GMC 2012 Sierra Series User manual

Black plate (1,1)
GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012
2012 GMC Sierra Owner Manual M
In Brief ........................ 1-1
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-8
Vehicle Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-25
Performance and
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-33
Keys, Doors, and
Windows .................... 2-1
Keys and Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Doors..........................2-9
Vehicle Security. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Exterior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Interior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18
Roof..........................2-20
Seats and Restraints . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23
Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-43
Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Storage Compartments . . . . . . . . 4-1
Instruments and Controls . . . . 5-1
Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Information Displays . . . . . . . . . . 5-33
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-42
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . 5-52
Universal Remote System . . . . 5-60
Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Lighting Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9
Audio Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-16
Rear Seat Infotainment . . . . . . . 7-38
Phone........................7-50
Trademarks and License
Agreements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-58
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . 8-1
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-11
Driving and Operating . . . . . . . . 9-1
Driving Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Starting and Operating . . . . . . . 9-26
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 9-37
Drive Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-43
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-57
Ride Control Systems . . . . . . . . 9-59
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-63
Object Detection Systems . . . . 9-66
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-73
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-79
Conversions and
Add-Ons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-112
Vehicle Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Vehicle Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-46
Wheels and Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
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GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012
2012 GMC Sierra Owner Manual M
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-92
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-96
Appearance Care . . . . . . . . . . 10-102
Service and Maintenance . . . 11-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 11-1
Maintenance Schedule . . . . . . . 11-3
Special Application
Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-8
Additional Maintenance
and Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-9
Recommended Fluids,
Lubricants, and Parts . . . . . . 11-12
Maintenance Records . . . . . . . 11-16
Technical Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Vehicle Identification . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Vehicle Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2
Customer Information . . . . . . . 13-1
Customer Information . . . . . . . . 13-1
Reporting Safety Defects . . . . 13-19
Vehicle Data Recording and
Privacy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-20
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-1
OnStar Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-1
OnStar Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
OnStar Additional
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5
Index ..................... i-1
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GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012
Introduction iii
The names, logos, emblems,
slogans, vehicle model names, and
vehicle body designs appearing in
this manual including, but not limited
to, GM, the GM logo, GMC, the
GMC Truck Emblem, and SIERRA
are trademarks and/or service
marks of General Motors LLC, its
subsidiaries, affiliates, or licensors.
This manual describes features that
may or may not be on your specific
vehicle either because they are
options that you did not purchase or
due to changes subsequent to the
printing of this owner manual.
Please refer to the purchase
documentation relating to your
specific vehicle to confirm each of
the features found on your vehicle.
For vehicles first sold in Canada,
substitute the name “General
Motors of Canada Limited”for GMC
Division wherever it appears in this
manual.
If the vehicle has the Duramax
®
diesel engine, see the Duramax
diesel supplement for additional and
specific information on this engine.
If the vehicle is a hybrid, see the
hybrid supplement for more
information.
Keep this manual in the vehicle for
quick reference.
Canadian Vehicle Owners
Propriétaires Canadiens
A French language copy of this
manual can be obtained from your
dealer or from:
On peut obtenir un exemplaire de
ce guide en français auprès du
concessionnaire ou à l'adresse
suivante:
Helm, Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
1-800-551-4123
Numéro de poste 6438 de langue
française
www.helminc.com
Litho in U.S.A.
Part No. 20902916 A First Printing ©2011 General Motors LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Information Provided by:

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GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012
iv Introduction
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, Warnings, and
Cautions
Warning messages found on vehicle
labels and in this manual describe
hazards and what to do to avoid or
reduce them.
Danger indicates a hazard with a
high level of risk which will result in
serious injury or death.
Warning or Caution indicates a
hazard that could result in injury or
death.
{WARNING
These mean there is something
that could hurt you or other
people.
Notice: This means there is
something that could result in
property or vehicle damage. This
would not be covered by the
vehicle's warranty.
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:This symbol is shown when
you need to see your owner manual
for additional instructions or
information.
*:This symbol is shown when
you need to see a service manual
for additional instructions or
information.
Information Provided by:

