
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - CRC - 5/14/19
328 Vehicle Care
Specification
Use full synthetic engine oils that
meet the dexos1 specification.
Engine oils that have been
approved by GM as meeting the
dexos1 specification are marked
with the dexos1 approved logo.
Caution
Failure to use the recommended
engine oil or equivalent can result
in engine damage not covered by
the vehicle warranty.
Viscosity Grade
Use SAE 0W-20 viscosity grade
engine oil for the 5.3L and 6.2L
V8 engines. Use SAE 5W-30 viscosity grade
engine oil for the 2.7L L4 and 4.3L
V6 engines. Cold Temperature
Operation: In an area of extreme
cold, where the temperature falls
below
−29 °C (−20 °F), use SAE
0W-30 oil in the 2.7L or 4.3L engine.
An oil of this viscosity grade will
provide easier cold starting for the
engine at extremely low
temperatures.
When selecting an oil of the
appropriate viscosity grade, it is
recommended to select an oil of the
correct specification. See
“Specification” earlier in this section.Engine Oil Additives/Engine
Oil Flushes
Do not add anything to the oil. The
recommended oils meeting the
dexos1 specification are all that is
needed for good performance and
engine protection.
Engine oil system flushes are not
recommended and could cause
engine damage not covered by the
vehicle warranty.
What to Do with Used Oil
Used engine oil contains certain
elements that can be unhealthy for
your skin and could even cause
cancer. Do not let used oil stay on
your skin for very long. Clean your
skin and nails with soap and water,
or a good hand cleaner. Wash or
properly dispose of clothing or rags
containing used engine oil. See the
manufacturer's warnings about the
use and disposal of oil products.
Used oil can be a threat to the
environment. If you change your
own oil, be sure to drain all the oil
from the filter before disposal. Never
dispose of oil by putting it in the
trash or pouring it on the ground,
into sewers, or into streams or
bodies of water. Recycle it by taking
it to a place that collects used oil.
Engine Oil Life System
When to Change Engine Oil
This vehicle has a computer system
that indicates when to change the
engine oil and filter. This is based
on a combination of factors which

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - CRC - 5/14/19
Vehicle Care 329
include engine revolutions, engine
temperature, and miles driven.
Based on driving conditions, the
mileage at which an oil change is
indicated can vary considerably. For
the oil life system to work properly,
the system must be reset every time
the oil is changed.
On some vehicles, when the system
has calculated that oil life has been
diminished, a CHANGE ENGINE
OIL SOON message comes on to
indicate that an oil change is
necessary. Change the oil as soon
as possible within the next 1 000 km
(600 mi). It is possible that, if driving
under the best conditions, the oil life
system might indicate that an oil
change is not necessary for up to a
year. The engine oil and filter must
be changed at least once a year
and, at this time, the system must
be reset. For vehicles without the
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message, an oil change is needed
when the REMAINING OIL LIFE
percentage is near 0%. Your dealer
has trained service people who will
perform this work and reset the
system. It is also important to checkthe oil regularly over the course of
an oil drain interval and keep it at
the proper level.
If the system is ever reset
accidentally, the oil must be
changed at 5 000 km (3,000 mi)
since the last oil change.
Remember to reset the oil life
system whenever the oil is changed.
How to Reset the Engine Oil
Life System
Reset the system whenever the
engine oil is changed so that the
system can calculate the next
engine oil change. Always reset the
engine oil life to 100% after every oil
change. It will not reset itself. To
reset the engine oil life system:
1. Display the oil life percentage on the DIC. See Driver
Information Center (DIC)
(Midlevel and Uplevel) 0163 or
Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Base Level) 0161.
2. Press the thumbwheel on the steering wheel, or the trip
odometer reset stem if the
vehicle does not have DIC controls, for several seconds.
When the confirmation
message displays, select YES.
The oil life will change
to 100%.
The oil life system can also be reset
as follows:
1. Display the oil life percentage on the DIC. See Driver
Information Center (DIC)
(Midlevel and Uplevel) 0163 or
Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Base Level) 0161.
2. Fully press the accelerator pedal slowly three times within
five seconds.
3. If the display changes to 100%, the system is reset.
If the vehicle has a CHANGE
ENGINE OIL SOON message and it
comes back on when the vehicle is
started and/or the oil life percentage
is near 0%, the engine oil life
system has not been reset. Repeat
the procedure.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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Vehicle Care 333
5.3L V8 Engine (L84) Shown, 5.3LV8 Engine (L82) and 6.2LV8 Engine (L87) Similar
1. Engine Electric Cooling Fans (Out of View)
2. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap
{Warning
An underhood electric fan can
start up even when the engine is
not running and can cause injury.
