GMC SIERRA DENALI 2019 Owners Manual

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/16/18
290 Driving and Operating Combined Weight Rating (GCWR).
See “ Weight of the Trailer ” under
Trailer Towing 0 281 .
Tow/Haul Mode is most useful when
towing a heavy trailer or carrying a
large or heavy load:
.
through rolling terrain.
.
in stop-and-go traffic.
.
in busy parking lots.
Operating the vehicle in Tow/Haul
Mode when lightly loaded or not
towing will not cause damage;
however, it is not recommended and
may result in unpleasant engine and
transmission driving characteristics
and reduced fuel economy.
Integrated Trailer Brake
Control System The vehicle may have an Integrated
Trailer Brake Control (ITBC) system
for use with electric trailer brakes or
most electric over hydraulic trailer
brake systems. These instructions
apply to both types of electric trailer
brakes. This symbol is on the Trailer Brake
Control Panel on vehicles with an
ITBC system. The power output to
the trailer brakes is proportional to
the amount of vehicle braking. This
available power output to the trailer
brakes can be adjusted to a wide
range of trailering situations.
The ITBC system is integrated with
the vehicle ’ s brake, antilock brake,
and StabiliTrak/Electronic Stability
Control (ESC) systems. In trailering
conditions that cause the vehicle ’ s
antilock brake or StabiliTrak/ESC
systems to activate, power sent to
the trailer's brakes will be
automatically adjusted to minimize
trailer wheel lock-up. This does not
imply that the trailer has
StabiliTrak/ESC.
If the vehicle ’ s brake, anti-lock
brake, or StabiliTrak/ESC systems
are not functioning properly, the ITBC system may not function fully
or at all. Make sure all of these
systems are fully operational to
allow the ITBC system to function
properly.
The ITBC system is powered
through the vehicle's electrical
system. Turning the ignition off will
also turn off the ITBC system. The
ITBC system is fully functional only
when the ignition is in ON/RUN.
{ WarningConnecting a trailer that has an
air brake system may result in
reduced or complete loss of trailer
braking, including increased
stopping distance or trailer
instability which could result in
serious injury, death, or property
damage. Only use the ITBC
system with electric or electric
over hydraulic trailer brake
systems.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/16/18
Driving and Operating 291Trailer Brake Control Panel
1. Manual Trailer Brake Apply
Lever
2. Trailer Symbol
3. Trailer Gain Adjustment
Buttons
The trailer symbol on the control
panel will light amber when a trailer
with electric brakes is connected.
The ITBC control panel is on the
instrument panel to the right of the
steering column. See Instrument
Panel 0 6 . 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. Use the ITBC control panel
and the DIC trailer brake display
page to adjust and display power
output to the trailer brakes.
Trailer Brake DIC Display Page The ITBC display page indicates:
.
Trailer Gain setting
.
Output to the trailer brakes
.
Trailer connection
.
System operational status
To display:
.
Scroll through the DIC menu
pages
.
Press a Trailer Gain (+) or ( − )
button
.
Activate the Manual Trailer
Brake Apply Lever
TRAILER GAIN: 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.
Press the Trailer Gain (+) or ( − ) to adjust. Press and hold to
continuously adjust the Trailer Gain.
To turn the output to the trailer off,
adjust the Trailer Gain setting to 0.0.
This setting can be adjusted from
0.0 to 10.0 with a trailer connected
or disconnected.
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
displays.
.
A trailer with electric brakes has
become disconnected, a CHECK
TRAILER WIRING message
displays on the DIC.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/16/18
292 Driving and Operating .
There is a fault present in the
wiring to the trailer brakes, a
CHECK TRAILER WIRING
message displays on the DIC.
.
The ITBC system is not working
due to a fault, a SERVICE
TRAILER BRAKE SYSTEM
message displays in the DIC.
Manual Trailer Brake Apply
Lever Slide this lever right to apply the
trailer ’ s electric brakes independent
of the vehicle ’ s brakes. Use this
lever to adjust Trailer Gain to
achieve proper power output to the
trailer brakes. The trailer's and the
vehicle's brake lamps will come on
when either vehicle brakes or
manual trailer brakes are applied
and properly connected.
Trailer Gain Adjustment
Procedure
Trailer Gain should be set for a
specific trailering condition and it
must be readjusted anytime vehicle
loading, trailer loading, or road
surface conditions change. { WarningTrailer brakes that are
over-gained or under-gained may
not stop the vehicle and the trailer
as intended and can result in a
crash. Always follow the
instructions to set the Trailer Gain
for the proper trailer stopping
performance.
To adjust Trailer Gain for each
towing condition:
1. Drive the vehicle with the trailer
attached on a level road
surface representative of the
towing condition and free of
traffic at about 32 - 40 km/h
(20 - 25 mph) and fully apply
the Manual Trailer Brake Apply
Lever.
