Page 1 of 602

Seats and Restraint System............................. 1-1
Head Restraints
......................................... 1-3
Front Seats
............................................... 1-4
Rear Seats
..............................................1-14
Safety Belts
.............................................1-16
Child Restraints
.......................................1-38
Airbag System
.........................................1-72
Restraint System Check
............................1-91
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-3
Doors and Locks
......................................2-10
Windows
.................................................2-15
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-18
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-22
Mirrors
....................................................2-57
Object Detection Systems
..........................2-61
OnStar
®System
......................................2-70
Universal Home Remote System
................2-73
Storage Areas
.........................................2-80
Sunroof
..................................................2-84Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-24
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators
........3-33
Driver Information Center (DIC)
..................3-53
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-84
Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and the Vehicle
....... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-47
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-4
Fuel
......................................................... 5-6
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-14
Rear Axle
...............................................5-51
Four-Wheel Drive
.....................................5-53
Front Axle
...............................................5-56
Noise Control System
...............................5-57
Headlamp Aiming
.....................................5-58
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-61
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-66
2009 GMC Sierra Owner ManualM 
     
        
        Page 5 of 602
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)
g: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 Gage
+:Fuses
i: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
F:Traction Control
M:Windshield Washer Fluid
v 
     
        
        Page 7 of 602

Head Restraints...............................................1-3
Front Seats......................................................1-4
Manual Seats................................................1-4
Power Seats..................................................1-5
Manual Lumbar..............................................1-6
Power Lumbar ...............................................1-7
Heated Seats.................................................1-8
Memory Seat, Mirrors, and Pedals....................1-8
Reclining Seatbacks......................................1-10
Seatback Latches.........................................1-13
Center Seat.................................................1-13
Rear Seats.....................................................1-14
Rear Seat Operation (Extended Cab Full
Bench).....................................................1-14
Rear Seat Operation (All Split Bench and
Hybrid Full Bench).....................................1-15
Safety Belts...................................................1-16
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone................1-16
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly.................1-22
Lap-Shoulder Belt.........................................1-30
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy..................1-36
Lap Belt (Crew and Extended Cab).................1-36
Safety Belt Extender.....................................1-37Child Restraints.............................................1-38
Older Children..............................................1-38
Infants and Young Children............................1-41
Child Restraint Systems.................................1-45
Where to Put the Restraint.............................1-48
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH)..................................................1-49
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Seat
Position...................................................1-58
Securing a Child Restraint in the Center
Front Seat Position....................................1-61
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front
Seat Position (With Airbag Off Switch)..........1-62
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front
Seat Position (With Passenger Sensing
System)...................................................1-66
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front
Seat Position (Heavy Duty Crew Cab Only)
......1-70
Airbag System...............................................1-72
Where Are the Airbags?................................1-75
When Should an Airbag In ate?.....................1-77
What Makes an Airbag In ate?.......................1-79
How Does an Airbag Restrain?.......................1-79
Section 1 Seats and Restraint System
1-1 
     
        
        Page 17 of 602
{CAUTION:
Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle is
in motion can be dangerous. Even if you buckle
up, your safety belts cannot do their job when you
are reclined like this.
The shoulder belt cannot do its job. In a crash, you
could go into it, receiving neck or other injuries.
The lap belt cannot do its job either. In a crash the
belt could go up over your abdomen. The belt
forces would be there, not at your pelvic bones.
This could cause serious internal injuries.
For proper protection when the vehicle is in motion,
have the seatback upright. Then sit well back in the
seat and wear your safety belt properly.
1-11 
     
        
        Page 20 of 602
Rear Seats
Rear Seat Operation (Extended Cab
Full Bench)
Folding the Rear Seat
To fold the seat up, do the following:
Notice:Folding a rear seat with the safety belts
still fastened may cause damage to the seat or the
safety belts. Always unbuckle the safety belts
and return them to their normal stowed position
before folding a rear seat.
1. Pull up on the front of
the seat cushion while
pulling down on the
release strap, located
under the seat cushion.2. Pull the seat cushion up until it latches with the
seatback.
3. After latching the seat cushion up, pull forward on it
to make sure it is locked.
To fold the seat down, do the following:
1. Push the seat cushion rearward while pulling the
release strap, located under the seat cushion.
Pull the seat cushion down until it latches.
2. After latching the seat cushion, pull up on it to
make sure it is locked.
1-14 
     
        
        Page 21 of 602
Rear Seat Operation (All Split
Bench and Hybrid Full Bench)
Folding Rear Seat
On a vehicle with a second row 60/40 split seat either
side of the rear seat may be folded for added cargo
space.
Notice:Folding a rear seat with the safety belts
still fastened may cause damage to the seat or the
safety belts. Always unbuckle the safety belts
and return them to their normal stowed position
before folding a rear seat.
Make sure that nothing is on the seat.
To fold the seat, slowly pull the seat cushion up.
To return the seat to the normal seating position, slowly
pull the seat cushion down.
{CAUTION:
A safety belt that is improperly routed, not properly
attached, or twisted will not provide the protection
needed in a crash. The person wearing the belt
could be seriously injured. After raising the rear
seatback, always check to be sure that the safety
belts are properly routed and attached, and are
not twisted.
1-15 
     
        
        Page 22 of 602
Safety Belts
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone
This part of the manual tells you how to use safety
belts properly. It also tells you some things you should
not do with safety belts.
{CAUTION:
Do not let anyone ride where a safety belt cannot
be worn properly. In a crash, if you or your
passenger(s) are not wearing safety belts, the
injuries can be much worse. You can hit things
inside the vehicle harder or be ejected from the
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
vehicle. You and your passenger(s) can be
seriously injured or killed. In the same crash, you
might not be, if you are buckled up. Always fasten
your safety belt, and check that your passenger(s)
are restrained properly too.
{CAUTION:
People riding on the tailgate (if equipped) can
easily lose their balance and fall even when the
vehicle is operated at low speeds. Falling from a
moving vehicle may result in serious injuries or
death.
1-16 
     
        
        Page 23 of 602

{CAUTION:
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area,
inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision, people
riding in these areas are more likely to be seriously
injured or killed. Do not allow people to ride in any
area of your vehicle that is not equipped with seats
and safety belts. Be sure everyone in your vehicle is
in a seat and using a safety belt properly.Your vehicle has indicators as a reminder to buckle your
safety belts. SeeSafety Belt Reminders on page 3-36.
In most states and in all Canadian provinces, the
law requires wearing safety belts. Here is why:
You never know if you will be in a crash. If you do have
a crash, you do not know if it will be a serious one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so
serious that even buckled up, a person would not
survive. But most crashes are in between. In many of
them, people who buckle up can survive and sometimes
walk away. Without belts they could have been badly
hurt or killed.
After more than 40 years of safety belts in vehicles, the
facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does
matter... a lot!
1-17