GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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228 Driving and Operating
2. Adjust the Trailer Gain, using the TrailerGain (+) or (-) adjustment buttons, to
just below the point of trailer wheel
lock-up, indicated by trailer wheel squeal
or tire smoke when a trailer wheel locks.
Trailer wheel lock-up may not occur if
towing a heavily loaded trailer. Adjust
the Trailer Gain to the highest allowable
setting for the towing condition.
3. Readjust Trailer Gain anytime vehicle loading, trailer loading, or road surface
conditions change or if trailer wheel
lock-up is noticed at any time while
towing.
Other ITBC-Related DIC Messages
TRAILER CONNECTED: This message will
briefly display when a trailer with electric
brakes is first connected to the vehicle. This
message will automatically turn off in about
10 seconds. This message can be
acknowledged before it automatically
turns off.
CHECK TRAILER WIRING: This message will
display if:
.The ITBC system first determines
connection to a trailer with electric brakes
and then the trailer harness becomes
disconnected from the vehicle. If the disconnect occurs while the vehicle
is stationary, this message will
automatically turn off in about
30 seconds. This message will also turn
off if it is acknowledged or if the trailer
harness is reconnected.
If the disconnect occurs while the vehicle
is moving, this message will continue
until the ignition is turned off. This
message will also turn off if it is
acknowledged or if the trailer harness is
reconnected.
.There is an electrical fault in the wiring to
the trailer brakes. This message will
continue as long as there is an electrical
fault in the trailer wiring. This message
will also turn off if it is acknowledged.
To determine whether the electrical fault is
on the vehicle side or trailer side of the
trailer wiring harness connection: 1. Disconnect the trailer wiring harness from the vehicle.
2. Turn the ignition off.
3. Wait 10 seconds, then turn the ignition back to RUN.
4. If the CHECK TRAILER WIRING message reappears, the electrical fault is on the
vehicle side. If the CHECK TRAILER WIRING message only
reappears when connecting the trailer wiring
harness to the vehicle, the electrical fault is
on the trailer side.
SERVICE TRAILER BRAKE SYSTEM: This
message will display when there is a
problem with the ITBC system. If this
message continues over multiple ignition
cycles, have the vehicle serviced.
If either the CHECK TRAILER WIRING or
SERVICE TRAILER BRAKE SYSTEM message
displays while driving, the ITBC system may
not be fully functional or may not function
at all. When traffic conditions allow,
carefully pull the vehicle over to the side of
the road and turn the ignition off. Check the
wiring connection to the trailer and turn the
ignition back on. If either of these messages
continues, either the vehicle or trailer needs
service.
A GM dealer may be able to diagnose and
repair problems with the trailer. However,
any diagnosis and repair of the trailer is not
covered under the vehicle warranty. Contact
your trailer dealer for assistance with trailer
repairs and trailer warranty information.
GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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232 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
California Perchlorate MaterialsRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . 233
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own Service Work . . . . . . . . . 233
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . 235
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . 241
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Battery - North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Automatic Transmission Shift Lock Control Function Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . 252 Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Headlamp Aiming
Front Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker, and Parking Lamps . . . . . . 254
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) and Cargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . 259
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . 264
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
All-Terrain Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270 Tire Terminology and Definitions . . . . . . 271
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . 274
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . 274
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . 278
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . 280
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . 281
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . 282
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Jump Starting
Jump Starting - North America . . . . . . . . 294
Towing the Vehicle
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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Vehicle Care 233
General Information
For service and parts needs, visit your
dealer. You will receive genuine GM parts
and GM-trained and supported service
people.
Genuine GM parts have one of these marks:
California Perchlorate Materials
Requirements
Certain types of automotive applications,
such as airbag initiators, seat belt
pretensioners, and lithium batteries
contained in electronic keys, may containperchlorate materials. Perchlorate Material
–
special handling may apply. See
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/
perchlorate.
Accessories and Modifications
Adding non-dealer accessories or making
modifications to the vehicle can affect
vehicle performance and safety, including
such things as airbags, braking, stability,
ride and handling, emissions systems,
aerodynamics, durability, and electronic
systems like antilock brakes, traction control,
and stability control. These accessories or
modifications could even cause malfunction
or damage not covered by the vehicle
warranty.
