Black plate (77,1)GMC 2015i Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-8431500) - 2015 - crc - 6/20/14
Driving and Operating 9-77
Vehicle Series Hitch TypeMaximum Tongue
Weight
1500 Weight-Carrying 363 kg (800 lb)
1500 Weight-Distributing 544 kg (1,200 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. 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.
If a cargo carrier is used in the
trailer hitch receiver, choose a
carrier that positions the load as
close to the vehicle as possible.
Make sure the total weight,
including the carrier, is no more than
half of the maximum allowable
tongue weight for the vehicle or
227 kg (500 lb), whichever is less.
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 center pillar or see
Vehicle
Load Limits on page 9-15. 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
Black plate (87,1)GMC 2015i Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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Driving and Operating 9-87
continues over multiple ignition
cycles, there is a problem with the
ITBC system. Have the vehicle
serviced.
If either the CHECK TRAILER
WIRING or SERVICE TRAILER
BRAKE SYSTEM message displays
while driving, the ITBC system may
not be fully functional or may not
function at all. When traffic
conditions allow, carefully pull the
vehicle over to the side of the road
and turn the ignition off. Check the
wiring connection to the trailer and
turn the ignition back on. If either of
these messages continues, either
the vehicle or trailer needs service.
A GM dealer may be able to
diagnose and repair problems with
the trailer. However, any diagnosis
and repair of the trailer is not
covered under the vehicle warranty.
Contact your trailer dealer for
assistance with trailer repairs and
trailer warranty information.Trailer Sway
Control (TSC)
Vehicles with StabiliTrak have a
TSC feature. Trailer sway is
unintended side-to-side motion of a
trailer while being towed. If the
vehicle is towing a trailer and the
TSC detects that sway is increasing,
the vehicle brakes are selectively
applied at each wheel, to help
reduce excessive trailer sway. If the
vehicle is equipped with the
Integrated Trailer Brake Control
(ITBC) system, and the trailer has
the electric actuated brake system,
StabiliTrak may also apply the trailer
brakes.
If TSC is enabled, the Traction
Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak
warning light will flash on the
instrument cluster. Vehicle speed
must be reduced. If trailer sway
continues, StabiliTrak can reduce
engine torque to help slow the
vehicle. SeeTraction Control/
Electronic Stability Control on
page 9-49.
{Warning
Even if the vehicle is equipped
with TSC, trailer sway could result
in loss of control and the vehicle
could crash. If excessive trailer
sway is detected, slow down to a
safe speed. Check the trailer and
vehicle to help correct possible
causes. These could include an
improperly or overloaded trailer,
unrestrained cargo, improper
trailer hitch configuration,
excessive vehicle-trailer speed,
or improperly inflated or incorrect
vehicle or trailer tires. See Towing
Equipment on page 9-78 for
trailer ratings and hitch setup
recommendations.
Adding non-dealer accessories can
affect the vehicle performance. See
Accessories and Modifications on
page 10-3.
Black plate (2,1)GMC 2015i Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-8431500) - 2015 - crc - 6/20/14
10-2 Vehicle Care
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-51
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-51
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-51
All-Terrain Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-52
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . 10-52
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-56
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-59
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-60
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-61
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-62
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-65
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-65
Dual Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . 10-67
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-68
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-69
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-70
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-71
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-72 Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-73
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-74
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . 10-74
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-76
Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . 10-86
Jump Starting
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-87
Towing the Vehicle
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . 10-91
Recreational Vehicle
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-91
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-96
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-101
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-105
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 (50,1)GMC 2015i Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-8431500) - 2015 - crc - 6/20/14
10-50 Vehicle Care
Wheels 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)
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.
Black plate (52,1)GMC 2015i Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-8431500) - 2015 - crc - 6/20/14
10-52 Vehicle Care
Caution (Continued)
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-Terrain Tires
This vehicle may have all-terrain
tires. These tires provide good
performance on most road surfaces,
weather conditions, and for off-road
driving. SeeOff-Road Driving on
page 9-6.
The tread pattern on these tires may
wear more quickly than other tires.
Consider rotating the tires more
frequently than at 12 000 km
(7,500 mi) intervals if irregular wear is noted when the tires are
inspected. See
Tire Inspection on
page 10-65.
Tire Sidewall Labeling
Useful information about a tire is
molded into the sidewall. The
examples show a typical
passenger and light truck tire
sidewall.
Passenger (P-Metric)/Spare Tire
(1) 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.
(2) 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.
(3) 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.
Black plate (53,1)GMC 2015i Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-8431500) - 2015 - crc - 6/20/14
Vehicle Care 10-53
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.
(4) 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
manufactured. The TIN is
molded onto both sides of the
tire, although only one side may
have the date of manufacture.
(5) Tire Ply Material
:The type
of cord and number of plies in
the sidewall and under the tread. (6) Uniform Tire Quality
Grading (UTQG)
:Tire
manufacturers are required to
grade tires based on three
performance factors: treadwear,
traction, and temperature
resistance. For more
information, see Uniform Tire
Quality Grading on page 10-71.
(7) 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 10-59 andVehicle Load
Limits on page 9-15.
(8) Temporary Use Only
:Only
use a temporary spare tire until
the road tire is repaired and
replaced. This spare tire should
not be driven on over 112 km/h
(70 mph), or 88 km/h (55 mph)
when pulling a trailer, with the proper inflation pressure. See
Full-Size Spare Tire on
page 10-86.
Light Truck (LT-Metric) Tire
(1) 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.
Black plate (57,1)GMC 2015i Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-8431500) - 2015 - crc - 6/20/14
Vehicle Care 10-57
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. 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 lb). 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
Black plate (58,1)GMC 2015i Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-8431500) - 2015 - crc - 6/20/14
10-58 Vehicle Care
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 10-59 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 10-68. UTQGS (Uniform Tire Quality
Grading Standards)
:A tire
information system that provides
consumers with ratings for a
tire's traction, temperature, and
treadwear. Ratings are
determined by tire
manufacturers using
government testing procedures.
The ratings are molded into the
sidewall of the tire. See Uniform
Tire Quality Grading on
page 10-71.
Vehicle Capacity Weight
:The
number of designated seating
positions multiplied by
68 kg (150 lb) plus the rated
cargo load. See Vehicle Load
Limits on page 9-15.
Vehicle Maximum Load on the
Tire
:Load on an individual tire
due to curb weight, accessory
weight, occupant weight, and
cargo weight.