
GMC Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234761) - 2016 - crc - 7/24/15
Instruments and Controls 133
SERVICE POWER STEERING
(2500/3500 Series)
This message displays when there
is a problem with the power steering
assist system. If this message
displays the vehicle can be driven
but should be repaired as soon as
possible. See your dealer. See
Steering0166.
Tire Messages
SERVICE TIRE MONITOR
SYSTEM
If equipped with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS), this
message displays if a part on the
system is not working properly. The
tire pressure light also flashes and
then remains on during the same
ignition cycle. See Tire Pressure
Light 0120. Several conditions may
cause this message to appear. See
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation
0 303. If the warning comes on and
stays on, there may be a problem
with the TPMS. See your dealer.
TIRE LEARNING ACTIVE
If equipped with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS), this
message displays when the system
is relearning the tire positions on
your vehicle. The tire positions must
be relearned after rotating the tires
or after replacing a tire or sensor.
See Tire Inspection 0306, Tire
Rotation 0306, Tire Pressure
Monitor System 0302, and Tire
Pressure 0300.
TIRE PRESSURE LOW ADD
AIR TO TIRE
If equipped with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS), this
message displays when the
pressure in one or more of the
vehicle's tires is low. This message
also displays with a vehicle picture
to indicate the location of the low
tire. The low tire pressure warning
light will also come on. See Tire
Pressure Light 0120. You can
receive more than one tire pressure
message at a time. If a tire pressure
message appears on the DIC, stop
as soon as you can. Have the tire
pressures checked and set to those shown on the Tire and Loading
Information label. See
Tires0292,
Vehicle Load Limits 0176, and Tire
Pressure 0300. The DIC also
shows the tire pressure values. See
Driver Information Center (DIC)
0 123.
Transmission Messages
4WD OFF
If equipped with four-wheel drive,
this message displays when the
four-wheel-drive system is
temporarily disabled due to an
overheated condition. The vehicle
will run in two-wheel drive when this
message is present. Once the
four-wheel-drive system cools down,
the message turns off and the
four-wheel-drive system returns to
normal operation.
4WD SHIFT IN PROGRESS
This message will display while the
four-wheel-drive system is shifting.
, 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
Instruments and Controls 137
Personalization Menus
The following list of menu items may
be available:
.Time and Date
. Language (Language)
. Valet Mode
. Radio
. Vehicle
. Bluetooth
. Voice
. Display
. Rear Camera
. Return to Factory Settings
. Software Information
Detailed information for each menu
follows.
Time and Date
Manually set the time and date. See
Clock 0101.
Language (Language)
Select Language, then select from
the available language(s). The selected language will display
on the system, and voice
recognition will reflect the selected
language.
Valet Mode (If Equipped)
This will lock the infotainment
system and steering wheel controls.
It may also limit access to vehicle
storage locations (if equipped).
To enable valet mode:
1. Enter a four-digit code on the keypad.
2. Select Enter to go to the confirmation screen.
3. Re-enter the four-digit code.
Press LOCK or UNLOCK to lock or
unlock the system. Press Back to go
back to the previous menu.
Radio
Press to display the Radio menu
and the following may display:
. Manage Favorites
. Number of Favorites Shown
. Audible Touch Feedback
. Auto Volume .
Maximum Startup Volume
Manage Favorites
This allows favorites to be edited.
See “Manage Favorites” in
“Settings” under“Radio” in the
infotainment manual.
Number of Favorites Shown
Press to set the number of favorites
to display.
Select the desired number or select
Auto and the infotainment system
will automatically adjust the number
of favorites shown.
Audible Touch Feedback
This allows Audible Touch
Feedback to be turned on or off.
Select Off or On.
Auto Volume
This feature adjusts the volume
based on vehicle speed and
ambient noise.
Select Off, Low, Medium-Low,
Medium, Medium-High, or High.
