GMC Sierra Denali 2009 User manual

Seats and Restraint System ............................. 1-1
Head Restraints ......................................... 1-2
Front Seats ............................................... 1-3
Rear Seats .............................................. 1-10
Safety Belts ............................................. 1-11
Child Restraints ....................................... 1-33
Airbag System ......................................... 1-56
Restraint System Check ............................ 1-72
Features and Controls ..................................... 2-1
Keys ........................................................ 2-3
Doors and Locks ....................................... 2-9
Windows ................................................. 2-14
Theft-Deterrent Systems ............................ 2-17
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle ........... 2-21
Mirrors .................................................... 2-38
Object Detection Systems .......................... 2-42
OnStar
®
System ...................................... 2-51
Universal Home Remote System ................ 2-54
Storage Areas ......................................... 2-61
Sunroof .................................................. 2-64
Instrument Panel ............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview .......................... 3-4
Climate Controls ...................................... 3-21
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators ........ 3-31
Driver Information Center (DIC) .................. 3-48
Audio System(s) ....................................... 3-74
Driving Your Vehicle ....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and the Vehicle ....... 4-2
Towing ................................................... 4-39
Service and Appearance Care .......................... 5-1
Service ..................................................... 5-3
Fuel ......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood ............... 5-12
All-Wheel Drive ........................................ 5-47
Rear Axle ............................................... 5-48
Front Axle ............................................... 5-49
Headlamp Aiming ..................................... 5-50
Bulb Replacement .................................... 5-53
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement ......... 5-61
Tires ...................................................... 5-62
2009 GMC Sierra Denali Owner Manual M

Appearance Care ................................... 5-105
Vehicle Identification ............................... 5-113
Electrical System .................................... 5-113
Capacities and Specifications ................... 5-121
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

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. GM reserves 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 wherever it appears
in this manual.
This manual describes features that may or may not be
on your specific vehicle.
Read this manual from beginning to end to learn about
the vehicle’s features and controls. Pictures, symbols,
and words work together to explain vehicle operation.
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
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
helminc.com
Index
To quickly locate information about the vehicle use 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.
Litho in U.S.A.
Part No. 15911383 A First Printing
©
2008 General Motors Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
iii

Safety Warnings and Symbols
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.”
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.
Cautions tell what the hazard is and what to do to avoid
or reduce the hazard. Read these cautions.
A notice tells about something that can damage the
vehicle.
Notice: These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
Many times, this damage would not be covered by the
vehicle’s warranty, and it could be costly. The notice
tells what to do to help avoid the damage.
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.
M:This symbol is shown when you need to see your
owner manual for additional instructions or information.
*:This symbol is shown when you need to see a
service manual for additional instructions or information.
iv

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
#:Air Conditioning
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
g:Audio Steering Wheel Controls or OnStar
®
$:Brake System Warning Light
":Charging System
I:Cruise Control
B:Engine Coolant Temperature
O:Exterior Lamps
#:Fog Lamps
.:Fuel Gage
+:Fuses
i:Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
j:LATCH System Child Restraints
*:Malfunction Indicator Lamp
::Oil Pressure
g:Outside Power Foldaway Mirrors
}:Power
/:Remote Vehicle Start
>:Safety Belt Reminders
7:Tire Pressure Monitor
_:Tow/Haul Mode
F:Traction Control
M:Windshield Washer Fluid
v

✍NOTES
vi

Head Restraints ............................................1-2
Front Seats ......................................................1-3
Power Seats ..................................................1-3
Power Lumbar ...............................................1-4
Heated Seats .................................................1-5
Heated and Cooled Seats ................................1-5
Memory Features ...........................................1-6
Reclining Seatbacks ........................................1-8
Rear Seats .....................................................1-10
Rear Seat Operation
(All Except Extended Cab) ..........................1-10
Safety Belts ...................................................1-11
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone ................1-11
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly .................1-16
Lap-Shoulder Belt .........................................1-25
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy ..................1-31
Lap Belt ......................................................1-31
Safety Belt Extender .....................................1-32
Child Restraints .............................................1-33
Older Children ..............................................1-33
Infants and Young Children ............................1-36
Child Restraint Systems .................................1-40
Where to Put the Restraint .............................1-42
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH) ..................................................1-43
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Seat
Position ...................................................1-50
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front
Seat Position ............................................1-52
Airbag System ...............................................1-56
Where Are the Airbags? ................................1-59
When Should an Airbag Inflate? .....................1-61
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? .......................1-62
How Does an Airbag Restrain? .......................1-62
What Will You See After an Airbag Inflates? .....1-63
Passenger Sensing System ............................1-64
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle ...........1-70
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle ....................................................1-71
Restraint System Check ..................................1-72
Checking the Restraint Systems ......................1-72
Replacing Restraint System Parts After
a Crash ...................................................1-73
Section 1 Seats and Restraint System
1-1

