2024 GMC SIERRA battery

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 2500 HD/3500 HD Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada-16908340) - 2024 - CRC - 12/13/22
288 Driving and Operating
to the attaching points on the bumper;
otherwise, safety chains should be attached
to holes on the trailer hitch.
Cross the safety chains under the tongue of
the trailer to help prevent the tongue from
contacting the road if it becomes separated
from the hitch. Always leave enough slack in
the safety chains to allow the combination
to turn. Never allow safety chains to drag
on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
Loaded trailers over 900 kg (2,000 lb) must
be equipped with brake systems and with
brakes for each axle. Trailer braking
equipment conforming to Canadian
Standards Association (CSA) requirement
CAN3-D313, or its equivalent, is
recommended.
State or local regulations may require
trailers to have their own braking system if
the loaded weight of the trailer exceeds
certain minimums that can vary from state
to state. Read and follow the instructions for
the trailer brakes so they are installed,
adjusted, and maintained properly. Never
attempt to tap into your vehicle's hydraulicbrake system. If you do, both the vehicle
antilock brakes and the trailer brakes may
not function, which could result in a crash.
Auxiliary Battery
If equipped, the vehicle's auxiliary battery
can be used to supply electrical power to
additional equipment that may be added,
such as a slide-in camper.
Locate the auxiliary battery connector under
the hood on the driver side of the vehicle,
next to the engine compartment fuse block.
Follow the proper installation instructions
included with any electrical equipment that
is installed.
Caution
To prevent draining the auxiliary battery,
always turn off electrical equipment
when not in use and do not use any
equipment that may exceed the
maximum amperage rating of 30 amps.
Trailer Wiring Harness
Basic Trailer Wiring
If the vehicle is not equipped with a trailer
connector on the rear bumper, a seven-wire
trailering harness is tied to the vehiclesframe. The harness requires the installation
of a trailer connector, which is available
through your dealer.
Use only a round, seven-wire connector with
flat blade terminals meeting SAE J2863
specifications for proper electrical
connectivity.
The seven-wire harness contains the
following trailer circuits:
Stop/Turn
Signal Left Yellow/Blue
Stop/Turn Signal
Right Green/Violet
Tail/Parking Lamps Gray/Brown
Reverse Lamps White/Green
Battery Feed Red/Green
Ground White
Electric Trailer Brake Blue
Heavy-Duty Trailer Wiring Harness Package
If equipped, the trailer wiring harness, with
a seven-pin connector and a four-pin
connector, is mounted on the vehicle's rear
bumper.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 2500 HD/3500 HD Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada-16908340) - 2024 - CRC - 12/13/22
Driving and Operating 289
The trailer connectors contain the following
circuits.
1. Ground
2. Tail Lamps
3. Left Turn/Brake
4. Right Turn/Brake
1. Left Turn/Brake
2. Tail Lamps
3. Reverse Lamps
4. Battery Feed
5. Right Turn/Brake
6. Electric Brakes
7. GroundIf equipped, trailering camera connectors are
available in the bumper trailer receptacle in
place of the four pin connector. The inside
trailer auxiliary camera should be installed
on the top left hand side (A) and the rear
trailer auxiliary camera (B) should be
installed on the top right hand side.
If equipped with the fifth-wheel/gooseneck
trailer package, the harness connector is
mounted on the inside of the pickup bed
behind the rear wheel.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 2500 HD/3500 HD Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada-16908340) - 2024 - CRC - 12/13/22
290 Driving and Operating
Camper/Fifth-Wheel Trailer Wiring Package
For vehicles without the fifth-wheel/
gooseneck trailer package, the seven-wire
camper harness is under the rear bumper,
attached to the frame near the rear
crossmember. A connector must be added to
the wiring harness that connects to the
camper.
The harness contains the following
camper/trailer circuits:Stop/Turn
Signal Left Yellow/Blue
Stop/Turn Signal
Right Green/Violet
Tail/Parking Lamps Gray/Brown Reverse Lamps White/Green
Battery Feed Red/Green
Ground White
Electric Trailer Brake Blue
If equipped with the heavy-duty trailering
option, see “Heavy-Duty Trailer Wiring
Harness Package” earlier in this section.
When the camper-wiring harness is ordered
without the heavy-duty trailering package, a
seven-wire harness with a seven-pin
connector is at the rear of the vehicle and is
tied to the vehicle's frame.
Trailer Lamps
Always check that all trailer lamps are
working at the beginning of each trip, and
periodically on longer trips.
If equipped, the Trailering App will monitor
the RH turn/brake lamp circuit, LH turn/
brake lamp circuit, running lamp circuit, and
reverse lamp circuits on the trailer. DIC
messages and Trailering App alerts may
display if lighting circuit issues are detected
on the trailer. When a trailer cannot be detected, the
trailer-related DIC messages and/or
Trailering App alerts will not display.
Pressing START LIGHT TEST in the Trailering
App automatically activates trailer lamps.
The Trailering App is not a substitute for
manually inspecting your trailer lamps. See
Trailering App
0296.
