GMC 2008 Sierra 1500 Pickup User manual

Seats and Restraint Systems ........................... 1-1
Front Seats ............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats ............................................... 1-9
Safety Belts ............................................. 1-10
Child Restraints ....................................... 1-31
Airbag System ......................................... 1-54
Restraint System Check ............................ 1-70
Features and Controls ..................................... 2-1
Keys ........................................................ 2-3
Doors and Locks ...................................... 2-10
Windows ................................................. 2-15
Theft-Deterrent Systems ............................ 2-18
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle ........... 2-22
Mirrors .................................................... 2-37
Object Detection Systems .......................... 2-43
OnStar
®
System ...................................... 2-45
Universal Home Remote System ................ 2-49
Storage Areas ......................................... 2-56
Sunroof .................................................. 2-58
Instrument Panel ............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview .......................... 3-4
Climate Controls ...................................... 3-22
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators ........ 3-33
Driver Information Center (DIC) .................. 3-52
Audio System(s) ....................................... 3-76
Driving Your Vehicle ....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle ..... 4-2
Towing ................................................... 4-41
Service and Appearance Care .......................... 5-1
Service ..................................................... 5-3
Fuel ......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood ............... 5-10
All-Wheel Drive ........................................ 5-45
Rear Axle ............................................... 5-46
Front Axle ............................................... 5-47
Headlamp Aiming ..................................... 5-49
Bulb Replacement .................................... 5-52
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement ......... 5-57
Tires ...................................................... 5-58
Appearance Care ..................................... 5-98
Vehicle Identification ............................... 5-107
Electrical System .................................... 5-108
Capacities and Specifications ................... 5-116
Maintenance Schedule ..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule ................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance Information .................... 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information ........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects ........................... 7-14
Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy ........... 7-16
Index ................................................................ 1
2008 GMC Sierra Denali Owner Manual M

GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, GMC, the
GMC Truck Emblem, and the names SIERRA and
DENALI are registered trademarks of General Motors
Corporation.
This manual includes the latest information at the time it
was printed. We reserve the right to make changes after
that time without further notice. For vehicles first sold in
Canada, substitute the name “General Motors of Canada
Limited” for GMC whenever it appears in this manual.
This manual describes features that may be available in
this model, but your vehicle may not have all of them. For
example, more than one entertainment system may be
offered or your vehicle may have been ordered without a
front passenger or rear seats.
Keep this manual in the vehicle for quick reference.
Canadian Owners
A French language copy of this manual can be obtained
from your dealer/retailer or from:
Helm, Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
1-800-551-4123
www.helminc.com
Propriétaires Canadiens
On peut obtenir un exemplaire de ce guide en français
auprès de concessionnaire ou à l’adresse suivante:
Helm Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
1-800-551-4123
www.helminc.com
Litho in U.S.A.
Part No. 15854804 A First Printing
©
2007 General Motors Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
ii

Using this Manual
Many people read the owner manual from beginning to
end when they first receive their new vehicle to learn
about the vehicle’s features and controls. Pictures
and words work together to explain things.
Index
A good place to quickly locate information about the
vehicle is the Index in the back of the manual. It is an
alphabetical list of what is in the manual and the
page number where it can be found.
Safety Warnings and Symbols
There are a number of safety cautions in this book. A
box with the word CAUTION is used to tell about things
that could hurt you or others if you were to ignore the
warning.
{CAUTION:
These mean there is something that could hurt
you or other people.
We tell you what the hazard is and what to do to help
avoid or reduce the hazard. Please read these cautions.
If you do not, you or others could be hurt.
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.”
iii

Vehicle Damage Warnings
You will also find notices in this manual.
Notice: These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
A notice tells about something that can damage the
vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be covered
by your vehicle’s warranty, and it could be costly.
The notice tells what to do to help avoid the damage.
When you read other manuals, you might see CAUTION
and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in different
words.
There are also warning labels on the vehicle which use
the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.
Vehicle 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,
gage, or indicator.
iv

