2012 GMC SIERRA 1500 brake

Black plate (19,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
In Brief 1-19
Manual Rearview Mirror
For vehicles with a manual rearview
mirror, push the tab forward for
daytime use and pull it for nighttime
use to avoid glare from the
headlamps from behind. See
Manual Rearview Mirror on
page 2‑18.
Automatic Dimming Rearview
Mirror
For vehicles with an automatic
dimming rearview mirror. The mirror
will automatically reduce the glare
from the headlamps from behind.
The dimming feature comes on
when the vehicle is started.
SeeAutomatic Dimming Rearview
Mirror on page 2‑18.Steering Wheel
Adjustment
The tilt lever is located on the lower
left side of the steering column.
To adjust the steering wheel:
1. Hold the steering wheel and pull the lever.
2. Move the steering wheel up or down.
3. Release the lever to lock the wheel in place. Do not adjust the steering wheel
while driving.
Throttle and Brake Pedal
Adjustment
On vehicles with this feature, you
can change the position of the
throttle and brake pedals.
The control used to adjust the
pedals is located on the instrument
panel below the climate control
system.
Press the bottom of the control to
move the pedals closer to your
body. Press the top of the control to
move the pedals away.
See
Adjustable Throttle and Brake
Pedal on page 9‑25.

Black plate (31,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
In Brief 1-31
3:Press to display the
odometer, trip odometer, fuel range,
average economy, fuel used, timer,
instantaneous economy and Active
Fuel Management™ indicator,
and transmission temperature.
The compass and outside air
temperature will also be shown in
the display. The temperature will be
shown in °C or °F depending on the
units selected.
T: Press to display the oil life,
units, tire pressure readings for
vehicles with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS), trailer
brake gain and output information
for vehicles with the Integrated
Trailer Brake Control (ITBC) system,
engine hours, compass zone
setting, and compass recalibration.
U: Press to customize the feature
settings on your vehicle. See
Vehicle Personalization (With DIC
Buttons) on page 5‑48 for more
information.
V: Press to set or reset certain
functions and to turn off or
acknowledge messages on the DIC.
For more information, see Driver
Information Center (DIC) on
page 5‑30.
Vehicle Customization
Some vehicle features can be
programmed by using the DIC
buttons next to the steering wheel.
These features include:
.Language
.Door Lock and Unlock Settings
.RKE Lock and Unlock Feedback
.Lighting
.Chime Volume
.Memory Features
See Vehicle Personalization (With
DIC Buttons) on page 5‑48.
Rear Vision
Camera (RVC)
If available, the RVC displays a
view of the area behind the vehicle
when the vehicle is shifted into
R (Reverse). This is displayed on
the inside rearview mirror or the
navigation screen, if equipped.
To clean the camera lens, located
in the bezel of the tailgate handle,
rinse it with water and wipe it with a
soft cloth.
For more information, see Rear
Vision Camera (RVC) on page 9‑62.
Ultrasonic Parking Assist
If available, the Ultrasonic Rear
Parking Assist (URPA) system uses
sensors on the rear bumper to
assist with parking and avoiding
objects while in R (Reverse).
It operates at speeds less than
8 km/h (5 mph). URPA uses audible
beeps to provide distance and
system information.

