oil level GMC SIERRA 2021 Owner's Manual

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-14632426) - 2021 - CRC - 11/5/20
2 Introduction
Canadian Vehicle Owners
A French language manual can be obtained
from your dealer, at www.helminc.com,
or from:
Propriétaires Canadiens
On peut obtenir un exemplaire de ce guide
en français auprès du concessionnaire ou à
l'adresse suivante:
Helm, Incorporated
Attention: Customer Service
47911 Halyard Drive
Plymouth, MI 48170
USA
Using this Manual
To quickly locate information about the
vehicle, use the Index in the back of the
manual. It is an alphabetical list of what is
in the manual and the page number where
it can be found.
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

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-14632426) - 2021 - CRC - 11/5/20
Instruments and Controls 99
Instruments and Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Wireless Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Warning Lights, Gauges, and Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Engine Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . 112
Voltmeter Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Seat Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . 114
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Check
Engine Light) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Service Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . 118
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Four-Wheel-Drive Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Tow/Haul Mode Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Hill Descent Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) Light . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Vehicle Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Pedestrian Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Traction Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Traction Control System (TCS)/Electronic Stability Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Driver Mode Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Engine Oil Pressure Light (Uplevel Cluster) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 Door Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Base
Level) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Midlevel and Uplevel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Head-Up Display (HUD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Engine Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Vehicle Speed Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Vehicle Personalization
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Universal Remote System
Universal Remote System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Universal Remote System Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Universal Remote System Operation . . . 138

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
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106 Instruments and Controls
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning lights and gauges can signal that
something is wrong before it becomes
serious enough to cause an expensive repair
or replacement. Paying attention to the
warning lights and gauges could prevent
injury.
Some warning lights come on briefly when
the engine is started to indicate they are
working. When one of the warning lights
comes on and stays on while driving,
or when one of the gauges shows there
may be a problem, check the section that
explains what to do. Waiting to do repairs
can be costly and even dangerous.
Instrument Cluster
Base Cluster English Shown, Metric Similar
1.Tachometer 0110
2. Engine Oil Pressure Gauge 0111
3. Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge
0112
4. Fuel Gauge 0110
5. Voltmeter Gauge 0113 6.
Speedometer 0110
7. Driver Information Center (DIC) (Base
Level) 0124 or
Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Midlevel and Uplevel) 0125

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
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Instruments and Controls 107
Midlevel Cluster English Shown, Metric Similar
1.Tachometer 0110
2. Engine Oil Pressure Gauge 0111
3. Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge
0112
4. Fuel Gauge 0110
5. Voltmeter Gauge 0113 6.
Speedometer 0110
7. Driver Information Center (DIC) (Base
Level) 0124 or
Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Midlevel and Uplevel) 0125

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-14632426) - 2021 - CRC - 11/5/20
108 Instruments and Controls
Uplevel Cluster English Standard Shown, Metric Similar
1.Tachometer 0110
2. Engine Oil Pressure Gauge 0111
3. Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge
0112
4. Fuel Gauge 0110
5. Voltmeter Gauge 0113 6.
Speedometer 0110
7. Driver Information Center (DIC) (Base
Level) 0124 or
Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Midlevel and Uplevel) 0125
Cluster Menu (Midlevel and Uplevel)
There is an interactive display area in the
center of the instrument cluster.
Use the right steering wheel control to open
and scroll through the different items and
displays.
Press
SorTto access the cluster
applications. Use the thumbwheel to scroll
through the list of available features. Press
the thumbwheel to select. Not all
applications will be available on all vehicles.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
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Instruments and Controls 111
English Uplevel Shown, Midlevel and BaseLevel 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 three things that some owners ask
about. None of these show a problem with
the fuel gauge:
.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, speeding up or braking.
.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
Uplevel English Shown, Base Level 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

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-14632426) - 2021 - CRC - 11/5/20
112 Instruments and Controls
indicates oil pressure outside the normal
operating range, check the vehicle's oil as
soon as possible.
SeeEngine Oil 0330.
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
Metric Uplevel Shown, Midlevel and Base Level Similar
English Uplevel Shown, Midlevel and Base Level Similar
This gauge measures the temperature of the
vehicle's engine coolant.
While driving under normal operating
conditions, if the needle moves into the red
warning area, the engine is too hot. Pull off
the road, stop the vehicle, and turn off the
engine as soon as possible.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
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122 Instruments and Controls
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. SeeTire Pressure
0 367.
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
0 369.
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. 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 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

