANYON ignition

Black plate (33,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-33
Automatic
Transmission
The vehicle has a shift lever on the
steering column.
It features an electronic shift
position indicator within the
instrument cluster. This display is
powered anytime the shift lever is
capable of being moved out of
P (Park). This means that if the
ignition is turned off, but not in
LOCK/OFF, there will be a small
current drain on the battery which
could discharge the battery over a
period of time. If you need to leave
the key in the ignition but not in
LOCK/OFF for an extended period,
it is recommended that youdisconnect the battery cable from
the battery to prevent discharging
the battery.
There are several different positions
for the shift lever.
P (Park):
This position locks the
rear wheels. It is the best position to
use when you start the engine
because the vehicle cannot move
easily.
{WARNING
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running unless you
have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
SeeShifting Into Park (Automatic
Transmission) on page 9‑28.
If you are pulling a trailer, see
Driving Characteristics and
Towing Tips on page 9‑54.
Make sure the shift lever is fully in
P (Park) before starting the engine.
The vehicle has an automatic
transmission shift lock control
system. You must fully apply the
brake pedal before you can shift
from P (Park) when the ignition key
is in ON/RUN. If you cannot shift out
of P (Park), ease pressure on the
shift lever by pushing the shift lever
all the way into P (Park) as you
maintain brake application. Then
move the shift lever into another
gear. See Shifting out of Park
(Automatic Transmission) on
page 9‑30.

Black plate (39,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-39
You might choose four-wheel low if
you were driving off-road in sand,
mud, or deep snow and while
climbing or descending steep hills.
Shifting into Four‐Wheel Low
will turn Traction Control and
StabiliTrak
®off. SeeTraction
Control System (TCS) on page 9‑44
and StabiliTrak
®System on
page 9‑45 for more information.
Indicator lights in the buttons show
you which setting you are in. The
indicator lights will come on briefly
when you turn on the ignition and
one will stay on the selected setting.
If the lights do not come on, you
should take the vehicle in for
service. An indicator light will flash
while shifting. It will stay on when
the shift is completed.
If the transfer case does not shift, it
will return to the last chosen setting. Shifting from Two-Wheel High to
Four-Wheel High
Press and release the Four-Wheel
High button. This can be done at
any speed, and the front axle will
lock automatically.
Shifting from Four-Wheel High to
Two-Wheel High
Press and release the Two-Wheel
High button. This can be done at
any speed, and the front axle will
unlock automatically.
It is normal to hear and feel the
vehicle's transfer case shift into
Four-Wheel High. If you shift with
the vehicle stopped, the indicator
light may still flash slowly. It may be
necessary to shift the transmission
momentarily into R (Reverse) and
D (Drive), for an automatic
transmission, or R (Reverse) and
1 (First) for a manual transmission
to have the light stop flashing.Shifting from Two-Wheel High or
Four-Wheel High to
Four-Wheel Low
To shift from Two-Wheel High or
Four-Wheel High to Four-Wheel
Low, the vehicle must be stopped or
moving less than 5 km/h (3 mph)
with the transmission in N (Neutral)
for an automatic transmission or the
clutch pedal pressed for a manual
transmission. The preferred method
for shifting into Four-Wheel Low is
to have your vehicle moving
1.6 to 3.2 km/h (1 to 2 mph).
Press and release the Four-Wheel
Low button. You must wait for the
Four-Wheel Low indicator light to
stop flashing and stay on before
shifting the transmission into gear or
releasing the clutch pedal.
If the Four-Wheel Low button is
pressed when the vehicle is in gear
and/or moving faster than 5 km/h
(3 mph), the Four-Wheel Low
indicator light will flash for
30 seconds and not complete
the shift.