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GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012
Introduction v
Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols
that may be found on the vehicle
and what they mean. For more
information on the symbol, refer to
the Index.
0:Adjustable Pedals
9:Airbag Readiness Light
#:Air Conditioning
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
%:Audio Steering Wheel Controls
or OnStar
®
$:Brake System Warning Light
":Charging System
I:Cruise Control
B:Engine Coolant Temperature
O:Exterior Lamps
#:Fog Lamps
.:Fuel Gauge
+:Fuses
3:Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer
j:LATCH System Child
Restraints
*:Malfunction Indicator Lamp
::Oil Pressure
g:Outside Power Foldaway
Mirrors
}:Power
/:Remote Vehicle Start
>:Safety Belt Reminders
7:Tire Pressure Monitor
_:Tow/Haul Mode
d:Traction Control/StabiliTrak
®
M:Windshield Washer Fluid
Information Provided by:

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GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012
vi Introduction
2NOTES
Information Provided by:

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GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-1
In Brief
Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel (Base/Uplevel
Version) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Instrument Panel (Premium
Version) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Initial Drive Information
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-8
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11
Memory Features . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13
Heated and Ventilated
Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14
Head Restraint
Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
Passenger Sensing
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
Mirror Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16
Steering Wheel
Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17
Throttle and Brake Pedal
Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . 1-19
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-20
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-23
Vehicle Features
Radio(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-25
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-26
Portable Audio Devices . . . . . . 1-26
Bluetooth
®
................... 1-27
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . 1-27
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-28
Navigation System . . . . . . . . . . . 1-28
Driver Information
Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-28
Rear Vision
Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-29
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 1-30
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-30
Universal Remote System . . . 1-30
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-31
Performance and Maintenance
StabiliTrak
®
System . . . . . . . . . 1-33
Tire Pressure Monitor . . . . . . . . 1-33
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . 1-34
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . 1-34
Driving for Better Fuel
Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-34
Roadside Assistance
Program .................... 1-35
OnStar
®
..................... 1-35
Information Provided by:

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GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012
1-2 In Brief
Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel (Base/Uplevel Version)
Information Provided by:

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GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-3
A. Air Vents on page 8‑11.
B. Turn and Lane‐Change Lever.
See Turn and Lane-Change
Signals on page 6‑6.
Windshield Wiper/Washer on
page 5‑5.
C. Driver Information Center (DIC)
Buttons. See Driver Information
Center (DIC) on page 5‑33.
D. Hazard Warning Flashers on
page 6‑5(Out of View).
E. Instrument Cluster on
page 5‑13.
F. Shift Lever. See Automatic
Transmission on page 9‑37.
Tow/Haul Selector Button
(If Equipped). See Tow/Haul
Mode on page 9‑42.
Range Selection Mode (Allison
Transmission and Hydra-Matic
®
6‐Speed Button) (If Equipped).
See Manual Mode on
page 9‑41.
G. Infotainment on page 7‑1.
H. Instrument Panel Storage on
page 4‑1.
I. Integrated Trailer Brake
Controller (If Equipped). See
Trailer Towing on page 9‑84.
J. Exterior Lamp Controls on
page 6‑1.
K. Data Link Connector (DLC) (Out
of View). See Malfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 5‑25.
L. Hood Release. See Hood on
page 10‑5.
M. Parking Brake on page 9‑58.
N. Dome Lamps on page 6‑8.
Fog Lamps on page 6‑6
(If Equipped).
O. Cruise Control on page 9‑63.
P. Steering Wheel Adjustment on
page 5‑2.
Q. Horn on page 5‑5.
R. Steering Wheel Controls on
page 5‑3(If Equipped).
S. Automatic Transfer Case
Control (If Equipped). See
Four-Wheel Drive on
page 10‑32.
T. Ashtray (If Equipped). See
Ashtrays on page 5‑12 and
Cigarette Lighter on page 5‑11.
Information Provided by:

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GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012
1-4 In Brief
U. StabiliTrak
®
System on
page 9‑59 (If Equipped).
Ultrasonic Parking Assist on
page 9‑66 (If Equipped).
Pedal Adjust Button (If
Equipped). See Adjustable
Throttle and Brake Pedal on
page 9‑27.
Exhaust Brake (If Equipped).
See “Brakes”in the Duramax
diesel supplement.
V. Power Outlets on page 5‑10.
W. Climate Control Systems (with
Air Conditioning) on page 8‑1or
Climate Control Systems (with
Heater Only) on page 8‑4
(If Equipped).
Dual Automatic Climate Control
System on page 8‑5
(If Equipped).
X. Power Take Off (PTO) Control
(If Equipped). See Power Take
Off (PTO) in the Duramax diesel
supplement.
Y. Passenger Airbag Off Control
(If Equipped). See Airbag
On-Off Switch on page 3‑32.
Information Provided by:

