automatic transmission GMC SIERRA DENALI 2019 Owners Manual

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/15/18
In Brief 5
In Brief Instrument Panel Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Initial Drive Information Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . . . 8
Stop/Start System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Memory Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Heated and Ventilated Seats . . . 13
Head Restraint Adjustment . . . . 13
Seat Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Passenger Sensing System . . . 14
Mirror Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . 16
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . 18
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Vehicle Features Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . 22
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Driver Information
Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Forward Automatic
Braking (FAB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB)
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . . 24
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . . 24
Surround Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . 24
Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA)
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Park Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Universal Remote System . . . . . 25
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Performance and Maintenance Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Tire Pressure Monitor . . . . . . . . . . 27
Fuel (Gasoline - Except
L87 6.2L Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Fuel (Gasoline - L87 6.2L
Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Fuel (Diesel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . 28
Driving for Better Fuel
Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Roadside Assistance
Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/15/18
In Brief 71. Tow/Haul Mode (On Some
Models). See Driver Mode
Control 0 246 .
Automatic Transfer Case
Control (If Equipped). See
Four-Wheel Drive 0 235 .
Driver Mode Control 0 246 (If
Equipped).
2. Air Vents 0 194 .
3. Head-Up Display (HUD) 0 163
(If Equipped).
4. Turn Signal Lever. See Turn
and Lane-Change Signals
0 181 .
Windshield Wiper/Washer
0 131 .
5. Instrument Cluster 0 138 .
6. Shift Lever. See Automatic
Transmission 0 229 .
Range Selection Mode. See
Manual Mode 0 232 .
7. Light Sensor. See Automatic
Headlamp System 0 179 .
8. Infotainment 0 187 . 9. Climate Control Systems 0 188
(If Equipped).
Dual Automatic Climate Control
System 0 190 (If Equipped).
10. Heated and Ventilated Front
Seats 0 75 (If Equipped).
11.
X Park Assist Switch (If
Equipped). See Assistance
Systems for Parking or Backing
0 254 .
g Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0 243 .
| Hazard Warning Flashers
0 180 .
A Lane Keep Assist (LKA)
0 269 (If Equipped).
5 Hill Descent Control Switch
(If Equipped). See Hill Descent
Control (HDC) 0 245 .
j Power Assist Steps 0 52 (If
Equipped).
5 Power Release Tailgate
(If Equipped). See Tailgate
0 47 . DC/AC Switch. See Power
Outlets 0 132 .
h Auto Stop Disable Switch
(If Equipped). See Stop/Start
System 0 222 .
L Express Window Down
Button (If Equipped). See
Power Windows 0 63 .
Tow/Haul Mode (On Some
Models). See Driver Mode
Control 0 246 .
12. Power Outlet (Alternating
Current) (If Equipped). See
Power Outlets 0 132 .
13. Power Outlets 0 132 .
14. USB Port. See the infotainment
manual.
15. Wireless Charging 0 135 (If
Equipped).
16. Trailer Brake Control Panel (If
Equipped). See “ Integrated
Trailer Brake Control System ”
under Towing Equipment
0 285 .

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/15/18
20 In Brief
Dual Automatic Climate Control System
1. Driver and Passenger
Temperature Controls
2. MAX Defrost
3. Air Delivery Mode Controls
4. A/C (Air Conditioning)
5. SYNC (Synchronized
Temperature)
6. Recirculation
7. Power Button 8. Fan Control
9. Rear Window Defogger (If
Equipped)
10. AUTO (Automatic Operation)
See Climate Control Systems 0 188
or Dual Automatic Climate Control
System 0 190 (If Equipped). Transmission Range Selection Mode
The Range Selection Mode switch
is on the shift lever.
1. To enable the Range Selection
feature, move the shift lever to
the L (Manual Mode) position.
The current range will appear
next to the L. This is the
highest attainable range with
all lower gears accessible. As
an example, when 5 (Fifth)
gear is selected, 1 (First)
through 5 (Fifth) gears are
available.
2. Press the plus/minus buttons
on the shift lever to select the
desired range of gears for
current driving conditions. See
Manual Mode 0 232 .

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/15/18
46 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Automatic Door Locks The doors will lock automatically
when all doors are closed, the
ignition is on, and the vehicle is
shifted out of P (Park).
If a vehicle door is unlocked, and
then opened and closed, the doors
will lock either when your foot is
removed from the brake or the
vehicle speed becomes faster than
13 km/h (8 mph).
To unlock the doors:
.
Press
K on the power door lock
switch.
.
Shift the transmission into
P (Park).
Automatic door locking cannot be
disabled. Automatic door unlocking
can be programmed. See Vehicle
Personalization 0 167 .
Lockout Protection If the ignition is on or in ACC/
ACCESSORY and the power door
lock switch is pressed with the driver door open, all the doors will
lock and only the driver door will
unlock.
