2012 GMC SIERRA 1500 engine

Black plate (3,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
Technical Data 12-3
ApplicationCapacities
Metric English
Engine Oil with Filter
4.3L V6 4.3 L 4.5 qt
4.8L V8; 5.3L V8; 6.0L V8; 6.2L V8 5.7 L 6.0 qt
Fuel Tank
1500 Series Standard and Short Box 98.4 L 26.0 gal
1500 Series Long Box 128.7 L 34.0 gal
2500 Series and 3500 Series Standard Box 136.3 L 36.0 gal
2500 Series and 3500 Series Long Box 136.3 L 36.0 gal
3500 Series Chassis Cab 240.4 L 63.5 gal
3500 Chassis Cab –Front Tank 89.0 L 23.5 gal
3500 Chassis Cab –Rear Tank (if equipped) 151.4 L 40.0 gal
Transfer Case Fluid 1.5 L 1.6 qt

Black plate (5,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
Technical Data 12-5
Engine Specifications
EngineVIN CodeSpark Plug Gap
4.3L V6 (LU3) X1.52 mm (0.060 in)
4.8L V8 (L20) A1.02 mm (0.040 in)
5.3L V8 FlexFuel with Active Fuel Management™ (Iron
Block) (LMG) 0
1.02 mm (0.040 in)
5.3L V8 FlexFuel with Active Fuel Management™(Aluminum
Block) (LC9) 7
1.02 mm (0.040 in)
6.0L V8 FlexFuel with Active Fuel Management™(Aluminum
Block)(LZ1) J
1.02 mm (0.040 in)
6.0L V8 (Iron Block) (L96) G1.02 mm (0.040 in)
6.2L V8 FlexFuel (Aluminum Block) (L9H) 21.02 mm (0.040 in)

Black plate (6,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
12-6 Technical Data
Engine Drive Belt Routing
V6 Engines
V8 Engines
If the vehicle has a diesel engine,
see the Duramax diesel supplement
for more information. If the vehicle is a hybrid, see the
hybrid supplement for more
information.

Black plate (16,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
13-16 Customer Information
.Vehicle make, model, and
model year.
.Vehicle Identification
Number (VIN).
.Insurance company and policy
number.
.General description of the
damage to the other vehicle.
Choose a reputable repair facility
that uses quality replacement parts.
See “Collision Parts” earlier in this
section.
If the airbag has inflated, see What
Will You See after an Airbag
Inflates? on page 3‑27.
Managing the Vehicle Damage
Repair Process
In the event that the vehicle requires
damage repairs, GM recommends
that you take an active role in its
repair. If you have a pre-determined
repair facility of choice, take the
vehicle there, or have it towed there. Specify to the facility that any
required replacement collision parts
be original equipment parts, either
new Genuine GM parts or recycled
original GM parts. Remember,
recycled parts will not be covered by
the GM vehicle warranty.
Insurance pays the bill for the repair,
but you must live with the repair.
Depending on your policy limits,
your insurance company may
initially value the repair using
aftermarket parts. Discuss this with
the repair professional, and insist
on Genuine GM parts. Remember,
if the vehicle is leased, you may be
obligated to have the vehicle
repaired with Genuine GM parts,
even if your insurance coverage
does not pay the full cost.
If another party's insurance
company is paying for the repairs,
you are not obligated to accept a
repair valuation based on that
insurance company's collision
policy repair limits, as you have no
contractual limits with that company.In such cases, you can have control
of the repair and parts choices as
long as the cost stays within
reasonable limits.
Service Publications
Ordering Information
Service Manuals
Service Manuals have the diagnosis
and repair information on the
engines, transmission, axle,
suspension, brakes, electrical,
steering, body, etc.
Service Bulletins
Service Bulletins give additional
technical service information
needed to knowledgeably service
General Motors cars and trucks.
Each bulletin contains instructions
to assist in the diagnosis and
service of the vehicle.

Black plate (19,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
Customer Information 13-19
Vehicle Data
Recording and
Privacy
This GM vehicle has a number of
sophisticated computers that record
information about the vehicle’s
performance and how it is driven.
For example, the vehicle uses
computer modules to monitor and
control engine and transmission
performance, to monitor the
conditions for airbag deployment
and deploy airbags in a crash, and,
if so equipped, to provide antilock
braking to help the driver control the
vehicle. These modules may store
data to help your dealer technician
service the vehicle. Some modules
may also store data about how you
operate the vehicle, such as rate of
fuel consumption or average speed.
These modules may also retain the
owner’s personal preferences, such
as radio presets, seat positions, and
temperature settings.
Event Data Recorders
This vehicle has an Event Data
Recorder (EDR). The main purpose
of an EDR is to record, in certain
crash or near crash-like situations,
such as an airbag deployment or
hitting a road obstacle, data that
will assist in understanding how a
vehicle's systems performed. The
EDR is designed to record data
related to vehicle dynamics and
safety systems for a short period of
time, typically 30 seconds or less.
The EDR in this vehicle is designed
to record such data as:
.How various systems in the
vehicle were operating.
.Whether or not the driver and
passenger safety belts were
buckled/fastened.
.How far, if at all, the driver was
pressing the accelerator and/or
brake pedal.
.How fast the vehicle was
traveling. This data can help provide a better
understanding of the circumstances
in which crashes and injuries occur.
Important:
EDR data is recorded
by the vehicle only if a non-trivial
crash situation occurs; no data is
recorded by the EDR under normal
driving conditions and no personal
data (e.g., name, gender, age,
and crash location) is recorded.
However, other parties, such as
law enforcement, could combine
the EDR data with the type of
personally identifying data
routinely acquired during a crash
investigation.
To read data recorded by an EDR,
special equipment is required, and
access to the vehicle or the EDR is
needed. In addition to the vehicle
manufacturer, other parties, such
as law enforcement, that have the
special equipment, can read the
information if they have access to
the vehicle or the EDR.

