GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/15/18
52 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Preferred Method Alternate Method
When applying any load to the
tailgate, distribute the weight evenly
across the width of the tailgate. This
applies to all tailgate types.
.
Use a load-distributing
member (1).
.
Secure the ramp to the
bumper (2). Power Assist Steps If equipped, the power assist steps,
when enabled, will extend when the
door is opened. They will retract
three seconds after the door is
closed or immediately if the vehicle
starts moving.
Keep hands, children, pets, objects,
and clothing clear of the power
assist steps when in motion.
The steps will reverse direction if
there is an obstruction. If possible,
carefully remove the obstruction,
then open and close the door on the
same side to complete the motion.
If the obstruction is not cleared, the
assist steps remain extended.
Slight movement of the steps while
extended is normal.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/15/18
Seats and Restraints 93The passenger sensing system
works with sensors that are part of
the front outboard passenger seat
and seat belt. The sensors are
designed to detect the presence of
a properly seated occupant and
determine if the front outboard
passenger frontal airbag should be
allowed to inflate or not.
According to accident statistics,
children are safer when properly
secured in a rear seat in the correct
child restraint for their weight
and size.
Whenever possible, children aged
12 and under should be secured in
a rear seating position.
Never put a rear-facing child seat in
the front. This is because the risk to
the rear-facing child is so great,
if the airbag inflates.
{ Warning
A child in a rear-facing child
restraint can be seriously injured
or killed if the passenger frontal
(Continued) Warning (Continued) airbag inflates. This is because
the back of the rear-facing child
restraint would be very close to
the inflating airbag. A child in a
forward-facing child restraint can
be seriously injured or killed if the
passenger frontal airbag inflates
and the passenger seat is in a
forward position.
Even if the passenger sensing
system has turned off the
passenger frontal airbag, no
system is fail-safe. No one can
guarantee that an airbag will not
deploy under some unusual
circumstance, even though the
airbag is turned off.
Never put a rear-facing child
restraint in the front seat, even if
the airbag is off. If securing a
forward-facing child restraint in
the front outboard passenger
seat, always move the seat as far
back as it will go. It is better to
(Continued) Warning (Continued) secure child restraints in the rear
seat. Consider using another
vehicle to transport the child
when a rear seat is not available.
If the vehicle does not have a rear
seat that will accommodate a
rear-facing child restraint, a
rear-facing child restraint should not
be installed in the vehicle, even if
the airbag is off.
The passenger sensing system is
designed to turn off the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag if:
.
The front outboard passenger
seat is unoccupied.
.
The system determines an infant
is present in a child restraint.
.
A front outboard passenger
takes his/her weight off of the
seat for a period of time.
.
There is a critical problem with
the airbag system or the
passenger sensing system.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/15/18
Seats and Restraints 99
Child Restraints Older Children
Older children who have outgrown
booster seats should wear the
vehicle ’ s seat belts.
The manufacturer instructions that
come with the booster seat state the
weight and height limitations for that
booster. Use a booster seat with a
lap-shoulder belt until the child
passes the fit test below: .
Sit all the way back on the seat.
Do the knees bend at the seat
edge? If yes, continue. If no,
return to the booster seat.
.
Buckle the lap-shoulder belt.
Does the shoulder belt rest on
the shoulder? If yes, continue.
If no, try using the rear seat belt
comfort guide, if available. See
“ Rear Seat Belt Comfort Guides ”
under Lap-Shoulder Belt 0 82 .
If a comfort guide is not
available, or if the shoulder belt
still does not rest on the
shoulder, then return to the
booster seat.
.
Does the lap belt fit low and
snug on the hips, touching the
thighs? If yes, continue. If no,
return to the booster seat.
.
Can proper seat belt fit be
maintained for the length of the
trip? If yes, continue. If no,
return to the booster seat. Q: What is the proper way to
wear seat belts?
A: An older child should wear a
lap-shoulder belt and get the
additional restraint a shoulder
belt can provide. The shoulder
belt should not cross the face or
neck. The lap belt should fit
snugly below the hips, just
touching the top of the thighs.
This applies belt force to the
child's pelvic bones in a crash.
It should never be worn over the
abdomen, which could cause
severe or even fatal internal
injuries in a crash.
Also see “ Rear Seat Belt Comfort
Guides ” under Lap-Shoulder Belt
0 82 .
According to accident statistics,
children are safer when properly
restrained in a rear seating position.
In a crash, children who are not
buckled up can strike other people
who are buckled up, or can be
thrown out of the vehicle. Older
children need to use seat belts
properly.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/15/18
102 Seats and Restraints
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
.