Trailer Connection and Lamp Messages
When a trailer is properly connected and
working, no trailer connection or lamp
messages appear on the DIC. However; if
the vehicle detects an issue with a trailer
connection or lamp, you may see the
following DIC message(s):
.TRAILER DISCONNECTED CHECK
CONNECTION appears when a connected
trailer is disconnected. It appears
immediately when the vehicle is on,
or upon the next start-up if the trailer
was disconnected while the vehicle was
off. Check the trailer connection as
appropriate.
.CHECK TRAILER LAMP appears when there
is a detected lamp or wiring fault on the
trailer. Check the trailer wiring and lamps.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 2500 HD/3500 HD Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada-16908340) - 2024 - CRC - 12/13/22
300 Driving and Operating
If trailer dimensions are out of range, this
feature will be unavailable.
Status View
If a trailer is connected, the Status view
shows status information for the active
trailer profile.
If no trailer is connected, the Status view
shows the last trailer profile with a status of
Not Connected.
The Status view shows:
.Lights
.Tires
.Maintenance
.Cameras
.Checklists
.Weight
.Towing AssistScroll right or left to see more options.
Each section shows high level status
information for the feature. Selecting a
section will open up a new screen with
additional information and/or options.
Selecting a camera view will open up a new
screen to preview the camera image. The
status view displays mileage and fuel
economy information.
Lights
This view displays the names of the trailer
connector pins, a graphic of the trailer
connector, and a graphic of the back of the
trailer.
Any connector pin that failed will be amber
color, and the location of the corresponding
connection will be highlighted on the
graphic of the back of the trailer.
If a trailer connection is detected without
any faults, the view will display No Issues
Found.
When a trailer is connected, the Trailering
App detects the trailer connection using the
Stop/Turn Signal lighting circuits and alerts
the driver by requesting a trailer profile
setup through the Trailering App on the
infotainment screen. If a default trailer
profile is selected, the Trailering App will not
display a Trailer Detection Alert to the user
when a trailer is connected.
When a trailer is connected and the vehicle
is off, the Trailering App will periodically
pulse the lighting circuits of the trailer to
verify it is still connected. The trailer lights
may periodically flash as a result of this
trailer connection detection. These flashes
may be more visible in dark ambient light
environments. The flashing or flickering
lights are a normal condition and the
Trailering App has built-in protections to
prevent the battery from draining. When
Theft Alert is enabled, the frequency and
pattern of this flashing will change.
If a connected trailer becomes disconnected,
a message about the trailer disconnect will
appear on the Driver Information Center
(DIC) immediately (if vehicle is on) or the

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 2500 HD/3500 HD Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada-16908340) - 2024 - CRC - 12/13/22
306 Driving and Operating
If Tow/Haul Mode is off and this setting is
on for a Trailer Profile, each time the vehicle
is turned on, a reminder will appear in the
DIC to turn on Tow/Haul Mode when the
Trailer Profile is active.
If Tow/Haul Mode is on and this setting is
on for a Trailer Profile, the reminder will not
appear when the Trailer Profile is active.
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment
{Warning
The Data Link Connector (DLC) is used for
vehicle service and Emission Inspection/
Maintenance testing. SeeMalfunction
Indicator Lamp (Check Engine Light) 0122.
A device connected to the DLC —such as
an aftermarket fleet or driver-behavior
tracking device —may interfere with
vehicle systems. This could affect vehicle
operation and cause a crash. Such devices
may also access information stored in the
vehicle’s systems.
Caution
Some electrical equipment can damage
the vehicle or cause components to not
work and would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Always check with your
dealer before adding electrical equipment.
Add-on equipment can drain the vehicle's
12-volt battery, even if the vehicle is not
operating.
The vehicle has an airbag system. Before
attempting to add anything electrical to the
vehicle, see Servicing the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle 073 and
Adding Equipment to the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle 073.
For information on wiring auxiliary switches,
see www.gmupfitter.com or contact your
dealer.
Adding a Snow Plow or Similar
Equipment
Caution
Do not exceed 72 km/h (45 mph) with a
snow plow mounted to the vehicle. The
vehicle could overheat and be damaged.
Before installing a snow plow on the vehicle,
follow these guidelines:
Caution
If the vehicle does not have the snow
plow prep package, RPO VYU, adding a
plow can damage the vehicle, and the
repairs would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Unless the vehicle was
built to carry a snow plow, do not add
one to the vehicle. If the vehicle has RPO
VYU, then the payload the vehicle can
carry will be reduced when a snow plow
is installed. The vehicle can be damaged
if either the front or rear axle ratings or
the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)
are exceeded.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 2500 HD/3500 HD Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada-16908340) - 2024 - CRC - 12/7/22
Vehicle Care 309
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
California Perchlorate MaterialsRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . 310
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own Service Work . . . . . . . . . 311
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . 313
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . 317
Engine Air Filter Life System . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
Brake Pad Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Battery - North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329 Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Noise Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Automatic Transmission Shift Lock
Control Function Check (Mechanical
Shifter) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Glass Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Headlamp Aiming
Front Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker, and Parking Lamps . . . . . . 333
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) and Cargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . 337 Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Left) . . . . . 341
Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Right) . . . 342
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
All-Terrain Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Tire Terminology and Definitions . . . . . . 348
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . 351
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . 351
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . 359
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . 361
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . 361
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . 362
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 364
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365
Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
Jump Starting
Jump Starting - North America . . . . . . . . 376

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 2500 HD/3500 HD Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada-16908340) - 2024 - CRC - 12/7/22
314 Vehicle Care
1. Remote Negative (–) Location. SeeJump
Starting - North America 0376.
