
GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
12461766) - 2019 - crc - 10/2/18
130 Instruments and Controls
Engine Hours :Shows the total
number of hours the engine has run.
Transmission Fluid
Temperature : Shows the
temperature of the automatic
transmission fluid in either degrees
Celsius (°C) or degrees
Fahrenheit (°F).
Trailer Brake (If Equipped) :
TRAILER GAIN shows the trailer
gain setting. This setting can be
adjusted from 0.0 to 10.0 with either
a trailer connected or disconnected.
OUTPUT shows the power output to
the trailer anytime a trailer with
electric brakes is connected. Output
is displayed as a bar graph. Dashes
may appear in the OUTPUT display
if a trailer is not connected.
Units : Move
w xto change
between Metric or US when the Unit
display is active. Press SET/CLR to
confirm the setting. This will change
the displays on the DIC to the type
of measurements you select.
ECO Drive Assist Menu (ECO)
Items
This menu is only available on some
vehicles. Press MENU on the turn
signal lever until the ECO menu is
displayed. Use
w xto scroll
through the menu items. Not all
items are available on every vehicle.
The following is a list of all possible
menu items:
Best Average Fuel Economy : The
bottom displays the best average
fuel economy (AFE) that is achieved
for a selected distance. The top
displays a running average of fuel
economy for the most recently
traveled selected distance. The
center bar graph displays the
instantaneous fuel economy.
Quickly press the SET/CLR button
to change the settings for the
distance options.
When viewing best AFE, a several
second press and hold of SET/CLR
will reset the best value. The best
value will show “- - -“until the
selected distance has been
traveled. The display provides feedback on
how current driving behavior in the
bar graph affects the running
average in the top display and how
well recent driving compares to the
best that has been achieved.
Driver Information Center
(DIC) (Uplevel)
The DIC displays are shown in the
center of the instrument cluster in
the Info app.
See
Instrument Cluster (Base Level)
0 111 orInstrument Cluster
(Uplevel) 0113. The displays show
the status of many vehicle systems.
The controls for the DIC are on the
right steering wheel control.

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
12461766) - 2019 - crc - 10/2/18
Instruments and Controls 133
PressVto select the distance or
reset best value. Use
wandxto
choose the distance and press
V.
Press
wandxto select “Reset
Best Score.” Press
Vto reset the
best average fuel economy. After
reset, the best value displays “-,-”
until the selected distance has been
traveled.
The display provides information on
how current driving behavior affects
the running average and how well
recent driving compares to the best
that has been achieved for the
selected distance.
Timer : This display can be used as
a timer. To start the timer, press
V
while this display is active. The
display will show the amount of time
that has passed since the timer was
last reset. To stop the timer, press
V
briefly while this display is active
and the timer is running. To reset
the timer to zero, press and hold
V
while this display is active. Speed Limit :
Shows sign
information, which comes from a
roadway database in the onboard
navigation, if equipped.
Battery Voltage : Displays the
current battery voltage, if equipped.
Battery voltage changes are normal
while driving. See Charging System
Light 0119. If there is a problem
with the battery charging system,
the DIC will display a message.
Oil Pressure : Oil pressure is
displayed in either kilopascal (kPa)
or in pounds per square inch (psi).
Engine Hours : Shows the total
number of hours the engine has run.
Transmission Fluid
Temperature : Shows the
temperature of the automatic
transmission fluid in either degrees
Celsius (°C) or degrees
Fahrenheit (°F).
Trailer Brake (If Equipped) :
TRAILER GAIN shows the trailer
gain setting. This setting can be
adjusted from 0.0 to 10.0 with either
a trailer connected or disconnected. OUTPUT shows the power output to
the trailer anytime a trailer with
electric brakes is connected. Output
is displayed as a bar graph. Dashes
may appear in the OUTPUT display
if a trailer is not connected.
Blank Page :
Shows no
information.

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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154 Driving and Operating
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 163
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 164
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 166
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Truck-Camper LoadingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 173
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178 Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Parking (Manual
Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 182
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Manual Transmission
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . . 187
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 197
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Hill Descent Control (HDC) . . . 199
Limited-Slip Differential . . . . . . . 200
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 203
Assistance Systems for Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . 205
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Fuel
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . 211
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . 211
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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Driving and Operating 173
Starting and
Operating
New Vehicle Break-In
Caution
The vehicle does not need an
elaborate break-in. But it will
perform better in the long run if
you follow these guidelines:. Keep the vehicle speed at
88 km/h (55 mph) or less for
the first 805 km (500 mi).
. Do not drive at any one
constant speed, fast or slow,
for the first 805 km (500 mi).
Do not make full-throttle
starts. Avoid downshifting to
brake or slow the vehicle.
. Avoid making hard stops for
the first 322 km (200 mi) or
so. During this time the new
brake linings are not yet
broken in. Hard stops with
new linings can mean
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
premature wear and earlier
replacement. Follow this
breaking-in guideline every
time you get new brake
linings.
. Do not tow a trailer during
break-in. See Trailer Towing
0 219 for the trailer towing
capabilities of the vehicle
and more information.
Following break-in, engine speed
and load can be gradually
increased.
Ignition Positions
0. Stopping the Engine/LOCK/OFF
1. ACC/ACCESSORY
2. ON/RUN
3. START
The ignition switch has four
positions.
To shift out of P (Park) with an
automatic transmission, the ignition
must be in ON/RUN and the brake
pedal must be applied.

