2017 GMC SIERRA DENALI steering wheel

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 4/18/17
Driving and Operating 263Warning (Continued)loss of steering. Always have the
engine running and the vehicle
in gear.
.
Drive at speeds that keep the
vehicle in its own lane. Do not
swing wide or cross the
center line.
.
Be alert on top of hills;
something could be in your lane
(e.g., stalled car, accident).
.
Pay attention to special road
signs (e.g., falling rocks area,
winding roads, long grades,
passing or no-passing zones)
and take appropriate action.
Winter Driving Driving on Snow or Ice
Snow or ice between the tires and
the road creates less traction or
grip, so drive carefully. Wet ice can
occur at about 0 °C (32 °F) when freezing rain begins to fall. Avoid
driving on wet ice or in freezing rain
until roads can be treated.
For Slippery Road Driving:
.
Accelerate gently. Accelerating
too quickly causes the wheels to
spin and makes the surface
under the tires slick.
.
Turn on Traction Control. See
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0 299 .
.
The Antilock Brake System
(ABS) improves vehicle stability
during hard stops, but the
brakes should be applied sooner
than when on dry pavement.
See Antilock Brake System
(ABS) 0 297 .
.
Allow greater following distance
and watch for slippery spots. Icy
patches can occur on otherwise
clear roads in shaded areas.
The surface of a curve or an
overpass can remain icy when
the surrounding roads are clear.
Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while
on ice. .
Turn off cruise control.
Blizzard Conditions Stop the vehicle in a safe place and
signal for help. Stay with the vehicle
unless there is help nearby.
If possible, use Roadside
Assistance. See Roadside
Assistance Program 0 478 . To get
help and keep everyone in the
vehicle safe:
.
Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
.
Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.
{ Warning
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may
cause exhaust gases to get
inside. Engine exhaust contains
carbon monoxide (CO), which
cannot be seen or smelled. It can
cause unconsciousness and even
death.
If the vehicle is stuck in snow:
(Continued)

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 4/18/17
264 Driving and Operating Warning (Continued).
Clear snow from the base of
the vehicle, especially any
blocking the exhaust pipe.
.
Open a window about 5 cm
(2 in) on the vehicle side
that is away from the wind,
to bring in fresh air.
.
Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
.
Adjust the climate control
system to circulate the air
inside the vehicle and set
the fan speed to the highest
setting. See “ Climate
Control Systems. ”
For more information about CO,
see Engine Exhaust 0 282 .
To save fuel, run the engine for
short periods to warm the vehicle
and then shut the engine off and
partially close the window. Moving
about to keep warm also helps. If it takes time for help to arrive,
when running the engine, push the
accelerator pedal slightly so the
engine runs faster than the idle
speed. This keeps the battery
charged to restart the vehicle and to
signal for help with the headlamps.
Do this as little as possible, to
save fuel.
If the Vehicle Is Stuck Slowly and cautiously spin the
wheels to free the vehicle when
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
See “ Rocking the Vehicle to Get It
Out ” later in this section.
The Traction Control System (TCS)
can often help to free a stuck
vehicle. See Traction Control/
Electronic Stability Control 0 299 .
If TCS cannot free the vehicle, see
“ Rocking the Vehicle to Get it Out ”
following. { WarningIf the vehicle's tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you
or others could be injured. The
vehicle can overheat, causing an
engine compartment fire or other
damage. Spin the wheels as little
as possible and avoid going
above 56 km/h (35 mph).
For information about using tire
chains on the vehicle, see Tire
Chains 0 422 .
Rocking the Vehicle to Get
It Out Turn the steering wheel left and
right to clear the area around the
front wheels. For four-wheel-drive
vehicles, shift into Four-Wheel Drive
High. Turn the TCS off. Shift back
and forth between R (Reverse) and
a forward gear, spinning the wheels
as little as possible. To prevent
transmission wear, wait until the
wheels stop spinning before shifting
gears. Slowly spinning the wheels in
the forward and reverse directions

