GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-14632426) - 2021 - CRC - 11/5/20
Driving and Operating 211
Driving and Operating
Driving Information
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . 212
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Impaired Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Truck-Camper Loading Information . . . . 226
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Ignition Positions (Key Access) . . . . . . . . 229
Ignition Positions (Keyless Access) . . . . . 230
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Stop/Start System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . 236
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . 237
Active Fuel Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . 238
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Brakes
Electric Brake Boost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . 246
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Hill Descent Control (HDC) . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Limited-Slip Differential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Adaptive Cruise Control (Camera) . . . . . . 256
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Assistance Systems for Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . 274
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) . . . 277
Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . 280
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Fuel
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Recommended Fuel (Except 6.2L V8 Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Recommended Fuel (6.2L V8 Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Filling the Tank (Pickup Model) . . . . . . . . 285
Filling the Tank (Chassis Cab Model) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-14632426) - 2021 - CRC - 11/5/20
284 Driving and Operating
Recommended Fuel (6.2L
V8 Engine)
Premium unleaded gasoline meeting ASTM
specification D4814 with a posted octane
rating of 93—(R+M)/2 —is highly
recommended for best performance and fuel
economy. Unleaded gasoline with an octane
rated as low as 87 can be used. Using
unleaded gasoline rated below 93 octane,
however, will lead to reduced acceleration
and fuel economy. If knocking occurs, use a
gasoline rated at 93 octane as soon as
possible, otherwise, the engine could be
damaged. If heavy knocking is heard when
using gasoline with a 93 octane rating, the
engine needs service.
Do not use any fuel labeled E85 or FlexFuel.
Do not use gasoline with ethanol levels
greater than 15% by volume.
Prohibited Fuels
Caution
Do not use fuels with any of the
following conditions; doing so may
damage the vehicle and void its
warranty:
.For vehicles that are not FlexFuel, fuel
labeled greater than 15% ethanol by
volume, such as mid-level ethanol
blends (16–50% ethanol), E85,
or FlexFuel.
.Fuel with any amount of methanol,
methylal, ferrocene, and aniline. These
fuels can corrode metal fuel system
parts or damage plastic and rubber
parts.
.Fuel containing metals such as
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese
tricarbonyl (MMT), which can damage
the emissions control system and
spark plugs.
.Fuel with a posted octane rating of
less than the recommended fuel. Using
this fuel will lower fuel economy and
performance, and may decrease the
life of the emissions catalyst.
Fuels in Foreign Countries
The U.S., Canada, and Mexico post fuel
octane ratings in anti-knock index (AKI). For
fuel not to use in a foreign country, see
Prohibited Fuels 0284.
Fuel Additives
TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline is highly
recommended for use with your vehicle.
If your country does not have TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline, add ACDelco Fuel
System Treatment Plus−Gasoline to the
vehicle’s gasoline fuel tank at every oil
change or 15 000 km (9,000 mi), whichever
occurs first. TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline and
ACDelco Fuel System Treatment Plus
−Gasoline will help keep your vehicle’s
engine fuel deposit free and performing
optimally.
E85 or FlexFuel
Vehicles with a yellow fuel sticker on the
fuel door can use either unleaded gasoline
or fuel containing up to 85% ethanol (E85).
All other vehicles should use only the
unleaded gasoline as described in
Recommended Fuel (Except 6.2L V8 Engine)
0283 or
Recommended Fuel (6.2L V8 Engine) 0284.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-14632426) - 2021 - CRC - 11/5/20
Driving and Operating 285
The use of E85 or FlexFuel is encouraged
when the vehicle is designed to use it. E85
or FlexFuel is made from renewable sources.
To help locate fuel stations that carry E85 or
FlexFuel, the U.S. Department of Energy has
an alternative fuel website. See
www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/locator/stations.
E85 or FlexFuel should meet ASTM
Specification D 5798 or CAN/CGSB–3.512 in
Canada. Do not use the fuel if the ethanol
content is greater than 85%. Fuel mixtures
that do not meet ASTM or CGSB
specifications can affect driveability and
could cause the malfunction indicator lamp
to come on.
The starting characteristics of E85 or FlexFuel
make it unsuitable for use when
temperatures fall below−18 °C (0 °F). Use
gasoline or add gasoline to the E85 or
FlexFuel.
Because E85 or FlexFuel has less energy per
liter (gallon) than gasoline, the vehicle will
need to be refilled more often. See Filling
the Tank (Pickup Model) 0285 or
Filling the Tank (Chassis Cab Model) 0287. The only GM approved aftermarket additive
is ACDelco Fuel System Treatment
Plus-FlexFuel. Follow the instructions on the
bottle for proper use. This product is
available at your GM dealer.
Caution
Some additives are not compatible with
E85 or FlexFuel and can harm the
vehicle's fuel system. Use only additives
approved by GM for E85 or FlexFuel
vehicles. Damage caused by unapproved
additives would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Caution
Do not use fuel containing methanol.
It can corrode metal parts in the fuel
system and also damage plastic and
rubber parts. That damage would not be
covered under the vehicle warranty.
To help keep the engine running efficiently,
fill the tank with gasoline, up to E15, after
filling the tank with E85 one or two times.
Filling the Tank (Pickup Model)
If the vehicle has a diesel engine, see the
Duramax diesel supplement.
An arrow on the fuel gauge indicates which
side of the vehicle the fuel door is on. See
Fuel Gauge 0110.
{Warning
Fuel vapors and fuel fires burn violently
and can cause injury or death.
Follow these guidelines to help avoid
injuries to you and others:
.Read and follow all the instructions on
the fuel pump island.
.Turn off the engine when refueling.
.Keep sparks, flames, and smoking
materials away from fuel.
.Do not leave the fuel pump
unattended.
.Avoid using electronic devices while
refueling.
.Do not re-enter the vehicle while
pumping fuel.
(Continued)
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Cana-
da/Mexico-14632426) - 2021 - CRC - 11/5/20
452 Index
F
FanEngine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Filter, Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Fixed Mast Antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .158
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 381
FlexFuel E85 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Floor Console Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 405
Fluid Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
Four-Wheel Drive Transfer Case . . . . . . . . 242
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143
Folding Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . 275
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242, 346
Four-Wheel-Drive Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Frequency Statement Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 436
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346 Front Fog Lamp
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Front Seats Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Heated and Ventilated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Economy, Driving for Better . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . 288
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285, 287
Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Management, Active . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Recommended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283, 284
Top Tier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 390
Fuses Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . 353
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . 357, 358
G
Garage Door Opener . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349
Gauges Engine Coolant Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Engine Oil Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Voltmeter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Warning Lights and Indicators . . . . . . . . . 106
General Information Service and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 408
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Vehicle Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
Glass Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 348
Global Positioning System (GPS) . . . . . . . . . . 173
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
GM Mobility Reimbursement
Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .431
Guidance
Problems with the Route . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174