Black plate (3,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
6081505) - 2014 - crc - 4/23/13
Lighting 6-3
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 cluster will come on.
Release the lever to return to
normal operation.
Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL)
DRL can make it easier for others to
see the front of the 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 lamp control is
in AUTO.
.The transmission is not in
P (Park).
.The light sensor determines it is
daytime.
When the DRL system is on, only
the DRL are on. The taillamps,
sidemarker lamps, instrument panel
lights, and other lamps will not
be on.
When it begins to get dark, the
automatic headlamp system
switches from DRL to the
headlamps.
To turn off the DRL, turn the exterior
lamp control to the off position and
then release. For vehicles first sold
in Canada, off will only work when
the vehicle is in P (Park).
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.
Black plate (4,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
6081505) - 2014 - crc - 4/23/13
6-4 Lighting
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.
If the vehicle is started in a dark
garage, the automatic headlamp
system comes on immediately.
Once the vehicle leaves the garage,
it takes approximately one minute
for the automatic headlamp system
to change to DRL if it is bright
enough outside. During that delay,
the instrument cluster may not be as
bright as usual. Make sure the
instrument panel brightness controlis in the full bright position. See
Instrument Panel Illumination
Control on page 6-7.
To idle the vehicle with the
automatic headlamp system off, turn
the control to the off position.
The headlamps will also stay on
after you exit the vehicle. This
feature can be programmed using
the Driver Information Center (DIC).
See
Vehicle Personalization (With
DIC Buttons) on page 5-44.
If the vehicle is not equipped with
DIC buttons, exit lighting is
automatic. When it is dark enough
outside, the exterior lamps remain
on for 30 seconds after the ignition
is moved from ON/RUN to
LOCK/OFF.
For vehicles without a radio, the
instrument panel light remains on for
30 seconds with the driver door
closed. For vehicles with a radio,
the instrument panel light remains
on for 10 minutes with the driver door closed. See
Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) on
page 9-24.
The regular headlamp system can
be turned on when needed.
Lights On with Wipers
If the windshield wipers are
activated in daylight with the engine
on, and the exterior lamp control is
in AUTO, the headlamps, parking
lamps, and other exterior lamps
come on. The transition time for the
lamps coming on varies based on
wiper speed. When the wipers are
not operating, these lamps turn off.
Move the exterior lamp control to
P
or;to disable this feature.
Black plate (7,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
6081505) - 2014 - crc - 4/23/13
Lighting 6-7
Interior Lighting
Instrument Panel
Illumination Control
D(Instrument Panel
Brightness): This feature controls
the brightness of the instrument
panel lights and is located next to
the exterior lamps control.
Push the knob to extend out and
then it can be turned.
Turn the knob clockwise or
counterclockwise to brighten or dim
the instrument panel lights. Turning
the knob to the farthest clockwise
position turns on the dome lamps.
Dome Lamps
The dome lamps are located in the
overhead console.
They come on when any door is
opened and turn off after all the
doors are closed.
Turn the instrument panel
brightness knob located below the
dome lamp override button,
clockwise to the farthest position to
manually turn on the dome lamps.
The dome lamps remain on until the
knob is turned counterclockwise.
Dome Lamp Override
The dome lamp override button is
located next to the exterior lamps
control.
k(Dome Off): Press the button
in and the dome lamps remain off
when a door is opened. Press the
button again to return it to the
extended position so that the dome
lamps come on when a door is
opened.
Reading Lamps
For vehicles with reading lamps
they are located on the overhead
console.
To turn on the reading lamps, press
the button located next to each
lamp. To turn them off, press the
button again.
Black plate (8,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
6081505) - 2014 - crc - 4/23/13
6-8 Lighting
The vehicle may also have reading
lamps in other locations. To turn the
lamps on or off, press the button
located next to the lamp.
The lamps are fixed and cannot be
adjusted.Lighting Features
Entry Lighting
The vehicle has an illuminated entry
feature.
When the doors are opened, the
dome lamps will come on if the
dome override button is in the
extended position. If the dome
override button is pressed in, the
lamps will not come on.
Exit Lighting
The interior lamps come on when
the key is removed from the ignition.
They turn off automatically in
20 seconds. The lights do not come
on if the dome override button is
pressed in.
Battery Load
Management
The vehicle has Electric Power
Management (EPM) that estimates
the battery's temperature and state
of charge. It then adjusts the voltage
for best performance and extended
life of the battery.
