
GMC Yukon Denali/Yukon XL Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-9159308) - 2016 - crc - 6/2/15
Instruments and Controls 153
in N (Neutral), this message will
display until the transmission is
shifted to N (Neutral).
FOR 4WD LOW SLOW TO XXX
If a four-wheel drive shift into 4nis
requested, but the vehicle speed is
too high, this message will display
until the correct vehicle speed is
reached.
GRADE BRAKING ACTIVE
This message displays when grade
braking has been activated while
driving on downhill grades. This
message will only appear the first
time the feature is activated in an
ignition cycle. See Tow/Haul Mode
0 212, Automatic Transmission
0 207, and Cruise Control 0221.
GRADE BRAKING OFF
This message displays when grade
braking has been disabled with the
Tow/Haul Mode button on the end of
the shift lever. See Tow/Haul Mode
0 212, Automatic Transmission
0 207, and Cruise Control 0221.
GRADE BRAKING ON
This message displays when grade
braking has been enabled with the
Tow/Haul Mode button on the end of
the shift lever. See Tow/Haul Mode
0 212, Automatic Transmission
0 207, and Cruise Control 0221.
SERVICE 4WD
If the vehicle has four-wheel drive,
this message may display 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, 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.
SHIFT DENIED
This message displays when the
shift lever is in M (Manual Mode)
and a transmission range has been
selected that is unavailable at the
current vehicle speed.
TO EXIT 4WD LOW SHIFT TO
NEUTRAL
If a four-wheel drive shift out of 4nis
requested, and the vehicle speed is
correct, but the transmission is not
in N (Neutral), this message will
display until the transmission is
shifted to N (Neutral).
TO EXIT 4WD LOW SLOW
TO XXX
If a four-wheel drive shift out of 4nis
requested, but the vehicle speed is
too high, this message will display
until the correct vehicle speed is
reached.
TRANSMISSION HOT IDLE
ENGINE
This message displays and a chime
may sound if the transmission fluid
in the vehicle gets hot. Driving with

GMC Yukon Denali/Yukon XL Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-9159308) - 2016 - crc - 6/2/15
156 Instruments and Controls
The selected language will display
on the system, and voice
recognition (if equipped) will reflect
the selected language.
Valet Mode (If Equipped)
This will lock the infotainment
system and steering wheel controls.
It may also limit access to vehicle
storage locations (if equipped).
To enable valet mode:1. Enter a four-digit code on the keypad.
2. Select Enter to go to the confirmation screen.
3. Re-enter the four-digit code.
Press LOCK or UNLOCK to lock or
unlock the system. Press Back to go
back to the previous menu.
Radio
Press to display the Radio menu
and the following may display:
. Manage Favorites
. Number of Favorites Shown
. Audible Touch Feedback
. Bose AudioPilot .
Auto Volume
. Maximum Startup Volume
. Audio Cue Volume
Manage Favorites
This allows favorites to be edited.
See “Manage Favorites” in
“Settings” under“Radio” in the
infotainment manual.
Number of Favorites Shown
Press to set the number of favorites
to display.
Select the desired number or select
Auto and the infotainment system
will automatically adjust the number
of favorites shown.
Audible Touch Feedback
This allows Audible Touch
Feedback to be turned on or off.
Select Off or On.
Bose AudioPilot
This allows Bose AudioPilot to be
turned on or off.
Select Off or On. Auto Volume
This feature adjusts the volume
based on vehicle speed and
ambient noise.
Select Off, Low, Medium-Low,
Medium, Medium-High, or High.
Maximum Startup Volume
This feature sets the maximum
startup volume. If the vehicle is
started and the volume is greater
than this level, the volume is
adjusted to this level. To set the
maximum startup volume, press +
or
−to increase or decrease.
Audio Cue Volume
This feature sets the volume of
audio files played at system startup
and shutdown.
Select On, then press + or −to
increase or decrease the volume.Vehicle
Select and the following may
display:
. Climate and Air Quality
. Collision/Detection Systems

