Black plate (53,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
Vehicle Care 10-53
Belt:A rubber coated layer of
cords between the plies and the
tread. Cords may be made from
steel or other reinforcing
materials.
Bead
:The tire bead contains
steel wires wrapped by steel
cords that hold the tire onto
the rim.
Bias Ply Tire
:A pneumatic tire
in which the plies are laid at
alternate angles less than
90 degrees to the centerline of
the tread.
Cold Tire Pressure
:The
amount of air pressure in a tire,
measured in kPa (kilopascal)
or psi (pounds per square inch)
before a tire has built up heat
from driving. See Tire Pressure
on page 10‑55.
Curb Weight
:The weight of a
motor vehicle with standard and
optional equipment including the maximum capacity of fuel, oil,
and coolant, but without
passengers and cargo.
DOT Markings
:A code molded
into the sidewall of a tire
signifying that the tire is in
compliance with the U.S.
Department of Transportation
(DOT) Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards. The DOT code
includes the Tire Identification
Number (TIN), an alphanumeric
designator which can also
identify the tire manufacturer,
production plant, brand, and
date of production.
GVWR
:Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating. See Vehicle Load Limits
on page 9‑15.
GAWR FRT
:Gross Axle Weight
Rating for the front axle. See
Vehicle Load Limits on
page 9‑15. GAWR RR
:Gross Axle Weight
Rating for the rear axle. See
Vehicle Load Limits on
page 9‑15.
Intended Outboard Sidewall
:
The side of an asymmetrical tire,
that must always face outward
when mounted on a vehicle.
Kilopascal (kPa)
:The metric
unit for air pressure.
Light Truck (LT-Metric) Tire
:A
tire used on light duty trucks and
some multipurpose passenger
vehicles.
Load Index
:An assigned
number ranging from 1 to 279
that corresponds to the load
carrying capacity of a tire.
Maximum Inflation Pressure
:
The maximum air pressure to
which a cold tire can be inflated.
The maximum air pressure is
molded onto the sidewall.
Black plate (92,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
10-92 Vehicle Care
Notice:Avoid using
high-pressure washes closer than
30 cm (12 in) to the surface of the
vehicle. Use of power washers
exceeding 8,274 kPa (1,200 psi)
can result in damage or removal
of paint and decals.
Rinse the vehicle well, before
washing and after, to remove all
cleaning agents completely. If they
are allowed to dry on the surface,
they could stain.
Dry the finish with a soft, clean
chamois or an all-cotton towel to
avoid surface scratches and water
spotting.
Finish Care
Application of aftermarket clearcoat
sealant/wax materials is not
recommended. If painted surfaces
are damaged, see your dealer to
have the damage assessed and
repaired. Foreign materials such as
calcium chloride and other salts, ice
melting agents, road oil and tar, tree
sap, bird droppings, chemicals from
industrial chimneys, etc., can damage the vehicle's finish if they
remain on painted surfaces. Wash
the vehicle as soon as possible.
If necessary, use non-abrasive
cleaners that are marked safe for
painted surfaces to remove foreign
matter.
Occasional hand waxing or mild
polishing should be done to remove
residue from the paint finish. See
your dealer for approved cleaning
products.
Do not apply waxes or polishes to
uncoated plastic, vinyl, rubber,
decals, simulated wood, or flat paint
as damage can occur.
Notice:
Machine compounding or
aggressive polishing on a
basecoat/clearcoat paint finish
may damage it. Use only
non-abrasive waxes and polishes
that are made for a basecoat/
clearcoat paint finish on the
vehicle.
To keep the paint finish looking new,
keep the vehicle garaged or
covered whenever possible. Protecting Exterior Bright Metal
Parts
Regularly clean bright metal parts
with water or chrome polish on
chrome or stainless steel trim,
if necessary.
For aluminum, never use auto or
chrome polish, steam, or caustic
soap to clean. A coating of wax,
rubbed to a high polish, is
recommended for all bright metal
parts.
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/
Lenses and Emblems
Use only lukewarm or cold water, a
soft cloth, and a car washing soap
to clean exterior lamps, lenses and
emblems. Follow instructions under
"Washing the Vehicle" in this
section.
Windshield and Wiper Blades
Clean the outside of the windshield
with glass cleaner.
