
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 5/3/16
In Brief 5
In Brief
Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Initial Drive Information
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . . . 8
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Memory Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Heated and Ventilated Seats . . . 11
Head Restraint Adjustment . . . . 12
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Passenger Sensing System . . . 12
Mirror Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . 15
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Vehicle Features
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Radio(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Portable Audio Devices . . . . . . . . 20
Bluetooth
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . 20
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Forward Automatic Braking (FAB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . . 22
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . 23
Parking Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Universal Remote System . . . . . 23
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Performance and Maintenance
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Tire Pressure Monitor . . . . . . . . . . 25
Fuel (Except L86 6.2L Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Fuel (L86 6.2L Engine) . . . . . . . . 25
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . 26
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Roadside Assistance
Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 5/3/16
112 Instruments and Controls
Instruments and
Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . 113
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . 113
Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . 114
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . 114
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Wireless Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Engine Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 Transmission Temperature
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Voltmeter Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . 129
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . 130
Airbag On-Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Charging System Light . . . . . . . 132
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Check Engine Light) . . . . . . . . 133
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Four-Wheel-Drive Light . . . . . . . 136
Tow/Haul Mode Light . . . . . . . . . 136
Hill Descent Control Light . . . . 136
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) Light (2500/3500
Series) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) Light (1500 Series) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Vehicle Ahead Indicator . . . . . . 137
Traction Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
StabiliTrak
®OFF Light . . . . . . . . 137
Traction Control System (TCS)/ StabiliTrak
®Light . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . 138 Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . 139
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . 139
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . 140
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . 140
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . 140
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . 140
Door Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Information Displays
Driver Information
Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Battery Voltage and ChargingMessages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Brake System Messages . . . . . 145
Compass Messages . . . . . . . . . . 146
Door Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . . 146
Engine Cooling System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Engine Oil Messages . . . . . . . . . 147
Engine Power Messages . . . . . 147
Fuel System Messages . . . . . . . 147
Key and Lock Messages . . . . . 148
Lamp Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Object Detection System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Ride Control System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 5/3/16
Driving and Operating 261
Caution
Do not try to shift to P (Park) if the
vehicle is moving. If you do, you
could damage the transmission.
Shift to P (Park) only when the
vehicle is stopped.
Starting Procedure
1. Turn the ignition key to START.When the engine starts, let go
of the key. The idle speed will
go down as the engine gets
warm. Do not race the engine
immediately after starting it.
Operate the engine and
transmission gently to allow the
oil to warm up and lubricate all
moving parts.
When the low fuel warning light
is on and the FUEL LEVEL
LOW message is displayed in
the Driver Information Center
(DIC), hold the ignition switch
in the START position to
continue engine cranking.
Caution
Cranking the engine for long
periods of time, by returning the
ignition to the START position
immediately after cranking has
ended, can overheat and damage
the cranking motor, and drain the
battery. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to let the
cranking motor cool down.
2. If the engine does not start after five to 10 seconds,
especially in very cold weather
(below −18 °C or 0 °F), it could
be flooded with too much
gasoline. Try pushing the
accelerator pedal all the way to
the floor and holding it there
while holding the key in START
for up to 15 seconds. Wait at
least 15 seconds between each
try, to allow the cranking motor
to cool down. When the engine
starts, let go of the key and
accelerator. If the vehicle starts
briefly but then stops again, do
the same thing. This clears the extra gasoline from the engine.
Do not race the engine
immediately after starting it.
Operate the engine and
transmission gently until the oil
warms up and lubricates all
moving parts.
Fast Idle System
If equipped, this feature is available
only with cruise control. The manual
fast idle switch is operated using the
cruise control buttons on the left
side of the steering wheel.
This system can be used to
increase engine idle speed
whenever the following conditions
are met:
.
The parking brake is set.
. The brake pedal is not pressed.
. The vehicle must not be moving
and the accelerator must not be
pressed.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 5/3/16
306 Driving and Operating
Passing
More passing distance is needed
when towing a trailer. The
combination will not accelerate as
quickly and is longer so it is
necessary to go much farther
beyond the passed vehicle before
returning to the lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering
wheel with one hand. To move the
trailer to the left, move that hand to
the left. To move the trailer to the
right, move your hand to the right.
Always back up slowly and,
if possible, have someone
guide you.
Making TurnsCaution
Making very sharp turns while
trailering could cause the trailer to
come in contact with the vehicle.
The vehicle could be damaged.
Avoid making very sharp turns
while trailering. When turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal. Do this so
the trailer will not strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees,
or other objects. Avoid jerky or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.
If the trailer turn signal bulbs burn
out, the arrows on the instrument
cluster will still flash for turns. It is
important to check occasionally to
be sure the trailer bulbs are still
working.
Driving on Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower
gear
before starting down a long or
steep downgrade. If the
transmission is not shifted down, the
brakes might get hot and no longer
work well.
Vehicles can tow in D (Drive). Shift
the transmission to a lower gear if
the transmission shifts too often
under heavy loads and/or hilly
conditions.
The Tow/Haul Mode may be used if
the transmission shifts too often.
