
The 2003 GMC Yukon DenaIiNukon XL Denali
Owner Manual
Seats and Restraint Systems ........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-3
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-7
Safety Belts
............................................. 1-25
Child Restraints
....................................... 1-48
Air Bag Systems
...................................... 1-72
Restraint System Check
............................ 1-86
Features and Controls ..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-3
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-8
Windows
................................................. 2-14
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................ 2-1 6
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
....... 2-18
Mirrors
.................................................... 2-31
Onstar@
S stem ...................................... 2-36
HomeLink
J Transmitter ............................. 2-38
Storage Areas
......................................... 2-42
Sunroof
.................................................. 2-46
Vehicle Personalization
............................. 2-47
Instrument Panel ............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
......... 3-28
Driver Information Center (DIC)
.................. 3-43
Climate Controls
...................................... 3-1 9
Audio System(s)
....................................... 3-58
Driving Your Vehicle ....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
................................................... 4-44
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood ............... 5-10
All-Wheel Drive
........................................ 5-46
Rear Axle ............................................... 5-48
Bulb Replacement
.................................... 5-49
Tires
...................................................... 5-55
Appearance Care ..................................... 5-78
Vehicle Identification
................................. 5-86
Electrical System
...................................... 5-87
Capacities and Specifications
..................... 5-96
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
...... 5-98
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance Information .................... 7-1
Customer Assistance Information
.................. 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
............................ 7-9
Index ................................................................ 1
Service and Appearance Care .......................... 5-1
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
......... 5-54
Maintenance Schedule ..................................... 6-1

These are some examples of vehicle symbols you may find on your vehicle:
CAUTION
POSSIBLE
INJURY
PROTECT EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
BATTERY
ACID COULD CAUSE
BURNS
AVO ID
SPARKS
OR
FLAMES
SPARK
OR
FLAME '\I/'
COULD
EXPLODE BATTERY LATCH BOTH LAP AND
SHOULDER BELTS TO
PROTECT OCCUPANT
4
DO NOT TWIST SAFETY
BELT WHEN ATTACHING
FASTEN SEAT
BELTS
MOVE SEAT DO NOT INSTALL
A REAR-FACING
CHILD RESTRAINT
SECURE IN THIS SEATING
CHILD SEAT POSITION
FULLY
c REARWARD+ /3
PULL BELT DO NOT INSTALL A
COMPLETELY
THEN SECURE
CHILD SEAT FORWARD-FACING
CHILD RESTRAINT IN THIS SEATING
POSITION
POWER DOOR LOCK
WINDOW UNLOCK LIGHTING
- MASTER SWITCH u- 0 ,
LAMPS #O
ENGINE
COOLANT
-FA TEMP -
CHARGING Fl
BATTERY
SYSTEM
ENGINE OIL PRESSURE
9%77
ANTI-LOCK (@)
BRAKES
FUSE BOX
ACCESS
ENGINE
COOLANT FAN
OWNER'S MANUAL
SERVICE
SERVICE MANUAL
V

1 Seats and Restraint Systems
Front Seats ...................................................... 1.3
Power Seats
...... ..................................... 1-3
Power Lumbar
............................................... 1-4
Heated Seats
................................................. 1.4
Reclining Seatbacks
........................................ 1.5
Head Restraints
............................................. 1-6
Rear Seats .................................................. .l -7
Rear Seat Operation .. ...... 1-7
Heated Seats
................................................. 1-8
60/40 Split Bench Seat
................................... 1-9
50/50 Split Bench Seat .................................. 1-1 1
Bench Seat
.............................................. 1.1 7
Bucket Seats ........................................... 1-22
Safety Belts ................................................... 1-25
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone
................ 1-25
Questions and Answers About Safety Belts
...... 1.29
How
to Wear Safety Belts Properly ................. 1-30
Driver Position
.............................................. 1.30
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
.................. 1-38
Right Front Passenger Position
.. ., .... .... 1-39
Center Passenger Position
...... , 1 -39 Rear
Seat Passengers
.................................. 1-41
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for Children and Small Adults
....................................... 1-44
Safety Belt Extender
..................................... 1-47
Child Restraints ............................................. 1-48
Older Children
.............................................. 1.48
Infants and Young Children
....... .......... 1.50
Child Restraint Systems ........ ...... 1-54
Where
to Put the Restraint ............................. 1-56
Top Strap
.................................................... 1.57
Top Strap Anchor Location
............................. 1-59
Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for
Children (LATCH System)
........................... 1.61
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for the
LATCH System
......................................... 1-63
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Outside
Seat Position
............................................ 1-63
Securing
a Child Restraint in a Center Rear
Seat Position
............................................ 1.65
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front
Seat Position
......................... .I -68
1-1

