2012 GMC SIERRA 1500 parking brake

Black plate (95,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
Vehicle Care 10-95
5. Release the parking brake onlyafter the vehicle being towed is
firmly attached to the towing
vehicle.
6. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF and remove the key —the
steering wheel will still turn.
After towing, see “Shifting Out of
Neutral” underFour-Wheel Drive on
page 9‑40 for the proper procedure
to take the vehicle out of the Neutral
position.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 (96,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
10-96 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. Shift the transmission to
P (Park).
4. Firmly set the parking brake.
{WARNING
Shifting a four-wheel-drive
vehicle's transfer case into
N (Neutral) can cause the vehicle
to roll even if the transmission is
in P (Park). The driver or others
could be injured. Make sure the
parking brake is firmly set before
the transfer case is shifted to
N (Neutral).
5. Use an adequate clamping device designed for towing to
ensure that the front wheels are
locked into the straight position. 6. Secure the vehicle to the dolly
following the manufacturer's
instructions.
7. Shift the transfer case to N (Neutral). See “Shifting into
Neutral” underFour-Wheel Drive
on page 9‑40 for the proper
procedure to select the neutral
position for the vehicle.
8. Release the parking brake only after the vehicle being towed is
firmly attached to the towing
vehicle.
9. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
After towing, see “Shifting Out of
Neutral” underFour-Wheel Drive on
page 9‑40.

Black plate (97,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
Vehicle Care 10-97
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 towvehicle 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 9‑54.
4. Put the transmission in P (Park).
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. Four‐Wheel‐Drive Vehicles
Use 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 9‑54.
4. Put the transmission in P (Park).
5. Secure the vehicle to the dolly following the manufacturer's
instructions.

Black plate (98,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
10-98 Vehicle Care
6. Use an adequate clampingdevice designed for towing to
ensure that the front wheels are
locked into the straight position.
{WARNING
Shifting a four-wheel-drive
vehicle's transfer case into
N (Neutral) can cause the vehicle
to roll even if the transmission is
in P (Park). The driver 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
Neutral” underFour-Wheel Drive
on page 9‑40 for the proper
procedure to select the neutral
position for the vehicle.
8. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
After towing, see “Shifting Out of
Neutral” underFour-Wheel Drive on
page 9‑40.
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.
Notice: Avoid using high
pressure washes closer than
30 cm (12 in) to the surface of the
vehicle. Use of power washers exceeding 8,274 kPa (1,200 psi)
can result in damage or removal
of paint and decals.
Rinse the vehicle well, before
washing and after, to remove all
cleaning agents completely. If they
are allowed to dry on the surface,
they could stain.
Dry the finish with a soft, clean
chamois or an all-cotton towel to
avoid surface scratches and water
spotting.
Finish Care
Application of aftermarket clearcoat
sealant/wax materials is not
recommended. If painted surfaces
are damaged, see your dealer to
have the damage assessed and
repaired. Foreign materials such
as calcium chloride and other salts,
ice melting agents, road oil and tar,
tree sap, bird droppings, chemicals
from industrial chimneys, etc., can
damage the vehicle's finish if they
remain on painted surfaces. Wash
the vehicle as soon as possible.
If necessary, use non-abrasive

Black plate (4,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
11-4 Service and Maintenance
.Visually inspect steering,
suspension, and chassis
components for damaged, loose,
or missing parts or signs of
wear. SeeExterior Care on
page 10‑98.
.Check restraint system
components. See Safety System
Check on page 3‑20.
.Visually inspect fuel system for
damage or leaks.
.Visually inspect exhaust system
and nearby heat shields for
loose or damaged parts.
.Lubricate body components. See
Exterior Care on page 10‑98.
.Check starter switch. See Starter
Switch Check on page 10‑35.
.Check automatic transmission
shift lock control function. See
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function Check on
page 10‑35.
.Check ignition transmission lock.
See Ignition Transmission Lock
Check on page 10‑35.
.Check parking brake and
automatic transmission park
mechanism. See Park Brake and
P (Park) Mechanism Check on
page 10‑36.
.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.
.Inspect sunroof track and seal,
if equipped. See Sunroof (Crew
Cab) on page 2‑23 orSunroof
(Extended Cab) on page 2‑22.
.Check hybrid low pressure
coolant level, if equipped.

Black plate (2,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
i-2 INDEX
Automatic TransmissionManual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Shift Lock Control
Function Check . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
Auxiliary Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-32
Roof Mounted Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Axle, Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Axle, Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
B
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30 Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-88
Load Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Power Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10
Voltage and Charging
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-39
Blade Replacement, Wiper . . . 10-36
Bluetooth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-48
Brake
Pedal and AdjustableThrottle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
System Warning Light . . . . . . . . 5-25 Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Antilock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-53
Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-54
Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-54
System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-40
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Break-In, New Vehicle . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-43
Center High-MountedStoplamp (CHMSL) and
Cargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker, and
Parking Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
License Plate Lamps . . . . . . . 10-42 Bulb Replacement (cont'd)
Pick-up Box Identification
and Fender Marker
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-40
Taillamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-40
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and
Back-up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . 10-41
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-68
C
Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
California
Fuel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . 9-69
Perchlorate MaterialsRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Camera, Rear Vision . . . . . . . . . . 9-62
Canadian Vehicle Owners . . . . . . . . iii
Capacities and Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2

Black plate (10,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
i-10 INDEX
ParkingAssist, Ultrasonic . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-61
Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-54
Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-36
Over Things That Burn . . . . . . . 9-32
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Passenger Sensing System . . . 3-32
Perchlorate Materials Requirements, California . . . . . 10-3
Personalization Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-48
Phone Bluetooth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-48
Pick-up Box Identification
and Fender Marker
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-40
Pickup Conversion to Chassis Cab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-109
Power
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Protection, Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10
Retained Accessory (RAP) . . . 9-29 Power (cont'd)
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Steering Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-20
Pregnancy, Using Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19
Privacy Radio FrequencyIdentification (RFID) . . . . . . . 13-20
Program Courtesy Transportation . . . . 13-13
Proposition 65 Warning, California . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
R
Radio FrequencyIdentification (RFID) . . . . . . . . 13-20
Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-20
Radios AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9
CD/DVD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-21
Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-14
Satellite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-11
Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32 Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-58 Rear Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Rear Seat Audio (RSA)
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-46
Rear Seat Entertainment System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-37
Rear Seat Audio (RSA) . . . . . . . 7-46
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10, 3-11
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . 9-62
Rear Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-21
Rearview Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18 Automatic Dimming . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-68
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-12
Records Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11-16
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-93
Reimbursement Program,
GM Mobility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-7
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2, 2-3
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5