2016 GMC SIERRA Owner's Manual

GMC Sierra Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234758) - 2016 - crc - 11/9/15
304 Driving and Operating
maintaining control. The vehicle is
safe to drive, but driving should be
adjusted accordingly.
If
dcomes on and stays on:
1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Turn the engine off and wait 15 seconds.
3. Start the engine.
Drive the vehicle. If
dcomes on
and stays on, the vehicle may need
more time to diagnose the problem.
If the condition persists, see your
dealer.
Turning the Systems Off
and On
The button for TCS and StabiliTrak
is on the center stack.
Caution
Do not repeatedly brake or
accelerate heavily when TCS is
off. The vehicle driveline could be
damaged.
To turn off only TCS, press and
release the
gbutton. The traction
off light
idisplays in the instrument
cluster. The appropriate message
will display in the DIC. See Ride
Control System Messages 0157. To
turn TCS on again, press and
release the
gbutton. The traction
off light
idisplayed in the
instrument cluster will turn off.
If TCS is limiting wheel spin when
the
gbutton is pressed, the system
will not turn off until the wheels stop
spinning.
To turn off both TCS and StabiliTrak,
press and hold the
gbutton until
the traction off light
iand the
StabiliTrak OFF light
gcome on
and stay on in the instrument cluster, then release. The
appropriate message will display in
the DIC. See
Ride Control System
Messages 0157.
To turn TCS and StabiliTrak on
again, press and release the
g
button. The traction off lightiand
the StabiliTrak OFF light
gin the
instrument cluster turn off.
StabiliTrak will automatically turn on
if the vehicle exceeds 56 km/h
(35 mph). Traction control will
remain off.
The vehicle has a Trailer Sway
Control (TSC) feature and a Hill
Start Assist (HSA) feature. See
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) 0348 or
Hill Start Assist (HSA) 0302.
Adding accessories can affect the
vehicle performance. See
Accessories and
Modifications 0356.

GMC Sierra Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234758) - 2016 - crc - 11/9/15
Driving and Operating 305
Hill Descent
Control (HDC)
If equipped, HDC can be used when
driving downhill. It sets and
maintains vehicle speed while
descending a very steep incline in a
forward or reverse gear.
The HDC switch is on the center
stack, below the climate controls.
Press
5to enable or disable HDC.
Vehicle speed must be below
50 km/h (31 mph).
The HDC light displays on the
instrument cluster when enabled. HDC can maintain vehicle speeds
between 3 and 22 km/h (2 and
14 mph) on an incline greater than
or equal to a 10% grade. A blinking
HDC light indicates the system is
actively applying the brakes to
maintain vehicle speed.
When HDC is activated, the initial
HDC speed is set to the current
driving speed. It can be increased or
decreased by pressing the +RES or
SET- steering wheel controls or by
applying the accelerator or brake
pedal. This adjusted speed
becomes the new set speed.
HDC will remain enabled between
22 and 60 km/h (14 and 37 mph);
however vehicle speed cannot be
set or maintained in this range.
It will automatically disable if the
vehicle speed is above 80 km/h
(50 mph) or above 60 km/h
(37 mph) for at least 30 seconds.
5
must be pressed again to
re-enable HDC.When enabled, if the vehicle is at a
speed above 22 km/h (14 mph) and
less than 60 km/h (37 mph), a DIC
message will display. See
Vehicle
Speed Messages 0162.
Locking Rear Axle
Vehicles with a locking rear axle can
give more traction on snow, mud,
ice, sand, or gravel. It works like a
standard axle most of the time, but
when traction is low, this feature will
allow the rear wheel with the most
traction to move the vehicle.

GMC Sierra Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234758) - 2016 - crc - 11/9/15
306 Driving and Operating
Cruise Control
With cruise control a speed of about
40 km/h (25 mph) or more can be
maintained without keeping your
foot on the accelerator. Cruise
control does not work at speeds
below about 40 km/h (25 mph).
{Warning
Cruise control can be dangerous
where you cannot drive safely at
a steady speed. Do not use
cruise control on winding roads or
in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous
on slippery roads. On such roads,
fast changes in tire traction can
cause excessive wheel slip, and
you could lose control. Do not use
cruise control on slippery roads.
If equipped with an Allison or
Hydra-Matic 6-speed automatic
transmission, see “Tow/Haul Mode
Grade Braking” underTow/Haul
Mode 0292 for an explanation of how cruise control interacts with the
Range Selection Mode, Tow/Haul
Mode, and Grade Braking systems.
If the cruise control is being used
and the Traction Control System
(TCS) or StabiliTrak begins to limit
wheel spin, the cruise control will
automatically disengage. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control
0303. If a collision alert
occurs when cruise control is
activated, cruise control is
disengaged. See Forward Collision
Alert (FCA) System 0312. When
road conditions allow you to safely
use it again, cruise control can be
turned back on.
If the brakes are applied, the cruise
control disengages.
5(On/Off) : Press to turn the
system on or off. A white indicator
comes on in the instrument cluster
when cruise control is on and turns
off when cruise control is off.
+RES (Resume/Accelerate) : If
there is a set speed in memory,
press briefly to resume to that
speed or press and hold to
accelerate. If cruise control is
already active, use to increase
vehicle speed.

