trailer GMC SIERRA DENALI 2015 Owners Manual

Black plate (1,1)GMC 2015i Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-8431500) - 2015 - crc - 6/20/14
2015 GMC Sierra Denali Owner Manual MIn Brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-4
Vehicle Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16
Performance and
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-20
Keys, Doors, and
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Keys and Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Exterior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Interior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19
Roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-22
Seats and Restraints . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17
Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-30 Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Storage Compartments . . . . . . . . 4-1
Additional Storage Features . . . 4-3
Instruments and Controls . . . . 5-1
Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Information Displays . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . 5-42
Universal Remote System . . . . 5-49
Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Lighting Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1 Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . 8-1
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-4
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-5
Driving and Operating . . . . . . . . 9-1
Driving Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Starting and Operating . . . . . . . 9-23
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 9-33
Drive Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46
Ride Control Systems . . . . . . . . 9-49
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-52
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 9-55
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-63
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-68
Conversions and Add-Ons . . . 9-88
Vehicle Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Vehicle Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-40
Wheels and Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50

Black plate (3,1)GMC 2015i Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-8431500) - 2015 - crc - 6/20/14
In Brief 1-31. Instrument Panel Illumination
Control on page 6-6 .
2. Integrated Trailer Brake Control
(ITBC) System (If Equipped).
See Towing Equipment on
page 9-78 .
3. Exterior Lamp Controls on
page 6-1 .
Fog Lamps on page 6-5 (If
Equipped).
4. Air Vents on page 8-4 .
5. Turn Signal Lever. See Turn and
Lane-Change Signals on
page 6-4 .
Windshield Wiper/Washer on
page 5-3 .
6. Favorite Switches (Out of View).
See Steering Wheel Controls on
page 5-2 .
Volume Switches (Out of View).
See Steering Wheel Controls on
page 5-2 .
7. Instrument Cluster on page 5-9 . 8. Hazard Warning Flashers on
page 6-4
9. Shift Lever. See Automatic
Transmission on page 9-33 .
Tow/Haul Selector Button (If
Equipped). See Tow/Haul Mode
on page 9-39 .
Range Selection Mode (If
Equipped). See Manual Mode on
page 9-36 .
10. Light Sensor. See Automatic
Headlamp System on
page 6-3 .
11. Infotainment on page 7-1 .
12. Electronic Transfer Case
Control (If Equipped). See
Four-Wheel Drive on
page 9-40 .
13. Parking Brake on page 9-47 .
14. Data Link Connector (DLC)
(Out of View). See Malfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 5-18 . 15. Cruise Control on page 9-52 .
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System on page 9-59 (If
Equipped).
16. Steering Wheel Adjustment on
page 5-2 (Out of View).
17. Horn on page 5-3 .
18. Hood Release. See Hood on
page 10-4 .
19. Steering Wheel Controls on
page 5-2 (If Equipped).
Driver Information Center (DIC)
Controls. See Driver
Information Center (DIC) on
page 5-27 .
20. Heated and Cooled Front
Seats on page 3-7 (If
Equipped).
21. Dual Automatic Climate Control
System on page 8-1 .

Black plate (16,1)GMC 2015i Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-8431500) - 2015 - crc - 6/20/14
1-16 In Brief Automatic Transfer Case
This transfer case knob is to the left
of the steering column.
The different drive options that may
be available are described following.
2
m (Two-Wheel Drive High): This
setting is used for driving in most
street and highway situations.
AUTO (Automatic Four-Wheel
Drive): This setting is ideal for use
when road surface traction
conditions are variable. Do not use AUTO mode to park on
a steep grade with poor traction
such as ice, snow, mud or gravel. In
AUTO mode only the rear wheels
will hold the vehicle from sliding
when parked. If parking on a steep
grade, use 4
m to keep all four
wheels engaged.
4
m (Four-Wheel Drive High): Use
this setting when extra traction is
needed, such as on snowy or icy
roads or in most off-road situations.
N (Neutral): Shift to this setting
only when towing the vehicle. See
Recreational Vehicle Towing on
page 10-91 or Trailer Towing on
page 9-71 .
4
n (Four-Wheel Drive Low): This
setting sends maximum power to all
four wheels. Choose Four-Wheel
Drive Low when driving in deep
sand, mud, or snow, and while
climbing or descending steep hills.
See Four-Wheel Drive on
page 9-40 .Vehicle Features Infotainment System See the infotainment manual for
information on the radio, audio
players, phone, navigation system,
and voice or speech recognition.
It also includes information on
settings.
Steering Wheel Controls The infotainment system can be
operated by using the steering
wheel controls. See "Steering
Wheel Controls" in the infotainment
manual.

