Imagine yourself driving calmly on board your GMC Sierra and abruptly an engine warning light shows up on your dashboard ! The most frequent kind of response is the fear of risking a severe trouble. To know what accurately this light refers to, you will have to learn how to read an GMC Sierra fault codes, you may have previously read about OBD system, this is exactly what we are going to take a look at. Our writers have decided to write this piece of content to enable you fairly quickly locate the origin of this default code and to give you peace of mind. To achieve this, we will first check out the nature of a fault code on GMC Sierra, then how to read an GMC Sierra fault code, and finally how to erase this fault code in order to turn off the light on your dashboard.
What is a GMC Sierra fault code?
A fault code is a universal or standard code which is identical to all manufacturers , they are also known as DTC (Data Trouble Code), the objective is to be sure that any diagnostic OBD can interpret them. They will be represented by a standard format, such as example: P0255. Each info will have a special explanation. Default codes are codes issued by the calculators of your GMC Sierra. These ECUs will constantly monitor your vehicle’s emissions, pressures, mixtures and when the values exceed the limits set by the vehicle’s ECU, the fault code will emerge. The advantage of knowing how to read a fault code on your GMC Sierra is that you will have gain access to to specific info about your motor vehicle which will allow you to understand what concern you are standing in front of.
How to read a fault code on my GMC Sierra?
In this second part we will now focus specifically on what brings you on this website, how to read a fault code on GMC Sierra. To discover this useful info you will need to to buy a diagnostic tool, also named OBD 2, named after the socket on your GMC Sierra to which you will have to connect. These diagnostic tools are easily available to buy, you will be able to find some in Bluetooth version which connects to your phone and some standard versions with a reader associated to the socket, as far as price is concerned, you will be able to find models between 30 and 100 euros. Once you have purchased an OBD2 diagnostic reader, you will need to find the diagnostic plug on your GMC Sierra, it is based on the left side of your steering column on the lower part of your dashboard, behind a hatch. It is easy to locate because it is triangular shaped and has 16 pins. All you have to do is connect with your diagnostic tool to read the fault code of your GMC Sierra.
How to erase the fault code GMC Sierra
Finally, to finish this document, we are going to explain you the manipulation to carry out to erase a fault code on your GMC Sierra. Once you have navigated through the menus, you will access the list of active fault codes on your car. Nevertheless, you will have to ask yourself an important question, is it really useful to erase this fault code on GMC Sierra? Indeed, erasing a fault code without solving the trouble corresponds to burying its head in the sand. Furthermore, the computer of your GMC Sierra is made to take resolutions according to the data it records, if an important fault code is on, it will possibly adapt the engine performance to protect it. So if you erase the fault code, be sure you solve the problem to which it is linked. Some OBD diagnostic tools do not allow you to do this. You have a dedicated navigation menu on most diagnostic tools that should allow you to clear this fault code on GMC Sierra.
If you wish more guides on the GMC Sierra, go to our GMC Sierra category.
