
Black plate (6,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-7587000) -
2015 - CRC - 3/17/15
3-6 Seats and Restraints
2. Push and pull on the seatback tomake sure it is locked.
Heated Front Seats
{Warning
If you cannot feel temperature
change or pain to the skin, the
seat heater may cause burns. To
reduce the risk of burns, people
with such a condition should use
care when using the seat heater,
especially for long periods of
time. Do not place anything on
the seat that insulates against
heat, such as a blanket, cushion,
cover, or similar item. This may
cause the seat heater to
overheat. An overheated seat
heater may cause a burn or may
damage the seat.
If equipped, the buttons are on the
center stack. To operate, the engine
must be running.
This feature will heat the cushion
and back of the seats.
Press
+to heat the driver or
passenger seatback only.
Press
zto heat the driver or
passenger cushion and seatback.
The indicator light comes on when
this feature is on. Press the button once for the
highest setting. With each press of
the button, the seat will change to
the next lower setting, and then to
the off setting. The indicator lights
next to the buttons indicate three for
the highest setting and one for the
lowest. If the heated seats are on
high, their level may automatically
be lowered after approximately
30 minutes.
Remote Start Auto Heated
Seats
During a remote start, the heated
seats can be turned on
automatically. The heated seats are
canceled when the ignition is turned
on. Press the heated seat button to
use the heated seats after the
vehicle is started.

Black plate (25,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-7587000) -
2015 - CRC - 3/17/15
Seats and Restraints 3-25
The passenger sensing system is
designed to turn on the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag
anytime the system senses that a
person of adult size is sitting
properly in the front outboard
passenger seat. When the
passenger sensing system has
allowed the airbag to be enabled,
the on indicator will light and stay lit
as a reminder that the airbag is
active.
For some children who have
outgrown child restraints, and for
very small adults, the passenger
sensing system may or may not turn
off the front outboard passenger
frontal airbag, depending upon the
person's seating posture and body
build. Everyone in the vehicle who
has outgrown child restraints should
wear a safety belt properly—
whether or not there is an airbag for
that person.{Warning
If the airbag readiness light ever
comes on and stays on, it means
that something may be wrong
with the airbag system. To help
avoid injury to yourself or others,
have the vehicle serviced right
away. See Airbag Readiness
Light on page 5-16 for more
information, including important
safety information.
If the On Indicator Is Lit for a
Child Restraint
If a child restraint has been installed
and the on indicator is lit:
1. Turn the vehicle off.
2. Remove the child restraint from the vehicle.
3. Remove any additional items from the seat such as blankets,
cushions, seat covers, seat
heaters, or seat massagers. 4. Reinstall the child restraint
following the directions provided
by the child restraint
manufacturer and refer to
Securing Child Restraints (Rear
Seat) on page 3-53 orSecuring
Child Restraints (Front
Passenger Seat) on page 3-59.
5. If, after reinstalling the child restraint and restarting the
vehicle, the on indicator is still lit,
turn the vehicle off. Then slightly
recline the vehicle seatback and
adjust the seat cushion,
if adjustable, to make sure that
the vehicle seatback is not
pushing the child restraint into
the seat cushion. Also make
sure the child restraint is not
trapped under the vehicle head
restraint. If this happens, adjust
the head restraint. See Head
Restraints on page 3-2.
6. Restart the vehicle.

Black plate (26,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-7587000) -
2015 - CRC - 3/17/15
3-26 Seats and Restraints
If the on indicator is still lit, secure
the child in the child restraint in a
rear seat position in the vehicle, and
check with your dealer.
If no rear seat is available, do not
install a child restraint in this vehicle
and check with your dealer.
If the Off Indicator Is Lit for an
Adult-Sized Occupant
If a person of adult-size is sitting in
the front outboard passenger seat,
but the off indicator is lit, it could be
because that person is not sitting
properly in the seat. Use the
following steps to allow the system
to detect that person and enable the
front outboard passenger frontal
airbag:
1. Turn the vehicle off.
2. Remove any additional materialfrom the seat, such as blankets,
cushions, seat covers, seat
heaters, or seat massagers.
3. Place the seatback in the fully upright position.
4. Have the person sit upright in the seat, centered on the seat
cushion, with legs comfortably
extended.
5. If the shoulder portion of the belt is pulled out all the way, the
child restraint locking feature will
be engaged. This may
unintentionally cause the
passenger sensing system to turn the airbag off for some
adult-sized occupants. If this
happens, unbuckle the belt, let
the belt go back all the way, and
then buckle the belt again
without pulling the belt out all
the way.
6. Restart the vehicle and have the person remain in this position for
two to three minutes after the on
indicator is lit.
{Warning
If the front outboard passenger
airbag is turned off for an
adult-sized occupant, the airbag
will not be able to inflate and help
protect that person in a crash,
resulting in an increased risk of
serious injury or even death. An
adult-sized occupant should not
ride in the front outboard
passenger seat, if the passenger
airbag off indicator is lit.

