
GMC Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234761) - 2016 - crc - 7/24/15
Vehicle Care 251
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 252
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 252
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 261
Automatic Transmission Fluid (6 Speed Transmission) . . . . . 261
Automatic Transmission Fluid (8 Speed Transmission) . . . . . 264
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 265
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 270
Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272 Power Steering Fluid (1500
Series) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Power Steering Fluid (2500/ 3500 Series) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Battery - North America . . . . . . 277
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Noise Control System . . . . . . . . 280
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 281
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 282
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 282
Glass Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 283
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283 Center High-Mounted
Stoplamp (CHMSL) and
Cargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 284
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Right) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Left) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
All-Terrain Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 294
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Tire Pressure Monitor
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
, Q I R U P D W L R Q 3 U R Y L G H G E \

GMC Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234761) - 2016 - crc - 7/24/15
Vehicle Care 267
6.0L V8 Engine
1. Coolant Surge Tank
2. Coolant Surge TankPressure Cap
3. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View)
{Warning
An electric engine cooling fan can
start even when the engine is not
running. To avoid injury, always
keep hands, clothing, and tools
away from any engine
cooling fan.
{Warning
Heater and radiator hoses, and
other engine parts, can be very
hot. Do not touch them. If you do,
you can be burned.
Do not run the engine if there is a
leak. If you run the engine, it
could lose all coolant. That could
cause an engine fire, and you
could be burned. Get any leak
fixed before you drive the vehicle.
Caution
Using coolant other than
DEX-COOL®can cause
premature engine, heater core,
or radiator corrosion. In addition,
the engine coolant could require
changing sooner. Any repairs
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Always use
DEX-COOL (silicate-free) coolant
in the vehicle.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in the vehicle is
filled with DEX-COOL®engine
coolant. This coolant is designed to
remain in the vehicle for 5 years or
240 000 km (150,000 mi), whichever
occurs first.
The following explains the cooling
system and how to check and add
coolant when it is low. If there is a
problem with engine overheating,
see Engine Overheating 0270.
What to Use
{Warning
Adding only plain water or some
other liquid to the cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water
and other liquids, can boil before
the proper coolant mixture will.
The coolant warning system is set
for the proper coolant mixture.
With plain water or the wrong
mixture, the engine could get too
hot but you would not get the
(Continued)
, Q I R U P D W L R Q 3 U R Y L G H G E \

GMC Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234761) - 2016 - crc - 7/24/15
270 Vehicle Care
If no coolant is visible in the surge
tank, add coolant.
Light-Duty
Coolant Surge Tank
Pressure CapHeavy-Duty
Coolant Surge Tank
Pressure Cap
1. Remove the coolant surge tank pressure cap when the cooling
system, including the coolant
surge tank pressure cap and
upper radiator hose, is no
longer hot.
Turn the pressure cap slowly
counterclockwise about one full
turn. If a hiss is heard, wait for
that to stop. A hiss means
there is still some pressure left.
2. Keep turning the pressure cap slowly, and remove it.
3. Fill the coolant surge tank with the proper mixture to the FULL
COLD mark. 4. With the coolant surge tank
pressure cap off, start the
engine and let it run until the
engine coolant temperature
gauge indicates approximately
90 °C (195 °F).
By this time, the coolant level
inside the coolant surge tank
may be lower. If the level is
lower, add more of the proper
mixture to the coolant surge
tank until the level reaches the
FULL COLD mark.
5. Replace the pressure cap tightly.
6. Verify coolant level after the engine is shut off and the
coolant is cold. If necessary,
repeat coolant fill procedure
Steps 1-6.
Caution
If the pressure cap is not tightly
installed, coolant loss and
possible engine damage may
occur. Be sure the cap is properly
and tightly secured.
Engine Overheating
If the vehicle has the Duramax
diesel engine, see the Duramax
diesel supplement.
The vehicle has several indicators
to warn of engine overheating.
There is a coolant temperature
gauge in the vehicle's instrument
cluster. See Engine Coolant
Temperature Gauge 0110.
In addition, there are ENGINE
OVERHEATED STOP ENGINE,
ENGINE OVERHEATED IDLE
ENGINE, and ENGINE POWER IS
REDUCED messages in the Driver
Information Center (DIC). See
Engine Cooling System Messages
0 128 andEngine Power Messages
0 129.
If the decision is made not to lift the
hood when this warning appears,
get service help right away. See
Roadside Assistance Program
0 367.
If the decision is made to lift the
hood, make sure the vehicle is
parked on a level surface.
, Q I R U P D W L R Q 3 U R Y L G H G E \

