2003 GMC YUKON DENALI lights

Warning Lights, Gages and
Indicators
This part describes the warning lights and gages on
your vehicle. The pictures will help you locate them.
Warning lights and gages can signal that something is
wrong before it becomes serious enough
to cause
an expensive repair or replacement. Paying attention
to
your warning lights and gages could also save you
or others from injury.
Warning lights come on when there may be or is a
problem with one of your vehicle’s functions.
As you will
see in the details on the next few pages, some
warning lights come on briefly when you start the
engine
just to let you know they’re working. If you are
familiar with this section, you should not be alarmed
when this happens. Gages can indicate
when there may be or
is a problem
with one of your vehicle’s functions. Often gages
and warning lights work together
to let you know when
there’s a problem with your vehicle.
When one of the warning lights comes on and stays on
when you are driving, or when one of the gages
shows there may be a problem, check the section that
tells you what to do about it. Please follow this
manual’s advice. Waiting to do repairs can be
costly
- and even dangerous. So please get to know
your warning lights and gages. They’re
a big help.
Your vehicle also has a message center that works
along with warning lights and gages. See
DIC Warnings
and Messages on page
3-52.
3-28

If the word OFF or the off symbol is lit on the air bag
status indicator,
it means that the passenger sensing
system has turned
off the right front passenger’s frontal
air bag. See Passenger Sensing System on page
7 -8 7
for more on this, including important safety information.
If, after several seconds, all status indicator lights
remain on, or
if there are no lights at all, there may be a
problem with the lights or the passenger sensing
system. See your dealer for service.
__ -he ofl ..jdicator and the air bag readiness
light ever come on together, it means that
something may be wrong with the air bag
system.
If this ever happens, have the vehicle
serviced promptly, because an adult-size
person sitting in the right front passenger seat
may not have the protection of the frontal air
bag. See “Air Bag Readiness Light” in the
Index.
Charging System Light
The charging system light
will come on briefly when you turn on the ignition,
but the engine is
not
running, as a check to
show you it
is working.
It should go out once the engine is running. If it stays
on, or comes on while you are driving, you may have a
problem with the charging system.
It could indicate
that you have problems with a generator drive belt, or
another electrical problem. Have it checked right
away. Driving while this light is on could drain your
battery.
When this light comes on the DIC will also display the
battery not charging message. See
DIC Warnings
and Messages
on page 3-52.
If you must drive a short distance with the light on, be
certain to turn
off all your accessories, such as the radio
and air conditioner.
3-33

If the light stays on, or comes on when you’re driving,
your vehicle needs service. You will also hear a
chime sound when the light is on steady.
If the regular
brake system warning light isn’t on, you still have
brakes, but you don’t have anti-lock brakes.
If the
regular brake system warning light is also on you don’t
have anti-lock brakes and there’s a problem with
your regular brakes. In addition to both lights, you will
also hear a chime sound on the first occurrence of
a problem and each time the car is shut off and then
restarted. See Brake System Warning Light on
page
3-34.
Traction Off Light
If you have the
Stabilitrak@system, this
light should come on briefly
when you turn the
ignition to
RUN.
If the light doesn’t come on then, the system may
require service; have it fixed
so it will be there to warn
you
if the system is turned off.
For more information on the traction off light, see
Stabilitrak@
System on page 4-9.
3-36
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
~~ ~
United States
I I
Canada
This gage shows the engine coolant temperature.
It also provides an indicator
of how hard your vehicle is
working. During a majority of the operation, the gage
will read 21
0°F (100°C) or less. If you are pulling a load
or going up hills, it is normal for the temperature to
fluctuate and approach the 250°F (122°C) mark.
If the
gage reaches the 260°F
(125°C) mark, it indicates
that the cooling system
is working beyond its capacity.
See Engine Overheating on page
5-25.

