2022 GMC SIERRA transmission

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-15883563) - 2022 - CRC - 11/19/21
192 Infotainment System
2. For automatic transmissions, the vehiclemust be in P (Park). For manual
transmissions, the vehicle must be
stopped with the parking brake set.
3. From the Settings menu, touch Vehicle and then Teen Driver.
4. Enter the PIN.
5. Touch Setup Keys or Add/Remove Teen Driver Keys. The system displays
instructions for registering or
unregistering a key. A confirmation
message displays.
Manage Settings or Teen Driver Settings
Depending on the options of your vehicle,
the following menu items may be displayed:
Buckle to Drive : When turned ON, Buckle to
Drive prevents the driver from shifting out
of P (Park) for a period of time after the
brake pedal is pressed if driver, or on some
vehicles the detected passenger, has not
buckled their seat belt. On some vehicles,
Buckle to Drive is always ON when Teen
Driver is active and is not configurable. See
Buckle To Drive 055.
Audio Volume Limit : Allows a maximum
audio volume to be set. Turn the audio
volume limit on or off. Use the arrows to
choose the maximum allowable level for the audio volume. On some infotainment
systems, touch Set Audio Volume Limit to
choose the maximum allowable audio
volume level.
Set Audio Volume Limit :
Use the arrows to
choose the maximum allowable level for the
audio volume.
Teen Driver Speed Limiter : Limits the
maximum speed of the vehicle. When the
speed limiter is turned on and the vehicle is
started with a Teen Driver key, the DIC
displays a message that the top speed is
limited.
On certain vehicles, when the Speed Limiter
is turned ON, the vehicle’s maximum
acceleration will be limited. The DIC will
display a message that the acceleration is
limited.
Teen Driver Speed Warning : Displays a
warning in the DIC when exceeding a
selectable speed. Turn the speed warning on
or off and choose the desired speed warning
level. The speed warning does not limit the
speed of the vehicle. On some infotainment
systems, touch Set Teen Driver Speed
Warning to set the warning speed. Set Teen Driver Speed Warning :
Choose the
desired speed warning level. The speed
warning does not limit the speed of the
vehicle.
SiriusXM Explicit Content Filter (if
equipped) : Allows the SiriusXM Explicit
Content Filter to be turned ON or OFF.
When ON, the teen driver will not be able
to listen to SiriusXM stations that contain
explicit content, and the Explicit Content
Filter selection in the Audio Settings will be
unavailable for change.
When Teen Driver is Active:
.The radio will mute when the driver seat
belt, and in some vehicles the front
passenger seat belt, is not buckled. The
audio from any device paired to the
vehicle will also be muted.
.An object placed on the front passenger
seat, such as a briefcase, handbag,
grocery bag, laptop, or other electronic
device, could cause the passenger sensing
system to falsely sense an unbuckled
front passenger and mute the radio.
If this happens, remove the object from
the seat. See Passenger Sensing System
0 67.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-15883563) - 2022 - CRC - 11/19/21
204 Driving and Operating
Driving and Operating
Driving Information
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . 205
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Impaired Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Truck-Camper Loading Information . . . . 220
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Stop/Start System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . 227
Shifting Into Park (MechanicalShifter) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227 Shifting Into Park (Electronic
Shifter) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Shifting out of Park (Mechanical Shifter) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Shifting out of Park (Electronic
Shifter) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . 230
Active Fuel Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . 231
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission (Mechanical Shifter) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Automatic Transmission (Electronic Shifter) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Manual Mode (Mechanical Shifter) . . . . 237
Manual Mode (Electronic Shifter) . . . . . . 239
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Brakes
Electric Brake Boost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . 245
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Hill Descent Control (HDC) . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Limited-Slip Differential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Locking Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Adaptive Cruise Control (Camera) . . . . . . 256
Super Cruise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Assistance Systems for Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Surround Vision System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Park Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Rear Pedestrian Alert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . 293
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB)
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-15883563) - 2022 - CRC - 11/19/21
210 Driving and Operating
Before driving on a hill, assess the
steepness, traction, and obstructions. If the
terrain ahead cannot be seen, get out of the
vehicle and walk the hill before driving
further.
When driving on hills:
.Use a low gear and keep a firm grip on
the steering wheel.
