
Black plate (3,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
Introduction iii
The names, logos, emblems,
slogans, vehicle model names, and
vehicle body designs appearing in
this manual including, but not limited
to, GM, the GM logo, GMC, the
GMC Truck Emblem, and SIERRA
are trademarks and/or service
marks of General Motors LLC, its
subsidiaries, affiliates, or licensors.
This manual describes features that
may or may not be on your specific
vehicle either because they are
options that you did not purchase
or due to changes subsequent to
the printing of this owner manual.Please refer to the purchase
documentation relating to your
specific vehicle to confirm each of
the features found on your vehicle.
For vehicles first sold in Canada,
substitute the name
“General
Motors of Canada Limited” for GMC
Division wherever it appears in this
manual.
If the vehicle has the Duramax
®
diesel engine, see the Duramax
diesel supplement for additional and
specific information on this engine.
If the vehicle is a hybrid, see
the hybrid supplement for more
information.
Keep this manual in the vehicle for
quick reference.
Canadian Vehicle Owners
Propriétaires Canadiens
A French language copy of this
manual can be obtained from your
dealer or from:
On peut obtenir un exemplaire de
ce guide en français auprès du
concessionnaire ou à l'adresse
suivante:
Helm, Incorporated
Attention: Customer Service
47911 Halyard Drive
Plymouth, MI 48170
Litho in U.S.A.
Part No. 20902916 B Second Printing©2011 General Motors LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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 (35,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
Instruments and Controls 5-35
Trailer Gain and Output
On vehicles with the Integrated
Trailer Brake Control (ITBC) system,
the trailer brake display appears
in the DIC. Press the vehicle
information button until TRAILER
GAIN and OUTPUT display.
TRAILER GAIN shows the trailer
gain setting. This setting can be
adjusted from 0.0 to 10.0 with either
a trailer connected or disconnected.
OUTPUT shows the power output to
the trailer any time a trailer with
electric brakes is connected. Output
is displayed in 0 to 10 bars. Dashes
may appear in the OUTPUT display.
To adjust trailer gain see“Integrated
Trailer Brake Control System” under
Towing Equipment on page 9‑94 for
more information.
Battery
This display shows the current
battery voltage. If the voltage is in
the normal range, the value will
display. For example, the display
may read BATTERY 13 VOLTS. Your vehicle's charging system
regulates voltage based on the state
of the battery. The battery voltage
may fluctuate when viewing this
information on the DIC. This is
normal.
Oil Pressure
This display shows the oil pressure
in either kilopascals (kPa) or pounds
per square inch (psi).
Engine Hours
Press the vehicle information button
until ENGINE HOURS displays. This
display shows the total number of
hours the engine has run.
Compass Zone Setting
This display allows for setting the
compass zone. See
Compass on
page 5‑5 for more information.
Compass Recalibration
This display allows for calibrating
the compass. See Compass on
page 5‑5 for more information. Blank Display
This display shows no information.
Trip Odometer Reset Stem
Menu Items (with DIC Buttons)
Use the trip odometer reset stem
to view the odometer and trip
odometer. The Language selection
and Engine Hours display can also
be accessed with the trip odometer
reset stem.
Odometer
Press the trip odometer reset stem
until ODOMETER displays. This
display shows the distance the
vehicle has been driven in either
kilometers (km) or miles (mi).
Trip Odometer
Press the trip odometer reset stem
until TRIP displays. This display
shows the current distance
traveled in either kilometers (km) or
miles (mi) since the last reset for the
trip odometer.

