Oil service GMC SIERRA 2019 Owner's Manual

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - CRC - 5/13/19
Introduction 3
Danger, Warning, and
Caution
Warning messages found on vehicle
labels and in this manual describe
hazards and what to do to avoid or
reduce them.
{Danger
Danger indicates a hazard with a
high level of risk which will result
in serious injury or death.
{Warning
Warning indicates a hazard that
could result in injury or death.
Caution
Caution indicates a hazard that
could result in property or vehicle
damage.
A circle with a slash through it is a
safety symbol which means“Do
Not,” “Do not do this,” or“Do not let
this happen.”
Symbols
The vehicle has components and
labels that use symbols instead of
text. Symbols are shown along with
the text describing the operation or
information relating to a specific
component, control, message,
gauge, or indicator.
M: Shown when the owner ’s
manual has additional instructions
or information.
*: Shown when the service
manual has additional instructions
or information.
0: Shown when there is more
information on another page —
“see page.” Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols
that may be found on the vehicle
and what they mean. See the
features in this manual for
information.
u:
Air Conditioning System
G:Air Conditioning Refrigerant Oil
9:Airbag Readiness Light
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
$:Brake System Warning Light
9:Dispose of Used Components
Properly
P: Do Not Apply High Pressure
Water
B: Engine Coolant Temperature
_: Flame/Fire Prohibited
H:Flammable
[:Forward Collision Alert
R: Fuse Block Cover Lock
Location
+: Fuses
j:ISOFIX/LATCH System Child
Restraints

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - CRC - 5/14/19
Instruments and Controls 131
Instruments and
Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . 132
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . 133
Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . 133
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . 133
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Wireless Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Engine Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 Voltmeter Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Seat Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . 149
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . 149
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Charging System Light . . . . . . . 151
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Check Engine Light) . . . . . . . . 151
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Service Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Four-Wheel-Drive Light . . . . . . . 155
Tow/Haul Mode Light . . . . . . . . . 155
Hill Descent Control Light . . . . 156
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Vehicle Ahead Indicator . . . . . . 156
Pedestrian Ahead Indicator . . . 156
Traction Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Traction Control System (TCS)/ Electronic Stability Control
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157 Engine Coolant Temperature
Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Driver Mode Control Light . . . . 158
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Engine Oil Pressure Light (Uplevel Cluster) . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . 160
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . 160
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . 160
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . 161
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . 161
Door Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Base Level) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Midlevel and Uplevel) . . . . . . 163
Head-Up Display (HUD) . . . . . . 166
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Engine Power Messages . . . . . 169
Vehicle Speed Messages . . . . . 170
Vehicle Personalization
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . 170
Universal Remote System
Universal Remote System . . . . 175

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - CRC - 5/14/19
146 Instruments and Controls
Uplevel English Fuel Gauge
Shown, Base Level and Midlevel Fuel Gauge Similar
When the ignition is on, the fuel
gauge indicates about how much
fuel is left in the tank.
There is an arrow near the fuel
gauge pointing to the side of the
vehicle the fuel door is on.
When the indicator nears empty, the
low fuel light comes on. There still is
a little fuel left, but the vehicle
should be refueled soon. Here are four things that some
owners ask about. None of these
show a problem with the fuel gauge:
.
At the service station, the fuel
pump shuts off before the gauge
reads full.
. It takes a little more or less fuel
to fill up than the gauge
indicated. For example, the
gauge may have indicated the
tank was half full, but it actually
took a little more or less than
half the tank's capacity to fill
the tank.
. The gauge moves a little while
turning a corner or speeding up.
. The gauge takes a few seconds
to stabilize after the ignition is
turned on, and goes back to
empty when the ignition is
turned off.
Engine Oil Pressure
Gauge
Uplevel Metric Shown, Base Level
and Midlevel Similar

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - CRC - 5/14/19
Instruments and Controls 147
Uplevel English Shown, BaseLevel and Midlevel Similar
The engine oil pressure gauge
shows the engine oil pressure
in kPa (kilopascals) or psi (pounds
per square inch) when the engine is
running.
Oil pressure can vary with engine
speed, outside temperature, coolant
temperature, and oil viscosity.
On some models, the oil pump will
vary engine oil pressure according
to engine needs. Oil pressure may
change quickly as the engine speed
or load varies. This is normal. If the
oil pressure warning light or Driver Information Center (DIC) message
indicates oil pressure outside the
normal operating range, check the
vehicle's oil as soon as possible.
See
Engine Oil 0326.
Caution
Lack of proper engine oil
maintenance can damage the
engine. Driving with the engine oil
low can also damage the engine.
The repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Check
the oil level as soon as possible.
Add oil if required, but if the oil
level is within the operating range
and the oil pressure is still low,
have the vehicle serviced. Always
follow the maintenance schedule
for changing engine oil.
If the vehicle has a diesel engine,
see the Duramax diesel
supplement.
Engine Coolant
Temperature Gauge
Uplevel Metric Shown, Base Level and Midlevel Similar

