2013 GMC SIERRA parking brake

Black plate (1,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
In Brief 1-1
In Brief
Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel (Base/UplevelVersion) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Instrument Panel (Premium Version) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Initial Drive Information
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-7
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . 1-8
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
Memory Features . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
Heated and Ventilated Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13
Head Restraint Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13 Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13
Passenger Sensing
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14
Mirror Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16
Throttle and Brake Pedal Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . 1-18
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-21
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22
Vehicle Features
Radio(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-25
Portable Audio Devices . . . . . . 1-25
Bluetooth
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-26
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . 1-26
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-27 Navigation System . . . . . . . . . . . 1-27
Driver Information
Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-27
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-28
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 1-28
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-29
Universal Remote System . . . 1-29
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-29
Performance and Maintenance
StabiliTrak®System . . . . . . . . . 1-31
Tire Pressure Monitor . . . . . . . . 1-31
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . 1-32
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . 1-32
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-33
Roadside Assistance Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-33
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-33

Black plate (3,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
In Brief 1-3
A.Air Vents on page 8‑10.
B. Turn and Lane‐Change Lever. See Turn and Lane-Change
Signals on page 6‑5.
Windshield Wiper/Washer on
page 5‑4.
C. Driver Information Center (DIC) Buttons. See Driver Information
Center (DIC) on page 5‑28.
D. Hazard Warning Flashers on
page 6‑5 (Out of View).
E. Instrument Cluster on
page 5‑11.
F. Shift Lever. See Automatic
Transmission on page 9‑32.
Tow/Haul Selector Button (If
Equipped). See Tow/Haul Mode
on page 9‑37.
Range Selection Mode (Allison
Transmission and Hydra-Matic
®
6‐Speed Button) (If Equipped).
See Manual Mode on
page 9‑36.
G. Infotainment on page 7‑1. H.
Instrument Panel Storage on
page 4‑1.
I. Integrated Trailer Brake Controller (If Equipped). See
Trailer Towing on page 9‑73.
J. Exterior Lamp Controls on
page 6‑1.
K. Data Link Connector (DLC) (Out of View). See Malfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 5‑21.
L. Hood Release. See Hood on
page 10‑4.
M. Parking Brake on page 9‑51.
N. Dome Lamps on page 6‑7.
Fog Lamps on page 6‑6 (If
Equipped).
O. Cruise Control on page 9‑56.
P. Steering Wheel Adjustment on
page 5‑2.
Q. Horn on page 5‑4.
R. Steering Wheel Controls on
page 5‑2 (If Equipped). S. Automatic Transfer Case
Control (If Equipped). See
Four-Wheel Drive on
page 10‑28.
T. Ashtray (If Equipped). See Ashtrays on page 5‑10 and
Cigarette Lighter on page 5‑9.
U. StabiliTrak
®System on
page 9‑53 (If Equipped).
Ultrasonic Parking Assist on
page 9‑59 (If Equipped).
Pedal Adjust Button (If
Equipped). See Adjustable
Throttle and Brake Pedal on
page 9‑23.
Exhaust Brake (If Equipped).
See “Brakes” in the Duramax
diesel supplement.
V. Power Outlets on page 5‑9.

