2011 GMC YUKON engine

Black plate (6,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual - 2011
8-6 Climate Controls
If a temperature setting
of 32°C (90°F) is chosen, the
system remains at the maximum
heat setting. Choosing either
maximum setting will not cause
the vehicle to heat or cool any
faster.
Do not to cover the solar sensor
located on the top of the instrument
panel near the windshield. This
sensor regulates air temperature
based on sun load and also turns
on the headlamps. For more
information on the solar sensor,
see “Sensors” later in this section.
To avoid blowing cold air in cold
weather, the system will delay
turning on the fan until warm air
is available. The length of delay
depends on the engine coolant
temperature. Pressing the fan
switch will override this delay and
change the fan to a selected speed.Manual Operation
D C(Fan Control): Press these
buttons to increase or decrease the
fan speed.
Pressing either fan button while in
automatic control places the fan
under manual control. The fan
setting remains displayed and
the AUTO light turns off. The air
delivery mode remains under
automatic control.
H G(Air Delivery Mode Control):
Press these buttons to change the
direction of the airflow in the vehicle.
Repeatedly press either button until
the desired mode appears on the
display. Pressing either mode button
while the system is off changes the
air delivery mode without turning the
system on. Pressing either mode
button while in automatic control
places the mode under manual
control. The air delivery mode setting is
displayed and the AUTO light
turns off. The fan remains under
automatic control.
H(Vent):
Air is directed to the
instrument panel outlets.
)(Bi-Level): Air is divided
between the instrument panel and
floor outlets. Some air is directed
towards the windshield and side
window outlets.
6(Floor): Air is directed to the
floor outlets, with some to the
windshield, side window outlets,
and second row floor outlets. In this
mode, the system automatically
selects outside air.

Black plate (7,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual - 2011
Climate Controls 8-7
-(Defog):This mode clears the
windows of fog or moisture. Air is
directed to the windshield, floor
outlets, and side window vents.
In this mode, the system turns
off recirculation and runs the air
conditioning compressor unless
the outside temperature is close to
freezing. The recirculation mode
cannot be selected while in the
defog mode.
0(Defrost): This mode removes
fog or frost from the windshield
more quickly. Air is directed to the
windshield and side window vents,
with some directed to the floor
vents. In this mode, the system
automatically forces outside air
into the vehicle and runs the air
conditioning compressor unless
the outside temperature is close to
freezing. The recirculation mode
cannot be selected while in the
defrost mode. The passenger temperature
control cannot be activated while in
defrost mode. If the PASS button is
pressed, the button indicator flashes
three times and will not work. If the
passenger temperature buttons are
adjusted, the driver temperature
indicator changes. The passenger
temperature will not be displayed.
If vent, bi-level, or floor mode is
selected again, the climate control
system displays the previous
temperature settings.
Do not drive the vehicle until all the
windows are clear.
#(Air Conditioning):
Press
to turn the air conditioning (A/C)
compressor on and off. An indicator
light comes on to show that the air
conditioning is on. If this button is pressed when the
air conditioning compressor is
unavailable, the indicator flashes
three times and then turns off. If
the air conditioning is on and the
outside temperature drops below a
temperature which is too cool for air
conditioning to be effective, the air
conditioning light turns off to show
that the air conditioning mode has
been canceled.
On hot days, open the windows long
enough to let hot inside air escape.
This helps to reduce the time it
takes for the vehicle to cool down.
It also helps the system to operate
more efficiently.
The air conditioning system
removes moisture from the air, so
a small amount of water might drip
under the vehicle while idling or
after turning off the engine. This is
normal.

