Front brakes GMC SIERRA 2020 Owner's Manual

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13337776) - 2020 - CRC - 4/4/19
152 Instruments and Controls
Brake Pad Life :This displays an
estimate of the remaining life of the
front and rear brake pads.
Messages will display based on
brake pad wear and the state of the
system. Reset the Brake Pad Life
display after replacing the brake
pads. See Brake Pad Life System
0 356.
Fuel Economy : Displays average
fuel economy, the best fuel
economy over the selected
distance, and a bar graph showing
instantaneous fuel economy.
Press the thumbwheel to change
the selected distance. Press and
hold the thumbwheel while this
display is active to reset the best
fuel economy and average fuel
economy. This display can also be
reset by selecting reset in the menu.
Engine Hours (Hourmeter) :
Shows the total number of hours the
engine has run. This display also
shows the engine idle hours.
Transmission Fluid
Temperature : Shows the
temperature of the automatic transmission fluid in either degrees
Celsius (°C) or degrees
Fahrenheit (°F).
Trailer Brake :
On vehicles with the
Integrated Trailer Brake Control
(ITBC) system, the trailer brake
display appears in the DIC.
TRAILER GAIN shows the trailer
gain setting. This setting can be
adjusted from 0.0 to 10.0 with either
a trailer connected or disconnected.
TRAILER OUTPUT shows the
power output to the trailer any time
a trailer with electric brakes is
connected. Output is displayed as a
bar graph. Dotted lines may appear
in the OUTPUT display if a trailer is
not connected.
Off Road : Displays vehicle pitch
and roll information, road wheel
angle, and four-wheel drive (4WD)
status.
Follow Distance : If equipped, the
current follow time to the vehicle
ahead is displayed as a time value
on this page. Driver Assistance :
If equipped,
shows information for Lane Keep
Assist (LKA) and Forward Collision
Alert (FCA).
Info Page Options : Scroll to
choose which info pages appear on
the DIC. Press the thumbwheel to
select or deselect.
Blank Page : Shows no
information.
Head-Up Display (HUD)
{Warning
If the HUD image is too bright or
too high in your field of view, it
may take you more time to see
things you need to see when it is
dark outside. Be sure to keep the
HUD image dim and placed low in
your field of view.
If equipped with HUD, some
information about the operation of
the vehicle is projected onto the
windshield. The image is projected
through the HUD lens on top of the

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13337776) - 2020 - CRC - 4/4/19
Driving and Operating 185
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Driving for Better FuelEconomy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 196
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 197
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 199
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Truck-Camper Loading Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 208
Ignition Positions (KeylessAccess) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208 Ignition Positions (Key
Access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Stop/Start System . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Active Fuel Management . . . . . 219
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 221
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Brakes
Electric Brake Boost . . . . . . . . . . 232
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . 233 Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 235
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Hill Descent Control (HDC) . . . 237
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . 238
Limited-Slip Differential . . . . . . . 242
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Adaptive Cruise Control (1500 Series) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 256
Assistance Systems forParking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . 257
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB) System (1500
Series) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13337776) - 2020 - CRC - 4/4/19
188 Driving and Operating
.Allow enough following distance
between you and the driver in
front of you.
. Focus on the task of driving.
Drunk Driving
Death and injury associated with
drinking and driving is a global
tragedy.
{Warning
Drinking and then driving is very
dangerous. Your reflexes,
perceptions, attentiveness, and
judgment can be affected by even
a small amount of alcohol. You
can have a serious —or even
fatal —collision if you drive after
drinking.
Do not drink and drive or ride with
a driver who has been drinking.
Ride home in a cab; or if you are
with a group, designate a driver
who will not drink.
Control of a Vehicle
Braking, steering, and accelerating
are important factors in helping to
control a vehicle while driving.
Braking
Braking action involves perception
time and reaction time. Deciding to
push the brake pedal is perception
time. Actually doing it is
reaction time.
Average driver reaction time is
about three-quarters of a second. In
that time, a vehicle moving at
100 km/h (60 mph) travels 20 m
(66 ft), which could be a lot of
distance in an emergency.
Helpful braking tips to keep in mind
include:
. Keep enough distance between
you and the vehicle in front
of you.
. Avoid needless heavy braking.