Head Restraints
The front seats have adjustable head restraints in the
outboard seating positions.
{CAUTION:
With head restraints that are not installed and
adjusted properly, there is a greater chance that
occupants will suffer a neck/spinal injury in a
crash. Do not drive until the head restraints for all
occupants are installed and adjusted properly.
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.
1-2

Pull the head restraint up to raise it. To lower the head
restraint, press the button, located on the top of the
seatback, and push the restraint down.
Push down on the head restraint after the button is
released to make sure that it is locked in place.
The head restraints are not designed to be removed.
The rear seat has head rests that can be adjusted
up and down.
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.
Move the seat forward or rearward by sliding the control
forward or rearward.
Driver’s Seat with Power Seat Control, Power
Recline, and Power Lumbar shown
1-3

Your vehicle may have additional features to adjust your
vehicle’s power seat:
•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 1-8.
A vehicle with a memory function allows seat settings to
be saved and recalled. See Memory Features on
page 1-6 for more information.
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.
1-4

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
Features on page 1-6 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.
Heated Seats
On vehicles with heated front seats, the controls are
located on the driver and passenger 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 10 seconds after the
ignition is turned off. To use the heated seat feature after
restarting the vehicle, press the heated seat or seatback
button again.
Heated and Cooled Seats
If the front seats have the
heated and cooled seat
feature, the buttons
used to control this feature
are located on the
climate control panel.
{(Cooled Seat): To cool the entire seat, press the
button with the cooled seat symbol.
This symbol will appear on the climate control display to
indicate that the feature is on. Press the button to
cycle through the temperature settings of high, medium,
and low and to turn the cooled seat off. Indicator
bars next to the symbol designate the level of cooling
selected: three for high, two for medium, and one
for low.
1-5

+(Heated Seatback): To heat only the seatback,
press the button with the heated seatback symbol.
This symbol will appear on the climate control display to
indicate that the feature is on. Press the button to cycle
through the temperature settings of high, medium, and
low and to turn the heated seatback off. Indicator bars
next to the symbol designate the level of heat selected:
three for high, two for medium, and one for low.
z(Heated Seat and Seatback): To heat the entire
seat, press the button with the heated seat and seatback
symbol.
This symbol will appear on the climate control display to
indicate that the feature is on. Press the button to cycle
through the temperature settings of high, medium, and
low and to turn the heated seat off. Indicator bars next to
the symbol designate the level of heat selected: three for
high, two for medium, and one for low.
The heated and cooled seats will be canceled after the
ignition is turned off. If you want to use the heated
and cooled seat feature after you restart your vehicle,
you will need to press the appropriate seat button again.
Memory Features
On vehicles with the memory package, the controls for
this feature are located on the driver’s door panel.
The controls for this
feature are located on the
driver’s door, and are
used to program and recall
memory settings for the
driver’s seat, outside
mirrors, steering wheel
position, and the
adjustable throttle and
brake pedal feature, if your
vehicle has it.
1-6

To save your positions in memory, do the following:
1. Adjust the driver’s seat, including the seatback
recliner and lumbar, both outside mirrors, steering
wheel, and the throttle and brake pedals to a
comfortable position.
See Outside Power Foldaway Mirrors on page 2-39
and Adjustable Throttle and Brake Pedal on
page 2-24 for more information.
Not all mirrors will have the ability to save and
recall the mirror positions.
2. Press and hold button 1 until two beeps sound.
A second seating, mirror, steering wheel position, 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
P (Park). Press and release either button 1 or button 2
corresponding to the desired driving position. The
seat, outside mirrors, steering wheel position, 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 transmitter to enter
your vehicle and the remote recall memory feature
is on, automatic seat, mirror, steering wheel position,
and adjustable pedal movement will occur. See
“MEMORY SEAT RECALL” under DIC Vehicle
Customization (With DIC Buttons) on page 3-65 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, power tilt wheel control,
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, remove the
obstruction and press the appropriate function control
for two seconds. Then try recalling the memory position
again by pressing the appropriate memory button. If
the memory position is still not recalling, see your
dealer/retailer for service.
1-7

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 P (Park), 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 3-65 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.
1-8

{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.
1-9

Rear Seats
Rear Seat Operation
(All Except Extended Cab)
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.
1-10

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 a safety belt cannot
be worn properly. In a crash, if you or your
passenger(s) are not wearing safety belts, the
injuries can be much worse. You can hit things
inside the vehicle harder or be ejected from the
vehicle. You and your passenger(s) can 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 3-34.
1-11

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.
1-12

Put someone on it. Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider
does not stop.
1-13

The person keeps going until stopped by something. In
a real vehicle, it could be the windshield... or the instrument panel...
1-14