2019 GMC SIERRA DENALI trailer

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/16/18
232 Driving and Operating temperature changes. During this
adaptive shift control process,
shifting might feel different as the
transmission determines the best
settings.
When temperatures are very cold,
the transmission's gear shifting
could be delayed providing more
stable shifts until the engine warms
up. Shifts could be more noticeable
with a cold transmission. This
difference in shifting is normal.
L : This position allows selection of
a range of gears appropriate for
current driving conditions.
If equipped, see “ Range Selection
Mode ” under Manual Mode 0 232 .
Caution
Spinning the tires or holding the
vehicle in one place on a hill
using only the accelerator pedal
may damage the transmission.
The repair will not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. If the vehicle
is stuck, do not spin the tires.
(Continued) Caution (Continued) When stopping on a hill, use the
brakes to hold the vehicle in
place.
Manual Mode Range Selection Mode
If equipped, Range Selection Mode
helps control the vehicle's
transmission and vehicle speed
while driving downhill or towing a
trailer by letting you select a desired
range of gears.
To use this feature:
1. Move the shift lever to
L (Manual Mode). 2. Press the plus/minus buttons
on the shift lever to select the
desired range of gears for
current driving conditions.
When the shift lever is moved from
D (Drive) to L (Manual Mode), a
number displays next to the L,
indicating the current transmission
range.
This number is the highest gear that
the transmission will command while
operating in L (Manual Mode). All
gears below that number are
available. As driving conditions
change, the transmission can
automatically shift to lower gears.
For example, when L5 is selected,
1 (First) through 5 (Fifth) gears are
automatically shifted by the
transmission, but 6 (Sixth) cannot be
used until the plus/minus button on
the shift lever is used to change to
the range.
In vehicles with gasoline engines,
when the shift lever is moved from
D (Drive) to L (Manual Mode), a
downshift may occur. The gear that
the transmission is operating in
when the shift lever is moved from

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/16/18
Driving and Operating 243This feature is designed to prevent
the vehicle from rolling, either
forward or rearward, during vehicle
drive off. HSA will be automatically
activated after the vehicle has come
to a complete standstill on a grade.
During the transition period between
when the brake pedal is released
and the accelerator pedal is
pressed, HSA holds the braking
pressure to ensure that there is no
rolling. The brakes will automatically
release when the accelerator pedal
is applied. It will not activate if the
vehicle is in a drive gear and facing
downhill, or if the vehicle is facing
uphill and in R (Reverse). Ride Control Systems Traction Control/
Electronic Stability
Control System Operation The vehicle has a Traction Control
System (TCS) and StabiliTrak/
Electronic Stability Control (ESC),
an electronic stability control
system. These systems help limit
wheel spin and assist the driver in
maintaining control, especially on
slippery road conditions.
TCS activates if it senses any of the
drive wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. When this
happens, TCS applies the brakes to
the spinning wheels and reduces
engine power to limit wheel spin.
StabiliTrak/ESC activates when the
vehicle senses a difference between
the intended path and the direction
the vehicle is actually traveling.
StabiliTrak/ESC selectively applies
braking pressure to any one of the
vehicle wheel brakes to assist the driver in keeping the vehicle on the
intended path. Trailer Sway Control
(TSC) is also on automatically when
the vehicle is started. See Trailer
Sway Control (TSC) 0 293 .
If cruise control is being used and
traction control or StabiliTrak/ESC
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 0 208
and “ Turning the Systems Off and
On ” later in this section.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/16/18
Driving and Operating 245cluster, then release. The
appropriate message will display in
the DIC.
To turn TCS and StabiliTrak/ESC on
again, press and release
g . The
traction off light
i and the
StabiliTrak/ESC OFF light
g in the
instrument cluster turn off.
StabiliTrak/ESC 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)
0 293 or Hill Start Assist (HSA)
0 242 .
Adding accessories can affect the
vehicle performance. See
Accessories and Modifications
0 313 . 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 22 km/h (1 and
14 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.
Noise from the Electronic Brake
Control Module (EBCM) is normal
when HDC is active.
When HDC is activated, the initial
HDC speed is set to the current
driving speed. It can be increased or
decreased by pressing +RES or
SET- on the steering wheel, or by
applying the accelerator or brake
pedal. This adjusted speed
becomes the new set speed.
HDC will remain enabled between
30 and 60 km/h (19 and 37 mph);
however, vehicle speed cannot be
set or maintained in this range. HDC
will automatically disable if the
vehicle speed is above 80 km/h
(50 mph) or above 60 km/h
(37 mph) for at least 30 seconds.
5 must be pressed again to
re-enable HDC. HDC may disable
after an extended period of use.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/16/18
Driving and Operating 247
If equipped, select Terrain Mode by
pressing the “ TERRAIN MODE
ICON ” icon button, below the 4
mtransfer case button.
Modes: Tour Mode
Use for normal city and highway
driving to provide a smooth, soft
ride. When selected, there is no
indicator in the instrument cluster.
Sport Mode
Use where road conditions or
personal preference demand a more
controlled response. When in Sport Mode, the vehicle will
shift automatically but may hold a
lower gear longer than it would in
the normal driving mode based on
braking, throttle input, and vehicle
lateral acceleration. See Automatic
Transmission 0 229 . The steering
will change to provide more precise
control. The continuous damping will
change to provide better cornering
performance.
When selected, the Sport Mode light
displays in the instrument cluster.
Snow Mode
Use when more traction is needed
during slippery conditions. The
vehicle will upshift normally when
the vehicle is moving. The
acceleration will adjust to help
provide a smoother launch.
Snow Mode is only available on
two-wheel-drive vehicles. When
selected, the Snow Mode light
displays in the instrument cluster. Off-Road Mode
Use to improve driving at moderate
speeds, on grass, gravel, dirt,
unpaved roads, or snow-covered
roads that have not been groomed
or plowed.
The accelerator pedal will be more
sensitive to provide finer control of
the torque at the wheels. Electronic
Stability Control (ESC), the Antilock
Brake System (ABS), and the
Traction Control System (TCS) will
change for optimal off-road
performance. Use this mode for
public off-road recreational driving.
See Off-Road Driving 0 200 .
When selected, the Off-Road Mode
indicator light displays in the
instrument cluster.
Tow/Haul Mode
This feature assists when pulling a
heavy trailer or a large or heavy
load. See Tow/Haul Mode 0 234 .
Tow/Haul Mode is designed to be
most effective when the vehicle and
trailer combined weight is at least
75% of the vehicle ’ s Gross