. Keep pace with traffic. If the engine ever stops or a brake
fault occurs, the brakes may lose
power assist. More effort will be
required to stop the vehicle. It may
take longer to stop.
Steering
Caution
To avoid damage to the steering
system, do not drive over curbs,
parking barriers, or similar objects
at speeds greater than 3 km/h
(1 mph). Use care when driving
over other objects such as lane
dividers and speed bumps.
Damage caused by misuse of the
vehicle is not covered by the
vehicle warranty.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13337776) - 2020 - CRC - 4/4/19
Driving and Operating 211
0 (Stopping the Engine/LOCK/
OFF) :This position turns off the
vehicle. It also locks the ignition, the
transmission, and the steering
column, if equipped with a locking
steering column.
To turn off the vehicle:
1. Make sure that the vehicle is stopped.
2. Shift to P (Park).
3. Continue to hold the brake pedal, then set the parking
brake. See Electric Parking
Brake 0233. 4. Push the key all the way in
toward the steering column,
then turn the key to
LOCK/OFF.
5. Remove the key.
6. Release the brake pedal.
See your dealer if the key can be
removed in any other position.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
will remain active. See Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) 0217.
A warning chime will sound when
the driver door is opened and the
key is in the ignition.
If equipped with a locking steering
column, the steering can bind with
the front wheels turned off center,
which may prevent key rotation out
of LOCK/OFF. If this happens, move
the steering wheel from right to left
while turning the key to ACC/
ACCESSORY. If this does not work,
then the vehicle needs service.
{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, turn off the vehicle
only in an emergency.
In an emergency, if the vehicle
cannot be pulled over and must be
turned off while driving: 1. Push the key all the way in toward the steering column,
then turn the key to ACC/
ACCESSORY.
2. Brake using firm and steady pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
3. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral). This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. Continue
braking and steer the vehicle to
a safe location.
4. Come to a complete stop.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13337776) - 2020 - CRC - 4/4/19
232 Driving and Operating
cannot complete a shift request, it
will go back to its last chosen
setting.
The settings are:
2
m(Two-Wheel Drive High) :Use
for driving on most streets and
highways. The front axle is not
engaged. This setting provides the
best fuel economy.
4
m(Four-Wheel Drive High) : Use
this setting when extra traction is
needed, such as when driving on
snowy or icy roads, when
off-roading, or when plowing snow.
AUTO (Automatic Four-Wheel
Drive)
Use when road surface conditions
are variable. When driving in AUTO,
the front axle is engaged, and the
vehicle's power is sent to the front
and rear wheels automatically
based on driving conditions. This
setting provides slightly lower fuel
economy than 2
m. Shifts between 2
m, 4m, and AUTO
Any of these shifts can be made at
normal driving speed.
The actual 4x4 shift request is only
made after the button is released.
The 4x4 graphic will remain flashing
until the shift request has
completed. A DIC message
displays.
Once the 4x4 shift has completed,
the DIC message disappears, the
4x4 graphic stops flashing, and the
current setting is indicated.
The actual 4x4 shift request is only
made after the button is released.
The 4x4 graphic will remain flashing
until the shift request has
completed.
A DIC message displays. Once the
4x4 shift has completed, the DIC
message disappears, the 4x4
graphic stops flashing, and the
current setting is indicated.Brakes
Electric Brake Boost
Vehicles equipped with electric
brake boost have hydraulic brake
circuits that are electronically
controlled when the brake pedal is
applied during normal operation.
The system performs routine tests
and turns off within a few minutes
after the vehicle is shutdown. Noise
may be heard during this time. If the
brake pedal is pressed during the
tests or when the electric brake
boost system is off, a noticeable
change in pedal force and travel
may be felt. This is normal.
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
The Antilock Brake System (ABS)
helps prevent a braking skid and
maintain steering while
braking hard.
ABS performs a system check when
the vehicle is first driven.
A momentary motor or clicking noise

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13337776) - 2020 - CRC - 4/4/19
246 Driving and Operating
used, ACC can be turned back on.
Disabling the TCS or StabiliTrak/
ESC system will disengage and
prevent engagement of ACC.
ACC can reduce the need for you to
frequently brake and accelerate,
especially when used on
expressways, freeways, and
interstate highways. When used on
other roads, you may need to take
over the control of braking or
acceleration more often.
