battery GMC SIERRA 1500 2014 User Guide

Black plate (38,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
5853626) - 2014 - 3rd crc - 8/15/13
5-38 Instruments and Controls
Engine Power Messages
ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED
This message displays and a chime
may sound when the cooling system
temperature gets too hot and the
engine further enters the engine
coolant protection mode. See
Engine Overheating on page 10-23
for more information.
This message also displays when
the vehicle's engine power is
reduced. Reduced engine power
can affect the vehicle's ability to
accelerate. If this message is on,
but there is no reduction in
performance, proceed to your
destination. The performance may
be reduced the next time the vehicle
is driven. The vehicle may be driven
at a reduced speed while this
message is on, but acceleration and
speed may be reduced. Anytime
this message stays on, the vehicle
should be taken to your dealer for
service as soon as possible.
Fuel System Messages
FUEL LEVEL LOW
This message displays and a chime
may sound if the fuel level is low.
Refuel as soon as possible. See
Fuel Gauge on page 5-14andFuel
on page 9-68.
TIGHTEN GAS CAP
This message may display along
with the malfunction indicator lamp
on the instrument cluster if the
vehicle's fuel cap is not tightened
properly. See Malfunction Indicator
Lamp on page 5-22. Reinstall the
fuel cap fully. See Filling the Tank
on page 9-72. The diagnostic
system can determine if the fuel cap
has been left off or improperly
installed. A loose or missing fuel
cap allows fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere. A few driving trips with
the cap properly installed should
turn this light and message off.
Key and Lock Messages
REPLACE BATTERY IN
REMOTE KEY
This message displays if a Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter
battery is low. The battery needs to
be replaced in the transmitter. See
“Battery Replacement” under
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation on page 2-3.
Lamp Messages
TURN SIGNAL ON
This message displays and a chime
sounds if a turn signal is left on for
1.2 km (0.75 mi). Move the turn
signal lever to the off position.

Black plate (52,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
5853626) - 2014 - 3rd crc - 8/15/13
5-52 Instruments and Controls
Do not use the Universal Remote
system with any garage door opener
that does not have the stop and
reverse feature. This includes any
garage door opener model
manufactured before April 1, 1982.
Read the instructions completely
before programming the Universal
Remote system. It may help to have
another person assist with the
programming process.
Keep the original hand-held
transmitter for use in other vehicles
as well as for future programming.
Erase the programming when
vehicle ownership is terminated.
See“Erasing Universal Remote
System Buttons” later in this
section.
To program a garage door opener,
park outside directly in line with and
facing the garage door opener
receiver. Clear all people and
objects near the garage door. Make sure the hand-held transmitter
has a new battery for quick and
accurate transmission of the
radio-frequency signal.
Programming the Universal
Remote System
For questions or help programming
the Universal Remote system, call
1-800-355-3515 or see
www.homelink.com.
Programming involves
time-sensitive actions, and may time
out causing the procedure to be
repeated.
To program up to three devices:
1. Hold the end of the hand-held
transmitter about 3 to 8 cm (1 to
3 in) away from the Universal
Remote system buttons with the
indicator light in view. The
hand-held transmitter was
supplied by the manufacturer of
the garage door opener receiver. 2. At the same time, press and
hold both the hand-held
transmitter button and one of the
three Universal Remote system
buttons to be used to operate
the garage door. Do not release
either button until the indicator
light goes from a slow to a rapid
flashing light. Then release both
buttons.
Some garage door openers may
require substitution of Step 2
with the procedure under “Radio
Signals for Canada and Some
Gate Operators” later in this
section.
3. Press and hold the newly programmed Universal Remote
system button for five seconds
while watching the indicator light
and garage door activation.
.If the indicator light stays on
continuously or the garage
door moves when the
button is pressed, then

Black plate (1,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
5853626) - 2014 - 3rd crc - 8/15/13
Lighting 6-1
Lighting
Exterior Lighting
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lamps OffReminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Automatic Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . 6-4
Turn and Lane-Change Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Auxiliary Roof-Mounted Lamp . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Interior Lighting
Instrument Panel IlluminationControl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Cargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Lighting Features
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Battery Load Management . . . . 6-8
Battery Power Protection . . . . . . 6-9
Exterior Lighting
Exterior Lamp Controls
The exterior lamp control is on the
instrument panel to the left of the
steering wheel.
O(Off): Turns off the automatic
headlamps and Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL). Turn the headlamp
control to the off position again to
turn the automatic headlamps or
DRL back on.
For vehicles first sold in Canada, off
will only work when the vehicle is in
P (Park).

