GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - CRC - 5/14/19
Instruments and Controls 165
Air Filter Life :Shows an estimate
of the engine air filter ’s remaining
useful life and the state of the
system. Engine Air Filter Life 95%
means 95% of the current air filter
life remains. Messages will display
based on the engine air filter life and
the state of the system. When the
REPLACE SOON message
displays, the engine air filter should
be replaced at the earliest
convenience.
The Air Filter Life display must be
reset after the engine air filter
replacement. To reset, see Engine
Air Filter Life System 0330.
Brake Pad Life : This displays an
estimate of the remaining life of the
front and rear brake pads.
Messages will display based on
brake pad wear and the state of the
system. Reset the Brake Pad Life
display after replacing the brake
pads. See Brake Pad Life System
0 340. Fuel Economy :
Displays average
fuel economy, the best fuel
economy over the selected
distance, and a bar graph showing
instantaneous fuel economy.
Press the thumbwheel to change
the selected distance. Press and
hold the thumbwheel while this
display is active to reset the best
fuel economy and average fuel
economy. This display can also be
reset by selecting reset in the menu.
Engine Hours (Hourmeter) :
Shows the total number of hours the
engine has run. This display also
shows the engine idle hours.
Transmission Fluid
Temperature : Shows the
temperature of the automatic
transmission fluid in either degrees
Celsius (°C) or degrees
Fahrenheit (°F).
Trailer Brake : On vehicles with the
Integrated Trailer Brake Control
(ITBC) system, the trailer brake
display appears in the DIC. TRAILER GAIN shows the trailer
gain setting. This setting can be
adjusted from 0.0 to 10.0 with either
a trailer connected or disconnected.
OUTPUT shows the power output to
the trailer any time a trailer with
electric brakes is connected. Output
is displayed as a bar graph. Dotted
lines may appear in the OUTPUT
display if a trailer is not connected.
Off Road :
Displays vehicle pitch
and roll information, road wheel
angle, and four-wheel drive (4WD)
status.
Follow Distance : If equipped, the
current follow time to the vehicle
ahead is displayed as a time value
on this page.
Driver Assistance : If equipped,
shows information for Lane Keep
Assist (LKA) and Forward Collision
Alert (FCA).
Info Page Options : Scroll to
choose which info pages appear on
the DIC. Press the thumbwheel to
select or deselect.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - CRC - 5/14/19
234 Driving and Operating
To rock the vehicle back and forth to
get out of snow, ice, or sand without
damaging the transmission, seeIf
the Vehicle Is Stuck 0211.
N : In this position, the engine does
not connect with the wheels. To
restart the engine when the vehicle
is already moving, use
N (Neutral) only.
Also, use N (Neutral) when the
vehicle is being towed.
{Warning
Shifting into a drive gear while the
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is
firmly on the brake pedal, the
vehicle could move very rapidly.
You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift
into a drive gear while the engine
is running at high speed.
Caution
Shifting out of P (Park) or
N (Neutral) with the engine
running at high speed may
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Be sure the
engine is not running at high
speed when shifting the vehicle.
Caution
A transmission hot message may
display if the automatic
transmission fluid is too hot.
Driving under this condition can
damage the vehicle. Stop and idle
the engine to cool the automatic
transmission fluid. This message
clears when the transmission fluid
has cooled sufficiently. D :
This position is for normal
driving. It provides the best fuel
economy. If more power is needed
for passing, press the accelerator
pedal down.
. When going less than about
55 km/h (35 mph), push the
accelerator pedal about
halfway down.
. When going about 55 km/h
(35 mph) or more, push the
accelerator all the way down.
By doing this, the vehicle shifts
down to the next gear and has
more power.
Use D (Drive) and Tow/Haul Mode
when towing a trailer, carrying a
heavy load, driving on steep hills,
or driving off-road. Shift the
transmission to a lower gear if the
transmission shifts too often.
