
GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
15275607) - 2022 - CRC - 11/2/21
Seats and Restraints 25
Heated and Ventilated Front
Seats
{Warning
If temperature change or pain to the skin
cannot be felt, the seat heater may cause
burns. To reduce the risk of burns, use
care when using the seat heater,
especially for long periods of time. Do
not place anything on the seat that
insulates against heat, such as a blanket,
cushion, cover, or similar item. This may
cause the seat heater to overheat. An
overheated seat heater may cause a burn
or may damage the seat.
If equipped, the buttons are on the center
stack. To operate, the engine must be
running.
If equipped, press
+to heat the driver or
passenger seatback only.
Press
zto heat the driver or passenger
cushion and seatback.
If equipped, press
{to ventilate the driver
or passenger seat. A ventilated seat has a
fan that pulls or pushes air through the
seat. The air is not cooled.
The indicator light on the button comes on
when this feature is on.
Press the button once for the highest
setting. With each press of the button, the
seat will change to the next lower setting,
and then to the off setting. The indicator
lights next to the buttons indicate three for
the highest setting and one for the lowest.
If left on the highest setting, the heated
seats will automatically lower after
approximately 30 minutes.
Remote Start Auto Heated and Ventilated
Seats
During a remote start, the heated or
ventilated seats can be turned on
automatically. When it is cold outside, the heated seats turn on, and when it is hot
outside the ventilated seats turn on. The
heated or ventilated seats are canceled
when the ignition is turned on. Press the
heated or ventilated seat button to use the
heated or ventilated seats after the vehicle
is started.
The heated or ventilated seat indicator lights
do not turn on during a remote start.
The temperature performance of an
unoccupied seat may be reduced. This is
normal.
The heated or ventilated seats will not turn
on during a remote start unless they are
enabled in the vehicle personalization menu.
Rear Seats
Rear Seat Reminder
If equipped, the message REAR SEAT
REMINDER LOOK IN REAR SEAT displays
under certain conditions indicating there
may be an item or passenger in the rear
seat. Check before exiting the vehicle.
This feature will activate when a second row
door is opened while the vehicle is on or up
to 10 minutes before the vehicle is turned
on. There will be an alert when the vehicle

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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Seats and Restraints 41
the vehicle who has outgrown child
restraints should wear a seat belt
properly—whether or not there is an
airbag for that person.
{Warning
If the airbag readiness light ever comes
on and stays on, it means that
something may be wrong with the airbag
system. To help avoid injury to yourself
or others, have the vehicle serviced right
away. See Airbag Readiness Light 086
for more information, including important
safety information.
If the On Indicator Is Lit for a Child
Restraint
If a child restraint has been installed and
the ON indicator is lit:
1. Turn the vehicle off.
2. Remove the child restraint from the vehicle.
3. Remove any additional items from the seat such as blankets, cushions, seat
covers, seat heaters, or seat massagers. 4. Reinstall the child restraint following the
directions provided by the child restraint
manufacturer and refer to Securing Child
Restraints (With the Seat Belt in the Rear
Seat) 064 or
Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat
Belt in the Front Seat) 069.
5. If, after reinstalling the child restraint and restarting the vehicle, the ON
indicator is still lit, turn the vehicle off.
Then slightly recline the vehicle seatback
and adjust the seat cushion,
if adjustable, to make sure that the
vehicle seatback is not pushing the child
restraint into the seat cushion. Also
make sure the child restraint is not
trapped under the vehicle head restraint.
If this happens, adjust the head restraint.
See Head Restraints 021.
6. Restart the vehicle.
If the ON indicator is still lit, secure the child
in the child restraint in a rear seat position
in the vehicle, and check with your dealer.
If no rear seat is available, do not install a
child restraint in this vehicle and check with
your dealer.
If the Off Indicator Is Lit for an
Adult-Sized Occupant
If a person of adult-size is sitting in the
front outboard passenger seat, but the OFF
indicator is lit, it could be because that
person is not sitting properly in the seat or
that the child restraint locking feature is
engaged. Use the following steps to allow
the system to detect that person and enable
the front outboard passenger frontal airbag: 1. Turn the vehicle off.
2. Remove any additional material from the seat, such as blankets, cushions, seat
covers, seat heaters, or seat massagers.
3. Place the seatback in the fully upright position.

