power steering GMC SIERRA DENALI 2016 User Guide
[x] Cancel search | Manufacturer: GMC, Model Year: 2016, Model line: SIERRA DENALI, Model: GMC SIERRA DENALI 2016Pages: 399, PDF Size: 5.57 MB
Page 153 of 399

GMC Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234761) - 2016 - crc - 7/24/15
152 Lighting
this button. Pressing the top of the
button will turn off the roof-mounted
lamp and indicator.
The emergency roof lamp circuit is
fused at 30 amps, so the total
current draw of the attached lamps
should be less than this value. The
attachment points for the roof lamp
circuits are two blunt cut wires
above the overhead console: a dark
green with blue stripe switched
power wire and a black ground wire.
For information on roof-mounted
emergency lamp installation, see
www.gmupfitter.com or contact your
dealer.
If the vehicle has this button, the
vehicle may have the snow plow
prep package. SeeAdd-On
Electrical Equipment 0247.Interior Lighting
Instrument Panel
Illumination Control
This feature controls the brightness
of the steering wheel and instrument
panel lights. The instrument panel
illumination control is next to the
exterior lamp control.
D(Instrument Panel
Illumination) : Move the
thumbwheel up or down to brighten
or dim the lights.
Cargo Lamp
The cargo lamp provides more light
in the cargo area or on the sides of
the vehicle, if needed. The lights
inside the pickup box and/or on the
outside rearview mirrors also turn
on, if equipped.
Press the switch down to turn the
cargo lamp on or off. An indicator
light will turn on when the lamp is
turned on, if equipped. The shift
lever must be in the P (Park)
position to operate the cargo lamp.
The lights on the outside rearview
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GMC Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 163
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 172
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 173
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 175
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Truck-Camper LoadingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 184
Adjustable Throttle and BrakePedal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Fast Idle System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188 Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Active Fuel Management
®. . . . 192
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 193
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 208
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Hill Descent Control (HDC) . . . 210 Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 214
Assistance Systems for
Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . 215
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) (2500/3500
Series) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) (1500 Series) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 224
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
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Driving and Operating 165
Refer to the infotainment section for
more information on using that
system and the navigation system,
if equipped, including pairing and
using a cell phone.
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means“always
expect the unexpected.” The first
step in driving defensively is to wear
the safety belt. See Safety Belts
0 54.
. Assume that other road users
(pedestrians, bicyclists, and
other drivers) are going to be
careless and make mistakes.
Anticipate what they might do
and be ready.
. 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 while the
vehicle is being driven, brake
normally but do not pump the
brakes. Doing so could make the
pedal harder to push down. If the
engine stops, there will be some
power brake assist but it will be
used when the brake is applied.
Once the power assist is used up, it
can take longer to stop and the
brake pedal will be harder to push.
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166 Driving and Operating
Steering
Electric Power Steering (1500
Series)
If the vehicle has electric power
steering, it does not have power
steering fluid. Regular maintenance
is not required.
If power steering assist is lost due
to a system malfunction, the vehicle
can be steered, but may require
increased effort. See your dealer if
there is a problem.
If the steering wheel is turned until it
reaches the end of its travel, and is
held in that position for an extended
period of time, power steering assist
may be reduced.
If the steering assist is used for an
extended period of time, power
assist may be reduced.
Normal use of the power steering
assist should return when the
system cools down.
See specific vehicle steering
messages underSteering System
Messages 0132.
Hydraulic Power Steering
(2500/3500 Series)
(2500/3500 Series –All Regular
Cab, Double Cab/Crew Cab with
Base Interior)
The power steering system may
require maintenance. See Power
Steering Fluid (1500 Series) 0273
or Power Steering Fluid (2500/3500
Series) 0273.
If power steering assist is lost
because the engine stops or the
system malfunctions, the vehicle
can be steered but may require
increased effort. See your dealer.
(2500/3500 Series –Double Cab/
Crew Cab with Uplevel Interior)
The vehicle has a power steering
system that varies the amount of
effort required to steer the vehicle.
Less steering effort is required at
slower speeds. At faster speeds, the
steering effort increases. The
system helps the steering wheel
return to center at low speeds.
Pressing the Tow/Haul button adjusts steering effort for driving
conditions described in
Tow/Haul
Mode 0199.
The power steering system may
require maintenance, Power Power
Steering Fluid (1500 Series) 0273
or Power Steering Fluid (2500/3500
Series) 0273.
If power steering assist is lost
because the engine stops or the
system malfunctions, the vehicle
can be steered but may require
increased effort. See your dealer.