.Maintain a slow speed.
.When possible, drive straight up or down
the hill.
.Slow down when approaching the top of
the hill.
.Use headlamps even during the day to
make the vehicle more visible.
{Warning
Driving to the top of a hill at high speed
can cause a crash. There could be a
drop-off, embankment, cliff, or even
another vehicle. You could be seriously
injured or killed. As you near the top of a
hill, slow down and stay alert.
.Never go downhill forward or backward
with either the transmission or transfer
case in N (Neutral). The brakes could
overheat and you could lose control.
{Warning
If the vehicle has the two-speed
automatic transfer case, shifting the
transfer case to N (Neutral) can cause
your vehicle to roll even if the
transmission is in P (Park). This is because
the N (Neutral) position on the transfer
case overrides the transmission. You or
someone else could be injured. If leaving
the vehicle, set the parking brake and
shift the transmission to P (Park). Shift
the transfer case to any position but
N (Neutral).
.When driving down a hill, keep the
vehicle headed straight down. Use a low
gear because the engine will work with
the brakes to slow the vehicle and help
keep the vehicle under control.
{Warning
Heavy braking when going down a hill
can cause your brakes to overheat and
fade. This could cause loss of control and
you or others could be injured or killed.(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
Apply the brakes lightly when descending
a hill and use a low gear to keep vehicle
speed under control.
If a brake fade condition is detected, a DIC
warning message is displayed. Adjust brake
pedal use and shift to a lower transmission
gear to reduce braking.
If the brakes continue to fade to a severe
condition, additional DIC messages are
displayed. The brake system warning light
will illuminate, and the vehicle speed may
be limited. See Brake System Warning Light
0 121.
If the vehicle stalls on a hill: 1. Apply the brakes to stop the vehicle, and then apply the parking brake.
2. Shift into P (Park) and then restart the engine.
.If driving uphill when the vehicle
stalls, shift to R (Reverse), release the
parking brake, and back
straight down.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-15883563) - 2022 - CRC - 11/19/21
Driving and Operating 213
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet weather
driving tips include:
.Allow extra following distance.
.Pass with caution.
.Keep windshield wiping equipment in
good shape.
.Keep the windshield washer fluid reservoir
filled.
.Have good tires with proper tread depth.
SeeTires 0377.
.Turn off cruise control.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through mountains
is different than driving on flat or rolling
terrain. Tips include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in good
shape.
.Check all fluid levels and brakes, tires, and
cooling system.
.Shift to a lower gear when going down
steep or long hills.
{Warning
Using the brakes to slow the vehicle on a
long downhill slope can cause brake
overheating, can reduce brake
performance, and could result in a loss of
braking. Shift the transmission to a lower
gear to let the engine assist the brakes
on a steep downhill slope.
{Warning
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral) or with
the ignition off is dangerous. This can
cause overheating of the brakes and loss
of steering assist. Always have the engine
running and the vehicle in gear.
.Drive at speeds that keep the vehicle in
its own lane. Do not swing wide or cross
the center line.
.Be alert on top of hills; something could
be in your lane (e.g., stalled car, crash).
.Pay attention to special road signs (e.g.,
falling rocks area, winding roads, long
grades, passing or no-passing zones) and
take appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Caution
To avoid damage to the wheels and
brake components, always clear snow and
ice from inside the wheels and
underneath the vehicle before driving.
Snow or ice between the tires and the road
creates less traction or grip, so drive
carefully. Wet ice can occur at about 0 °C
(32 °F) when freezing rain begins to fall.
Avoid driving on wet ice or in freezing rain
until roads can be treated.
For Slippery Road Driving:
.Accelerate gently. Accelerating too quickly
causes the wheels to spin and makes the
surface under the tires slick.
.Turn on Traction Control. See Traction
Control/Electronic Stability Control 0247.
.The Antilock Brake System (ABS) improves
vehicle stability during hard stops, but
the brakes should be applied sooner than
when on dry pavement. See Antilock
Brake System (ABS) 0245.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-15883563) - 2022 - CRC - 11/19/21
214 Driving and Operating
.Allow greater following distance and
watch for slippery spots. Icy patches can
occur on otherwise clear roads in shaded
areas. The surface of a curve or an
overpass can remain icy when the
surrounding roads are clear. Avoid sudden
steering maneuvers and braking while
on ice.