Downshifting the transmission in
slippery road conditions could result
in skidding. See “Skidding”under
Loss of Control 0203.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - CRC - 5/14/19
316 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 317
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 318
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 328
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Engine Air Filter Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 331
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 336
Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338 Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Brake Pad Life System . . . . . . . 340
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Battery - North America . . . . . . 342
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
Noise Control System . . . . . . . . 347
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 348
Ignition Transmission Lock
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 348
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 348
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 349
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 350
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
Headlamp Aiming
Front Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . 351
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker, and Parking
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
Taillamps, Turn Signal,
Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352 Center High-Mounted
Stoplamp (CHMSL) and
Cargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 354
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 354
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 355
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355
Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Right) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Left) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 364
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 364
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365
All-Terrain Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 365
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373
Tire Pressure Monitor
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - CRC - 5/14/19
330 Vehicle Care
Automatic Transmission
Fluid
When to Check and Change
Automatic Transmission Fluid
It is usually not necessary to check
the transmission fluid level. The only
reason for fluid loss is a
transmission leak or overheated
transmission. This vehicle is not
equipped with a transmission fluid
level dipstick. There is a special
procedure for checking and
changing the transmission fluid in
these vehicles. Because this
procedure is difficult, this should be
done at the dealer. Contact the
dealer for additional information or
the procedure can be found in the
service manual. SeePublication
Ordering Information 0447.
Caution
Use of the incorrect automatic
transmission fluid may damage
the vehicle, and the damage may
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Always use the correct
automatic transmission fluid. See
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants0430.
Change the fluid and filter at the
scheduled maintenance intervals
listed in Maintenance Schedule
0 420. Be sure to use the
transmission fluid listed in
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0430.
Engine Air Filter Life
System
If equipped, this feature provides
the engine air filter ’s remaining life
and best timing for a change. The
timing to change an engine air filter
depends on driving and
environmental conditions.
When to Change the Engine
Air Filter
When the Driver Information Center
(DIC) displays a message to replace
the engine air filter at the next oil
change, follow this timing.
When the DIC displays a message
to replace the engine air filter soon,
replace the engine air filter at the
earliest convenience.
The system must be reset after the
engine air filter is changed.
If the DIC displays a message to
check the engine air filter system,
see your dealer.
How to Reset the Engine Air
Filter Life System
To reset:
1. Place the vehicle in P (Park).
2. Display the Air Filter Life on the DIC. See Driver Information
Center (DIC) (Midlevel and
Uplevel) 0163 or
Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Base Level) 0161.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - CRC - 5/13/19
Service and Maintenance 425
Maintenance Schedule
Additional Required
Services - Severe12 000 km/7,500 mi
24 000 km/15,000 mi
36 000 km/22,500 mi
48 000 km/30,000 mi
60 000 km/37,500 mi
72 000 km/45,000 mi
84 000 km/52,500 mi
96 000 km/60,000 mi
108 000 km/67,500 mi
120 000 km/75,000 mi
132 000 km/82,500 mi
144 000 km/90,000 mi
156 000 km/97,500 mi
168 000 km/105,000 mi 180 000 km/112,500 mi
192 000 km/120,000 mi
204 000 km/127,500 mi
216 000 km/135,000 mi
228 000 km/142,500 mi
240 000 km/150,000 mi
Rotate tires and perform Required Services.
Check engine oil level and oil life percentage.
Change engine oil and filter, if needed. Check
engine air filter life percentage and status.
Change engine air filter, if needed.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @
Replace passenger compartment air filter. (1)@ @@@@@
If the vehicle is not equipped with the engine air
filter life system, replace engine air cleaner
filter. (2)@ @@
Inspect evaporative control system. (3)@@@
Replace spark plugs. Inspect spark plug wires.
(Except 2.7L L4 Turbo Engine)@
Replace spark plugs. Inspect spark plug wires.
