Four-wheel-drive GMC SIERRA 1500 2017 Owners Manual

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 5/3/16
112 Instruments and Controls
Instruments and
Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . 113
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . 113
Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . 114
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . 114
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Wireless Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Engine Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 Transmission Temperature
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Voltmeter Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . 129
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . 130
Airbag On-Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Charging System Light . . . . . . . 132
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Check Engine Light) . . . . . . . . 133
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Four-Wheel-Drive Light . . . . . . . 136
Tow/Haul Mode Light . . . . . . . . . 136
Hill Descent Control Light . . . . 136
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) Light (2500/3500
Series) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) Light (1500 Series) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Vehicle Ahead Indicator . . . . . . 137
Traction Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
StabiliTrak
®OFF Light . . . . . . . . 137
Traction Control System (TCS)/ StabiliTrak
®Light . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . 138 Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . 139
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . 139
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . 140
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . 140
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . 140
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . 140
Door Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Information Displays
Driver Information
Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Battery Voltage and ChargingMessages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Brake System Messages . . . . . 145
Compass Messages . . . . . . . . . . 146
Door Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . . 146
Engine Cooling System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Engine Oil Messages . . . . . . . . . 147
Engine Power Messages . . . . . 147
Fuel System Messages . . . . . . . 147
Key and Lock Messages . . . . . 148
Lamp Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Object Detection System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Ride Control System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 5/3/16
136 Instruments and Controls
If both the ABS and the brake
system warning light are on, the
vehicle's antilock brakes are not
functioning and there is a problem
with the regular brakes. See your
dealer for service.
SeeBrake System Warning Light
0 134 andBrake System
Messages 0145.
Four-Wheel-Drive Light
The four-wheel-drive light comes on
when the transfer case is shifted
into four-wheel drive and the front
axle engages. LO or HI will also be
next to this light when the vehicle is
in four-wheel low or four-wheel high.
Some delay between the shifting
and the light coming on is normal.
See Four-Wheel Drive 0274.
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 0273.
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.
See Hill Descent Control
(HDC) 0286.
Lane Departure Warning
(LDW) Light (2500/3500
Series)
This light is green if LDW is on and
ready to operate.
This light changes to amber and
flashes to indicate that the lane
marking has been crossed without
using a turn signal in that direction.
See Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
(2500/3500 Series) 0296.
Lane Keep Assist (LKA)
Light (1500 Series)

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 5/3/16
152 Instruments and Controls
shown on the Tire and Loading
Information label. SeeTires0383,
Vehicle Load Limits 0250, and Tire
Pressure 0391. The DIC also
shows the tire pressure values. See
Driver Information Center
(DIC) 0141.
Transmission Messages
4WD OFF
If equipped with four-wheel drive,
this message displays when the
four-wheel-drive system is
temporarily disabled due to an
overheated condition. The vehicle
will run in two-wheel drive when this
message is present. Once the
four-wheel-drive system cools down,
the message turns off and the
four-wheel-drive system returns to
normal operation.
4WD SHIFT IN PROGRESS
This message will display while the
four-wheel-drive system is shifting.
FOR 4WD LOW SHIFT TO
NEUTRAL
If a four-wheel drive shift into 4nis
requested, and the vehicle speed is
correct, but the transmission is not
in N (Neutral), this message will
display until the transmission is
shifted to N (Neutral).
FOR 4WD LOW SLOW TO XXX
If a four-wheel drive shift into 4nis
requested, but the vehicle speed is
too high, this message will display
until the correct vehicle speed is
reached.
GRADE BRAKING ACTIVE
This message displays when grade
braking has been activated while
driving on downhill grades. This
message will only appear the first
time the feature is activated in an
ignition cycle. See Tow/Haul Mode
0 273, Automatic Transmission
0 267, and Cruise Control 0287.
GRADE BRAKING OFF
This message displays when grade
braking has been disabled with the
Tow/Haul Mode button on the end of
the shift lever. See Tow/Haul Mode
0 273, Automatic Transmission
0 267, and Cruise Control 0287.
GRADE BRAKING ON
This message displays when grade
braking has been enabled with the
Tow/Haul Mode button on the end of
the shift lever. See Tow/Haul Mode
0 273, Automatic Transmission
0 267, and Cruise Control 0287.
SERVICE 4WD
If the vehicle has four-wheel drive,
this message may display if a
problem occurs with the
four-wheel-drive system. If this
message appears, stop as soon as
possible and turn off the vehicle.
