2013 GMC SIERRA battery

Black plate (91,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
Driving and Operating 9-91
Fifth-wheel or gooseneck kingpin
weight should be 15 to 25 percent of
the trailer weight up to the maximum
amount specified in the trailering
chart for the vehicle. See“Weight of
the Trailer” underTrailer Towing on
page 9‑73 for more information.
The hitch should be located in the
pickup bed so that its centerline is
over or slightly in front of the rear
axle. Take care that it is not so far
forward that it will contact the back
of the cab in sharp turns. This is
especially important for short box
pickups. Trailer pin box extensions
and sliding fifth-wheel hitch
assemblies can help this condition.
There should be at least six inches
of clearance between the top of the
pickup box and the bottom of the
trailer shelf that extends over
the box.
Make sure the hitch is attached to
the tow vehicle frame rails. Do not
use the pickup box for support.Safety Chains
Always attach chains between the
vehicle and the trailer. Cross the
safety chains under the tongue of
the trailer to help prevent the tongue
from contacting the road if it
becomes separated from the hitch.
Instructions about safety chains
may be provided by the hitch
manufacturer or by the trailer
manufacturer. If the trailer being
towed weighs up to 2 271 kg
(5,000 lbs) with a factory-installed
step bumper, safety chains may be
attached to the attaching points on
the bumper; otherwise, safety
chains should be attached to holes
on the trailer hitch platform. Always
leave just enough slack so the
combination can turn. Never allow
safety chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
A loaded trailer that weighs more
than 900 kg (2,000 lbs) needs to
have its own brake system that is
adequate for the weight of the
trailer. Be sure to read and follow the instructions for the trailer brakes
so they are installed, adjusted, and
maintained properly.
Do not tap into the vehicle's
hydraulic brake system.
Auxiliary Battery
The auxiliary battery provision can
be used to supply electrical power
to additional equipment that may be
added, such as a slide-in camper.
If the vehicle has this provision, this
relay will be located on the driver
side of the vehicle, next to the
underhood electrical center.
Be sure to follow the proper
installation instructions included with
any electrical equipment that is
installed.
Notice:
Leaving electrical
equipment on for extended
periods will drain the battery.
Always turn off electrical
equipment when not in use and
do not use equipment that

Black plate (92,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
9-92 Driving and Operating
exceeds the maximum amperage
rating of 40 amperes for the
auxiliary battery provision.
Trailer Wiring Harness
The vehicle is equipped with one of
the following wiring harnesses for
towing a trailer or hauling a slide-in
camper.
Basic Trailer Wiring
All regular, extended cab and crew
cab pickups have a seven-wire
trailer towing harness.
For vehicles not equipped with
heavy duty trailering, the harness is
secured to the vehicle's frame
behind the spare tire mount. The
harness requires the installation of a
trailer connector, which is available
through your dealer.
If towing a light-duty trailer with a
standard four-way round pin
connector, an adapter is available
from your dealer.Heavy-DutyTrailer Wiring Harness
Package
For vehicles equipped with heavy
duty trailering, the harness
connector is mounted in the bumper.
The seven-wire harness contains
the following trailer circuits:
.Yellow: Left Stop/Turn Signal
.Dark Green: Right Stop/Turn
Signal
.Brown: Taillamps
.White: Ground
.Light Green: Back-up Lamps
.Red: Battery Feed*
.Dark Blue: Trailer Brake*
*The fuses for these two circuits are
installed in the underhood electrical
center, but the wires are not
connected. They should be
connected by your dealer or a
qualified service center. The fuse
and wire for the ITBC is factory
installed and connected if the
vehicle is equipped with an ITBC.
The fuse for the battery feed is not
required if the vehicle has an
auxiliary battery. If the vehicle does
not have an auxiliary battery, have
your dealer or authorized service
center install the required fuse.
If charging a remote (non-vehicle)
battery, press the Tow/Haul Mode
button, if equipped, located at the
end of the shift lever. This will boost
the vehicle system voltage and
properly charge the battery. If the
trailer is too light for Tow/Haul
Mode, or the vehicle is not equipped
with Tow/Haul, turn on the

Black plate (93,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
Driving and Operating 9-93
headlamps as a second way to
boost the vehicle system and
charge the battery.
Camper/Fifth-Wheel Trailer Wiring
Package
The seven-wire camper harness is
located under the front edge of the
pickup box on the driver side of the
vehicle, attached to the frame
bracket. A connector must be added
to the wiring harness which
connects to the camper.
The harness contains the following
camper/trailer circuits:
.Yellow: Left Stop/Turn Signal
.Dark Green: Right Stop/Turn
Signal
.Brown: Taillamps
.White: Ground
.Light Green: Back-up Lamps
.Red: Battery Feed
.Dark Blue: Trailer Brake
If the vehicle is equipped with the
“Heavy-Duty Trailering”option,
please refer to “Heavy-Duty Trailer
Wiring Package” earlier in this
section.
When the camper-wiring harness is
ordered without the heavy-duty
trailering package, a seven-wire
harness with a seven-pin connector
is located at the rear of the vehicle
and is tied to the vehicle's frame.
Electric Brake Control Wiring
Provisions
These wiring provisions are
included with the vehicle as part of
the trailer wiring package. These
provisions are for an electric brake
controller. The instrument panel
contains blunt cut wires behind the
steering column for the trailer brake
controller. The harness contains the
following wires:
.Dark Blue: Brake Signal to
Trailer Connector
.Red/Black: Battery
.Light Blue/White: Brake Switch
.White: Ground
The harness should be installed by
your dealer or a qualified service
center.
If the vehicle is equipped with an
Integrated Trailer Brake Control
(ITBC) System, the blunt cuts exist,
but are not connected further in the
harness. If an aftermarket trailer
brake controller is installed, the

