Black plate (27,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
Instruments and Controls 5-27
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Check the oil level as soon as
possible. Add oil if required, but
if the oil level is within the
operating range and the oil
pressure is still low, have the
vehicle serviced. Always follow
the maintenance schedule for
changing engine oil.
This light comes on briefly while
starting the engine. If it does not,
have the vehicle serviced by your
dealer. If the system is working
normally the indicator light then
goes off.
If the light comes on and stays on, it
means that oil is not flowing through
the engine properly. The vehicle
could be low on oil and it might
have some other system problem.
If the vehicle is a hybrid, see the
hybrid supplement for more
information.Low Fuel Warning Light
This light, under the fuel gauge,
comes on briefly while the engine is
being started.
This light and a chime, if the vehicle
is equipped with a radio, comes on
when the fuel tank is low on fuel.
The Driver Information Center also
displays a FUEL LEVEL LOW
message. SeeFuel System
Messages on page 5‑41 for more
information. When fuel is added this
light and message should go off. If it
does not, have the vehicle serviced
by your dealer.
Security Light
The security light should come on
briefly as the engine is started. If the
system is working normally, the
indicator light turns off. If it does not
come on, have the vehicle serviced
by your dealer.
If the light stays on and the engine
does not start, there could be a
problem with the theft-deterrent
system.
This light is also used to indicate the
status of the anti-theft alarm system
when the ignition is turned off. The
light will flash rapidly if the alarm
system is arming and one or more
of the monitored entry points is not
closed. The light will stay on if the
alarm is arming and all entry points
are closed.
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Instruments and Controls 5-29
The DIC has different displays
which can be accessed by pressing
the DIC buttons located on the
instrument panel, next to the
steering wheel. If the vehicle does
not have DIC buttons, the trip
odometer reset stem can be used to
access some of the menu items.
The DIC displays trip, fuel, and
vehicle system information, and
warning messages if a system
problem is detected.
The DIC also allows some features
to be customized. SeeVehicle
Personalization (With DIC Buttons)
on page 5‑46 for more information.
If the vehicle has a diesel engine,
see the Duramax
®diesel
supplement for more information.
DIC Buttons
The buttons are the trip/fuel, vehicle
information, customization, and set/
reset buttons. The button functions
are detailed in the following pages.
3(Trip/Fuel): Press this button
to display the odometer, trip
odometer, fuel range, average
economy, fuel used, timer,
transmission temperature, and
instantaneous economy and Active
Fuel Management™ indicator. The
compass and outside temperature
will also be shown in the display. The temperature will be shown
in °C or °F depending on the units
selected.
T(Vehicle Information):
Press
this button to display the oil life,
units, tire pressure readings for
vehicles with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS), trailer
brake gain and output information
for vehicles with the Integrated
Trailer Brake Control (ITBC) system,
engine hours, compass zone
setting, and compass recalibration.
U(Customization): Press this
button to customize the feature
settings on the vehicle. See Vehicle
Personalization (With DIC Buttons)
on page 5‑46 for more information.
V(Set/Reset):Press this button to
set or reset certain functions and to
turn off or acknowledge messages
on the DIC.
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5-32 Instruments and Controls
An Active Fuel Management
indicator displays on the right side
of the DIC, while INST ECON
displays on the left side. Active Fuel
Management allows the engine to
operate on either four or eight
cylinders, depending on driving
demands. When Active Fuel
Management is active, V4 will
display on the DIC. When Active
Fuel Management is inactive, V8
will display. SeeActive Fuel
Management
®on page 9‑30 for
more information.
Blank Display
This display shows no information.
Vehicle Information Menu
Items (with DIC Buttons)
T(Vehicle Information): Press
this button to scroll through the
following menu items:
Oil Life
Press the vehicle information button
until OIL LIFE REMAINING
displays. This display shows an estimate of the oil's remaining useful
life. If you see 99% OIL LIFE
REMAINING on the display, that
means 99% of the current oil life
remains. The engine oil life system
will alert you to change the oil on a
schedule consistent with your
driving conditions.
When the remaining oil life is low,
the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message will appear on the display.
See
“CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON”
under Engine Oil Messages on
page 5‑40. You should change the
oil as soon as you can. See Engine
Oil on page 10‑6. In addition to the
engine oil life system monitoring the
oil life, additional maintenance is
recommended in the Maintenance
Schedule in this manual. See
Maintenance Schedule on
page 11‑3 for more information.
Remember, you must reset the OIL
LIFE display after each oil change.
It will not reset itself. Also, be
careful not to reset the OIL LIFE
display accidentally at any time
other than when the oil has just been changed. It cannot be reset
accurately until the next oil change.
To reset the engine oil life system,
see
Engine Oil Life System on
page 10‑9.
Units
Press the vehicle information button
until UNITS displays. This display
allows you to select between metric
or English units of measurement.
