GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9159361) -
2016 - crc - 8/25/15
Driving and Operating 201
{Warning
Wet brakes can cause crashes.
They might not work as well in a
quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large
puddle of water or a car/vehicle
wash, lightly apply the brake
pedal until the brakes work
normally.
Flowing or rushing water creates
strong forces. Driving through
flowing water could cause the
vehicle to be carried away. If this
happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be
very cautious about trying to drive
through flowing water.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water
can build up under the vehicle's
tires so they actually ride on the
water. This can happen if the road iswet enough and you are going fast
enough. When the vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no
contact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to
slow down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet
weather driving tips include:
.
Allow extra following distance.
. Pass with caution.
. Keep windshield wiping
equipment in good shape.
. Keep the windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled.
. Have good tires with proper
tread depth. See Tires0292
ii.
. Turn off cruise control.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips include: .
Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
. Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
. Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{Warning
Using the brakes to slow the
vehicle on a long downhill slope
can cause brake overheating, can
reduce brake performance, and
could result in a loss of braking.
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear to let the engine assist the
brakes on a steep downhill slope.
{Warning
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. This can cause
overheating of the brakes and
(Continued)
GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9159361) -
2016 - crc - 8/25/15
202 Driving and Operating
Warning (Continued)
loss of steering. Always have the
engine running and the vehicle
in gear.
. Drive at speeds that keep the
vehicle in its own lane. Do not
swing wide or cross the
center line.
. Be alert on top of hills;
something could be in your lane
(e.g., stalled car, accident).
. Pay attention to special road
signs (e.g., falling rocks area,
winding roads, long grades,
passing or no-passing zones)
and take appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Snow or ice between the tires and
the road creates less traction or
grip, so drive carefully. Wet ice can
occur at about 0 °C (32 °F) when freezing rain begins to fall. Avoid
driving on wet ice or in freezing rain
until roads can be treated.
For Slippery Road Driving:
.
Accelerate gently. Accelerating
too quickly causes the wheels to
spin and makes the surface
under the tires slick.
. Turn on Traction Control. See
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0231
ii.
. The Antilock Brake System
(ABS) improves vehicle stability
during hard stops, but the
brakes should be applied sooner
than when on dry pavement.
See Antilock Brake System
(ABS) 0229
ii.
. Allow greater following distance
and watch for slippery spots. Icy
patches can occur on otherwise
clear roads in shaded areas.
The surface of a curve or an
overpass can remain icy when
the surrounding roads are clear.
Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while
on ice. .
Turn off cruise control.
Blizzard Conditions
Stop the vehicle in a safe place and
signal for help. Stay with the vehicle
unless there is help nearby.
If possible, use Roadside
Assistance. See Roadside
Assistance Program 0361
ii. To get
help and keep everyone in the
vehicle safe:
. Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
. Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.
{Warning
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may
cause exhaust gases to get
inside. Engine exhaust contains
carbon monoxide (CO), which
cannot be seen or smelled. It can
cause unconsciousness and even
death.
If the vehicle is stuck in snow:
(Continued)
GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9159361) -
2016 - crc - 8/25/15
Driving and Operating 223
Gear before shifting from D
(Drive) to M (Manual Mode)6th 5th 4th 3rd 2nd 1st
Range after shifting from D
(Drive) to M (Manual Mode) M4 M4 M3 M2 M2 M1
Grade Braking is not available when
Range Selection Mode is active.
See Tow/Haul Mode 0223
ii.
While using Range Selection Mode,
cruise control and the Tow/Haul
Mode can be used.
Caution
Spinning the tires or holding the
vehicle in one place on a hill
using only the accelerator pedal
may damage the transmission.
The repair will not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. If you are
stuck, do not spin the tires. When
stopping on a hill, use the brakes
to hold the vehicle in place.
Low Traction Mode
Low Traction Mode assists in
vehicle acceleration when road
conditions are slippery, such as with
ice or snow. While the vehicle is at a
stop, select M2 using Range
Selection Mode. This will limit
torque to the wheels and help to
prevent the tires from spinning.
Tow/Haul Mode
If equipped, Tow/Haul Mode adjusts
the transmission shift pattern to
reduce shift cycling. This provides
increased performance, vehicle
control, and transmission cooling
when driving down steep hills or
mountain grades, towing, or hauling
heavy loads.
Turn the Tow/Haul Mode on and off
by pressing the button on the center
stack. When the Tow/Haul Mode is
enabled, a light on the instrument
cluster will come on.
See Tow/Haul Mode Light 0117
iiand Hill and Mountain Roads 0201ii.
Also see “Tow/Haul Mode” under
Towing Equipment 0251
ii.
If the vehicle has a diesel engine,
the Tow/Haul button activates the
exhaust brake system
simultaneously. See “Exhaust
Brake” in the Duramax diesel
supplement.
GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9159361) -
2016 - crc - 8/25/15
232 Driving and Operating
vehicle wheel brakes to assist the
driver in keeping the vehicle on the
intended path.
If cruise control is being used and
traction control or StabiliTrak begins
to limit wheel spin, cruise control will
disengage. Cruise control may be
turned back on when road
conditions allow.
Both systems come on
automatically when the vehicle is
started and begins to move. The
systems may be heard or felt while
they are operating or while
performing diagnostic checks. This
is normal and does not mean there
is a problem with the vehicle.
It is recommended to leave both
systems on for normal driving
conditions, but it may be necessary
to turn TCS off if the vehicle gets
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
SeeIf the Vehicle Is Stuck 0203
iiand “Turning the Systems Off and
On” later in this section.
When the transfer case (if equipped)
is in Four-Wheel Drive Low, the
stability system is automatically
disabled, and
gcomes on in the instrument cluster. Both traction
control and StabiliTrak are
automatically disabled in this
condition.
The indicator light for both systems
is in the instrument cluster. This
light will:
.
Flash when TCS is limiting
wheel spin.
. Flash when StabiliTrak is
activated.
. Turn on and stay on when either
system is not working.
If either system fails to turn on or to
activate, a message displays in the
Driver Information Center (DIC), and
dcomes on and stays on to
indicate that the system is inactive
and is not assisting the driver in maintaining control. The vehicle is
safe to drive, but driving should be
adjusted accordingly.
If
dcomes on and stays on:
1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Turn the engine off and wait 15 seconds.
3. Start the engine.
Drive the vehicle. If
dcomes on
and stays on, the vehicle may need
more time to diagnose the problem.
If the condition persists, see your
dealer.
Turning the Systems Off
and On
The button for TCS and StabiliTrak
is on the center stack.
GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9159361) -
2016 - crc - 8/25/15
Driving and Operating 233
Caution
Do not repeatedly brake or
accelerate heavily when TCS is
off. The vehicle driveline could be
damaged.
To turn off only TCS, press and
release the
gbutton. The Traction
Off light
idisplays in the
instrument cluster. To turn TCS on
again, press and release the
g
button. The Traction Off lighti
displayed in the instrument cluster
will turn off.
If TCS is limiting wheel spin when
the
gbutton is pressed, the system
will not turn off until the wheels stop
spinning.
To turn off both TCS and StabiliTrak,
press and hold the
gbutton until
the Traction Off light
iand
StabiliTrak Off light
gcome on and
stay on in the instrument cluster. To
turn TCS and StabiliTrak on again,
press and release the
gbutton. The Traction Off light
iand StabiliTrak
Off light
gin the instrument cluster
turn off.
StabiliTrak will automatically turn on
if the vehicle exceeds 56 km/h
(35 mph). Traction control will
remain off until the driver presses
the
gbutton or the ignition is cycled
Off then On.
Adding accessories can affect the
vehicle performance. See
Accessories and Modifications
0 257
ii.
Hill Descent
Control (HDC)
If equipped, HDC can be used when
driving downhill. It sets and
maintains vehicle speed while
descending a very steep incline in a
forward or reverse gear.
The HDC switch is on the center
stack, below the climate controls.
Press
5to enable or disable HDC.
Vehicle speed must be below
60 km/h (37 mph).
The HDC light displays on the
instrument cluster when enabled.
HDC can maintain vehicle speeds
between 4 and 30 km/h (3 and
19 mph) on an incline greater than
or equal to a 10% grade. A blinking
HDC light indicates that the system
is actively applying the brakes to
maintain vehicle speed.
When HDC is set, that is the initial
set speed. It can be increased or
decreased by applying the
accelerator or brake pedal. Smaller
HDC speed control adjustments are
accomplished using the cruise up or
down buttons. Each tap of the
+RES will increase the set speed by
0.8 km/h (0.5 mph), while each tap
of the SET– will decrease the set
speed by 0.8 km/h (0.5 mph). This
adjusted speed becomes the new
set speed.
GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9159361) -
2016 - crc - 8/25/15
234 Driving and Operating
HDC will remain enabled between
30 and 60 km/h (19 and 37 mph),
however vehicle speed cannot be
set or maintained in this range.
It will automatically disable if the
vehicle speed is above 80 km/h
(50 mph) or above 60 km/h
(37 mph) for at least 30 seconds.
5
must be pressed again to
re-enable HDC.
When enabled, if the vehicle is at a
speed above 30 km/h (19 mph) and
less than 60 km/h (37 mph), a DIC
message will display instructing the
driver to reduce speed for HDC
operation.
Cruise control will not function while
HDC is enabled and vehicle speed
is below 40 km/h (25 mph).
Cruise Control
With cruise control a speed of about
40 km/h (25 mph) or more can be
maintained without keeping your
foot on the accelerator. Cruise
control does not work at speeds
below about 40 km/h (25 mph).