.Turn off cruise control.
Cold Weather Mode
In very low temperatures, a cold weather
message may display on the Driver
Information Center (DIC). The engine speed,
transmission shift patterns, and cabin fan
speed may operate differently to enable the
vehicle to warm up quicker. You can
manually override the cabin fan speed in
cold weather mode.
Blizzard Conditions
Stop the vehicle in a safe place and signal
for help. Stay with the vehicle unless there
is help nearby. If possible, use Roadside
Assistance. SeeRoadside Assistance Program
0 445. To get help and keep everyone in the
vehicle safe:
.Turn on the hazard warning flashers.
.Tie a red cloth to an outside mirror.
{Warning
Snow can trap engine exhaust under the
vehicle. This may cause exhaust gases to
get inside. Engine exhaust contains
carbon monoxide (CO), which cannot be
seen or smelled. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death.
If the vehicle is stuck in snow:
.Clear snow from the base of the
vehicle, especially any blocking the
exhaust pipe.
.Open a window about 5 cm (2 in) on
the vehicle side that is away from the
wind, to bring in fresh air.
.Fully open the air outlets on or under
the instrument panel.
.Adjust the climate control system to
circulate the air inside the vehicle and
set the fan speed to the highest
setting. See “Climate Control Systems.”
For more information about CO, see
Engine Exhaust 0230. To save fuel, run the engine for short
periods to warm the vehicle and then shut
the engine off and partially close the
window. Moving about to keep warm also
helps.
If it takes time for help to arrive, when
running the engine, push the accelerator
pedal slightly so the engine runs faster than
the idle speed. This keeps the battery
charged to restart the vehicle and to signal
for help with the headlamps. Do this as
little as possible, to save fuel.
If the Vehicle Is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin the wheels to
free the vehicle when stuck in sand, mud,
ice, or snow. See
“Rocking the Vehicle to Get
It Out” later in this section.
If equipped, the front and rear axles may
be locked to improve traction. See Locking
Front Axle 0253 and
Locking Rear Axle 0253.
The Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control can often help to free a stuck
vehicle. See Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0247. If TC/ESC cannot free
the vehicle, see “Rocking the Vehicle to Get
it Out” following.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-15883563) - 2022 - CRC - 11/19/21
Driving and Operating 215
{Warning
If the vehicle's tires spin at high speed,
they can explode, and you or others
could be injured. The vehicle can
overheat, causing an engine compartment
fire or other damage. Spin the wheels as
little as possible and avoid going above
56 km/h (35 mph).
For information about using tire chains on
the vehicle, see Tire Chains0395.
Rocking the Vehicle to Get It Out
Caution
Do not hold the steering wheel at full
rotation for more than 15 seconds and/or
at an elevated RPM. Damage may occur
to the power steering system and there
may be loss of power steering assist.
Turn the steering wheel left and right to
clear the area around the front wheels. Then
make sure the wheels are pointed straight
ahead. For four-wheel-drive vehicles, shift
into Four-Wheel Drive High. Turn the TCS
off. Shift back and forth between R (Reverse)
and a forward gear, spinning the wheels as
little as possible. To prevent transmission wear, wait until the wheels stop spinning
before shifting gears. Slowly spinning the
wheels in the forward and reverse directions
causes a rocking motion that could free the
vehicle. If that does not get the vehicle out
after a few tries, it might need to be towed
out. See
Towing the Vehicle 0409. Recovery
hooks can be used, if the vehicle has them.
Recovery Hooks
{Warning
Never pull on recovery hooks from the
side. The hooks could break and you and
others could be injured. When using
recovery hooks, always pull the vehicle
from the front.Caution
Never use recovery hooks to tow the
vehicle. The vehicle could be damaged,
and the repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty.
If equipped, there are recovery hooks at the
front of the vehicle. Use them if the vehicle
is stuck off-road and needs to be pulled
some place to continue driving.
Vehicle Load Limits
It is very important to know how much
weight the vehicle can carry. This
weight is called the vehicle capacity
weight and includes the weight of all

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-15883563) - 2022 - CRC - 11/19/21
222 Driving and Operating
“Certification/Tire Label”underVehicle
Load Limits 0215. If weight ratings are
exceeded, move or remove items to
bring all weights below the ratings.
