
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/15/18
152 Instruments and Controls
Electric Parking Brake
Light Metric English
This light comes on when the
parking brake is applied. If the light
continues flashing after the parking
brake is released, or while driving,
there is a problem with the Electric
Parking Brake system. A message
may also display in the Driver
Information Center (DIC).
If the light does not come on,
or remains flashing, see your dealer. Service Electric Parking
Brake Light
This light should come on briefly
when starting the vehicle. If it does
not come on, have it fixed so it will
be ready to warn if there is a
problem.
If this light stays on, take the vehicle
to your dealer as soon as possible.
See the information for the Electric
Parking Brake under Electric
Parking Brake 0 241 . A message
may also display in the Driver
Information Center (DIC). Antilock Brake System
(ABS) Warning Light
This light comes on briefly when the
engine is started.
If the light does not come on, have it
fixed so it will be ready to warn if
there is a problem.
If the light comes on while driving,
stop as soon as it is safely possible
and turn off the vehicle. Then start
the engine again to reset the
system. If the ABS light stays on,
or comes on again while driving, the
vehicle needs service. A chime may
also sound when the light comes on
steady.
If the ABS light is the only light on,
the vehicle has regular brakes, but
the antilock brakes are not
functioning. 

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/15/18
156 Instruments and Controls The engine coolant temperature
warning light comes on when the
engine has overheated.
If this happens, pull over and turn
off the engine as soon as possible.
See Engine Overheating 0 331 .
Driver Mode Control Light
This light comes on when Sport
Mode is selected.
This light comes on when Snow
Mode is selected. This light comes on when Terrain
Mode is selected.
This light comes on when Off-Road
Mode is selected.
Tire Pressure Light For vehicles with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS), this light
comes on briefly when the engine is
started. It provides information
about tire pressures and the TPMS.
When the Light Is On Steady
This indicates that one or more of
the tires are significantly
underinflated.
A Driver Information Center (DIC)
tire pressure message may also
display. Stop as soon as possible,
and inflate the tires to the pressure
value shown on the Tire and
Loading Information label. See Tire
Pressure 0 367 .
When the Light Flashes First and
Then Is On Steady
If the light flashes for about a minute
and then stays on, there may be a
problem with the TPMS. If the
problem is not corrected, the light
will come on at every ignition cycle.
See Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation 0 370 . 

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/15/18
Instruments and Controls 1611. Press
T to scroll to the
Options application.
2. Scroll
y or
z to choose Info
pages and press the
thumbwheel.
3. Scroll
y or
z to move
through the list of possible
information displays.
4. Press the thumbwheel while an
item is highlighted to select or
deselect that item.
The info pages can also be turned
on or off through the DIC page Info
Page Options.
Info Pages The following is the list of all
possible DIC info page displays.
Some may not be available for your
particular vehicle. Some items may
not be turned on by default but can
be turned on through the Options
app. See “ Info Page Options ” earlier
in this section.
Speed : Shows the vehicle speed in
either kilometers per hour (km/h) or
miles per hour (mph). The vehicle odometer is also shown on this
page. If equipped, press the
thumbwheel to open the menu and
select to display speed limit signs.
Trip 1 or Trip 2, and Average Fuel
Economy : Shows the current
distance traveled, in either
kilometers (km) or miles (mi), since
the trip odometer was last reset.
The Average Fuel Economy display
shows the approximate average
liters per 100 kilometers (L/100 km)
or miles per gallon (mpg). This
number is calculated based on the
number of L/100 km (mpg) recorded
since the last time this menu item
was reset. This number reflects only
the approximate average fuel
economy that the vehicle has right
now, and will change as driving
conditions change.
Press the thumbwheel while this
display is active to reset the trip
odometer and the average fuel
economy.
Fuel Range : Shows the
approximate distance the vehicle
can be driven without refueling. LOW will be displayed when the
vehicle is low on fuel. The fuel
range estimate is based on an
average of the vehicle's fuel
economy over recent driving history
and the amount of fuel remaining in
the fuel tank.
Timer : This display can be used as
a timer. To start the timer, press the
thumbwheel while this display is
active. The display will show the
amount of time that has passed
since the timer was last reset. To
stop the timer, press the
thumbwheel briefly while this display
is active and the timer is running.
Press the thumbwheel while this
display is active to reset the timer.
Oil Life : Shows an estimate of the
oil's remaining useful life.
If REMAINING OIL LIFE 99% is
displayed, that means 99% of the
current oil life remains.
When the remaining oil life is low,
the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message will appear on the display.
The oil should be changed as soon
as possible. See Engine Oil 0 321 . 