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/16/18
248 Driving and Operating Combined Weight Rating (GCWR).
See “ Weight of the Trailer ” under
Trailer Towing 0 281 .
Tow/Haul Mode is most useful when
pulling a heavy trailer or a large or
heavy load under the following
conditions:
.
Through rolling terrain
.
In stop-and-go traffic
.
In busy parking lots where
improved low speed control of
the vehicle is desired
Operating the vehicle in Tow/Haul
Mode when lightly loaded or with no
trailer at all will not cause damage.
However, there is no benefit to
selecting Tow/Haul Mode when the
vehicle is unloaded. Such a
selection when unloaded may result
in unpleasant engine and
transmission driving characteristics
and reduced fuel economy.
When selected, the Tow/Haul Mode
light will display in the instrument
cluster. If the vehicle is turned off with Tow/
Haul Mode active, Tow/Haul Mode
will remain active after the vehicle
has been turned on if the vehicle
was turned off for less than four
hours. Otherwise, the vehicle will
start up in Tour Mode.
Terrain Mode
Use for finer control during low
speed, off-road driving. When using
this mode it will mimic the
characteristics of four-wheel-drive
low without the torque capabilities.
Use when:
.
Traveling on very rough roads at
very low speeds, such as a
two-track or heavily rutted road.
.
Traveling slowly in grassy fields.
.
Pulling a boat out of the water
on a trailer.
.
Using the vehicle for public
off-road recreational driving.
See Off-Road Driving 0 200 and
Hill and Mountain Roads 0 206 . When in Terrain Mode, the vehicle
will shift automatically but may hold
a lower gear longer to maximize
engine torque. The steering will
change to provide more precise
control. A unique pedal map,
transmission shift pattern, and rpm
control are utilized to give better
control at lower speeds and over
rough terrain. When the vehicle
comes to a stop, Vehicle Hold is
engaged. TCS will be optimized for
maximum torque transfer across
axles, and Active Braking During Lift
Throttle will be engaged.
Active Braking During Lift Throttle:
.
Automatically applies light
braking, similar to heavy engine
braking of four-wheel-drive low.
.
In D (Drive), the vehicle will
apply light braking until the
vehicle is at idle speeds. In
Manual L1 and Manual L2,
moderate braking may stop the
vehicle.
.
Trailer braking is reduced.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/16/18
Driving and Operating 257Front/Rear Junction View :
Displays a front or rear cross traffic
view that shows objects directly to
the left and right of the front or back
of the vehicle. Touch Junction View
on the infotainment display when a
camera view is active. Touching the
button multiple times will toggle
between front and rear camera
views.
Front/Rear Overhead View :
Displays a front or rear overhead
view of the vehicle. Touching the
button will toggle between the two
views.
Front/Rear Bowl View : Displays a
view of the vehicle from either the
front or the back of the vehicle.
Touch Bowl View on the
infotainment display when a camera
view is active. Touching the button
multiple times will toggle between
forward and rearward views. Park
Assist and RCTA overlays are not
available when Bowl view is active.
Side Forward/Rearward View :
Displays a view that shows objects
next to the front or rear sides of the
vehicle. Touch Side Forward/ Rearward View on the infotainment
display when a camera view is
active. Touching the button multiple
times will toggle between forward
and rearward views. Park Assist
and RCTA overlays are not
available when Side Forward/
Rearward view is active.
Hitch View : Assists while
connecting to a trailer. Displays a
zoomed-in view of the hitch to help
align the vehicle ’ s hitch ball with the
trailer coupler. Shifting into P (Park)
while in this view will automatically
engage the Electronic Parking
Brake (EPB).
Guidance Lines : Displays
available guidelines, including
standard and Hitch Guidance. When
enabled, the guidelines will display
when the vehicle is shifted into
R (Reverse).
Top Down View : Displays an
image of the area surrounding the
vehicle, along with the rear camera
view in the infotainment display. The
rear camera view will be replaced
by the front camera view after
shifting from R (Reverse) to a forward gear or when the vehicle is
moving forward slower than 12 km/h
(8 mph). This view can only be
enabled in Front/Rear Standard
View by touching the Top Down
View button when the CAMERA
view is active.
Hitch Guidance
This feature displays a single,
centered guideline on the camera
display to assist with aligning a
vehicle ’ s hitch ball with a trailer
coupler. Select the trailer guidance
line button, then align the trailer
guidance line over the trailer
coupler. Continuously steer the
vehicle to keep the guidance line
centered on the coupler when
backing. RVC Park Assist overlays
will not display when the trailer
guidance line is active. Hitch
Guidance is only available in
Standard View.
To check the trailer when in a
forward gear above 12 km/h
(8 mph), touch CAMERA on the
infotainment display to view the rear