Black plate (36,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
5-36 Instruments and Controls
The trip odometer can be reset to
zero by pressing and holding the trip
odometer reset stem while the trip
odometer is displayed.
The trip odometer has a feature
called the retro-active reset. This
can be used to set the trip odometer
to the number of miles (kilometers)
driven since the ignition was last
turned on. This can be used if the
trip odometer is not reset at the
beginning of the trip.
To use the retro-active reset feature,
press and hold the trip odometer
reset stem for at least four seconds.
The trip odometer will display the
number of kilometers (km) or
miles (mi) driven since the ignition
was last turned on and the vehicle
was moving. Once the vehicle
begins moving, the trip odometer
will accumulate mileage. For
example, if the vehicle was driven8 km (5 miles) before it is started
again, and then the retro-active
reset feature is activated, the
display will show 8 km (5 miles).
As the vehicle begins moving, the
display will then increase to 8.2 km
(5.1 miles), 8.4 km (5.2 miles), etc.
Language
This display allows you to select
the language in which the DIC
messages will appear. To select a
language:
1. Press the trip odometer reset
stem until ODOMETER displays.
2. While in the ODOMETER display, press and hold the
trip odometer reset stem for
three seconds until the currently
set language displays. 3. Continue to press and hold the
trip odometer reset stem to scroll
through all of the available
languages.
The available selections
are ENGLISH (default),
FRANCAIS (French),
ESPANOL (Spanish), and
NO CHANGE.
4. Once the desired language is displayed, release the trip
odometer reset stem to set the
choice.
Engine Hours
To display the ENGINE HOURS,
place the ignition in LOCK/OFF or
ACC/ACCESSORY, then press and
hold the trip odometer reset stem
for four seconds while viewing the
ODOMETER. This display shows
the total number of hours the engine
has run.

Black plate (37,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
Instruments and Controls 5-37
Trip Odometer Reset Stem
Menu Items (without DIC
Buttons)
Language
This display allows you to select
the language in which the DIC
messages will appear. To select a
language:
1. Press the trip odometer resetstem until ODOMETER displays.
2. While in the ODOMETER display, press and hold the
trip odometer reset stem for
three seconds until the currently
set language displays.
3. Continue to press and hold the trip odometer reset stem to scroll
through all of the available
languages.
The available languages
are ENGLISH (default),
FRANCAIS (French),
ESPANOL (Spanish), and
NO CHANGE. 4. Once the desired language is
displayed, release the trip
odometer reset stem to set the
choice.
Trip Odometer
Press the trip odometer reset stem
until TRIP displays. This display
shows the current distance
traveled in either kilometers (km) or
miles (mi) since the last reset for the
trip odometer.
The trip odometer can be reset to
zero by pressing and holding the trip
odometer reset stem while the trip
odometer is displayed.
The trip odometer has a feature
called the retro-active reset. This
can be used to set the trip odometer
to the number of miles (kilometers)
driven since the ignition was last
turned on. This can be used if the
trip odometer is not reset at the
beginning of the trip. To use the retro-active reset feature,
press and hold the trip odometer
reset stem for at least four seconds.
The trip odometer will display the
number of kilometers (km) or
miles (mi) driven since the ignition
was last turned on and the vehicle
was moving. Once the vehicle
begins moving, the trip odometer
will accumulate mileage. For
example, if the vehicle was driven
8 km (5 miles) before it is started
again, and then the retro-active
reset feature is activated, the
display will show 8 km (5 miles). As
the vehicle begins moving, the
display will then increase to 8.2 km
(5.1 miles), 8.4 km (5.2 miles), etc.
Transmission Temperature
Press the trip odometer reset stem
until TRANS TEMP displays. This
display shows the temperature of
the automatic transmission fluid in
either degrees Celsius (°C) or
degrees Fahrenheit (°F) .

Black plate (48,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
5-48 Instruments and Controls
This message clears itself after
several seconds. This message also
clears if you acknowledge it. After
this message clears, the TRAILER
GAIN/OUTPUT display appears in
the DIC.
See“TRAILER GAIN/OUTPUT”
under Driver Information Center
(DIC) on page 5‑30 and“Integrated
Trailer Brake Control System” under
Towing Equipment on page 9‑94 for
more information.
Washer Fluid Messages
WASHER FLUID LOW ADD
FLUID
This message displays when the
windshield washer fluid is low. Fill
the windshield washer fluid reservoir
as soon as possible. See Engine
Compartment Overview on
page 10‑6 for the location of the
windshield washer fluid reservoir.
Also, see Washer Fluid on
page 10‑26 for more information.
Vehicle
Personalization
Vehicle Personalization
(With DIC Buttons)
The vehicle may have customization
capabilities that allow you to
program certain features to one
preferred setting. Customization
features can only be programmed
to one setting on the vehicle and
cannot be programmed to a
preferred setting for two different
drivers.
All of the customization options may
not be available on the vehicle.
Only the options available will be
displayed on the DIC.
The default settings for the
customization features were set
when the vehicle left the factory, but
may have been changed from their
default state since then.
The customization preferences are
automatically recalled. To change customization
preferences, use the following
procedure.
Entering the Feature
Settings Menu
1. Turn the ignition on and place
the vehicle in P (Park).
To avoid excessive drain on the
battery, turn the headlamps off.
2. Press the customization button to scroll through the available
customizable options.
Feature Settings Menu Items
The following customization features
allow you to program settings to the
vehicle:
DISPLAY IN ENGLISH
This feature will only display if a
language other than English has
been set. This feature allows you to
change the language in which the
DIC messages appear to English.