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/16/18
196 Driving and Operating
Driving and
Operating Driving Information Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 205
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 206
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 208
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Truck-Camper Loading
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Starting and Operating New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 216
Ignition Positions (Key
Access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Ignition Positions (Keyless
Access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 221 Stop/Start System . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Active Fuel Management . . . . . 227
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Engine Exhaust Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Running the Vehicle While
Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Automatic Transmission Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 229
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Drive Systems Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Brakes Antilock Brake
System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . 241
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 242 Ride Control Systems Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Hill Descent Control (HDC) . . . 245
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . 246
Limited-Slip Differential . . . . . . . 250
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Cruise Control Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Driver Assistance Systems Driver Assistance Systems . . . 253
Assistance Systems for
Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . 254
Assistance Systems for
Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Forward Automatic
Braking (FAB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Front Pedestrian Braking
(FPB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Side Blind Zone
Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . 267
Lane Departure
Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . 269 

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/16/18
200 Driving and Operating 3. Turn the steering wheel to go
straight down the roadway.
Loss of Control Skidding There are three types of skids that
correspond to the vehicle's three
control systems:
.
Braking Skid — wheels are not
rolling.
.
Steering or Cornering Skid —
too much speed or steering in a
curve causes tires to slip and
lose cornering force.
.
Acceleration Skid — too much
throttle causes the driving
wheels to spin.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids
by taking reasonable care suited to
existing conditions, and by not
overdriving those conditions. But
skids are always possible.
If the vehicle starts to slide, follow
these suggestions: .
Ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and steer the
way you want the vehicle to go.
The vehicle may straighten out.
Be ready for a second skid if it
occurs.
.
Slow down and adjust your
driving according to weather
conditions. Stopping distance
can be longer and vehicle
control can be affected when
traction is reduced by water,
snow, ice, gravel, or other
material on the road. Learn to
recognize warning clues — such
as enough water, ice, or packed
snow on the road to make a
mirrored surface — and slow
down when you have any doubt.
.
Try to avoid sudden steering,
acceleration, or braking,
including reducing vehicle speed
by shifting to a lower gear. Any
sudden changes could cause
the tires to slide.
Remember: Antilock brakes help
avoid only the braking skid. Off-Road Driving Four-wheel-drive vehicles can be
used for off-road driving. Vehicles
without four-wheel drive and
vehicles not equipped with All
Terrain (AT) or On-Off Road (OOR)
tires must not be driven off-road
except on a level, solid surface. For
contact information about the
original equipment tires, see the
warranty manual.
One of the best ways for successful
off-road driving is to control the
speed.
{ WarningWhen driving off-road, bouncing
and quick changes in direction
can easily throw you out of
position. This could cause you to
lose control and crash. You and
your passengers should always
wear seat belts. 

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/23/18
Driving and Operating 203
{ WarningHeavy braking when going down
a hill can cause your brakes to
overheat and fade. This could
cause loss of control and you or
others could be injured or killed.
Apply the brakes lightly when
descending a hill and use a low
gear to keep vehicle speed under
control.
If a brake fade condition is detected,
a DIC warning message is
displayed. Adjust brake pedal use
and shift to a lower transmission
gear to reduce braking.
If the brakes continue to fade to a
severe condition, additional DIC
warning messages are displayed.
The brake system warning light will
illuminate, and the vehicle speed
may be limited. See Brake System
Warning Light 0 151 . If the vehicle stalls on a hill:
1. Apply the brakes to stop the
vehicle, and then apply the
parking brake.
2. Shift into P (Park) and then
restart the engine.
.
If driving uphill when the
vehicle stalls, shift to
R (Reverse), release the
parking brake, and back
straight down.
.
Never try to turn the vehicle
around. If the hill is steep
enough to stall the vehicle,
it is steep enough to cause
it to roll over.
.
If you cannot make it up the
hill, back straight down
the hill.
.
Never back down a hill in
N (Neutral) using only the
brake. The vehicle can roll
backward quickly and you
could lose control. .
If driving downhill when the
vehicle stalls, shift to a
lower gear, release the
parking brake, and drive
straight down the hill.
3. If the vehicle cannot be
restarted after stalling, set the
parking brake, shift into
P (Park), and turn the
vehicle off.
3.1. Leave the vehicle and
seek help.
3.2. Stay clear of the path the
vehicle would take if it
rolled downhill.
.
Avoid turns that take the vehicle
across the incline of the hill.
A hill that can be driven straight
up or down might be too steep to
drive across. Driving across an
incline puts more weight on the
downhill wheels, which could
cause a downhill slide or a
rollover.
.
Surface conditions can be a
problem. Loose gravel, muddy
spots, or even wet grass can
cause the tires to slip sideways, 