To heat only the seatback, press the vertical button with
the heated seatback symbol. An indicator light on the
seatback button will glow
to designate that only the
seatback is being heated. Additional presses of
the seatback button will cycle through the heat levels
for
the seatback only. Press the horizontal button again
to heat the whole seat.
The heated front seats will shut
off automatically when
the ignition is turned
off.
Your vehicle also has rear heated seats. See Heated
Seats
on page 1-8.
Reclining Seatbacks
The vertical power seat control described earlier allows
the seatback
to recline.
But don’t have a seatback reclined
if your vehicle is
moving. Sitting
in a
re nec losition when your ve :le
is in motion can be dangerous. Even if you
buckle up, your safety belts can’t do their job
when you’re reclined like this.
The shoulder belt can’t do its job. In
a crash,
you could go into
it, receiving neck or other
injuries.
The lap belt can’t 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.
1-5

3. Pull (push if you are exiting the third row with no
assistance) the seat forward until it stops.
If the seatback isn’t locked,
it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there. Always
press rearward on the seatback to be sure
it is
locked.
Heated Seats
A safety belt that is improperly routed, not
properly attached, or twisted won’t 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. The
buttons used to
control this feature are
located on the back of the
center console. The
engine must be running for
the heated seat feature
To heat the seat, press the button to cycle through the
temperature settings of high and low. Press the
button a third time to turn the seats
off. An Indicator
light will glow for each heat setting when the seats are
operating.
The heated rear seats will shut
off automatically when
the ignition is turned
off.
Be sure to return the seat to the passenger position
when finished. Pull forward and push rearward on the
seat to make sure it is locked in place.
1 -8

Returning the Seats to an Upright
P--;tion
If the seatback isn’t locked, it could move
forward
in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there. Always
press rearward on the seatback to be sure
it is
locked.
I I
A safety belt that is improperly routed, not
properly attached, or twisted won’t 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.
To return the seat to the upright position, do the
following:
1. On Yukon XL Denali models, lift the load floor
panels and latch them into the seatback.
2. Lift the seatback up and push it rearward
all the way.
3. Lower the seat cushion until it latches into position.
4. Pull forward on the seatback and up on
the seat cushion to make sure the seat is
securely in place.
5. On Yukon Denali models, return the head restraints
to the upright position.
6. Check to see that the safety belt buckles on the
driver’s side seat are accessible to the outboard
and center occupants and are not under the
seat cushions.
50/50 Split Bench Seat
If your vehicle has a 50/50 split bench, the seatback(s)
can be folded and the entire seat(s) tilted or removed
from the vehicle.
1-1 1

Replacing the 50/50 Split Bench Seat
If the seatback isn’t locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there. Always
press rearward on the seatback to be sure
it is
locked.
I I
A sea, ..lat isn’t locked into place properly can
move around in a collision
or sudden stop.
People
in the vehicle could be injured. Be sure
to lock the seat into place properly when
installing
it.
A safety belt that is imprope.., routed, not
properly attached, or twisted won’t 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.
To replace the 50/50 split bench, do the following:
1. While holding the rear of the seat up, slide the front
wheels into the slots on the floor. The front latches
should lock into place. If the latches
do not lock,
try tilting the rear
of the seat upwards.
1-16

Replacing the Bench Seat
If the seatback isn’t locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there. Always
press rearward on the seatback to be sure
it is
locked.
A seat that isn’t locked into place properly can
move around in a collision or sudden stop.
People in the vehicle could be injured. Be sure
to lock the seat into place properly when installing
it.
A safety belt that is improperly routed, not
properly attached, or twisted won’t 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.
To replace the bench seat, do the following:
1. While holding the rear of the seat up, slide the front
wheels into the slots on the floor. The front latches
should lock into place. If the latches
do not lock,
try tilting the rear of the seat upwards.
2. Once the latches are engaged, let the seat drop
into place. Release the lever labeled
1 to return
the seatback to its upright position.
3. Push and pull on the seat to make sure it is locked
into place. The seatback cannot be raised to the
upright position unless the seat is secured to
the floor.
1-21