Black plate (95,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
Vehicle Care 10-95
remain on the surface being
cleaned for extended periods
of time.
Cleaners may contain solvents that
can become concentrated in the
interior. Before using cleaners, read
and adhere to all safety instructions
on the label. While cleaning the
interior, maintain adequate
ventilation by opening the doors and
windows.
To prevent damage, do not clean
the interior using the following
cleaners or techniques:
.Never use a razor or any other
sharp object to remove a soil
from any interior surface.
.Never use a brush with stiff
bristles.
.Never rub any surface
aggressively or with excessive
pressure.
.Do not use laundry detergents or
dishwashing soaps with
degreasers. For liquid cleaners,use approximately 20 drops per
3.78 L (1 gal) of water.
A concentrated soap solution will
leave a residue that creates
streaks and attracts dirt. Do not
use solutions that contain strong
or caustic soap.
.Do not heavily saturate the
upholstery when cleaning.
.Do not use solvents or cleaners
containing solvents.
Interior Glass
To clean, use a terry cloth fabric
dampened with water. Wipe droplets
left behind with a clean dry cloth.
Commercial glass cleaners may be
used, if necessary, after cleaning
the interior glass with plain water.
Notice:
To prevent scratching,
never use abrasive cleaners on
automotive glass. Abrasive
cleaners or aggressive cleaning
may damage the rear window
defogger. Notice:
Cleaning the windshield
with water during the first three to
six months of ownership will
reduce tendency to fog.
Speaker Covers
Vacuum around a speaker cover
gently, so that the speaker will not
be damaged. Clean spots with just
water and mild soap.
Coated Moldings
Coated moldings should be cleaned.
.When lightly soiled, wipe with a
sponge or soft lint-free cloth
dampened with water.
.When heavily soiled, use warm
soapy water.
Black plate (3,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
Service and Maintenance 11-3
Maintenance
Schedule
Owner Checks and Services
At Each Fuel Stop
.Check the engine oil level. See
Engine Oil on page 10‑6.
Once a Month
.Check the tire inflation
pressures. See Tire Pressure on
page 10‑55.
.Inspect the tires for wear. See
Tire Inspection on page 10‑61.
.Check the windshield washer
fluid level. See Washer Fluid on
page 10‑23.
Engine Oil Change
When the CHANGE ENGINE OIL
SOON message displays, have the
engine oil and filter changed within
the next 1 000 km/600 mi. If driven
under the best conditions, the
engine oil life system might not
indicate the need for vehicle service for more than a year. The engine oil
and filter must be changed at least
once a year and the oil life system
must be reset. Your trained dealer
technician can perform this work.
If the engine oil life system is reset
accidentally, service the vehicle
within 5 000 km/3,000 mi since the
last service. Reset the oil life
system when the oil is changed.
See
Engine Oil Life System on
page 10‑9.
Tire Rotation and Required
Services Every 12 000 km/
7,500 mi
Rotate the tires, if recommended for
the vehicle, and perform the
following services. See Tire
Rotation on page 10‑61.
.Check engine oil level and oil
life percentage. If needed,
change engine oil and filter, and
reset oil life system. See Engine
Oil on page 10‑6 andEngine Oil
Life System on page 10‑9.
.Check engine coolant level. See
Engine Coolant on page 10‑17.
.Check windshield washer fluid
level. See Washer Fluid on
page 10‑23.
.Visually inspect windshield wiper
blades for wear, cracking,
or contamination. See Exterior
Care on page 10‑91. Replace
worn or damaged wiper blades.
See Wiper Blade Replacement
on page 10‑33.
.Check tire inflation pressures.
See Tire Pressure on
page 10‑55.
.Inspect tire wear. See Tire
Inspection on page 10‑61.
.Visually check for fluid leaks.
.Inspect engine air cleaner filter.
See Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 10‑15.
.Inspect brake system.
Black plate (4,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
14-4 OnStar
2. Say“Call.”System responds:
“Please say the name or number
to call.”
3. Say the entire number without pausing, including a “1”and the
area code. System responds:
“OK calling.”
Calling 911 Emergency
1. Press=. The system responds
“OnStar Ready,” followed by
a tone.
2. Say “Call.”The system responds
“Please say the name or number
to call.”
3. Say “911”without pausing. The
system responds “911.”
