
Black plate (5,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
Introduction v
Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols
that may be found on the vehicle
and what they mean. For more
information on the symbol, refer to
the Index.
9:Airbag Readiness Light
#:Air Conditioning
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
J:OnStar®Hands-Free Phone
J:Brake System
Warning Light
": Charging System
I:Cruise Control
B: Engine Coolant Temperature
O:Exterior Lamps
#:Fog Lamps
.: Fuel Gauge
+:Fuses
3: Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer
j: LATCH System Child
Restraints
*: Malfunction Indicator Lamp
::Oil Pressure
}:Power
>:Safety Belt Reminders
7:Tire Pressure Monitor
d:Traction Control/StabiliTrak®
M:Windshield Washer Fluid

Black plate (9,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-9
Safety Belts
Refer to the following sections for
important information on how to use
safety belts properly.
.Safety Belts on page 3‑12.
.How to Wear Safety Belts
Properly on page 3‑13.
.Lap-Shoulder Belt on page 3‑14.
.Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) on
page 3‑44.
Passenger Sensing
System
The passenger sensing system,
if equipped, will turn off the right
front passenger frontal airbag under
certain conditions. The driver
airbags are not affected by this.
If the vehicle has one of the
passenger airbag status indicators
pictured in the following illustrations,
then the vehicle has a passenger
sensing system.
The passenger airbag status
indicator will be visible on the
instrument panel when the vehicle
is started.
United States
Canada and Mexico
See Passenger Sensing System on
page 3‑28 for important information.

Black plate (13,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-13
6:For slow wipes, turn the
band to the first solid position past
the delay settings.
1: For fast wipes, turn the band to
the second solid position past the
delay settings.
9: Use to turn the wipers off.
Windshield Washer: Push the
paddle on top of the turn signal/lane
change lever to spray washer fluid
on the windshield.
See Windshield Wiper/Washer on
page 5‑2.Climate Controls
A. Temperature Control
B. Fan Control C. Air Delivery Mode Control
D. Air Conditioning
E. Air Recirculation
See
Climate Control Systems on
page 8‑1.

Black plate (29,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-29
The passenger sensing system will
turn off the right front passenger
frontal airbag under certain
conditions. The driver airbag is
not affected by the passenger
sensing system.
The passenger sensing system
works with sensors that are part of
the right front passenger seat.
The sensors are designed to detect
the presence of a properly-seated
occupant and determine if the
right front passenger frontal airbag
should be enabled (may inflate)
or not.
According to accident statistics,
children and infants are safer when
properly restrained in a child
restraint system or infant restraint
system secured in a rear seating
position.
We recommend that children be
secured in a rear seat, including:
an infant or a child riding in a
rear-facing child restraint; a child
riding in a forward-facing child seat;an older child riding in a booster
seat; and children, who are large
enough, using safety belts.
We recommend that rear‐facing
child restraints not be transported in
the vehicle, even if the airbag is off.
A label on your sun visor says,
“Never put a rear-facing child seat in
the front.”
This is because the risk to
the rear-facing child is so great,
if the airbag deploys.
{WARNING
A child in a rear-facing child
restraint can be seriously injured
or killed if the right front
passenger airbag inflates.
This is because the back of the
rear-facing child restraint would
be very close to the inflating
airbag. A child in a forward-facing
child restraint can be seriously
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
injured or killed if the right front
passenger airbag inflates and the
passenger seat is in a forward
position.
Even if the passenger sensing
system has turned off the right
front passenger frontal airbag, no
system is fail-safe. No one can
guarantee that an airbag will not
deploy under some unusual
circumstance, even though the
airbag is turned off.
Secure rear-facing child
restraints in a rear seat, even if
the airbag is off. If you secure a
forward-facing child restraint in
the right front seat, always move
the front passenger seat as far
back as it will go. It is better to
secure the child restraint in a
rear seat.

Black plate (43,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-43
WARNING (Continued)
passenger airbag inflates and the
passenger seat is in a forward
position.
The vehicle may have a
passenger sensing system which
is designed to turn off the right
front passenger frontal airbag
under certain conditions.
Even if the passenger sensing
system, if equipped, has turned
off the right front passenger
frontal airbag, no system is
fail-safe. No one can guarantee
that an airbag will not deploy
under some unusual
circumstance, even though
it is turned off.
Secure rear-facing child restraints
in a rear seat, even if the
airbag is off. If you secure a
forward-facing child restraint in
the right front seat, always move(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
the front passenger seat as far
back as it will go. It is better to
secure the child restraint in a
rear seat.
SeePassenger Sensing System
on page 3‑28 for additional
information.
{WARNING
A child in a child restraint in the
center front seat can be badly
injured or killed by the frontal
airbags if they inflate. Never
secure a child restraint in the
center front seat. It is always
better to secure a child restraint in
a rear seat.
Do not use child restraints in the
center front seat position. If the vehicle does not have rear
seats, rear-facing child restraints
should not be installed in the
vehicle, even if the passenger
airbag is off.
If a child in a forward-facing child
restraint must be transported in a
vehicle that does not have rear
seats, the child restraint should be
secured in the right front seat
position. See
“Securing Child
Restraints (Right Front Seat
Position)” later in this section, for
instructions on how to install a
child restraint in the right front
seat position.
When securing a child restraint in
a rear seating position, study the
instructions that came with the
child restraint to make sure it is
compatible with this vehicle.
Child restraints and booster seats
vary considerable in size, and some
may fit in certain seating positions
better than others. Always make
sure the child restraint is properly
secured.