Black plate (2,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
5853626) - 2014 - 3rd crc - 8/15/13
6-2 Lighting
AUTO (Automatic):Automatically
turns on the headlamps at normal
brightness, together with the
following:
.Parking Lamps
.Instrument Panel Lights
.Taillamps
.License Plate Lamps
.Roof Marker Lamps (If
Equipped)
.Front/Rear Sidemarker Lamps
When the vehicle is turned off and
the headlamps are in AUTO, the
headlamps turn off. When the key is
removed, they automatically turn on
for a set time. The time of the delay
can be changed using the DIC. See
Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Base Level) on page 5-30 orDriver
Information Center (DIC) (Uplevel)
on page 5-32.
;(Parking Lamps): Turns on the
parking lamps including all lamps,
except the headlamps.
2(Headlamps): Turns on the
headlamps together with the parking
lamps and instrument panel lights.
When the headlamps are turned on
while the vehicle is on, the
headlamps turn off automatically
10 minutes after the ignition is
turned off. When the headlamps are
turned on while the vehicle is off,
the headlamps will stay on for
10 minutes before turning off to
prevent the battery from being
drained. Turn the headlamp control
off and then back to the headlamp
on position to make the headlamps
stay on for an additional 10 minutes.
To keep the lamps on for more than
10 minutes, the ignition must be in
the ACC/ACCESSORY or ON/RUN
position.
#(Fog Lamps) (If Equipped):
Turns on the fog lamps. See Fog
Lamps on page 6-5.
Exterior Lamps Off
Reminder
A reminder chime sounds when the
headlamps or parking lamps are
manually turned on, the ignition is
off, and a door is open. To disable
the chime, turn the lamps off.
Headlamp High/
Low-Beam Changer
$
(Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer): Push the turn signal
lever toward the instrument panel to
change the headlamps from low to
high beam.
Pull the turn signal lever toward you
and release it to return to low-beam
headlamps.

Black plate (8,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
5853626) - 2014 - 3rd crc - 8/15/13
6-8 Lighting
Pressmornnext to each reading
lamp to turn it on or off.
Lighting Features
Entry Lighting
The vehicle has an illuminated entry
feature.
When a door is opened, the dome
lamps and puddle lamps come on if
the dome lamp control is in the
DOOR position. If the dome lamp
control is in the OFF position, the
lamps do not come on.
The headlamps, parking lamps,
taillamps, and back-up lamps turn
on briefly at night, or in areas with
limited lighting, when
Kis pressed
on the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter. After about 30 seconds
the exterior lamps turn off. Entry
lighting can be disabled manually by
changing the ignition out of the OFF
position, or by pressing the RKE
transmitter
Qbutton.
This feature can be changed. See
“Vehicle Locator Lights” under
Vehicle Personalization on
page 5-45.
Exit Lighting
The interior lamps, headlamps,
parking lamps, back-up lamps, and
license plate lamps come on when
the key is removed from the ignition.
The interior lamps turn off
automatically in 20 seconds. The
interior lamps do not come on if the
dome lamp control is in the OFF
position.
The exterior lamps turn off
immediately by turning the exterior
lamps control off.
This feature can be changed. See
Vehicle Personalization on
page 5-45.
Battery Load
Management
The vehicle has Electric Power
Management (EPM), which
estimates the battery's temperature
and state of charge. It then adjusts
the voltage for best performance
and extended life of the battery.

