maintenance GMC SIERRA 2010 Owner's Manual

2010 GMC Sierra Owner ManualM
In Brief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Vehicle Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
Performance and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-31
Seats and Restraint System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-39
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-73
Restraint System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-93 Features and Controls
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Doors and Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14
Theft-Deterrent Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-21
Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-56
Object Detection Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-60
Universal Home Remote System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-69
Storage Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-75
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-80

2010 GMC Sierra Owner ManualM
Instrument Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Instrument Panel Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-18
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . 4-29
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-51
Audio System(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-84
Driving Your Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1
Your Driving, the Road, and the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-43
Service and Appearance Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Checking Things Under the Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-14
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-48
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-50
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-52 Noise Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-53
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-54
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-57
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . 6-63
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-64
Appearance Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-110
Vehicle Identification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-117
Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-117
Capacities and Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-126
Maintenance Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Maintenance Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2
Customer Assistance Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Customer Assistance and Information . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-2
Reporting Safety Defects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-15
Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-18
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i-1

Section 1 In Brief
Instrument Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Instrument Panel (Base/Uplevel Version) . . . . . . . . 1-2
Instrument Panel (Premium Version) . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Heated Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13
Head Restraint Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13
Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13
Sensing System for Passenger Airbag . . . . . . . . . 1-14
Mirror Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16
Throttle and Brake Pedal Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . 1-17
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-21
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-21 Vehicle Features
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
Radio(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-25
Portable Audio Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-25
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-26
Bluetooth
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-26
Navigation System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-26
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-27
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-28
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-29
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-29
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-29
Universal Remote System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-30
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-30
Performance and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-31
StabiliTrak
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-31
Tire Pressure Monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-32
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-32
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-33
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-33
Roadside Assistance Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-34
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-34
1-1

Crew Cab
There are two sunroof
switches located in the
overhead console above
the rearview mirror.
Vent : From the closed position, press the rear of the
passenger side switch to vent the sunroof.
Manual-Open/Manual-Close : To open the sunroof,
press and hold the rear of the driver side switch until the
sunroof reaches the desired position. Press and hold
the front of the driver side switch to close it.
Express-Open/Express-Close : To express-open the
sunroof, fully press and release the rear of the driver
side switch until the sunroof reaches the desired
position. To express-close the sunroof, fully press and
release the front of the driver side switch. Press the
switch again to stop it. The sunroof also has a sunshade that you can pull
forward to block the rays of the sun. The sunshade
must be opened and closed manually.
See
Sunroof on page 3‑80.
Performance and Maintenance
StabiliTrak®
The vehicle may have a traction control system that
limits wheel spin and the StabiliTrak system that assists
with directional control of the vehicle in difficult driving
conditions. Both systems turn on automatically every
time the vehicle is started.
.To turn off traction control, press and release5on
the instrument panel.
Filluminates and the
appropriate DIC message displays. See DIC
Warnings and Messages on page 4‑65.
.To turn off both traction control and Electronic
Stability Control, press and hold
5untilF
illuminates and the appropriate DIC message
displays. See DIC Warnings and Messageson
page 4‑65.
.Press and release the button again to turn on
both systems.
For more information, see StabiliTrak
®Systemon
page 5‑6.
1-31

Tire Pressure Monitor
This vehicle may have a Tire Pressure Monitor
System (TPMS).
The Tire Pressure Monitor
alerts you when a
significant reduction in
pressure occurs in one or
more of the vehicle’s tires
by illuminating the low tire
pressure warning light on
the instrument cluster.
The warning light will remain on until the tire pressure is
corrected. The proper tire pressures for your vehicle are
listed on the Tire and Loading Information label located
on the driver side center pillar (B pillar). See Loading
the Vehicle
on page 5‑30.
You may notice during cooler conditions that the low tire
pressure warning light will appear when the vehicle is
first started and then turn off as you drive. This may be
an early indicator that your tire pressures are getting
low and the tires need to be inflated to the proper
pressure. Note:
The Tire Pressure Monitor can alert you about
low tire pressure, but it does not replace normal monthly
tire maintenance. It is the driver ’s responsibility to
maintain correct tire pressures.
See Tire Pressure Monitor System
on page 6‑75and
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation on page 6‑76.
Engine Oil Life System
The engine oil life system calculates engine oil life
based on vehicle use and, on most vehicles, displays a
DIC message when it is necessary to change the
engine oil and filter. The oil life system should be reset
to 100% only following an oil change.
Resetting the Oil Life System
To reset the Engine Oil Life System on most vehicles:
1. Display the OIL LIFE REMAINING on the DIC. If the vehicle does not have DIC buttons, the
vehicle must be in P (Park) to access this display.
2. Press and hold the SET/RESET button on the DIC, or the trip odometer reset stem if the vehicle does
not have DIC buttons, for more than five seconds.
The oil life will change to 100%.
1-32

On all vehicles, the Engine Oil Life System can be reset
as follows:1. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN with the engine off
2. Fully press the accelerator pedal slowly three times within five seconds.
3. Display the OIL LIFE REMAINING on the DIC. If the display shows 100%, the system is reset.
See Engine Oil Life System on page 6‑20.
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol)
Vehicles that have the 5.3L V8 engine (VIN Code 0),
the 5.3L V8 engine (VIN Code 3), the 6.0L V8 engine
(VIN Code J), or the 6.2L V8 engine (VIN Code 2) have
a yellow fuel cap and can use either unleaded gasoline
or ethanol fuel containing up to 85% ethanol (E85).
SeeGasoline Octane
on page 6‑7andFuel E85
(85% Ethanol) on page 6‑9.
Driving for Better Fuel Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel mileage. Here are some
driving tips to get the best fuel economy possible.
.Avoid fast starts and accelerate smoothly.
.Brake gradually and avoid abrupt stops.
.Avoid idling the engine for long periods of time.
.When road and weather conditions are
appropriate, use cruise control, if equipped.
.Always follow posted speed limits or drive more
slowly when conditions require.
.Keep vehicle tires properly inflated.
.Combine several trips into a single trip.
.Replace the vehicle's tires with the same TPC
Spec number molded into the tire's sidewall near
the size.
.Follow recommended scheduled maintenance.
1-33