Black plate (1,1)GMC 2015i Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-8431500) - 2015 - CRC - 6/20/14
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-1
Keys, Doors, and
Windows Keys and Locks Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Power Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Automatic Door Locks . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Lockout Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Safety Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Doors Tailgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Vehicle Security Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Vehicle Alarm System . . . . . . . . 2-11
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Immobilizer Operation . . . . . . . 2-13 Exterior Mirrors Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Trailer-Tow Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Power Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Folding Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Heated Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Automatic Dimming Mirror . . . 2-17
Blind Spot Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Reverse Tilt Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . 2-18
Interior Mirrors Interior Rearview Mirrors . . . . . 2-19
Automatic Dimming Rearview
Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19
Windows Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19
Power Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19
Rear Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-22
Sun Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-22
Roof Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-22 Keys and Locks Keys
{ WarningLeaving children in a vehicle with
the ignition key is dangerous and
children or others could be
seriously injured or killed. They
could operate the power windows
or other controls or make the
vehicle move. The windows will
function with the keys in the
ignition, and children or others
could be caught in the path of a
closing window. Do not leave
children in a vehicle with the
ignition key.

Black plate (14,1)GMC 2015i Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-8431500) - 2015 - CRC - 6/20/14
2-14 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Exterior Mirrors Convex Mirrors
{ WarningA convex mirror can make things,
like other vehicles, look farther
away than they really are. If you
cut too sharply into the right lane,
you could hit a vehicle on the
right. Check the inside mirror or
glance over your shoulder before
changing lanes.
The passenger side mirror is convex
shaped. A convex mirror's surface is
curved so more can be seen from
the driver seat. Trailer-Tow Mirrors
If equipped, adjust trailer-tow
mirrors for a clear view of the area
behind you. Manually pull out the
mirror head to extend it for better
visibility when towing a trailer.
The lower portion of the mirror is
convex. A convex mirror's surface is
curved to see more from the driver
seat. The convex mirror can be
adjusted manually to the driver
preferred position for better vision. The mirror may have a turn signal
arrow that flashes in the direction of
the turn or lane change.
If equipped, the mirror housing may
have auxiliary cargo and clearance
lamps. See Cargo Lamp on
page 6-6 and Exterior Lamp
Controls on page 6-1 .
Power Mirrors Using hood-mounted air deflectors
and add-on convex mirror
attachments could decrease mirror
performance.

Black plate (19,1)GMC 2015i Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-8431500) - 2015 - crc - 6/20/14
Instruments and Controls 5-19
{ CautionIf the vehicle is continually driven
with this light on, the emission
controls might not work as well,
the vehicle 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.
{ CautionModifications 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
(Continued) Caution (Continued) 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 10-3 .
This light comes on during a
malfunction in one of two ways:
Light Flashing: A misfire condition
has been detected. A misfire
increases vehicle emissions and
could damage the emission control
system on the vehicle. Diagnosis
and service might be required.
To prevent more serious damage to
the vehicle: .
Reduce vehicle speed. .
Avoid hard accelerations. .
Avoid steep uphill grades. .
If towing a trailer, reduce the
amount of cargo being hauled as
soon as it is possible.
If the light continues to flash, find a
safe place to stop and park the
vehicle. Turn the vehicle off, wait at
least 10 seconds, and restart the
engine. If the light is still flashing,
follow the previous steps and see
your dealer for service as soon as
possible.
Light On Steady: An emission
control system malfunction has
been detected on the vehicle.
Diagnosis and service might be
required.
The following may correct an
emission control system
malfunction: .
Check that the fuel cap is fully
installed. See Filling the Tank on
page 9-66 . The diagnostic
system can determine if the fuel
cap has been left off or
improperly installed. A loose or
missing fuel cap allows fuel to
evaporate into the atmosphere.