2. Positive (+) Terminal (Under Cover). See Jump Starting - North America 0376.
3. Battery - North America 0327.
4. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0318.
5. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine
Oil” under Engine Oil 0314.
6. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System 0319.
7. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. See Power Steering Fluid 0323.
8. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add
Engine Oil” underEngine Oil 0314.
9. Auxiliary Battery. Battery - North
America 0327.
10. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid
0 326.
11. Engine Compartment Fuse Block 0337.
12. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. SeeCooling System 0319.
13. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer Fluid” underWasher
Fluid 0324.
If the vehicle has a diesel engine, see the
Duramax diesel supplement.Engine Oil
For diesel engine vehicles, see “Engine Oil”
in the Duramax diesel supplement.
To ensure proper engine performance and
long life, careful attention must be paid to
engine oil. Following these simple, but
important steps will help protect your
investment:
.Use engine oil approved to the proper
specification and of the proper viscosity
grade. See “Selecting the Right Engine
Oil” in this section.
.Check the engine oil level regularly and
maintain the proper oil level. See
“Checking Engine Oil” and“When to Add
Engine Oil” in this section.
.Change the engine oil at the appropriate
time. SeeEngine Oil Life System 0316.
.Always dispose of engine oil properly. See
“What to Do with Used Oil” in this
section.
Checking Engine Oil
Check the engine oil level regularly, every
650 km (400 mi), especially prior to a long
trip. The engine oil dipstick handle is a loop.
See Engine Compartment Overview 0313 for
the location.
{Warning
The engine oil dipstick handle may be
hot; it could burn you. Use a towel or
glove to touch the dipstick handle.
If a low oil Driver Information Center (DIC)
message displays, check the oil level.
Follow these guidelines:
.To get an accurate reading, park the
vehicle on level ground. Check the engine
oil level after the engine has been off for
at least two hours. Checking the engine
oil level on steep grades or too soon after
engine shutoff can result in incorrect
readings. Accuracy improves when
checking a cold engine prior to starting.
Remove the dipstick and check the level.
.If unable to wait two hours, the engine
must be off for at least 15 minutes if the
engine is warm, or at least 30 minutes if
the engine is not warm. Pull out the
dipstick, wipe it with a clean paper towel
or cloth, then push it back in all the way.
Remove it again, keeping the tip down,
and check the level.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 2500 HD/3500 HD Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada-16908340) - 2024 - CRC - 12/7/22
Vehicle Care 327
installed. Add or remove fluid, as necessary,
only when work is done on the brake
hydraulic system.
{Warning
If too much brake fluid is added, it can
spill on the engine and burn, if the
engine is hot enough. You or others could
be burned, and the vehicle could be
damaged. Add brake fluid only when
work is done on the brake hydraulic
system.
When the brake fluid falls to a low level,
the brake warning light comes on. See Brake
System Warning Light 0124.
Brake fluid absorbs water over time which
degrades the effectiveness of the brake fluid.
Replace brake fluid at the specified intervals
to prevent increased stopping distance. See
Maintenance Schedule 0394.
What to Add
Use only GM approved DOT 4 brake fluid
from a clean, sealed container. See
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants 0398.
{Warning
The wrong or contaminated brake fluid
could result in damage to the brake
system. This could result in the loss of
braking leading to a possible injury.
Always use the proper GM approved
brake fluid.
Caution
If brake fluid is spilled on the vehicle's
painted surfaces, the paint finish can be
damaged. Immediately wash off any
painted surface.
Battery - North America
The original equipment battery is
maintenance free. Do not remove the cap
and do not add fluid.
Refer to the replacement number shown on
the original battery label when a new
battery is needed. See Engine Compartment
Overview 0313 for battery location.
{Warning
WARNING: Battery posts, terminals and
related accessories can expose you to
chemicals including lead and lead
compounds, which are known to the
State of California to cause cancer and
birth defects or other reproductive harm.
Wash hands after handling. For more
information go to
www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.
See California Proposition 65 Warning 01.
Vehicle Storage
{Warning
Batteries have acid that can burn you and
gas that can explode. You can be badly
hurt if you are not careful. Always wear
eye protection. See Jump Starting - North
America 0376 for tips on working around
a battery without getting hurt.
Infrequent Usage: Remove the black,
negative (−) cable from the battery to keep
the battery from running down.