2012 GMC YUKON manual transmission

Black plate (29,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-29
Information Displays
Driver Information
Center (DIC)
Your vehicle has a Driver
Information Center (DIC).
The DIC displays information about
your vehicle. It also displays
warning messages if a system
problem is detected.
All messages will appear in the
DIC display located below the
tachometer in the instrument panel
cluster.
The DIC comes on when the ignition
is on. After a short delay, the DIC
will display the information that was
last displayed before the engine
was turned off.The DIC has different displays
which can be accessed by pressing
the DIC buttons located on the
instrument panel, next to the
steering wheel. If the vehicle does
not have DIC buttons, the trip
odometer reset stem can be used to
access some of the menu items.
The DIC displays trip, fuel, and
vehicle system information, and
warning messages if a system
problem is detected.
The DIC also allows some features
to be customized. See
Vehicle
Personalization (With DIC Buttons)
on page 5‑47 for more information. DIC Buttons
The buttons are the trip/fuel, vehicle
information, customization, and set/
reset buttons. The button functions
are detailed in the following pages.
3(Trip/Fuel):
Press to display
the odometer, trip odometer, fuel
range, average economy, fuel
used, timer, instantaneous
economy and Active Fuel
Management™ indicator, and
transmission temperature.

Black plate (32,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual - 2012
5-32 Instruments and Controls
To stop the timer, press the set/reset
button briefly while TIMER is
displayed.
To reset the timer to zero, press and
hold the set/reset button while
TIMER is displayed.
Transmission Temperature
Press the trip/fuel button until
TRANS TEMP displays. This
display shows the temperature of
the automatic transmission fluid in
either degrees Celsius (°C) or
degrees Fahrenheit (°F).
Instantaneous Economy and
Active Fuel Management™
Indicator
If your vehicle has this display,
press the trip/fuel button until INST
ECON V8 displays. This display
shows the current fuel economy at a
particular moment and will change
frequently as driving conditions
change. This display shows theinstantaneous fuel economy in liters
per 100 kilometers (L/100 km) or
miles per gallon (mpg). Unlike
average economy, this screen
cannot be reset.
An Active Fuel Management
indicator will display on the right
side of the DIC, while INST ECON
displays on the left side. Active Fuel
Management allows the engine to
operate on either four or eight
cylinders, depending on your driving
demands. When Active Fuel
Management is active, V4 will
display on the DIC. When Active
Fuel Management is inactive, V8
will display. See
Active Fuel
Management
®on page 9‑29 for
more information.
Blank Display
This display shows no information.
Vehicle Information Menu
Items (With DIC Buttons)
T(Vehicle Information): Press
to scroll through the following menu
items:
Oil Life
Press the vehicle information button
until OIL LIFE REMAINING
displays. This display shows an
estimate of the oil's remaining useful
life. If you see 99% OIL LIFE
REMAINING on the display, that
means 99% of the current oil life
remains. The engine oil life system
will alert you to change the oil on a
schedule consistent with your
driving conditions.
When the remaining oil life is low,
the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message will appear on the display.
See “CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON”
under Engine Oil Messages on
page 5‑40. You should change the
oil as soon as you can. See Engine
Oil on page 10‑8. In addition to the

