GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-14632426) - 2021 - CRC - 11/5/20
Vehicle Care 321
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
California Proposition 65 Warning . . . . . 322
California Perchlorate MaterialsRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . 323
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own Service Work . . . . . . . . . 323
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . 325
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . 333
Engine Air Filter Life System . . . . . . . . . . . 333
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Brake Pad Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
Battery - North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343 Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Automatic Transmission Shift Lock
Control Function Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . 347
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . 348
Glass Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 348
Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 348
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349
Headlamp Aiming
Front Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker, and Parking Lamps . . . . . . 350
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) and Cargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . 353
Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Left) . . . . . 357
Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Right) . . . 358
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
All-Terrain Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 364
Tire Terminology and Definitions . . . . . . 365
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . 368
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . 369
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . 375
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . 377
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . 377
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . 378
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 381
Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 390
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-14632426) - 2021 - CRC - 11/5/20
Vehicle Care 347
Starter Switch Check
{Warning
When you are doing this inspection, the
vehicle could move suddenly. If the
vehicle moves, you or others could be
injured.
1. Before starting this check, be sure there is enough room around the vehicle.
2. Apply both the parking brake and the regular brake.
Do not use the accelerator pedal, and be
ready to turn off the engine immediately
if it starts.
3. Try to start the engine in each gear. The vehicle should start only in P (Park) or
N (Neutral). If the vehicle starts in any
other position, contact your dealer for
service.
Automatic Transmission Shift Lock
Control Function Check
{Warning
When you are doing this inspection, the
vehicle could move suddenly. If the
vehicle moves, you or others could be
injured.
1. Before starting this check, be sure there is enough room around the vehicle.
It should be parked on a level surface.
2. Apply the parking brake. Be ready to apply the regular brake immediately if
the vehicle begins to move.
3. With the engine off, turn the ignition on, but do not start the engine. Without
applying the regular brake, try to move
the shift lever out of P (Park) with
normal effort. If the shift lever moves
out of P (Park), contact your dealer for
service.
Ignition Transmission Lock Check
If equipped with Key Access ignition, while
parked, and with the parking brake set, try
to turn the ignition off in each shift lever
position. The ignition should turn to off only
when the shift lever is in P (Park).
The ignition key should come out only when
the ignition is off. Contact your dealer if
service is required.
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check
{Warning
When you are doing this check, the
vehicle could begin to move. You or
others could be injured and property
could be damaged. Make sure there is
room in front of the vehicle in case it
begins to roll. Be ready to apply the
regular brake at once should the vehicle
begin to move.
Park on a fairly steep hill, with the vehicle
facing downhill. Keeping your foot on the
regular brake, set the parking brake.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-14632426) - 2021 - CRC - 11/5/20
Vehicle Care 359
To access the back of the fuse block:
1. Push the tab at the top of fuseblock down.
2. Pull the top of the fuse block outward.
3. Reverse Steps 1–2 to reinstall.
Back
The vehicle may not be equipped with all of
the fuses, relays, and features shown. Fuses Usage
F1 Right doors
F2 Left doors
F3 Universal garage door opener
F4 –
F5 –
F6 Front blower
F8 Lumbar switch
F10 Body control module 6/ Body control module 7
F11 Seat/Column lock module
F12 Body control module 3/ Body control module 5
F14 Mirrors/Windows module F17 Steering wheel controls
F18 Video processing module/ Obstacle detection
F19 DLIS
F20 Ventilated seats F21 NOT R/C
F22 Heated steering wheel
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-14632426) - 2021 - CRC - 11/5/20
Vehicle Care 403
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.
Use cleaners specifically designed for the
surfaces being cleaned to prevent
permanent damage. Apply cleaners directly
to the cleaning cloth. Do not spray cleaners
on any switches or controls. Remove
cleaners quickly.
Before using cleaners, read and follow all
safety instructions on the label. While
cleaning the interior, open the doors and
windows to get proper ventilation. To prevent damage, do not clean the
interior using the following cleaners or
techniques:
.Never use a razor or any other sharp
object to remove soil from any interior
surface.
.Never use a brush with stiff bristles.
.Never rub any surface aggressively or
with too much pressure.
.Do not use laundry detergents or
dishwashing soaps with degreasers. For
liquid cleaners, use approximately
20 drops per 3.8 L (1 gal) of water.
A concentrated soap solution will create
streaks and attract dirt. Do not use
solutions that contain strong or
caustic soap.
.Do not heavily saturate the upholstery
when cleaning.
.Do not use solvents or cleaners containing
solvents.
Interior Glass
To clean, use a terry cloth fabric dampened
with water. Wipe droplets left behind with a
clean dry cloth. If necessary, use a
commercial glass cleaner after cleaning with
plain water.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-14632426) - 2021 - CRC - 11/5/20
Service and Maintenance 411
missing boots, loose or missing boot
clamps, center bearing excessive
looseness, missing or loose fasteners.
