GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349177) - 2018 - CRC - 10/17/17
Seats and Restraints 95Warning (Continued)infant will suddenly become a
110 kg (240 lb) force on a person's
arms. An infant or child should be
secured in an appropriate
restraint.
{ Warning
Children who are up against,
or very close to, any airbag when
it inflates can be seriously injured
(Continued) Warning (Continued) or killed. Never put a rear-facing
child restraint in the front
outboard seat. Secure a
rear-facing child restraint in a rear
seat. It is also better to secure a
forward-facing child restraint in a
rear seat. If you must secure a
forward-facing child restraint in
the front outboard seat, always
move the front passenger seat as
far back as it will go. Child restraints are devices used to
restrain, seat, or position children in
the vehicle and are sometimes
called child seats or car seats.
There are three basic types of
child restraints:
.
Forward-facing child restraints
.
Rearward-facing child restraints
.
Belt-positioning booster seats
The proper child restraint for your
child depends on their size, weight,
and age, and also on whether the
child restraint is compatible with the
vehicle in which it will be used.
For each type of child restraint,
there are many different models
available. When purchasing a child
restraint, be sure it is designed to be
used in a motor vehicle. If it is, the
restraint will have a label saying that
it meets federal motor vehicle safety
standards. The restraint
manufacturer's instructions that
come with the restraint state the
weight and height limitations for a
particular child restraint. In addition,
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349177) - 2018 - CRC - 10/17/17
96 Seats and Restraints there are many kinds of restraints
available for children with special
needs.
{ WarningTo reduce the risk of neck and
head injury in a crash, infants and
toddlers should be secured in a
rear-facing child restraint until age
two, or until they reach the
maximum height and weight limits
of their child restraint.
{ WarningA young child's hip bones are still
so small that the vehicle's regular
seat belt may not remain low on
the hip bones, as it should.
Instead, it may settle up around
the child's abdomen. In a crash,
the belt would apply force on a
body area that is unprotected by
any bony structure. This alone
could cause serious or fatal
(Continued) Warning (Continued) injuries. To reduce the risk of
serious or fatal injuries during a
crash, young children should
always be secured in appropriate
child restraints.
Child Restraint Systems
Rear-Facing Infant Restraint
A rear-facing child restraint provides
restraint with the seating surface
against the back of the infant. The harness system holds the infant
in place and, in a crash, acts to
keep the infant positioned in the
restraint.
Forward-Facing Child Restraint
A forward-facing child restraint
provides restraint for the child's
body with the harness.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349177) - 2018 - CRC - 10/17/17
252 Driving and Operating
{ Warning
Things you put inside the
vehicle can strike and injure
people in a sudden stop or
turn, or in a crash. .
Put things in the cargo
area of the vehicle. Try to
spread the weight evenly..
Never stack heavier
things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle so that
some of them are above
the tops of the seats..
Do not leave an
unsecured child restraint
in the vehicle..
When you carry
something inside the
vehicle, secure it
whenever you can.
.
Do not leave a seat
folded down unless you
need to. There is also important loading
information for off-road driving in
this manual. See “ Loading the
Vehicle for Off-Road Driving “
under Off-Road Driving 0 239 .
Two-Tiered Loading
Depending on the model of the
pickup, an upper load platform
can be created by positioning
three or four 5 cm (2 in) by
15 cm (6 in) wooden planks
across the width of the pickup
box. The planks must be
inserted in the pickup box
depressions.
When using this upper load
platform, be sure the load is
securely tied down to prevent it
from shifting. The load's center
of gravity should be positioned
in a zone over the rear axle. The
zone is located in the area
between the front of each wheel
well and the rear of each wheel well. The center of gravity height
must not extend above the top
of the pickup box flareboard.
Any load that extends beyond
the vehicle's taillamp area must
be properly marked according to
local laws and regulations.
Remember not to exceed the
Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR) of the front or
rear axle.
Add-On Equipment
When carrying removable items,
a limit on how many people
carried inside the vehicle may
be necessary. Be sure to weigh
the vehicle before buying and
installing the new equipment.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349177) - 2018 - CRC - 10/17/17
326 Driving and Operating Weight-Distributing Hitch and Adjustment A weight-distributing hitch may be useful with some trailers. Use the following guidelines to determine if a
weight-distributing hitch should be used.
Vehicle Series Trailer Weight Weight-Distributing Hitch
Usage Hitch Distribution
1500 Up to 3 175 kg (7,000 lb) Optional Refer to trailer
manufacturer ’ s
recommendation
1500 Over 3 175 kg (7,000 lb) Required 50%
2500/3500 Up to 9 080 kg (20,000 lb) Optional Refer to trailer
manufacturer ’ s
recommendation
1. Front of Vehicle
2. Body to Ground Distance
When using a weight-distributing
hitch, measure distance (2) before
coupling the trailer to the hitch ball.
Measure the height again after the
trailer is coupled and adjust the
spring bars so the distance (2) is as
close as possible to halfway
between the two measurements. Fifth-Wheel and Gooseneck
Trailering Fifth-wheel and gooseneck trailers
can be used with many pickup
models. These trailers place a
larger percentage of the weight
(kingpin weight) on the tow vehicle
than conventional trailers. Make
sure this weight does not cause the
vehicle to exceed GAWR or GVWR.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349177) - 2018 - CRC - 10/17/17
Vehicle Care 343
California Proposition
65 Warning
{ WarningMost 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 cause
cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm. Engine
exhaust, many parts and
systems, many fluids, and some
component wear by-products
contain and/or emit these
chemicals. For more information
go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/
passenger-vehicle.
See Battery - North America 0 369
and Jump Starting - North America
0 426 and the back cover. California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements Certain types of automotive
applications, such as airbag
initiators, seat belt pretensioners,
and lithium batteries contained in
Remote Keyless Entry transmitters,
may contain perchlorate materials.
