2003 GMC YUKON towing

If the Light is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
•Reducing vehicle speed.
•Avoiding hard accelerations.
•Avoiding steep uphill grades.
•If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible.
If the light stopsflashing and remains on steady, see“If
the Light Is On Steady”following.
If the light continues toflash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle.Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
Turn the key off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart
the engine. If the light remains on steady, see“If
the Light Is On Steady”following. If the light is still
flashing, follow the previous steps, and see your dealer
for service as soon as possible.
If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. SeeFilling Your Tank on page 5-7. The
diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap has
been left off or improperly installed. A loose or missing
fuel cap will allow fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere.
A few driving trips with the cap properly installed
should turn the light off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out. A few driving trips should turn the light off.
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Cruise Control Light
The cruise light comes on
whenever you set your
cruise control. See“Cruise
Control”underTurn
Signal/Multifunction Lever
on page 3-8.
Tow/Haul Mode Light
This light is displayed
when the tow/haul mode
has been activated.
For more information, seeTowing a Trailer on
page 4-61.
Fuel Gage
The fuel gage, when the ignition is on, tells you about
how much fuel you have left in your tank.
The gage willfirst indicate empty before you are out of
fuel, and you should get more fuel as soon as
possible.
When the fuel tank is low the FUEL LEVEL LOW
message will appear. SeeDriver Information Center
(DIC) on page 3-53.
United StatesCanada
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CHECK OIL LEVEL
If the oil level in the vehicle is low, this message will
appear on the DIC. Check and oil level and correct it as
necessary. You may need to let the vehicle cool or
warm up and cycle the ignition to be sure this message
will clear. Once the problem is corrected, pressing
the select button will clear this message from the DIC
display.
CHECK WASHER FLUID
if the washerfluid level is low, this message will appear
on the DIC. Adding washerfluid will clear the message.
Pressing the select button will acknowledge this
message and clear it from the DIC display.
TRACTION ACTIVE
When the traction control system has detected that any
of the vehicle’s wheels are spinning, the traction
control system will activate and this message will appear
on the DIC. For more information seeTraction Assist
System (TAS) on page 4-10
TRANSMISSION HOT
If the transmissionfluid temperature becomes high, the
message center will display this message.
When the transmission enters the protection mode, you
may notice a change in the transmission shifting
patterns. When the transmissionfluid temperature
returns to normal, the display will turn off and the
transmission shifting patterns will return to normal.
Notice:If you keep driving your vehicle with the
transmission TRANS FLUID HOT message
displayed, you can damage the transmission. This
could lead to costly repairs that may not be covered
under your warranty.
The following situations can cause the transmission to
operate at higher temperatures:
•Towing a trailer
•Hot outside air temperatures
•Hauling a large or heavy load
•Low transmissionfluid level
•High transmissionfluid level
•Restricted airflow to the radiator and the auxiliary
transmission oil cooler.
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Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle..........4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-2
Drunken Driving.............................................4-2
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-6
Braking.........................................................4-6
Traction Assist System (TAS).........................4-10
Locking Rear Axle........................................4-12
Stabilitrak
®System.......................................4-12
Steering......................................................4-14
QUADRASTEER™........................................4-16
Off-Road Recovery.......................................4-19
Passing.......................................................4-20
Loss of Control.............................................4-21
Off-Road Driving with Your Four-Wheel-Drive
Vehicle
....................................................4-22
Driving at Night
............................................4-37Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-39
City Driving..................................................4-42
Freeway Driving...........................................4-43
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-44
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-44
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-45
Winter Driving..............................................4-47
If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow . . .4-52
Towing..........................................................4-54
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-54
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-55
Loading Your Vehicle....................................4-58
Level Control...............................................4-59
Autoride™...................................................4-60
Trailer Recommendations...............................4-60
Towing a Trailer...........................................4-61
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
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At higher speeds the front and rear wheels will turn in
the same direction. This improves stability of the vehicle
during lane changes and sweeping turns.
_(4 Wheel Steer tow mode):When towing a
trailer the 4 wheel steer tow mode provides enhanced
stability allowing the trailer to follow the path of the
tow vehicle more closely, especially during lane
changes.
