
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 5/3/16
340 Vehicle Care
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391
Tire Pressure for High-SpeedOperation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 393
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 393
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 394
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 397
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 398
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 401
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 402
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 404
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 404
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 405
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . 406
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 408
Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . 417
Jump Starting
Jump Starting - North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 418
Towing the Vehicle
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 422 Recreational Vehicle
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 423
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 427
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 432
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 435
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
WARNING: Most motor vehicles,
including this one, as well as many
of its service parts and fluids,
contain and/or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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342 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own
Service Work
{Warning
It can be dangerous to work on
your vehicle if you do not have
the proper knowledge, service
manual, tools, or parts. Always
follow owner manual procedures
and consult the service manual
for your vehicle before doing any
service work.
If doing some of your own service
work, use the proper service
manual. It tells you much more
about how to service the vehicle
than this manual can. To order the
proper service manual, see Service
Publications Ordering
Information 0466.
This vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to do your own
service work, see Servicing the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 079. Keep a record with all parts receipts
and list the mileage and the date of
any service work performed. See
Maintenance Records
0451.
Caution
Even small amounts of
contamination can cause damage
to vehicle systems. Do not allow
contaminants to contact the fluids,
reservoir caps, or dipsticks.
Hood
To open the hood:
1. Pull the handle with this symbol
on it. It is inside the vehicle
under the steering wheel.
2. Go to the front of the vehicle tofind the secondary hood
release. The handle is under
the front edge of the hood near
the center. Push the handle to
the right and at the same time
raise the hood.
Before closing the hood, be sure all
the filler caps are on properly. Then
bring the hood from full open to
within 15 cm (6 in) from the closed
position, pause, and push the front
center of the hood with a swift, firm
motion to fully close the hood.

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Vehicle Care 349
Checking Engine Oil
Check the engine oil level regularly
(every 650 km (400 mi), especially
prior to a long trip. The engine oil
dipstick handle is a loop. See
Engine Compartment Overview
0343 for the location.
{Warning
The engine oil dipstick handle
may be hot; it could burn you.
Use a towel or glove to touch the
dipstick handle.
If a low oil Driver Information Center
(DIC) message displays, check the
oil level.
Follow these guidelines:
. To get an accurate reading, park
the vehicle on level ground.
Check the engine oil level after
the engine has been off for at
least two hours. Checking the
engine oil level on steep grades
or too soon after engine shutoff
can result in incorrect readings.
Accuracy improves when checking a cold engine prior to
starting. Remove the dipstick
and check the level.
. If unable to wait two hours, the
engine must be off for at least
15 minutes if the engine is
warm, or at least 30 minutes if
the engine is not warm. Pull out
the dipstick, wipe it with a clean
paper towel or cloth, then push it
back in all the way. Remove it
again, keeping the tip down, and
check the level.
When to Add Engine Oil
If the oil is below the cross-hatched
area at the tip of the dipstick and
the engine has been off for at least
15 minutes, add 1 L (1 qt) of the
recommended oil and then recheck
the level. See “Selecting the Right
Engine Oil” later in this section for
an explanation of what kind of oil to use. For engine oil crankcase
capacity, see
Capacities and
Specifications 0453.
Caution
Do not add too much oil. Oil
levels above or below the
acceptable operating range
shown on the dipstick are harmful
to the engine. If you find that you
have an oil level above the
operating range, i.e., the engine
has so much oil that the oil level
gets above the cross-hatched
area that shows the proper
operating range, the engine could
be damaged. You should drain
out the excess oil or limit driving
of the vehicle and seek a service
professional to remove the
excess amount of oil.
See Engine Compartment Overview
0 343 for the location of the engine
oil fill cap.