Adjusting Trailer Gain at
speeds lower than 32 to
40 km/h (20 to 25 mph) may
result in an incorrect gain
setting. 2. Adjust the Trailer Gain, using
the Trailer Gain (+) or (-)
adjustment buttons, to just
below the point of trailer wheel
lock-up, indicated by trailer
wheel squeal or tire smoke
when a trailer wheel locks.
Trailer wheel lock-up may not
occur if towing a heavily loaded
trailer. Adjust the Trailer Gain
to the highest allowable setting
for the towing condition.
3. Readjust Trailer Gain anytime
vehicle loading, trailer loading,
or road surface conditions
change or if trailer wheel
lock-up is noticed at any time
while towing.
Other ITBC-Related DIC
Messages TRAILER CONNECTED: This
message will briefly display when a
trailer with electric brakes is first
connected to the vehicle. This
message will automatically turn off
in about 10 seconds. This message
can be acknowledged before it
automatically turns off.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/16/18
Driving and Operating 293CHECK TRAILER WIRING: This
message will display if:
.
The ITBC system first
determines connection to a
trailer with electric brakes and
then the trailer harness becomes
disconnected from the vehicle.
If the disconnect occurs while
the vehicle is stationary, this
message will automatically turn
off in about 30 seconds. This
message will also turn off if it is
acknowledged or if the trailer
harness is reconnected.
If the disconnect occurs while
the vehicle is moving, this
message will continue until the
ignition is turned off. This
message will also turn off if it is
acknowledged or if the trailer
harness is reconnected.
.
There is an electrical fault in the
wiring to the trailer brakes. This
message will continue as long
as there is an electrical fault in
the trailer wiring. This message
will also turn off if it is
acknowledged. To determine whether the electrical
fault is on the vehicle side or trailer
side of the trailer wiring harness
connection:
1. Disconnect the trailer wiring
harness from the vehicle.
2. Turn the ignition off.
3. Wait 10 seconds, then turn the
ignition back to RUN.
4. If the CHECK TRAILER
WIRING message reappears,
the electrical fault is on the
vehicle side.
If the CHECK TRAILER WIRING
message only reappears when
connecting the trailer wiring harness
to the vehicle, the electrical fault is
on the trailer side.
SERVICE TRAILER BRAKE
SYSTEM: This message will display
when there is a problem with the
ITBC system. If this message
continues over multiple ignition
cycles, have the vehicle serviced.
If either the CHECK TRAILER
WIRING or SERVICE TRAILER
BRAKE SYSTEM message displays while driving, the ITBC system may
not be fully functional or may not
function at all. When traffic
conditions allow, 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. If either of
these messages continues, either
the vehicle or trailer needs service.
A GM dealer may be able to
diagnose and repair problems with
the trailer. However, any diagnosis
and repair of the trailer is not
covered under the vehicle warranty.
Contact your trailer dealer for
assistance with trailer repairs and
trailer warranty information.
Trailer Sway
Control (TSC) Vehicles with StabiliTrak/Electronic
Stability Control (ESC) have a
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) feature.
Trailer sway is unintended
side-to-side motion of a trailer while
towing. If the vehicle is towing a
trailer and the TSC detects that
sway is increasing, the vehicle

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/16/18
294 Driving and Operating brakes are selectively applied at
each wheel, to help reduce
excessive trailer sway. If equipped
with the Integrated Trailer Brake
Control (ITBC) system, and the
trailer has an electric brake system,
StabiliTrak/ESC may also apply the
trailer brakes.
If TSC is enabled, the Traction
Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak/
ESC warning light will flash on the
instrument cluster. Reduce vehicle
speed by gradually removing your
foot from the accelerator. If trailer
sway continues, StabiliTrak/ESC
can reduce engine torque to help slow the vehicle. TSC will not
function if StabiliTrak/ESC is turned
off. See Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0 243 .
{ WarningTrailer sway can result in a crash
and in serious injury or death,
even if the vehicle is equipped
with TSC.
If the trailer begins to sway,
reduce vehicle speed by
gradually removing your foot from
the accelerator. Then pull over to
check the trailer and vehicle to
help correct possible causes,
including an improperly or
overloaded trailer, unrestrained
cargo, improper trailer hitch
configuration, or improperly
inflated or incorrect vehicle or
trailer tires. See Towing
Equipment 0 285 for trailer ratings
and hitch setup
recommendations. Aftermarket Electronic Trailer
Sway Control Devices Some trailers may come equipped
with an electronic device designed
to reduce or control trailer sway.
Aftermarket equipment
manufacturers also offer similar
devices that connect to the wiring
between the trailer and the vehicle.
These devices may interfere with
the vehicle ’ s trailer brake or other
systems, including integrated
anti-sway systems, if equipped.
