GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-15883563) - 2022 - CRC - 11/19/21
2 Introduction
Helm, Incorporated
Attention: Customer Service
47911 Halyard Drive
Plymouth, MI 48170
USA
Using this Manual
To quickly locate information about the
vehicle, use the Index in the back of the
manual. It is an alphabetical list of what is
in the manual and the page number where
it can be found.
Danger, Warning, and Caution
Warning messages found on vehicle labels
and in this manual describe hazards and
what to do to avoid or reduce them.
{Danger
Danger indicates a hazard with a high
level of risk which will result in serious
injury or death.
{Warning
Warning indicates a hazard that could
result in injury or death.
Caution
Caution indicates a hazard that could
result in property or vehicle damage.
A circle with a slash through it is a safety
symbol which means“Do not,” “Do not do
this,” or“Do not let this happen.”
Symbols
The vehicle has components and labels that
use symbols instead of text. Symbols are
shown along with the text describing the
operation or information relating to a
specific component, control, message, gauge,
or indicator.
M:Shown when the owner’s manual has
additional instructions or information.
*: Shown when the service manual has
additional instructions or information.
0: Shown when there is more information
on another page — “see page.” Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols that may
be found on the vehicle and what they
mean. See the features in this manual for
information.
u:
Air Conditioning System
G:Air Conditioning Refrigerant Oil
9:Airbag Readiness Light
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
$:Brake System Warning Light
9:Dispose of Used Components Properly
P:Do Not Apply High Pressure Water
B:Engine Coolant Temperature
_:Flame/Fire Prohibited
H: Flammable
[:Forward Collision Alert
R:Fuse Block Cover Lock Location
+:Fuses
j:ISOFIX/LATCH System Child Restraints
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-15883563) - 2022 - CRC - 11/19/21
64 Seats and Restraints
Driver Side Shown, Passenger Side Similar
The driver and front outboard passenger
seat-mounted side impact airbags are in the
side of the seatbacks closest to the door.Driver Side Crew Cab Shown, Passenger Side Double and Regular Cabs Similar
The roof-rail airbags for the driver, front
outboard passenger, and second row
outboard passengers are in the ceiling above
the side windows.
{Warning
If something is between an occupant and
an airbag, the airbag might not inflate
properly or it might force the object into
that person causing severe injury or even
death. The path of an inflating airbag
must be kept clear. Do not put anything
between an occupant and an airbag, and (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
do not attach or put anything on the
steering wheel hub or on or near any
other airbag covering.
Do not use seat accessories that block the
inflation path of a seat-mounted side
impact airbag.
Never secure anything to the roof of a
vehicle with roof-rail airbags by routing a
rope or tie‐down through any door or
window opening. If you do, the path of
an inflating roof-rail airbag will be
blocked.
When Should an Airbag Inflate?
This vehicle is equipped with airbags. See
Airbag System062. Airbags are designed to
inflate if the impact exceeds the specific
airbag system's deployment threshold.
Deployment thresholds are used to predict
how severe a crash is likely to be in time
for the airbags to inflate and help restrain
the occupants. The vehicle has electronic
sensors that help the airbag system
determine the severity of the impact.
Deployment thresholds can vary with
specific vehicle design.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-15883563) - 2022 - CRC - 11/19/21
100 Instruments and Controls
Instruments and Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Wireless Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Warning Lights, Gauges, and Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Instrument Cluster (Base Level) . . . . . . . . 109
Instrument Cluster (Uplevel) . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Engine Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . 115
Transmission Temperature Gauge (Uplevel only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Voltmeter Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Seat Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118 Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . 118
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Check
Engine Light) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Service Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . 121
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Four-Wheel-Drive Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Tow/Haul Mode Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Hill Descent Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) Light . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) Disabled Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Vehicle Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Pedestrian Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Traction Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
StabiliTrak OFF Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Traction Control System (TCS)/ StabiliTrak Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Driver Mode Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Engine Oil Pressure Light (Uplevel Cluster) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Door Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Base
Level) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Uplevel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Head-Up Display (HUD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Engine Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Vehicle Speed Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Vehicle Personalization
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Universal Remote System
Universal Remote System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Universal Remote System Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Universal Remote System Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-15883563) - 2022 - CRC - 11/19/21
122 Instruments and Controls
A message may also display in the Driver
Information Center (DIC). SeeElectric Parking
Brake 0245.
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
Warning Light
This warning light should come on briefly
when the vehicle is turned on. If the light
does not come on, have it fixed so it will be
ready to warn if there is a problem.
Engagement of the 4WD front axle lock will
disable ABS and illuminate the ABS warning
light. The ABS warning light will turn off
when the front axle lock is disengaged.
