airbag GMC SIERRA DENALI 2017 Owners Manual

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 4/18/17
Introduction 3
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.
{ DangerDanger indicates a hazard with a
high level of risk which will result
in serious injury or death.
{ WarningWarning 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
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. For more
information on the symbol, refer to
the Index.
0 : Adjustable Pedals
9 : Airbag Readiness Light
! : Antilock Brake System (ABS)
g : Audio Steering Wheel Controls
or OnStar ®
(if equipped)
$ : Brake System Warning Light
" : Charging System
I : Cruise Control
` : Do Not Puncture
^ : Do Not Service
B : Engine Coolant Temperature
O : Exterior Lamps
_ : Flame/Fire Prohibited
# : Fog Lamps
. : Fuel Gauge
+ : Fuses

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 4/18/17
In Brief 71. Instrument Panel Illumination
Control 0 184 .
2. Integrated Trailer Brake Control
(ITBC) System (If Equipped).
See Towing Equipment 0 340 .
3. Exterior Lamp Controls 0 178 .
Fog Lamps 0 183 (If
Equipped).
4. Air Vents 0 250 .
5. Turn Signal Lever. See Turn
and Lane-Change Signals
0 182 .
Windshield Wiper/Washer
0 126 .
6. Favorite Switches (Out of
View). See Steering Wheel
Controls 0 125 .
Volume Switches (Out of View).
See Steering Wheel Controls
0 125 .
7. Instrument Cluster 0 132 .
8. Hazard Warning Flashers
0 182 .
9. Shift Lever. See Automatic
Transmission 0 283 . Tow/Haul Selector Button (If
Equipped). See Tow/Haul
Mode 0 288 .
Range Selection Mode (If
Equipped). See Manual Mode
0 286 .
10. Light Sensor. See Automatic
Headlamp System 0 181 .
11. Infotainment 0 188 .
12. Passenger Airbag On-Off
Switch (If Equipped) (Out of
View). See Airbag On-Off
Switch 0 79 .
13. Heated and Ventilated Front
Seats 0 62 (If Equipped).
14. Power Outlet 110/120V
Alternating Current (If
Equipped). See Power Outlets
0 128 .
15. Power Outlets 0 128 (If
Equipped).
16. USB Port (Base Radio) 0 206
or USB Port (Base Radio with
Touchscreen) 0 208 (If
Equipped). 17.
g Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0 299 .
0 Pedal Adjust Switch (If
Equipped). See Adjustable
Throttle and Brake Pedal
0 273 .
{ Cargo Lamp 0 184 .
X Parking Assist Button (If
Equipped). See Assistance
Systems for Parking or Backing
0 306 .
A Lane Keep Assist (LKA)
(1500 Series) 0 313 (If
Equipped).
5 Hill Descent Control Switch
(If Equipped). See Hill Descent
Control (HDC) 0 301 .
q Exhaust Brake Switch (If
Equipped). See “ Exhaust
Brake ” in the Duramax diesel
supplement.
g Power Take Off (PTO)
Switch (If Equipped). See the
Duramax diesel supplement.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 4/18/17
14 In Brief
Passenger Sensing
System The passenger sensing system,
if equipped, turns off the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag
under certain conditions. No other
airbag is affected by the passenger
sensing system.
If the vehicle has one of the
indicators pictured in the following
illustrations, then the vehicle has a
passenger sensing system for the
front outboard passenger position
unless there is an airbag off switch
on the instrument panel endcap.
If there is an airbag off switch, the
vehicle does not have a passenger
sensing system. See Airbag On-Off
Switch 0 79 for more information.
The passenger airbag status
indicator will be visible on the
overhead console when the vehicle
is started. United States
Canada and Mexico
See Passenger Sensing System
0 81 for important information.
Mirror Adjustment Using hood-mounted air deflectors
and add-on convex mirror
attachments could decrease mirror
performance. Exterior Mirrors Manual Mirrors
If equipped, adjust manual mirrors
by moving them up and down or left
to right to see a little of the side of
the vehicle and to have a clear view
behind the vehicle.
See Manual Mirrors 0 46 .
Power Mirrors
Base Power Mirrors
If equipped with power mirrors:
1. Press (1) or (2) to select the
driver or passenger side mirror.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 4/18/17
34 Keys, Doors, and Windows
{ WarningIf the key is unintentionally
rotated while the vehicle is
running, the ignition could be
moved out of the RUN position.
This could be caused by heavy
items hanging from the key ring,
or by large or long items attached
to the key ring that could be
contacted by the driver or
steering wheel. If the ignition
moves out of the RUN position,
the engine will shut off, braking
and steering power assist may be
(Continued) Warning (Continued) impacted, and airbags may not
deploy. To reduce the risk of
unintentional rotation of the
ignition key, do not change the
way the ignition key and Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter,
if equipped, are connected to the
provided key rings.
The ignition key and key rings, and
RKE transmitter, if equipped, are
designed to work together as a
system to reduce the risk of
unintentionally moving the key out
of the RUN position. The ignition
key has a small hole to allow
attachment of the provided key ring.
