2014 GMC YUKON automatic transmission

Black plate (32,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
6081505) - 2014 - crc - 4/23/13
9-32 Driving and Operating
Notice:Spinning the tires or
holding the vehicle in one place
on a hill using only the
accelerator pedal may damage
the transmission. The repair will
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. If you are stuck, do not
spin the tires. When stopping on
a hill, use the brakes to hold the
vehicle in place.
Low Traction Mode
If the vehicle has the Hydra-Matic®
6-Speed Automatic Transmission
with the 6.0L engine, it has a Low
Traction Mode that assists in vehicle
acceleration when road conditions
are slippery, such as with ice or
snow. While the vehicle is at a stop,
select the second gear range using
Range Selection Mode. This will
limit torque to the wheels helping to
prevent the tires from spinning.
Tow/Haul Mode
The vehicle has a Tow/Haul Mode.
The selector button is located on the
end of the column shift lever. You
can use this feature to assist when
driving down steep hills or mountain
grades, towing, or hauling a heavy
load, or if there is a need to charge
a battery installed in a trailer. See
Towing Equipment on page 9-67
and Hill and Mountain Roads on
page 9-11 for more information.
When Tow/Haul Mode is selected
the tow/haul indicator light will come
on. SeeTow/Haul Mode Light on
page 5-22.
The Tow/Haul Mode works with the
Autoride
®feature, if the vehicle has
this, to enhance the ride when
trailering or with a loaded vehicle.
See Continuous Damping Control
(CDC) on page 9-44.
Tow/Haul Mode Grade Braking
(6-Speed Automatic
Transmission)
Tow/Haul Mode Grade Braking is
only enabled while the Tow/Haul
Mode is selected and the vehicle is
not in the Range Selection Mode.
See “Tow/Haul Mode” listed
previously and Manual Mode on
page 9-31. Tow/Haul Mode Grade
Braking assists in maintaining
desired vehicle speeds when driving
on downhill grades by using the
engine and transmission to slow the
vehicle.

Black plate (33,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
6081505) - 2014 - crc - 4/23/13
Driving and Operating 9-33
To disable or enable Tow/Haul
Grade Braking within the current
ignition key cycle, press and hold
the Tow/Haul button for
three seconds. A DIC message will
be displayed. SeeTransmission
Messages on page 5-42.
See Towing Equipment on
page 9-67 for more information.
For other forms of grade braking,
see Automatic Transmission on
page 9-28 andCruise Control on
page 9-46.Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive (Two
Speed Automatic
Transfer Case)
If the vehicle has four-wheel drive,
you can send the engine's driving
power to all four wheels for extra
traction. Read the following before
using four-wheel drive.
Notice: Driving on clean, dry
pavement in Four-Wheel Drive
High or Four-Wheel Drive Low for
an extended period of time may
cause premature wear on the
vehicle's powertrain. Do not drive
on clean, dry pavement in
Four-Wheel Drive High or
Four-Wheel Drive Low for
extended periods of time.
While driving on clean dry pavement
and during tight turns, you may
experience a vibration in the
steering system. The vehicle has StabiliTrak
®.
Shifting into Four-Wheel Drive Low
will turn Traction Control and
StabiliTrak off. See StabiliTrak
®
System on page 9-42.
Front Axle
The front axle engages and
disengages automatically when you
shift the transfer case. Some delay
for the axle to engage or disengage
is normal.
Automatic Transfer Case

Black plate (34,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
6081505) - 2014 - crc - 4/23/13
9-34 Driving and Operating
The transfer case knob is located to
the left of the instrument panel
cluster.
Use this dial to shift into and out of
four-wheel drive.
You can choose among five driving
settings:
Indicator lights in the switches show
you which setting you are in. The
indicator lights will come on briefly
when you turn on the ignition and
the last chosen setting will stay on.
If the lights do not come on, you
should take the vehicle to your
dealer for service. An indicator light
will flash while shifting. It will stay on
when the shift is completed. If for
some reason the transfer case
cannot make a requested shift, it will
return to the last chosen setting.
2
m(Two-Wheel Drive High):This
setting is used for driving in most
street and highway situations. The
front axle is not engaged in
two-wheel drive. This setting also
provides the best fuel economy. AUTO (Automatic Four-Wheel
Drive):
This setting is ideal for use
when road surface traction
conditions are variable. When
driving the vehicle in AUTO, the
front axle is engaged, and the
vehicle's power is sent to the front
and rear wheels automatically
based on driving conditions. Driving
in this mode results in slightly lower
fuel economy than Two-Wheel
Drive High.
4
m(Four-Wheel Drive High): Use
the Four-Wheel Drive High position
when you need extra traction, such
as on snowy or icy roads or in most
off-road situations. This setting also
engages your front axle to help
drive the vehicle. This is the best
setting to use when plowing snow.
4
n(Four-Wheel Drive Low): This
setting also engages the front axle
and delivers extra torque. You may
never need this setting. It sends
maximum power to all four wheels.
You might choose Four-Wheel Drive
Low if you are driving off-road in deep sand, deep mud, deep snow,
and while climbing or descending
steep hills.
The vehicle has StabiliTrak. Shifting
into Four-Wheel Drive Low will turn
Traction Control and StabiliTrak off.
See
StabiliTrak
®System on
page 9-42.
{Warning
Shifting the transfer case to
N (Neutral) can cause the vehicle
to roll even if the transmission is
in P (Park). You or someone else
could be seriously injured. Be
sure to set the parking brake
before placing the transfer case in
N (Neutral). See Parking Brake on
page 9-40.
N (Neutral): Shift the vehicle's
transfer case to N (Neutral) only
when towing the vehicle. See
Recreational Vehicle Towing on
page 10-81 orTowing the Vehicle
on page 10-80 for more information.

