
GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122677) -
2017 - crc - 1/20/17
228 Driving and Operating
Example 3
1. Vehicle Capacity Weight forExample 3 = 453 kg
(1,000 lb)
2. Subtract Occupant Weight @ 91 kg (200 lb) × 5 =
453 kg (1,000 lb)
3. Available Cargo Weight = 0 kg (0 lb)
Refer to the Tire and Loading
Information label for specific
information about the vehicle's
capacity weight and seating
positions. The combined weight of the driver, passengers, and
cargo should never exceed the
vehicle's capacity weight.
Certification/Tire Label
Label Example
A vehicle-specific Certification/
Tire label is attached to the
B-pillar or on the forward edge
of the rear door. The label may
show the size of the vehicle's
original tires and the inflation
pressures needed to obtain the
gross weight capacity of the
vehicle. This is called Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR).The GVWR includes the weight
of the vehicle, all occupants,
fuel, and cargo.
The Certification/Tire label may
also show the maximum weights
for the front and rear axles,
called Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR). To find out the
actual loads on the front and
rear axles, weigh the vehicle at
a weigh station. Your dealer can
help with this. Be sure to spread
the load equally on both sides of
the centerline.
{Warning
In the case of a sudden stop
or collision, things carried in
the bed of your truck could
shift forward and come into
the passenger area, injuring
you and others. If you put
things in the bed of your truck,
you should make sure they
are properly secured.

GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122677) -
2017 - crc - 1/20/17
234 Driving and Operating
Manual Transmission
The shift lever should be in Neutral
and the parking brake engaged.
Hold the clutch pedal down to the
floor and start the engine. The
vehicle will not start if the clutch
pedal is not all the way down.
Starting Procedure
1. With your foot off theaccelerator pedal, turn the
ignition key to START. When
the engine starts, let go of the
key. The idle speed will go
down as the engine gets warm.
Do not race the engine
immediately after starting it.
Operate the engine and
transmission gently to allow the
oil to warm up and lubricate all
moving parts.
Caution
Cranking the engine for long
periods of time, by returning the
ignition to the START position
immediately after cranking has
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
ended, can overheat and damage
the cranking motor, and drain the
battery. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to let the
cranking motor cool down.
2. If the engine does not start after five to 10 seconds,
especially in very cold weather
(below −18 °C or 0 °F), it could
be flooded with too much
gasoline. Try pushing the
accelerator pedal all the way to
the floor and holding it there
while holding the key in START
for up to 15 seconds. Wait at
least 15 seconds between each
try, to allow the cranking motor
to cool down. When the engine
starts, let go of the key and
accelerator. If the vehicle starts
briefly but then stops again, do
the same thing. This clears the
extra gasoline from the engine.
Do not race the engine
immediately after starting it.
Operate the engine and transmission gently until the oil
warms up and lubricates all
moving parts.
Engine Heater
If the vehicle has a diesel engine,
see the Duramax diesel
supplement.
{Warning
Do not plug in the engine block
heater while the vehicle is parked
in a garage or under a carport.
Property damage or personal
injury may result. Always park the
vehicle in a clear open area away
from buildings or structures.
If equipped, 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,

GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122677) -
2017 - crc - 1/20/17
Driving and Operating 241
To rock the vehicle back and forth to
get out of snow, ice, or sand without
damaging the transmission, seeIf
the Vehicle Is Stuck 0224.
N : In this position, the engine does
not connect with the wheels. To
restart when you are already
moving, use N (Neutral) only. Also,
use N (Neutral) when the vehicle is
being towed.
{Warning
Shifting into a drive gear while the
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is
firmly on the brake pedal, the
vehicle could move very rapidly.
You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift
into a drive gear while the engine
is running at high speed.
Caution
Shifting out of P (Park) or
N (Neutral) with the engine
running at high speed may
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Be sure the
engine is not running at high
speed when shifting the vehicle.
D : This position is for normal
driving. It provides the best fuel
economy. If you need more power
for passing, and you are:
. Going less than about 55 km/h
(35 mph), push the accelerator
pedal about halfway down.
. Going about 55 km/h (35 mph) or
more, push the accelerator all
the way down.
By doing this, the vehicle shifts
down to the next gear and has
more power.
D (Drive) can be used when towing
a trailer, carrying a heavy load,
driving on steep hills, or driving off-road. Shift the transmission to a
lower gear range selection if the
transmission shifts too often. See
Manual Mode
0242.
Downshifting the transmission in
slippery road conditions could result
in skidding. See “Skidding”under
Loss of Control 0216.
The vehicle has a shift stabilization
feature that adjusts the transmission
shifting to the current driving
conditions in order to reduce rapid
upshifts and downshifts. This shift
stabilization feature is designed to
determine, before making an
upshift, if the engine is able to
maintain vehicle speed by analyzing
things such as vehicle speed,
throttle position, and vehicle load.
If the shift stabilization feature
determines that a current vehicle
speed cannot be maintained, the
transmission does not upshift and
instead holds the current gear.
In some cases, this could appear to
be a delayed shift, however the
transmission is operating normally.

GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122677) -
2017 - crc - 1/20/17
Driving and Operating 247
Shift Indicator
This light comes on when an
up-shift is recommended for best
fuel economy. The number
displayed with the arrow indicates
the recommended gear.
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive
If equipped, four-wheel drive
engages the front axle for extra
traction.
Caution
Do not drive on clean, dry
pavement in 4
m, or 4nfor an
extended period of time. These
conditions may cause:
. Overheating.
. Oil leakage.
. Damage to internal and
external components of the
front axle.
. Premature wear on the
vehicle’s powertrain.
Driving on clean, dry pavement
in 4
m, or 4nmay:
. Cause a vibration to be felt in
the steering system. .
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
0 251.
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.

GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122677) -
2017 - crc - 1/20/17
248 Driving and Operating
Shifting into 4nwill turn Traction
Control and StabiliTrak®off. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control 0253.
Automatic Transfer Case
Use the transfer case knob next to
the steering wheel to shift into and
out of four-wheel drive.
All of the lights will blink on then off
momentarily when the ignition is
moved to the ON/RUN position. The
light that remains on will indicate the
state of the Transfer Case. If the indicator mark on the switch
does not match up with the light
then that likely means the switch
was moved when the ignition
was off.
The indicator mark on the switch
must line up with the indicator light
before a shift can be commanded.
To command a shift rotate the
transfer case switch to the new
desired position. The light will blink
meaning that the shift is in progress.
When the shift is completed the new
position will be illuminated. If the
transfer case can not complete a
shift command, it will go back to its
last chosen setting.
The settings are:
N (Neutral) :
Use only when the
vehicle needs to be towed.
See Recreational Vehicle Towing
0 349 orTowing the Vehicle 0349.
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. AUTO (Automatic Four-Wheel
Drive) :
Use when road surface
traction conditions are variable.
When driving in AUTO, the front
axle is engaged, and the vehicle's
power is sent to the front and rear
wheels automatically based on
driving conditions. This setting
provides slightly lower fuel economy
than 2
m.
Do not use AUTO mode to park on
a steep grade with poor traction
such as ice, snow, mud, or gravel.
In AUTO mode only the rear wheels
will hold the vehicle from sliding
when parked. If parking on a steep
grade, use 4
mto keep all four
wheels engaged.
4
m(Four-Wheel Drive High) : This
setting engages the front axle. Use
this position when extra traction is
needed, such as when driving on
snowy or icy roads, or when
off-roading.

GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122677) -
2017 - crc - 1/20/17
Driving and Operating 263
LDW alerts may occur due to tar
marks, shadows, cracks in the road,
temporary or construction lane
markings, or other road
imperfections. This is normal system
operation; the vehicle does not need
service. Turn LDW off if these
conditions continue.Fuel
For diesel engine vehicles, see
“Fuel for Diesel Engines”in the
Duramax diesel supplement.
GM recommends the use of TOP
TIER
®detergent gasoline to keep
the engine cleaner and reduce
engine deposits. See
www.toptiergas.com for a list of TOP
TIER detergent gasoline marketers
and applicable countries.
Do not use any fuel labeled E85 or
FlexFuel. Do not use gasoline with
ethanol levels greater than 15% by
volume. Use regular unleaded gasoline
meeting ASTM specification D4814
with a posted octane rating of 87 or
higher. Do not use gasoline with a
posted octane rating of less than 87,
as this may cause engine knock and
will lower fuel economy.
Prohibited Fuels
Caution
Do not use fuels with any of the
following conditions; doing so
may damage the vehicle and void
its warranty:
. For vehicles which are not
FlexFuel, fuel labeled
greater than 15% ethanol by
volume, such as mid-level
ethanol blends (16 –50%
ethanol), E85, or FlexFuel.
. Fuel with any amount of
methanol, methylal, and
aniline. These fuels can
corrode metal fuel system
parts or damage plastic and
rubber parts.
(Continued)

GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122677) -
2017 - crc - 1/20/17
264 Driving and Operating
Caution (Continued)
.Fuel containing metals such
as methylcyclopentadienyl
manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT), which can damage
the emissions control
system and spark plugs.
. Fuel with a posted octane
rating of less than the
recommended fuel. Using
this fuel will lower fuel
economy and performance,
and may decrease the life of
the emissions catalyst.
California Fuel
Requirements
If the vehicle is certified to meet
California Emissions Standards, it is
designed to operate on fuels that
meet California specifications. See
the underhood emission control
label. If this fuel is not available in
states adopting California Emissions
Standards, the vehicle will operate
satisfactorily on fuels meeting
federal specifications, but emission control system performance may be
affected. The malfunction indicator
lamp could turn on and the vehicle
may not pass a smog-check test.
See
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Check Engine Light) 0117. If this
occurs, return to your authorized
dealer for diagnosis. If it is
determined that the condition is
caused by the type of fuel used,
repairs may not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Fuels in Foreign
Countries
The U.S., Canada, and Mexico post
fuel octane ratings in anti-knock
index (AKI). For fuel not to use in a
foreign country, see “Prohibited
Fuels” inFuel 0263.
Fuel Additives
To keep fuel systems clean, TOP
TIER detergent gasoline is
recommended. See Fuel0263.
If TOP TIER detergent gasoline is
not available, one bottle of GM Fuel
System Treatment Cleaner added to
the fuel tank at every engine oil change, can help. GM Fuel System
Treatment Cleaner is the only
gasoline additive recommended by
General Motors. It is available at
your dealer.
Filling the Tank
If the vehicle has a diesel engine,
see
“Filling the Tank” in the
Duramax diesel supplement.
{Warning
Fuel vapors and fuel fires burn
violently and can cause injury or
death.
. To help avoid injuries to you
and others, read and follow
all the instructions on the
fuel pump island.
. Turn off the engine when
refueling.
. Keep sparks, flames, and
smoking materials away
from fuel.
(Continued)

GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122677) -
2017 - crc - 1/20/17
Driving and Operating 265
Warning (Continued)
.Do not leave the fuel pump
unattended.
. Do not use a cell phone
while refueling.
. Do not reenter the vehicle
while pumping fuel.
. Keep children away from
the fuel pump and never let
children pump fuel.
. Fuel can spray out if the
refueling nozzle is inserted
too quickly. This spray can
happen if the tank is nearly
full, and is more likely in hot
weather. Insert the refueling
nozzle slowly and wait for
any hiss noise to stop prior
to beginning to flow fuel.
The hinged fuel door is on the driver
side of the vehicle. To open the fuel
door, push and release the rearward
center edge of the door.
The vehicle has a capless refueling
system and does not have a fuel
cap. The filling nozzle must be fully
inserted and latched prior to starting
fuel flow.
{Warning
Overfilling the fuel tank by more
than three clicks of a standard fill
nozzle may cause:
. Vehicle performance issues,
including engine stalling and
damage to the fuel system.
. Fuel spills.
. Potential fuel fires.
Be careful not to spill fuel. Wait a
few seconds after you have finished
pumping before removing the
nozzle. Clean fuel from painted
surfaces as soon as possible. See
Exterior Care 0354.
{Warning
If a fire starts while you are
refueling, do not remove the
nozzle. Shut off the flow of fuel by
shutting off the pump or by
notifying the station attendant.
Leave the area immediately.