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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42 Seats and Restraints
4. Have the person sit upright in the seat,centered on the seat cushion, with legs
comfortably extended.
5. If the shoulder portion of the belt is pulled out all the way, the child restraint
locking feature will be engaged. This
may unintentionally cause the passenger
sensing system to turn the airbag off for
some adult-sized occupants. If this
happens, unbuckle the belt, let the belt
go back all the way, and then buckle the
belt again without pulling the belt out
all the way.
6. Restart the vehicle and have the person remain in this position for two to
three minutes after the ON indicator
is lit.
{Warning
If the front outboard passenger airbag is
turned off for an adult-sized occupant,
the airbag will not be able to inflate and
help protect that person in a crash,
resulting in an increased risk of serious
injury or even death. An adult-sized
occupant should not ride in the front
outboard passenger seat, if the passenger
airbag off indicator is lit.
Additional Factors Affecting System
Operation
Seat belts help keep the passenger in
position on the seat during vehicle
maneuvers and braking, which helps the
passenger sensing system maintain the
passenger airbag status. See “Seat Belts”
and “Child Restraints” in the Index for
additional information about the importance
of proper restraint use.
A thick layer of additional material, such as
a blanket or cushion, or aftermarket
equipment such as seat covers, seat heaters,
and seat massagers can affect how well the
passenger sensing system operates. We
recommend that you not use seat covers or
other aftermarket equipment except when
approved by GM for your specific vehicle.
See Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 043 for more
information about modifications that can
affect how the system operates.
The ON indicator may be lit if an object,
such as a briefcase, handbag, grocery bag,
laptop, or other electronic device, is put on
an unoccupied seat. If this is not desired
remove the object from the seat.
{Warning
Stowing articles under the passenger seat
or between the passenger seat cushion
and seatback may interfere with the
proper operation of the passenger
sensing system.
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle
Airbags affect how the vehicle should be
serviced. There are parts of the airbag
system in several places around the vehicle.
Your dealer and the service manual have
information about servicing the vehicle and
the airbag system. To purchase a service
manual, see Publication Ordering
Information 0335.
{Warning
For up to 10 seconds after the vehicle is
turned off and the battery is
disconnected, an airbag can still inflate
during improper service. You can be
injured if you are close to an airbag
when it inflates. Avoid yellow connectors.
They are probably part of the airbag
(Continued)

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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Seats and Restraints 43
Warning (Continued)
system. Be sure to follow proper service
procedures, and make sure the person
performing work for you is qualified to
do so.
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
{Warning
If a snow plow or similar equipment is
installed on the vehicle, the airbag
system may not function properly. An
airbag could inflate when it is not
supposed to inflate. People riding in the
vehicle could be injured, and the vehicle
and/or snow plow could be damaged. Do
not install a snow plow or similar
equipment on the vehicle.
Adding accessories that change the vehicle's
frame, bumper system, height, front end,
or side sheet metal may keep the airbag
system from working properly.
The operation of the airbag system can also
be affected by changing any parts of the
front seats, seat belts, airbag sensing and diagnostic module, steering wheel,
instrument panel, inner door seals including
the speakers, any of the airbag modules,
ceiling or pillar garnish trim, overhead
console, front sensors, side impact sensors,
or airbag wiring.
Your dealer and the service manual have
information about the location of the airbag
sensors, sensing and diagnostic module, and
airbag wiring.
In addition, the vehicle has a passenger
sensing system for the front outboard
passenger position, which includes sensors
that are part of the passenger seat. The
passenger sensing system may not operate
properly if the original seat trim is replaced
with non-GM covers, upholstery, or trim; or
with GM covers, upholstery, or trim
designed for a different vehicle. Any object,
such as an aftermarket seat heater or a
comfort-enhancing pad or device, installed
under or on top of the seat fabric, could
also interfere with the operation of the
passenger sensing system. This could either
prevent proper deployment of the passenger
airbag(s) or prevent the passenger sensing
system from properly turning off the
passenger airbag(s). See
Passenger Sensing
System 039. If the vehicle has rollover roof-rail airbags,
see
Different Size Tires and Wheels 0280
for additional important information.
If the vehicle must be modified because you
have a disability and have questions about
whether the modifications will affect the
vehicle's airbag system, or if you have
questions about whether the airbag system
will be affected if the vehicle is modified for
any other reason, call Customer Assistance.
See Customer Assistance Offices 0330.Airbag System Check
The airbag system does not need regularly
scheduled maintenance or replacement.
Make sure the airbag readiness light is
working. See Airbag Readiness Light 086.
Caution
If an airbag covering is damaged, opened,
or broken, the airbag may not work
properly. Do not open or break the airbag
coverings. If there are any opened or
broken airbag coverings, have the airbag
covering and/or airbag module replaced.
For the location of the airbags, see Where
Are the Airbags? 036. See your dealer
for service.