GMC Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234761) - 2016 - crc - 7/24/15
Vehicle Care 271
Then check to see if the engine
cooling fan is running. If the engine
is overheating, the fan should be
running. If it is not, do not continue
to run the engine and have the
vehicle serviced.
Caution
Running the engine without
coolant may cause damage or a
fire. Vehicle damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
SeeOverheated Engine
Protection Operating Mode 0272
for information on driving to a
safe place in an emergency.
If Steam is Coming from the
Engine Compartment
{Warning
Steam from an overheated engine
can burn you badly, even if you
just open the hood. Stay away
from the engine if you see or hear
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
steam coming from it. Turn it off
and get everyone away from the
vehicle until it cools down. Wait
until there is no sign of steam or
coolant before you open
the hood.
If you keep driving when the
vehicles engine is overheated,
the liquids in it can catch fire. You
or others could be badly burned.
Stop the engine if it overheats,
and get out of the vehicle until the
engine is cool.
SeeOverheated Engine
Protection Operating Mode 0272
for information on driving to a
safe place in an emergency.
If No Steam is Coming from
the Engine Compartment
The ENGINE OVERHEATED STOP
ENGINE or the ENGINE
OVERHEATED IDLE ENGINE message, along with a low coolant
condition, can indicate a serious
problem.
If there is an engine overheat
warning, but no steam is seen or
heard, the problem may not be too
serious. Sometimes the engine can
get a little too hot when the vehicle:
.
Climbs a long hill on a hot day.
. Stops after high-speed driving.
. Idles for long periods in traffic.
. Tows a trailer; see Trailer Towing
0 231.
If the ENGINE OVERHEATED
STOP ENGINE or the ENGINE
OVERHEATED IDLE ENGINE
message appears with no sign of
steam, try this for a minute or so: 1. Turn the air conditioning off.
2. Turn the heater on to the highest temperature and to the
highest fan speed. Open the
windows as necessary.
3. When it is safe to do so, pull off the road, shift to P (Park) or
N (Neutral) and let the
engine idle.
, Q I R U P D W L R Q 3 U R Y L G H G E \

GMC Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234761) - 2016 - crc - 7/24/15
292 Vehicle Care
Number Usage17 Body Control Module 1
19 Spare
20 Spare
22 Heater, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning/
Auxiliary Heater,
Ventilation and Air
Conditioning Ignition
23 Instrument Cluster Ignition/Sensing
Diagnostic Module
Ignition
24 Spare
25 Data Link Connector/ Driver Seat Module
26 Passive Entry Passive Start/Heater,
Ventilation, and Air
Conditioning
27 Spare
28 Spare Number Usage
29 Park Enable/ Electrically Adjustable
Pedals
30 SEO
31 Accessory/Run Crank
32 Heated Steering Wheel
33 Spare
34 Instrument Cluster
36 Spare
37 Spare
40 Left Doors
41 Driver Power Seat
43 Left Front Heated/ Vented Seats
44 Right Front Heated/ Vented Seats
45 Spare
49 Retained Accessory Power/Accessory
50 Run/CrankWheels 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 and a serious
crash. See Vehicle Load
Limits 0176.
(Continued)
, Q I R U P D W L R Q 3 U R Y L G H G E \

