2018 GMC SIERRA DENALI winter tires

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349177) - 2018 - CRC - 10/17/17
Driving and Operating 245
Hill and Mountain Roads Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips include:
.
Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
.
Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
.
Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{ WarningUsing the brakes to slow the
vehicle on a long downhill slope
can cause brake overheating, can
reduce brake performance, and
could result in a loss of braking.
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear to let the engine assist the
brakes on a steep downhill slope. { WarningCoasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. This can cause
overheating of the brakes and
loss of steering assist. 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 0 282 .
.
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) 0 280 .

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349177) - 2018 - CRC - 10/17/17
Vehicle Care 341
Vehicle Care General Information General Information . . . . . . . . . . 342
California Proposition
65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements . . . . . 343
Accessories and
Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
Vehicle Checks Doing Your Own
Service Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
Engine Compartment
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 353
Automatic Transmission Fluid
(6-Speed Transmission) . . . . . 354
Automatic Transmission Fluid
(8-Speed Transmission) . . . . . 357
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 358
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 363
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . 364
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365 Power Steering Fluid (1500
Series) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365
Power Steering Fluid (2500/
3500 Series) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 366
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368
Battery - North America . . . . . . 369
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371
Noise Control System . . . . . . . . 373
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 374
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374
Ignition Transmission Lock
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 375
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 375
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 376
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376
Headlamp Aiming Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 377
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 378
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378 High Intensity Discharge (HID)
Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378
Taillamps, Turn Signal,
Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378
Center High-Mounted
Stoplamp (CHMSL) and
Cargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380
Electrical System High Voltage Devices and
Wiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380
Electrical System Overload . . . 380
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 381
Engine Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 381
Instrument Panel Fuse Block
(Right) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block (Left) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 386
Wheels and Tires Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 390
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 390
All-Terrain Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 391
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 393

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349177) - 2018 - CRC - 10/17/17
390 Vehicle Care performance on most road surfaces
and weather conditions. Original
equipment tires designed to GM's
specific tire performance criteria
have a TPC specification code
molded onto the sidewall. Original
equipment all-season tires can be
identified by the last two characters
of this TPC code, which will
be “ MS. ”
Consider installing winter tires on
the vehicle if frequent driving on
snow or ice-covered roads is
expected. All-season tires provide
adequate performance for most
winter driving conditions, but they
may not offer the same level of
traction or performance as winter
tires on snow or ice-covered roads.
See Winter Tires 0 390 .
Winter Tires This vehicle was not originally
equipped with winter tires. Winter
tires are designed for increased
traction on snow and ice-covered
roads. Consider installing winter
tires on the vehicle if frequent
driving on ice or snow covered roads is expected. See your dealer
for details regarding winter tire
availability and proper tire selection.
Also, see Buying New Tires 0 408 .
With winter tires, there may be
decreased dry road traction,
increased road noise, and shorter
tread life. After changing to winter
tires, be alert for changes in vehicle
handling and braking.
If using winter tires:
.
Use tires of the same brand and
tread type on all four wheel
positions.
.
Use only radial ply tires of the
same size, load range, and
speed rating as the original
equipment tires.
Winter tires with the same speed
rating as the original equipment tires
may not be available for H, V, W, Y,
and ZR speed rated tires. If winter
tires with a lower speed rating are
chosen, never exceed the tire's
maximum speed capability. Low-Profile Tires If the vehicle has P275/55R20,
P285/50R20, or P285/45R22
size tires, they are classified as
low-profile tires.
CautionLow-profile tires are more
susceptible to damage from road
hazards or curb impact than
standard profile tires. Tire and/or
wheel assembly damage can
occur when coming into contact
with road hazards like potholes,
or sharp edged objects, or when
sliding into a curb. The warranty
does not cover this type of
damage. Keep tires set to the
correct inflation pressure and
when possible, avoid contact with
curbs, potholes, and other road
hazards.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349177) - 2018 - CRC - 10/17/17
Vehicle Care 409
{ Warning
Mixing tires of different sizes,
brands, or types may cause
loss of control of the vehicle,
resulting in a crash or other
vehicle damage. Use the
correct size, brand, and type
of tires on all wheels.
This vehicle may have a
different size spare than the
road tires originally installed
on the vehicle. When new, the
vehicle included a spare tire
and wheel assembly with a
similar overall diameter as the
road tires and wheels, so it is
all right to drive on it. The
spare tire was developed for
use on this vehicle and will not
affect vehicle handling. { Warning
Using bias-ply tires on the
vehicle may cause the wheel
rim flanges to develop cracks
after many miles of driving.
A tire and/or wheel could fail
suddenly and cause a crash.
Use only radial-ply tires with
the wheels on the vehicle.
Winter tires with the same speed
rating as the original equipment
tires may not be available for H,
V, W, Y and ZR speed rated
tires. Never exceed the winter
tires ’ maximum speed capability
when using winter tires with a
lower speed rating.
If the vehicle tires must be
replaced with a tire that does not
have a TPC Spec number, make
sure they are the same size,
load range, speed rating, and
construction (radial) as the
original tires. Vehicles that have a tire
pressure monitoring system
could give an inaccurate
low-pressure warning if non-TPC
Spec rated tires are installed.
See Tire Pressure Monitor
System 0 399 .
The Tire and Loading
Information label indicates the
original equipment tires on the
vehicle. See Vehicle Load Limits
0 248 for the label location and
more information about the Tire
and Loading Information label.
Different Size Tires and
Wheels If wheels or tires are installed that
are a different size than the original
equipment wheels and tires, vehicle
performance, including its braking,
ride and handling characteristics,
stability, and resistance to rollover
may be affected. If the vehicle has
electronic systems such as antilock
brakes, rollover airbags, traction
control, electronic stability control,

