2013 GMC YUKON ABS

Black plate (42,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd edition - 8/15/12
9-42 Driving and Operating
suddenly slows or stops. Always
leave enough room up ahead to
stop, even with ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold
the brake pedal down firmly and let
ABS work. You might hear the ABS
pump or motor operating and feel
the brake pedal pulsate, but this is
normal.
Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows the driver to steer and
brake at the same time. In many
emergencies, steering can help
more than even the very best
braking.
Parking Brake
Set the parking brake by holding the
regular brake pedal down, then
pushing down the parking brake
pedal.
If the ignition is on, the brake
system warning light will come on.
SeeBrake System Warning Light on
page 5‑21.
Notice: Driving with the parking
brake on can overheat the brake
system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system
parts. Make sure that the parking brake is fully released and the
brake warning light is off before
driving.
To release the parking brake, hold
the regular brake pedal down, then
push down momentarily on the
parking brake pedal until you feel
the pedal release. Slowly pull your
foot up off the parking brake pedal.
If the parking brake is not released
when you begin to drive, the brake
system warning light will flash and a
chime will sound warning you that
the parking brake is still on.
If you are towing a trailer and are
parking on a hill, see
Driving
Characteristics and Towing Tips on
page 9‑63.
Brake Assist
This vehicle has a brake assist
feature designed to assist the driver
in stopping or decreasing vehicle
speed in emergency driving
conditions. This feature uses the
stability system hydraulic brake
control module to supplement the

Black plate (43,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd edition - 8/15/12
Driving and Operating 9-43
power brake system under
conditions where the driver has
quickly and forcefully applied the
brake pedal in an attempt to quickly
stop or slow down the vehicle. The
stability system hydraulic brake
control module increases brake
pressure at each corner of the
vehicle until the ABS activates.
Minor brake pedal pulsation or
pedal movement during this time is
normal and the driver should
continue to apply the brake pedal as
the driving situation dictates. The
brake assist feature will
automatically disengage when the
brake pedal is released or brake
pedal pressure is quickly
decreased.
Hill Start Assist (HSA)
Non‐hybrid vehicles with StabiliTrak
have a Hill Start Assist (HSA)
feature, which may be useful when
the vehicle is stopped on a grade.
This feature is designed to prevent
the vehicle from rolling, either
forward or rearward, during vehicledrive off. After the driver completely
stops and holds the vehicle in a
complete standstill on a grade, HSA
will be automatically activated.
During the transition period between
when the driver releases the brake
pedal and starts to accelerate to
drive off on a grade, HSA holds the
braking pressure for a maximum of
two seconds to ensure that there is
no rolling. The brakes will
automatically release when the
accelerator pedal is applied within
the two‐second window. If the
vehicle is equipped with the
Integrated Trailer Brake Control
(ITBC) system, HSA may also apply
the trailer brakes. It will not activate
if the vehicle is in a drive gear and
facing downhill or if the vehicle is
facing uphill and in R (Reverse).
There may be situations on minor
hills (less than 5% grade) with a
loaded vehicle or while pulling a
trailer where HSA will not activate.
Ride Control Systems
StabiliTrak®System
The vehicle has a vehicle stability
enhancement system called
StabiliTrak. It is an advanced
computer-controlled system that
assists the driver with directional
control of the vehicle in difficult
driving conditions.
StabiliTrak activates when the
computer senses a discrepancy
between the intended path and the
direction the vehicle is actually
traveling. StabiliTrak selectively
applies braking pressure at any one
of the vehicle's brakes to assist the
driver with keeping the vehicle on
the intended path.
StabiliTrak is on automatically
whenever the vehicle is started. To
assist with directional control of the
vehicle, the system should always
be left on. Trailer Sway Control
(TSC) is also on automatically when

