GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9159361) -
2016 - crc - 8/25/15
130 Instruments and Controls
HOOD OPEN
This message displays and a chime
may sound if the hood is not fully
closed. Stop and turn off the
vehicle, check the hood for
obstructions, and close the hood
again. Check to see if the message
still appears on the DIC.
Engine Cooling System
Messages
AIR CONDITIONING OFF
This message displays when the
engine coolant becomes hotter than
the normal operating temperature.
SeeEngine Coolant Temperature
Gauge 0111
ii. To avoid added strain
on a hot engine, the air conditioning
compressor automatically turns off.
When the coolant temperature
returns to normal, the air
conditioning compressor turns back
on. You can continue to drive your
vehicle.
If this message continues to appear,
have the system repaired by your
dealer as soon as possible to avoid
damage to the engine.
ENGINE OVERHEATING, IDLE
ENGINE
This message displays when the
engine coolant temperature is too
hot. Stop and allow the vehicle to
idle until it cools down. See Engine
Coolant Temperature Gauge 0111
ii.
When towing, use Tow/Haul Mode
to prevent damage to the engine or
transmission. See Tow/Haul Mode
0 223
ii.
ENGINE OVERHEATED STOP
ENGINE
This message displays and a chime
may sound if the engine cooling
system reaches unsafe
temperatures for operation. Stop
and turn off the vehicle as soon as it
is safe to do so to avoid severe
damage. This message clears when
the engine has cooled to a safe
operating temperature.
Engine Oil Messages
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
This message displays when the
engine oil needs to be changed.
When you change the engine oil, be
sure to reset the CHANGE ENGINE
OIL SOON message. See Engine
Oil Life System 0264
iifor
information on how to reset the
message. See Engine Oil0262
iiand
Maintenance Schedule 0341ii.
ENGINE OIL LOW ADD OIL
On some vehicles, this message
displays when the engine oil level
may be too low. Check the oil level
before filling to the recommended
level. If the oil is not low and this
message remains on, take the
vehicle to your dealer for service.
See Engine Oil 0262
ii.
ENGINE OIL HOT IDLE
ENGINE
This message displays when the
engine oil becomes hotter than the
normal operating temperature. Stop
GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9159361) -
2016 - crc - 8/25/15
Driving and Operating 211
Ignition Positions
The ignition switch has four different
positions.
To shift out of P (Park), the ignition
must be in ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY and the regular brake
pedal must be applied.
0 (STOPPING THE ENGINE/LOCK/
OFF) :When the vehicle is stopped,
turn the ignition switch to LOCK/
OFF to turn the engine off. Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) will remain
active. See Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) 0213
ii. This position locks the ignition and
steering wheel. It also locks the
transmission on automatic
transmission vehicles. The key can
be removed in LOCK/OFF.
The steering can bind with the
wheels turned off center. If this
happens, move the steering wheel
from right to left while turning the
key to ACC/ACCESSORY. If this
does not work, then the vehicle
needs service.
Do not turn the engine off when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause a
loss of power assist in the brake
and steering systems and disable
the airbags.
If the vehicle must be shut off in an
emergency:
1. Brake using a firm and steady pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral). This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. After shifting
to N (Neutral), continue to firmly apply the brakes and
steer the vehicle to a safe
location.
3. Come to a complete stop. Shift to P (Park) with an automatic
transmission, or Neutral with a
manual transmission. Turn the
ignition to LOCK/OFF.
4. Set the parking brake. See Parking Brake 0230
ii.
{Warning
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may cause loss of power
assist in the brake and steering
systems and disable the airbags.
While driving, only shut the
vehicle off in an emergency.
If the vehicle cannot be pulled over,
and must be shut off while driving,
turn the ignition to ACC/
ACCESSORY.
On vehicles with an automatic
transmission, the shift lever must be
in P (Park) to turn the ignition switch
to LOCK/OFF.
GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9159361) -
2016 - crc - 8/25/15
212 Driving and Operating
Caution
Using a tool to force the key to
turn in the ignition could cause
damage to the switch or break the
key. Use the correct key, make
sure it is all the way in, and turn it
only with your hand. If the key
cannot be turned by hand, see
your dealer.
1 (ACC/ACCESSORY) : This
position lets things like the radio
and the windshield wipers operate
while the engine is off. It also
unlocks the steering wheel. Use this
position if the vehicle must be
pushed or towed.