Black plate (30,1)GMC 2015i Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-8431500) - 2015 - crc - 6/20/14
5-30 Instruments and Controls Tire Pressure: Shows the
approximate pressures of all four
tires. Tire pressure is displayed in
either kilopascal (kPa) or in pounds
per square inch (psi). If the pressure
is low, the value for that tire is
shown in amber. See Tire Pressure
Monitor System on page 10-61 and
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation on
page 10-62 .
Best Fuel Economy: Displays
average fuel economy, the best fuel
economy over the selected
distance, and a bar graph showing
instantaneous fuel economy.
Press
p to change the selected
distance. Press and hold
V 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.
Top Consumers: Shows a list of
the features that are currently
impacting the fuel economy, in order
from highest to lowest. If a feature is
turned off, it will be removed from
the list. Economy Trend: Shows history of
the Average Fuel Economy from the
last 50 km (30 mi). Each bar
represents about 5 km (3 mi) of
driving. During driving the bars will
shift to always reflect the most
recent distance on the right side.
Press and hold
V to clear the graph
or press
p to reset through
the menu.
ECO Index: The bar graph
provides feedback on the efficiency
of current driving behavior. The
graph shows a value that is based
on current fuel consumption
compared to what is expected from
the vehicle with good and bad
driving habits. It also shows if the
Active Fuel Management is active
and in V4 mode, or inactive and in
V8 mode. See Active Fuel
Management ®
on page 9-32 .
Engine Hours: Shows the total
number of hours the engine has run.
This display also shows the engine
idle hours. 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.
OUTPUT shows the power output to
the trailer any time a trailer with
electric brakes is connected. Output
is displayed as a bar graph. Dashes
may appear in the OUTPUT display.
Speed Signs: Shows sign
information, which comes from a
roadway database in the onboard
navigation.
Following Distance: Used to
select the alert timing for the
Forward Collision Alert (FCA). See
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System on page 9-59 .
Blank Page: Shows no
information.

Black plate (32,1)GMC 2015i Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-8431500) - 2015 - crc - 6/20/14
5-32 Instruments and Controls SERVICE BATTERY
CHARGING SYSTEM On some vehicles, this message
displays if there is a problem with
the battery charging system. Under
certain conditions, the charging
system light may also turn on in the
instrument cluster. See Charging
System Light on page 5-18 . Driving
with this problem could drain the
battery. Turn off all unnecessary
accessories. Have the electrical
system checked as soon as
possible. See your dealer.
TRANSPORT MODE ON This message is displayed when the
vehicle is in transport mode. Some
features can be disabled while in
this mode, including Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE), remote start,
and the vehicle alarm system. Take
the vehicle to your dealer for service
to turn transport mode off. Brake System Messages BRAKE FLUID LOW This message is displayed when the
brake fluid level is low. See Brake
Fluid on page 10-27 .
SERVICE BRAKE ASSIST This message may be displayed
when there is a problem with the
brake boost assist system. When
this message is displayed, the brake
boost assist motor might be heard
operating and you might notice
pulsation in the brake pedal. This is
normal under these conditions. Take
the vehicle to your dealer for
service.
SERVICE TRAILER BRAKE
SYSTEM
On vehicles with the Integrated
Trailer Brake Control (ITBC) system,
this message displays and a chime
may sound when there is a problem
with the ITBC system. When this message displays, power
is no longer available to the trailer
brakes.
As soon as it is safe to do so,
carefully pull your vehicle over to
the side of the road and turn the
ignition off. Check the wiring
connection to the trailer and turn the
ignition back on. If this message still
displays, either your vehicle or the
trailer needs service. See your
dealer.
See “ Integrated Trailer Brake
Control System ” under Towing
Equipment on page 9-78 for more
information.
Compass Messages Dashes may be displayed if the
vehicle temporarily loses
communication with the Global
Positioning System (GPS).

