climate control GMC SIERRA 1500 2017 Owner's Manual

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 5/3/16
238 Driving and Operating
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . 324
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) . . . 333
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical
Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Adding a Snow Plow or Similar Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Pickup Conversion to Chassis Cab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Driving Information
Distracted Driving
Distraction comes in many forms
and can take your focus from the
task of driving. Exercise good
judgment and do not let other
activities divert your attention away
from the road. Many local
governments have enacted laws
regarding driver distraction. Become
familiar with the local laws in
your area.
To avoid distracted driving, keep
your eyes on the road, keep your
hands on the steering wheel, and
focus your attention on driving.
. Do not use a phone in
demanding driving situations.
Use a hands-free method to
place or receive necessary
phone calls.
. Watch the road. Do not read,
take notes, or look up
information on phones or other
electronic devices. .
Designate a front seat
passenger to handle potential
distractions.
. Become familiar with vehicle
features before driving, such as
programming favorite radio
stations and adjusting climate
control and seat settings.
Program all trip information into
any navigation device prior to
driving.
. Wait until the vehicle is parked
to retrieve items that have fallen
to the floor.
. Stop or park the vehicle to tend
to children.
. Keep pets in an appropriate
carrier or restraint.
. Avoid stressful conversations
while driving, whether with a
passenger or on a cell phone.
{Warning
Taking your eyes off the road too
long or too often could cause a
crash resulting in injury or death.
Focus your attention on driving.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 5/3/16
Driving and Operating 249
Warning (Continued)
.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 0266.
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.
The Traction Control System (TCS)
can often help to free a stuck
vehicle. See Traction Control/
Electronic Stability Control 0284.
If TCS 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
Chains 0405.
Rocking the Vehicle to Get
It Out
Turn the steering wheel left and
right to clear the area around the
front wheels. 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

