GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
14430430) - 2021 - CRC - 9/9/20
2 Introduction
Canadian Vehicle Owners
A French language manual can be obtained
from your dealer, at www.helminc.com,
or from:
Propriétaires Canadiens
On peut obtenir un exemplaire de ce guide
en français auprès du concessionnaire ou à
l'adresse suivante:
Helm, Incorporated
Attention: Customer Service
47911 Halyard Drive
Plymouth, MI 48170
USA
Using this Manual
To quickly locate information about the
vehicle, use the Index in the back of the
manual. It is an alphabetical list of what is
in the manual and the page number where
it can be found.
Danger, Warning, and Caution
Warning messages found on vehicle labels
and in this manual describe hazards and
what to do to avoid or reduce them.
{Danger
Danger indicates a hazard with a high
level of risk which will result in serious
injury or death.
{Warning
Warning indicates a hazard that could
result in injury or death.
Caution
Caution indicates a hazard that could
result in property or vehicle damage.
A circle with a slash through it is a safety
symbol which means“Do not,” “Do not do
this,” or“Do not let this happen.”
Symbols
The vehicle has components and labels that
use symbols instead of text. Symbols are
shown along with the text describing the
operation or information relating to a
specific component, control, message, gauge,
or indicator.
M:Shown when the owner’s manual has
additional instructions or information.
*: Shown when the service manual has
additional instructions or information.
0: Shown when there is more information
on another page — “see page.”
Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols that may
be found on the vehicle and what they
mean. See the features in this manual for
information.
u: Air Conditioning System
G:Air Conditioning Refrigerant Oil
9:Airbag Readiness Light
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
$:Brake System Warning Light
GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
14430430) - 2021 - CRC - 9/9/20
Introduction 5
1.Air Vents 0169.
2. Trailer Brake Control Panel (If Equipped) (Out of View). See “Integrated Trailer
Brake Control System” underTowing
Equipment 0224.
3. Turn Signal Lever. See Turn and
Lane-Change Signals 0105.
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Base
Level) Controls (If Equipped). See Driver
Information Center (DIC) (Base Level)
0 94 or
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Uplevel)
0 96.
4. Instrument Cluster 081.
5. Windshield Wiper/Washer 077.
6. Light Sensor. See Automatic Headlamp
System 0103.
Vehicle Alarm System Indicator (If
Equipped). See Vehicle Alarm System
0 14.
7. Infotainment Controls. See Overview
0 110.
8. Climate Control Systems 0164 (If
Equipped).
Automatic Climate Control System 0166
(If Equipped). 9.
Heated and Ventilated Front Seats 025
(If Equipped).
10. Power Outlets 078 (If Equipped).
11. Shift Lever. See Automatic Transmission
0 192 or
Manual Mode 0195.
12. Auxiliary Jack. See the infotainment manual.
USB Port. See the infotainment manual.
13. Hazard Warning Flashers 0104.
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control 0204.
Exterior Cargo Lamps 0105.
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) 0213 (If
Equipped).
Hill Descent Control (HDC) 0205 (If
Equipped).
Tow/Haul Mode 0196 (If Equipped).
14. Steering Wheel Controls 076 (If
Equipped).
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Uplevel)
Controls (If Equipped). See Driver
Information Center (DIC) (Base Level)
0 94 or
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Uplevel)
0 96.
15. Horn 077. 16.
Steering Wheel Adjustment 076 (Out
of View).
17. Cruise Control 0206.
18. Transfer Case Knob (If Equipped). See Four-Wheel Drive 0197.
19. Hood Release. See Hood0236.
20. Parking Brake 0203.
21. Data Link Connector (DLC) (Out of View). SeeMalfunction Indicator Lamp (Check
Engine Light) 087.
22. Exterior Lamp Controls 0102.
Fog Lamps 0105 (If Equipped).
23. Instrument Panel Illumination Control
0106.
GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
14430430) - 2021 - CRC - 9/9/20
Keys, Doors, and Windows 13
WhenQis pressed on the power door lock
switch with the door open, a chime will
sound three times indicating that delayed
locking is active.
The doors will then lock automatically
five seconds after all doors are closed. If a
door is reopened before five seconds have
elapsed, the five-second timer will reset once
all the doors are closed again.
Press
Qon the door lock switch again,
or press
Qon the RKE transmitter, to
override this feature and lock the doors
immediately.
Delayed locking can be programmed. See
Vehicle Personalization 099.
Automatic Door Locks
If equipped, the doors will lock
automatically when all doors are closed, the
ignition is on, and the shift lever is moved
out of P (Park). If a vehicle door is unlocked
and then opened and closed, the doors will
lock either when your foot is removed from
the brake or the vehicle speed becomes
faster than 13 km/h (8 mph).
To unlock the doors:
.PressKon a power door lock switch.
.Shift the transmission into P (Park).
Automatic door locking cannot be disabled.
Automatic door unlocking can be
programmed. See Vehicle Personalization
0 99.
Lockout Protection
When locking is requested with the driver
door open and the key in the ignition, all
the doors will lock and then the driver door
will unlock. This can be manually overridden
by pressing and holding
Qon the power
door lock switch.
Open Door Anti-Lockout
If Open Door Anti-Lockout has been turned
on and the vehicle is off, the driver door is
open, and locking is requested, all the doors
will lock and the driver door will remain
unlocked. The Open Door Anti-Lockout
feature can be turned on or off. See Vehicle
Personalization 099.
Safety Locks
If equipped, the rear door safety locks
prevent passengers from opening the rear
doors from inside the vehicle.
Press{to activate the safety locks on the
rear doors. The indicator light comes on
when activated. The vehicle must be on, in
ACC/ACCESSORY, or in Retained Accessory
Power (RAP). See Retained Accessory Power
(RAP) 0190.
If the indicator light flashes, the feature
may not be working properly.
GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
14430430) - 2021 - CRC - 9/9/20
28 Seats and Restraints
Questions and Answers About Seat Belts
Q: Will I be trapped in the vehicle after acrash if I am wearing a seat belt?
A: You could be— whether you are
wearing a seat belt or not. Your chance
of being conscious during and after a
crash, so you canunbuckle and get out,
is much greater if you are belted.
Q: If my vehicle has airbags, why should I have to wear seat belts?
A: Airbags are supplemental systems only.
They work withseat belts —not instead
of them. Whether or not an airbag is
provided, all occupants still have to
buckle up to get the most protection.
Also, in nearly all states and in all
Canadian provinces, the law requires
wearing seat belts.
Buckle To Drive
If equipped, this feature prevents the vehicle
from being shifted out of P (Park) when
Teen Driver is active, and the driver seat
belt is not buckled. See Teen Driver0153.
If the engine is running, the driver seat belt
is not buckled, and the brake pedal is
pressed with the vehicle in P (Park), a
message displays in the Driver Information Center (DIC). Buckle the driver seat belt to
shift out of P (Park). Shifting from P (Park)
will be prevented once for each ignition
cycle.
For some fleet vehicles, shifting from
P (Park) will be prevented each time the
above conditions exist whether Teen Driver
is ON or OFF.
On some models, Buckle to Drive may also
prevent shifting out of P (Park) if a front
passenger is unbuckled under similar
conditions. A message displays in the DIC.
Buckle the front passenger seat belt to shift
out of P (Park). This feature may not allow
the vehicle to shift out of P (Park) if an
object, such as a briefcase, handbag, grocery
bag, laptop, or other electronic device, is on
the front passenger seat. If this happens,
remove the object from the seat or buckle
the seat belt to shift out of P (Park).
If the driver, or on some vehicles, the
present front passenger, remains unbuckled,
the DIC message will turn off after several
seconds and the vehicle can be shifted out
of P (Park). See
“Seat Belts”and“Child
Restraints” in the Index for information
about the importance of proper
restraint use. If the driver seat belt, and in some vehicles
the front passenger seat belt, are unbuckled
when driving, the seat belt reminder chime
and/or light(s) will come on. See
Seat Belt
Reminders 085.
