2012 GMC SIERRA 1500 climate settings

Black plate (6,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
8-6 Climate Controls
O(On/Off):Press to turn the
climate control system on or off.
Outside air still enters the vehicle,
and is directed to the floor. This
direction can be changed by
pressing the mode button.
Recirculation can be selected once
you have selected vent or bi-level
mode. The temperature can also be
adjusted using either temperature
button. If the air delivery mode or
temperature settings are adjusted
with the system off, the display
illuminates briefly to show the
settings and then returns to off. The
system can be turned back on by
pressing either
O,D,C,#, the
defrost or the AUTO button.
Driver and Passenger Side
Temperature Controls
The driver and passenger side
temperature buttons are used to
adjust the temperature of the air
coming through the system on the
driver or passenger side of the
vehicle. The temperature can be
adjusted even if the system is turned off. This is possible since
outside air always flows through
the system as the vehicle is
moving forward unless it is
set to recirculation mode. See
“Recirculation”
later in this section.
Press the + or −buttons to increase
or decrease the cabin temperature.
The driver side or passenger side
temperature display shows the
temperature setting increasing or
decreasing.
The passenger temperature setting
can be set to match the driver
temperature setting by pressing
the PASS button and turning
off the PASS indicator. When the
passenger temperature setting is
set different than the driver setting,
the indicator on the PASS button
illuminates and both the driver side
and passenger side temperature
displays are shown.
When in defrost mode the
passenger temperature setting
cannot be changed.
Automatic Operation
AUTO (Automatic): When
automatic operation is active,
the system controls the inside
temperature, the air delivery, and
the fan speed.
Use the steps below to place the
entire system in automatic mode:
1. Press the AUTO button.
When AUTO is selected, the
display changes to show the
current temperature(s) and
AUTO is lit on the display. The
current air delivery mode and
fan speed are also displayed for
about five seconds.
When AUTO is selected, the air
conditioning operation and air
inlet are automatically controlled.
The air conditioning compressor
may run when the outside
temperature is above freezing.
The air inlet will normally be set
to outside air. If it is hot outside,
the air inlet may automatically
switch to the recirculate mode to

Black plate (8,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
8-8 Climate Controls
6(Floor):Air is directed to the
floor outlets, with some to the
windshield, side window outlets, and
second row floor outlets. In this
mode, the system automatically
selects outside air.
-(Defog): This mode clears the
windows of fog or moisture. Air is
directed to the windshield, floor
outlets, and side window vents. In
this mode, the system turns off
recirculation and runs the air
conditioning compressor unless the
outside temperature is close to
freezing. The recirculation mode
cannot be selected while in the
defrost mode.
0(Defrost): This mode removes
fog or frost from the windshield
more quickly. Air is directed to the
windshield and side window vents,
with some directed to the floor
vents. In this mode, the system
automatically forces outside air
into the vehicle and runs the air
conditioning compressor unless the
outside temperature is close to freezing. The recirculation mode
cannot be selected while in the
defrost mode.
The passenger temperature control
cannot be activated while in defrost
mode. If the PASS button is
pressed, the button indicator flashes
three times and will not work. If the
passenger temperature buttons are
adjusted, the driver temperature
indicator changes. The passenger
temperature will not be displayed.
If vent, bi-level, or floor mode is
selected again, the climate control
system displays the previous
temperature settings.
Do not drive the vehicle until all
windows are clear.
#(Air Conditioning):
Press to
turn the air conditioning (A/C)
compressor on and off. An indicator
light comes on to show that the air
conditioning is on.
If this button is pressed when the
air conditioning compressor is
unavailable due to outside conditions, the indicator flashes
three times and then turns off.
If the air conditioning is on and the
outside temperature drops below a
temperature which is too cool for air
conditioning to be effective, the air
conditioning light turns off to show
that the air conditioning mode has
been canceled.
On hot days, open the windows long
enough to let hot inside air escape.
This helps to reduce the time it
takes for the vehicle to cool down.
It also helps the system to operate
more efficiently.
The air conditioning system
removes moisture from the air, so a
small amount of water might drip
under the vehicle while idling or
after turning off the engine. This is
normal.
@(Recirculation):
Press to
turn the recirculation mode on. An
indicator light comes on to show
that recirculation is on.