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Vehicle Care 351
trash or pouring it on the ground,
into sewers, or into streams or
bodies of water. Recycle it by taking
it to a place that collects used oil.
Engine Oil Life System
When to Change Engine Oil
This vehicle has a computer system
that indicates when to change the
engine oil and filter. This is based
on a combination of factors which
include engine revolutions, engine
temperature, and miles driven.
Based on driving conditions, the
mileage at which an oil change is
indicated can vary considerably. For
the oil life system to work properly,
the system must be reset every time
the oil is changed.
On some vehicles, when the system
has calculated that oil life has been
diminished, a CHANGE ENGINE
OIL SOON message comes on to
indicate that an oil change is
necessary. SeeEngine Oil
Messages 0147. Change the oil as
soon as possible within the next
1 000 km (600 mi). It is possible that,
if driving under the best conditions, the oil life system might indicate that
an oil change is not necessary for
up to a year. The engine oil and
filter must be changed at least once
a year and, at this time, the system
must be reset. For vehicles without
the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message, an oil change is needed
when the OIL LIFE REMAINING
percentage is near 0%. Your dealer
has trained service people who will
perform this work and reset the
system. It is also important to check
the oil regularly over the course of
an oil drain interval and keep it at
the proper level.
If the system is ever reset
accidentally, the oil must be
changed at 5 000 km (3,000 mi)
since the last oil change.
Remember to reset the oil life
system whenever the oil is changed.
How to Reset the Engine Oil
Life System
Reset the system whenever the
engine oil is changed so that the
system can calculate the next
engine oil change. Always reset the
engine oil life to 100% after every oil
change. It will not reset itself. To
reset the engine oil life system:
1. Display the OIL LIFE REMAINING on the DIC. If the
vehicle does not have DIC
buttons, the vehicle must be in
P (Park) to access this display.
See Driver Information Center
(DIC) 0141.
2. Press and hold
V, or the trip
odometer reset stem if the
vehicle does not have DIC
buttons, for several seconds.
The oil life will change
to 100%.
The oil life system can also be reset
as follows: 1. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN with the engine off.
2. Fully press the accelerator pedal slowly three times within
five seconds.
3. Display the OIL LIFE REMAINING on the DIC. If the
display shows 100%, the
system is reset.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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352 Vehicle Care
If the vehicle has a CHANGE
ENGINE OIL SOON message and it
comes back on when the vehicle is
started and/or the OIL LIFE
REMAINING is near 0%, the engine
oil life system has not been reset.
Repeat the procedure.
Automatic Transmission
Fluid (6 Speed
Transmission)
When to Check and Change
Automatic Transmission Fluid
It is usually not necessary to check
the transmission fluid level. The only
reason for fluid loss is a
transmission leak or overheated
transmission. If a small leak is
suspected, then use the following
checking procedures to check the
fluid level. However, if there is a
large leak, then it may be necessary
to have the vehicle towed to a
dealer service department and have
it repaired before driving the vehicle
further.
Caution
Use of the incorrect automatic
transmission fluid may damage
the vehicle, and the damage may
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Always use the
automatic transmission fluid listed
inRecommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0447.
Change the fluid and filter at the
scheduled maintenance intervals
listed in Maintenance Schedule
0 438. Be sure to use the
transmission fluid listed in
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0447.
How to Check Automatic
Transmission Fluid
Caution
Too much or too little fluid can
damage the transmission. Too
much can mean that some of the (Continued)
Caution (Continued)
fluid could come out and fall on
hot engine parts or exhaust
system parts, starting a fire. Too
little fluid could cause the
transmission to overheat. Be sure
to get an accurate reading if
checking the transmission fluid.
Before checking the fluid level,
prepare the vehicle: 1. Start the engine and park the vehicle on a level surface.
Keep the engine running.
2. Apply the parking brake and place the shift lever in P (Park).
3. With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift lever
through each gear range,
pausing for about
three seconds in each range.
Then, move the shift lever back
to P (Park).

