brake light GMC SIERRA DENALI 2010 Owner's Manual

Traction Control Operation
The traction control system is part of the StabiliTrak
system. Traction control limits wheel spin by reducing
engine power to the wheels (engine speed
management) and by applying brakes to each individual
wheel (brake-traction control) as necessary.
The traction control system is enabled automatically
when the vehicle is started. It will activate and the
StabiliTrak light will flash if it senses that any of the
wheels are spinning or beginning to lose traction while
driving. If traction control is turned off, only the
brake-traction control portion of traction control will
work. The engine speed management will be disabled.
In this mode, engine power is not reduced automatically
and the driven wheels can spin more freely. This can
cause the brake-traction control to activate constantly.
Notice:If the wheel(s) of one axle is allowed to spin
excessively while the StabiliTrak, ABS and brake
warning lights and any relevant DIC messages are
displayed, the transfer case could be damaged. The
repairs would not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Reduce engine power and do not spin the
wheel(s) excessively while these lights and
messages are displayed. The traction control system may activate on dry or
rough roads or under conditions such as heavy
acceleration while turning or abrupt upshifts/downshifts
of the transmission. When this happens, a reduction in
acceleration may be noticed, or a noise or vibration may
be heard. This is normal.
If cruise control is being used when the system
activates, the StabiliTrak light will flash and cruise
control will automatically disengage. Cruise control may
be reengaged when road conditions allow. See
Cruise
Control on page 4‑7.
StabiliTrak may also turn off automatically if it
determines that a problem exists with the system. If the
problem does not clear itself after restarting the vehicle,
see your dealer/retailer for service.
Locking Rear Axle
Vehicles with a locking rear axle can give more traction
on snow, mud, ice, sand or gravel. It works like a
standard axle most of the time, but when traction is low,
this feature will allow the rear wheel with the most
traction to move the vehicle.
5-8

If, after stalling, you try to back down the hill and decide
you just cannot do it, set the parking brake, put your
transmission in P (Park), and turn off the engine. Leave
the vehicle and go get some help. Exit on the uphill side
and stay clear of the path the vehicle would take if it
rolled downhill.
Driving Downhill
When off-roading takes you downhill, consider:
.How steep is the downhill? Will I be able to
maintain vehicle control?
.What is the surface like? Smooth? Rough?
Slippery? Hard-packed dirt? Gravel?
.Are there hidden surface obstacles? Ruts? Logs?
Boulders?
.What is at the bottom of the hill? Is there a hidden
creek bank or even a river bottom with large
rocks?
If you decide you can go down a hill safely, try to keep
the vehicle headed straight down. Use a low gear so
engine drag can help the brakes so they do not have to
do all the work. Descend slowly, keeping the vehicle
under control at all times.
{WARNING:
Heavy braking when going down a hill can cause
your brakes to overheat and fade. This could
cause loss of control and a serious accident.
Apply the brakes lightly when descending a hill
and use a low gear to keep vehicle speed under
control.
Things not to do when driving down a hill:
.When driving downhill, avoid turns that take you
across the incline of the hill. A hill that is not too
steep to drive down might be too steep to drive
across. The vehicle could roll over.
.Never go downhill with the transmission in
N (Neutral), called free-wheeling. The brakes will
have to do all the work and could overheat
and fade.
Vehicles are much more likely to stall when going uphill,
but if it happens when going downhill: 1. Stop the vehicle by applying the regular brakes and apply the parking brake.
2. Shift to P (Park) and, while still braking, restart the engine.
5-20

Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving
because some drivers are likely to be impaired—by
alcohol or drugs, with night vision problems, or by
fatigue.
Night driving tips include:
.Drive defensively.
.Do not drink and drive.
.Reduce headlamp glare by adjusting the inside
rearview mirror.
.Slow down and keep more space between you and
other vehicles because headlamps can only light
up so much road ahead.
.Watch for animals.
.When tired, pull off the road.
.Do not wear sunglasses.
.Avoid staring directly into approaching headlamps.
.Keep the windshield and all glass on your vehicle
clean —inside and out.
.Keep your eyes moving, especially during turns or
curves.
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime.
But, as we get older, these differences increase.
A 50-year-old driver might need at least twice as much
light to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce vehicle traction and
affect your ability to stop and accelerate. Always drive
slower in these types of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and deep‐standing or
flowing water.
{WARNING:
Wet brakes can cause crashes. They might not
work as well in a quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could lose control of the
vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle of water or a
car/vehicle wash, lightly apply the brake pedal
until the brakes work normally.
Flowing or rushing water creates strong forces.
Driving through flowing water could cause your
vehicle to be carried away. If this happens, you
and other vehicle occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be very cautious about
trying to drive through flowing water.
5-24

Trailer Wiring Harness
Heavy-Duty Trailer Wiring Harness Package
The vehicle has a seven-pin universal heavy-duty trailer
connector attached to the rear bumper beam next to the
integrated trailer hitch.The seven-wire harness contains the following trailer
circuits:
.Yellow: Left Stop/Turn Signal
.Dark Green: Right Stop/Turn Signal
.Brown: Taillamps
.White: Ground
.Light Green: Back-up Lamps
.Red: Battery Feed*
.Dark Blue: Trailer Brake*
*The fuses for these two circuits are installed in the
underhood electrical center, but the wires are not
connected. They should be connected by your dealer/
retailer or a qualified service center.
If charging a remote (non-vehicle) battery, press the
tow/haul mode button located at the end of the shift
lever. This will boost the vehicle system voltage and
properly charge the battery. If the trailer is too light for
tow/haul mode, turn on the headlamps as a second way
to boost the vehicle system and charge the battery.
5-60

Electric Brake Control Wiring
Provisions
These wiring provisions are included with the vehicle as
part of the trailer wiring package. These provisions are
for an electric brake controller. The instrument panel
contains blunt cut wires near the data link connector for
the trailer brake controller. The harness contains the
following wires:
.Dark Blue: Brake Signal to Trailer Connector
.Red/Black: Battery
.Light Blue/White: Brake Switch
.White: Ground
It should be installed by your dealer/retailer or a
qualified service center.
If the vehicle is equipped with an ITBC, the blunt cuts
exist, but are not connected further in the harness. If an
aftermarket trailer brake controller is installed, the ITBC
must be disconnected. Do not power both ITBC and
aftermarket controllers to control the trailer brakes at the
same time.
Trailer Recommendations
Subtract the hitch loads from the Cargo Weight Rating
(CWR). CWR is the maximum weight of the load the
vehicle can carry. It does not include the weight of the
people inside, but you can figure about 150 lbs. (68 kg)
for each passenger. The total cargo load must not be
more than the vehicles CWR.
Weigh the vehicle with the trailer attached, so the
GVWR or GAWR are not exceeded. If using a
weight-distributing hitch, weigh the vehicle without the
spring bars in place.
The best performance is obtained by correctly
spreading out the weight of the load and choosing the
correct hitch and trailer brakes.
For more information see Towing a Trailer
on
page 5‑42.
5-61

Brake Wear
This vehicle has front disc brakes and could have rear
drum brakes or rear disc brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make
a high-pitched warning sound when the brake pads are
worn and new pads are needed. The sound can come
and go or be heard all the time the vehicle is moving,
except when applying the brake pedal firmly.
{WARNING:
The brake wear warning sound means that soon
the brakes will not work well. That could lead to
an accident. When the brake wear warning sound
is heard, have the vehicle serviced.
Notice: Continuing to drive with worn-out brake
pads could result in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates can cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong with
the brakes. Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect
brake pads for wear and evenly tighten wheel nuts in
the proper sequence to torque specifications in
Capacities and Specifications on page 6‑122.
If the vehicle has rear drum brakes, they do not have
wear indicators, but if a rear brake rubbing noise is
heard, have the rear brake linings inspected
immediately. Rear brake drums should be removed and
inspected each time the tires are removed for rotation or
changing. Drum brakes have an inspection hole to
inspect lining wear during scheduled maintenance.
When the front brake pads are replaced, have the rear
brakes inspected, too.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer/retailer if the brake pedal does not
return to normal height, or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign that brake service
might be required.
Brake Adjustment
Every brake stop, the brakes adjust for wear.
6-42

