2013 GMC SIERRA check engine

Black plate (85,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
Vehicle Care 10-85
{WARNING
Fans or other moving engine
parts can injure you badly. Keep
your hands away from moving
parts once the engine is running.
6. Check that the jumper cables do not have loose or missing
insulation. If they do, you could
get a shock. The vehicles could
be damaged too.
Before you connect the cables,
here are some basic things you
should know. Positive (+) will go
to positive (+) or to a remote
positive (+) terminal if the vehicle
has one. Negative (−) will go to a
heavy, unpainted metal engine
part or to a remote negative (−)
terminal if the vehicle has one. Do not connect positive (+) to
negative (−) or you will get a
short that would damage the
battery and maybe other parts
too. And do not connect the
negative (−) cable to the
negative (−) terminal on the dead
battery because this can cause
sparks.
5.3L Engine (4.3L, 4.8L, 6.0L, 6.2L
and 6.6L Similar)
7. Connect the red positive (+) cable to the positive (+) terminal
of the vehicle with the dead
battery. 8. Do not let the other end touch
metal. Connect it to the
positive (+) terminal of the good
battery. Use a remote
positive (+) terminal if the vehicle
has one.
9. Now connect the black negative (−) cable to the
negative (−) terminal of the good
battery. Use a remote
negative (−) terminal if the
vehicle has one.
Do not let the other end touch
anything until the next step.
10. Connect the other end of the negative (−) cable to a heavy,
unpainted metal engine part or
to the remote negative (−)
terminal, on the vehicle with
the dead battery.
11. Start the vehicle with the good battery and run the engine for a
while.

Black plate (1,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
Service and Maintenance 11-1
Service and
Maintenance
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 11-1
Maintenance Schedule
Maintenance Schedule . . . . . . . 11-3
Special Application Services
Special ApplicationServices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-8
Additional Maintenance
and Care
Additional Maintenanceand Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-9
Recommended Fluids,
Lubricants, and Parts
Recommended Fluids andLubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-12
Maintenance Replacement Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-14
Maintenance Records
Maintenance Records . . . . . . 11-16
General Information
This maintenance section applies to
vehicles with a gasoline engine. For
diesel engine vehicles, see the
maintenance schedule section in
the Duramax diesel supplement.
Your vehicle is an important
investment. This section describes
the required maintenance for the
vehicle. Follow this schedule to help
protect against major repair
expenses resulting from neglect or
inadequate maintenance. It may
also help to maintain the value of
the vehicle if it is sold. It is the
responsibility of the owner to have
all required maintenance performed.
Your dealer has trained technicians
who can perform required
maintenance using genuine
replacement parts. They have
up-to-date tools and equipment for
fast and accurate diagnostics. Many
dealers have extended evening and
Saturday hours, courtesy transportation, and online
scheduling to assist with service
needs.
Your dealer recognizes the
importance of providing
competitively priced maintenance
and repair services. With trained
technicians, the dealer is the place
for routine maintenance such as oil
changes and tire rotations and
additional maintenance items like
tires, brakes, batteries, and wiper
blades.
Notice:
Damage caused by
improper maintenance can lead to
costly repairs and may not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Maintenance intervals, checks,
inspections, recommended fluids,
and lubricants are important to
keep the vehicle in good working
condition.
The Tire Rotation and Required
Services are the responsibility of the
vehicle owner. It is recommended to
have your dealer perform these
services every 12 000 km/7,500 mi.

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 (9,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
Service and Maintenance 11-9
Additional
Maintenance and Care
Your vehicle is an important
investment and caring for it properly
may help to avoid future costly
repairs. To maintain vehicle
performance, additional
maintenance services may be
required. It is recommended that
your dealer perform these services
—their trained dealer technicians
know your vehicle best. Your dealer
can also perform a thorough
assessment with a multi‐point
inspection to recommend when your
vehicle may need attention. The
following list is intended to explain
the services and conditions to look
for that may indicate services are
required. Battery
The battery supplies power to start
the engine and operate any
additional electrical accessories.
.To avoid break‐down or failure to
start the vehicle, maintain a
battery with full cranking power.
.Trained dealer technicians have
the diagnostic equipment to test
the battery and ensure that the
connections and cables are
corrosion‐free.
Belts
.Belts may need replacing if they
squeak or show signs of
cracking or splitting.
.Trained dealer technicians can
inspect the belts and
recommend replacement when
necessary. Brakes
Brakes stop the vehicle and are
crucial to safe driving.
.Signs of brake wear may include
chirping, grinding, or squealing
noises, or difficulty stopping.
.Trained dealer technicians have
access to tools and equipment
to inspect the brakes and
recommend quality parts
engineered for the vehicle.
Fluids
Proper fluid levels and approved
fluids protect the vehicle’s systems
and components. See
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 11‑12 for GM
approved fluids.
.Engine oil and windshield
washer fluid levels should be
checked at every fuel fill.
.Instrument cluster lights may
come on to indicate that fluids
may be low and need to be
filled.