Black plate (35,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
6081505) - 2014 - crc - 4/23/13
Driving and Operating 9-35
If the SERVICE 4 WHEEL DRIVE
message stays on, you should take
the vehicle to your dealer for
service. See“SERVICE 4 WHEEL
DRIVE” message under
Transmission Messages on
page 5-42.
Shifting Into Four-Wheel Drive
High or AUTO (Automatic
Four-Wheel Drive)
Turn the knob to the Four-Wheel
Drive High or AUTO position. This
can be done at any speed, except
when shifting from Four-Wheel
Drive Low. The indicator light will
flash while shifting. It will remain on
when the shift is completed.
Shifting Into Two-Wheel
Drive High
Turn the knob to the Two-Wheel
Drive High position. This can be
done at any speed, except when
shifting from Four-Wheel Drive Low.
See “Shifting Out of Four-Wheel
Drive Low” in this section for more
information. Shifting Into Four-Wheel
Drive Low
When Four-Wheel Drive Low is
engaged, vehicle speed should be
kept below 72 km/h (45 mph).
Extended high-speed operation
in 4L may damage or shorten the life
of the drivetrain.
To shift to the Four-Wheel Drive
Low position, the ignition must be in
ON/RUN and the vehicle must be
stopped or moving less than 5 km/h
(3 mph) with the transmission in
N (Neutral). The preferred method
for shifting into Four-Wheel Drive
Low is to have the vehicle moving
1.6 to 3.2 km/h (1 to 2 mph). Turn the
knob to the Four-Wheel Drive Low
position. You must wait for the
Four-Wheel Drive Low indicator light
to stop flashing and remain on
before shifting the transmission
into gear.
Notice:
Shifting the transmission
into gear before the requested
mode indicator light has stopped
flashing could damage the transfer case. To help avoid
damaging the vehicle, always wait
for the mode indicator lights to
stop flashing before shifting the
transmission into gear.
The vehicle may have significant
engagement noise and bump when
shifting between Four-Wheel Drive
Low and Four-Wheel Drive High
ranges or from N (Neutral) while the
engine is running.
If the knob is turned to the
Four-Wheel Drive Low position
when the vehicle is in gear and/or
moving more than 5 km/h (3 mph),
the Four-Wheel Drive Low indicator
light will flash for 30 seconds and
not complete the shift. After
30 seconds the transfer case will
shift to Four-Wheel Drive
High mode. With the vehicle moving
less than 5 km/h (3 mph) and the
transmission in N (Neutral), attempt
the shift again.

