GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349177) - 2018 - CRC - 10/17/17
Driving and Operating 283intended path. Trailer Sway Control
(TSC) is also on automatically when
the vehicle is started. See Trailer
Sway Control (TSC) 0 334 .
If cruise control is being used and
traction control or StabiliTrak begins
to limit wheel spin, cruise control will
disengage. Cruise control may be
turned back on when road
conditions allow.
Both systems come on
automatically when the vehicle is
started and begins to move. The
systems may be heard or felt while
they are operating or while
performing diagnostic checks. This
is normal and does not mean there
is a problem with the vehicle.
It is recommended to leave both
systems on for normal driving
conditions, but it may be necessary
to turn TCS off if the vehicle gets
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
See If the Vehicle Is Stuck 0 247
and “ Turning the Systems Off and
On ” later in this section. When the transfer case (if equipped)
is in Four-Wheel Drive Low, the
stability system is automatically
disabled,
g comes on, and the
appropriate message will appear on
the DIC. Both traction control and
StabiliTrak are automatically
disabled in this condition.
The indicator light for both systems
is in the instrument cluster. This
light will:
.
Flash when TCS is limiting
wheel spin
.
Flash when StabiliTrak is
activated
.
Turn on and stay on when either
system is not working
If either system fails to turn on or to
activate, a message displays in the
Driver Information Center (DIC), and
d comes on and stays on to indicate that the system is inactive
and is not assisting the driver in
maintaining control. The vehicle is
safe to drive, but driving should be
adjusted accordingly.
If
d comes 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
d comes 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.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349177) - 2018 - CRC - 10/17/17
284 Driving and Operating CautionDo not repeatedly brake or
accelerate heavily when TCS is
off. The vehicle driveline could be
damaged.
To turn off only TCS, press and
release
g . The traction off light
idisplays in the instrument cluster.
The appropriate message will
display in the DIC. To turn TCS on
again, press and release
g . The
traction off light
i displayed in the
instrument cluster will turn off.
If TCS is limiting wheel spin when
gis pressed, the system will not turn
off until the wheels stop spinning.
To turn off both TCS and StabiliTrak,
press and hold
g until the traction
off light
i and the StabiliTrak OFF
light
g come on and stay on in the
instrument cluster, then release. The
appropriate message will display in
the DIC. To turn TCS and StabiliTrak on
again, press and release
g . The
traction off light
i and the
StabiliTrak OFF light
g in 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)
0 334 or Hill Start Assist (HSA)
0 282 .
Adding accessories can affect the
vehicle performance. See
Accessories and Modifications
0 343 .
Hill Descent
Control (HDC) If equipped, Hill Descent Control
(HDC) sets and maintains vehicle
speed while driving down steep grades in a forward or reverse gear.
The HDC switch is on the center
stack, below the climate controls.
Press
5 to enable or disable HDC.
Vehicle speed must be below
50 km/h (31 mph).
When enabled, the HDC light
displays on the instrument cluster.
A blinking HDC light indicates the
system is actively applying the
brakes to maintain vehicle speed.
HDC can maintain vehicle speeds
between 1 and 30 km/h (1 and
19 mph) on grades greater than or
equal to 10%.
If HDC is to be used for more than
three minutes or on grades steeper
than 25%, the transfer case should
be put into Four-Wheel Drive Low
(4
n ) to reduce the possibility of
brake overheating.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349177) - 2018 - CRC - 10/17/17
288 Driving and Operating 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.
.
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)
0 284 , Automatic Transmission
0 265 , and Tow/Haul Mode 0 271 . 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
5 is pressed
or the ignition is turned off. 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.
{ WarningDo 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. See Defensive Driving
0 236 .
(Continued)
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349177) - 2018 - CRC - 10/17/17
Driving and Operating 291
{ WarningThe 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 Press
X on the center stack to
turn the Front and Rear Parking
Assist on or off. 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 ” under Vehicle
Personalization 0 165 . 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 vehicle
personalization. The On with Towbar
setting allows for the parking assist
to work properly with an attached
trailer hitch. Turn off parking assist
when towing a trailer.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349177) - 2018 - CRC - 10/17/17
292 Driving and Operating To turn the rear parking assist
symbols or guidance lines on or off,
see “ Rear Camera ” under Vehicle
Personalization 0 165 .
