
Black plate (9,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual (GMNA Localizing-U.S/Canada/Mexico-
7299746) - 2015 - crc - 11/11/13
Lighting 6-9
EPM works to prevent excessive
discharge of the battery. It does this
by balancing the generator's output
and the vehicle's electrical needs.
It can increase engine idle speed to
generate more power, whenever
needed. It can temporarily reduce
the power demands of some
accessories.
Normally, these actions occur in
steps or levels, without being
noticeable. In rare cases at the
highest levels of corrective action,
this action may be noticeable to the
driver. If so, a DIC message might
be displayed and it is recommended
that the driver reduce the electrical
loads as much as possible. See
Battery Voltage and Charging
Messages on page 5-35.Battery Power Protection
This feature shuts off the dome and
reading lamps, if they are left on for
more than 10 minutes after the
ignition is turned off. The cargo
lamp shuts off after 20 minutes. This
prevents the battery from
running down.

Black plate (2,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual (GMNA Localizing-U.S/Canada/Mexico-
7299746) - 2015 - crc - 11/11/13
7-2 Infotainment System
The infotainment system has built-in
features intended to help avoid
distraction by disabling some
functions when driving. These
functions may gray out when they
are unavailable.
All functions are available when the
vehicle is parked. Before driving:
.Become familiar with the
infotainment system operation
and buttons on the faceplate.
.Set up the audio by presetting
favorite stations, setting the
tone, and adjusting the
speakers.
.Set up phone numbers in
advance so they can be called
easily by pressing a single
button or by using a single voice
command for vehicles equipped
with phone capability.
See Defensive Driving on page 9-3.
The audio system can be played
even after the ignition is turned off.
See Retained Accessory Power
(RAP) on page 9-28.
Theft-Deterrent Feature
TheftLock®is designed to
discourage theft of the vehicle's
radio by learning a portion of the
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
The radio does not operate if it is
stolen or moved to a different
vehicle.
Overview
Infotainment System Overview
The infotainment system is
controlled by using the buttons on
the faceplate and steering wheel
controls, if equipped. See Steering
Wheel Controls on page 5-3.

Black plate (23,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual (GMNA Localizing-U.S/Canada/Mexico-
7299746) - 2015 - crc - 11/11/13
Infotainment System 7-23
In general there are flexible ways to
speak commands for completing the
tasks. Most of them, except
destination entry and voice keypad,
can be completed in a single
command. If the task takes more
than one command to complete, the
first command would be to indicate
the kind of task that is to be
performed. The system replies with
prompts that lead through a dialog
to enter the necessary information.
Voice recognition can be used when
the ignition is on or when Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) is active.
SeeRetained Accessory Power
(RAP) on page 9-28.
Using Voice Recognition
Voice recognition becomes available
once the system has been
initialized. This begins when the
ignition is turned on. Initialization
may take a few moments. 1. Press
gon the steering wheel
control to activate voice
recognition, or select
gon the
infotainment screen on the
center stack.
.If voice recognition is
started from the steering
wheel control, the
instrument cluster displays
the selections and visual
dialog content.
.If voice recognition is
started from the
infotainment screen, the
selections and visual dialog
content are displayed on
both the center stack
display and the instrument
cluster display.
2. The audio system mutes and the system plays a prompt followed
by a beep. 3. Wait until after the beep
completes, then clearly speak
one of the commands described
in this section.
Press
gto interrupt any voice
recognition system prompt. For
example, if the prompt seems to
be taking too long to finish,
press
gagain and the beep
should happen right away.
There are two voice prompt modes
supported:
.Long verbal prompts: The longer
prompts provide more
information regarding the
supported actions.
.Short prompts: The short
prompts provide simple
instructions about what can be
stated.
If a command is not spoken, the
voice recognition system says a
help prompt.