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - CRC - 5/14/19
Instruments and Controls 159
This light comes on when Off-Road
Mode is selected.
Tire Pressure Light
For vehicles with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS), this light
comes on briefly when the engine is
started. It provides information
about tire pressures and the TPMS.
When the Light Is On Steady
This indicates that one or more of
the tires are significantly
underinflated.A Driver Information Center (DIC)
tire pressure message may also
display. Stop as soon as possible,
and inflate the tires to the pressure
value shown on the Tire and
Loading Information label. See
Tire
Pressure 0372.
When the Light Flashes First and
Then Is On Steady
If the light flashes for about a minute
and then stays on, there may be a
problem with the TPMS. If the
problem is not corrected, the light
will come on at every ignition cycle.
See Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation 0375.Engine Oil Pressure Light
(Uplevel Cluster)
Caution
Lack of proper engine oil
maintenance can damage the
engine. Driving with the engine oil
low can also damage the engine.
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
The repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Check
the oil level as soon as possible.
Add oil if required, but if the oil
level is within the operating range
and the oil pressure is still low,
have the vehicle serviced. Always
follow the maintenance schedule
for changing engine oil.
This light should come on briefly as
the engine is started. If it does not
come on, have the vehicle serviced
by your dealer.
If the light comes on and stays on, it
means that oil is not flowing through
the engine properly. The vehicle

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - CRC - 5/14/19
160 Instruments and Controls
could be low on oil and might have
some other system problem. See
your dealer.
Low Fuel Warning Light
This light is near the fuel gauge and
comes on briefly when the ignition is
turned on as a check to show it is
working.
It also comes on when the fuel tank
is low on fuel. The light turns off
when fuel is added. If it does not,
have the vehicle serviced.
Security Light
The security light should come on
briefly as the engine is started. If it
does not come on, have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer. If the
system is working normally, the
indicator light turns off.
If the light stays on and the engine
does not start, there could be a
problem with the theft-deterrent
system. SeeImmobilizer Operation
0 56.
High-Beam On Light
This light comes on when the
high-beam headlamps are in use.
See Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer 0181.
IntelliBeam Light
This light comes on when the
IntelliBeam system, if equipped, is
enabled. See Exterior Lamp
Controls 0179.
Front Fog Lamp Light
For vehicles with fog lamps, this
light comes on when the fog lamps
are on.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - CRC - 5/14/19
286 Driving and Operating
the drive mode that is
appropriate for the road
conditions.
Caution
If the vehicle tires begin to spin
and the vehicle begins to slide
toward the water, remove your
foot from the accelerator pedal
and apply the brake pedal. Seek
help to have the vehicle towed up
the ramp.
Maintenance when Trailer
Towing
The vehicle needs service more
often when used to tow trailers. See
Maintenance Schedule0420. It is
especially important to check the
engine oil, axle lubricant, belts,
cooling system, and brake system
before and during each trip.
Check periodically to see that all
nuts and bolts on the trailer hitch
are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer
Towing
The cooling system may temporarily
overheat during severe operating
conditions. See Engine Overheating
0 336.
Trailer Towing
If equipped with a diesel engine,
see the Duramax diesel
supplement.
Caution
Towing a trailer improperly can
damage the vehicle and result in
costly repairs not covered by the
vehicle warranty. To tow a trailer
correctly, follow the directions in
this section and see your dealer
for important information about
towing a trailer with the vehicle.
Trailering is different than just
driving the vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in
handling, acceleration, braking,
durability, and fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering takes
correct equipment, and it has to be
used properly.
The following information has many
time-tested, important trailering tips
and safety rules. Many of these are
important for your safety and that of
your passengers. Read this section
carefully before pulling a trailer.
Trailer Weight
{Warning
Never exceed the towing capacity
for your vehicle.
Safe trailering requires monitoring
the weight, speed, altitude, road
grades, outside temperature, and
how frequently the vehicle is used to
tow a trailer.
Trailer Weight Ratings
When towing a trailer, the combined
weight of the vehicle, vehicle
contents, trailer, and trailer contents