Assistance Systems for
Driving If equipped, when driving the
vehicle in a forward gear, Forward
Collision Alert (FCA), Lane
Departure Warning (LDW), and/or
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) can help to
avoid a crash or reduce crash
damage.
Forward Collision Alert
(FCA) System If equipped, the FCA system may
help to avoid or reduce the harm
caused by front-end crashes. When
approaching a vehicle ahead too
quickly, FCA provides a red flashing
alert on the windshield and rapidly
beeps or pulses the driver seat.
FCA also lights an amber visual
alert if following another vehicle
much too closely. FCA detects vehicles within a
distance of approximately 60 m
(197 ft) and operates at speeds
above 8 km/h (5 mph).
{ WarningFCA is a warning system and
does not apply the brakes. When
approaching a slower-moving or
stopped vehicle ahead too rapidly,
or when following a vehicle too
closely, FCA may not provide a
warning with enough time to help
avoid a crash. It also may not
provide any warning at all. FCA
does not warn of pedestrians,
animals, signs, guardrails,
bridges, construction barrels,
or other objects. Be ready to take
action and apply the brakes. See
Defensive Driving 0 236 .
FCA can be disabled with either the
FCA steering wheel control or,
if equipped, through vehicle
personalization. See “ Collision/
Detection Systems ” under Vehicle
Personalization 0 165 . Detecting the Vehicle Ahead
FCA warnings will not occur unless
the FCA system detects a vehicle
ahead. When a vehicle is detected,
the vehicle ahead indicator will
display green. Vehicles may not be
detected on curves, highway exit
ramps, or hills, due to poor visibility;
or if a vehicle ahead is partially
blocked by pedestrians or other
objects. FCA will not detect another
vehicle ahead until it is completely
in the driving lane.
{ Warning
FCA does not provide a warning
to help avoid a crash, unless it
detects a vehicle. FCA may not
detect a vehicle ahead if the FCA
sensor is blocked by dirt, snow,
(Continued)
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349177) - 2018 - CRC - 10/17/17
296 Driving and Operating
{ WarningThe LDW system does not steer
the vehicle. The LDW system
may not:
.
Provide enough time to
avoid a crash.
.
Detect lane markings under
poor weather or visibility
conditions. This can occur if
the windshield or
headlamps are blocked by
dirt, snow, or ice; if they are
not in proper condition; or if
the sun shines directly into
the camera.
.
Detect road edges.
.
Detect lanes on winding or
hilly roads.
If LDW only detects lane
markings on one side of the road,
it will only warn you when
departing the lane on the side
where it has detected a lane
marking. Always keep your
(Continued) Warning (Continued) attention on the road and
maintain proper vehicle position
within the lane, or vehicle
damage, injury, or death could
occur. Always keep the
windshield, headlamps, and
camera sensors clean and in
good repair. Do not use LDW in
bad weather conditions.
How the System Works The LDW camera sensor is on the
windshield ahead of the rearview
mirror.
To turn LDW on and off, press
@ on
the center stack. The control
indicator will light when LDW is on. When LDW is on,
@ is green if
LDW is available to warn of a lane
departure. If the vehicle crosses a
detected lane marking without using
the turn signal in that direction,
@ changes to amber and flashes.
Additionally, there may be three
beeps, or the driver seat may pulse
three times on the right or left,
depending on the lane departure
direction.
When the System Does Not
Seem to Work Properly The system may not detect lanes as
well when there are:
.
Close vehicles ahead.
.
Sudden lighting changes, such
as when driving through tunnels.
.
Banked roads.
If the LDW system is not functioning
properly when lane markings are
clearly visible, cleaning the
windshield may help.
LDW alerts may occur due to tar
marks, shadows, cracks in the road,
temporary or construction lane
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349177) - 2018 - CRC - 10/17/17
298 Driving and Operating How the System Works The LKA camera sensor is on the
windshield ahead of the rearview
mirror.