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 5/3/16
258 Driving and Operating
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:. Keep the vehicle speed at
88 km/h (55 mph) or less for
the first 805 km (500 mi).
. Do not drive at any one
constant speed, fast or slow,
for the first 805 km (500 mi).
Do not make full-throttle
starts. Avoid downshifting to
brake or slow the vehicle.
. Avoid making hard stops for
the first 322 km (200 mi) or
so. During this time the new
brake linings are not yet
broken in. Hard stops with
new linings can mean
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
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
0 307 for the trailer towing
capabilities of the vehicle
and more information.
Following break-in, engine speed
and load can be gradually
increased.
Adjustable Throttle and
Brake Pedal
If equipped, the position of the
throttle and brake pedals can be
changed.
The pedals can only be adjusted
when the vehicle is in P (Park).
The switch used to adjust the
pedals is on the center stack, below
the climate controls.
Lift the switch up to move the
pedals closer to your body. Press
the switch down to move the
pedals away.
Before you start driving, fully press
the brake pedal to confirm the
adjustment is right for you.
The vehicle may have a memory
function, which lets pedal settings
be saved and recalled. See Memory
Seats 054.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 5/3/16
286 Driving and Operating
Hill Descent
Control (HDC)
If equipped, HDC can be used when
driving downhill. It sets and
maintains vehicle speed while
descending a very steep incline in a
forward or reverse gear.
The HDC switch is on the center
stack, below the climate controls.
Press
5to enable or disable HDC.
Vehicle speed must be below
50 km/h (31 mph).
The HDC light displays on the
instrument cluster when enabled.
HDC can maintain vehicle speeds
between 3 and 22 km/h (2 and
14 mph) on an incline greater than
or equal to a 10% grade. A blinking
HDC light indicates the system is
actively applying the brakes to
maintain vehicle speed. When HDC is activated, the initial
HDC speed is set to the current
driving speed. It can be increased or
decreased by pressing the +RES or
SET- steering wheel controls or by
applying the accelerator or brake
pedal. This adjusted speed
becomes the new set speed.
HDC will remain enabled between
22 and 60 km/h (14 and 37 mph);
however vehicle speed cannot be
set or maintained in this range.
It will automatically disable if the
vehicle speed is above 80 km/h
(50 mph) or above 60 km/h
(37 mph) for at least 30 seconds.
5
must be pressed again to
re-enable HDC.
When enabled, if the vehicle is at a
speed above 22 km/h (14 mph) and
less than 60 km/h (37 mph), a DIC
message will display. See
Vehicle
Speed Messages 0154.
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.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 5/3/16
Driving and Operating 305
.The trailer must be equipped
with brakes adequate for the
intended use. A loaded trailer
weighing more than 900 kg
(2,000 lb) must be equipped with
its own brake system, with
brakes working on all axles.
Trailer braking equipment
conforming to Canadian
Standards Association (CSA)
requirement CAN3-D313, or its
equivalent, is recommended.
. Do not tow a trailer during the
first 800 km (500 mi) to prevent
damage to the engine, axle,
or other parts.
. Then during the first 800 km
(500 mi) of trailer towing, do not
drive over 80 km/h (50 mph) and
do not make starts at full throttle.
. Vehicles can tow in D (Drive).
The Tow/Haul Mode may be
used if the transmission shifts
too often. See Tow/Haul
Mode 0273.
. Turn off Park Assist when
towing.{Warning
When towing a trailer, exhaust
gases may collect at the rear of
the vehicle and enter if the
liftgate, trunk/hatch, or rear-most
window is open.
When towing a trailer:
. Do not drive with the
liftgate, trunk/hatch,
or rear-most window open.
. Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
. Also adjust the climate
control system to a setting
that brings in only outside
air. See “Climate Control
Systems” in the Index.
For more information about
carbon monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust 0266.
Towing a trailer requires a certain
amount of experience. The
combination you are driving is
longer and not as responsive as the vehicle itself. Get acquainted with
the handling and braking of the rig
before setting out for the open road.
The structure, tires, and brakes of
the trailer must be rated to carry the
load. Inadequate trailer equipment
can cause the combination to
operate in an unexpected or unsafe
manner.
Before starting, check all trailer hitch
parts and attachments, safety
chains, electrical connectors, lamps,
tires, and mirrors. Get familiar with
the handling and braking of the rig.
If the trailer has electric brakes, start
the combination moving and then
apply the trailer brake controller by
hand to be sure the brakes work.
During the trip, check occasionally
to be sure that the load is secure
and the lamps and any trailer
brakes still work.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the
vehicle ahead as you would when
driving the vehicle without a trailer.
This can help to avoid heavy
braking and sudden turns.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 5/3/16
Vehicle Care 403
{Warning
If different sized wheels are used,
there may not be an acceptable
level of performance and safety if
tires not recommended for those
wheels are selected. This
increases the chance of a crash
and serious injury. Only use GM
specific wheel and tire systems
developed for the vehicle, and
have them properly installed by a
GM certified technician.
See Buying New Tires 0401 and
Accessories and
Modifications 0341.
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading
The following information relates
to the system developed by the
United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA), which grades tires by
treadwear, traction, and
temperature performance. This applies only to vehicles sold in
the United States. The grades
are molded on the sidewalls of
most passenger car tires. The
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
(UTQG) system does not apply
to deep tread, winter tires,
compact spare tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters of
10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm),
or to some limited-production
tires.
While the tires available on
General Motors passenger cars
and light trucks may vary with
respect to these grades, they
must also conform to federal
safety requirements and
additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC)
standards.
Quality grades can be found
where applicable on the tire
sidewall between tread shoulder
and maximum section width. For
example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A
All Passenger Car Tires Must
Conform to Federal Safety
Requirements In Addition To
These Grades.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a
comparative rating based on the
wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a
specified government test
course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and
one-half (1½) times as well on
the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of
their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving
habits, service practices and
differences in road
characteristics and climate.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 5/3/16
Index 483
California (cont'd)Perchlorate Materials
Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
California
Proposition
65 Warning . . . . . . . . . .340, 366, 418
Canadian Vehicle Owners . . . . . . . . 2
Capacities and Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 453
Carbon Monoxide Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Tailgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Cargo
Tie-Downs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
Cargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Caution, Danger, and Warning . . . . 3
CD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Center Console Storage . . . . . . . . 109
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) and
Cargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
Chains, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 405
Charging
Wireless . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . 132
Check Ignition Transmission Lock . . . 371 Check (cont'd)
Malfunction Indicator
Engine Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Child Restraints
Infants and Young Children . . . . . 83
Lower Anchors and Tethersfor Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Securing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95, 98
Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Cleaning Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 427
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 432
Climate Control Systems
Dual Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Cluster, Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Collision Damage Repair . . . . . . . 464
Compartments Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Connections
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 473
Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286 Traction and ElectronicStability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284 Control Light
Hill Descent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Coolant Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
Engine Temperature Gauge . . 127
Engine TemperatureWarning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356 Engine Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Courtesy Transportation Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 463
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287 Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Cupholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Customer Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . 460
Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 459
Text Telephone (TTY)Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 460
Customer Information
Service PublicationsOrdering Information . . . . . . . . 466
Customer Satisfaction Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 457

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 5/3/16
484 Index
D
Damage Repair, Collision . . . . . . . 464
Danger, Warning, and Caution . . . . 3
Data CollectionInfotainment System . . . . . . . . . . 470
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 470
Data Recorders, Event . . . . . . . . . 469
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Diagnostics
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 475
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Door
Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Power Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Drive Belt Routing, Engine . . . . . . 456
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . 290
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Driving Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . 293 Driving (cont'd)
Characteristics and
Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Drunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
For Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . 26
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 247
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . 249
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Off-Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Dual Automatic Climate Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
E
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Electrical Equipment,Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Electrical System Engine Compartment FuseBlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379, 381
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376 Emergency
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 472
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355
Check and Service EngineSoon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 343
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
Coolant Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356
Cooling System Messages . . . 146
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 456
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
Oil Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . . . . 126
Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Overheated Protection Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 267
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260