Page 418 of 518

Black plate (62,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual - 2012
10-62 Vehicle Care
9. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
10. Set all four tires to therecommended air pressure
level as indicated on the Tire
and Loading Information label.
Tire Inspection
We recommend that the tires,
including the spare tire, if the
vehicle has one, be inspected
for signs of wear or damage at
least once a month.
Replace the tire if:
.The indicators at three or
more places around the tire
can be seen.
.There is cord or fabric
showing through the tire's
rubber.
.The tread or sidewall is
cracked, cut, or snagged
deep enough to show cord or
fabric.
.The tire has a bump, bulge,
or split.
.The tire has a puncture, cut,
or other damage that cannot
be repaired well because of
the size or location of the
damage.
Tire Rotation
Tires should be rotated every
12 000 km (7,500 mi). See
Maintenance Schedule on
page 11‑3.
Tires are rotated to achieve a
uniform wear for all tires. The
first rotation is the most
important. Any time unusual wear is
noticed, rotate the tires as soon
as possible and check the wheel
alignment. Also check for
damaged tires or wheels. See
When It Is Time for New Tires
on page 10‑63
andWheel
Replacement on page 10‑68.
Use this rotation pattern when
rotating the tires.
Do not include the spare tire in
the tire rotation.
Page 420 of 518

Black plate (64,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual - 2012
10-64 Vehicle Care
SeeTire Inspection on page 10‑62
and Tire Rotation on page 10‑62 for
additional information.
The rubber in tires ages over time.
This also applies to the spare tire,
if the vehicle has one, even if it is
never used. Multiple conditions
including temperatures, loading
conditions, and inflation pressure
maintenance affect how fast aging
takes place. Tires will typically
need to be replaced due to wear
before they may need to be
replaced due to age. Consult the
tire manufacturer for more
information on when tires
should be replaced.
Vehicle Storage
Tires age when stored normally
mounted on a parked vehicle. Park
a vehicle that will be stored for at
least a month in a cool, dry, clean
area away from direct sunlight to
slow aging. This area should be
free of grease, gasoline or other
substances that can deteriorate
rubber. Parking for an extended period can
cause flat spots on the tires that
may result in vibrations while
driving. When storing a vehicle for
at least a month, remove the tires or
raise the vehicle to reduce the
weight from the tires.
Buying New Tires
GM has developed and matched
specific tires for the vehicle. The
original equipment tires installed
were designed to meet General
Motors Tire Performance Criteria
Specification (TPC Spec) system
rating. When replacement tires are
needed, GM strongly recommends
buying tires with the same TPC
Spec rating.
GM's exclusive TPC Spec system
considers over a dozen critical
specifications that impact the
overall performance of the vehicle,
including brake system
performance, ride and handling,
traction control, and tire pressure
monitoring performance. GM's TPC
Spec number is molded onto the
tire's sidewall near the tire size.
If the tires have an all‐season tread
design, the TPC Spec number will
be followed by MS for mud and
snow. See
Tire Sidewall Labeling on
page 10‑50 for additional
information.
GM recommends replacing all the
tires at the same time. Uniform
tread depth on all tires will help to
maintain the performance of the
vehicle. Braking and handling
performance may be adversely
affected if all the tires are not
replaced at the same time. See Tire
Inspection on page 10‑62 andTire
Rotation on page 10‑62 for
information on proper tire rotation.
Page 421 of 518

Black plate (65,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-65
{WARNING
Tires could explode during
improper service. Attempting
to mount or dismount a tire
could cause injury or death.
Only your dealer or authorized
tire service center should
mount or dismount the tires.
{WARNING
Mixing tires of different sizes,
brands, or types may cause loss
of control of the vehicle, resulting
in a crash or other vehicle
damage. Use the correct size,
brand, and type of tires on all
wheels. (Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
This vehicle may have a different
size spare than the road tires
originally installed on the vehicle.
When new, the vehicle included a
spare tire and wheel assembly
with a similar overall diameter as
the road tires and wheels, so it is
all right to drive on it. The spare
tire was developed for use on this
vehicle and will not affect vehicle
handling.
{WARNING
Using bias-ply tires on the
vehicle may cause the wheel
rim flanges to develop cracks
after many miles of driving.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
A tire and/or wheel could fail
suddenly and cause a crash.
Use only radial-ply tires with
the wheels on the vehicle.
If the vehicle tires must be replaced
with a tire that does not have a TPC
Spec number, make sure they are
the same size, load range, speed
rating, and construction (radial) as
the original tires.
Vehicles that have a tire pressure
monitoring system could give an
inaccurate low‐pressure warning
if non‐TPC Spec rated tires are
installed. See Tire Pressure Monitor
System on page 10‑58.
Page 423 of 518