Once in this display, press the set/
reset button to select between
METRIC or ENGLISH units. All of
the vehicle information will then be
displayed in the unit of
measurement selected.
Tire Pressure
If the vehicle has the Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS), the
pressure for each tire can be viewed
in the DIC. The tire pressure will be
shown in either kilopascals (kPa) or
pounds per square inch (psi). Press
the vehicle information button until
the DIC displays FRONT
TIRES kPa (PSI) LEFT ##
RIGHT ##. Press the vehicle
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Instruments and Controls 5-33
information button again until the
DIC displays REAR TIRES kPa
(PSI) LEFT ## RIGHT ##.
If a low tire pressure condition is
detected by the system while
driving, a message advising you to
add pressure in a specific tire will
appear in the display. SeeTire
Pressure on page 10‑55 andTire
Messages on page 5‑43 for more
information.
If the tire pressure display shows
dashes instead of a value, there
may be a problem with the vehicle.
If this consistently occurs, see your
dealer for service.
Trailer Gain and Output
On vehicles with the Integrated
Trailer Brake Control (ITBC) system,
the trailer brake display appears in
the DIC. Press the vehicle
information button until TRAILER
GAIN and OUTPUT display. TRAILER GAIN shows the trailer
gain setting. This setting can be
adjusted from 0.0 to 10.0 with either
a trailer connected or disconnected.
OUTPUT shows the power output to
the trailer any time a trailer with
electric brakes is connected. Output
is displayed in 0 to 10 bars. Dashes
may appear in the OUTPUT display.
To adjust trailer gain see
“Integrated
Trailer Brake Control System” under
Towing Equipment on page 9‑89 for
more information.
Battery
This display shows the current
battery voltage. If the voltage is in
the normal range, the value will
display. For example, the display
may read BATTERY 13 VOLTS.
Your vehicle's charging system
regulates voltage based on the state
of the battery. The battery voltage
may fluctuate when viewing this
information on the DIC. This is
normal. Oil Pressure
This display shows the oil pressure
in either kilopascals (kPa) or pounds
per square inch (psi).
Engine Hours
Press the vehicle information button
until ENGINE HOURS displays. This
display shows the total number of
hours the engine has run.
Compass Zone Setting
This display allows for setting the
compass zone. See
Compass on
page 5‑5 for more information.
Compass Recalibration
This display allows for calibrating
the compass. See Compass on
page 5‑5 for more information.
Blank Display
This display shows no information.
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5-36 Instruments and Controls
Transmission Temperature
Press the trip odometer reset stem
until TRANS TEMP displays. This
display shows the temperature of
the automatic transmission fluid in
either degrees Celsius (°C) or
degrees Fahrenheit (°F).
Trailer Gain and Output
On vehicles with the Integrated
Trailer Brake Control (ITBC) system,
the trailer brake display appears in
the DIC. Press the trip odometer
reset stem until TRAILER GAIN and
OUTPUT display.
TRAILER GAIN shows the trailer
gain setting. This setting can be
adjusted from 0.0 to 10.0 with either
a trailer connected or disconnected.
OUTPUT shows the power output to
the trailer any time a trailer with
electric brakes is connected. Output
is displayed in 0 to 10 bars. Dashes
may appear in the OUTPUT display.To adjust trailer gain see
“Integrated
Trailer Brake Control System” under
Towing Equipment on page 9‑89 for
more information.
Speedometer
The speedometer shows how fast
the vehicle is moving in either
kilometers per hour (km/h) or miles
per hour (mph). The speedometer
cannot be reset.
Battery
This display shows the current
battery voltage. If the voltage is in
the normal range, the value will
display. For example, the display
may read BATTERY 13 VOLTS.
Your vehicle's charging system
regulates voltage based on the state
of the battery. The battery voltage
may fluctuate when viewing this
information on the DIC. This is
normal.
Oil Pressure
This display shows the oil pressure
in either kilopascals (kPa) or pounds
per square inch (psi). Compass Zone Setting
This display allows for setting the
compass zone. See
Compass on
page 5‑5 for more information.
Compass Recalibration
This display allows for calibrating
the compass. See Compass on
page 5‑5 for more information.
Oil Life
To access this display, the vehicle
must be in P (Park). Press the trip
odometer reset stem until OIL LIFE
REMAINING displays. This display
shows an estimate of the oil's
remaining useful life. If you see
99% OIL LIFE REMAINING on the
display, that means 99% of the
current oil life remains. The engine
oil life system will alert you to
change the oil on a schedule
consistent with your driving
conditions.
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5-40 Instruments and Controls
and turn off the vehicle as soon as it
is safe to do so to avoid severe
damage. This message clears when
the engine has cooled to a safe
operating temperature.
Engine Oil Messages
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
This message displays when the
engine oil needs to be changed.
When you change the engine oil, be
sure to reset the CHANGE ENGINE
OIL SOON message. SeeEngine
Oil Life System on page 10‑9 for
information on how to reset the
message. See Engine Oil on
page 10‑6 andMaintenance
Schedule on page 11‑3 for more
information.
