2021 GMC SIERRA Electronic Parking Brake Service Mode

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-14632426) - 2021 - CRC - 11/5/20
Instruments and Controls 99
Instruments and Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Wireless Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Warning Lights, Gauges, and Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Engine Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . 112
Voltmeter Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Seat Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . 114
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Check
Engine Light) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Service Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . 118
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Four-Wheel-Drive Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Tow/Haul Mode Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Hill Descent Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) Light . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Vehicle Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Pedestrian Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Traction Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Traction Control System (TCS)/Electronic Stability Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Driver Mode Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Engine Oil Pressure Light (Uplevel Cluster) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 Door Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Base
Level) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Midlevel and Uplevel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Head-Up Display (HUD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Engine Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Vehicle Speed Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Vehicle Personalization
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Universal Remote System
Universal Remote System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Universal Remote System Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Universal Remote System Operation . . . 138

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-14632426) - 2021 - CRC - 11/5/20
Driving and Operating 237
pedal down. Then, see if you can move the
shift lever away from P (Park) without first
pulling it toward you. If you can, it means
that the shift lever was not fully locked into
P (Park).
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you do not
shift the transmission into P (Park) properly,
the weight of the vehicle may put too much
force on the parking pawl in the
transmission. You may find it difficult to pull
the shift lever out of P (Park). This is called
torque lock. To prevent torque lock, set the
parking brake and then shift into P (Park)
properly before you leave the driver seat.
When you are ready to drive, move the
shift lever out of P (Park) before you release
the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to
have another vehicle push yours a little
uphill to take some of the pressure from the
parking pawl in the transmission. You will
then be able to pull the shift lever out of
P (Park).
Shifting out of Park
This vehicle is equipped with an electronic
shift lock release system. The system is
designed to prevent movement of the shift
lever out of P (Park), unless the brake pedal
is applied and the ignition is on or in
Service Mode.
The shift lock release is always functional
except in the case of an uncharged or low
voltage–less than 9 volt –battery.
If the vehicle has an uncharged or low
voltage battery, try charging or jump
starting the battery. See Jump Starting -
North America 0391.
To shift out of P (Park): 1. Apply the brake pedal.
2. Release the parking brake if it is applied. See Electric Parking Brake 0247.
3. Pull the shift lever toward you, then move it to the desired position, and
release.
If the vehicle still cannot be shifted out of
P (Park): 1. Ease the pressure on, or release the shift lever. 2. While holding the brake pedal, push the
shift lever all the way into P (Park).
3. Pull the shift lever toward you, then move it to the desired position, and
release.
If there is still a problem shifting, have the
vehicle serviced soon.
Parking over Things That Burn
{Warning
Things that can burn could touch hot
exhaust parts under the vehicle and
ignite. Do not park over papers, leaves,
dry grass, or other things that can burn.
Active Fuel Management
If equipped, Active Fuel Management allows
a V8, V6, or L4 gasoline engine to operate
on either all of its cylinders, or a reduced
number of cylinders, depending on the
driving conditions. When less power is
required, such as cruising at a constant
vehicle speed, the system will enable
reduced cylinder operation, allowing the
vehicle to achieve better fuel economy.
When greater power is required, such as