GMC Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234761) - 2016 - crc - 7/24/15
Vehicle Care 301
Caution
Neither tire underinflation nor
overinflation is good.
Underinflated tires, or tires
that do not have enough air,
can result in:
.Tire overloading and
overheating which could
lead to a blowout.
.Premature or
irregular wear.
.Poor handling.
.Reduced fuel economy.
Overinflated tires, or tires that
have too much air, can
result in:
.Unusual wear.
.Poor handling.
.Rough ride.
.Needless damage from
road hazards. The Tire and Loading
Information label on the vehicle
indicates the original equipment
tires and the correct cold tire
inflation pressures. The
recommended pressure is the
minimum air pressure needed to
support the vehicle's maximum
load carrying capacity.
For additional information
regarding how much weight the
vehicle can carry, and an
example of the Tire and Loading
Information label, see
Vehicle
Load Limits 0176. How the
vehicle is loaded affects vehicle
handling and ride comfort. Never
load the vehicle with more
weight than it was designed to
carry.
When to Check
Check the tires once a month
or more. Do not forget the spare tire,
if the vehicle has one. See
Full-Size Spare Tire
0325 for
additional information.
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type
gauge to check tire pressure.
Proper tire inflation cannot be
determined by looking at the tire.
Check the tire inflation pressure
when the tires are cold, meaning
the vehicle has not been driven
for at least three hours or no
more than 1.6 km (1 mi).
Remove the valve cap from the
tire valve stem. Press the tire
gauge firmly onto the valve to
get a pressure measurement.
If the cold tire inflation pressure
matches the recommended
pressure on the Tire and
Loading Information label, no
further adjustment is necessary.
If the inflation pressure is low,
add air until the recommended
pressure is reached. If the
, Q I R U P D W L R Q 3 U R Y L G H G E \

GMC Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234761) - 2016 - crc - 7/24/15
390 Index
Driving (cont'd)For Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . 24
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 173
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . 175
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Off-Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Dual Automatic Climate Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
E
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Electrical Equipment,Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Electrical System Engine Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288, 290
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Emergency OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265 Engine (cont'd)
Check and Service Engine
Soon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 255
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Coolant Temperature
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Cooling System Messages . . . 128
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 362
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Oil Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . . . . 109
Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Overheated Protection Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 193
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . . . 375 Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Extender, Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 146
Exterior Lamps Off Reminder . . . 148
F
Fan
Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Fast Idle System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Features Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Filter,
Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . 150
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
FlexFuel E85 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Floor Console Storage . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
Fluid AutomaticTransmission . . . . . . . . . . . 261, 264
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Four-Wheel Drive Transfer Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Power Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
, Q I R U P D W L R Q 3 U R Y L G H G E \

GMC Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234761) - 2016 - crc - 7/24/15
394 Index
Monitor System, TirePressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
N
Navigation
OnStar®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Noise Control System . . . . . . . . . . 280
O
Object Detection System
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Off-Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168 Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Oil Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 261
Engine Oil Pressure Gauge . . . 109
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Older Children, Restraints . . . . . . . 73
Online Owner Center . . . . . . . . . . . 366
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
OnStar
®Additional
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 381
OnStar
®Connections . . . . . . . . . . . 379 OnStar
®Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . 381
OnStar®Emergency . . . . . . . . . . . . 378
OnStar®Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378
OnStar®Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 377
OnStar®Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378
Operating Mode Overheated Engine
Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Ordering Service Publications . . . . . . . . . . 372
Outlets
Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode . . . . 272
Overheating, Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
P
Park Shifting Into . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Shifting Out of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Parking
Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Brake and P (Park)Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 282
Over Things That Burn . . . . . . . 192
Parking or Backing
Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . 215
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 Passenger Compartment Air
Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . 67
Perchlorate Materials Requirements, California . . . . . . 252
Personalization Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Pickup Conversion to Chassis Cab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Power Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Protection, Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Retained Accessory (RAP) . . . 189
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Steering Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Power Assist Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Pregnancy, Using Safety Belts . . . 59
Privacy Vehicle Data Recording . . . . . . . 374
Program Courtesy Transportation . . . . . . 369
Proposition
65 Warning,
California . . . . . . . . . . . .252, 277, 326
, Q I R U P D W L R Q 3 U R Y L G H G E \