Black plate (8,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual - 2011
8-8 Climate Controls
@(Recirculation):Press to turn
the recirculation mode on or off. An
indicator light comes on to show
that the recirculation is on.
This mode recirculates and helps
to quickly cool the air inside the
vehicle. It can be used to help
prevent outside air and odors from
entering the vehicle.
The recirculation mode cannot
be used with floor, defog, or
defrost modes. If recirculation
is selected with one of those
modes, the indicator light flashes
three times and then turns off. The
air conditioning compressor also
comes on when this mode is
activated. While in recirculation
mode the windows may fog when
the weather is cold and damp. To clear the fog, select either the
defog or defrost mode and increase
the fan speed.
The recirculation mode can also be
turned off by turning off the ignition.
REAR:
For vehicles with the rear
heat and air conditioning controls.
Press to turn the rear climate control
system on or off. See Rear Climate
Control System (Rear Climate
Control Only) on page 8‑10 orRear
Climate Control System (Rear
Climate with Rear Seat Audio) on
page 8‑11.
Rear Window Defogger
The rear window defogger uses a
warming grid to remove fog from the
rear window.
<(Rear Window Defogger):
Press to turn the rear window
defogger on or off. It automatically
turns off several minutes after it has
been activated. The defogger can
also be turned off by turning off the
engine. Do not drive the vehicle until
all the windows are clear.
Notice: Do not use a razor blade
or sharp object to clear the inside
rear window. Do not adhere
anything to the defogger grid
lines in the rear glass. These
actions may damage the rear
defogger. Repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
Heated Mirrors: Press
clear fog or frost from the surface
of the outside mirror. See Power
Mirrors on page 2‑18.

Black plate (1,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-1
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . 9-18
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 9-19
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . 9-22
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-28
Adjustable Throttle and BrakePedal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29 Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Shifting Out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Parking Over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Active Fuel Management
®. . . 9-35
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-37
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive (Two SpeedAutomatic
Transfer Case) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-43
Four-Wheel Drive (Single Speed Automatic
Transfer Case) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-48
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-50
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-52
Ride Control Systems
StabiliTrak®System . . . . . . . . . 9-52
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-55
Continuous Damping Control (CDC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-55
Automatic Level Control . . . . . 9-55
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-56
Object Detection Systems
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 9-58
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-60
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-63

Black plate (4,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual - 2011
9-4 Driving and Operating
Braking
SeeBrake System Warning Light on
page 5‑23.
Braking action involves perception
time and reaction time. Deciding
to push the brake pedal is
perception time. Actually doing
it is reaction time.
Average reaction time is about
three‐fourths of a second. But
that is only an average. It might be
less with one driver and as long as
two or three seconds or more with
another. Age, physical condition,
alertness, coordination, and
eyesight all play a part. So do
alcohol, drugs, and frustration.
But even in three‐fourths of
a second, a vehicle moving at
100 km/h (60 mph) travels 20 m
(66 ft). That could be a lot of
distance in an emergency, so
keeping enough space between the
vehicle and others is important. And, of course, actual stopping
distances vary greatly with the
surface of the road, whether it is
pavement or gravel; the condition
of the road, whether it is wet, dry,
or icy; tire tread; the condition of the
brakes; the weight of the vehicle;
and the amount of brake force
applied.
Avoid needless heavy
braking. Some people drive in
spurts
—heavy acceleration
followed by heavy braking —rather
than keeping pace with traffic. This
is a mistake. The brakes might not
have time to cool between hard
stops. The brakes will wear out
much faster with a lot of heavy
braking. Keeping pace with the
traffic and allowing realistic
following distances eliminates
a lot of unnecessary braking.
That means better braking and
longer brake life. If the engine ever stops while the
vehicle is being driven, brake
normally but do not pump the
brakes. If the brakes are pumped,
the pedal could get harder to push
down. If the engine stops, there will
still be some power brake assist but
it will be used when the brake is
applied. Once the power assist is
used up, it can take longer to stop
and the brake pedal will be harder
to push.
Adding non‐dealer accessories can
affect vehicle performance. See
Accessories and Modifications on
page 10‑3.

Black plate (5,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-5
Steering
Power Steering
If the vehicle is a hybrid, see
the hybrid supplement for more
information.
If power steering assist is lost
because the engine stops or the
power steering system is not
functioning, the vehicle can be
steered but it will take more effort.
Steering Tips
It is important to take curves at a
reasonable speed.
Traction in a curve depends on the
condition of the tires and the road
surface, the angle at which the
curve is banked, and vehicle speed.
While in a curve, speed is the one
factor that can be controlled.
If there is a need to reduce speed,
do it before entering the curve, while
the front wheels are straight.Try to adjust the speed so you can
drive through the curve. Maintain a
reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate until out of the curve,
and then accelerate gently into the
straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can
be more effective than braking. For
example, you come over a hill and
find a truck stopped in your lane,
or a car suddenly pulls out from
nowhere, or a child darts out from
between parked cars and stops right
in front of you. These problems can
be avoided by braking
—if you can
stop in time. But sometimes you
cannot stop in time because there
is no room. That is the time for
evasive action —steering around
the problem.
The vehicle can perform very well
in emergencies like these. First,
apply the brakes. See Braking on
page 9‑4. It is better to remove
as much speed as possible from a collision. Then steer around
the problem, to the left or right
depending on the space available.
An emergency like this requires
close attention and a quick decision.
If holding the steering wheel at the
recommended 9 and 3 o'clock
positions, it can be turned a full
180 degrees very quickly without
removing either hand. But you have
to act fast, steer quickly, and just as
quickly straighten the wheel once
you have avoided the object.