In this mode the system operates much like the 4 mode,
but is enhanced for trailer towing. It is recommended
for all types and weights of trailers.
To engage the 4 Wheel Steer tow mode, press the
button until the 4 and tow mode indicators light up on
the instrument panel. If the tow indicator isashing you
will have to center the steering wheel by turning it to
the left or right. While in the 4 wheel steer tow mode, it
is possible the steering wheel may be slightly off
center. For more information, seeTowing a Trailer on
page 4-61. Higher Speeds (40 m.p.h./64 km/h, and above)
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If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice
or Snow
In order to free your vehicle when it is stuck, you will
need to spin the wheels, but you don’t want to spin your
wheels too fast. The method known as“rocking”can
help you get out when you’re stuck, but you must
use caution.
{CAUTION:
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they
can explode, and you or others could be
injured. And, the transmission or other parts of
the vehicle can overheat. That could cause an
engine compartmentfire or other damage.
When you’re stuck, spin the wheels as little as
possible. Don’t spin the wheels above 35 mph
(55 km/h) as shown on the speedometer.
Notice:Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of
your vehicle as well as the tires. If you spin the
wheels too fast while shifting your transmission
back and forth, you can destroy your transmission.
For information about using tire chains on your
vehicle, seeTire Chains on page 5-68.
Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels. If you have a
four-wheel-drive vehicle, shift into 4HI or 4LO. If
your vehicle has the Traction Assist System, you should
turn it off by pressing the TAS on/off button. If your
vehicle has the Stabilitrak
®System, turn the
Stabilitrak®System off by pressing the
Stabilitrak®button so that the STABILITY SYSTEM
DISABLED and TRACTION OFF lights are illuminated
on the instrument panel cluster. Then shift back and
forth between REVERSE (R) and a forward gear,
spinning the wheels as little as possible. Release the
accelerator pedal while you shift, and press lightly on the
accelerator pedal when the transmission is in gear.
By slowly spinning your wheels in the forward and
reverse directions, you will cause a rocking motion that
may free your vehicle. If that doesn’t get you out
after a few tries, you may need to be towed out. Or, you
can use your recovery hooks if your vehicle has
them. If you do need to be towed out, seeTowing Your
Vehicle on page 4-54.
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{CAUTION:
These hooks, when used, are under a lot of
force. Always pull the vehicle straight out.
Never pull on the hooks at a sideways angle.
The hooks could break off and you or others
could be injured from the chain or cable
snapping back.
Notice:Never use recovery hooks to tow the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged and it would
not be covered by warranty.
Towing
Towing Your Vehicle
Consult your dealer or a professional towing service if
you need to have your disabled vehicle towed. See
Roadside Assistance Program on page 7-5.
If you want to tow your vehicle behind another vehicle
for recreational purposes (such as behind a motorhome),
see“Recreational Vehicle Towing”following.
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Recreational Vehicle Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means towing your vehicle
behind another vehicle–such as behind a motorhome.
The two most common types of recreational vehicle
towing are known as“dinghy towing”(towing your
vehicle with all four wheels on the ground) and“dolly
towing”(towing your vehicle with two wheels on
the ground and two wheels up on a device known as a
“dolly”).
With the proper preparation and equipment, many
vehicles can be towed in these ways. SeeDinghy
TowingandDolly Towing, following.
Here are some important things to consider before you
do recreational vehicle towing:
What’s the towing capacity of the towing vehicle?
Be sure you read the tow vehicle manufacturer’s
recommendations.
How far will you tow? Some vehicles have
restrictions on how far and how long they can tow.
Do you have the proper towing equipment? See
your dealer or trailering professional for additional
advice and equipment recommendations.
Is your vehicle ready to be towed? Just as you
would prepare your vehicle for a long trip, you’ll
want to make sure your vehicle is prepared to be
towed. SeeBefore Leaving on a Long Trip on
page 4-44.
Dinghy Towing
When towing your vehicle, turn the ignition to LOCK.
Two-Wheel-Drive Vehicles
Two-wheel-drive vehicles, should not be towed with all
four wheels on the ground. Two-wheel-drive
transmissions have no provisions for internal lubrication
while being towed. To properly tow these vehicles,
they should be placed on a platform trailer with all four
wheels off the ground.
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