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 4/18/17
274 Driving and Operating
Ignition Positions
Vehicles with Key Access have an
ignition switch with four different
positions.
To shift out of P (Park), the ignition
must be in ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY and the regular brake
pedal must be applied.
0 (STOPPING THE ENGINE/LOCK/
OFF) : When the vehicle is stopped,
turn the ignition switch to LOCK/
OFF to turn the engine off. Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) will remain
active. See Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) 0 277 . This position locks the ignition and
steering wheel. It also locks the
transmission on automatic
transmission vehicles. The key can
be removed in LOCK/OFF.
The steering can bind with the
wheels turned off center. If this
happens, move the steering wheel
from right to left while turning the
key to ACC/ACCESSORY. If this
does not work, then the vehicle
needs service.
Do not turn the engine off when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause a
loss of power assist in the brake
and steering systems and disable
the airbags.
If the vehicle must be shut off in an
emergency:
1. Brake using a firm and steady
pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral).
This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. After shifting to N (Neutral), firmly apply the
brakes and steer the vehicle to
a safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop. Shift
to P (Park) with an automatic
transmission, or Neutral with a
manual transmission. Turn the
ignition to LOCK/OFF.
4. Set the parking brake. See
Parking Brake 0 297 .
{ WarningTurning off the vehicle while
moving may cause loss of power
assist in the brake and steering
systems and disable the airbags.
While driving, only shut the
vehicle off in an emergency.
If the vehicle cannot be pulled over,
and must be shut off while driving,
turn the ignition to ACC/
ACCESSORY.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 4/18/17
Driving and Operating 275CautionUsing a tool to force the key to
turn in the ignition could cause
damage to the switch or break the
key. Use the correct key, make
sure it is all the way in, and turn it
only with your hand. If the key
cannot be turned by hand, see
your dealer.
1 (ACC/ACCESSORY) : This
position lets things like the radio
and the windshield wipers operate
while the engine is off. It also
unlocks the steering wheel. Use this
position if the vehicle must be
pushed or towed.
2 (ON/RUN) : This position can be
used to operate the electrical
accessories and to display some
instrument cluster warning and
indicator lights. This position can
also be used for service and
diagnostics, and to verify the proper
operation of the malfunction
indicator lamp as may be required
for emission inspection purposes.
The switch stays in this position when the engine is running. The
transmission is also unlocked in this
position on automatic transmission
vehicles.
If the key is left in the ACC/
ACCESSORY or ON/RUN position
with the engine off, the battery could
be drained. The vehicle may not
start if the battery is allowed to drain
for an extended period of time.
3 (START) : This is the position that
starts the engine. When the engine
starts, release the key. The ignition
switch returns to ON/RUN for
driving.
A warning tone will sound when the
driver door is opened and the
ignition is in ACC/ACCESSORY or
LOCK/OFF, and the key is in the
ignition.
Starting the Engine If the vehicle has a diesel engine,
see the Duramax diesel
supplement.
For an eAssist vehicle, see the
Silverado/Sierra eAssist
supplement. CautionIf you add electrical parts or
accessories, you could change
the way the engine operates. Any
resulting damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
See Add-On Electrical Equipment
0 350 .
CautionIf the steering wheel is turned
until it reaches the end of its
travel, and is held in that position
while starting the vehicle, damage
may occur to the power steering
system and there may be loss of
power steering assist.
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). To restart the engine
when the vehicle is already moving,
use N (Neutral) only.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 4/18/17
276 Driving and Operating CautionDo 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. CautionCranking 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 - 4/19/17
Driving and Operating 289
Drive Systems Four-Wheel Drive If equipped, four-wheel drive
engages the front axle for extra
traction. Read the appropriate
section for transfer case operation
before using.
CautionDo not drive on clean, dry
pavement in 4
m and 4
n (if
equipped) for an extended period
of time. These conditions may
cause premature wear on the
vehicle ’ s powertrain.
Driving on clean, dry pavement in
4
m or 4
n may:
.
Cause a vibration to be felt in
the steering system.
.
Cause tires to wear faster.
.
Make the transfer case harder to
shift, and cause it to run noisier. { WarningShifting the transfer case to
N (Neutral) can cause the vehicle
to roll even if the transmission is
in P (Park). You or someone else
could be seriously injured. Be
sure to set the parking brake
before placing the transfer case in
N (Neutral). See Parking Brake
0 297 .
CautionExtended high-speed operation in
4
n may damage or shorten the
life of the drivetrain.
Engagement noise and bump when
shifting between 4
n and 4
m or from
N (Neutral), with the engine running,
is normal.
Shifting into 4
n will turn Traction
Control and StabiliTrak ®
off. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control 0 299 . Manual Transfer Case
Move the lever to shift into and out
of four-wheel drive.
An indicator light comes on when
four-wheel drive is engaged. See
Four-Wheel-Drive Light 0 147 .