Front Seats ......................................................1-2
Power Seats ..................................................1-2
Power Lumbar ...............................................1-3
Heated Seats .................................................1-4
Memory Seat, Mirrors, and Pedals ....................1-4
Reclining Seatbacks ........................................1-6
Head Restraints .............................................1-8
Rear Seats .......................................................1-9
Rear Seat Operation (Split Bench) ....................1-9
Safety Belts ...................................................1-10
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone ................1-10
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly .................1-15
Lap-Shoulder Belt .........................................1-24
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy ..................1-29
Lap Belt ......................................................1-29
Safety Belt Extender .....................................1-30
Child Restraints .............................................1-31
Older Children ..............................................1-31
Infants and Young Children ............................1-34
Child Restraint Systems .................................1-37
Where to Put the Restraint .............................1-40
Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH) ......................................1-41
Securing a Child Restraint in a
Rear Seat Position ....................................1-48
Securing a Child Restraint in the
Right Front Seat Position ............................1-50
Airbag System ...............................................1-54
Where Are the Airbags? ................................1-57
When Should an Airbag Inflate? .....................1-59
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? .......................1-61
How Does an Airbag Restrain? .......................1-61
What Will You See After an Airbag Inflates? .....1-62
Passenger Sensing System ............................1-63
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle ...........1-68
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle ....................................................1-68
Restraint System Check ..................................1-70
Checking the Restraint Systems ......................1-70
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash ............................................1-71
Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
1-1

Front Seats
Power Seats
On a vehicle with power seats, the controls used to
operate them are located on the outboard side of the
seats. To adjust the seat, do any of the following:
•Move the seat forward or rearward by sliding the
control forward or rearward.
•Raise or lower the front part of the seat cushion by
moving the front of the control up or down.
•Raise or lower the rear part of the seat cushion by
moving the rear of the control up or down.
•Raise or lower the entire seat by moving the entire
control up or down.
On seats with power reclining seatbacks, the control is
located behind the power seat control on the outboard
side of the seats. See “Power Reclining Seatbacks”
under Reclining Seatbacks on page 1-6.
A vehicle with a memory function allows seat settings to
be saved and recalled. See Memory Seat, Mirrors,
and Pedals on page 1-4 for more information.
Driver’s Seat with Power Seat Control, Power
Recline, and Power Lumbar shown
1-2

Power Lumbar
If the seats have power lumbar, the controls used to
operate this feature are located on the outboard side of
the seats.
•To increase lumbar support, press and hold the front
of the control.
•To decrease lumbar support, press and hold the rear
of the control.
•To raise the height of the lumbar support, press and
hold the top of the control.
•To lower the height of the lumbar support, press and
hold the bottom of the control.
Release the control when the lower seatback reaches
the desired level of lumbar support.
Your vehicle may have a memory function which allows
seat settings to be saved and recalled. See Memory
Seat, Mirrors, and Pedals on page 1-4 for more
information.
Keep in mind that as your seating position changes, as
it may during long trips, so should the position of
your lumbar support. Adjust the seat as needed.
1-3

Heated Seats
On vehicles with heated front seats, the controls are
located on the driver’s and passenger’s doors.
I(Heated Seatback): Press to turn on the heated
seatback.
J(Heated Seat and Seatback): Press to turn on the
heated seat and seatback.
The light on the button will come on to indicate that the
feature is working. Press the button to cycle through
the temperature settings of high, medium, and low and
to turn the heat to the seat off. Indicator lights will
show the level of heat selected: three for high, two for
medium, and one for low.
The heated seats will be canceled ten seconds after the
ignition is turned off. To use the heated seat feature
after restarting your vehicle, press the heated seat
or seatback button again.
Memory Seat, Mirrors, and Pedals
On vehicles with the memory package, the controls for
this feature are located on the driver’s door panel.
This feature is used to
program and recall memory
settings for the driver’s
seat, outside mirrors, and
the adjustable throttle and
brake pedal feature if your
vehicle has it.
1-4