It is important that any replacement
ignition keys have a small hole. See
your dealer if a replacement key is
required. The combination and size of the
rings that came with your keys were
specifically selected for your
vehicle. The rings are connected to
the key like two links of a chain to
reduce the risk of unintentionally
moving the key out of the RUN
position. Do not add any additional
items to the ring attached to the
ignition key. Attach additional items
only to the second ring, and limit
added items to a few essential keys
or small, light items no larger than
an RKE transmitter.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 4/18/17
Seats and Restraints 55
Seats and
Restraints Head Restraints Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Front Seats Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Center Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Power Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . 58
Lumbar Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Memory Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Heated and Ventilated Front
Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Rear Seats Rear Seats (Double Cab Full
Bench) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Rear Seats (Split Bench) . . . . . . 64
Safety Belts Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
How to Wear Safety Belts
Properly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Safety Belt Use During
Pregnancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Lap Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Safety Belt Extender . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Safety System Check . . . . . . . . . . 71
Safety Belt Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Replacing Safety Belt System
Parts after a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Airbag System Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . . 74
When Should an Airbag
Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
What Makes an Airbag
Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
How Does an Airbag
Restrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
What Will You See after an
Airbag Inflates? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Airbag On-Off Switch . . . . . . . . . . 79
Passenger Sensing System . . . 81
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . . . 86
Airbag System Check . . . . . . . . . . 87
Replacing Airbag System Parts
after a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Child Restraints
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Infants and Young Children . . . . 89
Child Restraint Systems . . . . . . . 91 Where to Put the Restraint . . . . . 93
Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) . . . . 95
Replacing LATCH System
Parts After a Crash . . . . . . . . . 106
Securing Child Restraints (With
the Safety Belt in the
Rear Seat) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Securing Child Restraints (With
the Safety Belt in the Center
Front Seat) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Securing Child Restraints (With
the Safety Belt in the Front
Passenger Seat) . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 4/18/17
66 Seats and Restraints Why Safety Belts Work
When riding in a vehicle, you travel
as fast as the vehicle does. If the
vehicle stops suddenly, you keep
going until something stops you.
It could be the windshield, the
instrument panel, or the safety belts!
When you wear a safety belt, you
and the vehicle slow down together.
There is more time to stop because
you stop over a longer distance and,
when worn properly, your strongest
bones take the forces from the
safety belts. That is why wearing
safety belts makes such good
sense. Questions and Answers About
Safety Belts Q: Will I be trapped in the vehicle
after a crash if I am wearing a
safety belt?
A: You could be — whether you are
wearing a safety belt or not.
Your chance of being conscious
during and after a crash, so you
can unbuckle and get out, is
much greater if you are belted.
Q: If my vehicle has airbags, why
should I have to wear safety
belts?
A: Airbags are supplemental
systems only. They work with
safety belts — not instead of
them. Whether or not an airbag
is provided, all occupants still
have to buckle up to get the
most protection.
Also, in nearly all states and in
all Canadian provinces, the law
requires wearing safety belts. How to Wear Safety Belts
Properly This section is only for people of
adult size.
There are special things to know
about safety belts and children, and
there are different rules for smaller
children and infants. If a child will be
riding in the vehicle, see Older
Children 0 87 or Infants and Young
Children 0 89 . Follow those rules for
everyone's protection.
It is very important for all occupants
to buckle up. Statistics show that
unbelted people are hurt more often
in crashes than those who are
wearing safety belts.
There are important things to know
about wearing a safety belt properly.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 4/18/17
70 Seats and Restraints Safety Belt Pretensioners This vehicle has safety belt
pretensioners for front outboard
occupants. Although the safety belt
pretensioners cannot be seen, they
are part of the safety belt assembly.
They can help tighten the safety
belts during the early stages of a
moderate to severe frontal, near
frontal, or rear crash if the threshold
conditions for pretensioner
activation are met. And, if your
vehicle has side impact airbags,
safety belt pretensioners can help
tighten the safety belts in a side
crash. If the vehicle has rollover
roof-rail airbags, safety belt
pretensioners can help tighten the
safety belts in a rollover event.
Pretensioners work only once. If the
pretensioners activate in a crash,
they will need to be replaced, and
the vehicle's safety belt system will
probably need other new parts. See
Replacing Safety Belt System Parts
after a Crash 0 72 .
Do not sit on the outboard safety
belt while entering or exiting the
vehicle or at any time while sitting in the seat. Sitting on the safety belt
can damage the webbing and
hardware.
Rear Safety Belt Comfort
Guides Rear safety belt comfort guides may
provide added safety belt comfort
for older children who have
outgrown booster seats and for
some adults. When installed on a
shoulder belt, the comfort guide
positions the belt away from the
neck and head.
Comfort guides are available
through your dealer for the rear
outboard seating positions.
Instructions are included with the
guide.
Safety Belt Use During
Pregnancy Safety belts work for everyone,
including pregnant women. Like all
occupants, they are more likely to
be seriously injured if they do not
wear safety belts. A pregnant woman should wear a
lap-shoulder belt, and the lap
portion should be worn as low as
possible, below the rounding,
throughout the pregnancy.