SEAT POSITION RECALL ON REMOTE: The memory
seat position you saved will be recalled when you
unlock the vehicle with the remote keyless entry
transmitter.
Choose one of the three options and press the
personalization button while it is displayed on the DIC to
select it and move on to the next feature. For more
information on seat position recall see Memory Seat
on
page 2-47.
Perimeter Lighting
Press the personalization button until PERIMETER
LIGHTING appears in the display. To select your
personalization for perimeter lighting, press the select
button while PERIMETER LIGHTING is displayed on the
DIC. Pressing the select button will scroll through the
following choices:
PERIMETER LIGHTING ON (default): The headlamps
and back-up lamps will come on for
40 seconds, if it
is dark enough outside, when you unlock the vehicle
with the remote keyless entry transmitter.
PERIMETER LIGHTING OFF: The perimeter lights will
not come on when you unlock the vehicle with the
remote keyless entry transmitter.
Choose one of the two options and press the
personalization button while it is displayed on the DIC
to
select it and move on to the next feature.
Remote Lock Feedback
Press the personalization button until REMOTE LOCK
FEEDBACK appears in the display. To select your
personalization fsr the feedback you will receive when
locking the vehicle with the remote keyless entry
transmitter, press the select button while REMOTE LOCK FEEDBACK is displayed on the DIC. Pressing
the select button will scroll through the following choices:
LOCK FEEDBACK: BOTH (default): The parking
lamps will flash each time you press the button with the lock symbol on the remote keyless entry transmitter
and the horn will chirp the second time you press the
lock button.
LOCK FEEDBACK: OFF: There will be no feedback
when locking the vehicle.
LOCK FEEDBACK: HORN: The horn will chirp the
second time you press the button with the lock symbol
on the remote keyless entry transmitter.
LOCK FEEDBACK: LAMPS: The parking lamps will
flash each time you press the button with the lock
symbol on the remote keyless entry transmitter.
Choose one of the four options and press the
personalization button while it is displayed on the DIC to
select
it and move on to the next feature.
3-49

Anti-lock Brake System
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes. ABS is an advanced
electronic braking system that will help prevent a
braking skid.
When you start your engine and begin to drive away,
your anti-lock brake system will check itself. You
may hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while
this test is going on. This is normal.
If there’s a problem with
the anti-lock brake system, this warning light
will
stay on. See Anti-Lock
Brake System Warning
Light
on page 3-35.
Along with ABS, your vehicle has a Dynamic Rear
Proportioning (DRP) system.
If there’s a DRP problem,
both the brake and ABS warning lights will come
on
accompanied by a IO-second chime. The lights
and chime will come
on each time the ignition is turned
on until the problem is repaired. See your dealer for
service. Let’s say
the road is wet and you’re driving safely.
Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam
on the brakes and continue braking. Here’s what
happens with ABS:
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If
one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer
will separately work the brakes at each front wheel
and at both rear wheels.
4-7

When the Stabilitrak@system has been turned off you
may still hear system noises as a result of the
brake-traction control coming on.
It is recommended to leave the system on for normal
driving conditions, but it may be necessary
to turn
the system
off if your vehicle is stuck in sand, mud, ice
or snow, and you want
to “rock” your vehicle to
attempt to free it. It may also be necessary to turn off
the system when driving in extreme off-road conditions
where high wheel spin is required. See If
You Are
Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow on page
4-4 1.
Traction Control Operation
The traction control system is part of the
Stabilitrak@system. Traction control limits wheel spin by
reducing engine power
to the wheels (engine speed
management) and by applying brakes
to each individual
wheel (brake-traction control) as necessary.
The traction control system is enabled automatically
when you start your vehicle, and it will activate
and display the TRACTION ACTIVE message in the
Driver Information Center (DIC)
if it senses that any of
the wheels are spinning or beginning to lose traction
while driving. If you turn
off Stabilitrak@, only the
brake-traction control portion
of traction control will
work. The engine speed management will be disabled.
In this state, engine power is not reduced automatically
and the driven wheels can spin more freely. This
can cause the brake-traction control
to activate
constantly. For more information on the traction active
message, see Driver Information Center (DIC) on
page
3-43.
Notice: If the traction off light comes on due to
heavy braking and/or because the traction control
system has been continuously active, do not allow
the wheel@) of one axle to spin excessively.
If you
do, you may be causing damage to your transfer
case. This could lead to costly repairs not covered by
your warranty.
If the brake-traction control system activates constantly
or
if the brakes have heated up due to high speed
braking, the brake-traction control will be automatically
disabled. The system will come back on after the
brakes have cooled. This can take up
to two minutes ot
longer depending on brake usage.
Notice: Don’t allow the wheel(s) of one axle to spin
excessively when the traction
off, ABS and brake
lights are on and the
SERVICE STABILITY MESSAGE
is displayed. In this situation, damage to the transfer
case
is possible. This could lead to costly repairs not
covered by your warranty. You should immediately
reduce engine power until the lights and messages
are no longer displayed.
4-1 0