, 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
146 Lighting
Lighting
Exterior Lighting
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . 146
Exterior Lamps OffReminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Automatic Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . 150
Turn and Lane-Change Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Auxiliary Roof-Mounted Lamp . . . . . . . . 151
Interior Lighting
Instrument Panel IlluminationControl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Cargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Lighting Features
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Battery Load Management . . . 154
Battery Power Protection . . . . . 155Exterior Lighting
Exterior Lamp Controls
The exterior lamp control is on the
instrument panel to the left of the
steering wheel.
O(Off) : Turns off the automatic
headlamps and Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL). Turn the headlamp
control to the off position again to
turn the automatic headlamps or
DRL back on.
For vehicles first sold in Canada, off
will only work when the vehicle is in
P (Park).
AUTO (Automatic) : Automatically
turns on the headlamps, parking
lamps, taillamps, instrument panel
, 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
152 Lighting
this button. Pressing the top of the
button will turn off the roof-mounted
lamp and indicator.
The emergency roof lamp circuit is
fused at 30 amps, so the total
current draw of the attached lamps
should be less than this value. The
attachment points for the roof lamp
circuits are two blunt cut wires
above the overhead console: a dark
green with blue stripe switched
power wire and a black ground wire.
For information on roof-mounted
emergency lamp installation, see
www.gmupfitter.com or contact your
dealer.
If the vehicle has this button, the
vehicle may have the snow plow
prep package. SeeAdd-On
Electrical Equipment 0247.Interior Lighting
Instrument Panel
Illumination Control
This feature controls the brightness
of the steering wheel and instrument
panel lights. The instrument panel
illumination control is next to the
exterior lamp control.
D(Instrument Panel
Illumination) : Move the
thumbwheel up or down to brighten
or dim the lights.
Cargo Lamp
The cargo lamp provides more light
in the cargo area or on the sides of
the vehicle, if needed. The lights
inside the pickup box and/or on the
outside rearview mirrors also turn
on, if equipped.
Press the switch down to turn the
cargo lamp on or off. An indicator
light will turn on when the lamp is
turned on, if equipped. The shift
lever must be in the P (Park)
position to operate the cargo lamp.
The lights on the outside rearview
, 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
Driving and Operating 163
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 172
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 173
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 175
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Truck-Camper LoadingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 184
Adjustable Throttle and BrakePedal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Fast Idle System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188 Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Active Fuel Management
®. . . . 192
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 193
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 208
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Hill Descent Control (HDC) . . . 210 Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 214
Assistance Systems for
Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . 215
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) (2500/3500
Series) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) (1500 Series) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 224
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
, 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
166 Driving and Operating
Steering
Electric Power Steering (1500
Series)
If the vehicle has electric power
steering, it does not have power
steering fluid. Regular maintenance
is not required.
If power steering assist is lost due
to a system malfunction, the vehicle
can be steered, but may require
increased effort. See your dealer if
there is a problem.
If the steering wheel is turned until it
reaches the end of its travel, and is
held in that position for an extended
period of time, power steering assist
may be reduced.
If the steering assist is used for an
extended period of time, power
assist may be reduced.
Normal use of the power steering
assist should return when the
system cools down.
See specific vehicle steering
messages underSteering System
Messages 0132.
Hydraulic Power Steering
(2500/3500 Series)
(2500/3500 Series –All Regular
Cab, Double Cab/Crew Cab with
Base Interior)
The power steering system may
require maintenance. See Power
Steering Fluid (1500 Series) 0273
or Power Steering Fluid (2500/3500
Series) 0273.
If power steering assist is lost
because the engine stops or the
system malfunctions, the vehicle
can be steered but may require
increased effort. See your dealer.
(2500/3500 Series –Double Cab/
Crew Cab with Uplevel Interior)
The vehicle has a power steering
system that varies the amount of
effort required to steer the vehicle.
Less steering effort is required at
slower speeds. At faster speeds, the
steering effort increases. The
system helps the steering wheel
return to center at low speeds.