Damage to suspension components caused
by modifying vehicle height outside of
factory settings will not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Damage to vehicle components resulting
from modifications or the installation or use
of non-GM certified parts, including control
module or software modifications, is not
covered under the terms of the vehicle
warranty and may affect remaining
warranty coverage for affected parts. GM Accessories are designed to complement
and function with other systems on the
vehicle. See your dealer to accessorize the
vehicle using genuine GM Accessories
installed by a dealer technician.
Also, see
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 043.
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own Service Work
{Warning
It can be dangerous to work on your
vehicle if you do not have the proper
knowledge, service manual, tools,
or parts. Always follow owner’s manual
procedures and consult the service
manual for your vehicle before doing any
service work.
If doing some of your own service work, use
the proper service manual. It tells you much
more about how to service the vehicle than
this manual can. To order the proper service
manual, see Publication Ordering
Information 0335.
GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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234 Vehicle Care
This vehicle has an airbag system. Before
attempting to do your own service work,
seeServicing the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
0 42.
Keep a record with all parts receipts and list
the mileage and the date of any service
work performed. See Maintenance Records
0 323.
Caution
Even small amounts of contamination can
cause damage to vehicle systems. Do not
allow contaminants to contact the fluids,
reservoir caps, or dipsticks.
Hood
{Warning
Turn the vehicle off before opening the
hood. If the engine is running with the
hood open, you or others could be
injured.
{Warning
Components under the hood can get hot
from running the engine. To help avoid
the risk of burning unprotected skin,
never touch these components until they
have cooled, and always use a glove or
towel to avoid direct skin contact.
Clear any snow from the hood before
opening.
To open the hood: 1. Pull the hood release lever with the
isymbol. It is on the lower left side
of the instrument panel.
2. Go to the front of the vehicle and locate the secondary release lever under the
front center of the hood. Push the
secondary hood release lever to the right
to release.
3. After you have partially lifted the hood, the gas strut system will automatically
lift the hood and hold it in the fully
open position.
To close the hood: 1. Before closing the hood, be sure all filler caps are on properly, and all tools are
removed.
2. Pull the hood down until the strut system is no longer holding up the hood.
3. Allow the hood to fall. Check to make sure the hood is latched completely.
Repeat this process with additional force
if necessary.
{Warning
Do not drive the vehicle if the hood is
not latched completely. The hood could
open fully, block your vision, and cause a
crash. You or others could be injured.
Always close the hood completely before
driving.
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236 Vehicle Care
1. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap.See Cooling System 0243.
2. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0241.
3. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine Oil0238.
4. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System 0243.
5. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine Oil0238.
6. Engine Compartment Fuse Block 0259.
7. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid
0 248.
8. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer Fluid 0247.
9. Battery - North America 0249.
GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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238 Vehicle Care
1. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap.See Cooling System 0243.
2. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0241.
3. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine Oil0238.
4. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System 0243.
5. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine Oil0238.
6. Engine Compartment Fuse Block 0259.
7. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid
0 248.
8. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer Fluid 0247.
9. Battery - North America 0249.
If the vehicle has a diesel engine, see the
Duramax diesel supplement.
Engine Oil
For diesel engine vehicles, see “Engine Oil”
in the Duramax diesel supplement. To ensure proper engine performance and
long life, careful attention must be paid to
engine oil. Following these simple, but
important steps will help protect your
investment:
.Use engine oil approved to the proper
specification and of the proper viscosity
grade. See
“Selecting the Right Engine
Oil” in this section.
.Check the engine oil level regularly and
maintain the proper oil level. See
“Checking Engine Oil” and“When to Add
Engine Oil” in this section.
.Change the engine oil at the appropriate
time. SeeEngine Oil Life System 0240.
.Always dispose of engine oil properly. See
“What to Do with Used Oil” in this
section.
Checking Engine Oil
Check the engine oil level regularly, every
650 km (400 mi), especially prior to a long
trip. The engine oil dipstick handle is a loop.
See Engine Compartment Overview 0235 for
the location.
