GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13337776) - 2020 - CRC - 4/4/19
Driving and Operating 189
Electric Power Steering (1500
Series)
This vehicle has electric power
steering. It does not have power
steering fluid. Regular maintenance
is not required.
If power steering assist is lost due
to a system malfunction, the vehicle
can be steered, but may require
increased effort.
See your dealer if there is a
problem.
If the steering assist is used for an
extended period of time while the
vehicle is not moving, power assist
may be reduced.If the steering wheel is turned until it
reaches the end of its travel, and is
held in that position for an extended
period of time, power steering assist
may be reduced.
Normal use of the power steering
assist should return when the
system cools down.
See your dealer if there is a
problem.
Power Steering (2500/3500
Series)
(2500/3500 Series - All Regular
Cab, Double Cab/Crew Cab
without Digital Steer Assist)
The power steering system may
require maintenance. See
Power
Steering Fluid 0354.
If power steering assist is lost
because the engine stops or the
system malfunctions, the vehicle
can be steered but may require
increased effort. See your dealer. (2500/3500 Series - Double Cab/
Crew Cab with Digital Steer
Assist)
The vehicle has a Digital Steer
Assist power steering system that
varies the amount of effort required
to steer the vehicle. Less steering
effort is required at slower speeds.
At faster speeds, the required
steering effort increases. The
system helps the steering wheel
return to center at low speeds.
Pressing the Tow/Haul button
adjusts steering effort for driving
conditions described in
Tow/Haul
Mode 0226.
The power steering system may
require maintenance. See Power
Steering Fluid 0354.
If power steering assist is lost
because the engine stops or the
system malfunctions, the vehicle
can be steered but may require
increased effort. See your dealer.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13337776) - 2020 - CRC - 4/10/19
Vehicle Care 327
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 328
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 329
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 341
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
Engine Air Filter Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 344
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 351
Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353 Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . . . 354
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355
Brake Pad Life System . . . . . . . 356
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
Battery - North America . . . . . . 358
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362
Noise Control System . . . . . . . . 362
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 363
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 364
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 364
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 365
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 366
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 367
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367 Headlamps, Front Turn Signal,
Sidemarker, and Parking
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) and
Cargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 369
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 370
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 370
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block (Left) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374
Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Right) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380
All-Terrain Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 381
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 381
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 383
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13337776) - 2020 - CRC - 4/10/19
Vehicle Care 339
1. Remote Negative (–) Location.See Jump Starting - North
America 0419.
2. Positive (+) Terminal (Under Cover). See Jump Starting -
North America 0419.
3. Battery - North America 0358.
4. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0344.
5. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil 0339.
6. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System
0 346.
7. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. See Power Steering
Fluid 0354.
8. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When
to Add Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil 0339.
9. Auxiliary Battery. Battery -
North America 0358.
10. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid 0357.
11. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0371. 12. Coolant Surge Tank and
Pressure Cap. See Cooling
System 0346.
13. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer
Fluid” under Washer Fluid
0 354.
If the vehicle has a diesel engine,
see the Duramax diesel
supplement.
Engine Oil
For diesel engine vehicles, see
“Engine Oil” in the Duramax diesel
supplement.
To ensure proper engine
performance and long life, careful
attention must be paid to engine oil.
Following these simple, but
important steps will help protect
your investment:
. Use engine oil approved to the
proper specification and of the
proper viscosity grade. See
“Selecting the Right Engine Oil”
in this section. .
Check the engine oil level
regularly and maintain the
proper oil level. See “Checking
Engine Oil” and“When to Add
Engine Oil” in this section.
. Change the engine oil at the
appropriate time. See Engine Oil
Life System 0341.
. Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do with
Used Oil” in this section.Checking Engine Oil
Check the engine oil level regularly,
every 650 km (400 mi), especially
prior to a long trip. The engine oil
dipstick handle is a loop. See
Engine Compartment Overview
0332 for the location.
{Warning
The engine oil dipstick handle
may be hot; it could burn you.