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 4/18/17
Driving and Operating 2914. Shifting with the vehicle at a
stop may be more difficult. It is
possible that the shift will not
complete and the transfer case
will remain in N (Neutral). This
is normal. To complete the
shift, with the engine running,
shift the transmission to
D (Drive) and back to
N (Neutral), and reattempt the
transfer case shift.
Shifting In or Out of N (Neutral)
1. Have the engine running.
2. Set the parking brake. Press
and hold the brake pedal. See
Parking Brake 0 297 .
3. Place the transmission into
N (Neutral).
4. Shift the transfer case lever in
one continuous motion into or
out of N (Neutral). Electronic Transfer Case
Use the transfer case knob, next to
the steering wheel, to shift into and
out of four-wheel drive for extra
traction.
All of the lights will blink on then off
momentarily when the ignition is
moved to the ON/RUN position. The
light that remains on will indicate the
state of the Transfer Case.
If the indicator mark on the switch
does not match up with the light
then that likely means the switch
was moved when the ignition
was off. The indicator mark on the switch
must line up with the indicator light
before a shift can be commanded.
To command a shift rotate the
transfer case switch to the new
desired position. The light will blink
meaning that the shift is in progress.
When the shift is completed the new
position will be illuminated. If the
transfer case can not complete a
shift command, it will go back to its
last chosen setting.
CautionShifting the transmission into gear
before the requested mode
indicator light has stopped
flashing could damage the
transfer case.
The settings are:
N (Neutral) : Use only when the
vehicle needs to be towed.
See Recreational Vehicle Towing
0 440 or Towing the Vehicle 0 439 .

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 4/18/17
294 Driving and Operating Automatic Transfer Case
If equipped, use the transfer case
knob next to the steering wheel to
shift into and out of four-wheel drive.
All of the lights will blink on then off
momentarily when the ignition is
moved to the ON/RUN position. The
light that remains on will indicate the
state of the Transfer Case.
If the indicator mark on the switch
does not match up with the light
then that likely means the switch
was moved when the ignition
was off. The indicator mark on the switch
must line up with the indicator light
before a shift can be commanded.
To command a shift rotate the
transfer case switch to the new
desired position. The light will blink
meaning that the shift is in progress.
When the shift is completed the new
position will be illuminated. If the
transfer case can not complete a
shift command, it will go back to its
last chosen setting.
The settings are:
N (Neutral) : Use only when the
vehicle needs to be towed.
See Recreational Vehicle Towing
0 440 or Towing the Vehicle 0 439 .
2
m (Two-Wheel Drive High) : Use
for driving on most streets and
highways. The front axle is not
engaged. This setting provides the
best fuel economy.
AUTO (Automatic Four-Wheel
Drive) : Use when road surface
traction conditions are variable.
When driving in AUTO, the front
axle is engaged, and the vehicle's
power is sent to the front and rear
wheels automatically based on driving conditions. This setting
provides slightly lower fuel economy
than 2
m .
Do not use AUTO mode,
if equipped, to park on a steep
grade with poor traction such as ice,
snow, mud, or gravel. In AUTO
mode only the rear wheels will hold
the vehicle from sliding when
parked. If parking on a steep grade,
use 4
m to keep all four wheels
engaged.
4
m (Four-Wheel Drive High) : Use
this position when extra traction is
needed, such as when driving on
snowy or icy roads, when
off-roading, or when plowing snow.
4
n (Four-Wheel Drive Low) : This
setting engages the front axle and
delivers extra torque. Choose 4
nwhen driving off-road in deep sand,
deep mud, or deep snow, and while
climbing or descending steep hills.
Shifting into 4
n will turn Traction
Control and StabiliTrak off. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control 0 299 .