{Warning
The engine oil dipstick handle may be
hot; it could burn you. Use a towel or
glove to touch the dipstick handle.
If a low oil Driver Information Center (DIC)
message displays, check the oil level.
Follow these guidelines:
.To get an accurate reading, park the
vehicle on level ground. Check the engine
oil level after the engine has been off for
at least two hours. Checking the engine
oil level on steep grades or too soon after
engine shutoff can result in incorrect
readings. Accuracy improves when
checking a cold engine prior to starting.
Remove the dipstick and check the level.
.If unable to wait two hours, the engine
must be off for at least 15 minutes if the
engine is warm, or at least 30 minutes if
the engine is not warm. Pull out the
dipstick, wipe it with a clean paper towel
or cloth, then push it back in all the way.
Remove it again, keeping the tip down,
and check the level.
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Vehicle Care 245
If coolant is visible but the coolant level is
not at or above the mark pointed to, add a
50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX-COOL coolant.
Be sure the cooling system is cool before
this is done.
If no coolant is visible in the coolant surge
tank, add coolant as follows:
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Surge Tank
{Warning
Spilling coolant on hot engine parts can
burn you. Coolant contains ethylene
glycol and it will burn if the engine parts
are hot enough.
{Warning
Plain water, or other liquids such as
alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mixture will. With plain water or
the wrong mixture, the engine could get
too hot but there would not be an
overheat warning. The engine could catch
fire and you or others could be burned.
{Warning
Steam and scalding liquids from a hot
cooling system are under pressure.
Turning the pressure cap, even a little,
can cause them to come out at high
speed and you could be burned. Never
turn the cap when the cooling system,
including the pressure cap, is hot. Wait
for the cooling system and pressure cap
to cool.
Caution
Failure to follow the specific coolant fill
procedure could cause the engine to
overheat and could cause system
damage. If coolant is not visible in the
surge tank, contact your dealer.
The coolant surge tank pressure cap can be
removed when the cooling system, including
the surge tank pressure cap and upper
radiator hose, is no longer hot.
1. Turn the pressure cap slowly counterclockwise. If a hiss is heard, wait
for that to stop. A hiss means there is
still some pressure left.
2. Keep turning the cap and remove it.
3. Fill the coolant surge tank with the proper mixture to the mark pointed to
on the front of the coolant surge tank.
GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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Vehicle Care 251
Do not directly power wash the transfer
case and/or front/rear axle output seals.
High pressure water can overcome the seals
and contaminate the fluid. Contaminated
fluid will decrease the life of the transfer
case and/or drive axles and should be
replaced.
Rear Axle
When to Check Lubricant
It is not necessary to regularly check the
rear axle fluid unless a leak is suspected or
an unusual noise is heard. A fluid loss could
indicate a problem. Have it inspected and
repaired. This service can be complex. See
your dealer.
Do not directly power wash the transfer
case and/or front/rear axle output seals.
High pressure water can overcome the seals
and contaminate the fluid. Contaminated
fluid will decrease the life of the transfer
case and/or drive axles and should be
replaced.
Starter Switch Check
{Warning
When you are doing this inspection, the
vehicle could move suddenly. If the
vehicle moves, you or others could be
injured.
1. Before starting this check, be sure there is enough room around the vehicle.
2. Apply both the parking brake and the regular brake.
Do not use the accelerator pedal, and be
ready to turn off the engine immediately
if it starts.
3. Try to start the engine in each gear. The vehicle should start only in P (Park) or
N (Neutral). If the vehicle starts in any
other position, contact your dealer for
service.
Automatic Transmission Shift Lock
Control Function Check
{Warning
When you are doing this inspection, the
vehicle could move suddenly. If the
vehicle moves, you or others could be
injured.
1. Before starting this check, be sure there is enough room around the vehicle.
It should be parked on a level surface.
2. Apply the parking brake. Be ready to apply the regular brake immediately if
the vehicle begins to move.
3. With the engine off, turn the ignition on, but do not start the engine. Without
applying the regular brake, try to move
the shift lever out of P (Park) with
normal effort. If the shift lever moves
out of P (Park), contact your dealer for
service.