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/16/18
258 Driving and Operating camera. Touch X to exit the view or
it will be removed automatically after
eight seconds.
{ WarningUse Hitch Guidance only to help
back the vehicle to a trailer hitch
or, when travelling above 12 km/h
(8 mph), to briefly check the
status of your trailer. Do not use
for any other purpose, such as
making lane change decisions.
Before making a lane change,
always check the mirrors and
glance over your shoulder.
Improper use could result in
serious injury to you or others.
Surround Vision (270 Degrees
with Trailer Camera Views)
If equipped, the Surround Vision
(270 Degrees) has additional
trailering views and no Front Vision
Camera. It can display various
views surrounding the vehicle in the
infotainment display using three
cameras mounted around the vehicle. The side cameras are on
the bottom of the outside mirrors
and the rear camera is in the
tailgate handle. A fourth camera can
be mounted to the rear of a trailer to
allow access to all possible camera
features. See your dealer for an
accessory fourth trailer camera.
The Surround Vision (270 Degrees)
can be accessed by selecting
CAMERA in the infotainment display
or when the vehicle is shifted into
R (Reverse). To return to the
previous screen sooner, press any
button on the infotainment system, shift into P (Park), or, while in D
(Drive), reach a vehicle speed of
approximately 12 km/h (8 mph).
Touch the camera view buttons
along the bottom of the infotainment
display.
.
Rear Standard View
.
Rear Junction View
.
Rear Overhead View
.
Hitch View
.
Trailer Views: Mirror Trailer
View, Rear Trailer Camera View,
Rear Trailer Combo View.
Touching this button multiple
times will toggle between the
available views.
.
Side Forward/Rearward View
.
Guidance Lines: Touching this
button will toggle the guidelines
in select rear camera views
between Off, Standard Rear, and
Hitch Guidance.
.
Top Down View

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/16/18
260 Driving and Operating Use caution while backing up when
towing a trailer, as the RCTA
detection zones that extend out
from the back of the vehicle do not
move further back when a trailer is
towed.
RCTA is disabled when the trailer
connection status is displayed.
RCTA can be turned off through
“ Collision/Detection Systems ” under
Vehicle Personalization 0 167 .
Turning the Features On or Off
Press
X on the center stack to
turn on or off the Front and Rear
Park Assist. The indicator light next
to the button comes on when the
features are on and turns off when
the features have been disabled. Front and Rear Park Assist can be
turned Off, On, or On with Towbar
through vehicle personalization. See
“ Park Assist ” under Vehicle
Personalization 0 167 . If Park Assist
is turned off through vehicle
personalization, the Park Assist
button will be disabled. To turn Park
Assist on again, select On in the
vehicle personalization menu. The
On with Towbar setting allows for
Park Assist to work properly with a
trailer hitch. Some larger trailer
hitches may not be compatible.
Turn off Park Assist when towing a
trailer.
To turn the RPA symbols on or off,
see “ Rear Camera Park Assist
Symbols ” under Vehicle
Personalization 0 167 .
Assistance Systems for
Driving If equipped, when driving the
vehicle in a forward gear, Forward
Collision Alert (FCA), Lane
Departure Warning (LDW), Lane
Keep Assist (LKA), Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA), Lane Change Alert
(LCA), Forward Automatic Braking
(FAB), and/or the Front Pedestrian
Braking (FPB) System 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).