2024 GMC SIERRA TCS

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 2500 HD/3500 HD Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada-16908340) - 2024 - CRC - 12/15/22
104 Instruments and Controls
Instruments and Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Wireless Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Warning Lights, Gauges, and Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Instrument Cluster (Base Level) . . . . . . . . 112
Instrument Cluster (Uplevel) . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Engine Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . 118
Transmission Temperature Gauge (Uplevel only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Voltmeter Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Seat Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . 121 Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Check
Engine Light) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . 124
Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Service Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . 124
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Four-Wheel-Drive Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Tow/Haul Mode Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Hill Descent Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) Disabled Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Vehicle Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Pedestrian Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Traction Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Traction Control System (TCS)/Electronic Stability Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Driver Mode Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Engine Oil Pressure Light (Uplevel Cluster) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Door Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Base
Level) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Uplevel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Head-Up Display (HUD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Engine Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Vehicle Speed Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Universal Remote System
Universal Remote System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Universal Remote System Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Universal Remote System Operation . . . 141

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 2500 HD/3500 HD Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada-16908340) - 2024 - CRC - 12/15/22
Instruments and Controls 127
Traction Off Light
This light comes on briefly when the vehicle
is turned on to show that the light is
working. If it does not come on then, have
it fixed so it will be ready to warn you if
there is a problem.
The traction off light comes on when the
Traction Control System (TCS) has been
turned off. If Electronic Stability Control
(ESC) is turned off, TCS is also turned off. To
turn TCS and ESC off and on, seeTraction
Control/Electronic Stability Control 0236.
If TCS is off, wheel slip during acceleration is
not limited unless necessary to help protect
the driveline from damage. Adjust driving
accordingly.
Traction Control System (TCS)/
Electronic Stability Control Light
This light comes on briefly when the vehicle
is turned on to show that the light is
working. If it does not come on then, have
it fixed so it will be ready to warn you if
there is a problem.
If the light is on and not flashing, the TCS
and potentially the ESC system are not fully
operational and may not assist in
maintaining control. Adjust driving
accordingly. If the condition persists, see
your dealer as soon as possible. A Driver
Information Center (DIC) message may
display.
The light flashes when the TCS and/or the
ESC system is actively working.
See Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control 0236.
Trailer Sway Control Light (Uplevel
Cluster)
This light will flash when Trailer Sway
Control is active. See Trailer Sway Control
(TSC) 0294.
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
Off Light
This light comes on briefly when the vehicle
is turned on to show that the light is
working. If it does not come on then, have
it fixed so it will be ready to warn you if
there is a problem.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 2500 HD/3500 HD Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada-16908340) - 2024 - CRC - 12/15/22
128 Instruments and Controls
This light comes on when the Electronic
Stability Control (ESC) system is turned off.
If ESC is off, the Traction Control System
(TCS) is also off. To turn ESC off and on, see
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control
0236.
If ESC and TCS are off, the systems do not
assist in controlling the vehicle. Adjust
driving accordingly.
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 0321.
The engine coolant temperature warning
light comes on when the engine has
overheated.
If this happens, pull over and let the engine
idle. See Engine Overheating 0321.
Driver Mode Control Light
This light comes on when Normal Mode is
selected.
This light comes on when Snow Mode is
selected.
This light comes on when Off-Road Mode is
selected.
See Driver Mode Control 0238.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 2500 HD/3500 HD Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada-16908340) - 2024 - CRC - 12/13/22
Driving and Operating 209
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.
The Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control can often help to free a stuck
vehicle. See Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0236. If TC/ESC cannot free
the vehicle, see “Rocking the Vehicle to Get
it Out” following.
{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 Chains0363.
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 Transporting a Disabled Vehicle
0 379. 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.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 2500 HD/3500 HD Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada-16908340) - 2024 - CRC - 12/13/22
236 Driving and Operating
HSA is available when the vehicle is facing
uphill in a forward gear, or when facing
downhill in R (Reverse). The vehicle must
come to a complete stop on a grade for HSA
to activate.
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control
System Operation
The vehicle has a Traction Control System
(TCS) and StabiliTrak/Electronic Stability
Control (ESC) system. These systems help
limit wheel spin and assist the driver in
maintaining control, especially on slippery
road conditions.
TCS activates if it senses any of the drive
wheels are spinning or beginning to lose
traction. When this happens, TCS applies the
brakes to the spinning wheels and reduces
engine power to limit wheel spin.