To turn LKA on and off, press
Aon the center stack.
When on,
A is green if LKA is
available to assist and provide LDW
alerts. It may assist by gently
turning the steering wheel and
display
A as amber if the vehicle
approaches a detected lane marking
without using a turn signal in that
direction. It may also provide an
LDW alert by flashing
A amber
as the lane marking is crossed.
Additionally, there may be three
beeps, or the driver seat may pulse
three times, on the right or left,
depending on the lane departure
direction. Take Steering
The LKA system does not
continuously steer the vehicle.
If LKA does not detect active driver
steering, an alert, chime, or DIC
message may be provided. Move
the steering wheel to dismiss.
When the System Does Not
Seem to Work Properly The system performance may be
affected by:
.
Close vehicles ahead.
.
Sudden lighting changes, such
as when driving through tunnels.
.
Banked roads.
.
Roads with poor lane markings,
such as two-lane roads.
If the LKA system is not functioning
properly when lane markings are
clearly visible, cleaning the
windshield may help. A camera blocked message may
display if the camera is blocked.
Cleaning the outside of the
windshield behind the rearview
mirror may correct the issue. Some
driver assistance systems may have
reduced performance or not work at
all. An LKA or LDW unavailable
message may display if the systems
are temporarily unavailable. This
message could be due to a blocked
camera. The LKA system does not
need service. Clean the outside of
the windshield behind the rearview
mirror.
LKA assistance and/or LDW alerts
may occur due to tar marks,
shadows, cracks in the road,
temporary or construction lane
markings, or other road
imperfections. This is normal system
operation; the vehicle does not need
service. Turn LKA off if these
conditions continue.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349177) - 2018 - CRC - 10/17/17
300 Driving and Operating Caution (Continued).
Fuel with a posted octane
rating of less than the
recommended fuel. Using
this fuel will lower fuel
economy and performance,
and may decrease the life of
the emissions catalyst.
California Fuel
Requirements If the vehicle is certified to meet
California Emissions Standards, it is
designed to operate on fuels that
meet California specifications. See
the underhood emission control
label. If this fuel is not available in
states adopting California Emissions
Standards, the vehicle will operate
satisfactorily on fuels meeting
federal specifications, but emission
control system performance may be
affected. The malfunction indicator
lamp could turn on and the vehicle
may not pass a smog-check test.
See Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Check Engine Light) 0 150 . If this occurs, return to your authorized
dealer for diagnosis. If it is
determined that the condition is
caused by the type of fuel used,
repairs may not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Fuels in Foreign
Countries The U.S., Canada, and Mexico post
fuel octane ratings in anti-knock
index (AKI). For fuel not to use in a
foreign country, see “ Prohibited
Fuels ” in Fuel 0 299 .
Fuel Additives To keep fuel systems clean, TOP
TIER detergent gasoline is
recommended. See Fuel 0 299 .
If TOP TIER detergent gasoline is
not available, one bottle of GM Fuel
System Treatment Cleaner added to
the fuel tank at every engine oil
change, can help. GM Fuel System
Treatment Cleaner is the only
gasoline additive recommended by
General Motors. It is available at
your dealer. If your vehicle is able to use E85 or
FlexFuel, GM Fuel System
Treatment Cleaner - FlexFuel is the
only recommended additive for use.
Do not use any other additives with
an E85 or FlexFuel vehicle. See
E85 or FlexFuel 0 300 .
E85 or FlexFuel Vehicles with a yellow sticker on the
fuel door can use either unleaded
gasoline or fuel containing up to
85% ethanol (E85). All other
vehicles should use only the
unleaded gasoline as described in
Fuel 0 299 .
The use of E85 or FlexFuel is
encouraged when the vehicle is
designed to use it. E85 or FlexFuel
is made from renewable sources.
To help locate fuel stations that
carry E85 or FlexFuel, the U.S.
Department of Energy has an
alternative fuels website. See
www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/locator/
stations.