
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - CRC - 5/14/19
150 Instruments and Controls
The airbag readiness light comes on
for several seconds when the
vehicle is started. If the light does
not come on then, have it fixed
immediately.
{Warning
If the airbag readiness light stays
on after the vehicle is started or
comes on while driving, it means
the airbag system might not be
working properly. The airbags in
the vehicle might not inflate in a
crash, or they could even inflate
without a crash. To help avoid
injury, have the vehicle serviced
right away.
If there is a problem with the airbag
system, a Driver Information Center
(DIC) message may also come on.
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator
The vehicle has a passenger
sensing system. See Passenger
Sensing System 093 for important safety information. The overhead
console has a passenger airbag
status indicator.
United States
Canada
When the vehicle is started, the
passenger airbag status indicator
will light ON and OFF, or the
symbols for on and off, for several
seconds as a system check. Then,
after several more seconds, the
status indicator will light either ON
or OFF, or either the on or off
symbol, to let you know the status of
the front outboard passenger frontal
airbag. If the word ON or the on symbol is
lit on the passenger airbag status
indicator, it means that the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag is
allowed to inflate.
If the word OFF or the off symbol is
lit on the passenger airbag status
indicator, it means that the
passenger sensing system has
turned off the front outboard
passenger frontal airbag.
If, after several seconds, both status
indicator lights remain on, or if there
are no lights at all, there may be a
problem with the lights or the
passenger sensing system. See
your dealer for service.
{Warning
If the airbag readiness light ever
comes on and stays on, it means
that something may be wrong
with the airbag system. To help
avoid injury to yourself or others,
have the vehicle serviced right
(Continued)

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - CRC - 5/14/19
Instruments and Controls 151
Warning (Continued)
away. SeeAirbag Readiness
Light 0149 for more information,
including important safety
information.
Charging System Light
The charging system light comes on
briefly when the ignition is turned
on, but the engine is not running, as
a check to show the light is working.
It should go out when the engine is
started.
If the light stays on, or comes on
while driving, there may be a
problem with the electrical charging
system. Have it checked by your
dealer. Driving while this light is on
could drain the battery. When this light comes on, or is
flashing, the Driver Information
Center (DIC) also displays a
message.
If a short distance must be driven
with the light on, be sure to turn off
all accessories, such as the radio
and air conditioner.
Malfunction Indicator
Lamp (Check Engine
Light)
This light is part of the vehicle’s
emission control on-board
diagnostic system. If this light is on
while the engine is running, a
malfunction has been detected and
the vehicle may require service. The
light should come on to show that it
is working when the ignition is on
and the engine is not running. See
Ignition Positions (Key Access)
0
220 or
Ignition Positions (Keyless Access)
0 222.
Malfunctions are often indicated by
the system before any problem is
noticeable. Being aware of the light
and seeking service promptly when
it comes on may prevent damage.
Caution
If the vehicle is driven continually
with this light on, the emission
control system may not work as
well, the fuel economy may be
lower, and the vehicle may not
run smoothly. This could lead to
costly repairs that might not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - CRC - 5/14/19
Driving and Operating 221
0 (Stopping the Engine/LOCK/
OFF) :This position turns off the
vehicle. It also locks the ignition, the
transmission, and the steering
column, if equipped with a locking
steering column.
To turn off the vehicle:
1. Make sure that the vehicle is stopped.
2. Shift to P (Park).
3. Continue to hold the brake pedal, then set the parking
brake. See Electric Parking
Brake 0245. 4. Push the key all the way in
toward the steering column,
then turn the key to
LOCK/OFF.
5. Remove the key.
6. Release the brake pedal.
See your dealer if the key can be
removed in any other position.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
will remain active. See Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) 0228.
A warning chime will sound when
the driver door is opened and the
key is in the ignition.
If equipped with a locking steering
column, the steering can bind with
the front wheels turned off center,
which may prevent key rotation out
of LOCK/OFF. If this happens, move
the steering wheel from right to left
while turning the key to ACC/
ACCESSORY. If this does not work,
then the vehicle needs service.
{Warning
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may cause loss of power
assist in the brake and steering
systems and disable the airbags.
