GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349177) - 2018 - CRC - 10/17/17
Vehicle Care 421Warning (Continued)towel can be used; however, use
a scraper or wire brush later to
remove all rust or dirt.
8. Remove any rust or dirt from
the wheel bolts, mounting
surfaces, and spare wheel.
9. Install the spare tire. { WarningNever use oil or grease on bolts
or nuts because the nuts might
come loose. The vehicle's wheel
could fall off, causing a crash.
10. Put the wheel nuts back on
with the rounded end of the
nuts toward the wheel.
11. Tighten each wheel nut by
hand. Then use the wheel
wrench to tighten the nuts until
the wheel is held against
the hub.
12. Turn the wheel wrench
counterclockwise to lower the
vehicle. Lower the jack
completely.
{ Warning
If wheel studs are damaged, they
can break. If all the studs on a
wheel broke, the wheel could
come off and cause a crash.
(Continued) Warning (Continued) If any stud is damaged because
of a loose-running wheel, it could
be that all of the studs are
damaged. To be sure, replace all
studs on the wheel. If the stud
holes in a wheel have become
larger, the wheel could collapse in
operation. Replace any wheel if
its stud holes have become larger
or distorted in any way. Inspect
hubs and hub ‐ piloted wheels for
damage. Because of loose
running wheels, piloting pad
damage may occur and require
replacement of the entire hub, for
proper centering of the wheels.
When replacing studs, hubs,
wheel nuts or wheels, be sure to
use GM original equipment parts.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349177) - 2018 - CRC - 10/17/17
422 Vehicle Care
{ WarningWheel nuts that are improperly or
incorrectly tightened can cause
the wheels to become loose or
come off. The wheel nuts should
be tightened with a torque wrench
to the proper torque specification
after replacing. Follow the torque
specification supplied by the
aftermarket manufacturer when
using accessory locking wheel
nuts. See Capacities and
Specifications 0 461 for original
equipment wheel nut torque
specifications.
Caution
Improperly tightened wheel nuts
can lead to brake pulsation and
rotor damage. To avoid expensive
brake repairs, evenly tighten the
wheel nuts in the proper
sequence and to the proper
(Continued) Caution (Continued) torque specification. See
Capacities and Specifications
0 461 for the wheel nut torque
specification.
13. Tighten the nuts firmly in a
crisscross sequence, as
shown, by turning the wheel
wrench clockwise.
For vehicles with dual wheels, have
a technician check the wheel nut
tightness of all wheels with a torque
wrench after the first 160, 1 600 and
10 000 km (100, 1,000 and 6,000 mi).
Repeat this service whenever you have a tire removed or serviced.
See Capacities and Specifications
0 461 .
When reinstalling the regular wheel
and tire, also reinstall either the
center cap, or bolt-on hub cap,
depending on what the vehicle is
equipped with. For center caps,
place the cap on the wheel and tap
it into place until it seats flush with
the wheel. The cap only goes on
one way. Be sure to line up the tab
on the center cap with the
indentation on the wheel. For
bolt-on hub caps, align the plastic
nut caps with the wheel nuts and
then tighten by hand. Then use the
wheel wrench to tighten.
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire
and Tools
{ Warning
Storing a jack, a tire, or other
equipment in the passenger
compartment of the vehicle could
cause injury. In a sudden stop or
(Continued)
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349177) - 2018 - CRC - 10/17/17
Vehicle Care 423Warning (Continued)collision, loose equipment could
strike someone. Store all these in
the proper place.
CautionStoring an aluminum wheel with a
flat tire under your vehicle for an
extended period of time or with
the valve stem pointing up can
damage the wheel. Always stow
the wheel with the valve stem
pointing down and have the
wheel/tire repaired as soon as
possible.
Caution
The tire hoist can be damaged if
there is no tension on the cable
when using it. To have the
necessary tension, the spare or
(Continued) Caution (Continued) road tire and wheel assembly
must be installed on the tire hoist
to use it.
Store the tire under the rear of the
vehicle in the spare tire carrier.
1. Spare Tire (Valve Stem
Pointed Down)
2. Tire/Wheel Retainer
3. Hoist Cable
4. Hoist Assembly
5. Hoist Shaft
6. Jack Handle Extensions 7. Wheel Wrench
8. Spare Tire Lock (If
Equipped)
9. Hoist Shaft Access Hole
10. Hoist End of Extension Tool
1. Put the tire on the ground at
the rear of the vehicle with the
valve stem pointed down, and
to the rear.