Black plate (8,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual - 2011
9-8 Driving and Operating
Before You Go Off-Roading
.Have all necessary maintenance
and service work done.
.Make sure there is enough fuel,
that fluid levels are where they
should be, and that the spare
tire, if the vehicle has one, is
fully inflated.
.Be sure to read all the
information about
four-wheel-drive vehicles
in this manual.
.Make sure all underbody
shields, if the vehicle has them,
are properly attached.
.Know the local laws that apply
to off-roading where you will
be driving or check with law
enforcement people in the area.
.Be sure to get the necessary
permission if you will be on
private land.If you think you will need some
more ground clearance at the front
of your vehicle, you can remove the
front fascia lower air dam. The air
dam is held in place by two bolts
and 10 snaps accessible from
underneath the front fascia.
To remove the air dam:
1. Remove the two outboard air
dam bolts.
2. With a flat‐blade tool, disengage the snaps.
3. After the bolts are removed and the snaps are disengaged, push
forward on the air dam until it
is free.
Notice: Operating your vehicle
for extended periods without
the front fascia lower air dam
installed can cause improper air
flow to the engine. Always be
sure to replace the front fascia
air dam when you are finished
off-road driving. After off-roading, be sure to reinstall
the air dam:
1. Line up the snaps and push the
air dam rearward to engage the
snaps.
2. Install the two outboard bolts.
Loading Your Vehicle for
Off-Road Driving
{WARNING
.Cargo on the load floor piled
higher than the seatbacks
can be thrown forward during
a sudden stop. You or your
passengers could be injured.
Keep cargo below the top of
the seatbacks.
.Unsecured cargo on the
load floor can be tossed
about when driving over
rough terrain. You or your
passengers can be struck
by flying objects. Secure the
cargo properly. (Continued)

Black plate (10,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual - 2011
9-10 Driving and Operating
For vehicles with a winch, be sure
to read the winch instructions. In a
remote area, a winch can be handy
if you get stuck but you will want to
know how to use it properly.
Getting Familiar with Off-Road
Driving
It is a good idea to practice in an
area that is safe and close to home
before you go into the wilderness.
Off-roading requires some new and
different skills.
Tune your senses to different kinds
of signals. Your eyes need to
constantly sweep the terrain for
unexpected obstacles. Your ears
need to listen for unusual tire or
engine sounds. Use your arms,
hands, feet, and body to respond
to vibrations and vehicle bounce.Controlling the vehicle is the key to
successful off-road driving. One of
the best ways to control the vehicle
is to control the speed. At higher
speeds:
.You approach things faster and
have less time to react.
.There is less time to scan the
terrain for obstacles.
.The vehicle has more bounce
when driving over obstacles.
.More braking distance is
needed, especially on an
unpaved surface.
{WARNING
When you are driving off-road,
bouncing and quick changes in
direction can easily throw you
out of position. This could cause
you to lose control and crash.
So, whether you are driving on
or off the road, you and your
passengers should wear safety
belts.
Scanning the Terrain
Off-road driving can take you over
many different kinds of terrain. Be
familiar with the terrain and its many
different features.
Surface Conditions:
Off-roading
surfaces can be hard-packed dirt,
gravel, rocks, grass, sand, mud,
snow, or ice. Each of these surfaces
affects the vehicle's steering,
acceleration, and braking in different
ways. Depending on the surface,
slipping, sliding, wheel spinning,
delayed acceleration, poor traction,
and longer braking distances can
occur.
Surface Obstacles: Unseen or
hidden obstacles can be hazardous.
A rock, log, hole, rut, or bump can
startle you if you are not prepared
for them. Often these obstacles are
hidden by grass, bushes, snow,
or even the rise and fall of the
terrain itself.