Black plate (6,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
1-6 In Brief
A.Air Vents on page 8‑10.
B. Turn and Lane‐Change Lever. See Turn and Lane-Change
Signals on page 6‑5.
Windshield Wiper/Washer on
page 5‑4.
C. Instrument Cluster on
page 5‑11.
D. Hazard Warning Flashers on
page 6‑5 (Out of View).
E. Shift Lever. See Automatic
Transmission on page 9‑32.
Range Selection Mode (If
Equipped). See Manual Mode
on page 9‑36.
F. Tow/Haul Mode on page 9‑37 (If
Equipped). G. Driver Information Center (DIC)
Buttons. See Driver Information
Center (DIC) on page 5‑28.
H. Infotainment on page 7‑1.
I. Exterior Lamp Controls on
page 6‑1.
J. Integrated Trailer Brake Controller (If Equipped). See
Trailer Towing on page 9‑73.
K. Dome Lamps on page 6‑7.
L. Automatic Transfer Case Control (If Equipped). See
Four-Wheel Drive on
page 10‑28.
M. Data Link Connector (DLC) (Out of View). See Malfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 5‑21.
N. Hood Release. See Hood on
page 10‑4. O.
Parking Brake on page 9‑51.
P. Cruise Control on page 9‑56.
Q. Steering Wheel Adjustment on
page 5‑2.
R. Horn on page 5‑4.
S. Steering Wheel Controls on
page 5‑2.
T. Climate Control Systems (with
Air Conditioning) on page 8‑1 or
Climate Control Systems (with
Heater Only) on page 8‑4 (If
Equipped).
Dual Automatic Climate Control
System on page 8‑5 (If
Equipped).
U. Power Outlets on page 5‑9.
Cigarette Lighter (If Equipped).
See Ashtrays on page 5‑10 and
Cigarette Lighter on page 5‑9.

Black plate (7,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
In Brief 1-7
V.StabiliTrak®System on
page 9‑53 (If Equipped).
Pedal Adjust Button (If
Equipped). See Adjustable
Throttle and Brake Pedal on
page 9‑23.
Ultrasonic Parking Assist on
page 9‑59 (If Equipped).
Exhaust Brake (If Equipped).
See “Brakes” in the Duramax
diesel supplement.
W. Passenger Airbag Off Control (If Equipped). See Airbag On-Off
Switch on page 3‑28.Initial Drive
Information
This section provides a brief
overview about some of the
important features that may or may
not be on your specific vehicle.
For more detailed information, refer
to each of the features which can be
found later in this owner manual.
Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System
The RKE transmitter is used to
remotely lock and unlock the doors
from up to 60 m (195 ft) away from
the vehicle.
K: Press to unlock the driver door.
Press
Kagain within three seconds
to unlock all remaining doors.
Q: Press to lock all doors. Lock
and unlock feedback can be
personalized. See Vehicle
Personalization (With DIC Buttons)
on page 5‑46.

Black plate (28,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
1-28 In Brief
3:Press to display the
odometer, trip odometer, fuel range,
average economy, fuel used, timer,
instantaneous economy and Active
Fuel Management
®indicator, and
transmission temperature. The
compass and outside air
temperature will also be shown in
the display. The temperature will be
shown in °C or °F depending on the
units selected.
T: Press 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: Press to customize the feature
settings on your vehicle. See
Vehicle Personalization (With DIC
Buttons) on page 5‑46 for more
information.
V: Press to set or reset certain
functions and to turn off or
acknowledge messages on the DIC.
For more information, see Driver
Information Center (DIC) on
page 5‑28.
Vehicle Customization
Some vehicle features can be
programmed by using the DIC
buttons next to the steering wheel.
These features include:
.Language
.Door Lock and Unlock Settings
.RKE Lock and Unlock Feedback
.Lighting
.Chime Volume
.Memory Features
See Vehicle Personalization (With
DIC Buttons) on page 5‑46.
Rear Vision
Camera (RVC)
If available, the RVC displays a view
of the area behind the vehicle when
the vehicle is shifted into
R (Reverse). This is displayed on
the inside rearview mirror or the
navigation screen, if equipped.
To clean the camera lens, near the
tailgate handle, rinse it with water
and wipe it with a soft cloth.
For more information, see Rear
Vision Camera (RVC) on page 9‑60.
Ultrasonic Parking Assist
If available, this system uses
sensors on the rear bumper to
assist with parking and avoiding
objects while in R (Reverse).
It operates at speeds less than
8 km/h (5 mph). URPA uses audible
beeps to provide distance and
system information.
Keep the sensors on the vehicle's
rear bumper clean to ensure proper
operation.