(2.7L L4 Turbo Engine Only)@ @
Change automatic transmission fluid and filter.@@@
Change transfer case fluid, if equipped with
4WD. (4)@@@
Drain and fill engine cooling system. (5)@
Visually inspect accessory drive belts. (6)@
Replace brake fluid. (7)
Replace windshield wiper blades. (8)
@ @@
@@ @
@ @@ @
Replace hood and/or body lift support gas struts.@
@
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - CRC - 5/13/19
430 Service and Maintenance
Recommended Fluids, Lubricants, and Parts
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
This maintenance section applies to vehicles with a gasoline engine. If the vehicle has a diesel engine, see
“Recommended Fluids and Lubricants”in the Duramax diesel supplement.
Fluids and lubricants identified below by name, part number, or specification can be obtained from your dealer.
Usage Fluid/Lubricant
Automatic Transmission (6-Speed Transmission) DEXRON-VI Automatic Transmission Fluid.
Automatic Transmission (8-Speed Transmission) DEXRON-HP Automatic Transmission Fluid.
Automatic Transmission (10-Speed Transmission) DEXRON ULV Automatic Transmission Fluid (GM Part No. 19352619, in
Canada 19352620).
Chassis Lubrication Chassis Lubricant (GM Part No. 12377985, in Canada 88901242) or lubricant meeting requirements of NLGI #2, Category LB or GC-LB.
Engine Coolant 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and use only DEX-COOL coolant. SeeCooling System 0332.
Engine Oil Engine oil meeting the dexos1 specification of the proper SAE viscosity grade. ACDelco dexos1 full synthetic is recommended. See Engine Oil
0 326.
Front and Rear Axle Driveshaft Splines Spline Lubricant, Special Lubricant (GM Part No. 19257121, in
Canada 19257122).
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - CRC - 5/13/19
Service and Maintenance 431
UsageFluid/Lubricant
Front Axle (Four-Wheel Drive) and Rear Axle See your dealer.
Hydraulic Brake System DOT 4 Hydraulic Brake Fluid (GM Part No. 19299570, in Canada 19299571).
Key Lock Cylinders, Hood Hinges, Body Door Hinge Pins, Tailgate
Hinge and Linkage, Fuel Door Hinge, Tailgate Handle Pivot Points, Hinges, Latch Bolt, and Linkage Multi-Purpose Lubricant, Superlube (GM Part No. 12346241, in
Canada 10953474).
Transfer Case (Four-Wheel Drive) DEXRON-VI Automatic Transmission Fluid. Weatherstrip Conditioning Weatherstrip Lubricant (GM Part No. 3634770, in Canada 10953518) or equivalent.
Weatherstrip Squeaks Synthetic Grease with Teflon, Superlube (GM Part No. 12371287, in Canada 10953437).
Windshield Washer Automotive windshield washer fluid that meets regional freeze protection requirements.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/-
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - CRC - 5/13/19
Index 465
Assistance Systems forDriving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Assistance Systems for Parking and Backing . . . . . . . . . . 259
Auto Stop Stop/Start System . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Automatic
Dimming Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Forward Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Automatic Transmission Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Axle, Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Axle, Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
B
Battery Exterior Lighting Battery
Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Load Management . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Power Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Battery - North America . . . . 342, 400
Blade Replacement, Wiper . . . . . 349
Blind Spot Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Brake
Parking, Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
System Warning Light . . . . . . . . 153
Brake Pad Life System . . . . . . . . . 340
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340 Antilock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Pad Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201 Automatic Forward . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Braking System Front Pedestrian (FPB) . . . . . . . 269
Break-In, New Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . 220
Bulb Replacement Center High-Mounted
Stoplamp (CHMSL) and
Cargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker, and
Parking Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
License Plate Lamps . . . . . . . . . 354
Taillamps, Turn Signal,
Stoplamps, and Back-up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352 Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 383
C
Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
California
Perchlorate MaterialsRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
California Proposition
65 Warning . . . . . . . . . .318, 342, 400, Back Cover
Canadian Vehicle Owners . . . . . . . . 2
Capacities and
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 435
Carbon Monoxide Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Tailgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Cargo Tie-Downs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Caution, Danger, and Warning . . . . 3
Center Console Storage . . . . . . . . 127
Center High-Mounted
Stoplamp (CHMSL) and
Cargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
Center Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Chains, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 387