Black plate (36,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual - 2012
5-36 Instruments and Controls
The trip odometer can be reset to
zero by pressing and holding the trip
odometer reset stem while the trip
odometer is displayed.
The trip odometer has a feature
called the retroactive reset. This can
be used to set the trip odometer to
the number of kilometers (miles)
driven since the ignition was last
turned on. This can be used if the
trip odometer is not reset at the
beginning of the trip.
To use the retroactive reset feature,
press and hold the trip odometer
reset stem for at least four seconds.
The trip odometer will display the
number of kilometers (km) or
miles (mi) driven since the ignition
was last turned on and the vehicle
was moving. Once the vehicle
begins moving, the trip odometer
will accumulate mileage. For
example, if the vehicle was driven
8 km (5 miles) before it is started
again, and then the retroactive reset
feature is activated, the display will
show 8 km (5 miles). As the vehiclebegins moving, the display will then
increase to 8.2 km (5.1 miles),
8.4 km (5.2 miles), etc.
Transmission Temperature
Press the trip odometer reset stem
until TRANS TEMP displays. This
display shows the temperature of
the automatic transmission fluid in
either degrees Celsius (°C) or
degrees Fahrenheit (°F).
Trailer Gain and Output
On vehicles with the Integrated
Trailer Brake Control (ITBC) system,
the trailer brake display appears in
the DIC. Press the trip odometer
reset stem until TRAILER GAIN and
OUTPUT display.
TRAILER GAIN shows the trailer
gain setting. This setting can be
adjusted from 0.0 to 10.0 with either
a trailer connected or disconnected.
To adjust this setting, see
“Integrated Trailer Brake Control
System”
underTowing Equipment
on page 9‑76 for more information. OUTPUT shows the power output to
the trailer anytime a trailer with
electric brakes is connected. Output
is displayed in 0 to 10 bars. Dashes
may appear in the OUTPUT display.
See
“Integrated Trailer Brake
Control System” underTowing
Equipment on page 9‑76 for more
information.
Speedometer
The speedometer shows how fast
the vehicle is moving in either
kilometers per hour (km/h) or miles
per hour (mph). The speedometer
cannot be reset.
Compass Zone Setting
This display allows for setting the
compass zone. See Compass on
page 5‑6 for more information.
Compass Recalibration
This display allows for calibrating
the compass. See Compass on
page 5‑6 for more information.

Black plate (45,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-45
is re-learning the tire positions on
your vehicle. The tire positions must
be re-learned after rotating the tires
or after replacing a tire or sensor.
SeeTire Inspection on page 10‑62,
Tire Rotation on page 10‑62, Tire
Pressure Monitor System on
page 10‑58, and Tire Pressure on
page 10‑56 for more information.
TIRE LOW ADD AIR TO TIRE
On vehicles with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS), this
message displays when the
pressure in one or more of the
vehicle's tires needs to be checked.
This message also displays LEFT
FRT (left front), RIGHT FRT (right
front), LEFT RR (left rear),
or RIGHT RR (right rear) to indicate
the location of the low tire. The low
tire pressure warning light will also
come on. See Tire Pressure Light
on page 5‑26. You can receive more
than one tire pressure message at a
time. To read the other messages
that may have been sent at the same time, press the set/reset
button or the trip odometer reset
stem. If a tire pressure message
appears on the DIC, stop as soon
as you can. Have the tire pressures
checked and set to those shown on
the Tire Loading Information label.
See
Tires on page 10‑48, Vehicle
Load Limits on page 9‑16, and Tire
Pressure on page 10‑56. The DIC
also shows the tire pressure values.
See “DIC Operation and Displays
(With DIC Buttons)” earlier in this
section.
Transmission Messages
SERVICE 4 WHEEL DRIVE
This message displays if a problem
occurs with the four-wheel-drive
system. If this message appears,
stop as soon as possible and turn
off the vehicle. Make sure the key is
in the LOCK/OFF position for at
least one minute and then restart
the vehicle and check for the
message on the DIC display. If the message is still displayed or
appears again when you begin
driving, the four-wheel-drive system
needs service. See your dealer.
TRANSMISSION HOT IDLE
ENGINE
Notice:
If you drive the vehicle
while the transmission fluid is
overheating and the transmission
temperature warning is displayed
on the instrument panel cluster
and/or DIC, you can damage the
transmission. This could lead to
costly repairs that would not be
covered by the warranty. Do not
drive the vehicle with overheated
transmission fluid or while the
transmission temperature
warning is displayed.
This message displays along with a
sound if the transmission fluid in the
vehicle gets hot. Driving with the
transmission fluid temperature high
can cause damage to the vehicle.
Stop the vehicle and let it idle to
allow the transmission to cool.

Black plate (3,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual - 2012
Lighting 6-3
Headlamp High/
Low-Beam Changer
5 3
(Headlamp High/Low
Beam Changer): To change the
headlamps from low to high beam,
push the lever toward the instrument
panel. To return to low-beam
headlamps, pull the multifunction
lever toward you. Then release it.
When the high beams are on, this
indicator light on the instrument
panel cluster will also be on.
Flash-to-Pass
This feature lets you use the
high-beam headlamps to signal a
driver in front of you that you want
to pass. It works even if the
headlamps are in the automatic
position.
To use it, pull the turn signal lever
toward you, then release it.
If the headlamps are in the
automatic position or on low beam,
the high-beam headlamps will turn
on. They will stay on as long as
you hold the lever toward you.
The high-beam indicator on the
instrument panel cluster will come
on. Release the lever to return to
normal operation.
Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can
make it easier for others to see the
front of your vehicle during the day.
Fully functional daytime running
lamps are required on all vehicles
first sold in Canada.
The DRL system comes on when
the following conditions are met:
.The ignition is on.
.The exterior lamps control is
in AUTO.
.The transmission is not in Park.
.The light sensor determines it is
daytime.
When the DRL system is on,
only the DRL lamps are on. The
taillamps, sidemarker, instrument
panel lights, and other lamps will not
be on.

