
GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
13566643) - 2020 - CRC - 10/4/19
Lighting 125
Lighting
Exterior Lighting
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . 125
Exterior Lamps OffReminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Automatic Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . 128
Turn and Lane-Change Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Exterior Cargo Lamps . . . . . . . . 130
Interior Lighting
Instrument Panel Illumination Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Lighting Features
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Battery Load Management . . . 131
Battery Power Protection . . . . . 132
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132Exterior Lighting
Exterior Lamp Controls
The exterior lamp control is on the
instrument panel to the left of the
steering wheel.
O: Turns off the automatic
headlamps and Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL). Turn the headlamp
control to
Oagain to turn the
automatic headlamps or DRL
back on.
For vehicles first sold in Canada, off
will only work when the vehicle is in
P (Park).

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
13566643) - 2020 - CRC - 10/4/19
Lighting 129
If after signaling a turn or a lane
change the arrows flash rapidly or
do not come on, a signal bulb could
be burned out.
Replace any burned out bulbs. If a
bulb is not burned out, check the
fuse. SeeFuses and Circuit
Breakers 0249.
Turn Signal On Chime
If the turn signal is left on for more
than 1.2 km (0.75 mi), a chime
sounds at each flash of the turn
signal. The message TURN
SIGNAL ON will also appear in the
Driver Information Center (DIC). To
turn the chime and message off,
move the turn signal lever to the off
position.Fog Lamps
If equipped, the control is on the
center of the exterior lamp control,
to the left of the steering column.
The ignition must be on for the fog
lamps to come on.
#: Press to turn the fog lamps on
or off. A light will come on in the
instrument cluster. When the fog lamps are turned on,
the parking lamps automatically
turn on.
When the headlamps are changed
to high beam, the fog lamps go off.
When the high-beam headlamps are
turned off, the fog lamps will come
on again.
Some localities have laws that
require the headlamps to be on with
the fog lamps.

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
13566643) - 2020 - CRC - 10/4/19
130 Lighting
Exterior Cargo Lamps
The cargo lamp provides more light
in the cargo area of the vehicle,
if needed. The lamps inside the
pickup box also turn on, if equipped.
Press the switch down to turn the
cargo lamp on or off. The shift lever
must be in P (Park), R (Reverse),
or N (Neutral) to operate the
cargo lamp.
Become familiar with and follow all
state and local laws that apply to
cargo lamp operation.
Interior Lighting
Instrument Panel
Illumination Control
This feature controls the brightness
of the steering wheel and instrument
panel lights. The instrument panel
illumination control is next to the
exterior lamp control.
D:Move the thumbwheel up or
down to brighten or dim the lights.
Dome Lamps
The interior lamps control in the
overhead console controls both the
front and rear interior lamps.
To operate:
(: Turns the lamps off.
H:Turns the lamps on when any
door is opened.
': Keeps the lamps on all
the time.
The interior lamps turn on
automatically if the airbags are
deployed.

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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Driving and Operating 141
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Driving for Better FuelEconomy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 150
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 151
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 153
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Truck-Camper Loading Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 160
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164 Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Active Fuel Management . . . . . 168
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 169
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 182
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Hill Descent Control (HDC) . . . 184
Limited-Slip Differential . . . . . . . 185
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 188
Assistance Systems for Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . 189
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Fuel
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . 196
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 196
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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142 Driving and Operating
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) . . . 215
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical
Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Driving Information
Driving for Better Fuel
Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel
mileage. Here are some driving tips
to get the best fuel economy
possible:
. Set the climate controls to the
desired temperature after the
engine is started, or turn them
off when not required.
. Avoid fast starts and accelerate
smoothly.
. Brake gradually and avoid
abrupt stops.
. Avoid idling the engine for long
periods of time.
. When road and weather
conditions are appropriate, use
cruise control.
. Always follow posted speed
limits or drive more slowly when
conditions require.
. Keep vehicle tires properly
inflated. .
Combine several trips into a
single trip.
. Replace the vehicle's tires with
the same TPC Spec number
molded into the tire's sidewall
near the size.
. Follow recommended scheduled
maintenance.
Distracted Driving
Distraction comes in many forms
and can take your focus from the
task of driving. Exercise good
judgment and do not let other
activities divert your attention away
from the road. Many local
governments have enacted laws
regarding driver distraction. Become
familiar with the local laws in
your area.
To avoid distracted driving, keep
your eyes on the road, keep your
hands on the steering wheel, and
focus your attention on driving.