2. Pull the cable and spring
through the center of the
wheel. Tilt the wheel retainer
plate down and through the
center wheel.
Make sure the retainer is fully
seated across the underside of
the wheel.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349177) - 2018 - CRC - 10/17/17
426 Vehicle Care
Jump Starting Jump Starting - North
America For an eAssist vehicle, see the
Silverado/Sierra supplement.
For more information about the
vehicle battery, see Battery - North
America 0 369 .
If the vehicle's battery (or batteries)
has run down, you may want to use
another vehicle and some jumper
cables to start your vehicle. Be sure
to use the following steps to do it
safely.
{ Warning
WARNING: Battery posts,
terminals, and related
accessories contain lead and lead
compounds, chemicals known to
the State of California to cause
cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm. Batteries also
contain other chemicals known to
(Continued) Warning (Continued) the State of California to cause
cancer. WASH HANDS AFTER
HANDLING. For more information
go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/
passenger-vehicle.
See California Proposition
65 Warning 0 343 and the back
cover.
{ WarningBatteries can hurt you. They can
be dangerous because:
.
They contain acid that can
burn you.
.
They contain gas that can
explode or ignite.
.
They contain enough
electricity to burn you.
If you do not follow these steps
exactly, some or all of these
things can hurt you. CautionIgnoring these steps could result
in costly damage to the vehicle
that would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Trying to start
the vehicle by pushing or pulling it
will not work, and it could damage
the vehicle.
1. Check the other vehicle.
It must have a 12-volt battery
with a negative ground system.
CautionIf the other vehicle does not have
a 12-volt system with a negative
ground, both vehicles can be
damaged. Only use a vehicle that
has a 12-volt system with a
negative ground for jump starting.
2. If you have a vehicle with a
diesel engine with two
batteries, you should know
before you begin that,
especially in cold weather, you
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349177) - 2018 - CRC - 10/17/17
Vehicle Care 427may not be able to get enough
power from a single battery in
another vehicle to start your
diesel engine. If your vehicle
has more than one battery,
using the battery that is closer
to the starter will reduce
electrical resistance. This is
located on the passenger side,
in the rear of the engine
compartment.
3. Get the vehicles close enough
so the jumper cables can
reach, but be sure the vehicles
are not touching each other.
If they are, it could cause an
unwanted ground connection.
You would not be able to start
your vehicle, and the bad
grounding could damage the
electrical systems.
To avoid the possibility of the
vehicles rolling, set the parking
brake firmly on both vehicles
involved in the jump start
procedure. Put the automatic
transmission in P (Park) or a
manual transmission in Neutral
before setting the parking brake. If you have a
four-wheel-drive vehicle, be
sure the transfer case is in a
drive gear, not in N (Neutral).
CautionIf any accessories are left on or
plugged in during the jump
starting procedure, they could be
damaged. The repairs would not
be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Whenever possible, turn
off or unplug all accessories on
either vehicle when jump starting.
4. Turn the ignition off on both
vehicles. Unplug unnecessary
accessories plugged into the
accessory power outlets. Turn
off the radio and all the lamps
that are not needed. This will
avoid sparks and help save
both batteries. And it could
save the radio! 5. Open the hood on the other
vehicle and locate the
positive (+) and negative ( − )
terminal locations on that
vehicle.
The positive (+) terminal is
under a red plastic cover at the
positive battery post. To
uncover the positive (+)
terminal, open the red plastic
cover.
For more information on the
location of the remote
positive (+) and remote
negative ( − ) terminals, see
Engine Compartment Overview
0 345 .
{ Warning
An electric fan can start up even
when the engine is not running
and can injure you. Keep hands,
clothing, and tools away from any
underhood electric fan.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349177) - 2018 - CRC - 10/17/17
428 Vehicle Care
{ WarningUsing a match near a battery can
cause battery gas to explode.
People have been hurt doing this,
and some have been blinded.
Use a flashlight if you need more
light.
Battery fluid contains acid that
can burn you. Do not get it on
you. If you accidentally get it in
your eyes or on your skin, flush
the place with water and get
medical help immediately.