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-14632426) - 2021 - CRC - 11/5/20
Driving and Operating 239
If parking on a hill and pulling a trailer, see
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips
0288.
Automatic Transmission
If equipped, there is an electronic shift lever
position indicator within the instrument
cluster. This display comes on when the
ignition is in ACC/ACCESSORY, on or
service mode.
There are several different positions for the
shift lever.
See Driver Mode Control 0251 and “Range
Selection Mode” underManual Mode 0241.
P : This position locks the rear wheels. Use
P (Park) when starting the engine because
the vehicle cannot move easily. When parked on a hill, especially when the
vehicle has a heavy load, you might notice
an increase in the effort to shift out of
P (Park). See
“Torque Lock” underShifting
Into Park 0236.
{Warning
It is dangerous to get out of the vehicle
if the shift lever is not fully in P (Park)
with the parking brake firmly set. The
vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the engine
is running. If you have left the engine
running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured. To be
sure the vehicle will not move, even
when you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and move
the shift lever to P (Park). See Shifting
Into Park 0236 and
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips
0 288.
{Warning
If equipped with four-wheel drive, the
vehicle will be free to roll if the transfer
case is in N (Neutral), even when the shift
lever is in P (Park). You or someone else
could be seriously injured. Be sure the
transfer case is in a drive gear —2
m, 4m,
or 4
n— or set the parking brake before
placing the transfer case in N (Neutral).
See Four-Wheel Drive 0242.
R : Use this gear to back up.
Caution
Shifting to R (Reverse) while the vehicle is
moving forward could damage the
transmission. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty. Shift to
R (Reverse) only after the vehicle is
stopped.
To rock the vehicle back and forth to get
out of snow, ice, or sand without damaging
the transmission, see If the Vehicle Is Stuck
0 221.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-14632426) - 2021 - CRC - 11/5/20
Vehicle Care 337
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 following.
Automatic Coolant Service Fill
Instructions (L3B Engine)
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. Remove the coolant surge tank pressure cap when the cooling system, including
the coolant surge tank pressure cap and
upper radiator hose, is no longer hot.
Turn the pressure cap; slowly
counterclockwise about one full turn. If a
hiss is heard, wait for that to stop.
A hiss means there is still some
pressure left. 2. Keep turning the pressure cap slowly,
and remove it.
3. Fill the coolant surge tank with the proper mixture to the indicated mark.
4. Connect the vehicle to a battery charger.
5. Set the ignition to service mode, see Ignition Positions (Keyless Access) 0230
or
Ignition Positions (Key Access) 0229.
6. Turn off the air conditioning.
7. Set the parking brake.
8. At the same time, press the accelerator and the brake for automatic vehicles for
two seconds, then release.
9. Listen for pump activation and movement of the control valves while
watching the level of the coolant in the
surge tank. Add fluid as the level drops
below the indicated mark on the surge
tank. Allow 15 minutes for the fill and air
removal process to complete.
10. Reinstall the surge tank cap.
If the tank empties, turn the ignition off,
allow the Electronic Control Module (ECM) to
go to sleep, about two minutes, refill to the
indicated mark, and repeat Steps 5–9.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Surge Tank for Gasoline Engines
Except L3B
If the vehicle has a diesel engine, see
“Cooling System” in the Duramax diesel
supplement for the proper coolant fill
procedure.
{Warning
Spilling coolant on hot engine parts can
burn you. Coolant contains ethylene
glycol and it will burn if the engine parts
are hot enough.
{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.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Cana-
da/Mexico-14632426) - 2021 - CRC - 11/5/20
454 Index
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
LightingEntry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Exit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Illumination Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
LED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
Task . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Lights Airbag Readiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Antilock Brake System (ABS)Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Brake System Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Charging System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Check Engine (Malfunction Indicator) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Door Ajar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Engine Oil Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Four-Wheel-Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Front Fog Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
High-Beam On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 Lights (cont'd)
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Hill Descent Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Lane Keep Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Low Fuel Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Seat Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Service Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Traction Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Limited-Slip Differential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Lock
Steering Column . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Locks Automatic Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Lockout Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Power Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH System) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
Lumbar Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48M
MaintenanceRecords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 422
Maintenance and Care Additional . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415
Maintenance Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 409 Recommended Fluids andLubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 418
Transfer Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Manual Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .241
Manual Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
Map Data Updates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Media
Avoiding Untrusted Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Memory Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Messages Engine Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Vehicle Speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Mirror Rear Camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Mirrors Automatic Dimming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Automatic Dimming Rearview . . . . . . . . . . 38
Blind Spot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37