Scanning the Terrain
Off-road driving can take you over many different kinds of
terrain. You need
to be familiar with the terrain and its
many different features. Here are
some things to
consider.
Surface Conditions: Off-roading can take you over
hard-packed dirt, gravel, rocks, grass, sand, mud, snow
or ice. Each of these surfaces affects the steering,
acceleration and braking of your vehicle in different
ways. Depending upon the kind of surface you are on,
you may experience slipping, sliding, wheel spinning,
delayed acceleration, poor traction and longer braking
distances.
Surface Obstacles: Unseen or hidden obstacles can
be hazardous. A rock, log, hole, rut or bump can startle
you
if you’re not prepared for them. Often these
obstacles are hidden by grass, bushes, snow or even
the rise and fall of the terrain itself. Here are some
things to consider:
0 Is the path ahead clear?
Will the surface texture change abruptly up ahead?
Does the travel take you uphill or downhill?
(There’s more discussion of these subjects later.)
Will you have to stop suddenly or change direction
quickly? When you drive
over obstacles or rough terrain, keep a
firm grip on the steering wheel. Ruts, troughs or
other surface features can jerk the wheel out of your
hands
if you’re not prepared.
When you drive over bumps, rocks, or other obstacles,
your wheels can leave the ground. If this happens,
even with one or two wheels, you can’t control
the vehicle as well or at all.
Because you will be on an unpaved surface, it’s
especially important to avoid sudden acceleration,
sudden turns or sudden braking.
In a way, off-road driving requires a different kind of
alertness from driving on paved roads and highways.
There are no road signs, posted speed limits or
signal lights. You have to use your own good judgment
about what is safe and what isn’t.
Drinking and driving can be very dangerous on any
road. And this is certainly true for off-road driving. At the
very time you need special alertness and driving
skills, your reflexes, perceptions and judgment can be
affected by even a small amount of alcohol. You
could have a serious
- or even fatal - accident if you
drink and drive or ride with a driver who has been
drinking. See Drunken Driving
on page 4-2.
4-1 9

You can be temporarily blinded by approaching
headlamps.
It can take a second or two, or even several
seconds, for your eyes
to readjust to the dark. When
you are faced with severe glare (as from a driver
who doesn’t lower the high beams, or a vehicle with
misaimed headlamps),
slow down a little. Avoid staring
directly into the approaching headlamps.
Keep your windshield and all the glass on your vehicle
clean
- inside and out. Glare at night is made much
worse by dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the glass
can build up a film caused by dust. Dirty glass makes
lights dazzle and flash more than clean glass would,
making the pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that your headlamps light up far less of a
roadway when you are in a turn or curve. Keep
your eyes moving; that way, it’s easier
to pick out dimly
lighted objects.
Just as your headlamps should be
checked regularly for proper aim,
so should your eyes
be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from
night blindness
- the inability to see in dim light - and
aren’t even aware of it.
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet
road, you can’t stop, accelerate or turn
as well
because your tire-to-road traction isn’t as good as on
dry roads. And,
if your tires don’t have much tread left,
you’ll get even less traction.
It’s always wise to go
slower and be cautious
if rain starts to fall while you are
driving. The surface may get wet suddenly when your
reflexes are tuned for driving on dry pavement.
4-29