If the vehicle is off and locking is
requested while a door is open,
when all doors are closed the
vehicle will check for RKE
transmitters inside. If an RKE
transmitter is detected and the
number of RKE transmitters inside
has not reduced, the driver door will
unlock and the horn will chirp three
times.
Lockout Protection can be manually
overridden with the driver door open
by pressing and holding
Q on the
power door lock switch.
Open Door Anti-Lockout
If Open Door Anti-Lockout is turned
on and the vehicle is off, the driver
door is open, and locking is
requested, all the doors will lock and
the driver door will remain open.
Press the button again to lock the
driver door. The Open Door
Anti-Lockout feature can be turned
on or off. See Vehicle
Personalization 0 167 .Safety Locks The rear door safety locks prevent
passengers from opening the rear
doors from inside the vehicle.
If equipped, the safety lock is on the
inside edge of the rear doors. To
use the safety lock:
1. Move the lever down to the
lock position.
2. Close the door.
3. Do the same for the other
rear door.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/15/18
162 Instruments and Controls In addition to the engine oil life
system monitoring the oil life,
additional maintenance is
recommended. See Maintenance
Schedule 0 415 .
The Oil Life display must be reset
after each oil change. It will not
reset itself. Do not reset the Oil Life
display at any time other than when
the oil has just been changed.
It cannot be reset accurately until
the next oil change. To reset the
engine oil life system, press the
thumbwheel while the Oil Life
display is active. See Engine Oil
Life System 0 323 .
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
0 369 and Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation 0 370 .
Air Filter Life : Shows an estimate
of the engine air filter ’ s remaining
useful life and the state of the system. Engine Air Filter Life 95%
means 95% of the current air filter
life remains. Messages will display
based on the engine air filter life and
the state of the system. When the
REPLACE AT NEXT OIL CHANGE
message displays, the engine air
filter should be replaced at the time
of the next oil change. When the
REPLACE NOW message displays,
the engine air filter should be
replaced as soon as possible.
The Air Filter Life display must be
reset after the engine air filter
replacement. To reset, see Engine
Air Filter Life System 0 325 .
Brake Pad Life : This displays an
estimate of the remaining life of the
front and rear brake pads.
Messages will display based on
brake pad wear and the state of the
system. Reset the Brake Pad Life
display after replacing the brake
pads. See Brake Pad Life System
0 335 . Fuel Economy : Displays average
fuel economy, the best fuel
economy over the selected
distance, and a bar graph showing
instantaneous fuel economy.
Press the thumbwheel to change
the selected distance. Press and
hold the thumbwheel 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.
Engine Hours (Hourmeter) :
Shows the total number of hours the
engine has run. This display also
shows the engine idle hours.
Transmission Fluid
Temperature : Shows the
temperature of the automatic
transmission fluid in either degrees
Celsius (°C) or degrees
Fahrenheit (°F).
Trailer Brake : On vehicles with the
Integrated Trailer Brake Control
(ITBC) system, the trailer brake
display appears in the DIC.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/15/18
Lighting 179
When the high-beam headlamps are
on, this indicator light on the
instrument cluster will also be on.
Flash-to-Pass This feature lets you use the
high-beam headlamps to signal a
driver in front of you that you want
to pass. It works even if the
headlamps are in the automatic
position.
To use it, pull the turn signal lever
toward you, then release it.
If the headlamps are in the
automatic position or on low beam,
the high-beam headlamps will turn
on. Depending on the type of
headlamp, they will either turn off
after a short duration or stay on as
long as you hold the lever toward
you. The high-beam indicator on the instrument cluster will come on.
Release the lever to return to
normal operation.
Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL) DRL can make it easier for others to
see the front of the vehicle during
the day. Fully functional DRL are
required on all vehicles first sold in
Canada.
The DRL system comes on when
the following conditions are met:
.
The ignition is on.
.
The exterior lamp control is
in AUTO.
.
The transmission is not in
P (Park).
.
The light sensor determines it is
daytime.
When the DRL system is on, only
the DRL are on. The taillamps,
sidemarker lamps, instrument panel
lights, and other lamps will not
be on. When it begins to get dark, the
automatic headlamp system
switches from DRL to the
headlamps.
To turn off the DRL, turn the exterior
lamp control to
O and then release.
For vehicles first sold in Canada, off
will only work when the vehicle is
parked.
Automatic Headlamp
System When the exterior lamp control is
set to AUTO and it is dark enough
outside, the headlamps come on
automatically.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/16/18
196 Driving and Operating
Driving and
Operating Driving Information Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 205
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 206
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 208
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Truck-Camper Loading
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Starting and Operating New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 216
Ignition Positions (Key
Access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Ignition Positions (Keyless
Access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 221 Stop/Start System . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Active Fuel Management . . . . . 227
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Engine Exhaust Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Running the Vehicle While
Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Automatic Transmission Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 229
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Drive Systems Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Brakes Antilock Brake
System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . 241
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 242 Ride Control Systems Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Hill Descent Control (HDC) . . . 245
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . 246
Limited-Slip Differential . . . . . . . 250
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Cruise Control Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Driver Assistance Systems Driver Assistance Systems . . . 253
Assistance Systems for
Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . 254
Assistance Systems for
Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Forward Automatic
Braking (FAB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Front Pedestrian Braking
(FPB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Side Blind Zone
Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . 267
Lane Departure
Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . 269

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/16/18
202 Driving and Operating .
Do not park over things that
burn. See Parking over Things
That Burn 0 227 .