Black plate (9,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
5853626) - 2014 - 3rd crc - 8/15/13
Lighting 6-9
When the battery's state of charge
is low, the voltage is raised slightly
to quickly bring the charge back up.
When the state of charge is high,
the voltage is lowered slightly to
prevent overcharging. The voltmeter
gauge or the voltage display on the
Driver Information Center (DIC),
if equipped, may show the voltage
moving up or down. This is normal.
If there is a problem, an alert will be
displayed.
The battery can be discharged at
idle if the electrical loads are very
high. This is true for all vehicles.
This is because the generator
(alternator) may not be spinning fast
enough at idle to produce all the
power that is needed for very high
electrical loads.A high electrical load occurs when
several of the following are on, such
as: headlamps, high beams, fog
lamps, rear window defogger,
climate control fan at high speed,
heated seats, engine cooling fans,
trailer loads, and loads plugged into
accessory power outlets.
EPM works to prevent excessive
discharge of the battery. It does this
by balancing the generator's output
and the vehicle's electrical needs.
It can increase engine idle speed to
generate more power, whenever
needed. It can temporarily reduce
the power demands of some
accessories.
Normally, these actions occur in
steps or levels, without being
noticeable. In rare cases at the
highest levels of corrective action,
this action may be noticeable to the
driver. If so, a DIC message might
be displayed and it is recommended
that the driver reduce the electrical
loads as much as possible. See
“Battery Voltage and Charging
Messages”
underVehicle Messages
on page 5-34.
Battery Power Protection
This feature shuts off the dome and
reading lamps, if they are left on for
more than 10 minutes after the
ignition is turned off. The cargo
lamp shuts off after 20 minutes. This
prevents the battery from
running down.

Black plate (20,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
5853626) - 2014 - 3rd crc - 8/15/13
7-20 Infotainment System
There may be problems with
operation and function in the
following situations:
.When connecting an iPod with a
more recent version of the
firmware installed than is
supported by the infotainment
system.
.When connecting an iPod on
which firmware from other
providers is installed.
To connect and control an iPod:
1. Connect one end of the standard iPod USB cable to the iPod's
dock connector.
2. Connect the other end to a USB port in the center console.
3. Press the MEDIA button to select the source.
iPod music information displays on
the radio’s display and begins
playing through the vehicle’s audio
system. The iPod battery recharges
automatically while the vehicle is on.
When the vehicle is off while an
iPod is connected using the iPod
USB cable, the iPod battery stops
charging and the iPod automatically
turns off.
If the iPod is an unsupported model,
it can still be listened to in the
vehicle by connecting to the
auxiliary input jack using a standard
3.5 mm (1/8 in) stereo cable.
iPod Menu
Press the MENU knob to display the
iPod Menu and the following may
display:
Browse :
Select to display the files
or songs on the iPod. See “Browse
iPod Media” later in this section.
Tone Settings : Select to adjust
Bass, Midrange, Treble, Balance,
Fade, and EQ (Equalizer). See
“Tone Settings” under“Playing an
Audio CD.”
Auto Volume : If equipped, see
“Playing an Audio CD.” EQ (Equalizer) Settings:
If equipped, this feature adjusts the
Equalizer settings. See
“EQ
(Equalizer) Settings” inAM-FM
Radio on page 7-9.
Browse iPod Media
Use the following to browse:
Playlists:
1. Turn the MENU knob to highlight and press to view the playlists
stored on the iPod.
2. Turn the MENU knob to highlight and press to select a playlist
name to view a list of all songs
in the playlist.
3. Turn the MENU knob to highlight and press to select the song
from the list to begin playback.
Artists:
1. Turn the MENU knob to highlight and press to view the artists
stored on the iPod.