When the battery's state of charge
is low, the voltage is raised slightly
to quickly bring the charge back up.
When the state of charge is high,
the voltage is lowered slightly to
prevent overcharging. If the vehicle
has a voltmeter gauge or a voltage
display on the Driver Information
Center (DIC), you may see the
voltage move up or down. This is
normal. If there is a problem, an
alert will be displayed.
Black plate (22,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
6081505) - 2014 - crc - 4/23/13
9-22 Driving and Operating
B (ACC/ACCESSORY):This
position lets things like the radio
and the windshield wipers operate
while the engine is off. Use this
position if the vehicle must be
pushed or towed.
C (ON/RUN): This position can be
used to operate the electrical
accessories and to display some
instrument panel cluster warning
and indicator lights. This position
can also be used for service and
diagnostics, and to verify the proper
operation of the malfunction
indicator lamp as may be required
for emission inspection purposes.
The switch stays in this position
when the engine is running. The
transmission is also unlocked in this
position on automatic transmission
vehicles.
If you leave the key in the ACC/
ACCESSORY or ON/RUN position
with the engine off, the battery could
be drained. You may not be able to
start the vehicle if the battery is
allowed to drain for an extended
period of time. D (START):
This is the position that
starts the engine. When the engine
starts, release the key. The ignition
switch returns to ON/RUN for
driving.
A warning tone will sound when the
driver door is opened and the
ignition is in ACC/ACCESSORY or
LOCK/OFF, and the key is in the
ignition.
Starting the Engine
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). The engine will not start
in any other position. To restart the
engine when the vehicle is already
moving, use N (Neutral) only.
Notice: Do not try to shift to
P (Park) if the vehicle is moving.
If you do, you could damage the
transmission. Shift to P (Park)
only when the vehicle is stopped.
Starting Procedure
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn the ignition to START.
When the engine starts, let go of
the key. The idle speed will go
down as the engine warms. Do
not race the engine immediately
after starting it. Operate the
engine and transmission gently
to allow the oil to warm up and
lubricate all moving parts.
The vehicle has a
Computer-Controlled Cranking
System. This feature assists in
starting the engine and protects
components. If the ignition key is
turned to the START position,
and then released when the
engine begins cranking, the
engine will continue cranking for
a few seconds or until the
vehicle starts. If the engine does
not start and the key is held in
START, cranking will be stopped
after 15 seconds to prevent
cranking motor damage. To
prevent gear damage, this
system also prevents cranking if
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 (36,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
6081505) - 2014 - crc - 4/23/13
9-36 Driving and Operating
Shifting Out of Four-Wheel
Drive Low
To shift from Four-Wheel Drive Low
to Four-Wheel Drive High, AUTO,
or Two-Wheel Drive High, the
vehicle must be stopped or moving
less than 5 km/h (3 mph) with the
transmission in N (Neutral) and the
ignition in ON/RUN. The preferred
method for shifting out of
Four-Wheel Drive Low is to have
your vehicle moving 1.6 to 3.2 km/h
(1 to 2 mph). Turn the knob to the
Four-Wheel Drive High, AUTO,
or Two-Wheel Drive High position.
You must wait for the Four-Wheel
Drive High, AUTO, or Two-Wheel
Drive High 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 High, AUTO,
or Two-Wheel Drive High switch
position when the vehicle is in gear
and/or moving more than 5 km/h
(3 mph), the Four-Wheel Drive High,
AUTO, or Two-Wheel Drive High
indicator light will flash for
30 seconds but will not complete the
shift. With the vehicle moving less
than 5 km/h (3 mph) and the
transmission is in N (Neutral),
attempt the shift again.
Shifting into N (Neutral)
To shift the transfer case to
N (Neutral) do the following:
1. Make sure the vehicle is parked
so that it will not roll.
2. Set the parking brake and apply the regular brake pedal. See
Parking Brake on page 9-40 for
more information.
3. Start the vehicle or turn the ignition to ON/RUN.
4. Put the transmission in N (Neutral).
5. Shift the transfer case to Two-Wheel Drive High.
6. Turn the transfer case dial clockwise to N (Neutral) until it
stops and hold it there until the
N (Neutral) light starts blinking.
This will take at least
10 seconds. Then slowly release
the dial to the Four-Wheel Drive
Low position. The N (Neutral)
light will come on when the
transfer case shift to N (Neutral)
is complete.