Black plate (37,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
6081505) - 2014 - crc - 4/23/13
Driving and Operating 9-37
7. If the engine is running, verifythat the transfer case is in
N (Neutral) by shifting the
transmission to R (Reverse) for
one second, then shift the
transmission to D (Drive) for
one second.
8. Turn the ignition to ACC/ ACCESSORY, which will turn the
engine off.
9. Place the transmission shift lever in P (Park).
10. Release the parking brake prior to moving the vehicle.
11. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
Shifting Out of N (Neutral)
To shift out of N (Neutral) do the
following:
1. Set the parking brake and apply the regular brake pedal.
2. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN with the engine off, and shift the
transmission to N (Neutral). 3. Turn the transfer case dial to the
desired transfer case shift
position (Two-Wheel Drive High,
Four-Wheel Drive High,
or AUTO).
After the transfer case has
shifted out of N (Neutral), the
N (Neutral) light will go out.
4. Release the parking brake prior to moving the vehicle.
Notice: Shifting the transmission
into gear before the requested
mode indicator light has stopped
flashing could damage the
transfer case. To help avoid
damaging the vehicle, always wait
for the mode indicator lights to
stop flashing before shifting the
transmission into gear.
5. Start the engine and shift the transmission to the desired
position.
Excessively shifting the transfer
case into or out of the different
modes may cause the transfer case
to enter the shift protection mode. This will protect the transfer case
from possible damage and will only
allow the transfer case to respond to
one shift per 10 seconds. The
transfer case may stay in this mode
for up to three minutes.
Four-Wheel Drive (Single
Speed Automatic
Transfer Case)
If the vehicle has four-wheel drive,
you can send the engine's driving
power to all four wheels for extra
traction. Read the following before
using four-wheel drive.
Notice:
Driving on clean, dry
pavement in Four-Wheel Drive
High for an extended period of
time may cause premature wear
on the vehicle's powertrain. Do
not drive on clean, dry pavement
in Four-Wheel Drive High for
extended periods of time.

Black plate (39,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
6081505) - 2014 - crc - 4/23/13
Driving and Operating 9-39
Service Four‐Wheel Drive
If the SERVICE 4 WHEEL DRIVE
message stays on, you should take
the vehicle to your dealer for
service. See“SERVICE 4 WHEEL
DRIVE” message under
Transmission Messages on
page 5-42.
Shifting Into Four-Wheel Drive
High or AUTO (Automatic
Four-Wheel Drive)
Turn the knob to the Four-Wheel
Drive High or AUTO position. This
can be done at any speed. The
indicator light will flash while
shifting. It will remain on when the
shift is completed. Shifting Into Two-Wheel
Drive High
Turn the knob to the Two-Wheel
Drive High position. This can be
done at any speed. The indicator
light will flash while shifting. It will
remain on when the shift is
completed.
Excessively shifting the transfer
case into or out of the different
modes may cause the transfer case
to enter the shift protection mode.
This will protect the transfer case
from possible damage and will only
allow the transfer case to respond to
one shift per 10 seconds. The
transfer case may stay in this mode
for up to three minutes.Brakes
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
This vehicle has ABS, an advanced
electronic braking system that helps
prevent a braking skid.
When the vehicle begins to drive
away, ABS checks itself.
A momentary motor or clicking noise
might be heard while this test is
going on, and it might even be
noticed that the brake pedal moves
a little. This is normal.
If there is a problem with ABS, this
warning light stays on. See
Antilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
on page 5-22.

Black plate (44,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
6081505) - 2014 - crc - 4/23/13
9-44 Driving and Operating
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. 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. See
Cruise
Control on page 9-46.
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.
Vehicles with StabiliTrak have a
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) feature.
See Trailer Sway Control (TSC) on
page 9-76. Vehicles with StabiliTrak have a Hill
Start Assist (HSA) feature. See
Hill
Start Assist (HSA) on page 9-41.
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.

Black plate (48,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
6081505) - 2014 - crc - 4/23/13
9-48 Driving and Operating
For other forms of Grade Braking,
seeAutomatic Transmission on
page 9-28 andTow/Haul Mode on
page 9-32.
Ending Cruise Control
There are three ways to end cruise
control:
.To disengage cruise control,
step lightly on the brake pedal.
.Press the[on the steering
wheel.
.To turn off the cruise control,
press
Ion the steering wheel.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is
erased from memory by pressing
the
Ibutton or if the ignition is
turned off.
Object Detection
Systems
Ultrasonic Parking Assist
If available, the Ultrasonic Rear
Parking Assist (URPA) system uses
sensors on the rear bumper to
assist with parking and avoiding
objects while in R (Reverse).
{Warning
The URPA system does not
detect children, pedestrians,
bicyclists, animals, or objects
below the bumper or that are too
close or too far from the vehicle.
It is not available at speeds
greater than 8 km/h (5 mph). To
prevent injury, death, or vehicle
damage, even with URPA, always
check the area around the vehicle
and check all mirrors before
backing.
How the System Works
URPA comes on automatically when
the shift lever is moved into
R (Reverse). A single tone sounds
to indicate the system is working.
URPA operates only at speeds less
than 8 km/h (5 mph).
An obstacle is indicated by audible
beeps. The time between the beeps
gets shorter as the vehicle
approaches the obstacle.
A continuous tone is heard when
the distance is less than
30 cm (12 in).
To be detected, objects must be at
least 25 cm (10 in) off the ground
and below liftgate level. Objects
must also be within 2.5 m (8 ft) from
the rear bumper. This distance may
be less during warmer or humid
weather.