If the light comes on while driving, safely
stop as soon as it is possible and turn off
the vehicle. Then turn on the vehicle again
to reset the system.
If the ABS warning light stays on, or comes
on again while driving, the vehicle needs
service. A chime may also sound when the
light stays on. If the ABS warning light is the only light on,
the vehicle has regular brakes, but ABS is
not functioning.
If both the ABS warning light and the brake
system warning light are on, ABS is not
functioning and there is a problem with the
regular brakes. See your dealer for service.
See
Brake System Warning Light 0121.
Four-Wheel-Drive Light
Auto Mode Shown, Other Modes Similar
If equipped, the four-wheel-drive light
displays what mode the vehicle is in. The
light will show each mode: 2WD, 4HI, AUTO
(all transfer cases); 4LOW and N (two-speed
transfer case only).
The light will flash when a shift is in
progress. Once the shift is complete the
light will be steady. If the light turns amber, there may be a
malfunction with the four-wheel-drive
system. See your dealer.
See
Four-Wheel Drive 0240.
Tow/Haul Mode Light
For vehicles with the Tow/Haul Mode
feature, this light comes on when the Tow/
Haul Mode has been activated.
See Tow/Haul Mode 0240.
Hill Descent Control Light
If equipped, the Hill Descent Control light
comes on when the system is ready for use.
When the light flashes, the system is active.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-15883563) - 2022 - CRC - 11/19/21
Instruments and Controls 125
The light may also flash when ABS is active.
SeeAntilock Brake System (ABS) 0245.
Trailer Sway Control Light (Uplevel
Cluster)
This light will flash when Trailer Sway
Control is active. See Trailer Sway Control
(TSC) 0327.
Engine Coolant Temperature
Warning Light
This light comes on briefly while starting
the vehicle.
If it does not, have the vehicle serviced by
your dealer. If the system is working
normally the indicator light goes off.
Caution
The engine coolant temperature warning
light indicates that the vehicle has
overheated. Driving with this light on can
damage the engine and it may not be
covered by the vehicle warranty. See
Engine Overheating 0356.
The engine coolant temperature warning
light comes on when the engine has
overheated.
If this happens, pull over and turn off the
engine as soon as possible. See Engine
Overheating 0356.
Driver Mode Control Light
This light comes on when Normal Mode is
selected.
This light comes on when Sport Mode is
selected.
This light comes on when Snow Mode is
selected.
This light comes on when Terrain Mode is
selected.
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
208 Driving and Operating
.Holding both sides of the steering wheel
allows you to turn 180 degrees without
removing a hand.
.The Antilock Brake System (ABS) allows
steering while braking.
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop off the
edge of a road onto the shoulder while
driving. Follow these tips:1. Ease off the accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the way, steer the
vehicle so that it straddles the edge of
the pavement. 2. Turn the steering wheel about
one-eighth of a turn, until the right front
tire contacts the pavement edge.
3. Turn the steering wheel to go straight down the roadway.
Loss of Control
Skidding
There are three types of skids that
correspond to the vehicle's three control
systems:
.Braking Skid —wheels are not rolling.
.Steering or Cornering Skid —too much
speed or steering in a curve causes tires
to slip and lose cornering force.
.Acceleration Skid —too much throttle
causes the driving wheels to spin.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking
reasonable care suited to existing conditions,
and by not overdriving those conditions. But
skids are always possible.
If the vehicle starts to slide, follow these
suggestions:
.Ease your foot off the accelerator pedal
and steer the way you want the vehicle
to go. The vehicle may straighten out. Be
ready for a second skid if it occurs.
.Slow down and adjust your driving
according to weather conditions. Stopping
distance can be longer and vehicle control
can be affected when traction is reduced
by water, snow, ice, gravel, or other
material on the road. Learn to recognize
warning clues —such as enough water,
ice, or packed snow on the road to make
a mirrored surface —and slow down
when you have any doubt.
.Try to avoid sudden steering, acceleration,
or braking, including reducing vehicle
speed by shifting to a lower gear. Any
sudden changes could cause the tires to
slide.
Remember: Antilock brakes help avoid only
the braking skid.
Off-Road Driving
Four-wheel-drive vehicles can be used for
off-road driving. Vehicles without four-wheel
drive and vehicles not equipped with All
Terrain (AT) or On-Off Road (OOR) tires must
not be driven off-road except on a level,
solid surface. For contact information about
the original equipment tires, see the
warranty manual.
One of the best ways for successful off-road
driving is to control the speed.
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.