Black plate (40,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
9-40 Driving and Operating
Shifting from Four-Wheel Low to
Two-Wheel High or
Four-Wheel High
To shift from Four-Wheel Low to
Two-Wheel High or Four-Wheel
High, the vehicle must be stopped
or moving less than 5 km/h (3 mph)
with the transmission in N (Neutral)
for an automatic transmission or the
clutch pedal pressed for a manual
transmission. The preferred method
for shifting out of Four-Wheel Low is
to have your vehicle moving
1.6 to 3.2 km/h (1 to 2 mph).
Press and release the Four-Wheel
High or Two-Wheel High button. You
must wait for the Four-Wheel High
or Two-Wheel High indicator light to
stop flashing and stay on before
shifting the transmission into gear or
releasing the clutch pedal.
If the Four-Wheel High or
Two-Wheel High button is pressed
when the vehicle is in gear and/or
moving faster than 5 km/h (3 mph),the Four-Wheel High or Two-Wheel
High indicator light will flash for
30 seconds but not complete
the shift.
Shifting to Neutral
Use N (Neutral) when you plan to
tow the vehicle. See
Recreational
Vehicle Towing on page 10‑91 for
towing instructions. To shift the
transfer case into N (Neutral) do
the following:
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Start the vehicle.
3. Press the regular brake pedal and shift the transmission in
N (Neutral), or press in the clutch
for vehicles with a manual
transmission.
4. Shift the transfer case to Two-Wheel High.
5. Press and hold the Two-Wheel High and Four-Wheel Low
buttons at the same time for
10 seconds. The N (Neutral) light will come on when the transfer
case shift to N (Neutral) is
complete.
6. Press and hold the regular brake pedal and shift the transmission
to R (Reverse) for one second,
then shift the transmission to
D (Drive) for one second,
or 1 (First) for vehicles with
manual transmissions, and let
out the clutch to insure the
transfer case is in N (Neutral).
If the transfer case is not in
N (Neutral), repeat this
procedure starting at Step 3.
7. Turn the engine off by turning the key to ACC/ACCESSORY.
8. Place the transmission shift lever in P (Park), or 1 (First) for
vehicles that have a manual
transmission.
9. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.

Black plate (43,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-43
To release the parking brake,
hold the regular brake pedal down.
Pull the bottom edge of the lever,
located above the parking brake
pedal, with the parking brake
symbol, directly rearward to
release the parking brake.
If the ignition is on when the parking
brake is released, the brake system
warning light will go off.
Notice:Driving with the parking
brake on can overheat the brake
system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system
parts. Make sure that the parking
brake is fully released and the
brake warning light is off before
driving.
If you are towing a trailer and are
parking on any hill, see Driving
Characteristics and Towing Tips on
page 9‑54.Brake Assist
This vehicle has a brake assist
feature designed to assist the driver
in stopping or decreasing vehicle
speed in emergency driving
conditions. This feature uses the
stability system hydraulic brake
control module to supplement the
power brake system under
conditions where the driver has
quickly and forcefully applied the
brake pedal in an attempt to quickly
stop or slow down the vehicle.
The stability system hydraulic brake
control module increases brake
pressure at each corner of the
vehicle until the ABS activates. Minor brake pedal pulsation or
pedal movement during this time is
normal and the driver should
continue to apply the brake pedal
as the driving situation dictates.
The brake assist feature will
automatically disengage when the
brake pedal is released or brake
pedal pressure is quickly
decreased.

Black plate (45,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-45
To turn off TCS, press and release
the TCS/StabiliTrak button. The
StabiliTrak Off light comes on in the
instrument panel cluster, and TRAC
OFF comes on the DIC. To turn
TCS back on, press and release the
TCS/StabiliTrak button.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer
accessories can affect the vehicle
performance. SeeAccessories and
Modifications on page 10‑4.
StabiliTrak®System
The vehicle has an electronic
stability control system called
StabiliTrak. It is an advanced
computer controlled system that
assists the driver with directional
control of the vehicle in difficult
driving conditions. StabiliTrak activates when the
computer senses a discrepancy
between the intended path and the
direction the vehicle is actually
traveling. StabiliTrak selectively
applies braking pressure at any one
of the vehicle's brakes to assist the
driver with keeping the vehicle on
the intended path.
When the vehicle is started and
begins to move, the system
performs several diagnostic checks
to insure there are no problems.
The system may be heard or felt
while it is working. This is normal
and does not mean there is a
problem with the vehicle. The
system should initialize before the
vehicle reaches 32 km/h (20 mph).
In some cases, it may take
approximately two miles of driving
before the system initializes.
If cruise control is being used when
StabiliTrak activates, the cruise
control automatically disengages.
The cruise control can be
re-engaged when road conditions
allow. See
Cruise Control on
page 9‑47.
If there is a problem detected with
StabiliTrak, a SERVICE STAB SYS
message displays on the Driver
Information Center (DIC). See Ride
Control System Messages on
page 5‑26 for more information.
When this message is displayed,
the system is not working. Adjust
your driving accordingly.
StabiliTrak and Traction Control
(TCS) come on automatically
whenever the vehicle is started and
the systems are reset with each
ignition cycle. However, when
the transfer case is placed in
Four-Wheel-Low mode, StabiliTrak
is automatically disabled. See
Four-Wheel Drive on page 10‑30
for more information. It is
recommended to leave the system
on for normal driving conditions, but