Keep hands, clothing, and tools
away from any underhood
electric fan.
{Warning
Do not touch heater, radiator, a/c
pipes or hoses, or other engine
parts. They can be very hot and
can burn you. Do not run the
engine if there is a leak; all
coolant could leak out. That could
cause an engine fire and can
burn you. Fix any leak before
driving the vehicle.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in the vehicle is
filled with DEX-COOL engine
coolant. This coolant is designed to
remain in the vehicle for 5 years or
240 000 km (150,000 mi), whichever
occurs first.
The following explains the cooling
system and how to check and add
coolant when it is low. If there is a
problem with engine overheating,
see Engine Overheating 0336.
What to Use
{Warning
Plain water, or other liquids such
as alcohol, can boil before the
proper coolant mixture will. With
plain water or the wrong mixture,
the engine could get too hot but
there would not be an overheat
warning. The engine could catch
fire and you or others could be
burned.
Use a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
coolant. This mixture:
. Gives freezing protection down
to−37 °C (−34 °F), outside
temperature.
. Gives boiling protection up to
129 °C (265 °F), engine
temperature.
. Protects against rust and
corrosion.
. Will not damage aluminum parts.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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334 Vehicle Care
.Helps keep the proper engine
temperature.
Caution
Do not use anything other than a
mix of DEX-COOL coolant that
meets GM Standard
GMW3420 and clean, drinkable
water. Anything else can cause
damage to the engine cooling
system and the vehicle, which
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Never dispose of engine coolant by
putting it in the trash, or by pouring
it on the ground, or into sewers,
streams, or bodies of water. Have
the coolant changed by an
authorized service center, familiar
with legal requirements regarding
used coolant disposal. This will help
protect the environment and your
health.
Checking Coolant
The coolant surge tank is in the
engine compartment on the driver
side of the vehicle. See Engine
Compartment Overview 0321.
The vehicle must be on a level
surface when checking the coolant
level.
Check to see if coolant is visible in
the coolant surge tank. If the coolant
inside the coolant surge tank is
boiling, wait until it cools down. The
coolant level should be at or above the indicated mark. If it is not, there
may be a leak in the cooling
system.
If coolant is visible but the coolant
level is not at or above the indicated
mark, see the following sections on
how to add coolant to the coolant
surge tank.
Automatic Coolant Service Fill
Instructions (L3B Engine)
See 3.0L Duramax Diesel
supplement for the diesel engine
procedure.
If equipped, this feature assists in
filling and removing air from the
cooling system after service of
components or when coolant is
added after being too low.
To activate the fill and air removal
process:
1. With a cold system, add coolant to the indicated mark
on the surge tank.
2. Replace the cap on the surge tank.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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338 Vehicle Care
3. When it is safe to do so, pull offthe road, shift to P (Park) or
N (Neutral) and let the
engine idle.
If the temperature overheat gauge is
no longer in the overheat zone or an
overheat warning no longer
displays, the vehicle can be driven.
Continue to drive the vehicle slowly
for about 10 minutes. Keep a safe
vehicle distance from the vehicle in
front. If the warning does not come
back on, continue to drive normally
and have the cooling system
checked for proper fill and function.
If the warning continues, pull over,
stop, and park the vehicle
right away.
If there is still no sign of steam and
the vehicle is equipped with an
engine driven cooling fan, push
down the accelerator until the
engine speed is about twice as fast
as normal idle speed for at least
five minutes while the vehicle is
parked. If the warning is still there,
turn off the engine and get everyone
out of the vehicle until it cools down. If there is no sign of steam, idle the
engine for five minutes while
parked. If the warning is still
displayed, turn off the engine until it
cools down.
Overheated Engine
Protection
Operating Mode
If an overheated engine condition
exists and the ENGINE POWER IS
REDUCED message displays, an
overheat protection mode which
alternates firing groups of cylinders
helps to prevent engine damage. In
this mode, a loss in power and
engine performance will be noticed.
This operating mode allows the
vehicle to be driven to a safe place
in an emergency. Driving extended
distances and/or towing a trailer in
the overheat protection mode
should be avoided.
Caution
After driving in the overheated
engine protection operating
mode, the engine oil will be
severely degraded. Any repairs
performed before the engine is
cool may cause engine damage.
Allow the engine to cool before
attempting any repair. Repair the
cause of coolant loss, change the
oil, and reset the oil life system.
See
Engine Oil 0326.
