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
Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this book you will find these notices:
Notice: These mean there is something that could
damage
your vehicle.
A notice will tell you about something that can damage
your vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be covered by your warranty, and
it could be costly. But the
notice will tell you what
to do to help avoid the
damage.
When you read other manuals, you might see CAUTION
and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in different
words.
You’ll also see warning labels on your vehicle. They use
the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.
Vehicle Symbols
Your vehicle has components and labels that use
symbols instead of text. Symbols, used on your vehicle,
are shown along with the text describing the operation
or information relating
to a specific component, control,
message, gage or indicator.
If you need help figuring out a specific name of a
component, gage or indicator reference the following
topics:
Seats and Restraint Systems in Section 1
0 Features and Controls in Section 2
Instrument Panel Overview in Section 3
Climate Controls in Section 3
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators in Section 3
0 Audio System(s) in Section 3
Engine Compartment Overview in Section 5
iv
Parking Brake
To set the parking brake, hold the regular brake pedal
down with your right foot. Push down the parking
brake pedal with your left foot.
A chime will activate and the warning light will flash
when the parking brake is applied and the vehicle
is moving at
least 3 mph (5 km/h) for at least three
seconds.
To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down.
Pull the bottom edge of the lever, located
above the parking brake pedal, with the parking
brake symbol,
to release the parking brake.
If the ignition is on when the parking brake is releasea,
the brake system warning light will go
off.
Notice: Driving with the parking brake on can
cause your rear brakes to overheat. You may have
to replace them, and you could also damage
other parts
of your vehicle.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on any hill,
see Towing a Trailer on page
4-47.
2-25
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
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
Speedometer and Odometer
Your speedometer lets you see your speed in both
miles per hour (mph) and kilometers per hour (km/h).
Your vehicle’s odometer works together with the driver information center. You can set
a personal trip
and business trip odometer. See “Trip Information” under
DIC Operation and Displays on page 3-43.
The odometer mileage can be checked without the
vehicle running. Simply press the trip stem
on the
instrument panel cluster.
If your vehicle ever needs a new odometer installed, the
new one will be set
to the correct mileage total of the
old odometer.
Tachometer
Your tachometer displays the engine speed in
revolutions per minute (rpm).
Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is turned to RUN or START, a chime will
come
on for several seconds to remind people to
fasten their safety belts, unless the driver’s safety belt is
already buckled.
The safety belt light will
also come on and stay on
for several seconds,
then it will flash for
several more.
If the driver’s belt is already buckled, neither the chime
nor the light will come
on.
Notice: Do not operate the engine with the
tachometer in the shaded warning area, or engine
damage may occur.
3-30
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
Voltmeter Gage
When your engine is not
running, but the ignition is
in
RUN, this gage
shows your battery’s state
of charge in
DC volts.
When the engine is running, the gage shows the
condition of the charging system. Readings between the
low and high warning zones indicate the normal
operating range.
Readings in the low warning zone may occur when a
large number of electrical accessories are operating in
the vehicle and the engine is left at an idle for an
extended period. This condition is normal since the
charging system is not able
to provide full power
at engine idle.
As engine speeds are increased, this
condition should correct itself as higher engine speeds allow the charging system
to create maximum power. You
can only drive for a short time with the reading in
either warning zone. If you must drive, turn
off all
unnecessary accessories.
Readings in either warning zone indicate a possible
problem in the electrical system. Have the vehicle
serviced as soon as possible.
Brake System Warning Light
With the ignition on, the brake system warning light will
flash when you set the parking brake. The light will
flash
if the parking brake doesn’t release fully. If you try
to drive with the parking brake engaged, a chime will
sound when the vehicle speed is greater than 3 mph
(5 km/h).
Your vehicle’s hydraulic brake system
is divided into two
parts. If one part isn’t working, the other part can still
work and stop you. For good braking, though, you need
both parts working well.
If the warning light comes on and a chime sounds there
could be a brake problem. Have your brake system
inspected right away.
3-34