GMC Sierra Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234758) - 2016 - crc - 11/9/15
Driving and Operating 307
SET−(Set/Coast) : Press briefly to
set the speed and activate cruise
control. If cruise control is already
active, use to decrease vehicle
speed.
*(Cancel) : Press to disengage
cruise control without erasing the
set speed from memory.
Setting Cruise Control
If
5is on when not in use, SET− or
+RES could get pressed and go into
cruise when not desired. Keep
5
off when cruise is not being used.
1. Press
5to turn the cruise
system on.
2. Get up to the desired speed.
3. Press and release SET−.
4. Remove foot from the accelerator.
The cruise control indicator on the
instrument cluster turns green after
cruise control has been set to the
desired speed. SeeInstrument
Cluster 0130. Resuming a Set Speed
If the cruise control is set at a
desired speed and then the brakes
are applied or
*is pressed, the
cruise control is disengaged without
erasing the set speed from memory.
Once the vehicle speed reaches
about 40 km/h (25 mph) or more,
press the +RES button briefly. The
vehicle returns to the previous set
speed.
Increasing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
If the cruise control system is
already activated:
. Press and hold the +RES button
until the desired speed is
reached, then release it.
. To increase vehicle speed in
small increments, briefly press
the +RES button. For each
press, the vehicle goes about
1.6 km/h (1 mph) faster. The speedometer reading can be
displayed in either English or metric
units. See
Instrument Cluster 0130.
The increment value used depends
on the units displayed.
Reducing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
If the cruise control system is
already activated:
. Press and hold the SET– button
until the desired lower speed is
reached, then release it.
. To slow down in small
increments, briefly press the
SET– button. For each press,
the vehicle goes about 1.6 km/h
(1 mph) slower.
The speedometer reading can be
displayed in either English or metric
units. See Instrument Cluster 0130.
The increment value used depends
on the units displayed.
Passing Another Vehicle While
Using Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to
increase the vehicle speed. When
you take your foot off the pedal, the

GMC Sierra Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234758) - 2016 - crc - 11/9/15
308 Driving and Operating
vehicle will slow down to the
previous set cruise speed. While
pressing the accelerator pedal or
shortly following the release to
override cruise control, briefly
pressing the SET–button will result
in cruise control set to the current
vehicle speed.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well the cruise control works
on hills depends on the vehicle
speed, the load, and the steepness
of the hills. When going up steep
hills, pressing the accelerator pedal
may be necessary to maintain
vehicle speed.
While going downhill:
. Vehicles with a 6-speed
automatic transmission and a
gasoline engine have Cruise
Grade Braking to help maintain
driver selected speed.
Cruise Grade Braking is enabled
when the vehicle is started and
cruise control is active. It is not
enabled in Range Selection
Mode. It assists in maintaining
driver selected speed when driving on downhill grades by
using the engine and
transmission to slow the vehicle.
To disable and enable Cruise
Grade Braking for the current
ignition key cycle, press and
hold the Tow/Haul button for
five seconds. A DIC message
displays. See
Transmission
Messages 0160.
. Vehicles with a diesel engine
have Cruise Grade Braking
enabled when Tow/Haul Mode is
on, the exhaust brake is on,
or both are on.
For other forms of descent control,
see Hill Descent Control (HDC)
0 305,Automatic Transmission
0 286, and Tow/Haul Mode 0292.
Ending Cruise Control
There are four ways to end cruise
control:
. Step lightly on the brake pedal.
. Press
*.
. Shift the transmission to
N (Neutral). .
To turn off cruise control,
press
5.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is
erased from memory if
5is pressed
or the ignition is turned off.