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - CRC - 5/14/19
316 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 317
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 318
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 328
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Engine Air Filter Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 331
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 336
Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338 Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Brake Pad Life System . . . . . . . 340
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Battery - North America . . . . . . 342
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
Noise Control System . . . . . . . . 347
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 348
Ignition Transmission Lock
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 348
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 348
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 349
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 350
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
Headlamp Aiming
Front Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . 351
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker, and Parking
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
Taillamps, Turn Signal,
Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352 Center High-Mounted
Stoplamp (CHMSL) and
Cargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 354
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 354
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 355
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355
Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Right) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Left) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 364
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 364
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365
All-Terrain Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 365
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373
Tire Pressure Monitor
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - CRC - 5/14/19
Vehicle Care 327
Follow these guidelines:
.To get an accurate reading, park
the vehicle on level ground.
Check the engine oil level after
the engine has been off for at
least two hours. Checking the
engine oil level on steep grades
or too soon after engine shutoff
can result in incorrect readings.
Accuracy improves when
checking a cold engine prior to
starting. Remove the dipstick
and check the level.
. If unable to wait two hours, the
engine must be off for at least
15 minutes if the engine is
warm, or at least 30 minutes if
the engine is not warm. Pull out
the dipstick, wipe it with a clean
paper towel or cloth, then push it
back in all the way. Remove it
again, keeping the tip down, and
check the level.When to Add Engine Oil
If the oil is below the cross-hatched
area at the tip of the dipstick and
the engine has been off for at least
15 minutes, add 1 L (1 qt) of the
recommended oil and then recheck
the level. See “Selecting the Right
Engine Oil” later in this section for
an explanation of what kind of oil to
use. For engine oil crankcase
capacity, see Capacities and
Specifications 0435.
Caution
Do not add too much oil. Oil
levels above or below the
acceptable operating range
shown on the dipstick are harmful
to the engine. If the oil level is
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
above the operating range (i.e.,
the engine has so much oil that
the oil level gets above the
cross-hatched area that shows
the proper operating range), the
engine could be damaged. Drain
the excess oil or limit driving of
the vehicle, and seek a service
professional to remove the
excess oil.
See Engine Compartment Overview
0 321 for the location of the engine
oil fill cap.
Add enough oil to put the level
somewhere in the proper operating
range. Push the dipstick all the way
back in when through.
Selecting the Right Engine Oil
Selecting the right engine oil
depends on both the proper oil
specification and viscosity grade.
See Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0430.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - CRC - 5/14/19
Vehicle Care 329
include engine revolutions, engine
temperature, and miles driven.
Based on driving conditions, the
mileage at which an oil change is
indicated can vary considerably. For
the oil life system to work properly,
the system must be reset every time
the oil is changed.
On some vehicles, when the system
has calculated that oil life has been
diminished, a CHANGE ENGINE
OIL SOON message comes on to
indicate that an oil change is
necessary. Change the oil as soon
as possible within the next 1 000 km
(600 mi). It is possible that, if driving
under the best conditions, the oil life
system might indicate that an oil
change is not necessary for up to a
year. The engine oil and filter must
be changed at least once a year
and, at this time, the system must
be reset. For vehicles without the
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message, an oil change is needed
when the REMAINING OIL LIFE
percentage is near 0%. Your dealer
has trained service people who will
perform this work and reset the
system. It is also important to checkthe oil regularly over the course of
an oil drain interval and keep it at
the proper level.
If the system is ever reset
accidentally, the oil must be
changed at 5 000 km (3,000 mi)
since the last oil change.
Remember to reset the oil life
system whenever the oil is changed.
How to Reset the Engine Oil
Life System
Reset the system whenever the
engine oil is changed so that the
system can calculate the next
engine oil change. Always reset the
engine oil life to 100% after every oil
change. It will not reset itself. To
reset the engine oil life system:
1. Display the oil life percentage on the DIC. See Driver
Information Center (DIC)
(Midlevel and Uplevel) 0163 or
Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Base Level) 0161.
2. Press the thumbwheel on the steering wheel, or the trip
odometer reset stem if the
vehicle does not have DIC controls, for several seconds.
When the confirmation
message displays, select YES.
The oil life will change
to 100%.
The oil life system can also be reset
as follows:
1. Display the oil life percentage on the DIC. See Driver
Information Center (DIC)
(Midlevel and Uplevel) 0163 or
Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Base Level) 0161.
2. Fully press the accelerator pedal slowly three times within
five seconds.
3. If the display changes to 100%, the system is reset.
If the vehicle has a CHANGE
ENGINE OIL SOON message and it
comes back on when the vehicle is
started and/or the oil life percentage
is near 0%, the engine oil life
system has not been reset. Repeat
the procedure.