Caution
If the steering wheel is turned
until it reaches the end of its
travel, and is held in that position
for more than 15 seconds,
damage may occur to the power
steering system and there may be
loss of power steering assist.
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Driving and Operating 185
Ignition Positions
Vehicles with Key Access have an
ignition switch with four different
positions.
To shift out of P (Park), the ignition
must be in ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY and the regular brake
pedal must be applied.
0 (STOPPING THE ENGINE/LOCK/
OFF) :When the vehicle is stopped,
turn the ignition switch to LOCK/
OFF to turn the engine off. Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) will remain
active. See Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) 0189. This position locks the ignition and
steering wheel. It also locks the
transmission on automatic
transmission vehicles. The key can
be removed in LOCK/OFF.
The steering can bind with the
wheels turned off center. 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.
Do not turn the engine off when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause a
loss of power assist in the brake
and steering systems and disable
the airbags.
If the vehicle must be shut off in an
emergency:
1. Brake using a firm and steady pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral). This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. After shifting to N (Neutral), firmly apply the
brakes and steer the vehicle to
a safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop, shift to P (Park), and turn the
ignition to LOCK/OFF. On
vehicles with an automatic
transmission, the shift lever
must be in P (Park) to turn the
ignition switch to the LOCK/
OFF position.
4. Set the parking brake. See Parking Brake 0207.{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, only shut the
vehicle off in an emergency.
If the vehicle cannot be pulled over,
and must be shut off while driving,
turn the ignition to ACC/
ACCESSORY.
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GMC Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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186 Driving and Operating
Caution
Using a tool to force the key to
turn in the ignition could cause
damage to the switch or break the
key. Use the correct key, make
sure it is all the way in, and turn it
only with your hand. If the key
cannot be turned by hand, see
your dealer.
1 (ACC/ACCESSORY) : This
position lets things like the radio
and the windshield wipers operate
while the engine is off. It also
unlocks the steering wheel. Use this
position if the vehicle must be
pushed or towed.
2 (ON/RUN) : This position can be
used to operate the electrical
accessories and to display some
instrument cluster warning and
indicator lights. This position can
also be used for service and
diagnostics, and to verify the proper
operation of the malfunction
indicator lamp as may be required
for emission inspection purposes.
The switch stays in this position when the engine is running. The
transmission is also unlocked in this
position on automatic transmission
vehicles.
If the key is left in the ACC/
ACCESSORY or ON/RUN position
with the engine off, the battery could
be drained. The vehicle may not
start if the battery is allowed to drain
for an extended period of time.
3 (START) :
This is the position that
starts the engine. When the engine
starts, release the key. The ignition
switch returns to ON/RUN for
driving.
A warning tone will sound when the
driver door is opened and the
ignition is in ACC/ACCESSORY or
LOCK/OFF, and the key is in the
ignition.
Starting the Engine
If the vehicle has a diesel engine,
see the Duramax diesel
supplement.
Caution
If you add electrical parts or
accessories, you could change
the way the engine operates. Any
resulting damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
See Add-On Electrical Equipment
0 247.
Caution
If the steering wheel is turned
until it reaches the end of its
travel, and is held in that position
while starting the vehicle, damage
may occur to the hydraulic power
steering system and there may be
loss of power steering assist.
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). To restart the engine
when the vehicle is already moving,
use N (Neutral) only.
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GMC Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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200 Driving and Operating
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive
If equipped, four-wheel drive
engages the front axle for extra
traction. Read the appropriate
section for transfer case operation
before using.
Caution
Do not drive on clean, dry
pavement in 4
mand 4n(if
equipped) for an extended period
of time. These conditions may
cause premature wear on the
vehicle’s powertrain.
Driving on clean, dry pavement in
four-wheel drive may:
. Cause a vibration to be felt in
the steering system.
. Cause tires to wear faster.
. Make the transfer case harder to
shift, and cause it to run noisier.
{Warning
Shifting the transfer case to
N (Neutral) can cause the vehicle
to roll even if the transmission is
in P (Park). You or someone else
could be seriously injured. Be
sure to set the parking brake
before placing the transfer case in
N (Neutral). See Parking Brake
0 207.
Caution
Extended high-speed operation in
4
nmay damage or shorten the
life of the drivetrain.
Engagement noise and bump when
shifting between 4
nand 4mor from
N (Neutral), with the engine running,
is normal.
Shifting into 4
nwill turn Traction
Control and StabiliTrak®off. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control 0208.
Electronic Transfer Case
Use the transfer case knob, next to
the steering wheel, to shift into and
out of four-wheel drive for extra
traction.
Indicator lights on the knob show
which setting the transfer case is in.