StabiliTrak/ESC activates when the vehicle
senses a difference between the intended
path and the direction the vehicle is actually
traveling. StabiliTrak/ESC selectively applies
braking pressure to any one of the vehicle
wheel brakes to assist the driver in keepingthe vehicle on the intended path. Trailer
Sway Control (TSC) is also on automatically
when the vehicle is started. See
Trailer Sway
Control (TSC) 0294.
If cruise control is being used and traction
control or StabiliTrak/ESC begins to limit
wheel spin, cruise control will disengage.
Cruise control may be turned back on when
road conditions allow.
Both systems come on automatically when
the vehicle is started and begins to move.
The systems may be heard or felt while
they are operating or while performing
diagnostic checks. This is normal and does
not mean there is a problem with the
vehicle.
It is recommended to leave both systems on
for normal driving conditions, but it may be
necessary to turn TCS off if the vehicle gets
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow. See If the
Vehicle Is Stuck 0209 and“Turning the
Systems Off and On” later in this section.
When the transfer case (if equipped) is in
Four-Wheel Drive Low, the stability system
is automatically disabled,
gcomes on, and
the appropriate message will appear on the Driver Information Center (DIC). Both
traction control and StabiliTrak/ESC are
automatically disabled in this condition.
The indicator light for both systems is in the
instrument cluster. This light will:
.Flash when TCS is limiting wheel spin.
.Flash when StabiliTrak/ESC is activated.
.Turn on and stay on when either system
is not working.
If either system fails to turn on or to
activate, a message displays in the Driver
Information Center (DIC), and
dcomes on
and stays on to indicate that the system is
inactive and is not assisting the driver in
maintaining control. The vehicle is safe to
drive, but driving should be adjusted
accordingly.
If
dcomes on and stays on:
1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Turn the engine off and wait 15 seconds.
3. Start the engine.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 2500 HD/3500 HD Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada-16908340) - 2024 - CRC - 12/13/22
Driving and Operating 237
Drive the vehicle. Ifdcomes on and stays
on, the vehicle may need more time to
diagnose the problem. If the condition
persists, see your dealer.
Turning the Systems Off and On
The button for TCS and StabiliTrak/ESC is on
the center stack.
Caution
Do not repeatedly brake or accelerate
heavily when TCS is off. The vehicle
driveline could be damaged.
To turn off only TCS, press and release
g.
The traction off light
idisplays in the
instrument cluster. The appropriate message
will display in the DIC. To turn TCS on again,
press and release
g. The traction off light
idisplayed in the instrument cluster will
turn off. If TCS is limiting wheel spin when
gis
pressed, the system will not turn off until
the wheels stop spinning.
To turn off both TCS and StabiliTrak/ESC,
press and hold
guntil the traction off light
iand the StabiliTrak/ESC OFF lightgcome on and stay on in the instrument
cluster, then release. The appropriate
message will display in the DIC.
To turn TCS and StabiliTrak/ESC on again,
press and release
g. The traction off light
iand the StabiliTrak/ESC OFF lightgin
the instrument cluster turn off.
StabiliTrak/ESC will automatically turn on if
the vehicle exceeds 56 km/h (35 mph).
Traction control will remain off.
The vehicle has a Trailer Sway Control (TSC)
feature and a Hill Start Assist (HSA) feature.
See Trailer Sway Control (TSC) 0294 or
Hill Start Assist (HSA) 0235.
Adding accessories can affect the vehicle
performance. See Accessories and
Modifications 0310.
Hill Descent Control (HDC)
If equipped, Hill Descent Control (HDC) sets
and maintains vehicle speed while driving
down steep grades in a forward or reverse
gear. The HDC switch is on the center stack.
Press
5to enable or disable HDC. Vehicle
speed must be below 50 km/h (31 mph).
When enabled, the HDC light displays on
the instrument cluster.
A blinking HDC light indicates the system is
actively applying the brakes to maintain
vehicle speed. HDC can maintain vehicle
speeds between 1 and 22 km/h (1 and
14 mph) on grades greater than or equal
to 10%.
If HDC is to be used for more than
three minutes or on grades steeper than
25%, the transfer case should be put into
Four-Wheel Drive Low (4
n) to reduce the
possibility of brake overheating.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 2500 HD/3500 HD Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada-16908340) - 2024 - CRC - 12/13/22
Driving and Operating 239
standard/default mode. There is no
persistent indicator in the instrument cluster
for this mode.
6Snow/Ice Mode :Snow/Ice Mode
improves vehicle acceleration on snow and
ice covered roads. When active, Snow/Ice
Mode will adjust acceleration to optimize
traction on slippery surfaces. This can
compromise the acceleration on dry asphalt.
