2003 GMC YUKON DENALI wheel

In many crashes severe enough to inflate an air bag,
windshields are broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may also occur from the
right front passenger air bag.
Air bags are designed to inflate only once. After an
air bag inflates, you’ll need some new parts for
your air bag system. If you don’t get them, the air
bag system won’t be there to help protect you
in another crash.
A new system will include air bag
modules and possibly other parts. The service
manual for your vehicle covers the need to replace
other parts.
Your vehicle is equipped with electronic frontal
sensors which help the sensing system distinguish
between a moderate and a more severe frontal
impact. Your vehicle is also equipped with a crash
sensing and diagnostic module, which records
information about the frontal air bag system. The
module records information about the readiness of
the system and when the system commands
are bag inflation. It records the status
of the driver’s safety belt usage in
a crash in which the air bag
deploys or a crash in which the air bag nearly
deploys. The module also records speed, engine
RPM, brake and throttle data.
Let only qualified technicians work on your air bag
systems. Improper service can mean that an air
bag system won’t work properly. See your dealer for
service.
Notice: If you damage the covering for the driver’s
or the right front passenger’s air bag, or the air
bag covering
on the driver’s and right front
passenger’s seatback, the bag may not work
properly. You may have to replace the air bag
module in the steering wheel, both the air bag
module and the instrument panel for the right front
passenger’s air bag, or both the air bag module
and seatback for the driver’s and right front passenger’s side impact air bag.
Do not open or
break the air bag coverings.
1-80

Automatic Transmission Operation
Your vehicle is equipped with an automatic transmission
and features an electronic shift position indicator
located within the instrument panel cluster.
There are several different positions for your shift lever.
PARK
(P): This position locks your drive wheels. It’s
the best position to use when you start your engine
because your -1icle
c ’t move easily.
It is aangerous to get out of your venlcle il
shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Don’t leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to.
If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured.
CAUTION: (Continued)
o be sure your vehicle won’t move, even
when you’re on fairly level ground, always set
your parking brake and move the shift lever to PARK (P). See “Shifting Into Park (P)” in the
Index.
If you’re pulling a trailer, see “Towing a
Trailer” in the Index.
REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
Notices Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle
is moving forward could damage your transmission.
Shift to REVERSE
(R) only after your vehicle is
stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging your transmission,
see If
You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow on
page 4-4 1.
NEUTRAL (N): In this position, your engine doesn’t
connect with the wheels. To restart when you’re already
moving, use NEUTRAL
(N) only.
2-22

Shifting into a drive gear while your engine is
“racing” (running at high speed) is dangerous.
Unless your foot is firmly on the brake pedal,
your vehicle could move very rapidly. You
could lose control and hit people or objects.
Don’t shift into a drive gear while your engine
is racing.
Notices Damage to your transmission caused by
shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) with
the engine racing isn’t covered by your warranty.
DRIVE (D):
This position is for normal driving. If
you need more power for passing, and you’re:
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
accelerator all the way down.
0 Going less than about 35 mph (55 km/h), push your
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the
You’ll shift down
to the next gear and have more power.
DRIVE (D) can be used when towing a trailer, carrying
a heavy load, driving on steep hills or for off-road driving.
You may want
to shift the transmission to THIRD (3)
or, if necessary, a lower gear selection if the
transmission shifts
too often.
THIRD (3): This position is also used for normal driving,
however it offers more power and lower fuel economy
than DRIVE (D).
SECOND (2): This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy. You can use SECOND
(2) on
hills.
It can help control your speed as you go down
steep mountain roads, but then you would also want
to
use your brakes off and on.
If you manually select SECOND
(2), the transmission
will drive in second gear. You may use this feature
for reducing the speed of the rear wheels when you are
trying
to start your vehicle from a stop on slippery
road surfaces. Once the vehicle
is moving, shift into
DRIVE
(D).
FIRST (1): This position gives you even more power,
but lower fuel economy than SECOND
(2). You can use
it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the
shift lever is put in FIRST
(1) while the vehicle is moving
forward, the vehicle won’t shift into first gear until the
vehicle is going slowly enough.
2-23

Notice: If your wheels won’t turn, don’t try to drive.
This might happen
if you were stuck in very deep
sand or mud or were up against
a solid object. You
could damage your transmission. Also, if you
stop when going uphill, don’t hold your vehicle there
with only the accelerator pedal. This could overheat
and damage the transmission. Use your brakes
or shift into
PARK (P) to hold your vehicle in
position on
a hill.
On cold days, approximately
32°F (OOC) or colder, your
transmission is designed
to shift differently until the
engine reaches normal operating temperature. This is
intended
to improve heater performance.
Tow/HauI Mode
Your vehicle is equipped with a tow/haul mode. The
button is located on the end
of the column shift lever.
You can use this feature
to assist when towing or
hauling a heavy load. See “Tow/Haul Mode” under
Towing
a Trailer on page 4-47 for more information.
The tow/haul mode also interacts with the AutorideTM
feature
to enhance the ride when trailering or with
a loaded vehicle. See AutorideTM on page
4-46.
2-24