Black plate (27,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-7587000) -
2015 - CRC - 3/17/15
Seats and Restraints 3-27
Additional Factors Affecting
System Operation
Safety belts help keep the
passenger in position on the seat
during vehicle maneuvers and
braking, which helps the passenger
sensing system maintain the
passenger airbag status. See
“Safety Belts”and“Child Restraints”
in the Index for additional
information about the importance of
proper restraint use.
A thick layer of additional material,
such as a blanket or cushion,
or aftermarket equipment such as
seat covers, seat heaters, and seat
massagers can affect how well the
passenger sensing system
operates. We recommend that you
not use seat covers or other
aftermarket equipment except when
approved by GM for your specific
vehicle. See Adding Equipment to
the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on
page 3-28 for more information
about modifications that can affect
how the system operates. The on indicator may be lit if an
object, such as a briefcase,
handbag, grocery bag, laptop,
or other electronic device, is put on
an unoccupied seat. If this is not
desired remove the object from
the seat.
{Warning
Stowing of articles under the
passenger seat or between the
passenger seat cushion and
seatback may interfere with the
proper operation of the passenger
sensing system.
Servicing the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Airbags affect how the vehicle
should be serviced. There are parts
of the airbag system in several
places around the vehicle. Your
dealer and the service manual have
information about servicing the
vehicle and the airbag system.
To purchase a service manual, see
Service Publications Ordering
Information on page 13-11.
{Warning
For up to 10 seconds after the
vehicle is turned off and the
battery is disconnected, an airbag
can still inflate during improper
service. You can be injured if you
are close to an airbag when it
inflates. Avoid yellow connectors.
They are probably part of the
airbag system. Be sure to follow
proper service procedures, and
make sure the person performing
work for you is qualified to do so.

Black plate (28,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-7587000) -
2015 - CRC - 3/17/15
3-28 Seats and Restraints
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
{Warning
If a snow plow or similar
equipment is installed on the
vehicle, the airbag system may
not function properly. An airbag
could inflate when it is not
supposed to inflate. People riding
in the vehicle could be injured,
and the vehicle and/or snow plow
could be damaged. Do not install
a snow plow or similar equipment
on the vehicle.
Adding accessories that change the
vehicle's frame, bumper system,
height, front end, or side sheet
metal may keep the airbag system
from working properly. The
operation of the airbag system can
also be affected by changing any
parts of the front seats, safety belts,
the airbag sensing and diagnostic
module, steering wheel, instrument panel, any of the airbag modules,
ceiling or pillar garnish trim,
overhead console, front sensors,
side impact sensors, or airbag
wiring.
Your dealer and the service manual
have information about the location
of the airbag sensors, sensing and
diagnostic module, and airbag
wiring.
In addition, the vehicle has a
passenger sensing system for the
front outboard passenger position,
which includes sensors that are part
of the passenger seat. The
passenger sensing system may not
operate properly if the original seat
trim is replaced with non-GM
covers, upholstery, or trim; or with
GM covers, upholstery, or trim
designed for a different vehicle. Any
object, such as an aftermarket seat
heater or a comfort-enhancing pad
or device, installed under or on top
of the seat fabric, could also
interfere with the operation of the
passenger sensing system. This
could either prevent properdeployment of the passenger
airbag(s) or prevent the passenger
sensing system from properly
turning off the passenger airbag(s).
See
Passenger Sensing System on
page 3-23.
If the vehicle has rollover roof-rail
airbags, see Different Size Tires
and Wheels on page 10-59 for
additional important information.
If you have to modify your vehicle
because you have a disability and
you have questions about whether
the modifications will affect the
vehicle's airbag system, or if you
have questions about whether the
airbag system will be affected if the
vehicle is modified for any other
reason, call Customer Assistance.
See Customer Assistance Offices
(U.S. and Canada) on page 13-3.