Black plate (10,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
8-10 Climate Controls
The interior temperature sensor,
located in the headliner, measures
the temperature of the air inside the
vehicle.There is also an exterior
temperature sensor located behind
the front grille. This sensor reads
the outside air temperature and
helps maintain the temperature
inside the vehicle. Any cover on the
front of the vehicle could cause a
false reading in the displayed
temperature.
The climate control system uses the
information from these sensors to
maintain comfort settings by
adjusting the outlet temperature, fan
speed, and the air delivery mode.
The system may also supply cooler
air to the side of the vehicle facing
the sun. The recirculation mode will
also be used as needed to maintain
cool outlet temperatures.
Air Vents
Use the air outlets located in the
center and on the side of the
instrument panel to direct the
airflow. Use the thumbwheels near
the air outlets to open or close off
the airflow.
Operation Tips
.Clear away any ice, snow,
or leaves from air inlets at the
base of the windshield that could
block the flow of air into the
vehicle.
.Keep the path under the front
seats clear of objects to help
circulate the air inside of the
vehicle more effectively.
.Use of non‐GM approved hood
deflectors can adversely affect
the performance of the system.
Check with your dealer before
adding equipment to the outside
of the vehicle.

Black plate (2,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
9-2 Driving and Operating
Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-74
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-74
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-78
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . 9-94
Trailer Sway
Control (TSC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-105
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On ElectricalEquipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-105
Adding a Snow Plow or Similar Equipment . . . . . . . . 9-106
Pickup Conversion to Chassis Cab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-109
Driving Information
Distracted Driving
Distraction comes in many forms
and can take your focus from the
task of driving. Exercise good
judgment and do not let other
activities divert your attention
away from the road. Many local
governments have enacted laws
regarding driver distraction.
Become familiar with the local
laws in your area.
To avoid distracted driving, always
keep your eyes on the road, hands
on the wheel, and mind on the drive.
.Do not use a phone in
demanding driving situations.
Use a hands-free method to
place or receive necessary
phone calls.
.Watch the road. Do not
read, take notes, or look up
information on phones or other
electronic devices.
.Designate a front seat
passenger to handle potential
distractions.
.Become familiar with vehicle
features before driving, such as
programming favorite radio
stations and adjusting climate
control and seat settings.
Program all trip information into
any navigation device prior to
driving.
.Wait until the vehicle is parked
to retrieve items that have fallen
to the floor.
.Stop or park the vehicle to tend
to children.
.Keep pets in an appropriate
carrier or restraint.
.Avoid stressful conversations
while driving, whether with a
passenger or on a cell phone.

Black plate (25,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
Driving and Operating 9-25
Starting and
Operating
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice:The vehicle does not
need an elaborate break-in. But it
will perform better in the long run
if you follow these guidelines:
.Keep the vehicle speed at
88 km/h (55 mph) or less for
the first 805 km (500 miles).
.Do not drive at any one
constant speed, fast or
slow, for the first 805 km
(500 miles). Do not make
full-throttle starts. Avoid
downshifting to brake or
slow the vehicle.
.Avoid making hard stops for
the first 322 km (200 miles) or
so. During this time the new
brake linings are not yet
broken in. Hard stops with
new linings can mean
premature wear and earlier replacement. Follow this
breaking-in guideline every
time you get new brake
linings.
.Do not tow a trailer during
break-in. See
Trailer Towing
on page 9‑78 for the trailer
towing capabilities of the
vehicle and more
information.
Following break‐in, engine
speed and load can be gradually
increased.
Adjustable Throttle and
Brake Pedal
On vehicles with this feature, you
can change the position of the
throttle and brake pedals.
No adjustment to the pedals can
be made when the vehicle is in
R (Reverse) or while using cruise
control.
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. Press the
top of the control to move the
pedals away.
Before you start driving, fully
press the brake pedal to confirm
the adjustment is right for you.
While driving, make only small
adjustments.
The vehicle may have a memory
function which lets pedal settings be
saved and recalled. See Memory
Seats on page 3‑7.