Black plate (41,1)GMC 2015i Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-8431500) - 2015 - crc - 6/20/14
Instruments and Controls 5-41TRANSMISSION HOT IDLE
ENGINE This message displays and a chime
may sound if the transmission fluid
in the vehicle gets hot. Driving with
the transmission fluid temperature
high can cause damage to the
vehicle. Stop the vehicle and let it
idle to allow the transmission to
cool. This message clears and the
chime stops when the fluid
temperature reaches a safe level.
When towing, use Tow/Haul Mode
to prevent damage to the engine or
transmission. See Tow/Haul Mode
on page 9-39 .
VEHICLE IN 4WD LOW This message will display if the
vehicle is driven in 4
n for about
10 minutes above 72 km/h (45 mph). Vehicle Reminder
Messages CHECK TRAILER WIRING On vehicles with the Integrated
Trailer Brake Control (ITBC) system,
this message may display and a
chime may sound when one of the
following conditions exists: .
A trailer with electric brakes
becomes disconnected from the
vehicle.
‐ If the disconnect occurs while
the vehicle is stopped, this
message clears itself after a
short time.
‐ If the disconnect occurs while
the vehicle is moving, this
message stays on until the
ignition is turned off. .
There is a short in the wiring to
the electric trailer brakes.
When this message displays, power
is no longer available to the trailer
brakes. As soon as it is safe to do so,
carefully pull the vehicle over to the
side of the road and turn the ignition
off. Check the wiring connection to
the trailer and turn the ignition back
on. This message clears if the trailer
is reconnected. This message also
clears if you acknowledge it. If this
message still displays, either the
vehicle or the trailer needs service.
See your dealer.
See “ Integrated Trailer Brake
Control System ” under Towing
Equipment on page 9-78 .
ICE POSSIBLE DRIVE
WITH CARE This message displays when ice
conditions are possible.
TRAILER CONNECTED
On vehicles with the Integrated
Trailer Brake Control (ITBC) system,
this message displays briefly when
a trailer with electric or electric over
hydraulic brakes is first connected
to the vehicle.

Black plate (42,1)GMC 2015i Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-8431500) - 2015 - crc - 6/20/14
5-42 Instruments and Controls This message clears itself after
several seconds. This message also
clears if you acknowledge it. After
this message clears, the TRAILER
GAIN and OUTPUT displays appear
in the DIC.
See Driver Information Center (DIC)
on page 5-27 and “ Integrated Trailer
Brake Control System ” under
Towing Equipment on page 9-78 .
Vehicle Speed Messages REDUCE SPEED FOR HILL
DESCENT CONTROL This message displays when
attempting to enable Hill Descent
Control (HDC) when the vehicle
speed is too high. See Hill Descent
Control (HDC) on page 9-51 .Washer Fluid Messages WASHER FLUID LOW ADD
FLUID This message displays when the
windshield washer fluid is low. Fill
the windshield washer fluid reservoir
as soon as possible. See Engine
Compartment Overview on
page 10-5 for the location of the
windshield washer fluid reservoir.
Also, see Washer Fluid on
page 10-25 for more information.Vehicle
Personalization Use the audio system controls to
access the personalization menus
for customizing vehicle features.
The following are all possible
personalization features. Depending
on the vehicle, some may not be
available.
Radio Audio System Controls
1. Press the desired feature to
display a list of available
options.
2. Press to select the desired
feature setting.
3. Press
o BACK on the faceplate
or the
0 screen button to return
to the previous menu or exit.
Turn the vehicle to ON/RUN to
access the Settings menu, then
select SETTINGS from the Home
Page on the infotainment system
display.