{ Warning
Fans or other moving engine
parts can injure you badly. Keep
your hands away from moving
parts once the engine is running. 6. Check that the jumper cables
do not have loose or missing
insulation. If they do, you could
get a shock. The vehicles
could be damaged too.
Before you connect the cables,
here are some basic things you
should know. Positive (+) will
go to positive (+) or to a remote
positive (+) terminal if the
vehicle has one. Negative ( − )
will go to a heavy, unpainted
metal engine part or to a
remote negative ( − ) terminal if
the vehicle has one.
Do not connect positive (+) to
negative ( − ) or you will get a
short that would damage the
battery and maybe other parts
too. And do not connect the
negative ( − ) cable to the
negative ( − ) terminal on the
dead battery because this can
cause sparks. 5.3L Shown, 4.3L, 6.0L, 6.2L, and
6.6L Similar
7. Connect the red positive (+)
cable to the positive (+)
terminal of the vehicle with the
dead battery.
8. Do not let the other end touch
metal. Connect it to the
positive (+) terminal of the
good battery. Use a remote
positive (+) terminal if the
vehicle has one.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349177) - 2018 - CRC - 10/17/17
Vehicle Care 431recreational vehicle towing are
dinghy and dolly towing. Dinghy
towing is towing the vehicle with all
four wheels on the ground. Dolly
towing is towing the vehicle with two
wheels on the ground and two
wheels on a dolly.
Follow the tow vehicle
manufacturer ’ s instructions. See
your dealer or trailering professional
for additional advice and equipment
recommendations.
CautionUse of a shield mounted in front
of the vehicle grille could restrict
airflow and cause damage to the
transmission. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. If using a shield, only
use one that attaches to the
towing vehicle. Dinghy Towing Two-Wheel-Drive Vehicles
CautionIf the two-wheel-drive vehicle is
towed with all four wheels on the
ground, the drivetrain
components could be damaged.
The repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty.
Two-wheel-drive vehicles should not
be towed with all four wheels on the
ground. Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicles
Only dinghy tow four-wheel-drive
vehicles with a two-speed transfer
case that have an N (Neutral) and a
Four-Wheel Drive Low (4 (
n ) setting.
{ Warning
Shifting a four-wheel-drive
vehicle's transfer case into
N (Neutral) can cause the vehicle
to roll even if the transmission is
in P (Park). You or others could
(Continued)
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349177) - 2018 - CRC - 10/17/17
432 Vehicle Care Warning (Continued)be injured. Set the parking brake
before shifting the transfer case
to N (Neutral).
To dinghy tow:
1. Position the vehicle being
towed behind the tow vehicle,
facing forward and on a level
surface.
2. Securely attach the vehicle
being towed to the tow vehicle.
3. Apply the parking brake and
start the engine.
4. Shift the transfer case to
N (Neutral). See “ Shifting into
N (Neutral) ” under Four-Wheel
Drive 0 272 . Check that the
vehicle is in N (Neutral) by
shifting the transmission to
R (Reverse) and then to D
(Drive). There should be no
movement of the vehicle while
shifting.
5. Turn the engine off. CautionFailure to disconnect the negative
battery cable or to have it contact
the terminals can cause damage
to the vehicle.
6. Disconnect the negative
battery cable at the battery and
secure the nut and bolt. Cover
the negative battery post with a
non-conductive material to
prevent any contact with the
negative battery terminal.
7. Shift the transmission to
P (Park).
Caution
If the steering column is locked,
vehicle damage may occur.
8. Move the steering wheel to
make sure the steering column
is unlocked. 9. With a foot on the brake pedal,
release the parking brake.
Keep the ignition key in the
towed vehicle in ACC/
ACCESSORY to prevent the
steering column from locking.
Disconnecting the Towed Vehicle
Before disconnecting the towed
vehicle:
1. Park on a level surface.
2. Set the parking brake, then
shift the transmission to
P (Park), and turn the ignition
key off.
3. Connect the battery.
4. Apply the brake pedal.
5. Turn the ignition on with the
engine off. Shift the transfer
case out of N (Neutral) to
Two-Wheel Drive High. See
“ Shifting out of N (Neutral) ”
under Four-Wheel Drive 0 272 .
See your dealer if the transfer
case cannot be shifted out of
N (Neutral).