The N (Neutral) indicator is on the
face of the knob. The indicator lights
display briefly when the ignition is
turned on, and one will stay on.
If the lights display momentarily
when the ignition is in ON/RUN, but
none stay on, the knob may have
been turned while the vehicle was
off. To see the indicator, turn the
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Driving and Operating 207
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold
the brake pedal down firmly and let
ABS work. You may hear the ABS
pump or motor operating and feel
the brake pedal pulsate. This is
normal.
Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows you to steer and brake
at the same time. In many
emergencies, steering can help
more than even the very best
braking.
Parking Brake
Set the parking brake by holding the
regular brake pedal down, then
pushing down the parking brake
pedal.
If the ignition is on, the brake
system warning light will come on.
SeeBrake System Warning Light
0 116.
Caution
Driving with the parking brake on
can overheat the brake system
and cause premature wear or
damage to brake system parts.
Make sure that the parking brake
is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
To release the parking brake, hold
the regular brake pedal down, then
push down momentarily on the
parking brake pedal until you feel
the pedal release. Slowly pull your
foot up off the parking brake pedal.
If the parking brake is not released
when you begin to drive, the brake system warning light will flash and a
chime will sound warning you that
the parking brake is still on.
If you are towing a trailer and are
parking on a hill, see
Driving
Characteristics and Towing Tips
0 228.
Brake Assist
The Brake Assist feature is
designed to assist the driver in
stopping or decreasing vehicle
speed in emergency driving
conditions. This feature uses the
stability system hydraulic brake
control module to supplement the
power brake system under
conditions where the driver has
quickly and forcefully applied the
brake pedal in an attempt to quickly
stop or slow down the vehicle. The
stability system hydraulic brake
control module increases brake
pressure at each corner of the
vehicle until the ABS activates.
Minor brake pedal pulsation or
pedal movement during this time is
normal and the driver should
continue to apply the brake pedal as
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Driving and Operating 243
Trailer Brake Control Panel
1. Manual Trailer Brake ApplyLever
2. Trailer Gain Adjustment Buttons
The ITBC system has a control
panel on the instrument panel to the
left of the steering column. See
Instrument Panel 06. The control
panel allows adjustment to the
amount of output, referred to as
Trailer Gain, available to the trailer
brakes and allows manual
application of the trailer brakes. The
Trailer Brake Control Panel is used
along with the Trailer Brake Display Page on the Driver Information
Center (DIC) to adjust and display
power output to the trailer brakes.
Trailer Brake DIC Display Page
The ITBC system displays
messages in the DIC.
The display page indicates Trailer
Gain setting, power output to the
trailer brakes, trailer connection, and
system operational status.
To display the Trailer Brake Display
Page, do any of the following:
.
Scroll through the DIC menu
pages.
. Press a Trailer Gain button.
If the Trailer Brake Display Page
is not currently displayed, press
a Trailer Gain button to recall the
current Trailer Gain setting.
Each press and release of the
gain buttons will then change the
Trailer Gain setting.
. Activate the Manual Trailer
Brake Apply Lever.
TRAILER GAIN: This setting can be
adjusted from 0.0 to 10.0 with either
a trailer connected or disconnected. To adjust the Trailer Gain, press one
of the Trailer Gain Adjustment
buttons. Press and hold a gain
button to continuously adjust the
Trailer Gain. To turn the output to
the trailer off, adjust the Trailer Gain
setting to 0.0 (zero).
TRAILER OUTPUT: This displays
anytime a trailer with electric brakes
is connected. Output to the trailer
brakes is based on the amount of
vehicle braking present and relative
to the Trailer Gain setting. Output is
displayed from 0 to 100% for each
gain setting.
The Trailer Output will indicate
“- - -
- - -” on the Trailer Brake Display
Page whenever the following occur:
. No trailer is connected.
. A trailer without electric brakes
is connected (no DIC message
will display).
. A trailer with electric brakes has
become disconnected (a
CHECK TRAILER WIRING
message will also display on
the DIC).
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Vehicle Care 251
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 252
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 252
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 261
Automatic Transmission Fluid (6 Speed Transmission) . . . . . 261
Automatic Transmission Fluid (8 Speed Transmission) . . . . . 264
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 265
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 270
Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272 Power Steering Fluid (1500
Series) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Power Steering Fluid (2500/ 3500 Series) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Battery - North America . . . . . . 277
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Noise Control System . . . . . . . . 280
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 281
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 282
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 282
Glass Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 283
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283 Center High-Mounted
Stoplamp (CHMSL) and
Cargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 284
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Right) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Left) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
All-Terrain Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 294
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Tire Pressure Monitor
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
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