Black plate (36,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
1-36 In Brief
Resetting the Oil Life System
To reset the Engine Oil Life System
on most vehicles:
1. Display OIL LIFE REMAININGon the DIC. If the vehicle does
not have DIC buttons, the
vehicle must be in P (Park) to
access this display.
2. Press and hold the SET/RESET button on the DIC, or the trip
odometer reset stem if the
vehicle does not have DIC
buttons, for more than
five seconds. The oil life will
change to 100%.
On all vehicles, the Engine Oil Life
System can be reset as follows:
1. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN with the engine off.
2. Fully press the accelerator pedal slowly three times within
five seconds.
3. Display OIL LIFE REMAINING on the DIC. If the display shows
100%, the system is reset. See
Engine Oil Life System on
page 10‑10.
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol)
Vehicles that have a FlexFuel badge
and a yellow fuel cap can use either
unleaded gasoline or ethanol fuel
containing up to 85% ethanol (E85).
See Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) on
page 9‑71. For all other vehicles,
use only the unleaded gasoline
described under Recommended
Fuel on page 9‑68.
Driving for Better Fuel
Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel
mileage. Here are some driving
tips to get the best fuel economy
possible.
.Avoid fast starts and accelerate
smoothly.
.Brake gradually and avoid
abrupt stops.
.Avoid idling the engine for long
periods of time.
.When road and weather
conditions are appropriate, use
cruise control.
.Always follow posted speed
limits or drive more slowly when
conditions require.
.Keep vehicle tires properly
inflated.
.Combine several trips into a
single trip.
.Replace the vehicle's tires with
the same TPC Spec number
molded into the tire's sidewall
near the size.
.Follow recommended scheduled
maintenance.
Roadside Assistance
Program
U.S.: 1-888-881-3302
TTY Users (U.S.): 1-888-889-2438
Canada: 1-800-268-6800
Mexico: 01-800-466-0801

Black plate (7,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
Seats and Restraints 3-7
Power Reclining Seatbacks
To recline a power seatback,
if equipped:
.Tilt the top of the control
rearward to recline.
.Tilt the top of the control forward
to raise.
Memory Seats
On vehicles with the memory
feature, the controls on the driver
door are used to program and recall
memory settings for the driver seat,
outside mirrors, and the adjustable
throttle and brake pedals,
if equipped.Storing Memory Positions
To save into memory:
1. Adjust the driver seat, seatback
recliner, both outside mirrors,
and the throttle and brake
pedals, if equipped.
See Power Mirrors on page 2‑15
and Adjustable Throttle and
Brake Pedal on page 9‑25.
Not all mirrors and adjustable
throttle and brake pedals will
have the ability to save and
recall their positions.
2. Press and hold “1”until
two beeps sound.
3. Repeat for a second driver position using “2.”
To recall, press and release “1”
or “2.” The vehicle must be in
P (Park). A single beep will sound.
The seat, outside mirrors, and
adjustable throttle and brake pedals
will move to the position previously
stored for the identified driver.

Black plate (28,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
3-28 Seats and Restraints
The parts of the airbag that come
into contact with you may be warm,
but not too hot to touch. There may
be some smoke and dust coming
from the vents in the deflated
airbags. Airbag inflation does not
prevent the driver from seeing out of
the windshield or being able to steer
the vehicle, nor does it prevent
people from leaving the vehicle.
{WARNING
When an airbag inflates, there
may be dust in the air. This dust
could cause breathing problems
for people with a history of
asthma or other breathing trouble.
To avoid this, everyone in the
vehicle should get out as soon as
it is safe to do so. If you have
breathing problems but cannot
get out of the vehicle after an
airbag inflates, then get fresh air
by opening a window or a door.
If you experience breathing(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
problems following an airbag
deployment, you should seek
medical attention.
The vehicle may have a feature
that may automatically unlock the
doors, turn on the interior lamps and
hazard warning flashers, and shut
off the fuel system after the airbags
inflate. You can lock the doors, turn
off the interior lamps and hazard
warning flashers by using the
controls for those features.
{WARNING
A crash severe enough to
inflate the airbags may have also
damaged important functions in
the vehicle, such as the fuel
system, brake and steering
systems, etc. Even if the vehicle
appears to be drivable after a (Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
moderate crash, there may be
concealed damage that could
make it difficult to safely operate
the vehicle.
Use caution if you should attempt
to restart the engine after a crash
has occurred.
In many crashes severe enough to
inflate the airbag, windshields are
broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage
may also occur from the right front
passenger airbag.
.Airbags are designed to inflate
only once. After an airbag
inflates, you will need some
new parts for the airbag system.
If you do not get them, the
airbag system will not be there
to help protect you in another
crash. A new system will include
airbag modules and possibly