Messages related to trailer
connections or trailer brakes could
appear on the DIC. The effects of
these aftermarket devices may have
on vehicle handling or trailer brake
performance is not known.
{ Warning
Use of aftermarket electronic
trailer sway control devices could
result in reduced trailer brake
performance, loss of trailer
brakes, or other malfunctions, and
(Continued)

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/16/18
Driving and Operating 295Warning (Continued)result in a crash. You or others
could be seriously injured or
killed. Before using one of these
devices:
.
Ask the device or trailer
manufacturer if the device
has been thoroughly tested
for compatibility with the
make, model, and year of
your vehicle and any
optional equipment installed
on your vehicle.
.
Before driving, check the
trailer brakes are working
properly, if equipped. Drive
the vehicle with the trailer
attached on a level road
surface that is free of traffic
at about 32-40 km/h
(20-25 mph) and fully apply
the manual trailer brake
apply lever. Also, check the
trailer brake lamps and
other lamps are functioning
correctly.
(Continued) Warning (Continued) .
If the trailer brakes are not
operating properly at any
time, or if a DIC message
indicates problems with the
trailer connections or trailer
brakes, carefully pull the
vehicle over to the side of
the road when traffic
conditions allow.
Trailer Tires Special Trailer (ST) tires differ from
vehicle tires. Trailer tires are
designed with stiff sidewalls to help
prevent sway and to support heavy
loads. These features can make it
difficult to determine if the trailer tire
pressures are low only based on a
visual inspection.
Always check all trailer tire
pressures before each trip when the
tires are cool. Low trailer tire
pressure is a leading cause of trailer
tire blow-outs. If the vehicle is equipped with a
trailer tire pressure monitoring
system, see the trailer tire pressure
monitoring system description and
the trailering app.
Trailer tires deteriorate over time.
The trailer tire sidewall will show the
week and year the tire was
manufactured. Many trailer tire
manufacturers recommend
replacing tires more than six
years old.
Overloading is another leading
cause of trailer tire blow-outs. Never
load your trailer with more weight
than the tires are designed to
support. The load rating is located
on the trailer tire sidewall.
Always know the maximum speed
rating for the trailer tires before
driving. This may be significantly
lower than the vehicle tire speed
rating. The speed rating may be on
the trailer tire sidewall. If the speed
rating is not shown, the default
trailer tire speed rating is 105 km/h
(65 mph).

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/16/18
296 Driving and Operating
Trailering App Trailer Light App If equipped, the Trailer Lights App is
on the Home Page of the
infotainment display.
Touch Start to cycle the trailer lights
on and off to determine if they are
working. The test follows this
sequence:
1. The running lights turn on first
and remain on throughout the
sequence.
2. The brake lights turn on for
about two seconds.
3. The left turn signal light flashes
three times.
4. The right turn signal light
flashes three times.
5. The reverse lights turn on for
about two seconds.
6. Steps 2 – 5 repeat for
approximately one minute and
45 seconds, or until the test
deactivates. Touch Stop to stop the test. The test
will automatically end after
one minute and 45 seconds.
The sequence also deactivates
when any of the following occur:
.
The ignition is turned off.
.
The transmission is shifted out
of P (Park).
.
The brake pedal pressed.
.
The turn signal is activated.
.
The hazard warning lights
activated.
Trailering App If equipped, the Trailering App is on
the Home Page of the infotainment
display.
This feature allows profiles for
connected trailers to be created to
view status, and to store and track
trailer usage information.
The Trailering App Preview will
appear when the Trailering App is
opened for the first time from the Home Page. Touch GET STARTED
in the Trailering App to go into
the app.
When a trailer is electrically
connected, there will be an option to
create a profile, use a guest profile,
or cancel. After Cancel is selected a
third time, Don ’ t Remind Me will
display and touching that will turn off
the trailer detection pop-up. To turn
the Trailer Detection Alert on, select
ON in the Settings tab.
When a trailer is electrically
connected and after a Trailer Profile
has been created, the trailer
detection pop-up will appear with a
list of all of the custom Trailer
Profiles made on the vehicle. To
load an existing Trailer Profile,
select one of the Trailer Profiles
listed, or load the Guest Trailer
Profile by selecting GUEST
TRAILER. Touching Cancel,
Accessory/No trailer, or shifting the
vehicle from P (Park), will select
Accessory/No trailer as the active
Trailer Profile and will dismiss the
pop- up.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/16/18
Driving and Operating 297Create a Trailer Profile
1. Touch Create Profile on the
pop-up or touch + New Trailer
in the Trailering App.
2. Create a name for the trailer.
3. Select the hitch type.
A checklist profile will be
created based on the type
selected.
4. Select the trailer type.
A pop-up will indicate the setup is
complete. Touch DONE to complete
the process or touch ADVANCED
SETUP to set up the Tow/Haul
Mode reminder, Trailer Tire
Pressure Monitoring System,
if equipped, or maintenance
reminders.
