Black plate (18,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
9-18 Driving and Operating
weight of the driver, passengers,
and cargo should never exceed
your vehicle's capacity weight.
Certification/Tire Label
A vehicle specific Certification/
Tire label is found on the rear
edge of the driver door. The
label shows the size of your
vehicle's original tires and the
inflation pressures needed to
obtain the gross weight capacity
of your vehicle. This is called
Gross Vehicle WeightRating (GVWR). The GVWR
includes the weight of the
vehicle, all occupants, fuel, and
cargo.
The Certification/Tire label also
tells you the maximum weights
for the front and rear axles,
called Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR). To find out the
actual loads on your front and
rear axles, you need to go to a
weigh station and weigh your
vehicle. Your dealer can help
you with this. Be sure to spread
out your load equally on both
sides of the centerline.
Never exceed the GVWR for
your vehicle, or the GAWR for
either the front or rear axle.
The Certification/Tire label also
contains important information
about your Front Axle Reserve
Capacity. See
“What is front axle
reserve capacity, and how do I calculate it?”
underAdding a
Snow Plow or Similar Equipment
on page 9‑101.
{WARNING
In the case of a sudden stop
or collision, things carried in
the bed of your truck could
shift forward and come into
the passenger area, injuring
you and others. If you put
things in the bed of your truck,
you should make sure they
are properly secured.
{WARNING
Do not load the vehicle any
heavier than the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR), or either the
maximum front or rear Gross
(Continued)
Black plate (88,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
9-88 Driving and Operating
Vehicle Series Hitch TypeMaximum Tongue
Weight
1500 Weight Carrying 363 kg (800 lb)
1500 Weight Distributing 499 kg (1,100 lb)
2500/3500
Standard Box Weight Carrying or
Weight Distributing 680 kg (1,500 lb)
2500/
3500 Long Box Weight Carrying or
Weight Distributing 907 kg (2,000 lb)
2500 Fifth-Wheel Gooseneck 1 361 kg (3,000 lb)
3500 Single Rear
Wheels Fifth-Wheel Gooseneck 1 814 kg (4,000 lb)
3500 Dual Rear
Wheels Fifth-Wheel Gooseneck 2 495 kg (5,500 lb)
Do not exceed the maximum
allowable tongue weight for the
vehicle. Choose the shortest hitch
extension that will position the hitch
ball closest to the vehicle. This will
help reduce the effect of trailer
tongue weight on the rear axle. Trailer rating may be limited by the
vehicle's ability to carry tongue
weight. Tongue or kingpin weight
cannot cause the vehicle to exceed
the GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating) or the RGAWR (Rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating). See
“Total
Weight on the Vehicle's Tires” later
in this section for more information. After loading the trailer, weigh the
trailer and then the tongue,
separately, to see if the weights are
proper. If they are not, adjustments
might be made by moving some
items around in the trailer.
Total Weight on the Vehicle's
Tires
Be sure the vehicle's tires are
inflated to the inflation pressures
found on the Certification Tire label
on the drivers door or see
Vehicle
Load Limits on page 9‑15 for more
information. Make sure not to
exceed the GVWR limit for the
vehicle, or the RGAWR, with the tow
vehicle and trailer fully loaded for
the trip including the weight of the
trailer tongue. If using a
weight-distributing hitch, make sure
not to exceed the RGAWR before
applying the weight distribution
spring bars.
Black plate (2,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
10-2 Vehicle Care
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-46
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-47
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . 10-48
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . 10-51
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-52
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-55
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-56
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-57
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-58
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-61
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-61
Dual Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . 10-63
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-64
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-65
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-66 Uniform Tire Quality
Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-67
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-68
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-69
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-70
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . 10-70
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-72
Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . 10-82
Jump Starting
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-82
Towing
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . 10-87
Recreational Vehicle
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-87
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-91
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-94
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-97
General Information
For service and parts needs, visit
your dealer. You will receive
genuine GM parts and GM-trained
and supported service people.
Genuine GM parts have one of
these marks:
California Proposition
65 Warning
Most motor vehicles, including this
one, contain and/or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to
Black plate (46,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
10-46 Vehicle Care
Harness
Connector Usage
HEADLINER 2 Headliner Harness
Connector 2
HEADLINER 1 Headliner Harness
Connector 1
SEO/
UPFITTER Special Equipment
Option Upfitter
Harness Connector
Circuit
Breaker Usage
CB1 Passenger Side Power Window Circuit
Breaker
CB2 Passenger Seat Circuit Breaker
CB3 Driver Seat Circuit Breaker
CB4 Rear Sliding WindowWheels and Tires
Tires
Every new GM vehicle has
high-quality tires made by a
leading tire manufacturer. See
the warranty manual for
information regarding the tire
warranty and where to get
service. For additional
information refer to the tire
manufacturer.
{WARNING
.Poorly maintained and
improperly used tires are
dangerous.
.Overloading the tires can
cause overheating as a
result of too much flexing.
There could be a blowout
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
and a serious crash. See
Vehicle Load Limits on
page 9‑15.
.Underinflated tires pose
the same danger as
overloaded tires. The
resulting crash could
cause serious injury.
Check all tires frequently
to maintain the
recommended pressure.
Tire pressure should be
checked when the tires
are cold.
.Overinflated tires are more
likely to be cut, punctured,
or broken by a sudden
impact— such as when
hitting a pothole. Keep
tires at the recommended
pressure.