Pressing the Tow/Haul button adjusts steering effort for driving
conditions described in
Tow/Haul
Mode 0199.
The power steering system may
require maintenance, Power Power
Steering Fluid (1500 Series) 0273
or Power Steering Fluid (2500/3500
Series) 0273.
If power steering assist is lost
because the engine stops or the
system malfunctions, the vehicle
can be steered but may require
increased effort. See your dealer.
Caution
If the steering wheel is turned
until it reaches the end of its
travel, and is held in that position
for more than 15 seconds,
damage may occur to the power
steering system and there may be
loss of power steering assist.
, 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
Driving and Operating 167
Curve Tips
.Take curves at a reasonable
speed.
. Reduce speed before entering a
curve.
. Maintain a reasonable steady
speed through the curve.
. Wait until the vehicle is out of
the curve before accelerating
gently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
.There are some situations when
steering around a problem may
be more effective than braking.
. Holding both sides of the
steering wheel allows you to turn
180 degrees without removing
a hand.
. Antilock Brake System (ABS)
allows steering while braking.
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop
off the edge of a road onto the
shoulder while driving. Follow
these tips:
1. Ease off the accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the
way, steer the vehicle so that it
straddles the edge of the
pavement.
2. Turn the steering wheel about one-eighth of a turn, until the
right front tire contacts the
pavement edge. 3. Turn the steering wheel to go
straight down the roadway.
Loss of Control
Skidding
There are three types of skids that
correspond to the vehicle's three
control systems:
.Braking Skid —wheels are not
rolling.
. Steering or Cornering Skid —
too much speed or steering in a
curve causes tires to slip and
lose cornering force.
. Acceleration Skid —too much
throttle causes the driving
wheels to spin.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids
by taking reasonable care suited to
existing conditions, and by not
overdriving those conditions. But
skids are always possible.
If the vehicle starts to slide, follow
these suggestions:
. Ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and steer the
way you want the vehicle to go.
, 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
168 Driving and Operating
The vehicle may straighten out.
Be ready for a second skid if it
occurs.
. Slow down and adjust your
driving according to weather
conditions. Stopping distance
can be longer and vehicle
control can be affected when
traction is reduced by water,
snow, ice, gravel, or other
material on the road. Learn to
recognize warning clues —such
as enough water, ice, or packed
snow on the road to make a
mirrored surface —and slow
down when you have any doubt.
. Try to avoid sudden steering,
acceleration, or braking,
including reducing vehicle speed
by shifting to a lower gear. Any
sudden changes could cause
the tires to slide.
Remember: Antilock brakes help
avoid only the braking skid.
Off-Road Driving
Four-wheel-drive vehicles can be
used for off-road driving. Vehicles
without four-wheel drive and vehicles not equipped with All
Terrain (AT) or On-Off Road (OOR)
tires must not be driven off-road
except on a level, solid surface. For
contact information about the
original equipment tires, see the
warranty manual.
One of the best ways for successful
off-road driving is to control the
speed.
{Warning
When driving off-road, bouncing
and quick changes in direction
can easily throw you out of
position. This could cause you to
lose control and crash. You and
your passengers should always
wear safety belts.
Before Driving Off-Road
.
Have all necessary maintenance
and service work completed.
. Fuel the vehicle, fill fluid levels,
and check inflation pressure in
all tires, including the spare,
if equipped. .
Read all the information about
four-wheel-drive vehicles in this
manual.
. Remove any underbody air
deflector, if equipped. Re-attach
the air deflector after off-road
driving.
. See Hill Descent Control (HDC)
0 210
. Know the local laws that apply to
off-road driving.
To gain more ground clearance if
needed, it may be necessary to
remove the front fascia lower air
dam. However, driving without the
air dam reduces fuel economy.
Caution
Operating the vehicle for
extended periods without the front
fascia lower air dam installed can
cause improper air flow to the
engine. Re-attach the front fascia
air dam after off-road driving.
, Q I R U P D W L R Q 3 U R Y L G H G E \