
Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-3
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-8
Safety Belts
.............................................. 1-8
Child Restraints
.......................................1-29
Air Bag Systems
......................................1-62
Restraint System Check
............................1-79
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-2
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-6
Windows
.................................................2-13
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-15
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-18
Mirrors
....................................................2-31
OnStar
žSystem
......................................2-36
HomeLinkžTransmitter
.............................2-38
Storage Areas
.........................................2-42
Vehicle Personalization
.............................2-45
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-2
Climate Controls
......................................3-19
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
.........3-27
Driver Information Center (DIC)
..................3-46
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-64Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-48
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-4
Checking Things Under the Hood
................. 5-8
All-Wheel Drive
........................................5-46
Rear Axle
...............................................5-47
Front Axle
...............................................5-48
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-49
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-58
Tires
......................................................5-59
Appearance Care
.....................................5-96
Vehicle Identi®cation
...............................5-104
Electrical System
....................................5-105
Capacities and Speci®cations
...................5-114
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance and Information.............. 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information
........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
...........................7-10
Index................................................................ 1
2004 GMC Sierra Denali Owner ManualM

How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
This part is only for people of adult size.
Be aware that there are special things to know about
safety belts and children. And there are different
rules for smaller children and babies. If a child will be
riding in your vehicle, see
Older Children on page 1-29orInfants and Young Children on page 1-32. Follow
those rules for everyone's protection.
First, you'll want to know which restraint systems your
vehicle has.
We'll start with the driver position.
Driver Position
This part describes the driver's restraint system.
Lap-Shoulder Belt
The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here's how to wear it
properly.
1. Close and lock the door.
2. Adjust the seat so you can sit up straight. To see
how, see ªSeatsº in the Index.3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
Don't let it get twisted.
The shoulder belt may lock if you pull the belt
across you very quickly. If this happens, let the belt
go back slightly to unlock it. Then pull the belt
across you more slowly.
1-14

The best way to protect the fetus is to protect the
mother. When a safety belt is worn properly, it's more
likely that the fetus won't be hurt in a crash. For
pregnant women, as for anyone, the key to making
safety belts effective is wearing them properly.
Right Front Passenger Position
To learn how to wear the right front passenger's safety
belt properly, seeDriver Position on page 1-14.
The right front passenger's safety belt works the same
way as the driver's safety belt Ð except for one
thing. If you ever pull the shoulder portion of the belt out
all the way, you will engage the child restraint locking
feature which may turn off the passenger's frontal
air bag. If this happens unintentionally, just let the belt
go back all the way and start again.
Center Passenger Position
1-22

6. To tighten the belt, push down on the child restraint,
pull the shoulder belt to tighten the lap belt portion
and feed the shoulder belt back into the retractor.
If you are using a forward-facing child restraint, you
may ®nd it helpful to use your knee to push
down on the child restraint as you tighten the belt.
You should not be able to pull more of the belt
out of the retractor once the lock has been set.7. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure.
8. If your vehicle has the passenger sensing system
and the air bag is off, the off indicator will be lit and
stay lit in the inside rearview mirror when the key
is turned to RUN or START. Never put a rear-facing
child restraint in the right front passenger seat
unless the air bag is off.
If a child restraint has been installed and the on
indicator is lit, turn the vehicle off. Remove the child
restraint from the vehicle and reinstall the child restraint.
If after reinstalling the child restraint and restarting
the vehicle, the on indicator is still lit, check to make
sure that the vehicle's seatback is not pressing the child
restraint into the seat cushion. If this happens, slightly
recline the vehicle's seatback and adjust the seat
cushion if possible. Also make sure the child restraint is
not trapped under the vehicle head restraint. If this
happens, adjust the head restraint.
If the on indicator is still lit, use the air bag off switch to
turn off the air bag or secure the child in the child
restraint in a rear seat position in the vehicle if one is
available and check with your dealer. See
Air Bag
Off Switch on page 1-68for more on this, including
important safety information.
1-60

Resynchronization
Resynchronization may be necessary due to the
security method used by this system. The transmitter
does not send the same signal twice to the receiver. The
receiver will not respond to a signal that has been
sent previously. This prevents anyone from recording
and playing back the signal from the transmitter.
To resynchronize your transmitter, stand close to your
vehicle and press and hold the LOCK and UNLOCK
buttons on the transmitter at the same time for
15 seconds. The door locks should cycle to con®rm
synchronization. If the locks do not cycle, see your
dealer for service.
Doors and Locks
Door Locks
{CAUTION:
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
·Passengers Ð especially children Ð can
easily open the doors and fall out of a
moving vehicle. When a door is locked, the
handle will not open it. You increase the
chance of being thrown out of the vehicle
in a crash if the doors are not locked. So,
wear safety belts properly and lock the
doors whenever you drive.
·Young children who get into unlocked
vehicles may be unable to get out. A child
can be overcome by extreme heat and can
suffer permanent injuries or even death
from heat stroke. Always lock your vehicle
whenever you leave it.
·Outsiders can easily enter through an
unlocked door when you slow down or
stop your vehicle. Locking your doors can
help prevent this from happening.
2-6

Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective
than braking. For example, you come over a hill and ®nd
a truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls
out from nowhere, or a child darts out from between
parked cars and stops right in front of you. You
can avoid these problems by braking Ð if you can stop
in time. But sometimes you can not; there is not
room. That is the time for evasive action Ð steering
around the problem.
Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like
these. First apply your brakes.
See
Braking on page 4-6. It is better to remove as much
speed as you can from a possible collision. Then
steer around the problem, to the left or right depending
on the space available.An emergency like this requires close attention and a
quick decision. If you are holding the steering wheel at
the recommended 9 and 3 o'clock positions, you
can turn it a full 180 degrees very quickly without
removing either hand. But you have to act fast, steer
quickly, and just as quickly straighten the wheel
once you have avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency situations are always
possible is a good reason to practice defensive driving
at all times and wear safety belts properly.
4-11

C
California Fuel.................................................. 5-5
Canada........................................................... 7-5
Canadian Owners................................................ ii
Canadian Roadside Assistance........................... 7-7
Capacities and Speci®cations..........................5-114
Car Washes for QUADRASTEERŸ Equipped
Vehicles.....................................................4-14
Carbon Monoxide...................4-42, 4-58, 2-11, 2-29
Care of
Safety Belts................................................5-98
Your Cassette Tape Player............................3-87
Your CD Player...........................................3-88
Your CDs ...................................................3-88
Cargo Lamp...................................................3-15
CARGO LAMP ON.........................................3-58
Cassette Tape Messages.................................3-76
CD Adapter Kits.............................................3-76
CD Changer...................................................3-82
CD Changer Errors.........................................3-84
CD Functions.................................................3-83
CD Messages................................................3-79
Center Console Storage Area...........................2-42
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) and
Cargo Lamp...............................................5-54
Center Instrument Panel Fuse Block................5-108
Center Passenger Position, Safety Belts.............1-22
Chains, Tires..................................................5-74CHANGE ENGINE OIL....................................3-58
Check
Engine Light...............................................3-40
Check Engine Light.........................................3-40
CHECK OIL LEVEL.........................................3-59
CHECK WASHER FLUID.................................3-59
Checking Brake Fluid......................................5-37
Checking Coolant............................................5-23
Checking Engine Oil........................................5-11
Checking Things Under the Hood....................... 5-8
Checking Your Restraint Systems......................1-79
Chemical Paint Spotting.................................5-102
Child Restraints
Child Restraint Systems...............................1-36
Infants and Young Children...........................1-32
Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for
Children (LATCH System)..........................1-44
Older Children.............................................1-29
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for the
LATCH System........................................1-46
Securing a Child Restraint in a Center Rear
Seat Position...........................................1-54
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Outside
Seat Position...........................................1-51
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front
Seat Position...........................................1-56
Top Strap...................................................1-40
Top Strap Anchor Location............................1-42
Where to Put the Restraint...........................1-39
3

I
If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine..........5-27
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine...............5-26
If the Light is Flashing.....................................3-41
If the Light Is On Steady.................................3-42
If You Are Caught in a Blizzard.........................4-44
If You Are Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow.......4-46
If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer.....................4-59
Ignition Positions.............................................2-18
Illuminated Visor Vanity Mirrors.........................2-15
Infants and Young Children, Restraints...............1-32
In¯ation - Tire Pressure...................................5-67
Instrument Panel
Cluster.......................................................3-28
Overview..................................................... 3-2
Instrument Panel Brightness Control..................3-16
Instrument Panel Fuse Block..........................5-106
Interior Lamps................................................3-16
J
Jump Starting.................................................5-41
K
KEYFOB X BATTERY LOW.............................3-60
Keyless Entry System....................................... 2-3Keys............................................................... 2-2
L
Lamps
Exterior......................................................3-12
Interior.......................................................3-16
Lamps On Reminder.......................................3-14
Lap Belt........................................................1-23
Lap-Shoulder Belt...........................................1-14
LATCH System
Child Restraints...........................................1-44
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for the
LATCH System........................................1-46
Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine
Running.....................................................2-27
Light
Air Bag Off .................................................3-30
Air Bag Readiness.......................................3-30
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning...................3-38
Battery Warning..........................................3-35
Brake System Warning.................................3-37
Cruise Control.............................................3-44
Low Fuel Warning.......................................3-45
Malfunction Indicator....................................3-40
Passenger Air Bag Status Indicator................3-33
Safety Belt Reminder...................................3-29
Tow/Haul Mode...........................................3-44
8