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/16/18
204 Driving and Operating downhill. If the vehicle slips
sideways, it can hit something
that will trip it — a rock, a rut,
etc. — and roll over.
.
Hidden obstacles can make the
steepness of the incline more
severe. If a rock is driven across
with the uphill wheels, or if the
downhill wheels drop into a rut
or depression, the vehicle can tilt
even more.
.
If an incline must be driven
across, and the vehicle starts to
slide, turn downhill. This should
help straighten out the vehicle
and prevent the side slipping.
{ Warning
Getting out of the vehicle on the
downhill side when stopped
across an incline is dangerous.
If the vehicle rolls over, you could
be crushed or killed. Always get
out on the uphill side of the
vehicle and stay well clear of the
rollover path. Driving in Mud, Sand, Snow,
or Ice Use a low gear when driving in
mud — the deeper the mud, the
lower the gear. Keep the vehicle
moving to avoid getting stuck.
Traction changes when driving on
sand. On loose sand, such as on
beaches or sand dunes, the tires
tend to sink into the sand. This
affects steering, accelerating, and
braking. Drive at a reduced speed
and avoid sharp turns or abrupt
maneuvers.
Traction is reduced on hard packed
snow and ice and it is easy to lose
control. Reduce vehicle speed when
driving on hard packed snow
and ice.
{ Warning
Driving on frozen lakes, ponds,
or rivers can be dangerous. Ice
conditions vary greatly and the
vehicle could fall through the ice;
(Continued) Warning (Continued) you and your passengers could
drown. Drive your vehicle on safe
surfaces only.
Driving in Water
{ WarningDriving through rushing water can
be dangerous. Deep water can
sweep your vehicle downstream
and you and your passengers
could drown. If it is only shallow
water, it can still wash away the
ground from under your tires.
Traction could be lost, and the
vehicle could roll over. Do not
drive through rushing water. 

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/16/18
Driving and Operating 205CautionDo not drive through standing
water if it is deep enough to cover
the wheel hubs, axles, or exhaust
pipe. Deep water can damage the
axle and other vehicle parts.
If the standing water is not too deep,
drive through it slowly. At faster
speeds, water can get into the
engine and cause it to stall. Stalling
can occur if the exhaust pipe is
under water. Do not turn off the
ignition when driving through water.
If the exhaust pipe is under water,
the engine will not start. When going
through water, the brakes get wet
and it may take longer to stop. See
“ Driving on Wet Roads ” later in this
section.
After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that
has collected on the underbody or
chassis, or under the hood. These
accumulations can be a fire hazard.
Re-install underbody air deflector
and air dam if removed. After operation in mud or sand,
have the brake linings cleaned and
checked. These substances can
cause glazing and uneven braking.
Check the body structure, driveline,
steering, suspension, wheels, tires,
and exhaust system for damage and
check the fuel lines and cooling
system for any leakage.
More frequent maintenance service
is required. See the Maintenance
Schedule 0 415 .
Driving on Wet Roads Rain and wet roads can reduce
vehicle traction and affect your
ability to stop and accelerate.
Always drive slower in these types
of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and
deep-standing or flowing water. { WarningWet brakes can cause crashes.
They might not work as well in a
quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large
puddle of water or a car/vehicle
wash, lightly apply the brake
pedal until the brakes work
normally.
Flowing or rushing water creates
strong forces. Driving through
flowing water could cause the
vehicle to be carried away. If this
happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be
very cautious about trying to drive
through flowing water.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water
can build up under the vehicle's
tires so they actually ride on the
water. This can happen if the road is