Black plate (4,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual - 2012
6-4 Lighting
When it begins to get dark, the
automatic headlamp system
switches from DRL to the
headlamps.
To turn off the DRL lamps, turn the
exterior lamps control to the OFF
position and then release. For
vehicles first sold in Canada, the
transmission must be in the P (Park)
position before the DRL lamps can
be turned off.
Automatic Headlamp
System
When it is dark enough outside, the
automatic headlamp system turns
on the headlamps at the normal
brightness, along with the taillamps,
sidemarker, parking lamps, and the
instrument panel lights. The radio
lights will also be dim.To turn off the automatic headlamp
system, turn the exterior lamps
switch to the off position and then
release it. For vehicles first sold in
Canada, the transmission must be
in the P (Park) position before the
automatic headlamp system can be
turned off.
The vehicle has a light sensor
located on the top of the instrument
panel which regulates when the
automatic headlamps turn on. Do
not cover the sensor, otherwise the
headlamps will come on whenever
the ignition is on.The system may also turn on the
headlamps when driving through a
parking garage or heavy overcast
weather. This is normal.
There is a delay in the transition
between the daytime and nighttime
operation of the Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL) and the automatic
headlamp systems so that driving
under bridges or bright overhead
street lights does not affect the
system. The DRL and automatic
headlamp system are only affected
when the light sensor detects a
change in lighting lasting longer
than the delay.

Black plate (1,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-1
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 9-11
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . 9-12
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 9-13
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-13
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 9-15
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-16
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-21
Adjustable Throttle and BrakePedal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22 Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Active Fuel Management
®. . . 9-29
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-31
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive (Two SpeedAutomatic
Transfer Case) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Four-Wheel Drive (Single Speed Automatic
Transfer Case) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-44
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-45
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-45
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . 9-46
Ride Control Systems
StabiliTrak®System . . . . . . . . . 9-46
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-49
Continuous Damping Control (CDC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-50
Automatic Level Control . . . . . 9-50
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51
Object Detection Systems
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 9-53
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-54
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-57
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-61
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . 9-62
Gasoline Specifications (U.S.and Canada Only) . . . . . . . . . . 9-62

Black plate (8,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual - 2012
9-8 Driving and Operating
When driving on hills:
.Use a low gear and keep a firm
grip on the steering wheel.
.Maintain a slow speed.
.When possible, drive straight up
or down the hill.
.Slow down when approaching
the top of the hill.
.Use headlamps even during the
day to make the vehicle more
visible.
{WARNING
Driving to the top of a hill at high
speed can cause an accident.
There could be a drop-off,
embankment, cliff, or even
another vehicle. You could be
seriously injured or killed. As you
near the top of a hill, slow down
and stay alert.
.Never go downhill forward or
backward with either the
transmission or transfer case in
N (Neutral). The brakes could
overheat and you could lose
control.
{WARNING
If the vehicle has the two‐speed
automatic transfer case, shifting
the transfer case to N (Neutral)
can cause your vehicle to roll
even if the transmission is in
P (Park). This is because the
N (Neutral) position on the
transfer case overrides the
transmission. You or someone
else could be injured. If leaving
the vehicle, set the parking brake
and shift the transmission to
P (Park). Shift the transfer case to
any position but N (Neutral).
.When driving down a hill, keep
the vehicle headed straight
down. Use a low gear because
the engine will work with the
brakes to slow the vehicle and
help keep the vehicle under
control.
{WARNING
Heavy braking when going down
a hill can cause your brakes to
overheat and fade. This could
cause loss of control and you or
others could be injured or killed.
Apply the brakes lightly when
descending a hill and use a low
gear to keep vehicle speed under
control.
If the vehicle stalls on a hill:
1. Apply the brakes to stop the vehicle, and then apply the
parking brake.