Black plate (45,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd edition - 8/15/12
Driving and Operating 9-45
the appropriate DIC message
displays. This will also disable the
TSC feature.
Traction control and StabiliTrak can
be turned on by pressing and
releasing the TCS/StabiliTrak button
if they are not automatically shut off
for any other reason. This will also
enable the TSC feature.
When the TCS or StabiliTrak system
is turned off, the StabiliTrak light
and the appropriate message will be
displayed on the DIC to warn the
driver. The vehicle will still have
brake-traction control when traction
control is off, but will not be able to
use the engine speed management
system. See“Traction Control
Operation” next for more
information.
When the TCS has been turned off,
system noises may still be heard as
a result of the brake-traction control
coming on.
It is recommended to leave the
system on for normal driving
conditions, but it may be necessary to turn the system off if the vehicle
is stuck in sand, mud, ice or snow,
and you want to
“rock”the vehicle to
attempt to free it. It may also be
necessary to turn off the system
when driving in extreme off-road
conditions where high wheel spin is
required. See If the Vehicle Is Stuck
on page 9‑15.
When the transfer case is in 4LO,
the stability system is automatically
disabled, the StabiliTrak light comes
on, and the appropriate message
will appear on the DIC. Both traction
control and StabiliTrak are
automatically disabled in this
condition.
Traction Control Operation
The TCS is part of the StabiliTrak
system. Traction control limits wheel
spin by reducing engine power to
the wheels (engine speed
management) and by applying
brakes to each individual wheel
(brake-traction control) as
necessary. The TCS is enabled automatically
when the vehicle is started. It will
activate and the StabiliTrak light will
flash if it senses that any of the
wheels are spinning or beginning to
lose traction while driving. If traction
control is turned off, only the
brake-traction control portion of
traction control will work. The
engine speed management will be
disabled. In this mode, engine
power is not reduced automatically
and the driven wheels can spin
more freely. This can cause the
brake-traction control to activate
constantly.
Notice:
If the wheel(s) of one axle
is allowed to spin excessively
while the StabiliTrak
®, ABS, brake
warning lights, and any relevant
DIC messages are displayed, the
transfer case could be damaged.
The repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Reduce
engine power and do not spin the
wheel(s) excessively while these
lights and messages are
displayed.

Black plate (46,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd edition - 8/15/12
9-46 Driving and Operating
The TCS may activate on dry or
rough roads or under conditions
such as heavy acceleration while
turning or abrupt upshifts/downshifts
of the transmission. When this
happens, a reduction in acceleration
may be noticed, or a noise or
vibration may be heard. This is
normal.
If cruise control is being used when
the system activates, the StabiliTrak
light will flash and cruise control will
automatically disengage. Cruise
control may be reengaged when
road conditions allow. SeeCruise
Control on page 9‑47.
StabiliTrak may also turn off
automatically if it determines that a
problem exists with the system.
If the problem does not clear itself
after restarting the vehicle, see your
dealer for service.
Non-hybrid vehicles with StabiliTrak
have a Trailer Sway Control (TSC)
feature. See Trailer Sway Control
(TSC) on page 9‑80. Non-hybrid vehicles with StabiliTrak
have a Hill Start Assist (HSA)
feature. See
Hill Start Assist (HSA)
on page 9‑43.
Adding non-dealer accessories can
affect the vehicle's performance.
See Accessories and Modifications
on page 10‑3.
Locking Rear Axle
Vehicles with a locking rear axle can
give more traction on snow, mud,
ice, sand, or gravel. It works like a
standard axle most of the time, but
when traction is low, this feature will
allow the rear wheel with the most
traction to move the vehicle.
Continuous Damping
Control (CDC)
This vehicle may have a continuous
damping control system called
Autoride
®or MagneRide™. With
this feature, improved vehicle ride
and handling is provided under a
variety of passenger and loading
conditions. Autoride and MagneRide are fully
automatic and use a computer
controller to continuously monitor
vehicle speed, wheel to body
position, lift/dive and steering
position of the vehicle. The
controller then sends signals to
each shock absorber to
independently adjust the damping
level to provide the optimum
vehicle ride.
Autoride and MagneRide also
interact with the tow/haul mode that,
when activated, will provide
additional control of the shock
absorbers. This additional control
results in better ride and handling
characteristics when the vehicle is
loaded or towing a trailer. See
“Tow/
Haul Mode” underTrailer Towing on
page 9‑66.

