2009 GMC SIERRA 1500 tailgate

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

Keys...............................................................2-3
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System................2-4
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation...................................................2-5
Remote Vehicle Start......................................2-7
Doors and Locks............................................2-10
Door Locks..................................................2-10
Power Door Locks........................................2-10
Delayed Locking...........................................2-11
Programmable Automatic Door Locks..............2-11
Rear Door Security Locks..............................2-11
Lockout Protection........................................2-12
Rear Doors..................................................2-12
Tailgate.......................................................2-13
Windows........................................................2-15
Manual Windows..........................................2-16
Power Windows............................................2-16
Power Sliding Rear Window...........................2-17
Sun Visors...................................................2-18
Theft-Deterrent Systems..................................2-18
Content Theft-Deterrent.................................2-18
PASS-Key
®III+ Electronic Immobilizer.............2-20
PASS-Key®III+ Electronic Immobilizer
Operation.................................................2-20Starting and Operating Your Vehicle................2-22
New Vehicle Break-In....................................2-22
Ignition Positions..........................................2-22
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)...................2-23
Starting the Engine.......................................2-24
Fast Idle System..........................................2-25
Adjustable Throttle and Brake Pedal................2-26
Engine Coolant Heater..................................2-27
Active Fuel Management™.............................2-28
Automatic Transmission Operation...................2-28
Tow/Haul Mode............................................2-34
Four-Wheel Drive..........................................2-37
Parking Brake..............................................2-50
Shifting Into Park..........................................2-52
Shifting Out of Park......................................2-54
Parking Over Things That Burn.......................2-54
Engine Exhaust............................................2-55
Running the Vehicle While Parked..................2-56
Mirrors...........................................................2-57
Manual Rearview Mirror.................................2-57
Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror................2-57
Outside Manual Mirrors..................................2-57
Outside Towing Mirrors..................................2-58
Outside Power Mirrors...................................2-58
Outside Power Foldaway Mirrors.....................2-59
Section 2 Features and Controls
2-1

To open a rear access door
from the inside, the front
door must be opened rst.
Then, use the handle
located on the inside of the
rear access door to open.
Crew Cabs
If your vehicle is a crew cab, you can open your doors
from the inside or outside. Your vehicle may also
have a feature which prevents children from opening the
rear doors. SeeRear Door Security Locks on page 2-11
for more information.
Tailgate
{CAUTION:
It is extremely dangerous to ride on the tailgate,
even when the vehicle is operated at low speeds.
People riding on the tailgate can easily lose their
balance and fall in response to vehicle maneuvers.
Falling from a moving vehicle may result in serious
injuries or death. Do not allow people to ride on
the tailgate. Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in
a seat and using a safety belt properly.
On vehicles with a lock on the tailgate, use the key to
lock or unlock the tailgate.
Open the tailgate by lifting up on its handle while pulling
the tailgate toward you.
To shut the tailgate, rmly push it upward until it latches.
After you put the tailgate back up, pull it back towards
you to be sure it latches securely.
2-13

Tailgate Removal
The tailgate can be removed to allow for different loading
situations. Although the tailgate can be removed without
assistance, you may want someone to assist you with the
removal to avoid possible damage to the vehicle.
On vehicles with a rear vision camera, it must be
disconnected before removing the tailgate. SeeRear
Vision Camera (RVC) on page 2-64for more information.
To remove the tailgate, do the following:
1. Raise the tailgate
slightly and release
both retaining cable
clips. To release
the retaining cable
clips, lift the cable so it
points straight out.
Lift the clip over
the bolt, and push the
cable forward then
rotate down.2. With the tailgate about halfway open, lift the
right edge of the tailgate from the lower pivot.
On vehicles with the tailgate assist feature,
raise the tailgate nearly all the way to the closed
position prior to removing the left edge.
3. Move the tailgate to the right to release the
left edge.
Reverse this procedure to reinstall the tailgate.
Make sure the tailgate is secure.
2-14