The best way to protect the fetus is
to protect the mother. When a safety
belt is worn properly, it is more likely
that the fetus will not be hurt in a
crash. For pregnant women, as for
anyone, the key to making safety
belts effective is wearing them
properly.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 4/18/17
72 Seats and Restraints Keep safety belts clean and dry.
See Safety Belt Care 0 72 .
Safety Belt Care Keep belts clean and dry.
{ WarningDo not bleach or dye safety belt
webbing. It may severely weaken
the webbing. In a crash, they
might not be able to provide
adequate protection. Clean and
rinse safety belt webbing only
with mild soap and lukewarm
water. Allow the webbing to dry.
Safety belts should be properly
cared for and maintained.
Safety belt hardware should be kept
dry and free of dust or debris. As
necessary exterior hard surfaces
and safety belt webbing may be
lightly cleaned with mild soap and
water. Ensure there is not excessive
dust or debris in the mechanism.
If dust or debris exists in the system please see the dealer. Parts may
need to be replaced to ensure
proper functionality of the system.
Replacing Safety Belt
System Parts after a
Crash
{ WarningA crash can damage the safety
belt system in the vehicle.
A damaged safety belt system
may not properly protect the
person using it, resulting in
serious injury or even death in a
crash. To help make sure the
safety belt systems are working
properly after a crash, have them
inspected and any necessary
replacements made as soon as
possible.
After a minor crash, replacement of
safety belts may not be necessary.
But the safety belt assemblies that
were used during any crash may
have been stressed or damaged. See your dealer to have the safety
belt assemblies inspected or
replaced.
New parts and repairs may be
necessary even if the safety belt
system was not being used at the
time of the crash.
Have the safety belt pretensioners
checked if the vehicle has been in a
crash, or if the airbag readiness light
stays on after you start the vehicle
or while you are driving. See Airbag
Readiness Light 0 141 .

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 4/18/17
Seats and Restraints 73
Airbag System The vehicle has the following
airbags:
.
A frontal airbag for the driver.
.
A frontal airbag for the front
outboard passenger.
The vehicle may have the following
airbags:
.
A seat-mounted side impact
airbag for the driver.
.
A seat-mounted side impact
airbag for the front outboard
passenger.
.
A roof-rail airbag for the driver
and the passenger seated
directly behind the driver.
.
A roof-rail airbag for the front
outboard passenger and the
person seated directly behind
the front outboard passenger.
All of the airbags in the vehicle will
have the word AIRBAG on the trim
or on a label near the deployment
opening. For frontal airbags, the word
AIRBAG is on the center of the
steering wheel for the driver and on
the instrument panel for the front
outboard passenger.
For seat-mounted side impact
airbags, the word AIRBAG is on the
seatback closest to the door.
For roof-rail airbags, the word
AIRBAG is on the ceiling or trim.
Airbags are designed to supplement
the protection provided by safety
belts. Even though today's airbags
are also designed to help reduce
the risk of injury from the force of an
inflating bag, all airbags must inflate
very quickly to do their job.
Here are the most important things
to know about the airbag system:
{ Warning
You can be severely injured or
killed in a crash if you are not
wearing your safety belt, even
with airbags. Airbags are
designed to work with safety
(Continued) Warning (Continued) belts, not replace them. Also,
airbags are not designed to inflate
in every crash. In some crashes
safety belts are the only restraint.
See When Should an Airbag
Inflate? 0 75 .
Wearing your safety belt during a
crash helps reduce your chance
of hitting things inside the vehicle
or being ejected from it. Airbags
are “ supplemental restraints ” to
the safety belts. Everyone in the
vehicle should wear a safety belt
properly, whether or not there is
an airbag for that person.
{ Warning
Because airbags inflate with great
force and faster than the blink of
an eye, anyone who is up
against, or very close to any
airbag when it inflates can be
(Continued)

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 4/18/17
74 Seats and Restraints Warning (Continued)seriously injured or killed. Do not
sit unnecessarily close to any
airbag, as you would be if sitting
on the edge of the seat or leaning
forward. Safety belts help keep
you in position before and during
a crash. Always wear a safety
belt, even with airbags. The driver
should sit as far back as possible
while still maintaining control of
the vehicle. The safety belts and
the front outboard passenger
airbags are most effective when
you are sitting well back and
upright in the seat with both feet
on the floor.
Occupants should not lean on or
sleep against the door or side
windows in seating positions with
seat-mounted side impact airbags
and/or roof-rail airbags. { WarningChildren who are up against,
or very close to, any airbag when
it inflates can be seriously injured
or killed. Always secure children
properly in the vehicle. To read
how, see Older Children 0 87 or
Infants and Young Children 0 89 .
There is an airbag readiness light
on the instrument cluster, which
shows the airbag symbol.
The system checks the airbag
electrical system for malfunctions.
The light tells you if there is an
electrical problem. See Airbag
Readiness Light 0 141 for more
information. Where Are the Airbags?
The driver frontal airbag is in the
center of the steering wheel.