GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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Driving and Operating 163
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 0325.
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 Tires0273.
. Turn off cruise control.
GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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Driving and Operating 165
.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 0347. 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:
. Clear snow from the base of
the vehicle, especially any
blocking the exhaust pipe.
. Open a window about 5 cm
(2 in) on the vehicle side
that is away from the wind,
to bring in fresh air.
. Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
. Adjust the climate control
system to circulate the air
inside the vehicle and set
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
the fan speed to the highest
setting. See“Climate
Control Systems.”
For more information about CO,
see Engine Exhaust 0181.
To save fuel, run the engine for
short periods to warm the vehicle
and then shut the engine off and
partially close the window. Moving
about to keep warm also helps.
If it takes time for help to arrive,
when running the engine, push the
accelerator pedal slightly so the
engine runs faster than the idle
speed. This keeps the battery
charged to restart the vehicle and to
signal for help with the headlamps.
Do this as little as possible, to
save fuel.
GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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186 Driving and Operating
Grade Braking is not available when
Range Selection Mode is active.
SeeTow/Haul Mode 0186.
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 the vehicle
is stuck, do not spin the tires.
When stopping on a hill, use the
brakes to hold the vehicle in
place.
Low Traction Mode
If equipped, 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 L2 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 0123 and
Hill and Mountain Roads 0164.
Also see “Tow/Haul Mode” under
Towing Equipment 0224.
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/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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198 Driving and Operating
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/
Electronic Stability
Control
System Operation
The vehicle has a Traction Control
System (TCS) and StabiliTrak/
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) an
electronic stability control system.
These systems help limit wheel slip
and assist the driver in maintaining
control, especially on slippery road
conditions.
TCS activates if it senses that any
of the drive wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. When this
happens, TCS applies the brakes to
the spinning wheels and reduces
engine power to limit wheel spin.
StabiliTrak/ESC activates when the
vehicle senses a difference between
the intended path and the direction
the vehicle is actually traveling.
StabiliTrak/ESC selectively applies
braking pressure to any one of thevehicle 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/ESC
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.
See
If the Vehicle Is Stuck 0166
and “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/ESC 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/ESC 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
GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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200 Driving and Operating
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. 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).
Limited-Slip Differential
If equipped, the limited-slip
differential can give more traction on
snow, mud, ice, sand, or gravel.
It works like a standard axle most of
the time, but when traction is low,
this feature allows the drive wheel
with the most traction to move thevehicle. For vehicles with the
limited-slip differential, driven under
severe conditions, the rear axle fluid
should be changed. See
Maintenance Schedule
0325.
GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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Driving and Operating 201
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/
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise
control will automatically disengage.
See
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0198. If a collision
alert occurs when cruise control is
activated, cruise control is
disengaged. See Forward Collision
Alert (FCA) System 0207. When
road conditions allow you to safely
use it again, cruise control can be
turned back on.
If equipped with Hill Descent Control
(HDC), cruise control will disengage
if HDC is Active.
If the brakes are applied, the cruise
control disengages.
5: Press to turn the system on or
off. A white indicator comes on in
the instrument cluster when cruise
control is turned on.
+RES : 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− :Press briefly to set the
speed and activate cruise control.
If cruise control is already active,
use to decrease vehicle speed.
GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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202 Driving and Operating
*: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)
0 111 orInstrument Cluster
(Uplevel) 0113. 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 +RES 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 km/h
(1 mph) faster. The speedometer reading can be
displayed in either English or metric
units.
See
Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Base Level) 0128 orDriver
Information Center (DIC) (Uplevel)
0 130. 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 km/h (1 mph) slower.
The speedometer reading can be
displayed in either English or metric
units.
See Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Base Level) 0128 orDriver
Information Center (DIC) (Uplevel)
0 130. The increment value used
depends on the units displayed.
GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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Driving and Operating 203
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 SET–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
This vehicle may have features that
work together to help avoid crashes
or reduce crash damage while
driving, backing, and parking. Read
this entire section before using
these systems.
{Warning
Do not rely on the Driver
Assistance Systems. These
systems do not replace the need
for paying attention and driving
safely. You may not hear or see
alerts or warnings provided by
these systems. Failure to use
proper care when driving may
result in injury, death, or vehicle
damage. See Defensive Driving
0 156.
Under many conditions, these
systems will not: (Continued)