Black plate (67,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-67
The Uniform Tire Quality
Grading (UTQG) system does
not apply to deep tread,
winter-type snow tires,
space-saver, or temporary use
spare tires, tires with nominal
rim diameters of 10 to 12 inches
(25 to 30 cm), or to some
limited-production tires.
While the tires available on
General Motors passenger cars
and light trucks may vary with
respect to these grades, they
must also conform to federal
safety requirements and
additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC)
standards.
All Passenger Car Tires Must
Conform to Federal Safety
Requirements In Addition To
These Grades.Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a
comparative rating based on the
wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a
specified government test
course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and
a half (1½) times as well on the
government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of
their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in
driving habits, service practices
and differences in road
characteristics and climate.
Traction
–AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from
highest to lowest, are AA, A, B,
and C. Those grades represent
the tire's ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under
controlled conditions on
specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and
concrete. A tire marked C may
have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on
straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include
acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.
Page 428 of 518

Black plate (72,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual - 2012
10-72 Vehicle Care
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire
and wheel damage by driving slowly
to a level place, well off the road,
if possible. Turn on the hazard
warning flashers. SeeHazard
Warning Flashers on page 6‑5.
{WARNING
Changing a tire can be
dangerous. The vehicle can slip
off the jack and roll over or fall
causing injury or death. Find a
level place to change the tire. To
help prevent the vehicle from
moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put the shift lever in P (Park).
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
3. For vehicles withfour-wheel-drive with a
N (Neutral) transfer case
position, be sure the
transfer case is in a drive
gear —not in N (Neutral).
4. Turn off the engine and do not restart while the vehicle
is raised.
5. Do not allow passengers to remain in the vehicle.
6. Place wheel blocks on both sides of the tire at the
opposite corner of the tire
being changed.
When the vehicle has a flat tire (B),
use the following example as a
guide to assist in the placement of
the wheel blocks (A).
A. Wheel Block
B. Flat Tire
The following information explains
how to use the jack and change
a tire.
Tire Changing
Removing the Spare Tire
and Tools
The equipment needed to change a
flat tire is stored under the storage
tray, located on the driver side trim
panel, over the rear wheelhouse.
Page 430 of 518
Black plate (74,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual - 2012
10-74 Vehicle Care
To access the spare tire, refer to the
following graphics and instructions:
A. Hoist Assembly
B. Hoist Shaft
C. Hoist Shaft Access Cover/Hole
D. Jack Handle Extensions
E. Wheel Wrench
F. Hoist Cable
G. Tire/Wheel Retainer
H. Spare Tire (Valve StemPointed Down)
I. Hoist Shaft Access Hole J. Hoist End of Extension Tool
K. Spare Tire Lock
1. Open the hoist shaft access
door (C) on the bumper to
access the spare tire lock (K).
2. To remove the spare tire lock, insert the ignition key, turn it
clockwise and then pull it
straight out.
3. Assemble the two jack handleextensions (D) and wheel
wrench (E), as shown.
4. Insert the open end of theextension (J) through the hole in
the rear bumper (I) (hoist shaft
access hole).
Be sure the hoist end (J) of the
extension connects to the hoist
shaft. The ribbed square end of
the extension is used to lower
the spare tire.
Page 431 of 518
Black plate (75,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-75
5. Turn the wheel wrenchcounterclockwise to lower the
spare tire to the ground.
Continue to turn the wheel
wrench until the spare tire can
be pulled out from under the
vehicle.
If the spare tire does not lower to
the ground, the secondary latch
is engaged causing the tire not
to lower. See Secondary Latch
System on page 10‑84 for more
information.
6. Use the wheel wrench hook to
pull the hoist cable closer to
assist in reaching the spare tire.
7. Tilt the tire toward the vehiclewith some slack in the cable to
access the tire/wheel retainer.
Separate the retainer from the
guide pin by sliding the retainer
up the pin while pressing down
on the latch.
Page 432 of 518
Black plate (76,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual - 2012
10-76 Vehicle Care
Once the retainer is separated
from the guide pin, tilt the
retainer and pull it through the
center of the wheel along with
the cable and latch.
8. Put the spare tire near the flat tire.
Removing the Flat Tire and
Installing the Spare Tire
1. Do a safety check beforeproceeding. See If a Tire Goes
Flat on page 10‑71 for more
information.
2. If the vehicle has a center cap that covers the wheel fasteners,
place the chisel end of the wheel
wrench in the slot on the wheel
and gently pry the cap out. If the wheel has a bolt-on hub
cap, loosen the plastic nut caps
by turning the wheel wrench
counterclockwise. The plastic
nut caps will be retained in the
hub cap after it is removed from
the wheel.3. Use the wheel wrench to loosen
all the wheel nuts. Turn the
wheel wrench counterclockwise
to loosen the wheel nuts. Do not
remove the wheel nuts yet.