Make sure the key is in the LOCK/
OFF position for at least
one minute, then restart the vehicle
and check for the message on the
DIC display. If the message is still
displayed or appears again when

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 5/3/16
Instruments and Controls 153
you begin driving, the
four-wheel-drive system needs
service. See your dealer.
SHIFT DENIED
This message displays when the
shift lever is in M (Manual Mode)
and a transmission range has been
selected that is unavailable at the
current vehicle speed.
TO EXIT 4WD LOW SHIFT TO
NEUTRAL
If a four-wheel drive shift out of 4nis
requested, and the vehicle speed is
correct, but the transmission is not
in N (Neutral), this message will
display until the transmission is
shifted to N (Neutral).
TO EXIT 4WD LOW SLOW
TO XXX
If a four-wheel drive shift out of 4nis
requested, but the vehicle speed is
too high, this message will display
until the correct vehicle speed is
reached.
TRANSMISSION HOT IDLE
ENGINE
This message displays and a chime
may sound if the transmission fluid
in the vehicle gets hot. Driving with
the transmission fluid temperature
high can cause damage to the
vehicle. Stop the vehicle and let it
idle to allow the transmission to
cool. This message clears and the
chime stops when the fluid
temperature reaches a safe level.
When towing, use Tow/Haul Mode
to prevent damage to the engine or
transmission. See Tow/Haul
Mode 0273.
VEHICLE IN 4WD LOW
This message will display if the
vehicle is driven in 4
nfor about
10 minutes above 72 km/h (45 mph).
Vehicle Reminder
Messages
CHECK TRAILER WIRING
On vehicles with the Integrated
Trailer Brake Control (ITBC) system,
this message may display and a
chime may sound when one of the
following conditions exists:
. A trailer with electric brakes
becomes disconnected from the
vehicle.
‐If the disconnect occurs while
the vehicle is stopped, this
message clears itself after a
short time.
‐ If the disconnect occurs while
the vehicle is moving, this
message stays on until the
ignition is turned off.
. There is a short in the wiring to
the electric trailer brakes.
When this message displays, power
is no longer available to the trailer
brakes.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 5/3/16
242 Driving and Operating
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.
{Warning
When driving off-road, bouncing
and quick changes in direction
can easily throw you out of
position. This could cause you to
lose control and crash. You and
your passengers should always
wear safety belts.
Before Driving Off-Road
.
Have all necessary maintenance
and service work completed.
. Fuel the vehicle, fill fluid levels,
and check inflation pressure in
all tires, including the spare,
if equipped. .
Read all the information about
four-wheel-drive vehicles in this
manual.
. Remove any underbody air
deflector, if equipped. Re-attach
the air deflector after off-road
driving.
. See Hill Descent Control
(HDC) 0286
. Know the local laws that apply to
off-road driving.
To gain more ground clearance if
needed, it may be necessary to
remove the front fascia lower air
dam. However, driving without the
air dam reduces fuel economy.
Caution
Operating the vehicle for
extended periods without the front
fascia lower air dam installed can
cause improper airflow to the
engine. Reattach the front fascia
air dam after off-road 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
274 Driving and Operating
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive
If equipped, four-wheel drive
engages the front axle for extra
traction. Read the appropriate
section for transfer case operation
before using.
Caution
Do not drive on clean, dry
pavement in 4
mand 4n(if
equipped) for an extended period
of time. These conditions may
cause premature wear on the
vehicle’s powertrain.
Driving on clean, dry pavement in
4HI or 4LO may:
. Cause a vibration to be felt in
the steering system.
. Cause tires to wear faster.
. Make the transfer case harder to
shift, and cause it to run noisier.
{Warning
Shifting the transfer case to
N (Neutral) can cause the vehicle
to roll even if the transmission is
in P (Park). You or someone else
could be seriously injured. Be
sure to set the parking brake
before placing the transfer case in
N (Neutral). See Parking
Brake 0282.
Caution
Extended high-speed operation in
4
nmay damage or shorten the
life of the drivetrain.
Engagement noise and bump when
shifting between 4
nand 4mor from
N (Neutral), with the engine running,
is normal.
Shifting into 4
nwill turn Traction
Control and StabiliTrak®off. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control 0284.
Manual Transfer Case
Move the lever to shift into and out
of four-wheel drive.
An indicator light comes on when
four-wheel drive is engaged. See
Four-Wheel-Drive Light 0136.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 5/3/16
Vehicle Care 407
{Warning
Driving on a flat tire will cause
permanent damage to the tire.
Re-inflating a tire after it has been
driven on while severely
underinflated or flat may cause a
blowout and a serious crash.