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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168 Driving and Operating
Driving and Operating
Driving Information
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . 169
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Impaired Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Truck-Camper Loading Information . . . . . 183
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . 187
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . 189
Active Fuel Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . 190
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Brakes
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . 199
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic StabilityControl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Hill Descent Control (HDC) . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Limited-Slip Differential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Assistance Systems for Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206 Park Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) . . . 210
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . 211
Fuel
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . 215
Trailer Towing
General Towing Information . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . 230

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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186 Driving and Operating
Caution
If you add electrical parts or accessories,
you could change the way the engine
operates. Any resulting damage would
not be covered by the vehicle warranty.
SeeAdd-On Electrical Equipment 0230.
Place the transmission in the proper gear.
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). The engine will not start in any
other position. To restart the engine when
the vehicle is already moving, use
N (Neutral) only.
Caution
Do not try to shift to P (Park) if the
vehicle is moving. If you do, you could
damage the transmission. Shift to P (Park)
only when the vehicle is stopped.
Starting Procedure
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn the ignition key to START. When
the engine starts, let go of the key. The
idle speed will go down as the engine
gets warm. Do not race the engine
immediately after starting it. Operate the engine and transmission gently to
allow the oil to warm up and lubricate
all moving parts.
Caution
Cranking the engine for long periods of
time, by returning the ignition to the
START position immediately after
cranking has ended, can overheat and
damage the cranking motor, and drain
the battery. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to let the cranking
motor cool down.
2. If the engine does not start after five to 10 seconds, especially in very cold
weather (below −18 °C or 0 °F), it could
be flooded with too much gasoline. Try
pushing the accelerator pedal all the way
to the floor and holding it there while
holding the key in START for up to
15 seconds. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to allow the cranking
motor to cool down. When the engine
starts, let go of the key and accelerator
pedal. If the vehicle starts briefly but
then stops again, do the same thing.
This clears the extra gasoline from the
engine. Do not race the engine
immediately after starting it. Operate the engine and transmission gently until
the oil warms up and lubricates all
moving parts.
Engine Heater
If the vehicle has a diesel engine, see the
Duramax diesel supplement.
{Warning
Do not plug in the engine block heater
while the vehicle is parked in a garage or
under a carport. Property damage or
personal injury may result. Always park
the vehicle in a clear open area away
from buildings or structures.
If equipped, the engine heater can provide
easier starting and better fuel economy
during engine warm-up in cold weather
conditions at or below −18 °C (0 °F). Vehicles
with an engine heater should be plugged in
at least four hours before starting. An
internal thermostat in the plug-end of the
cord may exist, which will prevent engine
heater operation at temperatures above
−18 °C (0 °F).

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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Driving and Operating 187
To Use the Engine Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electricalcord. Carefully remove the cord.
Check the heater cord for damage. If it is
damaged, do not use it. See your dealer
for a replacement. Inspect the cord for
damage yearly.
3. Plug the cord into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
{Warning
Improper use of the heater cord or an
extension cord can damage the cord and
may result in overheating and fire.
.Plug the cord into a three-prong
electrical utility receptacle that is
protected by a ground fault detection
function. An ungrounded outlet could
cause an electric shock.
.Use a weatherproof, heavy-duty,
15 amp-rated extension cord if needed.
Failure to use the recommended
extension cord in good operating
condition, or using a damaged heater
or extension cord, could make 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.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.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)
When the ignition is turned from on to off,
the following features (if equipped) will
continue to function for up to 10 minutes,
or until the driver door is opened. These
features will also work when the ignition is
in RUN or ACC/ACCESSORY:
.Infotainment System
.Power Windows (during RAP this
functionality will be lost when any door
is opened)

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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244 Vehicle Care
{Warning
Do not touch heater or radiator hoses,
or other engine parts. They can be very
hot and can burn you. Do not run the
engine if there is a leak; all coolant could
leak out. That could cause an engine fire
and can burn you. Fix any leak before
driving the vehicle.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in the vehicle is filled
with DEX-COOL engine coolant mixture. See
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants0320
and
Maintenance Schedule 0311.
The following explains the cooling system
and how to check and add coolant when it
is low. If there is a problem with engine
overheating, see Engine Overheating 0246.
What to Use
{Warning
Plain water, or other liquids such as
alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mixture will. With plain water or
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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.
Use a 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable
water and DEX-COOL coolant. This mixture:
.Gives freezing protection down to −37 °C
(−34 °F) outside temperature.
.Gives boiling protection up to 129 °C
(265 °F) engine temperature.
.Protects against rust and corrosion.
.Will not damage aluminum parts.
.Helps keep the proper engine
temperature.
Caution
Do not use anything other than a mix of
DEX-COOL coolant that meets GM
Standard GMW3420 and clean, drinkable
water. Anything else can cause damage
to the engine cooling system and the
vehicle, which would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Never dispose of engine coolant by putting
it in the trash, or by pouring it on the
ground, or into sewers, streams or, bodies of
water. Have the coolant changed by an
authorized service center, familiar with legal
requirements regarding used coolant
disposal. This will help protect the
environment and your health.
Checking Coolant
The vehicle must be on a level surface when
checking the coolant level.
Check to see if coolant is visible in the
coolant surge tank. If the coolant inside the
coolant surge tank is boiling, do not do
anything else until it cools down.