
GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122677) -
2017 - crc - 1/20/17
268 Driving and Operating
electric brakes, start the
combination moving and then apply
the trailer brake controller by hand
to be sure the brakes work.
During the trip, check occasionally
to be sure that the load is secure
and the lamps and any trailer
brakes still work.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the
vehicle ahead as you would when
driving the vehicle without a trailer.
This can help to avoid heavy
braking and sudden turns.
Passing
More passing distance is needed
when towing a trailer. The
combination will not accelerate as
quickly and is longer so it is
necessary to go much farther
beyond the passed vehicle before
returning to the lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering
wheel with one hand. To move the
trailer to the left, move that hand to
the left. To move the trailer to theright, move your hand to the right.
Always back up slowly and,
if possible, have someone
guide you.
Making Turns
Caution
Making very sharp turns while
trailering could cause the trailer to
come in contact with the vehicle.
The vehicle could be damaged.
Avoid making very sharp turns
while trailering.
When turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal. Do this so
the trailer will not strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees,
or other objects. Avoid jerky or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.
If the trailer turn signal bulbs burn
out, the arrows on the instrument
cluster will still flash for turns. It is
important to check occasionally to
be sure the trailer bulbs are still
working.
Driving on Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower
gear before starting down a long or
steep downgrade. If the
transmission is not shifted down, the
brakes might get hot and no longer
work well.
Vehicles can tow in D (Drive). Shift
the transmission to a lower gear if
the transmission shifts too often
under heavy loads and/or hilly
conditions.
The Tow/Haul Mode may be used if
the transmission shifts too often.
See Tow/Haul Mode 0245.
When towing at high altitude on
steep uphill grades, consider the
following: Engine coolant will boil at
a lower temperature than at normal
altitudes. If the engine is turned off
immediately after towing at high
altitude on steep uphill grades, the
vehicle may show signs similar to
engine overheating. To avoid this,
let the engine run while parked,
preferably on level ground, with the
transmission in P (Park) for a few

GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122677) -
2017 - crc - 1/20/17
292 Vehicle Care
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in the vehicle is
filled with DEX-COOL®engine
coolant mixture.
See Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0373 andMaintenance
Schedule 0364.
The following explains the cooling
system and how to check and add
coolant when it is low. If there is a
problem with engine overheating,
see Engine Overheating 0294.
What to Use
{Warning
Adding only plain water or some
other liquid to the cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water
and other liquids, can boil before
the proper coolant mixture will.
The coolant warning system is set
for the proper coolant mixture.
With plain water or the wrong
mixture, the engine could get too
hot but you would not get the
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
overheat warning. The engine
could catch fire and you or others
could be burned. Use a 50/
50 mixture of clean, drinkable
water and DEX-COOL coolant.
Use a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
coolant. If using this mixture,
nothing else needs to be added.
This mixture:
. Gives freezing protection down
to−37 °C (−34 °F) outside
temperature.
. Gives boiling protection up to
129 °C (265 °F) engine
temperature.
. Protects against rust and
corrosion.
. Will not damage aluminum parts.
. Helps keep the proper engine
temperature.
Caution
If improper coolant mixture,
inhibitors, or additives are used in
the vehicle cooling system, the
engine could overheat and be
damaged. Too much water in the
mixture can freeze and crack
engine cooling parts. The repairs
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Use only the
proper mixture of engine coolant
for the cooling system. See
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0373.
Never dispose of engine coolant by
putting it in the trash, or by pouring
it on the ground, or into sewers,
streams or, bodies of water. Have
the coolant changed by an
authorized service center, familiar
with legal requirements regarding
used coolant disposal. This will help
protect the environment and your
health.

GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122677) -
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294 Vehicle Care
3. Fill the coolant surge tank withthe proper mixture to the mark
pointed to on the front of the
coolant surge tank.
4. With the coolant surge tank cap off, start the engine and let
it run until the upper radiator
hose starts getting hot. Watch
out for the engine cooling fan.
By this time, the coolant level
inside the coolant surge tank
may be lower. If the level is
lower, add more of the proper
mixture to the coolant surge
tank until the level reaches the
mark pointed to on the front of
the coolant surge tank. 5. Replace the cap tightly.
Caution
If the pressure cap is not tightly
installed, coolant loss and
possible engine damage may
occur. Be sure the cap is properly
and tightly secured.
Engine Overheating
The vehicle has an engine coolant
temperature gauge on the
instrument cluster to warn of engine
overheating. See
Engine Coolant
Temperature Gauge 0114.
Caution
Running the engine without
coolant may cause damage or a
fire. Vehicle damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty. If the decision is made not to lift the
hood when this warning appears,
get service help right away. See
Roadside Assistance Program
0
385.
If the decision is made to lift the
hood, make sure the vehicle is
parked on a level surface.
Then check to see if the engine
cooling fan is running. If the engine
is overheating, the fan should be
running. If it is not, do not continue
to run the engine and have the
vehicle serviced.
If Steam Is Coming from the
Engine Compartment
{Warning
Steam from an overheated engine
can burn you badly, even if you
just open the hood. Stay away
from the engine if you see or hear
steam coming from it. Just turn it
off and get everyone away from
the vehicle until it cools down. (Continued)

GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122677) -
2017 - crc - 1/20/17
Vehicle Care 295
Warning (Continued)
Wait until there is no sign of
steam or coolant before you open
the hood.
If you keep driving when the
engine is overheated, the liquids
in it can catch fire. You or others
could be badly burned. Stop the
engine if it overheats, and get out
of the vehicle until the engine
is cool.
If No Steam Is Coming from
the Engine Compartment
If an engine overheat warning is
displayed but no steam can be seen
or heard, the problem may not be
too serious. Sometimes the engine
can get a little too hot when the
vehicle:
.Climbs a long hill on a hot day.
. Stops after high-speed driving.
. Idles for long periods in traffic.
If the overheat warning is displayed
with no sign of steam: 1. Turn the air conditioning off.
2. Turn the heater on to the
highest temperature and to the
highest fan speed. Open the
windows as necessary.
3. When it is safe to do so, pull off the road, shift to P (Park) or
N (Neutral), and let the
engine idle.
If the engine coolant temperature
gauge is no longer in the overheat
zone, the vehicle can be driven.
Continue to drive the vehicle slowly
for about 10 minutes. Keep a safe
distance from the vehicle in front.
If the warning does not come back
on, continue to drive normally and
have the cooling system checked
for proper fill and function.
If the warning continues, pull over,
stop, and park the vehicle
right away.
If there is no sign of steam, idle the
engine for three minutes while
parked. If the warning is still
displayed, turn off the engine until it
cools down.
Engine Fan
If the vehicle has a clutched engine
cooling fan, when the clutch is
engaged, the fan spins faster to
provide more air to cool the engine.
In most everyday driving conditions,
the fan is spinning slower and the
clutch is not fully engaged. This
improves fuel economy and reduces
fan noise. Under heavy vehicle
loading, trailer towing, and/or high
outside temperatures, the fan speed
increases as the clutch more fully
engages, so an increase in fan
noise may be heard. This is normal
and should not be mistaken as the
transmission slipping or making
extra shifts. It is merely the cooling
system functioning properly. The fan
will slow down when additional
cooling is not required and the
clutch disengages.
This fan noise may also be heard
when starting the engine. It will go
away as the fan clutch partially
disengages.
If the vehicle has electric cooling
fan(s), the fans may be heard
spinning at low speed during most

GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122677) -
2017 - crc - 1/20/17
296 Vehicle Care
everyday driving. The fans may turn
off if no cooling is required. Under
heavy vehicle loading, trailer towing,
high outside temperatures,
or operation of the air conditioning
system, the fans may change to
high speed and an increase in fan
noise may be heard. This is normal
and indicates that the cooling
system is functioning properly. The
fans will change to low speed when
additional cooling is no longer
required.
The electric engine cooling fans
may run after the engine has been
turned. off. This is normal and no
service is required.
Washer Fluid
What to Use
When windshield washer fluid needs
to be added, be sure to read the
manufacturer's instructions before
use. Use a fluid that has sufficient
protection against freezing in an
area where the temperature may fall
below freezing.
Adding Washer Fluid
Open the cap with the washer
symbol on it. Add washer fluid until
the tank is full. SeeEngine
Compartment Overview 0281 for
reservoir location.
Caution
. Do not use washer fluid that
contains any type of water
repellent coating. This can
cause the wiper blades to
chatter or skip.
. Do not use engine coolant
(antifreeze) in the
windshield washer. It can
damage the windshield
washer system and paint.
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
.Do not mix water with
ready-to-use washer fluid.
Water can cause the
solution to freeze and
damage the washer fluid
tank and other parts of the
washer system.
. When using concentrated
washer fluid, follow the
manufacturer instructions for
adding water.
. Fill the washer fluid tank
only three-quarters full when
it is very cold. This allows
for fluid expansion if
freezing occurs, which could
damage the tank if it is
completely full.
Brakes
Disc brake pads have built-in wear
indicators that make a high-pitched
warning sound when the brake pads
are worn and new pads are needed.
The sound can come and go or be

GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122677) -
2017 - crc - 1/20/17
Index 407
CheckEngine Light (Malfunction
Indicator) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
Ignition Transmission Lock . . . 302
Child Restraints Infants and Young Children . . . . . 70
Lower Anchors and Tethersfor Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Securing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90, 95
Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Cleaning Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . . 207 Air Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Cluster, Instrument . . . . . . . . 109, 111
Clutch, Hydraulic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Collision Damage Repair . . . . . . . 388
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
Compartments Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 Connections
OnStar®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 397
Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255 Traction and ElectronicStability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Control Light Hill Descent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Coolant Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Engine Temperature Gauge . . .114
Cooling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207, 209
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290 Engine Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Courtesy Transportation
Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 387
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256 Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Cupholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Customer Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . 384 Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 383
Text Telephone (TTY)Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 384
Customer Information
Service PublicationsOrdering Information . . . . . . . . 390 Customer Satisfaction
Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 381
D
Damage Repair, Collision . . . . . . . 388
Danger, Warning, and Caution . . . . 3
Data Collection
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . . 394
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 393
Data Recorders, Event . . . . . . . . . 393
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Diagnostics OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 399
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Door
Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Power Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Drive Belt Routing, Engine . . . . . . 380
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125, 128

GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122677) -
2017 - crc - 1/20/17
408 Index
DrivingCharacteristics and
Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Drunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
For Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . 25
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 222
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . 224
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Off-Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
E
Electrical Equipment, Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Electrical System Engine Compartment FuseBlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Emergency
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 396
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289 Engine (cont'd)
Check Light (Malfunction
Indicator) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 281
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Coolant Temperature
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Cooling System Messages . . . 132
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 380
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Oil Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 239
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . . . 393
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Extender, Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 145
Exterior Lamps Off Reminder . . . 146
F
Fan Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Filter, Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . 148
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362
Fluid
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 288
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Four-Wheel DriveTransfer Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Folding Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . 247, 299
Frequency Statement Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Front Fog Lamp
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Front Seats Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122677) -
2017 - crc - 1/20/17
Index 409
Front Seats (cont'd)Heated and Ventilated . . . . . . . . . . 47
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263 Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Economy Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Filling a Portable Fuel
Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . 123
Requirements, California . . . . . 264
System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Engine Compartment FuseBlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
G
GaugesEngine CoolantTemperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113 Gauges (cont'd)
Warning Lights and
Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
General Information
Service and Maintenance . . . . . 363
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Vehicle Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
GM Mobility Reimbursement Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
H
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . . . 148
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
HeadlampsAiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Daytime RunningLamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker, and
Parking Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . 124
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . 146
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . 124 Heated
Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Heated and Ventilated Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Heated Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Heater Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207, 209
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . 222
Hill Descent Control (HDC) . . . . . 255
Hill Descent Control Light . . . . . . . 120
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . . 252
Home Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157, 159
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
HVAC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207, 209
Hydraulic Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
I
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Indicator
Vehicle Ahead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121