Black plate (1,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
Instruments and Controls 5-1
Instruments and
Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . 5-2
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . 5-2
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . 5-4
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Cigarette Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Ashtrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Engine Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15 Engine Coolant Temperature
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Voltmeter Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . 5-17
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . 5-18
Airbag On-Off Light . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Charging System Light . . . . . . 5-22
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Four-Wheel-Drive Light . . . . . . 5-26
Tow/Haul Mode Light . . . . . . . . 5-26
StabiliTrak
®OFF Light . . . . . . . 5-27
Traction Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak
®Light . . . . 5-27
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . 5-28
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . 5-28
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . 5-29
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . 5-30
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-30
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . 5-39
Battery Voltage and ChargingMessages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-39
Brake System Messages . . . . 5-40
Door Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . 5-40
Engine Cooling System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-41
Engine Oil Messages . . . . . . . . 5-42
Engine Power Messages . . . . 5-42
Fuel System Messages . . . . . . 5-43
Key and Lock Messages . . . . . 5-43
Lamp Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-43
Object Detection System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-43
Ride Control System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-44
Airbag System Messages . . . . 5-45
Anti-theft Alarm System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-45
Starting the Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-45
Tire Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-45

Black plate (25,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
Instruments and Controls 5-25
The vehicle would be considered
not ready for inspection. This
can happen if the 12-volt battery
has recently been replaced or
run down. The diagnostic system
is designed to evaluate critical
emission control systems during
normal driving. This can take
several days of routine driving.
If this has been done and the
vehicle still does not pass the
inspection for lack of OBD II
system readiness, your dealer
can prepare the vehicle for
inspection.
Brake System Warning
Light
With the ignition on, the brake
system warning light comes on
when the parking brake is set. If the
vehicle is driven with the parking
brake engaged, a chime sounds
when the vehicle speed is greater
than 8 km/h (5 mph).The vehicle brake system consists
of two hydraulic circuits. If one
circuit is not working, the remaining
circuit can still work to stop the
vehicle. For normal braking
performance, both circuits need to
be working.
If the warning light comes on and a
chime sounds there could be a
brake problem. Have the brake
system inspected right away.
This light can also come on due to
low brake fluid. See
Brake Fluid on
page 10‑28 for more information.
MetricEnglish
This light comes on briefly when the
ignition key is turned to ON/RUN.
If it does not come on then, have it
fixed so it is ready to warn if there is
a problem.
{WARNING
The brake system might not be
working properly if the brake
system warning light is on.
Driving with the brake system
warning light on can lead to a
crash. If the light is still on after
the vehicle has been pulled off
the road and carefully stopped,
have the vehicle towed for
service.
If the light comes on while driving,
pull off the road and stop carefully.
The pedal might be harder to push
or might go closer to the floor. It can
take longer to stop. If the light is
still on, have the vehicle towed for
service. See Towing the Vehicle on
page 10‑93.
If the vehicle is a hybrid, see the
hybrid supplement for more
information.

Black plate (26,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
5-26 Instruments and Controls
Antilock Brake System
(ABS) Warning Light
For vehicles with the Antilock Brake
System (ABS), this light comes on
briefly when the engine is started.
If it does not, have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer. If the
system is working normally the
indicator light then goes off.
If the ABS light stays on, turn the
ignition off. If the light comes on
while driving, stop as soon as it is
safely possible and turn the ignition
off. Then start the engine again to
reset the system. If the ABS light
stays on, or comes on again while
driving, the vehicle needs service.
If the regular brake system warning
light is not on, the vehicle still has
brakes, but not antilock brakes.If the regular brake system warning
light is also on, the vehicle does not
have antilock brakes and there is a
problem with the regular brakes.
See
Brake System Warning Light on
page 5‑25.
For vehicles with a Driver
Information Center (DIC), see Brake
System Messages on page 5‑40 for
all brake‐related DIC messages.
If the vehicle is a hybrid, see the
hybrid supplement for more
information.
Four-Wheel-Drive Light
For vehicles equipped with the
four-wheel-drive light, it comes on
when a vehicle with a manual transfer case is shifted into
four-wheel drive and the front axle
engages.
Some delay between the shifting
and the light coming on is normal.
See
Four-Wheel Drive on page 9‑40
for more information.
Tow/Haul Mode Light
For vehicles with the Tow/Haul
Mode feature, this light comes on
when the Tow/Haul Mode has been
activated.
For more information, see Tow/Haul
Mode on page 9‑39.