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Driving and Operating 227
allows manual application of the trailer
brakes. Use the ITBC control panel and the
DIC trailer brake display page to adjust and
display power output to the trailer brakes.
Trailer Brake DIC Display Page
The ITBC display page indicates:
.Trailer Gain setting
.Output to the trailer brakes
.Trailer connection
.System operational status
To display:
.Scroll through the DIC menu pages
.Press a Trailer Gain (+) or (−) button
.Activate the Manual Trailer Brake Apply
Lever
TRAILER GAIN: Press a Trailer Gain button to
recall the current Trailer Gain setting. Each
press and release of the gain buttons will
then change the Trailer Gain setting. Press
the Trailer Gain (+) or (−) to adjust. Press
and hold to continuously adjust the Trailer
Gain. To turn the output to the trailer off,
adjust the Trailer Gain setting to 0.0. This
setting can be adjusted from 0.0 to 10.0
with a trailer connected or disconnected. TRAILER OUTPUT: This displays anytime a
trailer with electric brakes is connected.
Output to the trailer brakes is based on the
amount of vehicle braking present and
relative to the Trailer Gain setting. Output is
displayed from 0 to 100% for each gain
setting.
The Trailer Output will indicate
“- - - - - -”on
the Trailer Brake Display Page whenever the
following occur:
.No trailer is connected.
.A trailer without electric brakes is
connected, no DIC message displays.
.A trailer with electric brakes has become
disconnected, a CHECK TRAILER WIRING
message displays on the DIC.
.There is a fault present in the wiring to
the trailer brakes, a CHECK TRAILER
WIRING message displays on the DIC.
.The ITBC system is not working due to a
fault, a SERVICE TRAILER BRAKE SYSTEM
message displays in the DIC.
Manual Trailer Brake Apply Lever
Slide this lever right to apply the trailer’s
electric brakes independent of the vehicle’s
brakes. Use this lever to adjust Trailer Gain
to achieve proper power output to the
trailer brakes. The trailer's and the vehicle's brake lamps will come on when either
vehicle brakes or manual trailer brakes are
applied and properly connected.
Trailer Gain Adjustment Procedure
Trailer Gain should be set for a specific
trailering condition and it must be
readjusted anytime vehicle loading, trailer
loading, or road surface conditions change.
{Warning
Trailer brakes that are over-gained or
under-gained may not stop the vehicle
and the trailer as intended and can result
in a crash. Always follow the instructions
to set the Trailer Gain for the proper
trailer stopping performance.
To adjust Trailer Gain for each towing
condition: 1. Drive the vehicle with the trailer attached on a level road surface
representative of the towing condition
and free of traffic at about 32–40 km/h
(20–25 mph) and fully apply the Manual
Trailer Brake Apply Lever.
Adjusting Trailer Gain at speeds lower
than 32–40 km/h (20–25 mph) may
result in an incorrect gain setting.
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.
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Driving and Operating 229
Trailer Sway Control (TSC)
Vehicles with StabiliTrak/Electronic Stability
Control (ESC) have a Trailer Sway Control
(TSC) feature. Trailer sway is unintended
side-to-side motion of a trailer while towing.
If the vehicle is towing a trailer and the TSC
detects that sway is increasing, the vehicle
brakes are selectively applied at each wheel,
to help reduce excessive trailer sway.
If equipped with the Integrated Trailer Brake
Control (ITBC) system, and the trailer has an
electric brake system, StabiliTrak/ESC may
also apply the trailer brakes.
If TSC is enabled, the Traction Control
System (TCS)/StabiliTrak/ESC warning light
will flash on the instrument cluster. Reduce
vehicle speed by gradually removing your
foot from the accelerator. If trailer sway
continues, StabiliTrak/ESC can reduce engine
torque to help slow the vehicle. TSC will not
function if StabiliTrak/ESC is turned off. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control
0201.
{Warning
Trailer sway can result in a crash and in
serious injury or death, even if the
vehicle is equipped with TSC.
If the trailer begins to sway, reduce
vehicle speed by gradually removing your
foot from the accelerator. Then pull over
to check the trailer and vehicle to help
correct possible causes, including an
improperly or overloaded trailer,
unrestrained cargo, improper trailer hitch
configuration, or improperly inflated or
incorrect vehicle or trailer tires. See
Towing Equipment 0223 for trailer
ratings and hitch setup recommendations.
Aftermarket Electronic Trailer Sway
Control Devices
Some trailers may come equipped with an
electronic device designed to reduce or
control trailer sway. Aftermarket equipment
manufacturers also offer similar devices that
connect to the wiring between the trailer
and the vehicle. These devices may interfere
with the vehicle’s trailer brake or other
systems, including integrated anti-sway
systems, if equipped. Messages related to
trailer connections or trailer brakes could
appear on the DIC. The effects of these
aftermarket devices may have on vehicle
handling or trailer brake performance is not
known.
{Warning
Use of aftermarket electronic trailer sway
control devices could result in reduced
trailer brake performance, loss of trailer
brakes, or other malfunctions, and result
in a crash. You or others could be
seriously injured or killed. Before using
one of these devices: (Continued)
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230 Driving and Operating
Warning (Continued)
.Ask the device or trailer manufacturer
if the device has been thoroughly
tested for compatibility with the
make, model, and year of your vehicle
and any optional equipment installed
on your vehicle.
.Before driving, check the trailer brakes
are working properly, if equipped.
Drive the vehicle with the trailer
attached on a level road surface that
is free of traffic at about 32-40 km/h
(20-25 mph) and fully apply the
manual trailer brake apply lever. Also,
check the trailer brake lamps and
other lamps are functioning correctly.