2 (ON/RUN) : This position can be
used to operate the electrical
accessories and to display some
instrument cluster warning and
indicator lights. This position can
also be used for service and
diagnostics, and to verify the proper
operation of the malfunction
indicator lamp as may be required
for emission inspection purposes.
The switch stays in this position when the engine is running. The
transmission is also unlocked in this
position on automatic transmission
vehicles.
If the key is left in the ACC/
ACCESSORY or ON/RUN position
with the engine off, the battery could
be drained. The vehicle may not
start if the battery is allowed to drain
for an extended period of time.
3 (START) :
This is the position that
starts the engine. When the engine
starts, release the key. The ignition
switch returns to ON/RUN for
driving.
A warning tone will sound when the
driver door is opened, the ignition is
in ACC/ACCESSORY or LOCK/
OFF, and the key is in the ignition.
Starting the Engine
If the vehicle has a diesel engine,
see the Duramax diesel
supplement.
Caution
If you add electrical parts or
accessories, you could change
the way the engine operates. Any
resulting damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
See Add-On Electrical Equipment
0 254
ii.
Place the transmission in the
proper gear.
Automatic Transmission
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). The engine will not start
in any other position. To restart the
engine when the vehicle is already
moving, use N (Neutral) only.
Caution
Do not try to shift to P (Park) if the
vehicle is moving. If you do, you
could damage the transmission.
Shift to P (Park) only when the
vehicle is stopped.
GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9159361) -
2016 - crc - 8/25/15
226 Driving and Operating
.Cause tires to wear faster.
. Cause additional driveline noise.
{Warning
Shifting the transfer case to
N (Neutral) can cause the vehicle
to roll even if the transmission is
in P (Park). You or someone else
could be seriously injured. Be
sure to set the parking brake
before placing the transfer case in
N (Neutral). See Parking Brake
0 230
ii.
Caution
Extended high-speed operation in
4
nmay damage or shorten the
life of the drivetrain.
Engagement noise and bump when
shifting between 4
nand 4mor from
N (Neutral), with the engine running,
is normal. Shifting into 4
nwill turn Traction
Control and StabiliTrak®off. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control 0231
ii.
Automatic Transfer Case
Use the transfer case knob next to
the steering wheel to shift into and
out of four-wheel drive.
Indicator lights display which setting
the transfer case is in. N (Neutral) is
indicated on the knob. The indicator
lights will display briefly when the
ignition is turned on and one will
stay on. If the lights display
momentarily when the ignition is in
ON/RUN, but none stay on, the knob may have been turned while
the vehicle was off. To see the
indicator, turn the knob to another
position so that it matches the
actual transfer case setting. If no
lights display, take the vehicle to
your dealer for service. An indicator
light flashes while shifting the
transfer case and remains
illuminated when the shift is
complete.
If the transfer case cannot make a
requested shift, it will return to the
last chosen setting. Turn the knob
back to the previous transfer case
setting to see the indicator.
The settings are:
N (Neutral) :
Use only when the
vehicle needs to be towed. See
Recreational Vehicle Towing 0327iior Towing the Vehicle 0326ii.
2
m(Two-Wheel Drive High) : Use
for driving on most streets and
highways. The front axle is not
engaged. This setting provides the
best fuel economy.
GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9159361) -
2016 - crc - 8/25/15
248 Driving and Operating
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Thenapply the parking brake and
shift into P (Park).
5. Release the brake pedal.
Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine.
3. Shift into a gear.
4. Release the parking brake.
5. Let up on the brake pedal.
6. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
7. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance when Trailer
Towing
The vehicle needs service more
often when pulling a trailer. See
Maintenance Schedule 0341
ii.
Things that are especially important
in trailer operation are automatic
transmission fluid, engine oil, axle
lubricant, belts, cooling system, and brake system. It is a good idea to
inspect these before and during
the trip.
Check periodically to see that all
hitch nuts and bolts are tight.
Trailer Towing
Do not tow a trailer during break-in.
See
New Vehicle Break-In 0210ii.
{Warning
The driver can lose control when
pulling a trailer if the correct
equipment is not used or the
vehicle is not driven properly. For
example, if the trailer is too
heavy, the brakes may not work
well or even at all. The driver and
passengers could be seriously
injured. The vehicle may also be
damaged; the resulting repairs
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Pull a trailer
only if all the steps in this section
have been followed. Ask your
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
dealer for advice and information
about towing a trailer with the
vehicle.