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-14632426) - 2021 - CRC - 11/5/20
124 Instruments and Controls
Door Ajar Light
This light comes on when a door is open or
not securely latched. Before driving, check
that all doors are properly closed.
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Base Level)
The DIC displays are shown in the center of
the instrument cluster. The displays show
the status of many vehicle systems. The trip
odometer reset stem in the instrument
cluster is used to access the DIC menu
items.
If the vehicle has a diesel engine, see the
Duramax diesel supplement for more
information.
DIC Menu Items
Turn the trip odometer reset stem to scroll
through the following menu items:
.Digital Speedometer
.Trip 1/2
.Fuel Range
.Tire Pressure
.Remaining Oil Life
.Air Filter Life
.Brake Pad Life
Digital Speedometer
The speedometer shows how fast the
vehicle is moving in either kilometers per
hour (km/h) or miles per hour (mph). The
speedometer cannot be reset.
Trip 1 or 2 and Average Fuel Economy
Turn the trip odometer reset stem until TRIP
1 or TRIP 2 displays. The current distance
traveled, in either kilometers (km) or
miles (mi), since the last reset for the trip
odometer is shown, as well as the average
fuel economy. The trip odometer and the
average fuel economy can be reset by
pressing and holding the trip odometer
reset stem. Fuel Range
This display shows the approximate distance
the vehicle can be driven without refueling.
The fuel range estimate is based on an
average of the vehicle's fuel economy over
recent driving history and the amount of
fuel remaining in the fuel tank. Fuel range
cannot be reset.
Tire Pressure
Turn the trip odometer reset stem until a
vehicle with the approximate pressures of all
four tires displays. Tire pressure is displayed
in either kilopascal (kPa) or in pounds per
square inch (psi).
See
Tire Pressure Monitor System 0368 and
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation 0369.
Remaining Oil Life
Turn the trip odometer reset stem until
REMAINING OIL LIFE displays. An estimate of
the oil's remaining useful life is shown.
REMAINING OIL LIFE 99% means 99% of the
current oil life remains.
When the remaining oil life is low, the
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON message will
appear on the display. The oil should be
changed as soon as possible. See Engine Oil
0 330. In addition to the engine oil life

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
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Instruments and Controls 125
system monitoring the oil life, additional
maintenance is recommended. See
Maintenance Schedule0409.
The Oil Life display must be reset after each
oil change. It will not reset itself. Do not
reset the Oil Life display at any time other
than when the oil has just been changed.
It cannot be reset accurately until the next
oil change. To reset, see Engine Oil Life
System 0332.
Air Filter Life
Turn the trip odometer reset stem until AIR
FILTER LIFE displays. This displays an
estimate of the engine air filter’s remaining
useful life and the state of the system.
Engine Air Filter Life 95% means 95% of the
current air filter life remains. Messages will
display based on the engine air filter life
and the state of the system.
When the REPLACE AT NEXT OIL CHANGE
message displays, the engine air filter
should be replaced at the time of the next
oil change. When the REPLACE SOON
message displays, the engine air filter
should be replaced at the earliest
convenience. The Air Filter Life display must be reset after
the engine air filter replacement. To reset,
see
Engine Air Filter Life System 0333.
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
0 342.
Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Midlevel and Uplevel)
The DIC displays are shown in the center of
the instrument cluster in the Info app. See
Instrument Cluster 0106. The displays show
the status of many vehicle systems.
If the vehicle has a diesel engine, see the
Duramax diesel supplement.
SorT: Press to move left or right
between the interactive display zones in the
cluster. Press the thumbwheel to select.
yorz: Use the thumbwheel to scroll up
or down in a list. Press the thumbwheel to
select.
Info Page Options
The info pages on the DIC can be turned on
or off through the Options menu.
1. Press
Tto scroll to the Options
application.
2. Scroll
yorzto choose Info pages and
press the thumbwheel.