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Vehicle Care 355
equipped with a transmission fluid
level dipstick. There is a special
procedure for checking and
changing the transmission fluid in
these vehicles. Because this
procedure is difficult, this should be
done at the dealer. Contact the
dealer for additional information or
the procedure can be found in the
service manual. SeeService
Publications Ordering
Information 0466.
Caution
Use of the incorrect automatic
transmission fluid may damage
the vehicle, and the damage may
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Always use the
automatic transmission fluid listed
in Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0447.
Change the fluid and filter at the
scheduled maintenance intervals
listed in Maintenance Schedule
0 438. Be sure to use the transmission fluid listed in
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants
0447.
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
If the vehicle has a diesel engine,
see “8-Cylinder Pickup Models”
under “Engine Air Cleaner/Filter” in
the Duramax diesel supplement for
the correct inspection and
replacement procedures.
The engine air cleaner/filter is on
the passenger side of the engine
compartment. See Engine
Compartment Overview 0343.
When to Inspect the Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter
For intervals on changing and
inspecting the engine air filter, see
Maintenance Schedule 0438.
How to Inspect the Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter
Do not start the engine or have the
engine running with the engine air
cleaner/filter housing open. Before
removing the engine air cleaner/
filter, make sure that the engine air cleaner/filter housing and nearby
components are free of dirt and
debris. Remove the engine air
cleaner/filter. Lightly tap and shake
the engine air cleaner/filter (away
from the vehicle), to release loose
dust and dirt. Inspect the engine air
cleaner/filter for damage, and
replace if damaged. Do not clean
the engine air cleaner/filter or
components with water or
compressed air.
To inspect or replace the engine air
cleaner/filter:
1. Screws
2. Electrical Connectors

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358 Vehicle Care
Warning (Continued)
overheat warning. The engine
could catch fire and you or others
could be burned. Use a
50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable
water and DEX-COOL coolant.
Use a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
coolant. If using this mixture,
nothing else needs to be added.
This mixture:
. Gives freezing protection down
to−37 °C (−34 °F), outside
temperature.
. Gives boiling protection up to
129 °C (265 °F), engine
temperature.
. Protects against rust and
corrosion.
. Will not damage aluminum parts.
. Helps keep the proper engine
temperature.
Caution
If improper coolant mixture,
inhibitors, or additives are used in
the vehicle cooling system, the
engine could overheat and be
damaged. Too much water in the
mixture can freeze and crack
engine cooling parts. The repairs
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Use only the
proper mixture of engine coolant
for the cooling system. See
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0447.
Never dispose of engine coolant by
putting it in the trash, or by pouring
it on the ground, or into sewers,
streams, or bodies of water. Have
the coolant changed by an
authorized service center, familiar
with legal requirements regarding
used coolant disposal. This will help
protect the environment and your
health.
Checking Coolant
The coolant surge tank is located in
the engine compartment on the
passenger side of the vehicle. See
Engine Compartment
Overview 0343.
The vehicle must be on a level
surface when checking the coolant
level.
5.3L V8 Shown, 4.3L V6, 6.0L V8, and 6.2L V8 Similar
Check to see if coolant is visible in
the coolant surge tank. If the coolant
inside the coolant surge tank is
boiling, wait until it cools down. The
coolant level should be at or above

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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360 Vehicle Care
4. With the coolant surge tankpressure 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.
Caution
Running the engine without
coolant may cause damage or a
fire. Vehicle damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
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 0127.
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
0 146 andEngine Power
Messages 0147. If the decision is made not to lift the
hood when this warning appears,
get service help right away. See
Roadside Assistance
Program
0461.
If the decision is made to lift the
hood, make sure the vehicle is
parked on a level surface.
4.3L V6, 5.3L V8, and 6.2L
V8 Engines
Check to see if the engine cooling
fans are running. If the engine is
overheating, the fans should be
running. If they are not, do not
continue to run the engine and have
the vehicle serviced.
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
steam coming from it. Just turn it (Continued)