Roadside Assistance Program
U.S.:1-800-GMC-8782 (462-8782)
TTY Users: 1-888-889-2438
Canada: 1-800-268-6800
As the owner of a new GMC, you are automatically
enrolled in the Roadside Assistance program. This
program provides technically trained advisors who are
available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, minor repair
information or towing arrangements.
Roadside Assistance and OnStar
If you have a current OnStar subscription, press the
OnStar button and the current GPS location will be sent
to an OnStar Advisor who will assess your problem,
contact Roadside Assistance, and relay exact location
to get you the help you need.
Online Owner Center
The Online Owner Center is a complimentary service
that includes online service reminders, vehicle
maintenance tips, online owner manual, special
privileges and more.
Sign up today at: www.gmownercenter.com/gmc
(U.S.) or www.gm.ca (Canada).
OnStar®
OnStar®uses several innovative technologies and live
advisors to provide a wide range of safety, security,
navigation, diagnostics, and calling services.
Automatic Crash Response
In a crash, built in sensors can automatically alert an
OnStar advisor who is immediately connected to the
vehicle to see if you need help.
How OnStar Service Works
Q
: This blue button connects you to a specially
trained OnStar advisor to verify your account
information and to answer questions.
]: Push this red emergency button to get priority help
from specially trained OnStar emergency advisors.
X: Push this button for hands‐free, voice‐activated
calling and to give voice commands for turn‐by‐turn
navigation.
1-34

Restraint System Check
Checking the Restraint Systems
Safety Belts
Now and then, check that the safety belt reminder light,
safety belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors, and
anchorages are all working properly.
Look for any other loose or damaged safety belt system
parts that might keep a safety belt system from doing its
job. See your dealer/retailer to have it repaired. Torn or
frayed safety belts may not protect you in a crash. They
can rip apart under impact forces. If a belt is torn or
frayed, get a new one right away.
Make sure the safety belt reminder light is working.
SeeSafety Belt Reminders
on page 4‑32for more
information.
Keep safety belts clean and dry. See Care of Safety
Belts
on page 6‑112.
Airbags
The airbag system does not need regularly scheduled
maintenance or replacement. Make sure the airbag
readiness light is working. See Airbag Readiness Light
on page 4‑33for more information.
Notice: If an airbag covering is damaged, opened,
or broken, the airbag may not work properly. Do not
open or break the airbag coverings. If there are any
opened or broken airbag covers, have the airbag
covering and/or airbag module replaced. For the
location of the airbag modules, see What Makes an
Airbag Inflate?
on page 2‑79. See your dealer/
retailer for service.
2-93

This light should come on
when the ignition is on,
but the engine is not
running, as a check to
show it is working. If it
does not, have the
vehicle serviced by your
dealer/retailer.
If the check engine light comes on and stays on, while
the engine is running, this indicates that there is an
OBD II problem and service is required.
Malfunctions often are indicated by the system before
any problem is apparent. Being aware of the light can
prevent more serious damage to the vehicle. This
system assists the service technician in correctly
diagnosing any malfunction. Notice:
If the vehicle is continually driven with this
light on, after a while, the emission controls might
not work as well, the vehicle's fuel economy might
not be as good, and the engine might not run as
smoothly. This could lead to costly repairs that
might not be covered by the vehicle warranty.
Notice: Modifications made to the engine,
transmission, exhaust, intake, or fuel system of the
vehicle or the replacement of the original tires with
other than those of the same Tire Performance
Criteria (TPC) can affect the vehicle's emission
controls and can cause this light to come on.
Modifications to these systems could lead to
costly repairs not covered by the vehicle warranty.
This could also result in a failure to pass a
required Emission Inspection/Maintenance test.
See Accessories and Modifications on page 6‑4.
4-43

.Make sure to fuel the vehicle with quality fuel.
Poor fuel quality causes the engine not to run as
efficiently as designed and can cause: stalling after
start-up, stalling when the vehicle is changed into
gear, misfiring, hesitation on acceleration,
or stumbling on acceleration. These conditions
might go away once the engine is warmed up.
If one or more of these conditions occurs, change
the fuel brand used. It will require at least one full
tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off.
SeeGasoline Octane on page 6‑7.
If none of the above have made the light turn off, your
dealer/retailer can check the vehicle. The dealer/retailer
has the proper test equipment and diagnostic tools to fix
any mechanical or electrical problems that might have
developed.Emissions Inspection and Maintenance
Programs
Some state/provincial and local governments have or
might begin programs to inspect the emission control
equipment on the vehicle. Failure to pass this
inspection could prevent getting a vehicle registration.
Here are some things to know to help the vehicle pass
an inspection:
.The vehicle will not pass this inspection if the
check engine light is on with the engine running,
or if the key is in ON/RUN and the light is not on.
.The vehicle will not pass this inspection if the
OBD II (on-board diagnostic) system determines
that critical emission control systems have not
been completely diagnosed by the system.
The vehicle would be considered not ready for
inspection. This can happen if the battery has
recently been replaced or if the battery has run
down. The diagnostic system is designed to
evaluate critical emission control systems during
normal driving. This can take several days of
routine driving. If this has been done and the
vehicle still does not pass the inspection for lack of
OBD II system readiness, your dealer/retailer can
prepare the vehicle for inspection.
4-45