Black plate (5,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
OnStar 14-5
Diagnostics
OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics will
perform a vehicle check every
month. It will check the engine,
transmission, antilock brakes, and
major vehicle systems. It also
checks the tire pressures, if the
vehicle is equipped with the Tire
Pressure Monitoring System. If a
diagnostics check is needed
between e-mails, push
Q, and an
Advisor can run a check.
OnStar Additional
Information
Transferring Service
PushQto request account transfer
eligibility information. The Advisor
can assist in canceling or removing
account information. If OnStar
receives information that vehicle
ownership has changed, OnStar
may send a voice message to the
vehicle, requesting updated account
information.
Reactivation for Subsequent
Owners
PushQand follow the prompts to
speak to an Advisor as soon as
possible after acquiring the vehicle.
The Advisor will update vehicle
records and will explain the OnStar
service offers and options available.
How OnStar Service Works
Automatic Crash Response,
Emergency Services, Crisis Assist,
Stolen Vehicle Assistance, Vehicle
Diagnostics, Remote Door Unlock,
Roadside Assistance, Turn-by-Turn
Navigation, and Hands-Free Calling
are available on most vehicles. Not
all OnStar services are available
everywhere or on all vehicles. For
more information, a full description
of OnStar services, system
limitations, and OnStar terms and
conditions, see www.onstar.com
(U.S.) or www.onstar.ca (Canada);
contact OnStar at 1-888-4-ONSTAR
(1‐888‐466‐7827) or TTY
1‐877‐248‐2080; or push
Qto
speak with an Advisor. OnStar
services require a vehicle electrical
system, wireless service, and GPS
satellite technologies to be available
and operating for features to
function properly. These systems
may not operate if the battery is
discharged or disconnected.

Black plate (1,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
INDEX i-1
A
Accessories andModifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Accessory Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Active Fuel Management
®. . . . . 9-32
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-105
Adding a Snow Plow or Similar Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . 9-106
Additional Information, OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5
Adjustable Throttle and Brake Pedal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Adjustments Lumbar, Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine . . . . . 10-17
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-10
Airbag System
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-38
How Does an AirbagRestrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-27
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-32
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-27 Airbag System (cont'd)
What Will You See after an
Airbag Inflates? . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-27
When Should an Airbag
Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-25
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . 3-23
Airbags Adding Equipment to theVehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-37
Light On-Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
On-Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
On-Off Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29
Passenger Status Indicator . . . 5-21
Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Servicing Airbag-Equipped Vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-36
System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-21
Alarm System
Anti-theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9
Antenna Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-15
Anti-theft
Alarm System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Alarm System Messages . . . . . 5-45 Antilock Brake
System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-53
Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Appearance Care Exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-98
Interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-101
Ashtrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Assistance Program,
Roadside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-7, 13-9
Audio Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-15 CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-15
CD/DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-21
Audio System Fixed Mast Antenna . . . . . . . . . . 7-15
Radio Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-14
Rear Seat (RSA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-46
Theft-Deterrent Feature . . . . . . . . 7-2
Automatic Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
TransmissionFluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-11, 10-14

Black plate (3,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
INDEX i-3
Carbon MonoxideEngine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Tailgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-13
Cargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Cautions, Danger, and Warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
CD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-15
CD/DVD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-21
Center Console Storage . . . . . . . . 4-2
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) and
Cargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Center Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Chains, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-74
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . 5-22
Check Engine Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
IgnitionTransmission Lock . . . . . . . . 10-35 Child Restraints
Infants and Young
Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-41
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . 3-47
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-39
Securing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-55, 3-58
Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-44
Cigarette Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
Cleaning Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-98
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-101
Climate Control Systems . . . 8-1, 8-4 Air Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . 8-1, 8-4
Dual Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-5
Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1, 8-4
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Cluster, Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Collision Damage Repair . . . . . 13-14
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Connections, OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . 14-4 Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Coolant
Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-19
Engine TemperatureGauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-18
Engine Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-41
Courtesy Transportation Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-13
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-58
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-30
Cupholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Customer Assistance . . . . . . . . . . 13-6 Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-4, 13-5
Text Telephone (TTY)Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-6
Customer Information Service PublicationsOrdering Information . . . . . . 13-16
Customer Satisfaction
Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-1, 13-3