.Check restraint system components. See
Safety System Check060.
.Visually inspect fuel system for damage
or leaks.
.Visually inspect exhaust system and
nearby heat shields for loose or damaged
parts.
.Lubricate body components. See Exterior
Care 0398.
.Check starter switch. See Starter Switch
Check 0347.
.Check automatic transmission shift lock
control function. See Automatic
Transmission Shift Lock Control Function
Check 0347.
.Check ignition transmission lock. See
Ignition Transmission Lock Check 0347.
.Check parking brake and automatic
transmission park mechanism. See Park
Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check
0 347.
.Check accelerator pedal for damage, high
effort, or binding. Replace if needed.
.Visually inspect gas strut for signs of
wear, cracks, or other damage. Check the
hold open ability of the strut. If the hold
open is low, service the gas strut. See Gas
Strut(s) 0349.
.Inspect sunroof track and seal,
if equipped. See Sunroof043.
.Verify spare tire key lock operation and
lubricate as needed. See Tire Changing
0 381.
.Visually inspect the spare tire to ensure
that it is tightly stowed under the vehicle.
Push, pull, and try to turn the tire. If the
spare tire moves, tighten as necessary.
See Tire Changing 0381.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-14632426) - 2021 - CRC - 11/5/20
Customer Information 435
coverage is not available from your current
insurance carrier, consider switching to
another insurance carrier.
If the vehicle is leased, the leasing company
may require you to have insurance that
ensures repairs with Genuine GM Original
Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts or
Genuine Manufacturer replacement parts.
Read the lease carefully, as you may be
charged at the end of the lease for poor
quality repairs.
If a Crash Occurs
If there has been an injury, call emergency
services for help. Do not leave the scene of
a crash until all matters have been taken
care of. Move the vehicle only if its position
puts you in danger, or you are instructed to
move it by a police officer.
Give only the necessary information to
police and other parties involved in the
crash.
For emergency towing seeRoadside
Assistance Program 0431.
Gather the following information:
.Driver name, address, and telephone
number
.Driver license number
.Owner name, address, and telephone
number
.Vehicle license plate number
.Vehicle make, model, and model year
.Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
.Insurance company and policy number
.General description of the damage to the
other vehicle
Choose a reputable repair facility that uses
quality replacement parts. See “Collision
Parts” earlier in this section.
If the airbag has inflated, see What Will You
See after an Airbag Inflates? 065.
Managing the Vehicle Damage Repair
Process
In the event that the vehicle requires
damage repairs, GM recommends that you
take an active role in its repair. If you have
a pre-determined repair facility of choice,
take the vehicle there, or have it towed
there. Specify to the facility that any
required replacement collision parts be
original equipment parts, either new
Genuine GM parts or recycled original GM
parts. Remember, recycled parts will not be
covered by the GM vehicle warranty. Insurance pays the bill for the repair, but
you must live with the repair. Depending on
your policy limits, your insurance company
may initially value the repair using
aftermarket parts. Discuss this with the
repair professional, and insist on Genuine
GM parts. Remember, if the vehicle is
leased, you may be obligated to have the
vehicle repaired with Genuine GM parts,
even if your insurance coverage does not
pay the full cost.
If another party's insurance company is
paying for the repairs, you are not obligated
to accept a repair valuation based on that
insurance company's collision policy repair
limits, as you have no contractual limits
with that company. In such cases, you can
have control of the repair and parts choices
as long as the cost stays within reasonable
limits.
Publication Ordering Information
Service Manuals
Service manuals have the diagnosis and
repair information on the engine,
transmission, axle, suspension, brakes,
electrical system, steering system, body, etc.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Cana-
da/Mexico-14632426) - 2021 - CRC - 11/5/20
Index 457
S
Safety Defects ReportingCanadian Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 437
General Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 437
U.S. Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 436
Safety Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Safety System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Scheduling Appointments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 433
Seat Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Extender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
How to Wear Seat Belts Properly . . . . . . . 55
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Replacing after a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Use During Pregnancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Seats Adjustment, Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Center Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Heated and Ventilated Front . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Heated, Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Lumbar Adjustment, Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Power Adjustment, Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Seats (cont'd)
Underseat Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Securing Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88, 92
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 441
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Vehicle Alarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210 Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . 323
Climate Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Doing Your Own Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Maintenance Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 422
Maintenance, General Information . . . . . 408
Parts Identification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 423
Scheduling Appointments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 433
Service Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . 118
Services Special Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415
Servicing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Servicing the Airbag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Shift Lock Control Function Check, Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280 Signals, Turn and Lane-Change . . . . . . . . . . . .143
Snow Plow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .318
Software Updates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Special Application Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .415
Specifications and Capacities . . . . . . . . . . . . . 424
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
Start Assist, Hill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Start Vehicle, Remote . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .214
Heated Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Steering Column Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Steps Power Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Stop/Start System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Stoplamps and Back-up Lamps Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
Storage Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Storage Areas Center Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Floor Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Underseat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96