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
13566643) - 2020 - CRC - 10/4/19
144 Driving and Operating
Control of a Vehicle
Braking, steering, and accelerating
are important factors in helping to
control a vehicle while driving.
Braking
Braking action involves perception
time and reaction time. Deciding to
push the brake pedal is perception
time. Actually doing it is
reaction time.
Average driver reaction time is
about three-quarters of a second. In
that time, a vehicle moving at
100 km/h (60 mph) travels 20 m
(66 ft), which could be a lot of
distance in an emergency.
Helpful braking tips to keep in mind
include:
.Keep enough distance between
you and the vehicle in front
of you.
. Avoid needless heavy braking.
. Keep pace with traffic. If the engine ever stops while the
vehicle is being driven, brake
normally but do not pump the
brakes. Doing so could make the
pedal harder to push down. If the
engine stops, there will be some
power brake assist but it will be
used when the brake is applied.
Once the power assist is used up, it
can take longer to stop and the
brake pedal will be harder to push.
Steering
Caution
To avoid damage to the steering
system, do not drive over curbs,
parking barriers, or similar objects
at speeds greater than 3 km/h
(1 mph). Use care when driving
over other objects such as lane
dividers and speed bumps.
Damage caused by misuse of the
vehicle is not covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Electric Power Steering
The vehicle has electric power
steering. It does not have power
steering fluid. Regular maintenance
is not required.
If power steering assist is lost due
to a system malfunction, the vehicle
can be steered, but may require
increased effort.
If the steering assist is used for an
extended period of time while the
vehicle is not moving, power assist
may be reduced.

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
13566643) - 2020 - CRC - 10/4/19
Driving and Operating 145
If the steering wheel is turned until it
reaches the end of its travel and is
held against that position for an
extended period of time, power
steering assist may be reduced.
Normal use of the power steering
assist should return when the
system cools down.
See your dealer if there is a
problem.
Curve Tips
.Take curves at a reasonable
speed.
. Reduce speed before entering a
curve.
. Maintain a reasonable steady
speed through the curve.
. Wait until the vehicle is out of
the curve before accelerating
gently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
.
There are some situations when
steering around a problem may
be more effective than braking. .
Holding both sides of the
steering wheel allows you to turn
180 degrees without removing
a hand.
. The Antilock Brake System
(ABS) allows steering while
braking.
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop
off the edge of a road onto the
shoulder while driving. Follow
these tips: 1. Ease off the accelerator and
then, if there is nothing in the
way, steer the vehicle so that it
straddles the edge of the
pavement.
2. Turn the steering wheel about one-eighth of a turn, until the
right front tire contacts the
pavement edge.
3. Turn the steering wheel to go straight down the roadway.
Loss of Control
Skidding
There are three types of skids that
correspond to the vehicle's three
control systems:
.Braking Skid —wheels are not
rolling.
. Steering or Cornering Skid —
too much speed or steering in a
curve causes tires to slip and
lose cornering force.
. Acceleration Skid —too much
throttle causes the driving
wheels to spin.

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
13566643) - 2020 - CRC - 10/4/19
146 Driving and Operating
Defensive drivers avoid most skids
by taking reasonable care suited to
existing conditions, and by not
overdriving those conditions. But
skids are always possible.
If the vehicle starts to slide, follow
these suggestions:
.Ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and steer the
way you want the vehicle to go.
The vehicle may straighten out.
Be ready for a second skid if it
occurs.
. Slow down and adjust your
driving according to weather
conditions. Stopping distance
can be longer and vehicle
control can be affected when
traction is reduced by water,
snow, ice, gravel, or other
material on the road. Learn to
recognize warning clues —such
as enough water, ice, or packed
snow on the road to make a
mirrored surface —and slow
down when you have any doubt.
. Try to avoid sudden steering,
acceleration, or braking,
including reducing vehicle speed by shifting to a lower gear. Any
sudden changes could cause
the tires to slide.
Remember: Antilock brakes help
avoid only the braking skid.
Off-Road Driving
Four-wheel-drive vehicles can be
used for off-road driving. Vehicles
without four-wheel drive and
vehicles not equipped with All
Terrain (AT) or On-Off Road (OOR)
tires must not be driven off-road
except on a level, solid surface. For
contact information about the
original equipment tires, see the
warranty manual.
One of the best ways for successful
off-road driving is to control the
speed.
{Warning
When driving off-road, bouncing
and quick changes in direction
can easily throw you out of
position. This could cause you to (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
lose control and crash. You and
your passengers should always
wear seat belts.
Before Driving Off-Road
.Have all necessary maintenance
and service work completed.
. Fuel the vehicle, fill fluid levels,
and check inflation pressure in
all tires, including the spare,
if equipped.
. Read all the information about
four-wheel-drive vehicles in this
manual.
. Remove any underbody air
deflector, if equipped. Re-attach
the air deflector after off-road
driving.
. Know the local laws that apply to
off-road driving.
To gain more ground clearance if
needed, it may be necessary to
remove the front fascia lower air