Black plate (59,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-59
7. Push the latch plate into thebuckle until it clicks. Position the
release button on the buckle so
that the safety belt can be
unbuckled.
8. Tighten the center position lap belt by pulling on the loose end
of the belt. It may be helpful to
use your knee to push down on
the child restraint as you tighten
the belt.
9. Tighten the top tether. Follow the child restraint manufacturer's
instructions. 10. Before placing a child in the
child restraint, make sure it is
securely held in place. To
check, grasp the child restraint
at the safety belt path and
attempt to move it side to side
and back and forth. When the
child restraint is properly
installed, there should be no
more than 2.5 cm (1 in) of
movement.
To remove the child restraint,
unbuckle the vehicle safety belt.
If the top tether is attached to the
top tether anchor, disconnect it and
reinstall the top tether anchor cover.Securing Child Restraints
(Right Front Seat
Position)
This vehicle has airbags. A rear
seat is a safer place to secure a
forward-facing child restraint. See
Where to Put the Restraint on
page 3‑42.
In addition, the vehicle may have a
passenger sensing system which is
designed to turn off the right front
passenger's frontal airbag under
certain conditions. See Passenger
Sensing System on page 3‑28 and
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
on page 5‑11 for more information
on this, including important safety
information.

Black plate (60,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
3-60 Seats and Restraints
A label on the sun visor says,
“Never put a rear-facing child seat in
the front.”This is because the risk to
the rear-facing child is so great,
if the airbag deploys.
{WARNING
A child in a rear-facing child
restraint can be seriously injured
or killed if the right front
passenger airbag inflates.
This is because the back of the
rear-facing child restraint would
be very close to the inflating
airbag. A child in a forward-facing
child restraint can be seriously
injured or killed if the right front
passenger airbag inflates and the
passenger seat is in a forward
position.
The vehicle may have a
passenger sensing system which
is designed to turn off the right
front passenger frontal airbag
under certain conditions.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
Even if the passenger sensing
system, if equipped, has turned
off the right front passenger
frontal airbag, no system is
fail-safe. No one can guarantee
that an airbag will not deploy
under some unusual
circumstance, even though
it is turned off.
Secure rear-facing child restraints
in a rear seat, even if the
airbag is off. If you secure a
forward-facing child restraint in
the right front seat, always move
the front passenger seat as far
back as it will go. It is better to
secure the child restraint in a
rear seat.
SeePassenger Sensing System
on page 3‑28 for additional
information. If the vehicle does not have a
rear seat that will accommodate a
rear-facing child restraint, a child
restraint should not be installed in
your vehicle, even if the airbag
is off.
If your child restraint has the LATCH
system, see
Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) on page 3‑44 for how and
where to install your child restraint
using LATCH. If a child restraint is
secured using a safety belt and it
uses a top tether, see Lower
Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH System) on page 3‑44 for
top tether anchor locations.
Do not secure a child seat in a
position without a top tether anchor
if a national or local law requires
that the top tether be anchored, or if
the instructions that come with the
child restraint say that the top strap
must be anchored.

Black plate (12,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
5-12 Instruments and Controls
If the word ON or the on symbol is
lit on the passenger airbag status
indicator, it means that the right
front passenger frontal airbag is
enabled (may inflate).
If the word OFF or the off symbol is
lit on the airbag status indicator, it
means that the passenger sensing
system has turned off the right front
passenger frontal airbag.
If, after several seconds, both status
indicator lights remain on, or if there
are no lights at all, there may be a
problem with the lights or the
passenger sensing system.
See your dealer for service.
{WARNING
If the airbag readiness light ever
comes on and stays on, it means
that something may be wrong
with the airbag system. To help
avoid injury to yourself or others,
have the vehicle serviced right
away. SeeAirbag Readiness
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
Light on page 5‑10 for more
information, including important
safety information.
Charging System Light
This light comes on briefly when the
ignition key is turned to START, but
the engine is not running, as a
check to show it is working.
If it does not, have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer.
The light should go out once the
engine starts. If it stays on,
or comes on while driving, there
could be a problem with the
charging system. A charging system message in the
Driver Information Center (DIC) can
also appear. See
Battery Voltage
and Charging Messages on
page 5‑23 for more information.
This light could indicate that there
are problems with a generator drive
belt, or that there is an electrical
problem. Have it checked right
away. If the vehicle must be driven a
short distance with the light on, turn
off accessories, such as the radio
and air conditioner.
Malfunction
Indicator Lamp
A computer system called OBD II
(On-Board Diagnostics-Second
Generation) monitors the operation
of the vehicle to ensure emissions
are at acceptable levels, to produce
a cleaner environment. This light
comes on when the vehicle is
placed in ON/RUN, as a check to
show it is working.