See Tow/Haul Mode 0273. When towing at high altitude on
steep uphill grades, consider the
following: Engine coolant will boil at
a lower temperature than at normal
altitudes. If the engine is turned off
immediately after towing at high
altitude on steep uphill grades, the
vehicle may show signs similar to
engine overheating. To avoid this,
let the engine run while parked,
preferably on level ground, with the
transmission in P (Park) for a few
minutes before turning the engine
off. If the overheat warning comes
on, see
Engine Overheating 0360.Parking on Hills
{Warning
Parking the vehicle on a hill with
the trailer attached can be
dangerous. If something goes
wrong, the rig could start to move.
People can be injured, and both
the vehicle and the trailer can be
damaged. When possible, always
park the rig on a flat surface.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 5/3/16
Driving and Operating 307
If parking the rig on a hill:1. Press the brake pedal, but do not shift into P (Park) yet. Turn
the wheels into the curb if
facing downhill or into traffic if
facing uphill.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the regular
brakes until the chocks absorb
the load.
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then apply the parking brake and
shift into P (Park).
5. Release the brake pedal.
Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine.
3. Shift into a gear.
4. Release the parking brake.
5. Let up on the brake pedal.
6. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks. 7. Stop and have someone pick
up and store the chocks.
Maintenance when Trailer
Towing
The vehicle needs service more
often when pulling a trailer. See
Maintenance Schedule 0438.
Things that are especially important
in trailer operation are automatic
transmission fluid, engine oil, axle
lubricant, belts, cooling system, and
brake system. It is a good idea to
inspect these before and during
the trip.
Check periodically to see that all
hitch nuts and bolts are tight.
Trailer Towing
If the vehicle has a diesel engine,
see the Duramax diesel
supplement.
If the vehicle is bi-fuel, see the
bi-fuel supplement.
Do not tow a trailer during break-in.
See New Vehicle Break-In 0258.
{Warning
The driver can lose control when
pulling a trailer if the correct
equipment is not used or the
vehicle is not driven properly. For
example, if the trailer is too heavy
or the trailer brakes are
inadequate for the load, the
vehicle may not stop as expected.
The driver and passengers could
be seriously injured. The vehicle
may also be damaged; the
resulting repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Pull a trailer only if all the steps in
this section have been followed.
Ask your dealer for advice and
information about towing a trailer
with the vehicle.
Caution
Pulling a trailer improperly can
damage the vehicle and result in
costly repairs not covered by the
(Continued)

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 5/3/16
Vehicle Care 339
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 340
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 341
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 348
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 351
Automatic Transmission Fluid (6 Speed Transmission) . . . . . 352
Automatic Transmission Fluid (8 Speed Transmission) . . . . . 354
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 355
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 360
Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362 Power Steering Fluid (1500
Series) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
Power Steering Fluid (2500/ 3500 Series) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 364
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365
Battery - North America . . . . . . 366
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368
Noise Control System . . . . . . . . 370
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 371
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 371
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 372
Glass Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 372
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 373
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 373
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373 LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373
Taillamps, Turn Signal,
Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374
Center High-Mounted
Stoplamp (CHMSL) and
Cargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . 375
Electrical System
High Voltage Devices and Wiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376
Electrical System Overload . . . 376
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376
Instrument Panel Fuse Block
(Right) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379
Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Left) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 381
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 383
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 384
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 384
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
All-Terrain Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 385
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 388
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 5/3/16
344 Vehicle Care
1. Positive (+) Terminal. SeeJump Starting - North
America 0418.
2. Battery - North America 0366.
3. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling
System 0356.
4. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0355.
5. Automatic Transmission Dipstick (If Equipped). See
“How to Check Automatic
Transmission Fluid” under
Automatic Transmission Fluid
(6 Speed Transmission) 0352
or Automatic Transmission
Fluid (8 Speed
Transmission) 0354.
6. Remote Negative (–) Location. See Jump Starting - North
America 0418.
7. Engine Cooling Fans (Out of View). See Cooling
System 0356.
8. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When
to Add Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil 0348. 9. Engine Oil Dipstick. See
“Checking Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil 0348.
10. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid 0365.
11. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer
Fluid” under Washer
Fluid 0363.
12. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0376.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 5/3/16
346 Vehicle Care
1. Positive (+) Terminal. SeeJump Starting - North
America 0418.
2. Battery - North America 0366.
3. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling
System 0356.
4. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0355.
5. Automatic Transmission Dipstick (If Equipped). See
“How to Check Automatic
Transmission Fluid” under
Automatic Transmission Fluid
(6 Speed Transmission) 0352
or Automatic Transmission
Fluid (8 Speed
Transmission) 0354.
6. Remote Negative (–) Location (Out of View). See Jump
Starting - North America 0418.
7. Engine Cooling Fans (Out of View). See Cooling
System 0356.
8. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When
to Add Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil 0348. 9. Engine Oil Dipstick. See
“Checking Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil 0348.
10. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer
Fluid” under Washer
Fluid 0363.
11. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid 0365.
12. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0376.