Black plate (39,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual (GMNA Localizing-U.S/Canada/Mexico-
7299746) - 2015 - crc - 11/11/13
Infotainment System 7-39
Call Waiting
Call waiting must be supported on
the cell phone and enabled by the
wireless service carrier.
.Pressgto answer an incoming
call when another call is active.
The original call is placed
on hold.
.Pressgagain to return to the
original call.
.To ignore the incoming call, no
action is required.
.Pressito disconnect the
current call and switch to the call
on hold.
Three-Way Calling
Three-way calling must be
supported on the cell phone and
enabled by the wireless service
carrier.
1. While on a call, press
g.
2. Say “Three-way call.” 3. Use the
“Dial”or“Call” command
to dial the number of the third
party to be called.
4. Once the call is connected, press
gto link all callers
together.
Ending a Call
Pressito end a call.
Transferring a Call
Audio can be transferred between
the Bluetooth system and the cell
phone.
The cell phone must be paired and
connected with the Bluetooth
system before a call can be
transferred. The connection process
can take up to two minutes after the
ignition is turned to ON/RUN.
To Transfer Audio from the
Bluetooth System to a Cell Phone
During a call with the audio in the
vehicle:
1. Press
g. 2. Say
“Transfer Call.”
To Transfer Audio to the Bluetooth
System from a Cell Phone
During a call with the audio on the
cell phone, press
g. The audio
transfers to the vehicle. If the audio
does not transfer to the vehicle, use
the audio transfer feature on the cell
phone. See your cell phone
manufacturer's user guide for more
information.
Voice Pass-Thru
Voice pass-thru allows access to the
voice recognition commands on the
cell phone. See your cell phone
manufacturer's user guide to see if
the cell phone supports this feature.
To access contacts stored in the cell
phone:
1. Press
g. The system responds
“Ready,” followed by a tone.
2. Say “Bluetooth.”

Black plate (4,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual (GMNA Localizing-U.S/Canada/Mexico-
7299746) - 2015 - crc - 11/11/13
8-4 Climate Controls
windshield and the side window
vents. The system automatically
forces outside air into the vehicle
and the air conditioning compressor
will run, unless the outside
temperature is close to freezing.
Do not drive the vehicle until all the
windows are clear.
SeeAir Vents on page 8-8.
@(Recirculation): Press to turn
on recirculation. An indicator light
comes on. Air is recirculated to
quickly cool the inside of the
vehicle. It can also be used to help
reduce outside air and odors that
enter the vehicle.
8(Outside Air, If Equipped):
Press to turn the outside air mode
on. An indicator light on the button
comes on to show that outside is
on. When selected, air from outside
the vehicle circulates throughout the
vehicle. The recirculation mode
cannot be used with the outside
air mode.
f(Outside Heated Mirror, If
Equipped): Press to turn the
heated mirrors on or off. See
Heated Mirrors on page 2-16.
A/C (Air Conditioning): Press to
turn the air conditioning system on
or off. An indicator light comes on to
show that the air conditioning is
enabled. If the fan is turned off, the
air conditioner will not run. The A/C
light will stay on even if the outside
temperatures are below freezing.
Rear Window Defogger
K(Rear Window Defogger, If
Equipped): Press to turn the rear
window defogger on or off. An
indicator light on the button comes
on to show that the rear window
defogger is on.
The rear window defogger only
works when the ignition is in ON/
RUN. The rear window defogger
stays on for approximately
10 minutes after the button is first
pressed. Each subsequent press,
the rear window defogger stays on for five minutes. The defogger also
turns off if the ignition is turned to
ACC/ACCESSORY or LOCK/OFF.
If equipped with heated outside
mirrors, they turn on when the rear
window defogger button is on. They
help to clear fog or frost from the
surface of the mirrors.
{Caution
Using a razor blade or sharp
object to clear the inside rear
window can damage the rear
window defogger. Repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Do not clear the inside
rear window with sharp objects.