{Warning
ACC has limited braking ability
and may not have time to slow
the vehicle down enough to avoid
a collision with another vehicle
you are following. This can occur
when vehicles suddenly slow or
stop ahead, or enter your lane.
Also see“Alerting the Driver” later
in this section. Complete attention
is always required while driving
and you should be ready to take
action and apply the brakes. See
Defensive Driving 0187.
{Warning
ACC will not detect or brake for
children, pedestrians, animals,
or other objects.
Do not use ACC when:
. On winding and hilly roads
or when the camera sensor
is blocked by snow, ice,
or dirt. The system may not
detect a vehicle ahead.
Keep the windshield and
headlamps clean.
. When visibility is poor due
to rain, snow, fog, dirt,
insect residue, or dust;
when other foreign objects
obscure the camera’s view;
or when the vehicle in front
or oncoming traffic causes
additional environmental
obstructions, such as road
spray. ACC performance is
limited under these
conditions.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.On slippery roads where
fast changes in tire traction
can cause excessive
wheel slip
. With extremely heavy cargo
loaded in the cargo area or
rear seat
. When towing a trailer

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13337776) - 2020 - CRC - 4/4/19
Driving and Operating 251
may feel or sound different than if
the brakes were applied manually.
This is normal.
Stationary or Very Slow-Moving
Objects
{Warning
ACC may not detect and react to
stopped or slow-moving vehicles
ahead of you. For example, the
system may not brake for a
vehicle it has never detected
moving. This can occur in
stop-and-go traffic or when a
vehicle suddenly appears due to
a vehicle ahead changing lanes.
Your vehicle may not stop and
could cause a crash. Use caution
when using ACC. Your complete
attention is always required while
driving and you should be ready
to take action and apply the
brakes.Irregular Objects Affecting ACC
ACC may have difficulty detecting
the following objects:
.
Vehicles in front of your vehicle
that have a rear aspect that is
low, small, or irregular
. An empty truck or trailer that has
no cargo in the cargo bed
. Vehicles with cargo extending
from the back end
. Non-standard shaped vehicles,
such as vehicle transport,
vehicles with a side car fitted,
or horse carriages
. Vehicles that are low to the road
surface
. Objects that are close to the
front of your vehicle
. Vehicles on which extremely
heavy cargo is loaded in the
cargo area or rear seat
ACC Automatically Disengages
ACC may automatically disengage
and the driver will need to manually
apply the brakes to slow the
vehicle if:
.
The front camera is blocked or
visibility is reduced.
. The Traction Control System
(TCS) or StabiliTrak/ESC system
has activated or been disabled.
. There is a fault in the system.
. A DIC message displays to
indicate that ACC is temporarily
unavailable.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13337776) - 2020 - CRC - 4/4/19
254 Driving and Operating
Other Vehicle Lane Changes
ACC will not detect a vehicle ahead
until it is completely in the lane. The
brakes may need to be manually
applied.
Objects Not Directly in Front of
Your Vehicle
The detection of objects in front of
the vehicle may not be possible if:
.The vehicle or object ahead is
not within your lane.
. The vehicle ahead is shifted, not
centered, or is shifted to one
side of the lane. Driving in Narrow Lanes
Vehicles in adjacent traffic lanes or
roadside objects may be incorrectly
detected when located along the
roadway.
Do Not Use ACC on Hills and
When Towing a Trailer
Do not use ACC when driving on
steep hills or when towing a trailer.
ACC will not detect a vehicle in the
lane while driving on steep hills.
If the brakes are applied, ACC
disengages.
Disengaging ACC
There are three ways to
disengage ACC:
.
Step lightly on the brake pedal. .
Press
*.
. Press
J.
Erasing Speed Memory
The ACC set speed is erased from
memory if
Jis pressed or if the
ignition is turned off.
Weather Conditions Affecting ACC
If the interior temperature is
extremely high, the instrument
cluster may indicate that ACC is
temporarily unavailable. This can be
caused by extreme hot weather
conditions with direct sunlight on the
front camera. ACC will return to
normal operation once the cabin
temperature is lower.
Conditions that are associated with
low visibility, such as fog, rain,
snow, or road spray, may limit ACC
performance. Water droplets from
rain or snow that remain on the
windshield may also limit ACC’s
ability to detect objects.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13337776) - 2020 - CRC - 4/4/19
268 Driving and Operating
to the button comes on when the
features are on and turns off when
the features have been disabled.