Use a towel or glove to touch the
dipstick handle.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13337776) - 2020 - CRC - 4/10/19
354 Vehicle Care
Power Steering Fluid
The power steering fluid reservoir is
in the engine compartment on the
driver side of the vehicle. See
Engine Compartment Overview
0332 for reservoir location.
When to Check Power Steering
Fluid
It is not necessary to regularly
check power steering fluid unless
there is a leak suspected in the
system or an unusual noise is
heard. A fluid loss in this system
could indicate a problem. Have the
system inspected and repaired.
How to Check Power Steering
Fluid
To check the power steering fluid:
1. Set the ignition off and let the engine compartment
cool down.
2. Wipe the cap and the top of the reservoir clean.
3. Unscrew the cap and wipe the dipstick with a clean rag.
4. Replace the cap and completely tighten it.
5. Remove the cap again and look at the fluid level on the
dipstick.
The level should be between the
ADD and FULL marks. If necessary,
add only enough fluid to bring the
level up to the hashed area between
the ADD and FULL marks.
To prevent contamination of brake
fluid, never check or fill the power
steering reservoir with the brake
master cylinder cover off.
What to Use
Caution
Use of the incorrect fluid may
damage the vehicle and the
damages may not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Always use
the correct fluid listed in
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants0453.
To determine what kind of fluid to
use, see Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0453. Always use the
proper fluid. Failure to use the
proper fluid can cause leaks and
damage hoses and seals.
Washer Fluid
What to Use
When windshield washer fluid needs
to be added, be sure to read the
manufacturer's instructions before
use. Use a fluid that has sufficient
protection against freezing in an
area where the temperature may fall
below freezing.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13337776) - 2020 - CRC - 4/4/19
Service and Maintenance 443
The filter should be replaced as part
of routine scheduled maintenance.
Inspect the passenger compartment
air filter every 36 000 km/
22,500 miles or two years,
whichever comes first. Replace if
necessary. More frequent
replacement may be needed if the
vehicle is driven in areas with heavy
traffic, areas with poor air quality,
or areas with high dust levels.
Replacement may also be needed if
there is a reduction in air flow,
excessive window fogging, or odors.
Power Take Off (PTO) and
Extended Idle Use
When the vehicle is used with the
PTO equipment or used in a way
that requires extended idle time,
one hour of use shall be deemed
the same as 53 km (33 mi). See
Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Base Level)0148 or
Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Midlevel and Uplevel) 0149 for
hourmeter, if equipped.
Air Conditioning Desiccant
(Replace Every Seven Years)
The air conditioning system requires
maintenance every seven years.
This service requires replacement of
the desiccant to help the longevity
and efficient operation of the air
conditioning system. This service
can be complex. See your dealer.
Tire Rotation and Required
Services Every 12 000 km/
7,500 mi
Rotate the tires, if recommended for
the vehicle, and perform the
following services. See Tire
Rotation 0396.
. Check engine oil level and oil
life percentage. If needed,
change engine oil and filter, and
reset oil life system. See Engine
Oil 0339 and
Engine Oil Life System 0341.
. If equipped with the engine air
filter life system, check the air
filter life percentage.
If necessary, replace the engine
air filter and reset the engine air filter life system. See
Engine Air
Filter Life System 0343. If the
vehicle is not equipped with the
engine air filter life system,
inspect the engine air cleaner
filter. See Engine Air Cleaner/
Filter 0344.
. Check engine coolant level. See
Cooling System 0346.
. Check windshield washer fluid
level. See Washer Fluid 0354.
. Check tire inflation pressures,
including the spare. See Tire
Pressure 0387.
. Inspect tire wear. See Tire
Inspection 0396.
. Visually check for fluid leaks.
. Inspect brake system. See
Exterior Care 0429.