ENGINE OIL HOT IDLE
ENGINE
This message displays when the
engine oil becomes hotter than the
normal operating temperature. Stop and allow the vehicle to idle until it
cools down. See
Engine Coolant
Temperature Gauge on page 5‑15.
OIL PRESSURE LOW STOP
ENGINE
Notice: If you drive the vehicle
while the engine oil pressure is
low, severe engine damage may
occur. If a low oil pressure
warning appears on the Driver
Information Center (DIC), stop the
vehicle as soon as possible. Do
not drive the vehicle until the
cause of the low oil pressure is
corrected. See Engine Oil on
page 10‑6 for more information.
This message displays if low oil
pressure levels occur. Stop the
vehicle as soon as safely possible
and do not operate it until the cause
of the low oil pressure has been
corrected. Check the oil as soon as
possible and have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer. See Engine
Oil on page 10‑6.
Engine Power Messages
ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED
This message displays and a chime
may sound when the cooling system
temperature gets too hot and the
engine further enters the engine
coolant protection mode. See
Engine Overheating on page 10‑20
for more information.
This message also displays when
the vehicle's engine power is
reduced. Reduced engine power
can affect the vehicle's ability to
accelerate. If this message is on,
but there is no reduction in
performance, proceed to your
destination. The performance may
be reduced the next time the vehicle
is driven. The vehicle may be driven
at a reduced speed while this
message is on, but acceleration and
speed may be reduced. Anytime
this message stays on, the vehicle
should be taken to your dealer for
service as soon as possible.
Black plate (6,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
10-6 Vehicle Care
A.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 10‑15.
B. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling
System on page 10‑16.
C. Positive (+) Terminal. See Jump
Starting on page 10‑82.
D. Battery on page 10‑27.
E. Remote Negative (−) Terminal (Out of View). See Jump
Starting on page 10‑82.
F. Automatic Transmission Dipstick (Out of View). See
“Checking the Fluid Level”
under Automatic Transmission
Fluid (4-Speed Transmission)
on page 10‑10 orAutomatic
Transmission Fluid (6-Speed
Transmission) on page 10‑12.
G. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When
to Add Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil on page 10‑6. H. Engine Oil Dipstick (Out of
View). See “Checking Engine
Oil” under Engine Oil on
page 10‑6.
I. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System on
page 10‑16.
J. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. See Power Steering Fluid on
page 10‑23.
K. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See Brake Fluid on
page 10‑25.
L. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block on page 10‑39.
M. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer
Fluid” under Washer Fluid on
page 10‑23.
If the vehicle has a diesel engine
and/or an Allison Transmission, see
the Duramax Diesel Supplement.Engine Oil
For diesel engine vehicles, see
“Engine Oil” in the Duramax diesel
supplement.
To ensure proper engine
performance and long life, careful
attention must be paid to engine oil.
Following these simple, but
important steps will help protect
your investment:
.Always use engine oil approved
to the proper specification and of
the proper viscosity grade. See
“Selecting the Right Engine Oil”
in this section.
.Check the engine oil level
regularly and maintain the
proper oil level. See “Checking
Engine Oil” and“When to Add
Engine Oil” in this section.
.Change the engine oil at the
appropriate time. See Engine Oil
Life System on page 10‑9.
.Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do with
Used Oil” in this section.
Black plate (17,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
Vehicle Care 10-17
5.3L Engine Shown (4.3L, 4.8L,
6.0L and, 6.2L Engines Similar)
A. Coolant Surge Tank
B. Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap
C. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View)
{WARNING
An electric engine cooling fan can
start even when the engine is not
running. To avoid injury, always
keep hands, clothing, and tools
away from any engine
cooling fan.
{WARNING
Heater and radiator hoses, and
other engine parts, can be very
hot. Do not touch them. If you do,
you can be burned.
Do not run the engine if there is a
leak. If you run the engine, it
could lose all coolant. That could
cause an engine fire, and you
could be burned. Get any leak
fixed before you drive the vehicle.
Notice: Using coolant other than
DEX-COOL
®can cause premature
engine, heater core, or radiator
corrosion. In addition, the engine
coolant could require changing
sooner, at 50 000 km (30,000 mi)
or 24 months, whichever occurs
first. Any repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Always use DEX-COOL
(silicate-free) coolant in the
vehicle.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in the vehicle is
filled with DEX-COOL®engine
coolant. This coolant is designed to
remain in the vehicle for 5 years or
240 000 km (150,000 mi), whichever
occurs first.
The following explains the cooling
system and how to check and add
coolant when it is low. If there is a
problem with engine overheating,
see Engine Overheating on
page 10‑20.
What to Use
{WARNING
Adding only plain water or some
other liquid to the cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water
and other liquids, can boil before
the proper coolant mixture will.
The coolant warning system is set
for the proper coolant mixture.
With plain water or the wrong
(Continued)