Front and Rear Park Assist can be
turned Off, On, or On with Towbar.
See“Park Assist” underVehicle
Personalization 0157. If Park Assist
is turned off through vehicle
personalization, the Park Assist
button will be disabled. To turn Park
Assist on again, select On in vehicle
personalization. The On with Towbar
setting allows Park Assist to work
properly with a trailer hitch. Some
larger trailer hitches may not be
compatible.
Turn off Park Assist when towing a
trailer.
To turn the RPA symbols on or off,
see “Rear Camera Park Assist
Symbols” underVehicle
Personalization 0157.
Assistance Systems for
Driving
If equipped, when driving the
vehicle in a forward gear, Forward
Collision Alert (FCA), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Lane
Keep Assist (LKA), Side Blind Zone
Alert (SBZA), Lane Change Alert
(LCA), Automatic Emergency
Braking (AEB), and/or the Front
Pedestrian Braking (FPB) System
can help to avoid a crash or reduce
crash damage.
Forward Collision Alert
(FCA) System
If equipped, the FCA system may
help to avoid or reduce the harm
caused by front-end crashes. When
approaching a vehicle ahead too
quickly, FCA provides a red flashing
alert on the windshield and rapidly
beeps or pulses the driver seat.
FCA also lights an amber visual
alert if following another vehicle
much too closely.
FCA detects vehicles within a
distance of approximately 60 m
(197 ft) and operates at speeds
above 8 km/h (5 mph).
{Warning
FCA is a warning system and
does not apply the brakes. When
approaching a slower-moving or
stopped vehicle ahead too rapidly,
or when following a vehicle too
closely, FCA may not provide a
warning with enough time to help
avoid a crash. It also may not
provide any warning at all. FCA
does not warn of pedestrians,
animals, signs, guardrails,
bridges, construction barrels,
or other objects. Be ready to take
action and apply the brakes. See
Defensive Driving
0187.
FCA can be disabled through
vehicle personalization. See
“Collision/Detection Systems” under
Vehicle Personalization 0157.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13337776) - 2020 - CRC - 4/4/19
272 Driving and Operating
{Warning
IBA may increase vehicle braking
in situations when it may not be
necessary. You could block the
flow of traffic. If this occurs, take
your foot off the brake pedal and
then apply the brakes as needed.
AEB and IBA can be disabled. See
“Collision/Detection Systems” under
Vehicle Personalization 0157.
{Warning
Using AEB or IBA while towing a
trailer could cause you to lose
control of the vehicle and crash.
Turn the system to Alert or Off
when towing a trailer.
A system unavailable message may
display if:
. The front of the vehicle or
windshield is not clean.
. Heavy rain or snow is interfering
with object detection. .
There is a problem with the
StabiliTrak/Electronic Stability
Control (ESC) system.
The AEB system does not need
service.
Front Pedestrian Braking
(FPB) System (1500
Series)
If equipped, the FPB system may
help avoid or reduce the harm
caused by front-end crashes with
nearby pedestrians when driving in
a forward gear. FPB displays an
amber indicator,
~, when a nearby
pedestrian is detected ahead. When
approaching a detected pedestrian
too quickly, FPB provides a red
flashing alert on the windshield and
rapidly beeps or pulses the driver
seat. FPB can provide a boost to
braking or automatically brake the
vehicle. This system includes
Intelligent Brake Assist (IBA), and
the Automatic Emergency Braking
(AEB) system may also respond to
pedestrians. See Automatic
Emergency Braking (AEB) 0270. The FPB system can detect and
alert to pedestrians in a forward
gear at speeds between 8 km/h
(5 mph) and 80 km/h (50 mph).
During daytime driving, the system
detects pedestrians up to a distance
of approximately 40 m (131 ft).
During nighttime driving, system
performance is very limited.
{Warning
FPB does not provide an alert or
automatically brake the vehicle,
unless it detects a pedestrian.
FPB may not detect pedestrians,
including children:
. When the pedestrian is not
directly ahead, fully visible,
or standing upright, or when
part of a group.
. Due to poor visibility,
including nighttime
conditions, fog, rain,
or snow.
. If the FPB sensor is blocked
by dirt, snow, or ice.
(Continued)