2018 GMC CANYON brake light

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
11354423) - 2018 - crc - 10/12/17
Instruments and Controls 135
Vehicle Messages
Messages displayed on the DIC
indicate the status of the vehicle or
some action that may be needed to
correct a condition. Multiple
messages may appear one after
another.
The messages that do not require
immediate action can be
acknowledged and cleared by
pressing
V. The messages that
require immediate action cannot be
cleared until that action is
performed.
All messages should be taken
seriously; clearing the message
does not correct the problem.
If a SERVICE message appears,
see your dealer.
Follow the instructions given in the
messages. The system displays
messages regarding the following
topics:
. Service Messages
. Fluid Levels
. Vehicle Security .
Brakes
. Ride Control Systems
. Driver Assistance Systems
. Cruise Control
. Lighting and Bulb Replacement
. Wiper/Washer Systems
. Doors and Windows
. Seat Belts
. Airbag Systems
. Engine and Transmission
. Tire Pressure
. Battery
Engine Power Messages
ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED
This message displays when the
vehicle's propulsion power is
reduced. Reduced propulsion power
can affect the vehicle's ability to
accelerate. If this message is on,
but there is no observed reduction
in performance, proceed to your
destination. The performance may
be reduced the next time the vehicle is driven. The vehicle may be driven
while this message is on, but
maximum acceleration and speed
may be reduced. Anytime this
message stays on, or displays
repeatedly, the vehicle should be
taken to your dealer for service as
soon as possible.
Vehicle Speed Messages
SPEED LIMITED TO
XXX KM/H (MPH)
This message shows that the
vehicle speed has been limited to
the speed displayed. The limited
speed is a protection for various
propulsion and vehicle systems,
such as lubrication, thermal,
suspension, Teen Driver if
equipped, or tires.
If equipped with a diesel engine,
see the Duramax Diesel
supplement.

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
11354423) - 2018 - crc - 10/12/17
Driving and Operating 205
{Warning
Heavy braking when going down
a hill can cause your brakes to
overheat and fade. This could
cause loss of control and you or
others could be injured or killed.
Apply the brakes lightly when
descending a hill and use a low
gear to keep vehicle speed under
control.
If the vehicle stalls on a hill: 1. Apply the brakes to stop the vehicle, and then apply the
parking brake.
2. Shift into P (Park) and then restart the engine.
.If driving uphill when the
vehicle stalls, shift to
R (Reverse), release the
parking brake, and back
straight down. .
Never try to turn the vehicle
around. If the hill is steep
enough to stall the vehicle,
it is steep enough to cause
it to roll over.
. If you cannot make it up the
hill, back straight down
the hill.
. Never back down a hill in
N (Neutral) using only the
brake. The vehicle can roll
backward quickly and you
could lose control.
. If driving downhill when the
vehicle stalls, shift to a
lower gear, release the
parking brake, and drive
straight down the hill.
3. If the vehicle cannot be restarted after stalling, set the
parking brake, shift into
P (Park), and turn the
vehicle off.
3.1. Leave the vehicle and
seek help. 3.2. Stay clear of the path the
vehicle would take if it
rolled downhill.
. Avoid turns that take the vehicle
across the incline of the hill.
A hill that can be driven straight
up or down might be too steep to
drive across. Driving across an
incline puts more weight on the
downhill wheels, which could
cause a downhill slide or a
rollover.
. Surface conditions can be a
problem. Loose gravel, muddy
spots, or even wet grass can
cause the tires to slip sideways,
downhill. If the vehicle slips
sideways, it can hit something
that will trip it —a rock, a rut,
etc. —and roll over.
. Hidden obstacles can make the
steepness of the incline more
severe. If a rock is driven across
with the uphill wheels, or if the
downhill wheels drop into a rut
or depression, the vehicle can tilt
even more.

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
11354423) - 2018 - crc - 10/12/17
Driving and Operating 207
and it may take longer to stop. See
“Driving on Wet Roads”later in this
section.
After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that
has collected on the underbody or
chassis, or under the hood. These
accumulations can be a fire hazard.
After operation in mud or sand,
have the brake linings cleaned and
checked. These substances can
cause glazing and uneven braking.
Check the body structure, driveline,
steering, suspension, wheels, tires,
and exhaust system for damage and
check the fuel lines and cooling
system for any leakage.
More frequent maintenance service
is required. See the Maintenance
Schedule 0361.
Driving on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce
vehicle traction and affect your
ability to stop and accelerate.
Always drive slower in these types of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and
deep-standing or flowing water.
{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 is
wet 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 Tires0309.
. Turn off cruise control.