Black plate (23,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
Instruments and Controls 5-23
Emissions Inspection and
Maintenance Programs
Depending on where you live, your
vehicle may be required to
participate in an emission control
system inspection and maintenance
program. For the inspection, the
emission system test equipment will
likely connect to the vehicle's Data
Link Connector (DLC).
The DLC is under the instrument
panel to the left of the steering
wheel. See your dealer if assistance
is needed.
The vehicle may not pass
inspection if:
.The malfunction indicator lamp is
on with the engine running, or if
the light does not come on whenthe ignition is turned to ON/RUN
while the engine is off. See your
dealer for assistance in verifying
proper operation of the
malfunction indicator lamp.
.The OBD II (On-Board
Diagnostics) system determines
that critical emission control
systems have not been
completely diagnosed. The
vehicle would be considered not
ready for inspection. This can
happen if the 12-volt battery has
recently been replaced or run
down. The diagnostic system is
designed to evaluate critical
emission control systems during
normal driving. This can take
several days of routine driving.
If this has been done and the
vehicle still does not pass the
inspection for lack of OBD II
system readiness, your dealer
can prepare the vehicle for
inspection.
Brake System Warning
Light
With the ignition on, the brake
system warning light comes on
when the parking brake is set. If the
vehicle is driven with the parking
brake engaged, a chime sounds
when the vehicle speed is greater
than 8 km/h (5 mph).
The vehicle brake system consists
of two hydraulic circuits. If one
circuit is not working, the remaining
circuit can still work to stop the
vehicle. For normal braking
performance, both circuits need to
be working.
If the warning light comes on and a
chime sounds there could be a
brake problem. Have the brake
system inspected right away.
This light can also come on due to
low brake fluid. See
Brake Fluid on
page 10‑25 for more information.

Black plate (1,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
Driving and Operating 9-1
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . 9-10
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . 9-11
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 9-11
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-12
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 9-14
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-15
Truck-Camper LoadingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-23
Adjustable Throttle and BrakePedal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Fast Idle System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Engine Coolant Heater . . . . . . . 9-28
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Active Fuel Management
®. . . 9-30
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-32
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-50
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-52
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . 9-52
Ride Control Systems
StabiliTrak®System . . . . . . . . . 9-53
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-55
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-56
Object Detection Systems
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 9-59
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-60
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-65
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . 9-66
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . 9-66
California Fuel
Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-66

Black plate (7,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
Driving and Operating 9-7
For more information about loading
the vehicle, see Vehicle Load Limits
and Tires.
Environmental Concerns
.Always use established trails,
roads, and areas that have been
set aside for public off-road
recreational driving and obey all
posted regulations.
.Do not damage shrubs, flowers,
trees, or grasses or disturb
wildlife.
.Do not park over things that
burn. SeeParking over Things
That Burn on page 9‑30.
Driving on Hills
Driving safely on hills requires good
judgment and an understanding of
what the vehicle can and cannot do.
{WARNING
Many hills are simply too steep
for any vehicle. Driving up hills
can cause the vehicle to stall.
Driving down hills can cause loss
of control. Driving across hills can
cause a rollover. You could be
injured or killed. Do not drive on
steep hills.
Before driving on a hill, assess the
steepness, traction, and
obstructions. If the terrain ahead
cannot be seen, get out of the
vehicle and walk the hill before
driving further.
When driving on hills:
.Use a low gear and keep a firm
grip on the steering wheel.
.Maintain a slow speed.
.When possible, drive straight up
or down the hill.
.Slow down when approaching
the top of the hill.
.Use headlamps even during the
day to make the vehicle more
visible.
{WARNING
Driving to the top of a hill at high
speed can cause an accident.
There could be a drop-off,
embankment, cliff, or even
another vehicle. You could be
seriously injured or killed. As you
near the top of a hill, slow down
and stay alert.
.Never go downhill forward or
backward with either the
transmission or transfer case in
N (Neutral). The brakes could
overheat and you could lose
control.