Black plate (7,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual (GMNA Localizing-U.S/Canada/Mexico-
7299746) - 2015 - crc - 11/11/13
Climate Controls 8-7
0(Defrost):Press to clear the
windshield of fog or frost more
quickly. Air is directed to the
windshield and the side window
vents. The air conditioning
compressor also comes on, unless
the outside temperature is below
freezing.
Do not drive the vehicle until all
windows are clear.
See Air Vents on page 8-8.
A/C (Air Conditioning): Press to
turn the air conditioning system on
or off. An indicator light comes on to
show that the air conditioning is
enabled. If the fan is turned off, the
air conditioner will not run. The A/C
light will stay on even if the outside
temperatures are below freezing.
@(Recirculation): Press to turn
on recirculation. An indicator light
comes on. Air is recirculated to
quickly cool the inside of the
vehicle. It can also be used to help
reduce outside air and odors that enter the vehicle. The air
conditioning compressor also comes
on when this mode is activated.
Rear Window Defogger
The rear window defogger uses a
warming grid to remove fog from the
rear window.
K(Rear Window Defogger):
Press to turn the rear window
defogger on or off. An indicator light
on the button comes on to show that
the rear window defogger is on.
The rear window defogger only
works when the ignition is in ON/
RUN. The rear window defogger
stays on for approximately
10 minutes after the button is first
pressed. Each subsequent press,
the rear window defogger stays on
for five minutes. The defogger also
turns off if the ignition is turned to
ACC/ACCESSORY or LOCK/OFF.
{Caution
Using a razor blade or sharp
object to clear the inside rear
window can damage the rear
window defogger. Repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Do not clear the inside
rear window with sharp objects.
Heated Mirror: If equipped with
heated outside rearview mirrors, the
mirrors heat to help clear fog or frost
from the surface of the mirror when
the rear window defog button is
pressed. See Heated Mirrors on
page 2-16.

Black plate (1,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual (GMNA Localizing-U.S/Canada/Mexico-
7299746) - 2015 - crc - 11/11/13
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 . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 9-11
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 9-12
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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 9-26 Fast Idle System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Engine Coolant Heater . . . . . . . 9-28
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Active Fuel Management
®. . . 9-31
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-33
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-47
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-48
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-49
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . 9-49
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-50
Hill Descent Control (HDC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-52
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-52
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-53
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance
Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-56
Assistance Systems for Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . 9-56
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-59
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-59
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-62
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-64
California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-65
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 9-65
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-65

Black plate (12,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual (GMNA Localizing-U.S/Canada/Mexico-
7299746) - 2015 - crc - 11/11/13
9-12 Driving and Operating
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips for
driving in these conditions include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
.Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
.Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{Warning
Using the brakes to slow the
vehicle on a long downhill slope
can cause brake overheating, can
reduce brake performance, and
could result in a loss of braking.
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear to let the engine assist the
brakes on a steep downhill slope.
{Warning
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. This can cause
overheating of the brakes and
loss of steering. Always have the
engine running and the vehicle
in gear.
.Stay in your own lane. Do not
swing wide or cut across the
center of the road. Drive at
speeds that let you stay in your
own lane.
.Be alert on top of hills;
something could be in your lane
(stalled car, accident).
.Pay attention to special road
signs (falling rocks area, winding
roads, long grades, passing or
no-passing zones) and take
appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Drive carefully when there is snow
or ice between the tires and the
road, creating less traction or grip.
Wet ice can occur at about 0°C
(32°F) when freezing rain begins to
fall, resulting in even less traction.
Avoid driving on wet ice or in
freezing rain until roads can be
treated with salt or sand.
Drive with caution, whatever the
condition. Accelerate gently so
traction is not lost. Accelerating too
quickly causes the wheels to spin
and makes the surface under the
tires slick, so there is even less
traction.
Try not to break the fragile traction.
If you accelerate too fast, the drive
wheels will spin and polish the
surface under the tires even more.
Traction Control should be turned
on. SeeTraction Control/Electronic
Stability Control on page 9-50.