Black plate (4,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
12-4 Technical Data
ApplicationCapacities
Metric English
Transmission Fluid - Manual (Drain and Refill)
1500 Series 4.4 L 4.6 qt
3500 Series 3.5 L 3.7 qt
Wheel Nut Torque 190 Y140 ft lb
All capacities are approximate. When adding, be sure to fill to the approximate level, as recommended in this
manual. Recheck fluid level after filling.
Engine Specifications
Engine VIN CodeSpark Plug Gap
4.3L V6 (LU3) X1.52 mm (0.060 in)
4.8L V8 (L20) A1.02 mm (0.040 in)
5.3L V8 FlexFuel with Active Fuel Management™ (Iron
Block) (LMG) 0
1.02 mm (0.040 in)
5.3L V8 FlexFuel with Active Fuel Management™(Aluminum
Block) (LC9) 7
1.02 mm (0.040 in)

Black plate (5,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
OnStar 14-5
Diagnostics
OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics will
perform a vehicle check every
month. It will check the engine,
transmission, antilock brakes, and
major vehicle systems. It also
checks the tire pressures, if the
vehicle is equipped with the Tire
Pressure Monitoring System. If a
diagnostics check is needed
between e-mails, press
Q, and an
Advisor can run a check.
OnStar Additional
Information
Transferring Service
PressQto request account transfer
eligibility information. The Advisor
can assist in canceling or removing
account information. If OnStar
receives information that vehicle
ownership has changed, OnStar
may send a voice message to the
vehicle, requesting updated account
information.
Reactivation for Subsequent
Owners
PressQand follow the prompts to
speak to an Advisor as soon as
possible after acquiring the vehicle.
The Advisor will update vehicle
records and will explain the OnStar
service offers and options available.
How OnStar Service Works
Automatic Crash Response,
Emergency Services, Crisis Assist,
Stolen Vehicle Assistance, Vehicle Diagnostics, Remote Door Unlock,
Roadside Assistance, Turn-by-Turn
Navigation, and Hands-Free Calling
are available on most vehicles. Not
all OnStar services are available
everywhere or on all vehicles. For
more information, a full description
of OnStar services, system
limitations, and OnStar terms and
conditions, see www.onstar.com
(U.S.) or www.onstar.ca (Canada);
contact OnStar at 1-888-4ONSTAR
(1-888-466-7827) or TTY
1-877-248-2080; or press
Qto
speak with an Advisor. OnStar
services require a vehicle electrical
system, wireless service, and GPS
satellite technologies to be available
and operating for features to
function properly. These systems
may not operate if the battery is
discharged or disconnected.
OnStar service cannot work unless
your vehicle is in a place where
OnStar has an agreement with a
wireless service provider for service
in that area, and the wireless
service provider has coverage,

Black plate (1,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
INDEX i-1
A
Accessories andModifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Accessory Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Active Fuel Management
®. . . . . 9-30
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-101
Adding a Snow Plow or Similar Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . 9-101
Additional Information OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5
Adjustable Throttle and Brake Pedal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Adjustments Lumbar, Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine . . . . . 10-15
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-10
Airbag System
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-37
How Does an AirbagRestrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-31
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26 Airbag System (cont'd)
What Will You See after an
Airbag Inflates? . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
When Should an Airbag
Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . 3-22
Airbags Adding Equipment to theVehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-35
Light On-Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
On-Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
On-Off Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-28
Passenger Status Indicator . . . 5-19
Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Servicing Airbag-Equipped Vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-35
System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20
Alarm
Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10
Antenna Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-16
Antilock Brake
System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-50
Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24 Appearance Care
Exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-91
Interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-94
Armrest Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Ashtrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Assistance Program, Roadside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-7, 13-11
Audio Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-17 CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-17
CD/DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-23
Audio System
Fixed Mast Antenna . . . . . . . . . . 7-16
Radio Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-15
Rear Seat (RSA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-47
Theft-Deterrent Feature . . . . . . . . 7-2
Automatic
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Transmission Fluid . . 10-10, 10-12
Automatic Transmission
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Shift Lock ControlFunction Check . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32

Black plate (3,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
INDEX i-3
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . 5-20
CheckEngine Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
IgnitionTransmission Lock . . . . . . . . 10-32
Child Restraints Infants and Young
Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-40
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . 3-45
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-38
Securing . . . . . . . . . . 3-54, 3-56, 3-57
Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-42
Cigarette Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Cleaning Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-91
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-94
Climate Control Systems . . . 8-1, 8-4 Air Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . 8-1, 8-4
Dual Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-5
Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1, 8-4
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Cluster, Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Collision Damage Repair . . . . . 13-14
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5 Connections
OnStar®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-3
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Coolant Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-17
Engine TemperatureGauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16 Engine Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-39
Courtesy Transportation
Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-13
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-56 Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Cupholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Customer Assistance . . . . . . . . . . 13-6 Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-5
Text Telephone (TTY)Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-6
Customer Information Service Publications
Ordering Information . . . . . . 13-16
Customer Satisfaction Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-2, 13-4D
Damage Repair, Collision . . . . . 13-14
Danger, Warnings, andCautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
Data Recorders, Event . . . . . . . 13-19
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Devices Auxiliary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-33
Diagnostics OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Door Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-38
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
Power Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Rear Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Drive Belt Routing, Engine . . . . . 12-6
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28