Onstar@ Personal Calling
With Onstar@ Personal Calling, you have a safer way to
stay connected while driving. It’s a hands-free wireless
phone that’s integrated into your vehicie. You can piace
calls nationwide using voice-activated dialing with no
contracts, no roaming charges and no access fees.
To find out more about Onstar@ Personal Calling, refer
to the Onstar@ owner’s guide in your vehicle’s glove
box, or call Onstar@ at 1-888-4-ONSTAR
(1 -888-466-7827).
Onstar@ Virtual Advisor
With Onstar@ Virtual Advisor you can listen to your
favorite news, entertainment and information topics,
such as traffic and weather reports, stock quotes
and sports scores. You listen to your e-mail through
your vehicle’s speakers, and reply with your hands on
the wheel and your eyes on the road.
A completed Subscription Service Agreement is required
prior to delivery of Onstar@ services and prepaid
calling minutes are also required for Onstar@ Personal
Calling and Onstar@ Virtual Advisor use. Terms and
conditions of the Subscription Service Agreement can be
found at www.onstar.com.
Onstar@ Steering Wheel Controls
((c? : If your vehicle is
equipped with the steering
wheel control buttons
you can use them
to interact with the Onstar@
system.
See the Onstar@ manual provided with your vehicle for
more information.
2-37

Don’t exceed the maximum vehicle capacity when
loading your vehicle. For more information on vehicle
capacity and loading, see Loading
Your Vehicle on
page
4-44.
To prevent damage or loss of cargo as you’re leaving,
check now and then to make sure the luggage and
cargo are still securely fastened.
Be sure the cargo
is properly loaded.
If small heavy objects are placed on the roof, place
the load in the area over the rear wheels (behind
the rear side door on Yukon
XL Denali models).
If you need to, cut a piece
of 3/8 inch plywood to fit
inside the crossrails and siderails to spread the
load.
If plywood is used, tie it to the siderail
supports.
0 Tie the load to the crossrails or the siderail supports.
Use the crossrails only to keep the load from
sliding. To move the crossrails, pull out on the latch
release handle at each end. Slide the crossrail to
the desired position balancing the force side to side.
Push the release handle back into the latched
position and slide the crossrail back and forth
slightly to be sure the latch snaps securely
into place.
If you need to carry long items, move the crossrails
as far apart as they will go. Tie the load to the
crossrails and the siderails or siderail supports. Also
tie the load
to the bumpers. Do not tie the load
so tightly that the crossrails or sideraiis are
damaged.
front crossrail approximately 18 to
24 inches
(46 to 58 cm) rearward
of the front supports.
For the purpose of wind noise reduction, locate the
0 After moving a crossrail, be sure it is securely
locked into the siderail.
Your vehicle has a Center High-Mounted Stoplamp
(CHMSL) located above the rear glass.
If items are loaded on the roof of the vehicle, care
should be taken not to block or damage the CHMSL unit.
2-43

Section 3 Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel Overview ............................... 3.4
Hazard Warning Flashers
................................ 3.5
Other Warning Devices ................................... 3.6
Horn
............................................................. 3.6
Tilt Wheel
..................................................... 3-6
Turn SignaVMultifunction Lever
......................... 3.7
Exterior Lamps
............................................. 3.13
Interior Lamps
.............................................. 3.16
Accessory Power Outlets
............................... 3.17
Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter
........................ 3.18
Climate Controls ............................................ 3. 1 9
Electronic Climate Control System
................... 3.19
Outlet Adjustment
......................................... 3.25
Rear Climate Control System
......................... 3.25
Climate Controls Personalization
..................... 3.27
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators ............. 3.28
Instrument Panel Cluster
................................ 3.29
Speedometer and Odometer
........................... 3.30
Tachometer
................................ ......... 3.30
~
Safety Belt Reminder Light ............................. 3.30
Air Bag Readiness Light
................................ 3.31
Passenger Air Bag Status Indicator ................ -3-32
Charging System Light
.................................. 3-33
Voltmeter Gage
............................................ 3-34
Brake System Warning Light
...................... 3-34
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
........................................... 3-35
Traction
Off Light .......................................... 3-36
Transmission Temperature Gage
..................... 3-37
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
............................. 3-38
Oil Pressure Gage ........................................ 3-40
Security Light
............................................... 3-41
Tow/Haul Mode Light .................................... 3-42
Fuel Gage
................................................... 3-42
Low Fuel Warning Light
............................. 3-42
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
.................. 3-36
Cruise Control
Light ...................................... 3-41
3- 1

Section 3 Instrument Panel
Driver Information Center (DIC) ................... 3.43
DIC Operation and Displays
....................... 3.43
DIC Warnings and Messages
..................... 3.52
Audio
System(s) ............................................. 3.58
Setting the Time
........................................... 3.58
Radio with Cassette and CD
.......................... 3-59
Rear Seat Entertainment System
.................... 3-72
Rear Seat Audio (RSA)
................................. 3.81
CD Changer
................................................ 3.83
Theft-Deterrent Feature
.................................. 3-85
~ ~~ ~~~
Audio Steering Wheel Controls ........ ....... 3.86
DVD Distortion
............................................. 3.86
Understanding Radio Reception
...................... 3.87
Care
of Your CDs and DVDs ......................... 3-88
Care
of Your
Cassette Tape Player ................. 3-87
Care
of Your CD Changer ............................. 3-88
Care
of Your CD and DVD Player ................... 3-89
Cleaning the Video Screen
............................. 3-89
Fixed Mast Antenna
.................................. 3-89
XMTM Satellite Radio Antenna System ......... 3-89
3-2