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349177) - 2018 - CRC - 10/17/17
410 Vehicle Care or All-Wheel Drive, the performance
of these systems can also be
affected.
{ WarningIf different sized wheels are used,
there may not be an acceptable
level of performance and safety if
tires not recommended for those
wheels are selected. This
increases the chance of a crash
and serious injury. Only use GM
specific wheel and tire systems
developed for the vehicle, and
have them properly installed by a
GM certified technician.
See Buying New Tires 0 408 and
Accessories and Modifications
0 343 .
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading The following information relates
to the system developed by the
United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which grades tires by
treadwear, traction, and
temperature performance. This
applies only to vehicles sold in
the United States. The grades
are molded on the sidewalls of
most passenger car tires. The
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
(UTQG) system does not apply
to deep tread, winter tires,
compact spare tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters of
10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm),
or to some limited-production
tires.
While the tires available on
General Motors passenger cars
and light trucks may vary with
respect to these grades, they
must also conform to federal
safety requirements and
additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC)
standards. Quality grades can be found
where applicable on the tire
sidewall between tread shoulder
and maximum section width. For
example: Treadwear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A
All Passenger Car Tires Must
Conform to Federal Safety
Requirements In Addition To
These Grades.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a
comparative rating based on the
wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a
specified government test
course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and
one-half (1½) times as well on
the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of
their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349177) - 2018 - CRC - 10/17/17
470 Customer Information .
Lock-Out Service: Service to
unlock the vehicle if you are
locked out. A remote unlock may
be available if you have OnStar.
For security reasons, the driver
must present identification
before this service is given.
.
Emergency Tow from a Public
Road or Highway: Tow to the
nearest GMC dealer for warranty
service, or if the vehicle was in a
crash and cannot be driven.
Assistance is not given when the
vehicle is stuck in the sand,
mud, or snow.
.
Flat Tire Change: Service to
change a flat tire with the spare
tire. The spare tire, if equipped,
must be in good condition and
properly inflated. It is the owner's
responsibility for the repair or
replacement of the tire if it is not
covered by the warranty.
.
Battery Jump Start: Service to
jump start a dead battery. .
Trip Interruption Benefits and
Assistance: If your trip is
interrupted due to a warranty
event, incidental expenses may
be reimbursed within the
Powertrain warranty period.
Items considered are reasonable
and customary hotel, meals,
rental car, or a vehicle being
delivered back to the customer,
up to 500 miles.
Services Not Included in
Roadside Assistance .
Impound towing caused by
violation of any laws
.
Legal fines
.
Mounting, dismounting,
or changing of snow tires,
chains, or other traction devices
Service is not provided if a vehicle
is in an area that is not accessible
to the service vehicle or is not a
regularly traveled or maintained
public road, which includes ice and
winter roads. Off-road use is not
covered. Services Specific to
Canadian-Purchased Vehicles .
Fuel Delivery: Reimbursement
is up to 7 L. Diesel fuel delivery
may be restricted. Propane and
other fuels are not provided
through this service.
.
Lock-Out Service: Vehicle
registration is required.
.
Trip Interruption Benefits and
Assistance: Must be over
150 km from where your trip
was started to qualify.
Pre-authorization, original
detailed receipts, and a copy of
the repair orders are required.
Once authorization has been
received, the Roadside
Assistance advisor will help to
make arrangements and explain
how to receive payment.
.
Alternative Service: If
assistance cannot be provided
right away, the Roadside
Assistance advisor may give
permission to get local
emergency road service. You will
receive payment, up to $100,

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349177) - 2018 - CRC - 10/17/17
Index 501StabiliTrak
OFF Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Start Assist, Hill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Start Vehicle, Remote . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . . . 374
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Fluid, Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365
Heated Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Steps
Power Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Stoplamps and Back-up Lamps
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 378
Storage Areas
Center Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Floor Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Sunglasses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Storage Compartments . . . . . . . . . 124
Struts
Gas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376
Stuck Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Sun Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Sunglass Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Switches
Airbag On-Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
System
Forward Collision
Alert (FCA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186, 478
Noise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373
Systems
Driver Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
T Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Tailgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Taillamps
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 378
Text Telephone (TTY) Users . . . . 468
Theft-Deterrent Systems . . . . . . . . . 46
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Throttle, Adjustable . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389
All-Season . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389
All-Terrain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 408
Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 413
Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415
Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 393 Tires (cont'd)
Different Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 409
Full-Size Spare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 425
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . 413
Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 404
Low Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 390
Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 397, 399
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Pressure Monitor Operation . . 400
Pressure Monitor System . . . . . 399
Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 405
Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391
Terminology and Definitions . . 395
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 410
Wheel Alignment and Tire
Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .411
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 412
When It Is Time for New
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 390
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Tow/Haul Mode Light . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Towing
Driving Characteristics . . . . . . . . 303
Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 303
Recreational Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . 430

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349177) - 2018 - CRC - 10/17/17
Index 503Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Windshield
Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376
Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Winter
Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 390
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . 375
Wireless Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Wiring, High Voltage Devices . . . 380