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
11354423) - 2018 - crc - 10/12/17
218 Driving and Operating
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 0240.
{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.
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.

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
11354423) - 2018 - crc - 10/12/17
230 Driving and Operating
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 0124 and
Hill and Mountain Roads 0208.
Also see “Tow/Haul Mode” under
Towing Equipment 0261.
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.
Manual Transmission
If equipped with a manual
transmission, this is the shift
pattern.
Caution
Do not rest your hand on the shift
lever while driving. The pressure
could cause premature wear in
the transmission. The repairs
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
11354423) - 2018 - crc - 10/12/17
232 Driving and Operating
Caution (Continued)
the vehicle warranty. Shift to
R (Reverse) only after the vehicle
is stopped.
Use R (Reverse), along with the
parking brake, for parking the
vehicle.
Shift Speeds
{Warning
If you skip a gear when
downshifting, you could lose
control of the vehicle. You could
injure yourself or others. Do not
shift down more than one gear at
a time when downshifting.
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
mor 4nmay:
. Cause a vibration to be felt in
the steering system.

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
11354423) - 2018 - crc - 10/12/17
Driving and Operating 233
.Cause tires to wear faster.
. Cause additional driveline noise.
{Warning
If equipped with four-wheel drive,
the vehicle will be free to roll if the
transfer case is in N (Neutral),
even when the shift lever is in
P (Park). You or someone else
could be seriously injured. Be
sure the transfer case is in a drive
gear —2
m, 4m, or 4nor set the
parking brake before placing the
transfer case in N (Neutral). See
Shifting Into Park 0222.
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 0241.
Electronic Transfer Case
Use the transfer case knob, next to
the steering wheel, to shift into and
out of four-wheel drive for extra
traction. All of the lights will blink on then off
momentarily when the ignition is
turned on. 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.
In extreme cold weather, it may be
necessary to slow or stop the
vehicle to shift from 2
mto 4m.

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
11354423) - 2018 - crc - 10/12/17
Driving and Operating 235
Shifting Out of 4n
1. To shift out of 4nthe vehicle
must be stopped or moving
less than 5 km/h (3 mph) with
the transmission in N (Neutral)
and the ignition on. It is best for
the vehicle to be moving
1.6 to 3.2 km/h (1 to 2 mph).
2. Turn the knob to 4
mor 2m.
Wait for the 4
mor 2mindicator
light to stop flashing before
shifting the transmission
into gear.
If the transmission is in gear and/or
moving more than 5 km/h (3 mph),
the 4
mor 2mindicator light will flash
for 30 seconds, but will not complete
the shift. With the vehicle moving
less than 5 km/h (3 mph), and the
transmission in N (Neutral), attempt
the shift again.
Shifting Into N (Neutral)
To shift:
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface. 2. Set the parking brake and
press and hold the brake
pedal. See Parking Brake
0 240.
3. Start the vehicle or turn the ignition on.
4. Shift the transmission to N (Neutral).
5. Shift the transfer case to 2
m.
6. Turn the transfer case knob clockwise to N (Neutral) until it
stops and hold it there until the
N (Neutral) light starts blinking.
This will take at least
10 seconds. Then slowly
release the knob to the 4
n
position. The N (Neutral) light
will come on when the transfer
case shift to N (Neutral) is
complete.
7. With the engine running, verify that the transfer case is in
N (Neutral) by shifting the
transmission to R (Reverse),
then to D (Drive). There should
be no movement of the vehicle
while shifting the transmission. 8. Turn the engine off, and the
ignition to ACC/ACCESSORY.
9. Place the transmission shift lever in P (Park). See
Recreational Vehicle Towing
0345.
10. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
Shifting Out of N (Neutral)
To shift: 1. Set the parking brake and apply the brake pedal.
2. Turn the ignition on with the engine off.
3. Shift the transmission to N (Neutral).
4. Turn the transfer case knob to 2
m.
After the transfer case has
shifted out of N (Neutral), the
N (Neutral) light will go out.
5. Release the parking brake.