Black plate (49,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
Instruments and Controls 5-49
Press the customization button until
the PRESS
VTO DISPLAY IN
ENGLISH screen appears on the
DIC display. Press the set/reset
button once to display all DIC
messages in English.
DISPLAY LANGUAGE
This feature allows you to select
the language in which the DIC
messages will appear.
Press the customization button until
the DISPLAY LANGUAGE screen
appears on the DIC display. Press
the set/reset button once to access
the settings for this feature. Then
press the customization button to
scroll through the following settings:
ENGLISH (default): All messages
will appear in English.
FRANCAIS: All messages will
appear in French.
ESPANOL: All messages will
appear in Spanish. NO CHANGE:
No change will be
made to this feature. The current
setting will remain.
To select a setting, press the set/
reset button while the desired
setting is displayed on the DIC.
You can also change the language
by pressing the trip odometer
reset stem. See “Language”under
Driver Information Center (DIC) on
page 5‑30 for more information.
AUTO DOOR LOCK
This feature allows you to select
when the vehicle's doors will
automatically lock. See Automatic
Door Locks on page 2‑8 for more
information.
Press the customization button until
AUTO DOOR LOCK appears on the
DIC display. Press the set/reset
button once to access the settings for this feature. Then press the
customization button to scroll
through the following settings:
SHIFT OUT OF PARK (default):
The doors will automatically lock
when the vehicle is shifted out of
P (Park).
AT VEHICLE SPEED:
The doors
will automatically lock when the
vehicle speed is above 13 km/h
(8 mph) for three seconds.
NO CHANGE: No change will be
made to this feature. The current
setting will remain.
To select a setting, press the set/
reset button while the desired
setting is displayed on the DIC.
AUTO DOOR UNLOCK
This feature allows you to turn off
the automatic door unlocking
feature. It also allows you to select
which doors and when the doors will
automatically unlock. See Automatic
Door Locks on page 2‑8 for more
information.

Black plate (13,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
Infotainment System 7-13
XM Radio Messages
XL (Explicit Language
Channels):These channels, or
any others, can be blocked at a
customer's request, by calling
1-800-929-2100 in the U.S. and
1-877-438-9677 in Canada.
XM Updating: The encryption code
in the receiver is being updated, and
no action is required. This process
should take no longer than
30 seconds.
No XM Signal: The system is
functioning correctly, but the vehicle
is in a location that is blocking the
XM signal. When the vehicle is
moved into an open area, the signal
should return.
Loading XM: The audio system is
acquiring and processing audio and
text data. No action is needed. This
message should disappear shortly.
Channel Off Air: This channel is
not currently in service. Tune in to
another channel. Channel Unauth:
This channel is
blocked or cannot be received with
your XM subscription package.
Channel Unavail: This previously
assigned channel is no longer
assigned. Tune to another station.
If this station was one of the
presets, choose another station for
that preset button.
No Artist Info: No artist
information is available at this time
on this channel. The system is
working properly.
No Title Info: No song title
information is available at this time
on this channel. The system is
working properly.
No CAT Info: No category
information is available at this time
on this channel. The system is
working properly.
No Information: No text or
informational messages are
available at this time on this
channel. The system is working
properly. No Subscription Please Renew:
The XM subscription needs to
be reactivated. Contact XM at
www.xmradio.com or call
1-800-929-2100 in the U.S.
and www.xmradio.ca or call
1-877-438-9677 in Canada.
CAT Not Found:
There are no
channels available for the selected
category. The system is working
properly.
XM Theftlocked: The XM receiver
in the vehicle could have previously
been in another vehicle. For security
purposes, XM receivers cannot be
swapped between vehicles. If this
message is received after having
the vehicle serviced, check with
your dealer.
XM Radio ID: If tuned to channel 0,
this message alternates with the
XM Radio eight‐digit radio ID label.
This label is needed to activate the
service.