Engine Fan
The vehicle has electric cooling
fan(s). The fans may be heard
spinning at low speed during most
everyday driving. The fans may turn
off if no cooling is required. Under
heavy vehicle loading, trailer towing,
high outside temperatures,
or operation of the air conditioning
system, the fans may change to
high speed and an increase in fan
noise may be heard. This is normal
and indicates that the cooling
system is functioning properly. The

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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Vehicle Care 413
Control arm ball joints on 1500
series vehicles are
maintenance-free.
Caution
Lubrication of applicable
suspension points should not be
done unless the temperature is
−12 °C (10 °F) or higher,
or damage could result.
Body Component Lubrication
Lubricate all key lock cylinders,
hood hinges, liftgate hinges, and the
steel fuel door hinge unless the
components are plastic. Applying
silicone grease on weatherstrips
with a clean cloth will make them
last longer, seal better, and not stick
or squeak.
Underbody Maintenance
At least twice a year, spring and fall,
use plain water to flush any
corrosive materials from the
underbody. Take care to thoroughly
clean any areas where mud and
other debris can collect. If equippedwith power assist steps, extend
them and then use a high pressure
wash to clean all joints and gaps.
Do not directly power wash the
transfer case and/or front/rear axle
output seals. High pressure water
can overcome the seals and
contaminate the fluid. Contaminated
fluid will decrease the life of the
transfer case and/or axles and
should be replaced.
Sheet Metal Damage
If the vehicle is damaged and
requires sheet metal repair or
replacement, make sure the body
repair shop applies anti-corrosion
material to parts repaired or
replaced to restore corrosion
protection.
Original manufacturer replacement
parts will provide the corrosion
protection while maintaining the
vehicle warranty.
Finish Damage
Quickly repair minor chips and
scratches with touch-up materials
available from your dealer to avoid
corrosion. Larger areas of finish
damage can be corrected in your
dealer's body and paint shop.
Chemical Paint Spotting
Airborne pollutants can fall upon
and attack painted vehicle surfaces
causing blotchy, ring-shaped
discolorations, and small, irregular
dark spots etched into the paint
surface. Refer to
“Finish Care”
previously in this section.
Interior Care
To prevent dirt particle abrasions,
regularly clean the vehicle's interior.
Immediately remove any soils.
Newspapers or dark garments can
transfer color to the vehicle’s
interior.
Use a soft bristle brush to remove
dust from knobs and crevices on the
instrument cluster. Using a mild
soap solution, immediately remove
hand lotions, sunscreen, and insect
repellent from all interior surfaces or
permanent damage may result.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/-
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - CRC - 5/13/19
Index 467
Door (cont'd)Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Power Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Drive Belt Routing, Engine . . . . . . 437
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . 258
Driver Information
Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161, 163
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Driver Mode Control Light . . . . . . 158
Driving Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . 265
Characteristics andTowing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Drunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
For Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . 30
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 209
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . .211
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Off-Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Dual Automatic Climate Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193E
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . 245
Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . 154
Electrical Equipment,Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
Electrical System Engine Compartment FuseBlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 355
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359, 361
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
Electronic Stability Control
(ESC) Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Emergency OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 453
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Check Light (Malfunction
Indicator) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 321
Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 437 Engine (cont'd)
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . . . . 146
Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Overheated Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 232
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Engine Air Filter Life System . . . . 330
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . . . 450
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Extender, Seat Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Exterior Cargo Lamps . . . . . . . . . . 185
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 179
Exterior Lamps Off Reminder . . . 181
Exterior Lighting Battery
Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/-
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468 Index
F
FanEngine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Features Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Filter, Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . 183
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 388 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 390
FlexFuel E85 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Floor Console Storage . . . . . . . . . . 128
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 416
Fluid
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 330
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Four-Wheel DriveTransfer Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Folding Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Forward Automatic Braking . . . . . 268
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . 239, 345
Four-Wheel-Drive Light . . . . . . . . . 155 Frequency Statement
Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 448
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Front Seats Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Heated and Ventilated . . . . . . . . . . 76
Fuel
Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Economy Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . 160
Management, Active . . . . . . . . . . 231
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Recommended . . . . . . . . . . 276, 277
Top Tier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . 399
Fuses Engine Compartment FuseBlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 355 Fuses (cont'd)
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359, 361
G
Garage Door Opener . . . . . . . . . . . 175Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
Gauges Engine Coolant
Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Engine Oil Pressure . . . . . . . . . . 146
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Voltmeter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Warning Lights and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
General Information Service and Maintenance . . . . . 418
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Vehicle Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
GM Mobility Reimbursement Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 442