Caution
Pulling a trailer improperly can
damage the vehicle and result in
costly repairs not covered by the
vehicle warranty. To pull a trailer
correctly, follow the advice in this
section and see your dealer for
important information about
towing a trailer with the vehicle.
See Vehicle Load Limits 0204
iifor
more information about the vehicle's
maximum load capacity.
To identify the trailering capacity of
the vehicle, read the information in
“Weight of the Trailer” later in this
section.
Trailering is different than just
driving the vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in
GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9159361) -
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Vehicle Care 255
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 256
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 256
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 264
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Manual Transmission Fluid . . . 266
Hydraulic Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 266
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 271
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274 Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Battery - North America . . . . . . 276
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 278
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 280
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 280
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker, and Parking
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) and
Cargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 284
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
All-Terrain Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 294
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Tire Pressure Monitor
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9159361) -
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Vehicle Care 265
must be reset. For vehicles without
the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message, an oil change is needed
when the OIL LIFE REMAINING
percentage is near 0%. Your dealer
has trained service people who will
perform this work and reset the
system. It is also important to check
the oil regularly over the course of
an oil drain interval and keep it at
the proper level.
If the system is ever reset
accidentally, the oil must be
changed at 5 000 km (3,000 mi)
since the last oil change.
Remember to reset the oil life
system whenever the oil is changed.
How to Reset the Engine Oil
Life System
Reset the system whenever the
engine oil is changed so that the
system can calculate the next
engine oil change. Always reset the
engine oil life to 100% after every oil
change. It will not reset itself. To
reset the engine oil life system:1. Display OIL LIFE REMAINING
on the DIC. See Driver
Information Center (DIC) (Base
Level) 0122
iior Driver
Information Center (DIC)
(Uplevel) 0125
ii. If the vehicle
does not have DIC buttons, the
vehicle must be in P (Park) to
access this display.
2. Press and hold the
Vbutton on
the DIC, or the SET/CLR
button on the turn signal lever if
the vehicle does not have DIC
buttons, for several seconds.
The oil life will change
to 100%.
The oil life system can also 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. If the vehicle has a CHANGE
ENGINE OIL SOON message and it
comes back on when the vehicle is
started and/or the OIL LIFE
REMAINING is near 0%, the engine
oil life system has not been reset.
Repeat the procedure.
Automatic Transmission
Fluid
How to Check Automatic
Transmission Fluid
It is not necessary to check the
transmission fluid level.
A transmission fluid leak is the only
reason for fluid loss. If a leak
occurs, take the vehicle to your
dealer and have it repaired as soon
as possible.
There is a special procedure for
checking and changing the
transmission fluid. Because this
procedure is difficult, this should be
done at your dealer. Contact your
dealer for additional information or
the procedure can be found in the
service manual. To purchase a
GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9159361) -
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Vehicle Care 279
Do not use the accelerator
pedal, and be ready to turn off
the engine immediately if it
starts.
3. For automatic transmission vehicles, try to start the engine
in each gear. The vehicle
should start only in P (Park) or
N (Neutral). If the vehicle starts
in any other position, contact
your dealer for service.
For manual transmission
vehicles, put the shift lever in
Neutral, push the clutch pedal
down halfway, and try to start
the engine. The vehicle should
start only when the clutch
pedal is pushed down all the
way to the floor. If the vehicle
starts when the clutch pedal is
not pushed all the way down,
contact your dealer for service.Automatic Transmission
Shift Lock Control
Function Check
{Warning
When you are doing this
inspection, the vehicle could
move suddenly. If the vehicle
moves, you or others could be
injured.
1. Before starting this check, be sure there is enough room
around the vehicle. It should be
parked on a level surface.
2. Apply the parking brake. Be ready to apply the regular
brake immediately if the vehicle
begins to move.
3. With the engine off, turn the ignition on, but do not start the
engine. Without applying the
regular brake, try to move the
shift lever out of P (Park) with
normal effort. If the shift lever
moves out of P (Park), contact
your dealer for service.
Ignition Transmission
Lock Check
While parked, and with the parking
brake set, try to turn the ignition to
LOCK/OFF in each shift lever
position.
.For automatic transmission
vehicles, the ignition should turn
to LOCK/OFF only when the
shift lever is in P (Park).
. For manual transmission
vehicles, the ignition should turn
to LOCK/OFF only when you
press the key release button.
On all vehicles, the ignition key
should come out only in LOCK/OFF.
Contact your dealer if service is
required.