This feature may not function properly if
the airbag readiness light is on. See Airbag
Readiness Light 086.
How to Wear Seat Belts Properly
Follow these rules for everyone's protection.
There are additional things to know about
seat belts and children, including smaller
children and infants. If a child will be riding
in the vehicle, see Older Children044 or
Infants and Young Children 045. Review
and follow the rules for children in addition
to the following rules.
It is very important for all occupants to
buckle up. Statistics show that unbelted
people are hurt more often in crashes than
those who are wearing seat belts.
There are important things to know about
wearing a seat belt properly.
GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
14430430) - 2021 - CRC - 9/9/20
Seats and Restraints 39
off using the controls for those features.
If any of these systems are damaged in the
crash they may not operate as normal.
{Warning
A crash severe enough to inflate the
airbags may have also damaged
important functions in the vehicle, such
as the fuel system, brake and steering
systems, etc. Even if the vehicle appears
to be drivable after a moderate crash,
there may be concealed damage that
could make it difficult to safely operate
the vehicle.
Use caution if you should attempt to
restart the engine after a crash has
occurred.
In many crashes severe enough to inflate
the airbag, windshields are broken by
vehicle deformation. Additional windshield
breakage may also occur from the front
outboard passenger airbag.
.Airbags are designed to inflate only once.
After an airbag inflates, you will need
some new parts for the airbag system.
If you do not get them, the airbag
system will not be there to help protect
you in another crash. A new system will include airbag modules and possibly other
parts. The service manual for the vehicle
covers the need to replace other parts.
.The vehicle has a crash sensing and
diagnostic module which records
information after a crash. See
Vehicle
Data Recording and Privacy 0336 and
Event Data Recorders 0337.
.Let only qualified technicians work on the
airbag systems. Improper service can
mean that an airbag system will not work
properly. See your dealer for service.
Passenger Sensing System
The vehicle has a passenger sensing system
for the front outboard passenger position.
The passenger airbag status indicator will
light on the overhead console when the
vehicle is started.
United States
Canada
The words ON and OFF, or the symbols for
on and off, will be visible during the system
check. When the system check is complete,
either the word ON or OFF, or the symbol
for on and off, will be visible. See Passenger
Airbag Status Indicator 086.
The passenger sensing system turns off the
front outboard passenger frontal airbag
under certain conditions. No other airbag is
affected by the passenger sensing system.
The passenger sensing system works with
sensors that are part of the front outboard
passenger seat and seat belt. The sensors
are designed to detect the presence of a
properly seated occupant and determine if
the front outboard passenger frontal airbag
should be allowed to inflate or not.
According to accident statistics, children are
safer when properly secured in a rear seat
in the correct child restraint for their weight
and size.
GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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Instruments and Controls 75
Instruments and Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Wireless Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Warning Lights, Gauges, and Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . 85
Seat Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . 86
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Check Engine Light) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Four-Wheel-Drive Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Tow/Haul Mode Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Hill Descent Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Vehicle Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Traction Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
StabiliTrak OFF Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Traction Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Low Fuel Warning Light (Base Level) . . . 92
Low Fuel Warning Light (Uplevel) . . . . . . 93
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Door Ajar Light (Uplevel Cluster) . . . . . . . 94
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Base Level) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Uplevel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Engine Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Vehicle Speed Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Vehicle Personalization
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
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Instruments and Controls 89
Brake System Warning Light
MetricEnglish
This light should come on briefly when the
vehicle is turned on. If it does not come on
then, have it fixed so it will be ready to
warn you if there is a problem.
When the vehicle is on, the brake system
warning light also comes on when the
parking brake is set. The light stays on if
the parking brake does not fully release. If it
stays on after the parking brake is fully
released, there is a brake problem. Have the
brake system inspected right away.