Black plate (65,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd edition - 8/15/12
Driving and Operating 9-65
The Tow/Haul Mode may be used if
the transmission shifts too often.
SeeTow/Haul Mode on page 9‑33.
When towing at high altitude on
steep uphill grades, consider the
following: Engine coolant will boil at
a lower temperature than at normal
altitudes. If the engine is turned off
immediately after towing at high
altitude on steep uphill grades, the
vehicle may show signs similar to
engine overheating. To avoid this,
let the engine run while parked,
preferably on level ground, with the
automatic transmission in P (Park)
for a few minutes before turning the
engine off. If the overheat warning
comes on, see Engine Overheating
on page 10‑18.Parking on Hills
{WARNING
Parking the vehicle on a hill with
the trailer attached can be
dangerous. If something goes
wrong, the rig could start to move.
People can be injured, and both
the vehicle and the trailer can be
damaged. When possible, always
park the rig on a flat surface.
If parking the rig on a hill:
1. Press the brake pedal, but do not shift into P (Park) yet. Turn
the wheels into the curb if facing
downhill or into traffic if facing
uphill.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the regular brakes
until the chocks absorb the load. 4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then
apply the parking brake and shift
into P (Park).
5. Release the brake pedal.Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine.
3. Shift into a gear.
4. Release the parking brake.
5. Let up on the brake pedal.
6. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
7. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance when Trailer
Towing
The vehicle needs service more
often when pulling a trailer. See
Maintenance Schedule on
page 11‑2. Things that are
especially important in trailer
operation are automatic
transmission fluid, engine oil, axle

Black plate (1,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd edition - 8/15/12
INDEX i-1
A
Accessories andModifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Accessory Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Active Fuel Management
®. . . . . 9-28
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-80
Adding a Snow Plow or Similar Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-81
Additional Information OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5
Adjustable Throttle and Brake Pedal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
Adjustments Lumbar, Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine . . . . . 10-13
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-13
Airbag System
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-42
How Does an AirbagRestrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-36
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34 Airbag System (cont'd)
What Will You See after an
Airbag Inflates? . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-35
When Should an Airbag
Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-32
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . 3-30
Airbags Adding Equipment to theVehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-41
Passenger Status Indicator . . . 5-17
Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Servicing Airbag-Equipped Vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-40
System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-28
Alarm Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10
Antenna Rear Side Window . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-15
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-16
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Appearance Care Exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-90
Interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-93
Armrest Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2 Assistance Program,
Roadside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-7, 13-11
Audio Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-16 CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-16
CD/DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-21
Audio System Radio Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-14
Rear Seat (RSA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-46
Theft-Deterrent Feature . . . . . . . . 7-2
Automatic Dimming Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Level Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-47
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . 10-10
Automatic Transmission Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Shift Lock ControlFunction Check . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Auxiliary
Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-31
Roof Mounted Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Axle, Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Axle, Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27

Black plate (6,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd edition - 8/15/12
i-6 INDEX
Heated Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18
HeaterEngine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Heating and Air Conditioning . . . 8-1
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-12
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . 9-12
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . 9-43
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19
I
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Ignition Transmission LockCheck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Infants and Young Children,
Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-45
Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Instrument Panel Overview . . . . . 1-2
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
J
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-79
K
Key and Lock Messages . . . . . . . 5-39
Keyless Entry Remote (RKE) System . . . . . . . . 2-3
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
L
Labeling, Tire Sidewall . . . . . . . . 10-43
Lamps Auxiliary RoofMounted Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Daytime Running (DRL) . . . . . . . 6-3
Dome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Exterior Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lamps Off
Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
License Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Malfunction Indicator . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-39
Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Lap Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20 LATCH System
Replacing Parts after a
Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-58
LATCH, Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . . 3-51
Level Control Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-47
Liftgate Carbon Monoxide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Lighting Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Exit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Illumination Control . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Lights Airbag Readiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Antilock Brake System(ABS) Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Brake System Warning . . . . . . . 5-21
Charging System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Engine Oil Pressure . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Front Fog Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
High-Beam On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . . 6-2
Low Fuel Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24