How the System Works
URPA comes on automatically when the shift lever is
moved into R (Reverse). The rear display briey
illuminates to indicate the system is working.
URPA operates only at speeds less than 5 mph (8 km/h).
If the vehicle is above this speed, the red light on the rear
display will ash.
To be detected, objects must be at least 10 inches
(25.4 cm) off the ground and below tailgate level.
Objects must also be within 8 feet (2.5 m) from the rear
bumper. This distance may be less during warmer or
humid weather.
A single beep will sound the rst time an object is
detected between 40 inches (1 m) and 8 feet (2.5 m)
away. Beeping will occur continuously when the vehicle
is at 23 inches (0.6 m) or closer to an object.The following describes what will occur with the URPA
display as the vehicle gets closer to a detected object:
Description English Metric
amber light 8 ft 2.5 m
amber/amber lights 40 in 1.0 m
amber/amber/red lights
and continuous beeping
for ve seconds23 in 0.6 m
amber/amber/red lights
ashing and continuous
beeping for ve seconds1 ft 0.3 m
The system can be
disabled by pressing the
rear park aid disable button
located next to the radio.
The indicator light will come on and PARK ASSIST OFF
displays on the Driver Information Center (DIC) to
indicate that URPA is off, seeDIC Warnings and
Messages on page 3-66for information about clearing
the message.
2-62

Notice:If you use URPA while the tailgate is
lowered, it may not detect an object behind your
vehicle, and you might back into the object and
damage your vehicle. Always verify the tailgate is
closed when using URPA or turn off URPA when
driving with the tailgate lowered.
When the System Does Not Seem to
Work Properly
If the URPA system will not activate due to a temporary
condition, the message PARK ASSIST OFF will be
displayed on the DIC and a red light will be shown on
the rear URPA display when the shift lever is moved into
R (Reverse). This occurs under the following conditions:
The driver disables the system.
The ultrasonic sensors are not clean. Keep the
vehicle’s rear bumper free of mud, dirt, snow,
ice and slush. For cleaning instructions, see
Washing Your Vehicle on page 5-118.
A trailer was attached to the vehicle, or a bicycle or
an object was hanging out of the tailgate during the
last drive cycle, the red light may illuminate in
the rear display. Once the attached object is
removed, URPA will return to normal operation.
A tow bar is attached to the vehicle.
The vehicle’s bumper is damaged. Take the vehicle
to your dealer/retailer to repair the system.
Other conditions may affect system performance,
such as vibrations from a jackhammer or the
compression of air brakes on a very large truck.
If the system is still disabled, after driving forward at
least 15 mph (25 km/h), take the vehicle to your
dealer/retailer.
2-63

Rear Vision Camera Location
The image is provided by the camera located in the
bezel for the tailgate handle.
The camera uses a special lens. The distance of the
image that appears on the screen differs from the actual
distance. The area displayed by the camera is limited.
The camera does not display objects which are close
to either corner of the bumper or under the bumper.
The area displayed on the screen can vary according to
vehicle orientation or road conditions.The following illustration shows the eld of view that the
camera provides.
2-67

Disconnecting the Rear Vision Camera
To disconnect the camera:
1. Remove the license plate.
2. Disconnect the camera connector from the chassis
harness, located behind the license plate, by
pressing on the release tab on the chassis harness.
A. Camera connector
cap tab
B. Chassis harness
C. Release tabD. Camera connector
E. Retaining clip
F. Protective connector cap
G. Camera connector cap
3. Disconnect the protective connector cap from the
chassis harness by pressing on the release tab on
the chassis harness, then remove the cap.
4. Install the protective connector cap onto the chassis
harness where the camera connector was located.A. Chassis harness
B. Release tabC. Protective connector cap
D. Camera connector cap
5. Lift up on the camera connector cap tab and remove
the camera connector cap from the chassis harness,
then install the camera connector cap on the camera
connector.
6. Release the rear vision camera cable from the
retaining clip.
7. Loosen the camera harness grommet from the
pickup box and feed the harness through the
pickup box.
8. Remove the tailgate. SeeTailgate on page 2-13
for more information.
Reverse this procedure to reinstall the rear vision camera
and make sure the grommet and connection is secure.
2-68