Never attempt to re-inflate a tire
that has been driven on while
severely underinflated or flat.
Have your dealer or an authorized
tire service center repair or
replace the flat tire as soon as
possible.
{Warning
Lifting a vehicle and getting under
it to do maintenance or repairs is
dangerous without the
appropriate safety equipment and
training. If a jack is provided with
the vehicle, it is designed only for
changing a flat tire. If it is used for
anything else, you or others could(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
be badly injured or killed if the
vehicle slips off the jack. If a jack
is provided with the vehicle, only
use it for changing a flat tire.
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire
and wheel damage by driving slowly
to a level place, well off the road,
if possible. Turn on the hazard
warning flashers. See Hazard
Warning Flashers 0170.
{Warning
Changing a tire can be
dangerous. The vehicle can slip
off the jack and roll over or fall
causing injury or death. Find a
level place to change the tire. To
help prevent the vehicle from
moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly. (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
2. Put an automatictransmission in P (Park) or a
manual transmission in
1 (First) or R (Reverse).
3. For four-wheel-drive vehicles, be sure the
transfer case is in a drive
gear– not in N (Neutral).
4. Turn off the engine and do not restart while the vehicle
is raised.
5. Do not allow passengers to remain in the vehicle.
6. Place wheel blocks, if equipped, on both sides of
the tire at the opposite
corner of the tire being
changed.
When the vehicle has a flat tire (2),
use the following example as a
guide to assist in the placement of
the wheel blocks (1), if equipped.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 5/3/16
Vehicle Care 419
Caution
Ignoring these steps could result
in costly damage to the vehicle
that would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Trying to start
the vehicle by pushing or pulling it
will not work, and it could damage
the vehicle.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt battery
with a negative ground system.
Caution
If the other vehicle does not have
a 12-volt system with a negative
ground, both vehicles can be
damaged. Only use a vehicle that
has a 12-volt system with a
negative ground for jump starting.
2. If you have a vehicle with a diesel engine with two
batteries, you should know
before you begin that,
especially in cold weather, you may not be able to get enough
power from a single battery in
another vehicle to start your
diesel engine. If your vehicle
has more than one battery,
using the battery that is closer
to the starter will reduce
electrical resistance. This is
located on the passenger side,
in the rear of the engine
compartment.
3. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables can
reach, but be sure the vehicles
are not touching each other.
If they are, it could cause an
unwanted ground connection.
You would not be able to start
your vehicle, and the bad
grounding could damage the
electrical systems.
To avoid the possibility of the
vehicles rolling, set the parking
brake firmly on both vehicles
involved in the jump start
procedure. Put the automatic
transmission in P (Park) or a
manual transmission in Neutral
before setting the parking
brake. If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle, be
sure the transfer case is in a
drive gear, not in N (Neutral).
Caution
If any accessories are left on or
plugged in during the jump
starting procedure, they could be
damaged. The repairs would not
be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Whenever possible, turn
off or unplug all accessories on
either vehicle when jump starting.
4. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug unnecessary
accessories plugged into the
accessory power outlets. Turn
off the radio and all the lamps
that are not needed. This will
avoid sparks and help save
both batteries. And it could
save the radio!
5. Open the hood on the other vehicle and locate the
positive (+) and negative (−)
terminal locations on that
vehicle.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 5/3/16
Vehicle Care 423
Recreational Vehicle
Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means
towing the vehicle behind another
vehicle, such as a motor home. The
two most common types of
recreational vehicle towing are
dinghy and dolly towing. Dinghy
towing is towing the vehicle with all
four wheels on the ground. Dolly
towing is towing the vehicle with two
wheels on the ground and two
wheels on a dolly.
Follow the tow vehicle
manufacturer’s instructions. See
your dealer or trailering professional
for additional advice and equipment
recommendations.
Caution
Use of a shield mounted in front
of the vehicle grille could restrict
airflow and cause damage to the
transmission. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
warranty. If using a shield, only
use one that attaches to the
towing vehicle.
Dinghy Towing
Two-Wheel-Drive Vehicles
Caution
If the two-wheel-drive vehicle is
towed with all four wheels on the
ground, the drivetrain(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
components could be damaged.
The repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty.
Two-wheel-drive vehicles should not
be towed with all four wheels on the
ground.
Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicles
Only dinghy tow four-wheel-drive
vehicles with a two-speed transfer
case that have an N (Neutral) and a
Four-Wheel Drive Low (4 (
n) setting.