GMC Yukon Denali/Yukon XL Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-9159308) - 2016 - crc - 6/2/15
158 Instruments and Controls
Select Off, On, or On with Towbar
Attached.
Side Blind Zone Alert
This allows the feature to be turned
on or off. SeeSide Blind Zone Alert
(SBZA) 0238.
Select Off or On.
Rear Cross Traffic Alert
This allows the feature to be turned
on or off. See Assistance Systems
for Parking or Backing 0231.
Select Off or On.
Comfort and Convenience
Select the Comfort and
Convenience menu and the
following may display:
. Auto Memory Recall
. Easy Exit Options
. Chime Volume
. Reverse Tilt Mirror
. Auto Mirror Folding
. Auto Wipe in Reverse Gear Auto Memory Recall
This allows the feature to be turned
on or off. See
Memory Seats 055.
Select On or Off.
Easy Exit Options
This allows the feature to be turned
on or off. See Memory Seats 055.
Select On or Off.
Chime Volume
This allows the selection of the
chime volume level.
Press + or −to adjust the volume.
Reverse Tilt Mirror
When on, the driver and/or
passenger mirrors will tilt downward
when the vehicle is shifted to
R (Reverse) to improve visibility of
the ground near the rear wheels.
Select Off, On - Driver and
Passenger, On - Driver, or On -
Passenger. Auto Mirror Folding
When on, the outside rearview
mirrors will automatically fold or
unfold when the Remote Keyless
Entry (RKE) transmitter
QorK
button is pressed and held.
Select Off or On.
Auto Wipe in Reverse Gear
When on and the front wiper is on
and wiping, the rear wiper will
automatically activate when the
vehicle is shifted to R (Reverse).
Select Off or On.
Lighting
Select the Lighting menu and the
following may display:
.
Vehicle Locator Lights
. Exit Lighting
Vehicle Locator Lights
This feature will flash the exterior
lamps and allows some of the
exterior lamps and most of the
interior lamps to turn on briefly when

GMC Yukon Denali/Yukon XL Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-9159308) - 2016 - crc - 6/2/15
Lighting 165
Lighting
Exterior Lighting
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . 165
Exterior Lamps OffReminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Automatic Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . 168
Turn and Lane-Change Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Interior Lighting
Instrument Panel Illumination Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Lighting Features
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Battery Load Management . . . 171
Battery Power Protection . . . . . 172
Exterior Lighting
Exterior Lamp Controls
The exterior lamp control is on the
instrument panel to the left of the
steering wheel.
There are four positions:
O(Off) : Turns off the automatic
headlamps and Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL). Turn the headlamp
control to the off position again to
turn the automatic headlamps or
DRL back on. For vehicles first sold in Canada,
the off position will only work when
the vehicle is shifted into P (Park).
AUTO (Automatic) :
Automatically
turns on the headlamps, parking
lamps, taillamps, instrument panel
lights, roof marker lamps (if
equipped), and license plate lamps.
When the vehicle is turned off and
the headlamps are in AUTO, the
headlamps turn off. When the key is
removed, the headlamps
automatically come on for a set
time. The time of the delay can be
changed using the DIC. See Driver
Information Center (DIC) 0137.
;(Parking Lamps) : Turns on the
parking lamps including all lamps,
except the headlamps.
2(Headlamps) : Turns on the
headlamps with the parking lamps
and instrument panel lights.
When the headlamps are turned on
while the vehicle is on, the
headlamps turn off automatically
10 minutes after the ignition is
turned off. When the headlamps are
turned on while the vehicle is off,