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GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-5
2NOTES
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GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012
1-6 In Brief
Instrument Panel (Premium Version)
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GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-7
A. Air Vents on page 8‑11.
B. Turn and Lane‐Change Lever.
See Turn and Lane-Change
Signals on page 6‑6.
Windshield Wiper/Washer on
page 5‑5.
C. Instrument Cluster on
page 5‑13.
D. Hazard Warning Flashers on
page 6‑5(Out of View).
E. Shift Lever. See Automatic
Transmission on page 9‑37.
Range Selection Mode
(If Equipped). See Manual
Mode on page 9‑41.
F. Tow/Haul Mode on page 9‑42
(If Equipped).
G. Driver Information Center (DIC)
Buttons. See Driver Information
Center (DIC) on page 5‑33.
H. Infotainment on page 7‑1.
I. Exterior Lamp Controls on
page 6‑1.
J. Integrated Trailer Brake
Controller (If Equipped). See
Trailer Towing on page 9‑84.
K. Dome Lamps on page 6‑8.
L. Automatic Transfer Case
Control (If Equipped). See
Four-Wheel Drive on
page 10‑32.
M. Data Link Connector (DLC) (Out
of View). See Malfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 5‑25.
N. Hood Release. See Hood on
page 10‑5.
O. Parking Brake on page 9‑58.
P. Cruise Control on page 9‑63.
Q. Steering Wheel Adjustment on
page 5‑2.
R. Horn on page 5‑5.
S. Steering Wheel Controls on
page 5‑3.
T. Climate Control Systems (with
Air Conditioning) on page 8‑1or
Climate Control Systems (with
Heater Only) on page 8‑4
(If Equipped).
Dual Automatic Climate Control
System on page 8‑5
(If Equipped).
U. Power Outlets on page 5‑10.
Cigarette Lighter
(If Equipped). See Ashtrays on
page 5‑12 and Cigarette Lighter
on page 5‑11.
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GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012
1-8 In Brief
V. StabiliTrak
®
System on
page 9‑59 (If Equipped).
Pedal Adjust Button
(If Equipped). See Adjustable
Throttle and Brake Pedal on
page 9‑27.
Ultrasonic Parking Assist on
page 9‑66 (If Equipped).
Exhaust Brake (If Equipped).
See “Brakes”in the Duramax
diesel supplement.
W. Passenger Airbag Off Control
(If Equipped). See Airbag
On-Off Switch on page 3‑32.
Initial Drive
Information
This section provides a brief
overview about some of the
important features that may or may
not be on your specific vehicle.
For more detailed information, refer
to each of the features which can be
found later in this owner manual.
Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System
The RKE transmitter is used to
remotely lock and unlock the doors
from up to 60 m (195 ft) away from
the vehicle.
K:Press to unlock the driver door.
Press Kagain within three seconds
to unlock all remaining doors.
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GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-9
Q:Press to lock all doors. Lock
and unlock feedback can be
personalized. See Vehicle
Personalization (With DIC Buttons)
on page 5‑52.
L:Press and release to locate
the vehicle. Press Land hold for
more than two seconds to sound the
panic alarm. Press Lagain to
cancel the panic alarm.
See Keys on page 2‑2and Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation on page 2‑3.
Remote Vehicle Start
With this feature the engine can be
started from outside of the vehicle.
Starting the Vehicle
1. Aim the RKE transmitter at the
vehicle.
2. Press and release Q.
3. Immediately after completing
Step 2, press and hold /until
the turn signal lamps flash.
When the vehicle starts, the parking
lamps will turn on and remain on as
long as the engine is running. The
doors will be locked and the climate
control system may come on.
The engine will continue to run for
10 minutes. Repeat the steps for a
10-minute time extension. Remote
start can be extended only once.
Canceling a Remote Start
To cancel a remote start:
.Aim the RKE transmitter at the
vehicle and press and hold /
until the parking lamps turn off.
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
.Turn the ignition on and then
back off.
See Remote Vehicle Start on
page 2‑5.
Door Locks
There are several ways to lock and
unlock the vehicle.
From outside, use the Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter or
the key in the driver door.
From inside, use the power door
locks or the manual door locks. To
lock or unlock the door with the
manual locks, push down or pull up
on the manual lock knob.
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GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012
1-10 In Brief
Power Door Locks
If available, the switches are on the
front doors.
K:Press to unlock the doors.
Q:Press to lock the doors.
See Door Locks on page 2‑7.
Windows
Turn the hand crank on each door
to manually raise or lower the
manual windows.
Power Windows
Crew Cab Shown
If available, the power window
switches are located on each door.
The driver door also has a switch for
the passenger and rear windows.
Push the switch to lower the
window. Pull the switch up to
raise it.
For more information, see:
.Windows on page 2‑18.
.Power Windows on page 2‑18.
Power Sliding Rear Window
On vehicles with a power sliding
rear window, the switch is located in
the overhead console. See Rear
Windows on page 2‑19.
.Push the switch to open the
window.
.Pull the switch to close the
window.
The power sliding rear window
cannot be operated manually.
Information Provided by:

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GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-11
Seat Adjustment
Manual Seats
To adjust the seat:
1. Lift the bar to unlock the seat.
2. Slide the seat to the desired
position and release the bar.
3. Try to move the seat back and
forth to be sure the seat is
locked in place.
See Seat Adjustment on page 3‑3
for more information.
Power Seats
To adjust a power seat, if equipped:
.Move the seat forward or
rearward by sliding the control
forward or rearward.
.If available, raise or lower the
front or rear part of the seat
cushion by moving the front or
rear of the control up or down.
.If available, raise or lower the
entire seat by moving the entire
control up or down.
See Power Seat Adjustment on
page 3‑4for more information.
Lumbar Adjustment
Manual Lumbar
If equipped, increase or decrease
manual lumbar support by turning
the knob forward or rearward.
See Lumbar Adjustment on
page 3‑4for more information.
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GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012
1-12 In Brief
Power Lumbar
To adjust the power lumbar support,
if equipped:
.On vehicles with two-way
lumbar, press and hold the top
or bottom of the control to
increase or decrease lumbar
support.
.On vehicles with four-way
lumbar, press and hold the front
or rear of the control to increase
or decrease lumbar support. To
raise or lower the height of the
support, press and hold the top
or bottom of the control.
See Lumbar Adjustment on
page 3‑4for more information.
Reclining Seatbacks
Manual Reclining Seatbacks
To recline a manual seatback:
1. Lift the lever.
2. Move the seatback to the
desired position, and then
release the lever to lock the
seatback in place.
3. Push and pull on the seatback to
make sure it is locked.
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GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-13
To return the seatback to the upright
position:
1. Lift the lever fully without
applying pressure to the
seatback, and the seatback will
return to the upright position.
2. Push and pull on the seatback to
make sure it is locked.
See Reclining Seatbacks on
page 3‑5for more information.
Power Reclining Seatbacks
To adjust a power seatback,
if equipped:
.Tilt the top of the control
rearward to recline.
.Tilt the top of the control forward
to raise.
See Reclining Seatbacks on
page 3‑5for more information.
Memory Features
On vehicles with the memory
feature, the controls on the driver
door are used to program and recall
memory settings for the driver seat,
outside mirrors, and the adjustable
throttle and brake pedals,
if equipped.
Information Provided by:

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GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012
1-14 In Brief
Storing Memory Positions
To save into memory:
1. Adjust the driver seat and
seatback recliner, both outside
mirrors, and the throttle and
brake pedals, if equipped.
See Power Mirrors on page 2‑15
and Adjustable Throttle and
Brake Pedal on page 9‑27 for
more information.
Not all mirrors and adjustable
throttle and brake pedals will
have the ability to save and
recall their positions.
2. Press and hold “1”until
two beeps sound.
3. Repeat for a second driver
position using “2.”
To recall, press and release “1”or
“2.”The vehicle must be in P (Park).
A single beep will sound. The seat,
outside mirrors, and adjustable
throttle and brake pedals,
if equipped, will move to the position
previously stored for the identified
driver.
See Memory Seats on page 3‑7and
Vehicle Personalization (With DIC
Buttons) on page 5‑52 for more
information.
Easy Exit Driver Seat
This feature can move the seat
rearward to allow extra room to exit
the vehicle.
B:Press to recall the easy exit
seat position. The vehicle must be
in P (Park).
See Memory Seats on page 3‑7and
Vehicle Personalization (With DIC
Buttons) on page 5‑52 for more
information.
Heated and Ventilated
Seats
Heated and Cooled Seat Buttons
Shown, Heated Seat Buttons
Similar
If available, the buttons are on the
front doors.
H:If available, press to cool
the seat.
I:Press to heat the
seatback only.
J:Press to heat the seat and
seatback.
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