.If the trailer brakes are not operating
properly at any time, or if a DIC
message indicates problems with the
trailer connections or trailer brakes,
carefully pull the vehicle over to the
side of the road when traffic
conditions allow.
Trailer Tires
Special Trailer (ST) tires differ from vehicle
tires. Trailer tires are designed with stiff
sidewalls to help prevent sway and to
support heavy loads. These features can
make it difficult to determine if the trailer
tire pressures are low only based on a visual
inspection.
Always check all trailer tire pressures before
each trip when the tires are cool. Low trailer
tire pressure is a leading cause of trailer tire
blowouts.
Trailer tires deteriorate over time. The trailer
tire sidewall will show the week and year
the tire was manufactured. Many trailer tire
manufacturers recommend replacing tires
more than six years old.
Overloading is another leading cause of
trailer tire blowouts. Never load your trailer
with more weight than the tires are
designed to support. The load rating is
located on the trailer tire sidewall.Always know the maximum speed rating for
the trailer tires before driving. This may be
significantly lower than the vehicle tire
speed rating. The speed rating may be on
the trailer tire sidewall. If the speed rating is
not shown, the default trailer tire speed
rating is 105 km/h (65 mph).
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment
{Warning
The Data Link Connector (DLC) is used for
vehicle service and Emission Inspection/
Maintenance testing. See
Malfunction
Indicator Lamp (Check Engine Light) 087.
A device connected to the DLC —such as
an aftermarket fleet or driver-behavior
tracking device —may interfere with
vehicle systems. This could affect vehicle
operation and cause a crash. Such devices
may also access information stored in the
vehicle’s systems.
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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
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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.
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248 Vehicle Care
Caution (Continued)
.Do not use engine coolant (antifreeze)
in the windshield washer. It can
damage the windshield washer system
and paint.
.Do not mix water with ready-to-use
washer fluid. Water can cause the
solution to freeze and damage the
washer fluid tank and other parts of
the washer system.
.When using concentrated washer fluid,
follow the manufacturer instructions
for adding water.
.Fill the washer fluid tank only
three-quarters full when it is very cold.
This allows for fluid expansion if
freezing occurs, which could damage
the tank if it is completely full.
Brakes
Disc brake linings have built-in wear
indicators that make a high-pitched warning
sound when the brake linings are worn and
new linings are needed. The sound can come
and go or can be heard all the time when
the vehicle is moving, except when applying
the brake pedal firmly.
{Warning
The brake wear warning sound means
that soon the brakes will not work well.
That could lead to a crash. When the
brake wear warning sound is heard, have
the vehicle serviced.
Caution
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake
linings could result in costly brake
repairs.
Some driving conditions or climates can
cause a brake squeal when the brakes are
first applied, clearing up following several
applications. This does not mean something
is wrong with the brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary
to help prevent brake pulsation. When tires
are rotated, inspect brake linings for wear
and evenly tighten wheel nuts in the proper
sequence to torque specifications. See
Capacities and Specifications 0325.
Brake pads should be replaced as complete
axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not
return to normal height, or if there is a
rapid increase in pedal travel. This could be
a sign that brake service may be required.
Replacing Brake System Parts
Always replace brake system parts with
new, approved replacement parts. If this is
not done, the brakes may not work
properly. The braking performance can
change in many ways if the wrong brake
parts are installed or if parts are improperly
installed.
Brake Fluid
The brake master cylinder reservoir is filled
with GM approved DOT 4 brake fluid as
indicated on the reservoir cap. See Engine
Compartment Overview 0235 for the
location of the reservoir.
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Vehicle Care 249
Checking Brake Fluid
With the vehicle in P (Park) on a level
surface, the brake fluid level should be
between the minimum and maximum marks
on the brake fluid reservoir.
There are only two reasons why the brake
fluid level in the reservoir may go down:
.Normal brake lining wear. When new
linings are installed, the fluid level goes
back up.
.A fluid leak in the brake hydraulic system.
Have the brake hydraulic system fixed.
With a leak, the brakes will not
work well.
Always clean the brake fluid reservoir cap
and the area around the cap before
removing it.
Do not top off the brake fluid. Adding fluid
does not correct a leak. If fluid is added
when the linings are worn, there will be too
much fluid when new brake linings are
installed. Add or remove fluid, as necessary,
only when work is done on the brake
hydraulic system.
{Warning
If too much brake fluid is added, it can
spill on the engine and burn, if the
engine is hot enough. You or others could
be burned, and the vehicle could be
damaged. Add brake fluid only when
work is done on the brake hydraulic
system.
When the brake fluid falls to a low level,
the brake warning light comes on. See Brake
System Warning Light 088.
Brake fluid absorbs water over time which
degrades the effectiveness of the brake fluid.
Replace brake fluid at the specified intervals
to prevent increased stopping distance. See
Maintenance Schedule 0311.
What to Add
Use only GM approved DOT 4 brake fluid
from a clean, sealed container. See
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants 0320.
{Warning
The wrong or contaminated brake fluid
could result in damage to the brake
system. This could result in the loss of
braking leading to a possible injury.
Always use the proper GM approved
brake fluid.
Caution
If brake fluid is spilled on the vehicle's
painted surfaces, the paint finish can be
damaged. Immediately wash off any
painted surface.
Battery - North America
For diesel engine vehicles, see “Battery”in
the Duramax diesel supplement.
The original equipment battery is
maintenance free. Do not remove the cap
and do not add fluid.
Refer to the replacement number shown on
the original battery label when a new
battery is needed. See Engine Compartment
Overview 0235 for battery location.