. Visually inspect steering,
suspension, and chassis
components for damage,
including cracks or tears in the
rubber boots, loose or missing
parts, or signs of wear at least
once a year. See Exterior Care
0 429. If equipped with grease
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/-
Mexico-13337776) - 2020 - CRC - 4/4/19
492 Index
Extender, Seat Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Exterior Cargo Lamps . . . . . . . . . . 171
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 165
Exterior Lamps Off Reminder . . . 167
Exterior Lighting BatterySaver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
F
FanEngine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
Filter, Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . 344
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . 169
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 405 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407
FlexFuel
E85 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Floor Console Storage . . . . . . . . . . 115
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 438
Fluid Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 343
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
Four-Wheel DriveTransfer Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Power Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170 Folding Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Forward Collision Alert
(FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . 227, 361
Four-Wheel-Drive Light . . . . . . . . . 142
Frequency Statement Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 472
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Front Pedestrian Braking
(FPB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Front Seats Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Heated and Ventilated . . . . . . . . . . 61
Fuel
Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Economy, Driving for Better . . . 186
Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . 283, 285
Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . 146
Management, Active . . . . . . . . . . 219
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Recommended . . . . . . . . . . 280, 281
Top Tier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280 Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . 418
Fuses
Engine Compartment FuseBlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 370
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374, 376G
Garage Door Opener . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365
Gauges
Engine CoolantTemperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Engine Oil Pressure . . . . . . . . . . 133
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Voltmeter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Warning Lights and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
General Information Service and Maintenance . . . . . 440
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Vehicle Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/-
Mexico-13337776) - 2020 - CRC - 4/4/19
496 Index
Passenger Compartment AirFilter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . 78
Pedestrian Ahead Indicator . . . . . 143
Perchlorate Materials Requirements, California . . . . . . 329
Personalization
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Pickup Conversion to Chassis Cab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Power
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Protection, Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Retained Accessory (RAP) . . . 217
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Steering Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Power Assist Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Pregnancy, Using Seat Belts . . . . 70
Privacy Vehicle Data Recording . . . . . . . 474
Program Courtesy Transportation . . . . . . 469
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281 Proposition
65 Warning,
California . . . . . . . . . . . .329, 358, 419,
Back Cover
Publication Ordering Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 472
R
Radio Frequency Statement . . . . 472
Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Rear Camera Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Heated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Rear Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . 257
Rear Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Rearview Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Automatic Dimming . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Recommended
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280, 281
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 453
Records
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 457
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . 424 Reimbursement Program,
GM Mobility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 466
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13, 15
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Replacement Parts Airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 455
Replacing Airbag System . . . . . . . . 84
Replacing LATCH System Parts after a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Replacing Seat Belt System Parts after a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Reporting Safety Defects Canadian Government . . . . . . . . 473
General Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 474
U.S. Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . 473
Restraints Where to Put . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Reverse Tilt Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Ride Control Systems Enhanced TractionSystem (ETS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Roads Driving, Wet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/-
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Index 497
Roadside AssistanceProgram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 467
Roof Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Rotation, Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 396
Routing, Engine Drive Belt . . . . . . 462
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
S
Safety Defects ReportingCanadian Government . . . . . . . . 473
General Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 474
U.S. Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . 473
Safety Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Safety System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Scheduling Appointments . . . . . . . 468
Seat Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Extender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
How to Wear Seat BeltsProperly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Replacing after a Crash . . . . . . . . 72
Use During Pregnancy . . . . . . . . . . 70
Seats Adjustment, Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Seats (cont'd)
Center Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Heated and Ventilated Front . . . . 61
Heated, Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Lumbar Adjustment, Front . . . . . . 57
Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Power Adjustment, Front . . . . . . . 56
Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Underseat Storage . . . . . . . . . . . .114
Securing Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . .105, 108, 109
Security
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 479
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Vehicle Alarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184 Accessories andModifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Climate Control System . . . . . . . 177
Doing Your Own Work . . . . . . . . 330
Maintenance Records . . . . . . . . 457
Maintenance, General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 440
Parts Identification . . . . . . . . . . . . 458
Scheduling Appointments . . . . . 468 Service Electric Parking
Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Services Special Application . . . . . . . . . . . 449
Servicing the Airbag . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Shift Lock Control Function Check, Automatic
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . 274
Signals, Turn and Lane-Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Snow Plow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Special Application Services . . . . 449
Specifications and Capacities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 459
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Start Assist, Hill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Start Vehicle, Remote . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . . . 363
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188 Fluid, Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
Heated Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . .119
Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120