See your dealer for more information
on curb weights, cargo weights, Cargo
Weight Rating, and the correct center of
gravity zone.
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In
Caution
The vehicle does not need an elaborate
break-in. But it will perform better in the
long run if you follow these guidelines:
.Do not drive at any one constant
speed, fast or slow, for the first
800 km (500 mi). Do not make
full-throttle starts. Avoid downshifting
to brake or slow the vehicle.
.Avoid making hard stops for the first
300 km (200 mi) or so. During this
time the new brake linings are not yet
broken in. Hard stops with new linings
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
can mean premature wear and earlier
replacement. Follow this breaking-in
guideline every time you get new
brake linings.
.Do not tow a trailer during break-in.
See Trailer Towing 0313 for the trailer
towing capabilities of the vehicle and
more information.
Following break-in, engine speed and load
can be gradually increased.
On new vehicles, the various mechanical and
electrical systems experience a “break-in”
period during the first 6 400 km (4,000 mi)
of routine driving. As the vehicle is driven,
the mechanical systems adjust to provide
optimal fuel economy and transmission shift
performance.
Electrical systems will adapt and calibrate
during the break-in period. A one-time
occurrence of clicks and similar vehicle
noises is normal during this process.
Normal driving charges the vehicle’s battery
to achieve the best operation of the vehicle,
including fuel economy and the Stop/Start
System. See Stop/Start System 0225.
Ignition Positions
Vehicles equipped with Keyless Access have
pushbutton starting.
The remote key must be in the vehicle for
the system to operate. If the pushbutton
start is not working, the vehicle may be
near a strong radio antenna signal causing
interference to the Keyless Access system.
See Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation 014.
To shift out of P (Park), the vehicle must be
on and the brake pedal must be applied.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-15883563) - 2022 - CRC - 11/19/21
224 Driving and Operating
Service Mode
This power mode is available for service and
diagnostics, and to verify the proper
operation of the malfunction indicator lamp
as may be required for emission inspection
purposes. With the vehicle off, and the
brake pedal not applied, pressing and
holding the ENGINE START/STOP button for
more than five seconds will place the vehicle
in Service Mode. The instruments and audio
systems will operate as they do when the
vehicle is on, but the vehicle will not be able
to be driven. The engine will not start in
Service Mode. Press the ENGINE START/STOP
button again to turn the vehicle off.
Starting the Engine
If the vehicle has a diesel engine, see the
Duramax diesel supplement.
Caution
If you add electrical parts or accessories,
you could change the way the engine
operates. Any resulting damage would
not be covered by the vehicle warranty.
SeeAdd-On Electrical Equipment 0338. Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). To restart the engine when the
vehicle is already moving, use
N (Neutral) only.
Caution
Do not try to shift to P (Park) if the
vehicle is moving. If you do, you could
damage the transmission. Shift to P (Park)
only when the vehicle is stopped.
Starting Procedure
1. The remote key must be in the vehicle.
Press ENGINE START/STOP with the brake
pedal applied. When the engine begins
cranking, let go of the button.
The driver may observe a minor, and
temporary, brake pedal kickback when
starting the vehicle. This is normal.
The idle speed will go down as the
engine gets warm. Do not race the
engine immediately after starting it.
Operate the engine and transmission
gently to allow the oil to warm up and
lubricate all moving parts. When the low fuel warning light is on
and the FUEL LEVEL LOW message is
displayed in the Driver Information
Center (DIC), press ENGINE START/STOP
to continue engine cranking.
Caution
Cranking the engine for long periods of
time, by returning the ignition to the
START position immediately after
cranking has ended, can overheat and
damage the cranking motor, and drain
the battery. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to let the cranking
motor cool down.
2. If the engine does not start after five to 10 seconds, especially in very cold
weather (below −18 °C or 0 °F), it could
be flooded with too much gasoline. Try
pushing the accelerator pedal all the way
to the floor and holding it there while
pressing ENGINE START/STOP for up to a
maximum of 15 seconds. Wait at least
15 seconds between each try, to allow
the cranking motor to cool down. When
the engine starts, let go of the button
and accelerator. If the vehicle starts
briefly but then stops again, do the
same thing. This clears the extra gasoline