GMC Sierra Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234758) - 2016 - crc - 11/9/15
Driving and Operating 309
Driver Assistance
Systems
This vehicle may have features that
work together to help avoid crashes
or reduce crash damage while
driving, backing, and parking. Read
this entire section before using
these systems.
{Warning
Do not rely on the Driver
Assistance Systems. These
systems do not replace the need
for paying attention and driving
safely. You may not hear or feel
alerts or warnings provided by
these systems. Failure to use
proper care when driving may
result in injury, death, or vehicle
damage. SeeDefensive
Driving 0258.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
Under many conditions, these
systems will not:
. Detect children,
pedestrians, bicyclists,
or animals.
. Detect vehicles or objects
outside the area monitored
by the system.
. Work at all driving speeds.
. Warn you or provide you
with enough time to avoid a
crash.
. Work under poor visibility or
bad weather conditions.
. Work if the detection sensor
is not cleaned or is covered
by ice, snow, mud, or dirt.
Complete attention is always
required while driving, and you
should be ready to take action
and apply the brakes and/or steer
the vehicle to avoid crashes. Audible or Safety Alert Seat
Some driver assistance features
alert the driver of obstacles by
beeping. To change the volume of
the warning chime, see
“Comfort
and Convenience” underVehicle
Personalization 0163.
If equipped with the Safety Alert
Seat, the driver seat cushion may
provide a vibrating pulse alert
instead of beeping. To change this,
see “Collision/Detection Systems”
under Vehicle
Personalization 0163.
Assistance Systems for
Parking or Backing
If equipped, the Rear Vision Camera
(RVC), Rear Parking Assist (RPA),
and Front Parking Assist (FPA) may
help the driver park or avoid objects.
Always check around the vehicle
when parking or backing.
The RVC and RPA will not work
properly if the tailgate is down. If the
tailgate is down, do not use these
systems.

GMC Sierra Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234758) - 2016 - crc - 11/9/15
310 Driving and Operating
Rear Vision Camera (RVC)
When the vehicle is shifted into
R (Reverse), the RVC displays an
image of the area behind the vehicle
in the center stack display. The
previous screen displays when the
vehicle is shifted out of R (Reverse)
after a short delay. To return to the
previous screen sooner, press a
button on the infotainment system,
shift into P (Park), or reach a vehicle
speed of 8 km/h (5 mph).
1. View Displayed by theCamera
1. View Displayed by the
Camera
2. Corners of the Rear Bumper
Displayed images may be farther or
closer than they appear. The area
displayed is limited and objects that
are close to either corner of the
bumper or under the bumper do not
display.
A warning triangle may display on
the RVC screen to show that RPA
has detected an object. This triangle
changes from amber to red and
increases in size the closer the
object.
{Warning
The camera(s) do not display
children, pedestrians, bicyclists,
crossing traffic, animals, or any
other object outside of the
cameras’ field of view, below the
bumper, or under the vehicle.
Shown distances may be different
from actual distances. Do not
drive or park the vehicle using
only these camera(s). Always
check behind and around the
vehicle before driving. Failure to
use proper care may result in
injury, death, or vehicle damage.
Parking Assist
With RPA, and if equipped with FPA,
as the vehicle moves at speeds of
less than 8 km/h (5 mph) the
sensors on the bumpers may detect
objects up to 2.5 m (8 ft) behind and
1.2 m (4 ft) in front of the vehicle
within a zone 25 cm (10 in) high off
the ground and below bumper level.
These detection distances may be
shorter during warmer or humid

GMC Sierra Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234758) - 2016 - crc - 11/9/15
Driving and Operating 311
weather. Blocked sensors will not
detect objects and can also cause
false detections. Keep the sensors
clean of mud, dirt, snow, ice, and
slush; and clean sensors after a car
wash in freezing temperatures.
{Warning
The Parking Assist system does
not detect children, pedestrians,
bicyclists, animals, or objects
located below the bumper or that
are too close or too far from the
vehicle. It is not available at
speeds greater than 8 km/h
(5 mph). To prevent injury, death,
or vehicle damage, even with
parking assist, always check the
area around the vehicle and
check all mirrors before moving
forward or backing.
The instrument cluster may have a
parking assist display with bars that
show“distance to object” and object
location information for the Parking
Assist system. As the object gets
closer, more bars light up and the
bars change color from yellow to
amber to red.
When an object is first detected in
the rear, one beep will be heard
from the rear, or both sides of the
Safety Alert Seat will pulse two
times. When an object is very close
(<0.6 m (2 ft) in the vehicle rear,
or <0.3 m (1 ft) in the vehicle front),
a continuous beep will sound from
the front or rear, or both sides of the Safety Alert Seat will pulse five
times. Beeps for FPA are higher
pitched than for RPA.
Turning the Features On or Off
TheXbutton on the center stack
is used to turn on or off the Front
and Rear Parking Assist. The
indicator light in the button comes
on when the features are on and
turns off when the features have
been disabled.
Front and Rear Parking Assist can
be turned off, on, or on with towbar
through vehicle personalization. See
“Park Assist” underVehicle
Personalization 0163. If the parking
assist is turned off through vehicle
personalization, the parking assist
button on the center stack will be
disabled. To turn the parking assist
on again, select On in the vehicle
personalization menu. The On with