Advanced Setup
Tow/Haul Mode Reminder
To turn the Tow/Haul Mode
Reminder setting on, touch Yes. To
turn it off, touch No. Trailer Tire Pressure Setup
If the Trailer Tire Pressure
Monitoring System (TTPMS) is
detected, touch Yes to set up the
sensors or touch No to skip this
step and go to the Maintenance
Reminders step.
If the vehicle is not equipped with
TTPMS, the app will advance
directly to the Maintenance
Reminders screen. Follow the
on-screen instructions.
A trailer must be electrically
connected to the vehicle before
starting the sensor-to-vehicle learn
process.
After selecting Start from the Learn
Sensors screen, use the Tool
Method or the Manual Method
(described below) to learn each tire
sensor, during which the current tire
number will be highlighted.
Each sensor has a minimum of
two minutes to learn, shown by a
timer. After a sensor is learned, a
checkmark appears next to the tire,
the vehicle horn will sound, the vehicle ’ s brake lamps will flash, and
all working trailer lamps will flash.
It then moves to the next sensor.
To cancel the process touch Stop.
The recommended tire pressure
must be entered for the trailer tires.
This allows the vehicle to alert when
the tire pressure is high or low.
TTPMS must learn the location of
the installed tire sensors to show
correct air pressure and
temperature for each tire. To set up,
use one of the following options or
see a tire or trailer dealer for
service. The learning process must
be repeated when the trailer tires
are rotated or replaced. See “ Editing
a Trailer Profile ” later in this section
for tire pressure sensor relearn
information.
Tool Method: A TTPMS activation
tool can be purchased separately to
learn the sensor locations.
Manual Method: Without the tool,
the air pressure can be increased or
decreased in each tire for
10 seconds. Do not exceed the
maximum inflation pressure found

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/16/18
298 Driving and Operating on the tire sidewalls. Make sure to
re-adjust tire pressure to the
recommended level when the
process is complete.
Sensor Learning Steps
To complete the sensor-to-vehicle
learn process:
1. Touch Start on the Learn
Sensors screen. The horn
chirps twice and the Learning
Active screen appears on the
infotainment display.
2. Start with the driver side front
trailer tire.
3. Activate the tool near the valve
stem or adjust the air pressure
of this tire until the horn chirps
and all working vehicle and
trailer lights flash.
The process stops without
saving the sensor locations if
this step takes more than
two minutes.
4. Move to the next tire and
repeat Step 3 for each sensor.
The horn chirps twice when all
sensors are completed. 5. Return to the vehicle to
complete the setup.
Maintenance Reminders Select Yes to set up the
maintenance reminders for the
Trailer Profile. Follow the on-screen
prompts. The maximum number of
reminders is 10. Select No to skip
this step.
Status View The Status view shows:
.
Truck
.
Connection
.
Trailer
.
Maintenance Truck
1. Truck Status Page
2. Transmission Temperature
3. Average Fuel Economy with
Trailer Profile
Average Fuel Economy
Touch to view the average fuel
economy of the vehicle while the
Trailer Profile is active.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/16/18
Driving and Operating 299Transmission Temperature
Touch to view the temperature of
the transmission fluid graphic.
The graphic will indicate a
dangerous level if the temperature
is at 130 °C – 150 °C (270 °F – 300 °F).
Connections
1. Connections Status Page
2. Light Test Start Button
3. Trailer Electrical Diagnostics
Connections OK
If all of the trailer connections are
detected (Daytime Running Lights,
Left Turn Signal Light, Right Turn Signal Light, Reverse Lights, and
Electric Brakes, if equipped), the
view will display OK.
Connection Problem
If any of the trailer connections are
not detected, a message about the
connection issue will appear on the
Driver Information Center (DIC). The
infotainment display will also show
the connection issue in the
Connection Status view.
Diagnose View
Touch Diagnose to see more
information about the connection
problem.
This view will display the names of
the trailer connector pins, a graphic
of the trailer connector, and a
graphic of the back of the trailer.
Any connector pin that failed will be
amber color, and the location of the
corresponding connection will be
highlighted on the graphic of the
back of the trailer. The Running Lights connection may
not detect partial outages. Activate
the light test to check all trailer
lamps. See “ Light Test ” following.
If the trailer is not equipped with
reverse lights or electric brakes and
you are receiving failure messages
in the DIC or on this view, turn off
the Reverse Lights Alert or the
Electric Brakes Alert setting in the
trailer ’ s profile page.
Light Test
Touch Start Light Test to cycle the
trailer lights on and off to determine
if they are working. The test follows
this sequence:
1. The running lights turn on first
and remain on throughout the
sequence.
2. The brake lights turn on for
about two seconds.
3. The left turn signal light flashes
three times.
4. The right turn signal light
flashes three times.