Black plate (101,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
Driving and Operating 9-101
Conversions and
Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical
Equipment
Notice:Some electrical
equipment can damage the
vehicle or cause components to
not work and would not be
covered by the warranty. Always
check with your dealer before
adding electrical equipment.
Add-on equipment can drain the
vehicle's 12-volt battery, even if the
vehicle is not operating.
The vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to add anything
electrical to the vehicle, see
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle on page 3‑35 andAdding
Equipment to the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle on page 3‑35.
Adding a Snow Plow or
Similar Equipment
Before installing a snow plow on the
vehicle, here are some things you
need to know:
Notice: If the vehicle does not
have the snow plow prep
package, adding a plow can
damage the vehicle, and the
repairs would not be covered by
warranty. Unless the vehicle was
built to carry a snow plow, do not
add one to the vehicle. If the
vehicle has the snow plow prep
package, called RPO VYU, then
the payload the vehicle can carry
will be reduced when a snow
plow is installed. The vehicle can
be damaged if either the front or
rear axle ratings or the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)
are exceeded.
Some vehicles are built with a
special snow plow prep package,
called RPO VYU. If the vehicle has
this option, you can add a plow to it,
provided certain weights, such as the weights on the vehicle's axles
and the Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating (GVWR), are not exceeded.
The plow the vehicle can carry
depends on many things, such as:
.The options the vehicle came
with, and the weight of those
options.
.The weight and number of
passengers intended to be
carried.
.The weight of items added to the
vehicle, like a tool box or
truck cap.
.The total weight of any
additional cargo intended to be
carried.
Say, for example, you have a 318 kg
(700 lb) snow plow. The total weight
of all occupants and cargo inside
the cab should not exceed 135 kg
(300 lb). This means that you may
only be able to carry one passenger.
But, even this may be too much if
there is other equipment already
adding to the weight of the vehicle.

Black plate (1,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
Vehicle Care 10-1
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . 10-3
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . 10-9
Automatic Transmission Fluid (4-Speed
Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-10
Automatic Transmission Fluid (6-Speed
Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-12
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . 10-15
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-17 Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . 10-20
Overheated Engine
Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . 10-23
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Noise Control System . . . . . . 10-31
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . 10-32
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-33
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Glass Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-34
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker, and
Parking Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
Pick-Up Box Identification and Fender Marker
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
Taillamps (Chassis Cab Models) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) and
Cargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . 10-37
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-43

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 (27,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
Vehicle Care 10-27
Always clean the brake fluid
reservoir cap and the area around
the cap before removing it. This
helps keep dirt from entering the
reservoir.
{WARNING
With the wrong kind of fluid in the
brake hydraulic system, the
brakes might not work well. This
could cause a crash. Always use
the proper brake fluid.
Notice
.Using the wrong fluid can
badly damage brake
hydraulic system parts. For
example, just a few drops of
mineral-based oil, such as
engine oil, in the brake
hydraulic system can
damage brake hydraulic
system parts so badly that
they will have to be replaced.
Do not let someone put in
the wrong kind of fluid.
.If brake fluid is spilled on the
vehicle's painted surfaces,
the paint finish can be
damaged. Be careful not to
spill brake fluid on the
vehicle. If you do, wash it off
immediately.
Battery
If the vehicle is a Hybrid, see the
Hybrid Supplement for more
information.
This vehicle has a maintenance free
battery (or batteries). Refer to the
replacement number on the original
battery label when a new battery is
needed. See Engine Compartment
Overview on page 10‑5 for battery
location.
{WARNING
Battery posts, terminals, and
related accessories contain lead
and lead compounds, chemicals
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
known to the State of California to
cause cancer and reproductive
harm. Wash hands after handling.
Vehicle Storage
{WARNING
Batteries have acid that can burn
you and gas that can explode.
You can be badly hurt if you are
not careful. SeeJump Starting on
page 10‑82 for tips on working
around a battery without
getting hurt.
Infrequent Usage: Remove the
black, negative (−) cable from the
battery to keep the battery from
running down.
Extended Storage: Remove the
black, negative (−) cable from the
battery or use a battery trickle
charger.

Black plate (41,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
Vehicle Care 10-41
FusesUsage
4 Engine Controls
5 Engine Control Module, Throttle
Control
6 Trailer Brake Controller
7 Front Washer
8 Oxygen Sensor
9 Antilock Brakes System 2
10 Trailer Back-up Lamps
11 Driver Side Low-Beam
Headlamp
12 Engine Control Module (Battery)
13 Fuel Injectors, Ignition Coils
(Right Side) Fuses
Usage
14 Transmission Control Module
(Battery)
15 Vehicle Back-up Lamps
16 Passenger Side Low-Beam
Headlamp
17 Air Conditioning Compressor
18 Oxygen Sensors
19 Transmission Controls (Ignition)
20 Fuel Pump
21 Fuel System Control Module
22 Not Used
23 Not Used
24 Fuel Injectors, Ignition Coils
(Left Side) Fuses
Usage
25 Trailer Park Lamps
26 Driver Side Park Lamps
27 Passenger Side Park Lamps
28 Fog Lamps
29 Horn
30 Passenger Side High-Beam
Headlamp
31 Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
32 Driver Side High-Beam
Headlamp
33 Daytime Running Lamps 2
34 Sunroof
35 Key Ignition System, Theft
Deterrent System