While driving, turn off the vehicle
only in an emergency.
In an emergency, if the vehicle
cannot be pulled over and must be
turned off while driving: 1. Push the key all the way in toward the steering column,
then turn the key to ACC/
ACCESSORY.
2. Brake using firm and steady pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
3. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral). This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. Continue
braking and steer the vehicle to
a safe location.
4. Come to a complete stop.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - CRC - 5/14/19
Driving and Operating 223
The Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter must be in the vehicle for
the system to operate. If the
pushbutton start is not working, the
vehicle may be near a strong radio
antenna signal causing interference
to the Keyless Access system. See
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation (Keyless Access)
034 or
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation (Key Access)
0 42.
To shift out of P (Park), the ignition
must be on or in Service Mode, and
the brake pedal must be applied.
{Warning
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may cause loss of power
assist in the brake and steering
systems and disable the airbags.
While driving, only shut the
vehicle off in an emergency. Stopping the Engine/LOCK/
OFF (No Indicator Lights) :
When
the vehicle is stopped, press
ENGINE START/STOP once to turn
the engine off.
If the vehicle is in P (Park), the
ignition will turn off, and Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) will remain
active. See Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) 0228.
If the vehicle is not in P (Park), the
ignition will return to ACC/
ACCESSORY and display the
message SHIFT TO PARK in the
Driver Information Center (DIC).
When the vehicle is shifted into
P (Park), the ignition system will
turn off.
The vehicle may have an electric
steering column lock. The lock is
activated when the ignition is turned
off and either front door is opened.
A sound may be heard as the lock
actuates or releases. The steering
column lock may not release with
the wheels turned off center. If this
happens, the vehicle may not start.
Move the steering wheel from left to right while attempting to start the
vehicle. If this does not work, the
vehicle needs service.
If the vehicle must be shut off in an
emergency:
1. Brake using a firm and steady pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral). This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. After shifting
to N (Neutral), firmly apply the
brakes and steer the vehicle to
a safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop.
4. Hold the brake pedal down and shift to P (Park). The shift lever
must be in P (Park) to turn the
ignition off.
5. Continue to hold the brake pedal down.
6. Set the parking brake. See Electric Parking Brake 0245.
7. Press ENGINE START/STOP once to turn the ignition off.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - CRC - 5/14/19
Driving and Operating 311
Tow/Haul Mode Reminder
This is a reminder to turn on the
Tow/Haul Mode when towing a
trailer. SeeTow/Haul Mode 0238.
Touch Tow/Haul Mode Reminder in
Settings to view the Tow/Haul Mode
Reminder settings page. These
alerts are based on the Trailer
Profile, so the settings for each
Trailer Profile must be turned on or
off. Touch a profile to view more
information or to adjust the setting
for that profile.
This setting will default to OFF for
each Trailer Profile, including the
Guest Trailer Profile.
If Tow/Haul Mode is off and this
setting is on for a Trailer Profile,
each time the ignition is turned on a
reminder will appear to turn on Tow/
Haul Mode when the Trailer Profile
is active.
If Tow/Haul Mode is on and this
setting is on for a Trailer Profile, the
reminder will not appear when the
Trailer Profile is active.
Conversions and
Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical
Equipment
{Warning
The Data Link Connector (DLC) is
used for vehicle service and
Emission Inspection/Maintenance
testing. See Malfunction
Indicator Lamp (Check Engine
Light) 0151. A device connected
to the DLC —such as an
aftermarket fleet or
driver-behavior tracking device —
may interfere with vehicle
systems. This could affect vehicle
operation and cause a crash.
Such devices may also access
information stored in the vehicle’s
systems.
Caution
Some electrical equipment can
damage the vehicle or cause
components to not work and
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Always check
with your dealer before adding
electrical equipment.
Add-on equipment can drain the
vehicle's 12-volt battery, even if the
vehicle is not operating.
The vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to add anything
electrical to the vehicle, see
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle 097 and
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 098.
For information on wiring auxiliary
switches, see www.gmupfitter.com
or contact your dealer.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - CRC - 5/14/19
Vehicle Care 319
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own
Service Work
{Warning
It can be dangerous to work on
your vehicle if you do not have
the proper knowledge, service
manual, tools, or parts. Always
follow owner’s manual procedures
and consult the service manual
for your vehicle before doing any
service work.