4. Say “Call.”The system responds
“OK, dialing 911.”
Retrieve My Number
1. Press=. System responds:
“OnStar ready.”
2. Say “My number.” System
responds: “Your OnStar
Hands-Free Calling number is.”
End a Call
Press=. System responds: “Call
ended.”
Store a Name Tag for Speed
Dialing
1. Press=. System responds:
“OnStar ready.”
2. Say “Store.” System responds:
“Please say the number you
would like to store.”
3. Say the entire number without pausing. System responds:
“Please say the name tag.”
4. Pick a name tag. System responds: “About to store
5. Say “Yes”or say “No”to try
again. System responds: “OK,
storing
Place a Call Using a Stored
Number
1. Press=. System responds:
“OnStar ready.”
2. Say “Call
responds: “OK, calling
Verify Minutes and Expiration
Press=and say “Minutes” then
“Verify” to check how many minutes
remain and their expiration date.
OnStar Mobile App
Download the OnStar RemoteLink
mobile app to your iPhone, Android,
or BlackBerry smartphone to check
vehicle fuel level, oil life, or tire
pressure; to start the vehicle (if
equipped) or unlock it; or to connect
to an OnStar Advisor. For OnStar
RemoteLink information and
compatibility, see www.onstar.com.
Black plate (4,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
i-4 INDEX
DrivingCharacteristics and
Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-71
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Drunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
For Better Fuel Economy . . . . . 1-33
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-11
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 9-11
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . 9-14
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Off-Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 9-15
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-10
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-12
Dual Automatic Climate
Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-5
Dual Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-63
DVD Rear Seat Entertainment
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-38
DVD/CD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-23E
E85 Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-68
Electrical Equipment, Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-101
Electrical System Engine CompartmentFuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-43
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Emergency OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Check and Service Engine
Soon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 10-5
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-17
Coolant Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15 Engine (cont'd)
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Cooling System Messages . . . 5-39
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-6
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-9
Oil Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-40
Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Overheated Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-40
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 9-32
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-89
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . 13-19
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Extender, Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . 3-19
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lamps Off Reminder . . . 6-2
Black plate (5,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
INDEX i-5
F
FanEngine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Fast Idle System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Features Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
Filter,
Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . 6-5
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-70 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-72
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-97
Fluid AutomaticTransmission . . . . . . . 10-10, 10-12
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Four-Wheel Drive Transfer Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Power Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Fog Lamps Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Folding Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15 Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . 10-28, 9-38
Four-Wheel-Drive Light . . . . . . . . 5-25
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Front Fog Lamp
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Front Seats Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Heated and Ventilated . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-65 Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-67
E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . . . . . . . 9-68
Economy Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-33
Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-70
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-68
Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-66
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . . 9-66
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . 5-27
Management, Active . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Recommended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-66
Requirements, California . . . . . 9-66
System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-41
Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . 10-82 Fuses
Engine Compartment
Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-43
G
Garage Door Opener . . . . . . . . . . 5-54
Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-54
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-66
Gauges Engine CoolantTemperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
Engine Oil Pressure . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Voltmeter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
Warning Lights and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Black plate (7,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
INDEX i-7
Lamps (cont'd)Exterior Lamps Off
Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
License Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Malfunction Indicator . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-41
Pick-up Box Identification
and Fender Marker . . . . . . . . 10-35
Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Taillamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Lap Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-18
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13
LATCH System Replacing Parts after a
Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-54
LATCH, Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . . 3-45
Lighter, Cigarette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Lighting
Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Exit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Illumination Control . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Lights
Airbag On-Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Airbag Readiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Antilock Brake System(ABS) Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24 Lights (cont'd)
Brake System Warning . . . . . . . 5-23
Charging System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Engine Oil Pressure . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Four-Wheel-Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Front Fog Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
High-Beam On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . . 6-2
Low Fuel Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . 5-16
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
StabiliTrak
®OFF . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Traction Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak
®. . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-55
Locks Automatic Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
Lockout Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Power Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5 Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . 5-27
Lower Anchors and Tethers
for Children (LATCH
System) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-45
Lumbar Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4 Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
M
MaintenanceRecords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11-16
Maintenance Schedule Recommended Fluidsand Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . .11-12
Transfer Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . 5-21
Manual Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Manual Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18
Memory Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
Memory Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Messages Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-43
Battery Voltage andCharging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-37
Brake System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-38
Door Ajar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-38