To save your positions in memory, do the following:
1. Adjust the driver’s seat, including the seatback
recliner and lumbar, both outside mirrors, and the
throttle and brake pedals to a comfortable position.
See Outside Power Mirrors on page 2-39 and
Adjustable Throttle and Brake Pedal on page 2-25 for
more information.
Not all mirrors can save and recall the mirror
positions.
2. Press and hold button 1 until two beeps sound.
A second seating, mirror, and throttle and brake pedal
position can be programmed by repeating the above
steps and pressing button 2.
To recall the memory positions, the vehicle must be in
PARK (P). Press and release either button 1 or button 2
corresponding to the desired driving position. The
seat, outside mirrors, and adjustable throttle and brake
pedals will move to the position previously stored.
You will hear a single beep.
If you use the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter
to enter your vehicle and the remote recall memory
feature is on, automatic seat, mirror, and adjustable
pedal movement will occur. See “MEMORY SEAT
RECALL” under DIC Vehicle Customization (With DIC
Buttons) on page 3-68 for more information.
To stop recall movement of the memory feature at any
time, press one of the power seat controls, memory
buttons, power mirror buttons, or adjustable pedal
switch.
If something has blocked the driver’s seat and/or the
adjustable pedals while recalling a memory position, the
driver’s seat and/or the adjustable pedals recall may
stop working. If this happens, press the appropriate
control for the area that is not recalling for two seconds,
after the obstruction is removed. Then try recalling
the memory position again by pressing the appropriate
memory button. If the memory position is still not
recalling, see your dealer for service.
1-5

Easy Exit Seat
The control for this feature is located on the driver’s
door panel between buttons 1 and 2.
With the vehicle in PARK (P), the exit position can be
recalled by pressing the exit button. A single beep
sounds and the driver’s seat moves back.
If the easy exit seat feature is on in the Driver
Information Center (DIC), automatic seat movement will
occur when the key is removed from the ignition.
See “EASY EXIT SEAT” under DIC Vehicle
Customization (With DIC Buttons) on page 3-68 for
more information.
Reclining Seatbacks
On vehicles with power reclining seatbacks, the control
used to recline them is located on the outboard side
of the seat behind the power seat control.
•To recline the seatback, tilt the top of the control
rearward.
•To bring the seatback forward, tilt the top of the
control forward.
1-6

{CAUTION:
Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle
is in motion can be dangerous. Even if you
buckle up, your safety belts cannot do their
job when you are reclined like this.
The shoulder belt cannot do its job. In a crash,
you could go into it, receiving neck or other
injuries.
The lap belt cannot do its job either. In a crash
the belt could go up over your abdomen. The
belt forces would be there, not at your pelvic
bones. This could cause serious internal
injuries.
For proper protection when the vehicle is in
motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit
well back in the seat and wear your safety belt
properly.
Do not have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is
moving.
1-7

Head Restraints
Adjust the head restraint so that the top of the restraint
is at the same height as the top of the occupant’s
head. This position reduces the chance of a neck injury
in a crash.
Pull the head restraint up
to raise it. To lower the
head restraint, press the
release button (A), located
on the top of the seatback,
while you push the head
restraint down.
The front seats may have head restraints that also tilt
forward and rearward.
To tilt the head restraint, grasp the top of the restraint
while pressing the button (B), located on the inboard
side of the head restraint, and move it forward or
rearward until the desired locking position is reached.
Try to move the head restraint after the button is
released to make sure that it is locked in place.
The second row seats may have head rests that can be
adjusted up and down, but they do not tilt.
1-8

Rear Seats
Rear Seat Operation (Split Bench)
Folding Rear Seat
On a vehicle with a second row 60/40 split seat either
side of the rear seat may be folded for added cargo
space.
Notice: Folding a rear seat with the safety belts
still fastened may cause damage to the seat or the
safety belts. Always unbuckle the safety belts
and return them to their normal stowed position
before folding a rear seat.
Make sure that nothing is on the seat.
To fold the seat, slowly pull the seat cushion up.
To return the seat to the normal seating position, slowly
pull the seat cushion down.
{CAUTION:
A safety belt that is improperly routed, not
properly attached, or twisted will not provide
the protection needed in a crash. The person
wearing the belt could be seriously injured.
After raising the rear seatback, always check
to be sure that the safety belts are properly
routed and attached, and are not twisted.
1-9