Rear-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,
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
injuries. To reduce the risk of
serious or fatal injuries during a
crash, young children should
always be secured in appropriate
child restraints.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/15/18
106 Seats and Restraints Wherever a child restraint is
installed, be sure to follow the
instructions that came with the child
restraint and secure the child
restraint properly.
Keep in mind that an unsecured
child restraint can move around in a
collision or sudden stop and injure
people in the vehicle. Be sure to
properly secure any child restraint in
the vehicle — even when no child is
in it.
Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children
(LATCH System) The LATCH system secures a child
restraint during driving or in a crash.
LATCH attachments on the child
restraint are used to attach the child
restraint to the anchors in the
vehicle. This system is designed to
make installation of a child restraint
easier.
In order to use the LATCH system in
your vehicle, you need a child
restraint that has LATCH
attachments. LATCH-compatible rear-facing and forward-facing child
seats can be properly installed
using either the LATCH anchors or
the vehicle ’ s seat belts. Do not use
both the seat belts and the LATCH
anchorage system to secure a
rear-facing or forward-facing
child seat.
Booster seats use the vehicle ’ s seat
belts to secure the child and the
booster seat. If the manufacturer
recommends that the booster seat
be secured with the LATCH system,
this can be done as long as the
booster seat can be positioned
properly and there is no interference
with the proper positioning of the
lap-shoulder belt on the child.
Make sure to follow the instructions
that came with the child restraint,
and also the instructions in this
manual.
When installing a child restraint with
a top tether, you must also use
either the lower anchors or the seat
belts to properly secure the child
restraint. A child restraint must
never be installed using only the top
tether and anchor. The LATCH anchorage system can
be used until the combined weight
of the child plus the child restraint is
29.5 kg (65 lbs). Use the seat belt
alone instead of the LATCH
anchorage system once the
combined weight is more than
29.5 kg (65 lbs).
See Securing Child Restraints (With
the Seat Belt in the Front Outboard
Seat) 0 121 or Securing Child
Restraints (In the Center Front Seat)
0 120 or Securing Child Restraints
(With the Seat Belt in the Rear
Seat) 0 117 .
Child restraints built after March
2014 will be labeled with the
specific child weight up to which the
LATCH system can be used to
install the restraint.
The following explains how to attach
a child restraint with these
attachments in the vehicle.
Not all vehicle seating positions
have lower anchors. In this case,
the seat belt must be used (with top
tether where available) to secure
the child restraint.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/15/18
Seats and Restraints 113LATCH anchor weight limits
described at the beginning of
this section, and the following
steps:
Rear Driver Side Position Rear Driver Side Position
2.1. For a top tether in the
rear driver side position:
2.1.1. Remove the driver
side head restraint
and center
headrest. See
“ Head Restraint or
Headrest Removal
and Reinstallation ”
later in this
section. 2.1.2. For first time use,
remove and
discard the rubber
band from the top
tether loop (2).
2.1.3. Route the top
tether (3) through
the loop (2).
2.1.4. Attach the top
tether (3) to the
driver side of the
center top tether
metal anchor (1).
2.1.5. Make sure the
child restraint top
tether hook is
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/15/18
Seats and Restraints 1197. For forward-facing child
restraints, attach and tighten
the top tether to the top tether
anchor (loop). Refer to the child
restraint instructions, the
vehicle LATCH anchor weight
limits, and instructions listed in
Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH System)
0 106 .
8. Before placing a child in the
child restraint, make sure it is
securely held in place. To
check, grasp the child restraint
at the seat belt path and
attempt to move it side to side
and back and forth. When the
child restraint is properly
installed, there should be no
more than 2.5 cm (1 in) of
movement.
To remove the child restraint,
unbuckle the vehicle seat belt and
let it return to the stowed position.
If the top tether is attached to a top
tether anchor, disconnect it.
Reinstall the head restraint or
headrest before the seating position
is used. See “ Head Restraint or Headrest Removal and
Reinstallation ” under Lower Anchors
and Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) 0 106 for additional
information on installing the
headrest properly.
Crew Cab 1. Put the child restraint on
the seat.
2. Pick up the latch plate, and run
the lap and shoulder portions
of the vehicle's seat belt
through or around the child
restraint. The child restraint
instructions will show you how. 3. Push the latch plate into the
buckle until it clicks.
Position the release button on
the buckle, away from the child
restraint, so that the seat belt
could be quickly unbuckled if
necessary.
4. Pull the shoulder belt all the
way out of the retractor to set
the lock. When the retractor
lock is set, the belt can be
tightened but not pulled out of
the retractor.
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,