
Tires..............................................................5-56
Inflation -- Tire Pressure................................5-57
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-58
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-59
Buying New Tires.........................................5-60
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-61
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-62
Wheel Replacement......................................5-62
Tire Chains..................................................5-64
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-64
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................5-65
Spare Tire...................................................5-82
Appearance Care............................................5-82
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.................5-83
Care of Safety Belts......................................5-84
Weatherstrips...............................................5-85
Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle..............5-85Sheet Metal Damage.....................................5-87
Finish Damage.............................................5-87
Underbody Maintenance................................5-87
Chemical Paint Spotting.................................5-88
GM Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials...........5-88
Vehicle Identification......................................5-90
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).................5-90
Service Parts Identification Label.....................5-90
Electrical System............................................5-91
Add-On Electrical Equipment..........................5-91
Windshield Wiper Fuses................................5-91
Power Windows and Other Power Options.......5-91
Fuses and Circuit Breakers............................5-91
Capacities and Specifications..........................5-99
Capacities and Specifications.........................5-99
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
.........5-100
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-2
2003 - Sierra Denali 

Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 7,500 miles (12,500 km).
Any time you notice unusual wear, rotate your tires
as soon as possible and check wheel alignment. Also
check for damaged tires or wheels. SeeWhen It Is Time
for New Tires on page 5-59andWheel Replacement
on page 5-62for more information.
Make sure the spare tire is stored securely. Push, pull,
and then try to rotate or turn the tire. If it moves,
use the wheel wrench and jack handle extensions to
tighten the cable. SeeChanging a Flat Tire on
page 5-65.
The purpose of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. Thefirst rotation
is the most important. See“Part A: Scheduled
Maintenance Services,”in Section 6, for scheduled
rotation intervals.When rotating your tires, always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
Don’t include the spare tire in your tire rotation.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear inflation pressures as shown on the
Certification/Tire label. Make certain that all wheel nuts
are properly tightened. See“Wheel Nut Torque”
underCapacities and Specifications on page 5-99.
5-58
2003 - Sierra Denali 

Temperature–A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance to the generation
of heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high temperature can
cause the material of the tire to degenerate and
reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds to a
level of performance which all passenger car tires must
meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.
Warning: The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced
carefully at the factory to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance.Scheduled wheel alignment and wheel balancing are
not needed. However, if you notice unusual tire wear or
your vehicle pulling one way or the other, the alignment
may need to be reset. If you notice your vehicle
vibrating when driving on a smooth road, your wheels
may need to be rebalanced.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked, or badly rusted
or corroded. If wheel nuts keep coming loose, the
wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts should be replaced.
If the wheel leaks air, replace it (except some
aluminum wheels, which can sometimes be repaired).
See your dealer if any of these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind of wheel you need.
Each new wheel should have the same load-carrying
capacity, diameter, width, offset and be mounted
the same way as the one it replaces.
If you need to replace any of your wheels, wheel bolts
or wheel nuts, replace them only with new GM
original equipment parts. This way, you will be sure to
have the right wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts
for your vehicle.
5-62
2003 - Sierra Denali 

T
Tachometer....................................................3-26
Tailgate.........................................................2-10
Tailgate Removal............................................2-10
Taillamps.......................................................5-54
Temperature and Compass Display....................2-28
Testing the Alarm............................................2-14
Theft-Deterrent, Radio.....................................3-75
Theft-Deterrent Systems...................................2-13
Content Theft-Deterrent................................2-13
Passlock
®...................................................2-15
Tilt Wheel........................................................ 3-5
Tire Inflation Check.........................................6-10
Tires.............................................................5-56
Buying New Tires........................................5-60
Chains.......................................................5-64
Changing a Flat Tire....................................5-65
If a Tire Goes Flat.......................................5-64
Inflation -- Tire Pressure...............................5-57
Inspection and Rotation................................5-58
Spare Tire..................................................5-82
Uniform Tire Quality Grading.........................5-61
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
.................5-62
Wheel Replacement
.....................................5-62
When It Is Time for New Tires
......................5-59
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
....................2-18
Tonneau Cover
...............................................2-39
Top Strap
......................................................1-39
Top Strap Anchor Location
...............................1-40Torque Lock...................................................2-25
Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires..................4-56
Tow/Haul Mode ...............................................2-21
Tow/Haul Mode Light.......................................3-41
Towing
Recreational Vehicle.....................................4-47
Towing a Trailer..........................................4-53
Your Vehicle...............................................4-46
Traction
Manual Selectable Ride................................. 4-9
TRACTION ACTIVE........................................3-55
Trailer
Recommendations.......................................4-52
Trailer Brakes.................................................4-57
Trailer Wiring Harness.....................................4-61
Transfer Case................................................5-45
Transmission
Fluid, Automatic...........................................5-20
Temperature Gage.......................................3-36
TRANSMISSION HOT.....................................3-55
Transmission Operation, Automatic....................2-19
Transmission, Transaxle, Transfer Case Unit
Repair Manual............................................7-10
Transportation Options...................................... 7-7
Traveling to Remote Areas...............................4-20
Trip Information Button....................................3-43
Trip Odometer
................................................3-26
Truck-Camper Loading Information
....................4-50
Turn and Lane Change Signals
.......................... 3-6
TURN SIGNAL ON
.........................................3-54
14
2003 - Sierra Denali 

Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever........................... 3-5
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer..................4-59
Two-Tiered Loading.........................................4-49
U
Underbody Flushing Service.............................6-13
Underhood Fuse Block....................................5-95
Understanding Radio Reception........................3-76
Uniform Tire Quality Grading............................5-61
United States................................................... 7-4
Using HomeLink
®...........................................2-38
Using the Recovery Hooks...............................4-45
V
Vehicle
Control........................................................ 4-5
Damage Warnings........................................... iv
Loading......................................................4-47
Symbols......................................................... iv
Vehicle Identification
Number (VIN).............................................5-90
Service Parts Identification Label
...................5-90
Vehicle Personalization
Memory Seat
..............................................2-41
Vehicle Storage
..............................................5-39
Visors
...........................................................2-13
Voltmeter Gage
..............................................3-33
W
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators................3-24
Warnings
DIC Warnings and Messages........................3-51
Hazard Warning Flashers............................... 3-4
Other Warning Devices.................................. 3-4
Safety and Symbols......................................... iii
Vehicle Damage.............................................. iv
Washing Your Vehicle......................................5-85
Weatherstrip Lubrication...................................6-11
Weight of the Trailer........................................4-55
Weight of Trailer Tongue..................................4-56
What Kind of Engine Oil to Use........................5-15
What to Add ..................................................5-37
What to Do with Used Oil ................................5-17
What to Use ..................................5-24, 5-35, 5-46
Wheels
Alignment and Tire Balance..........................5-62
Replacement...............................................5-62
When to Add Engine Oil..................................5-14
When to Change Engine Oil (GM Oil Life
System).....................................................5-16
When to Check..............................................5-57
When to Check and Change
............................5-20
When to Check Lubricant
.................................5-46
When to Check Power Steering Fluid
................5-34
When to Inspect
.............................................5-18
When You Are Ready to Leave After Parking
on a Hill
.....................................................4-60
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2003 - Sierra Denali