If doing some of your own service
work, use the proper service
manual. It tells you much more
about how to service the vehicle
than this manual can. To order the
proper service manual, see
Publication Ordering Information
0 447.
This vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to do your own
service work, see Servicing the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 097. If equipped with remote vehicle
start, open the hood before
performing any service work to
prevent remote starting the vehicle
accidentally. See
Remote Vehicle
Start 044.
Keep a record with all parts receipts
and list the mileage and the date of
any service work performed. See
Maintenance Records 0433.
Caution
Even small amounts of
contamination can cause damage
to vehicle systems. Do not allow
contaminants to contact the fluids,
reservoir caps, or dipsticks.
Hood
{Warning
Turn the vehicle off before
opening the hood. If the vehicle is
on, the engine will start when the
hood is opened. You or others
could be injured.
{Warning
Components under the hood can
get hot from running the engine.
To help avoid the risk of burning
unprotected skin, never touch
these components until they have
cooled, and always use a glove or
towel to avoid direct skin contact.
Clear any snow from the hood
before opening.
To open the hood: 1. Pull the hood release lever with the
isymbol. It is on the
lower left side of the instrument
panel.
2. Go to the front of the vehicle and locate the secondary
release lever under the front
center of the hood. Push the
secondary hood release lever
to the right to release.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/-
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - CRC - 5/13/19
470 Index
Lane Keep Assist Light . . . . . . . . . 156
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
LATCH SystemReplacing Parts after aCrash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
LATCH, Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . . . 107
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
Lighting Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Exit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Illumination Control . . . . . . . . . . . 186
LED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
Task . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Lights Airbag Readiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Antilock Brake System
(ABS) Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Brake System Warning . . . . . . . 153
Charging System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Check Engine (Malfunction Indicator) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Door Ajar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . 158
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . 154
Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157 Lights (cont'd)
Engine Coolant
Temperature Warning . . . . . . . 158
Engine Oil Pressure . . . . . . . . . . 159
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Four-Wheel-Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Front Fog Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
High-Beam On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . 181
Hill Descent Control . . . . . . . . . . 156
Lane Keep Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Low Fuel Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Seat Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . . 149
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Service Electric Parking
Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Traction Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Limited-Slip Differential . . . . . . . . . 255
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Locks Automatic Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Lockout Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Power Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . . 160
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365
Lower Anchors and Tethers
for Children (LATCH
System) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Lumbar Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
M
MaintenanceRecords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 433
Maintenance and Care Additional . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 427
Maintenance Schedule . . . . . . . . . 420 Recommended Fluids andLubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 430
Transfer Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . . 151
Manual Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Manual Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Memory Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Memory Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Messages Engine Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Vehicle Speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/-
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - CRC - 5/13/19
Index 471
MirrorRear Camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Mirrors Automatic Dimming . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Automatic DimmingRearview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Blind Spot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Convex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Folding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Heated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Manual Rearview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Tilt in Reverse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Mirrors, Interior Rearview . . . . . . . . 61
Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 Driver Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Monitor System, Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374
N
NavigationConnected Services . . . . . . . . . . 460
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Noise Control System . . . . . . . . . . 347
O
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 Trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Off-Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203 Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Oil Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 328
Engine Oil Pressure Gauge . . . 146
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Older Children, Restraints . . . . . . 100
Online Owner Center . . . . . . . . . . . 441
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 451
OnStar Additional Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 454
OnStar Emergency . . . . . . . . . . . . . 453
OnStar Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 452
OnStar Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 454
Operating Mode Overheated EngineProtection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Operation Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Outlets Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 Overheated Engine
Protection Operating Mode . . . . 338
Overheating, Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
P
Park Shifting Into . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Shifting Out of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Park Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Parking Brake and P (Park)Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 348
Extended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Over Things That Burn . . . . . . . 231
Parking or Backing Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . 259
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Passenger Compartment Air Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . 93
Pedestrian Ahead Indicator . . . . . 156
Perchlorate Materials
Requirements, California . . . . . . 318
Personalization Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Pickup Conversion to Chassis Cab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315