Different Size Tires and Wheels
If you add wheels or tires that are a different size than
your original equipment wheels and tires, this could
affect the way your vehicle performs, including its
braking, ride and handling characteristics, stability, and
resistance to rollover. Additionally, if your vehicle has
electronic systems such as anti‐lock brakes, rollover
airbags, traction control, and electronic stability control,
the performance of these systems can be affected.
{WARNING:
If you add different sized wheels, your vehicle
may not provide an acceptable level of
performance and safety if tires not recommended
for those wheels are selected. You may increase
the chance that you will crash and suffer serious
injury. Only use GM specific wheel and tire
systems developed for your vehicle, and have
them properly installed by a GM certified
technician.
See Buying New Tires
on page 6‑80andAccessories
and Modificationson page 6‑4for additional
information.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable on
the tire sidewall between tread shoulder and
maximum section width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A
The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which
grades tires by treadwear, traction, and
temperature performance. This applies only to
vehicles sold in the United States. The grades are
molded on the sidewalls of most passenger car
tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading (UTQG)
system does not apply to deep tread, winter-type
snow tires, space-saver, or temporary use spare
tires, tires with nominal rim diameters of
10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm), or to some
limited-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors
passenger cars and light trucks may vary with
respect to these grades, they must also conform
to federal safety requirements and additional
General Motors Tire Performance Criteria (TPC)
standards.
6-82

A
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-4
Accessory Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24
Accessory Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-16
Active Fuel Management™. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-27
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-114
Additives, Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-8
Adjustable Throttle and Brake Pedal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-22
Air Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-17, 4-20
Airbag Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-EquippedVehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-72
Airbag System How Does an Airbag Restrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-63
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-66
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . 2-71
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-63
What Will You See After an Airbag Inflates? . . . . . . 2-64
When Should an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-61
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-58 Airbags
Passenger Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-32
Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-31
System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-56
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-49
All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5-9
Antenna Fixed Mast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-140
Antenna, XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-140
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5-4
Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-36
Appearance Care Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-110
Care of Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-108
Chemical Paint Spotting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-112
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-109
Fabric/Carpet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-106
Finish Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-109
Finish Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-112
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other PlasticSurfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-107
Interior Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-105
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Appearance Care (cont.)Leather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-107
Sheet Metal Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-111
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-111
Underbody Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-112
Washing Your Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-108
Weatherstrips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-108
Windshield and Wiper Blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-110
Wood Panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-108
Ashtray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-17
Assistance Program, Roadside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8-7
Audio System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-76 Audio Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-137
Navigation/Radio System, see NavigationManual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-115
Radio Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-139
Rear Seat (RSA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-135
Setting the Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-77
Theft-Deterrent Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-136
XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna System . . . . . . . . . . .4-140
Audio System(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-79
Automatic Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-24
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-28
Axle, Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-50B
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-43 Electric Power Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15
Run-Down Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15
Belt Routing, Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-14
Bluetooth
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-115
Brake
Emergencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Pedal and Adjustable Throttle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-40 Antilock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34
System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-34
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5-3
Braking in Emergencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5-5
Break-In, New Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-22
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-60 Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) andCargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-57
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-13
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-55
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-52
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-55
License Plate Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-60
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and
Back-up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-58
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-80
i - 2

Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-55Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-52
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-55
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11
Exterior Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11
Heated Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-5
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-17, 4-20 Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
High-Speed Operation, Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-72
Highbeam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-42
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Hood Checking Things Under . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-14
Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-14
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-3
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16I
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23
Infants and Young Children, Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-36
Inflation - Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-71
Instrument Panel Brightness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-13
Storage Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-58
Instrument Panel Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-28
Integrated Trailer Brake Control System (ITBC) . . . . 5-42
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-2
J
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-44
K
Keyless Entry Remote (RKE) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Keyless Entry System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-4
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-3
i - 8