Black plate (14,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
5853626) - 2014 - 3rd crc - 8/15/13
9-14 Driving and Operating
{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 the snow:
.Clear away snow from around
the base of your vehicle,
especially any that is blocking
the exhaust pipe.
.Check again from time to
time to be sure snow does
not collect there.
.Open a window about 5 cm
(2 in) on the side of the
vehicle that is away from the
wind to bring in fresh air.(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
.Adjust the climate control
system to a setting that
circulates the air inside the
vehicle and set the fan speed
to the highest setting. See
“Climate Control Systems”.
For more information about
carbon monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust on page 9-33.
To save fuel, run the engine for only
short periods as needed to warm
the vehicle and then shut the engine
off and close the window most of
the way to save heat. Repeat this
until help arrives but only when you
feel really uncomfortable from the
cold. Moving about to keep warm
also helps. If it takes some time for help to
arrive, now and then when you run
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.
The Traction Control System (TCS)
can often help to free a stuck
vehicle. See Traction Control/
Electronic Stability Control on
page 9-54. If TCS cannot free the
vehicle, see “Rocking the Vehicle to
Get it Out” following.

Black plate (26,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
5853626) - 2014 - 3rd crc - 8/15/13
9-26 Driving and Operating
2. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral).This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. After shifting
to N (Neutral), firmly apply the
brakes and steer the vehicle to a
safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop, shift to P (Park), and turn the ignition
to LOCK/OFF. On vehicles with
an automatic transmission, the
shift lever must be in P (Park) to
turn the ignition switch to the
LOCK/OFF position.
4. Set the parking brake. See Parking Brake on page 9-53.
{Warning
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may cause loss of power
assist in the brake and steering
systems and disable the airbags.
While driving, only shut the
vehicle off in an emergency. If the vehicle cannot be pulled over,
and must be shut off while driving,
turn the ignition to ACC/
ACCESSORY.
{Caution
Using a tool to force the key to
turn in the ignition could cause
damage to the switch or break the
key. Use the correct key, make
sure it is all the way in, and turn it
only with your hand. If the key
cannot be turned by hand, see
your dealer.
2 (ACC/ACCESSORY): This
position lets things like the radio
and the windshield wipers operate
while the engine is off. It also
unlocks the steering wheel. Use this
position if the vehicle must be
pushed or towed.
3 (ON/RUN): This position can be
used to operate the electrical
accessories and to display some
instrument cluster warning and indicator lights. This position can
also be used for service and
diagnostics, and to verify the proper
operation of the malfunction
indicator lamp as may be required
for emission inspection purposes.
The switch stays in this position
when the engine is running. The
transmission is also unlocked in this
position on automatic transmission
vehicles.
If the key is left in the ACC/
ACCESSORY or ON/RUN position
with the engine off, the battery could
be drained. The vehicle may not
start if the battery is allowed to drain
for an extended period of time.
4 (START):
This is the position that
starts the engine. When the engine
starts, release the key. The ignition
switch returns to ON/RUN for
driving.
A warning tone will sound when the
driver door is opened and the
ignition is in ACC/ACCESSORY or
LOCK/OFF, and the key is in the
ignition.

Black plate (28,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
5853626) - 2014 - 3rd crc - 8/15/13
9-28 Driving and Operating
Cranking System is disabled to
prevent possible vehicle
component damage. When this
happens, hold the ignition switch
in the START position 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 holding the
key in START for up to 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 key and accelerator.
If the vehicle starts briefly but
then stops again, do the same
thing. This clears the extra
gasoline from the engine. Do not
race the engine immediately
after starting it. Operate the
engine and transmission gently
until the oil warms up and
lubricates all moving parts.
Fast Idle System
If equipped, this feature is available
only with cruise control. The manual
fast idle switch is operated using the
cruise control buttons on the left
side of the steering wheel.
This system can be used to
increase engine idle speed
whenever the following conditions
are met:
.The parking brake is set.
.The brake pedal is not pressed.
.The vehicle must not be moving
and the accelerator must not be
pressed.
To control the fast idle:
.To enable the Fast Idle System,
press and release the cruise
control on/off button and ensure
that the switch indicator light
is lit.
.Press and release the cruise
control SET- button. Engine
speed will be held at
approximately 1200 rpm.
One of the following actions will turn
off the fast idle:
.Pressing the brake.
.Selecting the cruise control
cancel button.
.Releasing the parking brake.
.Moving the transmission shift
lever out of P (Park) or
N (Neutral).
.Selecting the cruise control on/
off button when it was
previously on.