This feature is not intended for use when
the vehicle is stuck in sand, mud, ice, snow,
or gravel. If the vehicle becomes stuck, see If
the Vehicle Is Stuck 0209.
7Off-Road Mode : Use this mode for
off-road recreational driving. Off-Road Mode
should be used to improve driving at
moderate speeds, on grass, gravel, dirt,
unpaved roads, or snow-covered roads. The
accelerator pedal is tuned for off-road use.
This mode modifies pedal mapping,
transmission shift pattern, Antilock Brake
System (ABS), StabiliTrak/Electronic Stability
Control (ESC), and Traction Control System
(TCS) performance.
For more information on off-road driving see
Off-Road Driving 0203.
_Tow/Haul Mode : Use this mode
when hauling heavy loads to provide
increased performance and vehicle control.
Tow/Haul Mode adjusts the transmission
shift pattern, trailer sway, and steering.
If the vehicle is turned off with Tow/Haul
Mode active and then restarted within four
hours or less, Tow/Haul will remain active.
Otherwise, the vehicle will start in
Normal Mode.
If the vehicle has a diesel engine, exhaust
braking is automatically activated when
Tow/Haul Mode is selected. It maintains
vehicle speed by automatically
implementing a shift pattern that uses the
engine and the transmission to slow the
vehicle. The system will command
downshifts and use the turbocharger on the
engine to reduce vehicle speed when the
brake is applied. The normal tow/haul shift
pattern will return once the vehicle is on a
low grade or when the accelerator pedal is
pressed.
While in the Electronic Range Select (ERS)
Mode, grade breaking is deactivated,
allowing the driver to select a range and
limiting the highest gear available. See
Manual Mode 0226. For more information on trailer weight
specifications, see
Towing Equipment 0284.
Locking Rear Axle
Vehicles with a locking rear axle can give
more traction on snow, mud, ice, sand,
or gravel. It works like a standard axle most
of the time, but when traction is low, this
feature will allow the rear wheel with the
most traction to move the vehicle.
Cruise Control
If equipped, cruise control allows the vehicle
to maintain a set speed of 40 km/h
(25 mph) or more without active
acceleration. Cruise control does not work at
speeds below about 40 km/h (25 mph).
{Warning
Cruise control can be dangerous where
you cannot drive safely at a steady
speed. Do not use cruise control on
winding roads or in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous on
slippery roads. On such roads, fast
changes in tire traction can cause
(Continued)

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 2500 HD/3500 HD Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada-16908340) - 2024 - CRC - 12/13/22
240 Driving and Operating
Warning (Continued)
excessive wheel slip, and you could lose
control. Do not use cruise control on
slippery roads.
Cruise control will disengage if:
.The Traction control system (TCS) and/or
StabiliTrack activates to limit wheel spin.
See Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control 0236.
.TCS or StabiliTrak/ESC is turned off.
.A collision alert occurs. See Forward
Collision Alert (FCA) System. See Forward
Collision Alert (FCA) System 0263.
.The brakes are applied.
5:Press to turn cruise control on or off.
A white indicator light comes on in the
instrument cluster when cruise control is
turned on.
+RES : If there is a set speed in memory,
press the control up briefly to resume to
that speed or press and hold to accelerate.
If cruise control is already engaged, use to
increase vehicle speed.
SET− :Press the control down briefly to set
the speed and activate cruise control.
If cruise control is already engaged, use to
decrease vehicle speed.
*: Press to disengage cruise control
without erasing the set speed from memory.
Setting Cruise Control
If
5is on when not in use, SET− or +RES
could get pressed and engage cruise control
when not desired. Keep cruise control off
when it is not being used. Press
5to turn
off cruise control.
To set a speed:
1. Press
5.
2. Accelerate to the desired speed. 3. Press and release SET−.
4. Remove your foot from the accelerator.
The cruise control indicator light on the
instrument cluster displays green after
cruise control has been set to the desired
speed. See Instrument Cluster (Base Level)
0 112 or
Instrument Cluster (Uplevel) 0113.
Resuming a Set Speed
If cruise control is set at a desired speed
and then the brakes are applied or
*is
pressed, cruise control is disengaged without
erasing the set speed from memory.
Once the vehicle reaches about 40 km/h
(25 mph) or more, press +RES up briefly. The
vehicle returns to the previous set speed.
Increasing Speed While Using Cruise Control
If cruise control is already activated:
.Press and hold +RES up until the desired
speed is reached, then release it.
.To increase vehicle speed in small
increments, briefly press +RES up. For
each press, the vehicle goes about 1 km/h
(1 mph) faster.