Black plate (1,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-7587000) -
2015 - CRC - 3/17/15
Driving and Operating 9-1
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . 9-10
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 9-11
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-12
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 9-13
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-14
Truck-Camper LoadingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-21
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24 Engine Coolant Heater . . . . . . . 9-25
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-30
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Manual Transmission
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . 9-35
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . 9-42
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-43
Hill Descent Control (HDC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-45
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46
Driver Assistance Systems
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-48
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-50
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-52
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-54
California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-55
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 9-55
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-55
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-55
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-57

Black plate (25,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-7587000) -
2015 - CRC - 3/17/15
Driving and Operating 9-25
10 minutes or until any door is
opened. The radio continues to
work for up to 10 minutes or until the
driver door is opened.
Accessory Power Outlets (APOs)
The vehicle may have APOs in
several locations. SeePower
Outlets on page 5-5.
The APOs in the console or center
seat position are powered by RAP.
They will continue to work for up to
10 minutes after the key is turned
from ON/RUN to LOCK/OFF, or until
the driver door is opened.
The APOs on the center stack come
from the factory powered directly
from the vehicle battery, and supply
accessory power at all times,
regardless of ignition key position.
If electronic items are left plugged
into these APOs for long periods of
time with the vehicle off, the vehicle
battery could be drained. The
vehicle may not start if the battery is
allowed to drain for an extended
period of time.Engine Coolant Heater
2.5L L4 Engine Shown, 3.6L
V6 Engine Similar
The engine heater can provide
easier starting and better fuel
economy during engine warm-up in
cold weather conditions at or below
−18°C (0°F). Vehicles with an
engine heater should be plugged in
at least four hours before starting.
An internal thermostat in the
plug-end of the cord may exist,
which will prevent engine coolant
heater operation at temperatures
above −18°C (0°F).
To Use the Engine Coolant
Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the
electrical cord. The cord is
secured to the engine with a clip.
Carefully remove the cord from
the clip.
Check the heater cord for
damage. If it is damaged, do not
use it. See your dealer for a
replacement. Inspect the cord for
damage yearly.
3. Plug the cord into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.

Black plate (26,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-7587000) -
2015 - CRC - 3/17/15
9-26 Driving and Operating
{Warning
Improper use of the heater cord
or an extension cord can damage
the cord and may result in
overheating and fire.
.Plug the cord into a
three-prong electrical utility
receptacle that is protected
by a ground fault detection
function. An ungrounded
outlet could cause an
electric shock.
.Use a weatherproof,
heavy-duty, 15 amp-rated
extension cord if needed.
Failure to use the
recommended extension cord
in good operating condition,
or using a damaged heater or
extension cord, could make it(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
overheat and cause a fire,
property damage, electric
shock, and injury.
.Do not operate the vehicle
with the heater cord
permanently attached to the
vehicle. Possible heater cord
and thermostat damage could
occur.
.While in use, do not let the
heater cord touch vehicle
parts or sharp edges. Never
close the hood on the
heater cord.
.Before starting the vehicle,
unplug the cord, reattach the
cover to the plug, and
securely fasten the cord.
Keep the cord away from any
moving parts.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and store the
cord as it was before to keep it away from moving engine parts.
If you do not, it could be
damaged.
The length of time the heater should
remain plugged in depends on
several factors. Ask a dealer in the
area where you will be parking the
vehicle for the best advice on this.
Shifting Into Park
{Warning
It can be dangerous to get out of
the vehicle if the shift lever is not
fully in P (Park) with the parking
brake firmly set. The vehicle can
roll. If you have left the engine
running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure the vehicle will
not move, even when you are on
fairly level ground, use the steps
that follow. With four-wheel drive,
if the transfer case is in
N (Neutral), the vehicle will be (Continued)