GMC Yukon Denali/Yukon XL Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-9159308) - 2016 - crc - 6/2/15
Lighting 169
Fog Lamps
If equipped with fog lamps, the
button is on the exterior lamp
control, to the left of the steering
column.
The ignition must be in the ON/RUN
position for the fog lamps to
come on.
#(Fog Lamps) :Press to turn the
fog lamps on or off. A light will come
on in the instrument cluster.
When the fog lamps are turned on,
the parking lamps automatically
turn on. When the headlamps are changed
to high beam, the fog lamps also go
off. When the high-beam headlamps
are turned off, the fog lamps will
come on again.
Some localities have laws that
require the headlamps to be on with
the fog lamps.
Interior Lighting
Instrument Panel
Illumination Control
This feature controls the brightness
of the instrument panel lights and is
next to the exterior lamp control.
D(Instrument Panel
Illumination) : Move the
thumbwheel up or down to brighten
or dim the lights.

GMC Yukon Denali/Yukon XL Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-9159308) - 2016 - crc - 6/2/15
Climate Controls 179
Air Vents
Adjustable air vents are in the
center and on the side of the
instrument panel.
1. Slider Knob
2. Thumbwheel
Move the slider knobs (1) to change
the direction of the airflow.
Use the thumbwheels (2) near the
air vents to open or close off the
airflow. Operation Tips
.
Clear away any ice, snow,
or leaves from the air inlets at
the base of the windshield that
could block the flow of air into
the vehicle.
. When you enter a vehicle in cold
weather, press the fan up button
to the maximum fan level before
driving. This helps clear the
intake ducts of snow and
moisture, and reduces the
chance of fogging the inside of
the window.
. Keep the air path under the front
seats clear of objects to help
circulate the air inside of the
vehicle more effectively.
. Use of non-GM approved hood
deflectors can adversely affect
the performance of the system.
Check with your dealer before
adding equipment to the outside
of the vehicle.
Maintenance
Passenger Compartment
Air Filter
The filter reduces the dust, pollen,
and other airborne irritants from
outside air that is pulled into the
vehicle.
The filter should be replaced as part
of routine scheduled maintenance.
See Maintenance Schedule 0344.
To find out what type of filter to use,
see Maintenance Replacement
Parts 0354.
1. Open the glove box completely.

GMC Yukon Denali/Yukon XL Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-9159308) - 2016 - crc - 6/2/15
Driving and Operating 181
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 190
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 191
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 192
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 198
Adjustable Throttle and BrakePedal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203 Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Active Fuel Management
®. . . . 205
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 207
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 218
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Magnetic Ride Control . . . . . . . . 220
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Automatic Level Control . . . . . . 221
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Adaptive Cruise Control . . . . . . 224
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 231
Assistance Systems for Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . 231
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Front Automatic Braking (FAB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . 238
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . 240
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
California Fuel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 243
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245

GMC Yukon Denali/Yukon XL Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-9159308) - 2016 - crc - 6/2/15
182 Driving and Operating
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) . . . 258
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical
Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Driving Information
Distracted Driving
Distraction comes in many forms
and can take your focus from the
task of driving. Exercise good
judgment and do not let other
activities divert your attention away
from the road. Many local
governments have enacted laws
regarding driver distraction. Become
familiar with the local laws in
your area.
To avoid distracted driving, always
keep your eyes on the road, hands
on the wheel, and mind on the drive.
. Do not use a phone in
demanding driving situations.
Use a hands-free method to
place or receive necessary
phone calls.
. Watch the road. Do not read,
take notes, or look up
information on phones or other
electronic devices.
. Designate a front seat
passenger to handle potential
distractions. .
Become familiar with vehicle
features before driving, such as
programming favorite radio
stations and adjusting climate
control and seat settings.
Program all trip information into
any navigation device prior to
driving.
. Wait until the vehicle is parked
to retrieve items that have fallen
to the floor.
. Stop or park the vehicle to tend
to children.
. Keep pets in an appropriate
carrier or restraint.
. Avoid stressful conversations
while driving, whether with a
passenger or on a cell phone.
{Warning
Taking your eyes off the road too
long or too often could cause a
crash resulting in injury or death.
Focus your attention on driving.