Safety Belts
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone
This part of the manual tells you how to use safety
belts properly. It also tells you some things you should
not do with safety belts.
{CAUTION:
Do not let anyone ride where he or she cannot
wear a safety belt properly. If you are in a
crash and you are not wearing a safety belt,
your injuries can be much worse. You can hit
things inside the vehicle harder or be ejected
from it and be seriously injured or killed. In the
same crash, you might not be, if you are
buckled up. Always fasten your safety belt,
and check that your passenger(s) are
restrained properly too.
{CAUTION:
People riding on the tailgate (if equipped) can
easily lose their balance and fall even when
the vehicle is operated at low speeds. Falling
from a moving vehicle may result in serious
injuries or death.
{CAUTION:
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo
area, inside or outside of a vehicle. In a
collision, people riding in these areas are more
likely to be seriously injured or killed. Do not
allow people to ride in any area of your vehicle
that is not equipped with seats and safety
belts. Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a
seat and using a safety belt properly.
Your vehicle has indicators as a reminder to buckle your
safety belts. See Safety Belt Reminders on page 3-36.
1-10

In most states and in all Canadian provinces, the law
requires wearing safety belts. Here is why:
You never know if you will be in a crash. If you do have
a crash, you do not know if it will be a serious one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so
serious that even buckled up, a person would not
survive. But most crashes are in between. In many of
them, people who buckle up can survive and sometimes
walk away. Without belts they could have been badly
hurt or killed.
After more than 40 years of safety belts in vehicles, the
facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does
matter... a lot!
Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as
it goes.
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it is just a seat on
wheels.
1-11

Put someone on it. Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider
does not stop.
1-12

The person keeps going until stopped by something. In
a real vehicle, it could be the windshield... or the instrument panel...
1-13

or the safety belts!
With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does.
You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance,
and your strongest bones take the forces. That is why
safety belts make 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. But your chance of being conscious
during and after an accident, so you can unbuckle
and get out, is much greater if you are belted.
And you can unbuckle a safety belt, even if you are
upside down.
Q: If my vehicle has airbags, why should I have to
wear safety belts?
A: Airbags are supplemental systems only; so 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.
That is true not only in frontal collisions, but
especially in side and other collisions.
1-14

Q: If I am a good driver, and I never drive far from
home, why should I wear safety belts?
A: You may be an excellent driver, but if you are in a
crash — even one that is not your fault — you and
your passenger(s) can be hurt. Being a good
driver does not protect you from things beyond your
control, such as bad drivers.
Most accidents occur within 25 miles (40 km) of
home. And the greatest number of serious injuries
and deaths occur at speeds of less than 40 mph
(65 km/h).
Safety belts are for everyone.
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
This section is only for people of adult size.
Be aware that there are special things to know about
safety belts and children. And there are different
rules for smaller children and babies. If a child will be
riding in your vehicle, see Older Children on page 1-31
or Infants and Young Children on page 1-34. 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.
Occupants who are not buckled up can be thrown out of
the vehicle in a crash. And they can strike others in
the vehicle who are wearing safety belts.
First, before you or your passenger(s) wear a safety
belt, there is important information you should know.
1-15

Sit up straight and always keep your feet on the floor in
front of you. The lap part of the belt should be worn
low and snug on the hips, just touching the thighs. In a
crash, this applies force to the strong pelvic bones
and you would be less likely to slide under the lap belt.
If you slid under it, the belt would apply force on
your abdomen. This could cause serious or even fatal
injuries. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder
and across the chest. These parts of the body are
best able to take belt restraining forces.
The shoulder belt locks if there is a sudden stop or crash.
1-16