
2010 GMC Sierra Denali Owner ManualM
In Brief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Vehicle Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18
Performance and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
Seats and Restraint System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-33
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-56
Restraint System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-73
Features and Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Doors and Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15
Theft-Deterrent Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-18
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-22
Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-39 Object Detection Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-43
Universal Home Remote System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-51
Storage Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-57
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-61
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Instrument Panel Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-17
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . 4-27
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-44
Audio System(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-76
Driving Your Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1
Your Driving, the Road, and the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-38
Service and Appearance Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Checking Things Under the Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-14
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-49
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-50

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

Section 1 In Brief
Instrument Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7
Heated Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Heated and Ventilated Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Head Restraint Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
Sensing System for Passenger Airbag . . . . . . . . . 1-11
Mirror Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
Throttle and Brake Pedal Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . 1-13
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17 Vehicle Features
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18
Radio(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19
Portable Audio Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-20
Bluetooth
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-20
Navigation System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-20
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-21
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-23
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-23
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-23
Universal Remote System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-23
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
Performance and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-24
StabiliTrak
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
Tire Pressure Monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-25
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-25
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-26
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-26
Roadside Assistance Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-27
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-27
1-1

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
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 3‑7.
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.
Power Door Locks
If available, these switches are located on the front
doors.
K:Press to unlock the doors.
Q:Remove the key from the ignition and press to lock
the doors.
For more information, see:
.Programmable Automatic Door Lockson
page 3‑11.
.Rear Door Security Locks on page 3‑12.
1-5

Vehicle Customization
Some vehicle features can be programmed by using the
DIC buttons next to the steering wheel. These features
include:
.Language
.Door Lock and Unlock Settings
.RKE Lock and Unlock Feedback
.Lighting
.Chime Volume
.Memory Features
.Remote Start
See DIC Vehicle Customization (With DIC Buttons)
on
page 4‑67.
Cruise Control
The cruise control buttons
are located on left side of
the steering wheel.
T: Turns the system on or off. The indicator light is
on when cruise control is on and turns off when cruise
control is off.
+ RES : Press to make the vehicle accelerate or
resume to a previously set speed.
SET −:Press to set the speed or make the vehicle
decelerate.
[: Press to cancel cruise control without erasing the
set speed from memory.
1-22

Passenger Sensing System
If the vehicle has the passenger airbag status indicator
pictured in the following illustration, then the vehicle has
a passenger sensing system for the right front
passenger position. The passenger airbag status
indicator, if equipped, is visible on the overhead console
when the vehicle is started.
In addition, if the vehicle has a passenger sensing
system for the right front passenger position, the label
on the vehicle's sun visors refers to“ADVANCED
AIRBAGS”.
United StatesCanada
The words ON and OFF, or the symbol for on and off,
will be visible during the system check. If you are using
remote start, if equipped, to start the vehicle from a
distance, you may not see the system check. When the
system check is complete, either the word ON or OFF,
or the symbol for on or off, will be visible. See
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator on page 4‑32. The passenger sensing system will turn off the right
front passenger frontal airbag under certain conditions.
The driver airbag, seat‐mounted side impact airbags,
and the roof-rail airbags are not affected by the
passenger sensing system.
The passenger sensing system works with sensors that
are part of the right front passenger seat and safety
belt. The sensors are designed to detect the presence
of a properly-seated occupant and determine if the right
front passenger frontal airbag should be enabled (may
inflate) or not.
According to accident statistics, children are safer when
properly secured in a rear seat in the correct child
restraint for their weight and size.
We recommend that children be secured in a rear seat,
including: an infant or a child riding in a rear-facing child
restraint; a child riding in a forward-facing child seat; an
older child riding in a booster seat; and children, who
are large enough, using safety belts.
A label on the sun visor says,
“Never put a rear-facing
child seat in the front.” This is because the risk to the
rear-facing child is so great, if the airbag deploys.
2-66

Section 3 Features and Controls
Keys. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7
Doors and Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Power Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Programmable Automatic Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Rear Door Security Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12
Lockout Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13
Rear Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13
Tailgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15
Manual Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-16
Power Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-16
Sliding Rear Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17
Power Sliding Rear Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17
Sun Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17
Theft-Deterrent Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-18
Content Theft-Deterrent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-18
PASS-Key
®III+ Electronic Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . 3-20
PASS-Key®III+ Electronic Immobilizer
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20 Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
. . . . . . . . . . . .3-22
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-22
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24
Adjustable Throttle and Brake Pedal . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
Engine Coolant Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
Active Fuel Management™ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-27
Automatic Transmission Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-28
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-32
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-35
Shifting Out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-36
Parking Over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-37
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-37
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-38
Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-39
Manual Rearview Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-39
Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . 3-39
Outside Power Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-40
Outside Power Foldaway Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-40
Park Tilt Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-41
Outside Convex Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-42
Outside Heated Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-42
3-1

If you are locked out of the vehicle, call the Roadside
Assistance Center. SeeRoadside Assistance Program
on page 8‑7.
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System
SeeRadio Frequency Statementon page 8‑20for
information regarding Part 15 of the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) Rules and
RSS-210/211 of Industry and Science Canada.
Changes or modifications to this system by other than
an authorized service facility could void authorization to
use this equipment.
If there is a decrease in the RKE operating range,
try this:
.Check the distance. The transmitter may be too far
from the vehicle. Stand closer during rainy or
snowy weather.
.Check the location. Other vehicles or objects may
be blocking the signal. Take a few steps to the left
or right, hold the transmitter higher, and try again.
.Check the transmitter's battery. See “Battery
Replacement” later in this section.
.If the transmitter is still not working correctly, see
your dealer/retailer or a qualified technician for
service.
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation
The Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter functions
work up to 195 feet (60 m) away from the vehicle.
There are other conditions which can affect the
performance of the transmitter. See Remote Keyless
Entry (RKE) System on page 3‑4.
With Remote Start
(Without Remote Start Similar)
/(Remote Vehicle Start): For vehicles with this
feature, press /to start the engine from outside the
vehicle using the RKE transmitter. See Remote Vehicle
Start
on page 3‑7for additional information.
3-4