{Warning
Cruise control can be dangerous
where you cannot drive safely at
a steady speed. Do not use
cruise control on winding roads or
in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous
on slippery roads. On such roads,
fast changes in tire traction can
cause excessive wheel slip, and
you could lose control. Do not use
cruise control on slippery roads.
If equipped with a manual
transmission, the cruise control will
remain active when the gears are
shifted. The cruise is deactivated if
the clutch is pressed for several
seconds. If the cruise control is being used and the Traction Control
(TCS) system or StabiliTrak begins
to limit wheel spin, the cruise control
will automatically disengage. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control
0231
ii. If a collision alert
occurs when cruise control is
activated, cruise control is
disengaged. See Forward Collision
Alert (FCA) System 0238
ii. When
road conditions allow you to safely
use it again, cruise control can be
turned back on.
If the brakes are applied, the cruise
control disengages.
GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9159361) -
2016 - crc - 8/25/15
Driving and Operating 235
5(On/Off) :Press to turn the
system on or off. A white indicator
comes on in the instrument cluster
when cruise control is turned on.
+RES (Resume/Accelerate) : If
there is a set speed in memory,
press briefly to resume to that
speed or press and hold to
accelerate. If cruise control is
already active, use to increase
vehicle speed.
SET− (Set/Coast) : Press briefly to
set the speed and activate cruise
control. If cruise control is already
active, use to decrease vehicle
speed.
*(Cancel) : Press to disengage
cruise control without erasing the
set speed from memory.
Setting Cruise Control
If
5is on when not in use, SET− or
+RES could get pressed and go into
cruise when not desired. Keep
5
off when cruise is not being used.
1. Press
5to turn the cruise
system on. 2. Get up to the desired speed.
3. Press and release SET−.
4. Remove foot from the
accelerator.
The cruise control indicator on the
instrument cluster turns green after
cruise control has been set to the
desired speed. See Instrument
Cluster (Base Level) 0106
iior
Instrument Cluster (Uplevel) 0108ii.
Resuming a Set Speed
If the cruise control is set at a
desired speed and then the brakes
are applied or
*is pressed, the
cruise control is disengaged without
erasing the set speed from memory.
Once the vehicle speed reaches
about 40 km/h (25 mph) or more,
press the +RES button briefly. The
vehicle returns to the previous set
speed.
Increasing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
If the cruise control system is
already activated: .
Press and hold +RES until the
desired speed is reached, then
release it.
. To increase vehicle speed in
small increments, briefly press
+RES. For each press, the
vehicle goes about 1.6 km/h
(1 mph) faster.
The speedometer reading can be
displayed in either English or metric
units. See Driver Information Center
(DIC) (Base Level) 0122
iior Driver
Information Center (DIC) (Uplevel)
0 125
ii. The increment value used
depends on the units displayed.
Reducing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
If the cruise control system is
already activated:
. Press and hold SET– until the
desired lower speed is reached,
then release it.
. To slow down in small
increments, briefly press SET– .
For each press, the vehicle goes
about 1.6 km/h (1 mph) slower.
GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9159361) -
2016 - crc - 8/25/15
236 Driving and Operating
The speedometer reading can be
displayed in either English or metric
units. SeeDriver Information Center
(DIC) (Base Level) 0122
iior Driver
Information Center (DIC) (Uplevel)
0 125
ii. The increment value used
depends on the units displayed.
Passing Another Vehicle While
Using Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to
increase the vehicle speed. When
you take your foot off the pedal, the
vehicle will slow down to the
previous set cruise speed. While
pressing the accelerator pedal or
shortly following the release to
override cruise control, briefly
pressing the SET– button will result
in cruise control set to the current
vehicle speed.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well the cruise control will work
on hills depends on the vehicle
speed, load, and the steepness of
the hills. When going up steep hills,
you might have to step on the
accelerator pedal to maintain your
speed. When going downhill, you
might have to brake or shift to a lower gear to keep your speed
down. If the brake pedal is applied,
cruise control will disengage.
Ending Cruise Control
There are four ways to end cruise
control:
.
Step lightly on the brake pedal.
. Press
*.
. Press the clutch pedal for
several seconds or shift the
transmission to N (Neutral).
. To turn off cruise control,
press
5.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is
erased from memory if
5is pressed
or if the ignition is turned off.
Driver Assistance
Systems
Rear Vision
Camera (RVC)
{Warning
The camera(s) do not display
children, pedestrians, bicyclists,
crossing traffic, animals, or any
other object outside of the
cameras’ field of view, below the
bumper, or under the vehicle.
Shown distances may be different
from actual distances. Do not
drive or park the vehicle using
only these camera(s). Always
check behind and around the
vehicle before driving. Failure to
use proper care may result in
injury, death, or vehicle damage.
If equipped, the RVC system is
designed to help the driver when
backing up by displaying a view of
the area behind the vehicle. When
the key is in ON/RUN and the driver