2010 GMC YUKON DENALI tow

6. To tighten the belt, push down on the childrestraint, pull the shoulder portion of the belt to
tighten the lap portion of the belt and feed the
shoulder belt back into the retractor. When
installing a forward-facing child restraint, it may be
helpful to use your knee to push down on the child
restraint as you tighten the belt.
7. Push and pull the child restraint in different directions to be sure it is secure. If the vehicle is equipped with the passenger sensing
system, and when the passenger sensing system has
turned off the right front passenger frontal airbag, the
off indicator in the passenger airbag status indicator
should light and stay lit when you start the vehicle.
See
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator on page 4‑29.
If a child restraint has been installed and the on
indicator is lit, see “If the On Indicator is Lit for a Child
Restraint” underPassenger Sensing System
on
page 2‑85for more information.
To remove the child restraint, unbuckle the vehicle
safety belt and let it return to the stowed position.
2-74

What Makes an Airbag Inflate?
In a deployment event, the sensing system sends an
electrical signal triggering a release of gas from the
inflator. Gas from the inflator fills the airbag causing the
bag to break out of the cover and deploy. The inflator,
the airbag, and related hardware are all part of the
airbag module.
Frontal airbag modules are located inside the
steering wheel and instrument panel. For vehicles with
seat‐mounted side impact airbags, there are airbags
modules in the side of the front seatbacks closest to the
door. For vehicles with roof-rail airbags, there are airbag
modules in the ceiling of the vehicle, near the side
windows that have occupant seating positions.
How Does an Airbag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel
or the instrument panel. In moderate to severe side
collisions, even belted occupants can contact the
inside of the vehicle.Airbags supplement the protection provided by safety
belts. Frontal airbags distribute the force of the impact
more evenly over the occupant's upper body, stopping
the occupant more gradually. Seat‐mounted side impact
and roof-rail airbags distribute the force of the impact
more evenly over the occupant's upper body.
Rollover capable roof-rail airbags are designed to help
contain the head and chest of occupants in the
outboard seating positions in the first, second, and third
rows, if equipped with a third row seat. The rollover
capable roof-rail airbags are designed to help reduce
the risk of full or partial ejection in rollover events,
although no system can prevent all such ejections.
But airbags would not help in many types of collisions,
primarily because the occupant's motion is not toward
those airbags. See
When Should an Airbag Inflate?
on
page 2‑81for more information.
Airbags should never be regarded as anything more
than a supplement to safety belts.
2-83

Additional Factors Affecting System
Operation
Safety belts help keep the passenger in position on the
seat during vehicle maneuvers and braking, which helps
the passenger sensing system maintain the passenger
airbag status. See“Safety Belts”and“Child Restraints”
in the Index for additional information about the
importance of proper restraint use.
If the shoulder portion of the belt is pulled out all the
way, the child restraint locking feature will be engaged.
This may unintentionally cause the passenger sensing
system to turn the airbag off for some adult size
occupants. If this happens, let the belt go back all the
way and start again.
A thick layer of additional material, such as a blanket
or cushion, or aftermarket equipment such as seat
covers, seat heaters, and seat massagers can affect
how well the passenger sensing system operates. We recommend that you not use seat covers or other
aftermarket equipment except when approved by GM
for your specific vehicle. See
Adding Equipment to Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicleon page 2‑91for more
information about modifications that can affect how the
system operates.
The on indicator may be lit if an object, such as a
briefcase, handbag, grocery bag, laptop or other
electronic device, is put on an unoccupied seat.
If this is not desired remove the object from the seat.
{WARNING:
Stowing of articles under the passenger seat or
between the passenger seat cushion and
seatback may interfere with the proper operation
of the passenger sensing system.
2-90

Section 3 Features and Controls
Keys. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7
Doors and Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9
Power Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Programmable Automatic Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Rear Door Security Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Lockout Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Liftgate/Liftglass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12
Power Liftgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14
Power Assist Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-18
Power Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19
Sun Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20 Theft-Deterrent Systems
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-20
Content Theft-Deterrent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20
PASS-Key
®III+ Electronic Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . 3-22
PASS-Key®III+ Electronic Immobilizer
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-22
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . .3-24
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-25
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
Adjustable Throttle and Brake Pedal . . . . . . . . . . . 3-28
Engine Coolant Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-28
Active Fuel Management™ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29
Automatic Transmission Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-30
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-36
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-37
Shifting Out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-38
Parking Over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-39
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-40
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-41
3-1