If the light comes on while driving, pull off
the road and stop carefully. The brake pedal
might be harder to push, or the brake pedal
may go closer to the floor. It could take
longer to stop. If the light is still on, have
the vehicle towed for service. See Towing
the Vehicle 0296.
{Warning
The brake system might not be working
properly if the brake system warning
light is on. Driving with the brake system
warning light on can lead to a crash.
If the light is still on after the vehicle has
been pulled off the road and carefully
stopped, have the vehicle towed for
service.
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
Warning Light
This light comes on briefly when the engine
is started.
If the light does not come on, have it fixed
so it will be ready to warn if there is a
problem.
If the light comes on while driving, stop as
soon as it is safely possible and turn off the
vehicle. Then start the engine again to reset the system. If the ABS light stays on,
or comes on again while driving, the vehicle
needs service. A chime may also sound
when the light comes on steady.
If the ABS light is the only light on, the
vehicle has regular brakes, but the antilock
brakes are not functioning.
If both the ABS and the brake system
warning light are on, the vehicle's antilock
brakes are not functioning and there is a
problem with the regular brakes. See your
dealer for service.
See
Brake System Warning Light 089.
Four-Wheel-Drive Light
Auto Mode Shown, Other Modes Similar
If equipped, the four-wheel-drive light
displays what mode the vehicle is in. The
light will show each mode: 2WD, 4HI, AUTO
(all transfer cases); 4LOW and N (two-speed
transfer case only).
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Instruments and Controls 95
Fuel Range :Displays the approximate
distance the vehicle can be driven without
refueling. The fuel range estimate is based
on an average of the vehicle's fuel economy
over recent driving history and the amount
of fuel remaining in the fuel tank. Fuel
range cannot be reset.
Average Vehicle Speed : Displays the
average vehicle speed of the vehicle in
kilometers per hour (km/h) or miles per
hour (mph). This average is based on the
various vehicle speeds recorded since the
last reset. Reset the average speed by
pressing SET/CLR when it is displayed.
Timer : To start the timer, press SET/CLR
while Timer is displayed. The display will
show the amount of time that has passed
since the timer was last reset, not including
time the ignition is off. Time will continue
to be counted as long as the ignition is on,
even if another display is being shown on
the DIC. The timer will record up to
99 hours, 59 minutes, and 59 seconds
(99:59:59) after which the display will return
to zero. To stop the timer, press SET/CLR
briefly while Timer is displayed. To reset the
timer to zero, press and hold SET/CLR.
Blank Display : Displays no information.Vehicle Information Menu (VEHICLE)
Items
Press MENU on the turn signal lever until
the VEHICLE menu is displayed. Use
w x
to scroll through the menu items. Not all
items are available on every vehicle. The
following is a list of all possible menu items:
Remaining Oil Life : Displays an estimate of
the oil's remaining useful life. If REMAINING
OIL LIFE 99% is displayed, that means 99%
of the current oil life remains.
When the remaining oil life is low, the
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON message will
appear on the display. The oil should be
changed as soon as possible. See Engine Oil
0 240. In addition to the engine oil life
system monitoring the oil life, additional
maintenance is recommended in the
Maintenance Schedule in this manual. See
Maintenance Schedule 0310.
The Oil Life display must be reset after each
oil change. Do not reset the Oil Life display
accidentally at any time other than when
the oil has just been changed. It cannot be
reset accurately until the next oil change. To
reset the engine oil life system, see Engine
Oil Life System 0242. Oil Pressure :
Oil pressure is displayed in
either kilopascal (kPa) or in pounds per
square inch (psi).
Tire Pressure : Displays a vehicle with the
approximate pressures of all four tires. Tire
pressure is displayed in either
kilopascal (kPa) or in pounds per square
inch (psi). See Tire Pressure Monitor System
0 273 and
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation 0274.
Battery Voltage : Displays the current
battery voltage, if equipped. Battery voltage
changes are normal while driving. See
Charging System Light 087. If there is a
problem with the battery charging system,
the DIC will display a message.
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.