(Continued)
Black plate (47,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
Vehicle Care 10-47
WARNING (Continued)
.Worn or old tires can
cause a crash. If the tread
is badly worn,
replace them.
.Replace any tires that
have been damaged by
impacts with potholes,
curbs, etc.
.Improperly repaired tires
can cause a crash. Only
the dealer or an
authorized tire service
center should repair,
replace, dismount, and
mount the tires.
.Do not spin the tires in
excess of 56 km/h
(35 mph) on slippery
surfaces such as snow,
mud, ice, etc. Excessive
spinning may cause the
tires to explode.See
Tire Pressure for
High-Speed Operation on
page 10‑56 for inflation pressure
adjustment for high speed
driving.
20‐Inch Tires
If the vehicle has 20‐inch P275/
55R20 size tires, they are
classified as touring tires and
are designed for on road use.
The low‐profile, wide tread
design is not recommended for
“off‐road” driving or commercial
uses such as snow plowing. See
Off-Road Driving on page 9‑5
and Adding a Snow Plow or
Similar Equipment on
page 9‑101 for additional
information.
Notice: Low‐profile tires are
more susceptible to damage
from road hazards or curb
impact than standard profile
tires. Tire and/or wheel
assembly damage can occur when coming into contact
with road hazards like,
potholes, or sharp edged
objects, or when sliding into a
curb. The warranty does not
cover this type of damage.
Keep tires set to the correct
inflation pressure and, when
possible, avoid contact with
curbs, potholes, and other
road hazards.
All-Season Tires
This vehicle may come with
all-season tires. These tires are
designed to provide good overall
performance on most road surfaces
and weather conditions. Original
equipment tires designed to GM's
specific tire performance criteria
have a TPC specification code
molded onto the sidewall. Original
equipment all-season tires can be
identified by the last two characters
of this TPC code, which will
be
“MS.”
Black plate (50,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
10-50 Vehicle Care
(G) Maximum Cold Inflation
Load Limit
:Maximum load that
can be carried and the
maximum pressure needed to
support that load. For
information on recommended
tire pressure see Tire Pressure
on page 10‑55 andVehicle Load
Limits on page 9‑15.
Light Truck (LT-Metric) Tire
(A) Tire Size:The tire size
code is a combination of letters
and numbers used to define a
particular tire's width, height, aspect ratio, construction type,
and service description. See the
“Tire Size”
illustration later in this
section for more detail.
(B) TPC Spec (Tire
Performance Criteria
Specification)
:Original
equipment tires designed to
GM's specific tire performance
criteria have a TPC specification
code molded onto the sidewall.
GM's TPC specifications meet or
exceed all federal safety
guidelines.
(C) Dual Tire Maximum Load
:
Maximum load that can be
carried and the maximum
pressure needed to support that
load when used in a dual
configuration. For information on
recommended tire pressure see
Tire Pressure on page 10‑55
and Vehicle Load Limits on
page 9‑15. (D) DOT (Department of
Transportation)
:The
Department of Transportation
(DOT) code indicates that the
tire is in compliance with the
U.S. Department of
Transportation Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards.
DOT Tire Date of
Manufacture
:The last four
digits of the TIN indicate the tire
manufactured date. The first two
digits represent the week
(01-52) and the last two digits,
the year. For example, the third
week of the year 2010 would
have a four-digit DOT date
of 0310.
(E) Tire Identification Number
(TIN)
:The letters and numbers
following the DOT code are the
Tire Identification Number (TIN).
The TIN shows the
manufacturer and plant code,
tire size, and date the tire was
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 (54,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
10-54 Vehicle Care
Maximum Load Rating:The
load rating for a tire at the
maximum permissible inflation
pressure for that tire.
Maximum Loaded Vehicle
Weight
:The sum of curb
weight, accessory weight,
vehicle capacity weight, and
production options weight.
Normal Occupant Weight
:The
number of occupants a vehicle
is designed to seat multiplied by
68 kg (150 lbs). See Vehicle
Load Limits on page 9‑15.
Occupant Distribution
:
Designated seating positions.
Outward Facing Sidewall
:The
side of an asymmetrical tire that
has a particular side that faces
outward when mounted on a
vehicle. The side of the tire that
contains a whitewall, bears
white lettering, or bears
manufacturer, brand, and/or model name molding that is
higher or deeper than the same
moldings on the other sidewall
of the tire.
Passenger (P-Metric) Tire
:A
tire used on passenger cars and
some light duty trucks and
multipurpose vehicles.
Recommended Inflation
Pressure
:Vehicle
manufacturer's recommended
tire inflation pressure as shown
on the tire placard. See Tire
Pressure on page 10‑55 and
Vehicle Load Limits on
page 9‑15.
Radial Ply Tire
:A pneumatic
tire in which the ply cords that
extend to the beads are laid at
90 degrees to the centerline of
the tread.
Rim
:A metal support for a tire
and upon which the tire beads
are seated. Sidewall
:The portion of a tire
between the tread and the bead.
Speed Rating
:An
alphanumeric code assigned to
a tire indicating the maximum
speed at which a tire can
operate.
Traction
:The friction between
the tire and the road surface.
The amount of grip provided.
Tread
:The portion of a tire that
comes into contact with
the road.
Treadwear Indicators
:Narrow
bands, sometimes called wear
bars, that show across the tread
of a tire when only 1.6 mm (1/
16 in) of tread remains. See
When It Is Time for New Tires
on page 10‑64.
UTQGS (Uniform Tire Quality
Grading Standards)
:A tire
information system that provides
consumers with ratings for a