Starting and Operating Your
Vehicle
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice:The vehicle does not need an elaborate
break-in. But it will perform better in the long run if
you follow these guidelines:
.Keep your speed at 55 mph (88 km/h) or less
for the first 500 miles (805 km).
.Do not drive at any one constant speed,
fast or slow, for the first 500 miles
(805 km). Do not make full-throttle starts.
Avoid downshifting to brake or slow the
vehicle.
.Avoid making hard stops for the first
200 miles (322 km) or so. During this time
the new brake linings are not yet broken in.
Hard stops with new linings can mean
premature wear and earlier replacement.
Follow this breaking-in guideline every time
you get new brake linings.
.Do not tow a trailer during break-in.
See Towing a Trailer
on page 5‑42for the
trailer towing capabilities of the vehicle and
more information.
Following break‐in, engine speed and load can be
gradually increased.
3-24

Ignition Positions
The ignition switch has
four different positions.
To shift out of P (Park), the ignition must be in ON/RUN
or ACC/ACCESSORY and the regular brake pedal must
be applied. A (LOCK/OFF) :
This position locks the ignition.
It may also lock the steering wheel and automatic
transmission. The key can be removed in LOCK/OFF.
On vehicles with an automatic transmission, the shift
lever must be in P (Park) to turn the ignition switch to
LOCK/OFF.
The steering may bind with the wheels turned off center.
If this happens, move the steering wheel from right to
left while turning the key to ACC/ACCESSORY. If this
doesn't work, then the vehicle needs service.
Notice: Using a tool to force the key to turn in the
ignition could cause damage to the switch or break
the key. Use the correct key, make sure it is all the
way in, and turn it only with your hand. If the key
cannot be turned by hand, see your dealer/retailer.
B (ACC/ACCESSORY) : This position lets things like
the radio and the windshield wipers operate while the
engine is off. Use this position if the vehicle must be
pushed or towed.
3-25

Automatic Transmission Operation
The vehicle has a Hydra-Matic®6L80 automatic
transmission, and has an electronic shift position
indicator within the instrument panel cluster.
The electronic shift position indicator displays when
the shift lever is moved out of P (Park).
There are several different positions for the shift lever.
Light Duty 6‐Speed Automatic Transmission Shown (Heavy Duty 6‐Speed Similar)
See “Range Selection Mode” later in this section.
P (Park) : This position locks your rear wheels. It is the
best position to use when you start the engine because
the vehicle cannot move easily. When parked on a hill, especially when the vehicle has
a heavy load, you may notice an increase in the effort
to shift out of P (Park). See Torque Lock (Automatic
Transmission) under
Shifting Into Park
on page 3‑37for more information.
{WARNING:
It is dangerous to get out of the vehicle if the shift
lever is not fully in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the 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. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when you are on fairly
level ground, always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park). See Shifting Into
Park
on page 3‑37. If you are pulling a trailer,
see Towing a Trailer on page 5‑42.
3-30

R (Reverse) :Use this gear to back up.
Notice: Shifting to R (Reverse) while the vehicle is
moving forward could damage the transmission.
The repairs would not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Shift to R (Reverse) only after the vehicle
is stopped.
To rock the vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice, or sand without damaging the transmission, see If
Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow
on
page 5‑29.
N (Neutral) : In this position, the engine does not
connect with the wheels. To restart the engine when the
vehicle is already moving, use N (Neutral) only. Also,
use N (Neutral) when the vehicle is being towed.
{WARNING:
Shifting into a drive gear while the engine is
running at high speed is dangerous. Unless your
foot is firmly on the brake pedal, the vehicle could
move very rapidly. You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift into a drive gear
while the engine is running at high speed. Notice:
Shifting out of P (Park) or N (Neutral) with
the engine running at high speed may damage the
transmission. The repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Be sure the engine is not
running at high speed when shifting the vehicle.
D (Drive) : This position is for normal driving. It provides
the best fuel economy for the vehicle. If you need more
power for passing, and you are:
.Going less than about 35 mph (55 km/h), push the
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
.Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator all the way down.
D (Drive) 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 a lower gear
selection if the transmission shifts too often.
Downshifting the transmission in slippery road
conditions could result in skidding, see “Skidding”
under Loss of Control on page 5‑11.
3-31