Driving on Hills Driving safely on hills requires good
judgment and an understanding of
what the vehicle can and cannot do.
{ WarningMany hills are simply too steep
for any vehicle. Driving up hills
can cause the vehicle to stall.
Driving down hills can cause loss
of control. Driving across hills can
cause a rollover. You could be
injured or killed. Do not drive on
steep hills.
Before driving on a hill, assess the
steepness, traction, and
obstructions. If the terrain ahead
cannot be seen, get out of the
vehicle and walk the hill before
driving further. When driving on hills:
.
Use a low gear and keep a firm
grip on the steering wheel.
.
Maintain a slow speed.
.
When possible, drive straight up
or down the hill.
.
Slow down when approaching
the top of the hill.
.
Use headlamps even during the
day to make the vehicle more
visible.
{ WarningDriving to the top of a hill at high
speed can cause a crash. There
could be a drop-off, embankment,
cliff, or even another vehicle. You
could be seriously injured or
killed. As you near the top of a
hill, slow down and stay alert.
.
Never go downhill forward or
backward with either the
transmission or transfer case in N (Neutral). The brakes could
overheat and you could lose
control.
{ WarningIf the vehicle has the two-speed
automatic transfer case, shifting
the transfer case to N (Neutral)
can cause your vehicle to roll
even if the transmission is in
P (Park). This is because the
N (Neutral) position on the
transfer case overrides the
transmission. You or someone
else could be injured. If leaving
the vehicle, set the parking brake
and shift the transmission to
P (Park). Shift the transfer case to
any position but N (Neutral).
.
When driving down a hill, keep
the vehicle headed straight
down. Use a low gear because
the engine will work with the
brakes to slow the vehicle and
help keep the vehicle under
control.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/16/18
Driving and Operating 217Caution (Continued) premature wear and earlier
replacement. Follow this
breaking-in guideline every
time you get new brake
linings.
.
Do not tow a trailer during
break-in. See Trailer Towing
0 281 for the trailer towing
capabilities of the vehicle
and more information.
Following break-in, engine speed
and load can be gradually
increased. Ignition Positions (Key
Access)
0. Stopping the Engine/LOCK/OFF
1. ACC/ACCESSORY
2. ON/RUN
3. START
The ignition switch has four
positions.
To shift out of P (Park), with an
automatic transmission, the ignition
must be ON/RUN and the brake
pedal must be applied. 0 (Stopping the Engine/LOCK/
OFF) : This position turns off the
vehicle. It also locks the ignition, the
transmission on an automatic
transmission vehicle, and the
steering column, if equipped with a
locking steering column.
To turn off the vehicle:
1. Make sure that the vehicle is
stopped.
2. Shift to P (Park) with an
automatic transmission,
or Neutral with a manual
transmission.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/16/18
218 Driving and Operating 3. Continue to hold the brake
pedal, then set the parking
brake. See Electric Parking
Brake 0 241 .
4. Push the key all the way in
toward the steering column,
then turn the key to
LOCK/OFF.
5. Remove the key.
6. Release the brake pedal.
See your dealer if the key can be
removed in any other position.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
will remain active. See Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) 0 225 .
A warning chime will sound when
the driver door is opened and the
key is in the ignition.
If equipped with a locking steering
column, the steering can bind with
the front wheels turned off center,
which may prevent key rotation out
of LOCK/OFF. 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. { WarningTurning off the vehicle while
moving may cause loss of power
assist in the brake and steering
systems and disable the airbags.
While driving, turn off the vehicle
only in an emergency.
In an emergency, if the vehicle
cannot be pulled over and must be
turned off while driving:
1. Push the key all the way in
toward the steering column,
then turn the key to ACC/
ACCESSORY.
2. Brake using firm and steady
pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
3. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral).
This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. Continue
braking and steer the vehicle to
a safe location.
4. Come to a complete stop. 5. Shift to P (Park) with an
automatic transmission,
or Neutral with a manual
transmission.
6. Continue to hold the brake
pedal, then set the parking
brake. See Electric Parking
Brake 0 241 .
7. Push the key all the way in
toward the steering column,
then turn the ignition to
LOCK/OFF.
8. Remove the key.
9. Release the brake pedal.
CautionUse the correct key, make sure it
is all the way in — or pushed all
the way in toward the steering
column when turning off the
vehicle — and turn it only with
your hand.
1 (ACC/ACCESSORY) : This
position allows features such as the
infotainment system to operate