Special handling may be necessary.
For additional information, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/
perchlorate.
Accessories and
Modifications Adding non-dealer accessories or
making modifications to the vehicle
can affect vehicle performance and
safety, including such things as
airbags, braking, stability, ride and
handling, emissions systems,
aerodynamics, durability, and
electronic systems like antilock
brakes, traction control, and stability
control. These accessories or
modifications could even cause
malfunction or damage not covered
by the vehicle warranty. Damage to suspension components
caused by modifying vehicle height
outside of factory settings will not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Damage to vehicle components
resulting from modifications or the
installation or use of non-GM
certified parts, including control
module or software modifications, is
not covered under the terms of the
vehicle warranty and may affect
remaining warranty coverage for
affected parts.
GM Accessories are designed to
complement and function with other
systems on the vehicle. See your
dealer to accessorize the vehicle
using genuine GM Accessories
installed by a dealer technician.
Also, see Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 0 90 .
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349177) - 2018 - CRC - 10/17/17
Vehicle Care 367Caution.
Do not use washer fluid that
contains any type of water
repellent coating. This can
cause the wiper blades to
chatter or skip.
.
Do not use engine coolant
(antifreeze) in the
windshield washer. It can
damage the windshield
washer system and paint.
.
Do not mix water with
ready-to-use washer fluid.
Water can cause the
solution to freeze and
damage the washer fluid
tank and other parts of the
washer system.
.
When using concentrated
washer fluid, follow the
manufacturer instructions for
adding water.
.
Fill the washer fluid tank
only three-quarters full when
it is very cold. This allows
(Continued) Caution (Continued) for fluid expansion if
freezing occurs, which could
damage the tank if it is
completely full.
Brakes Disc brake pads have built-in wear
indicators that make a high-pitched
warning sound when the brake pads
are worn and new pads are needed.
The sound can come and go or be
heard all the time the vehicle is
moving, except when applying the
brake pedal firmly.
{ Warning
The brake wear warning sound
means that soon the brakes will
not work well. That could lead to
a crash. When the brake wear
warning sound is heard, have the
vehicle serviced. CautionContinuing to drive with worn-out
brake pads could result in costly
brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates
can cause a brake squeal when the
brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean
something is wrong with the brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are
necessary to help prevent brake
pulsation. When tires are rotated,
inspect brake pads for wear and
evenly tighten wheel nuts in the
proper sequence to torque
specifications in Capacities and
Specifications 0 461 .
Brake linings should always be
replaced as complete axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal
does not return to normal height,
or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign
that brake service may be required.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349177) - 2018 - CRC - 10/17/17
Vehicle Care 391
All-Terrain Tires This vehicle may have all-terrain
tires. These tires provide good
performance on most road surfaces,
weather conditions, and for off-road
driving. See Off-Road Driving 0 239 .
The tread pattern on these tires may
wear more quickly than other tires.
Consider rotating the tires more
frequently than at 12 000 km
(7,500 mi) intervals if irregular wear
is noted when the tires are
inspected. See Tire Inspection
0 404 .
Tire Sidewall Labeling Useful information about a tire is
molded into the sidewall. The
examples show a typical
passenger and light truck tire
sidewall. Passenger (P-Metric)/Spare Tire
(1) Tire Size :
The tire size code
is a combination of letters and
numbers used to define a
particular tire's width, height,
aspect ratio, construction type,
and service description. See the
“ Tire Size ” illustration later in this
section for more detail.
(2) TPC Spec (Tire
Performance Criteria
Specification) :
Original
equipment tires designed to
GM's specific tire performance
criteria have a TPC specification code molded onto the sidewall.
GM's TPC specifications meet or
exceed all federal safety
guidelines.
(3) DOT (Department of
Transportation) :
The
Department of Transportation
(DOT) code indicates that the
tire is in compliance with the
U.S. Department of
Transportation Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards.
DOT Tire Date of
Manufacture :
The last four
digits of the TIN indicate the tire
manufactured date. The first two
digits represent the week
(01-52) and the last two digits,
the year. For example, the third
week of the year 2010 would
have a four-digit DOT date
of 0310.
(4) Tire Identification Number
(TIN) :
The letters and numbers
following the DOT code are the
Tire Identification Number (TIN).
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349177) - 2018 - CRC - 10/17/17
392 Vehicle Care The TIN shows the
manufacturer and plant code,
tire size, and date the tire was
manufactured. The TIN is
molded onto both sides of the
tire, although only one side may
have the date of manufacture.
(5) Tire Ply Material :
The type
of cord and number of plies in
the sidewall and under the tread.
(6) Uniform Tire Quality
Grading (UTQG) :
Tire
manufacturers are required to
grade tires based on three
performance factors: treadwear,
traction, and temperature
resistance. For more
information, see Uniform Tire
Quality Grading 0 410 . (7) Maximum Cold Inflation
Load Limit :
Maximum load that
can be carried and the
maximum pressure needed to
support that load. For
information on recommended
tire pressure see Tire Pressure
0 397 and Vehicle Load Limits
0 248 .
(8) Temporary Use Only :
Only
use a temporary spare tire until
the road tire is repaired and
replaced. This spare tire should
not be driven on over 112 km/h
(70 mph), or 88 km/h (55 mph)
when pulling a trailer, with the
proper inflation pressure. See
Full-Size Spare Tire 0 425 . Light Truck (LT-Metric) Tire
(1) Tire Size :
The tire size code
is a combination of letters and
numbers used to define a
particular tire's width, height,
aspect ratio, construction type,
and service description. See the
“ Tire Size ” illustration later in this
section for more detail.