Black plate (1,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-1
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . 10-3
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-9
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . 10-12
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Manual Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15 Hydraulic Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . 10-17
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-18
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-19
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . 10-23
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . 10-25
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . 10-32
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-34
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Taillamps, Turn Signal,Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) . . . . . . . 10-38
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . 10-39
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-40
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-41
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-41

Black plate (12,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
10-12 Vehicle Care
Used oil can be a threat to the
environment. If you change your
own oil, be sure to drain all the oil
from the filter before disposal. Never
dispose of oil by putting it in the
trash or pouring it on the ground,
into sewers, or into streams or
bodies of water. Recycle it by taking
it to a place that collects used oil.
Engine Oil Life System
When to Change Engine Oil
This vehicle has a computer system
that indicates when to change the
engine oil and filter. This is based
on a combination of factors which
include engine revolutions, engine
temperature, and miles driven.
Based on driving conditions, the
mileage at which an oil change is
indicated can vary considerably. For
the oil life system to work properly,
the system must be reset every time
the oil is changed.When the system has calculated
that oil life has been diminished, it
indicates that an oil change is
necessary. A CHANGE OIL
message comes on. See
Engine Oil
Messages on page 5‑24. Change
the oil as soon as possible within
the next 1 000 km (600 mi). It is
possible that, if driving under the
best conditions, the oil life system
might indicate that an oil change is
not necessary for up to a year.
The engine oil and filter must be
changed at least once a year and,
at this time, the system must be
reset. Your dealer has trained
people who will perform this work
and reset the system. It is also
important to check the oil regularly
over the course of an oil drain
interval and keep it at the proper
level.
If the system is ever reset
accidentally, the oil must be
changed at 5 000 km (3,000 mi)
since the last oil change.
Remember to reset the oil life
system whenever the oil is changed.
How to Reset the Engine Oil
Life System
Reset the system whenever the
engine oil is changed so that the
system can calculate the next
engine oil change. To reset
the system:
1. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN,
with the engine off .
2. Press and release the stem in the lower center of the
instrument cluster until the OIL
LIFE message is displayed.
3. Once the alternating OIL LIFE and RESET messages appear,
press and hold the stem until
several beeps sound. This
confirms that the oil life system
has been reset.
4. Turn the key to LOCK/OFF.
If the CHANGE OIL message
comes back on when the vehicle is
started, the engine oil life system
has not been reset. Repeat the
procedure.

Black plate (33,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-33
Automatic Transmission
Shift Lock Control
Function Check
{WARNING
When you are doing this
inspection, the vehicle could
move suddenly. If the vehicle
moves, you or others could be
injured.1. Before starting this check, be
sure there is enough room
around the vehicle. It should be
parked on a level surface.
2. Firmly apply the parking brake. See Parking Brake on
page 9‑42.
Be ready to apply the regular
brake immediately if the vehicle
begins to move.
3. With the engine off, turn the ignition on, but do not start the
engine. Without applying the
regular brake, try to move the
shift lever out of P (Park) with
normal effort. If the shift lever
moves out of P (Park), contact
your dealer for service.
Ignition Transmission
Lock Check
While parked, and with the parking
brake set, try to turn the ignition to
LOCK/OFF in each shift lever
position.
.The ignition should turn to
LOCK/OFF only when the shift
lever is in P (Park).
.The ignition key should come
out only in LOCK/OFF.
Contact your dealer if service is
required.