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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178 Driving and Operating
Warning (Continued)
it overheat and cause a fire,
property damage, electric
shock, and injury.
. Do not operate the vehicle
with the heater cord
permanently attached to the
vehicle. Possible heater
cord and thermostat
damage could occur.
. While in use, do not let the
heater cord touch vehicle
parts or sharp edges. Never
close the hood on the
heater cord.
. Before starting the vehicle,
unplug the cord, reattach
the cover to the plug, and
securely fasten the cord.
Keep the cord away from
any moving parts.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and store the
cord as it was before to keep it away from moving engine
parts. If you do not, it could be
damaged.
The length of time the heater should
remain plugged in depends on
several factors. Ask a dealer in the
area where you will be parking the
vehicle for the best advice on this.
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP)
Some vehicle accessories may be
used after the ignition is turned off.
The power windows and sunroof,
if equipped, will continue to work for
up to 10 minutes or until any door is
opened.
The infotainment system will
continue to work for 10 minutes,
until the driver door is opened,
or until the ignition is turned on or
placed in ACC/ACCESSORY.
Shifting Into Park
{Warning
It can be dangerous to get out of
the vehicle if the shift lever is not
fully in P (Park) with the parking
brake firmly set. The vehicle can
roll. If you have left the engine
running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure the vehicle will
not move, even when you are on
fairly level ground, use the steps
that follow. With four-wheel drive,
if the transfer case is in
N (Neutral), the vehicle will be
free to roll, even if the shift lever
is in P (Park). Be sure the transfer
case is in a drive gear. If towing a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips 0214.
1. Hold the brake pedal down, then set the parking brake.
See Parking Brake 0196.

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
12461766) - 2019 - crc - 10/2/18
180 Driving and Operating
Shifting out of Park
This vehicle is equipped with an
electronic shift lock release system.
The shift lock release is
designed to:
.Prevent ignition key removal
unless the shift lever is in
P (Park).
. Prevent movement of the shift
lever out of P (Park), unless the
ignition is on and the regular
brake pedal is applied.
To shift out of P (Park): 1. Apply the brake pedal.
2. Press the button on the shift lever.
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If you still are unable to shift out of
P (Park):
1. Ease the pressure on the shift lever. 2. While holding down the brake
pedal and pressing the shift
lever button, move the shift
lever all the way into P (Park).
3. While holding the shift lever button, move the shift lever to
the desired position.
If you are still having a problem
shifting, then have the vehicle
serviced soon.
Parking (Manual
Transmission)
{Warning
If the vehicle has a manual
transmission, never get out of the
vehicle without first moving the
shift lever into 1st or R (Reverse),
setting the parking brake and
turning the ignition off. The
vehicle can roll, which could
cause serious injury or death. If you are parking on a hill, or if the
vehicle is pulling a trailer, see
Driving Characteristics and Towing
Tips
0214.
Parking over Things
That Burn
{Warning
Things that can burn could touch
hot exhaust parts under the
vehicle and ignite. Do not park
over papers, leaves, dry grass,
or other things that can burn.

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
12461766) - 2019 - crc - 10/2/18
Driving and Operating 183
To rock the vehicle back and forth to
get out of snow, ice, or sand without
damaging the transmission, seeIf
the Vehicle Is Stuck 0166.
N : In this position, the engine does
not connect with the wheels. To
restart the engine when the vehicle
is already moving, use
N (Neutral) only.
{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.
Caution
A transmission hot message may
display if the automatic
transmission fluid is too hot.
Driving under this condition can
damage the vehicle. Stop and idle
the engine to cool the automatic
transmission fluid. This message
clears when the transmission fluid
has cooled sufficiently.
D : This position is for normal
driving. If more power is needed for
passing, press the accelerator
pedal down. 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
0184.
Downshifting the transmission in
slippery road conditions could result
in skidding. See “Skidding”under
Loss of Control 0158.
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.

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
12461766) - 2019 - crc - 10/2/18
184 Driving and Operating
In some cases, this could appear to
be a delayed shift, however the
transmission is operating normally.
The transmission uses adaptive
shift controls. The adaptive shift
control process continually
compares key shift parameters to
pre-programmed ideal shifts stored
in the transmission’s computer. The
transmission constantly makes
adjustments to improve vehicle
performance according to how the
vehicle is being used, such as with
a heavy load or when the
temperature changes. During this
adaptive shift control process,
shifting might feel different as the
transmission determines the best
settings.
When temperatures are very cold,
the transmission's gear shifting
could be delayed providing more
stable shifts until the engine warms
up. Shifts could be more noticeable
with a cold transmission. This
difference in shifting is normal.L :
This position allows selection of
a range of gears appropriate for
current driving conditions. See
Manual Mode 0184.
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.
Normal Mode Grade Braking
Normal Mode Grade Braking is
enabled when the vehicle is started,
but is not enabled in Range
Selection Mode. It assists in
maintaining desired vehicle speeds
when driving on downhill grades by
using the engine and transmission
to slow the vehicle.
Manual Mode
Range Selection Mode
Range Selection Mode helps control
the vehicle's transmission and
vehicle speed while driving downhill
or towing a trailer by letting you
select a desired range of gears.
To use this feature:
1. Move the shift lever to L (Manual Mode).
2. Press the plus/minus button on the shift lever to select the
desired range of gears for
current driving conditions.