GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-9955936) - 2017 - crc - 7/13/16
Instruments and Controls 143
Canada and Mexico
When the vehicle is started, the
passenger airbag status indicator
will light ON and OFF, or the symbol
for on and off, for several seconds
as a system check. Then, after
several more seconds, the status
indicator will light either ON or OFF,
or the on or off symbol, to let you
know the status of the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag.
If the word ON or the on symbol is
lit on the passenger airbag status
indicator, it means that the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag is
allowed to inflate.
If the word OFF or the off symbol is
lit on the airbag status indicator, it
means that the passenger sensing
system has turned off the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag. If, after several seconds, both status
indicator lights remain on, or if there
are no lights at all, there may be a
problem with the lights or the
passenger sensing system. See
your dealer for service.{Warning
If the airbag readiness light ever
comes on and stays on, it means
that something may be wrong
with the airbag system. To help
avoid injury to yourself or others,
have the vehicle serviced right
away. See
Airbag Readiness
Light 0142 for more information,
including important safety
information.
Charging System Light
The charging system light comes on
briefly when the ignition is turned
on, but the engine is not running, as
a check to show the light is working.
It should go out when the engine is
started.
If the light stays on, or comes on
while driving, there may be a
problem with the electrical charging
system. Have it checked by your
dealer. Driving while this light is on
could drain the battery.
When this light comes on, or is
flashing, the Driver Information
Center (DIC) also displays a
message.
See Battery Voltage and Charging
Messages 0158.
If a short distance must be driven
with the light on, be sure to turn off
all accessories, such as the radio
and air conditioner.
GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-9955936) - 2017 - crc - 7/5/16
Driving and Operating 209
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
. Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
. Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{Warning
Using the brakes to slow the
vehicle on a long downhill slope
can cause brake overheating, can
reduce brake performance, and
could result in a loss of braking.
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear to let the engine assist the
brakes on a steep downhill slope.
{Warning
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. This can cause
overheating of the brakes and
loss of steering. Always have the
engine running and the vehicle
in gear.
. Drive at speeds that keep the
vehicle in its own lane. Do not
swing wide or cross the
center line.
. Be alert on top of hills;
something could be in your lane
(e.g., stalled car, accident).
. Pay attention to special road
signs (e.g., falling rocks area,
winding roads, long grades,
passing or no-passing zones)
and take appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Snow or ice between the tires and
the road creates less traction or
grip, so drive carefully. Wet ice can
occur at about 0 °C (32 °F) when
freezing rain begins to fall. Avoid
driving on wet ice or in freezing rain
until roads can be treated.
For Slippery Road Driving:
.Accelerate gently. Accelerating
too quickly causes the wheels to
spin and makes the surface
under the tires slick.
. Turn on Traction Control. See
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0239.
. The Antilock Brake System
(ABS) improves vehicle stability
during hard stops, but the
brakes should be applied sooner
than when on dry pavement.
See Antilock Brake System
(ABS) 0237.
. Allow greater following distance
and watch for slippery spots. Icy
patches can occur on otherwise
GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-9955936) - 2017 - crc - 7/5/16
270 Driving and Operating
Driving on Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower
gearbefore starting down a long or
steep downgrade. If the
transmission is not shifted down, the
brakes might get hot and no longer
work well.
Vehicles can tow in D (Drive). Shift
the transmission to a lower gear if
the transmission shifts too often
under heavy loads and/or hilly
conditions.
When towing, use the Tow/Haul
Mode to prevent damage to the
engine or transmission. See Tow/
Haul Mode 0232.
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
transmission in P (Park) for a few minutes before turning the engine
off. If the overheat warning comes
on, see
Engine Overheating 0301.
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.
GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-9955936) - 2017 - crc - 7/5/16
360 Vehicle Care
9. Connect the other end of thenegative (−) cable to the metal
bracket that is bolted to the
engine and supports the
resonator, on the vehicle with
the dead battery.
10. Start the vehicle with the good battery and run the engine for a
while.
11. Try to start the vehicle that had the dead battery. If it will not
start after a few tries, it
probably needs service.
Caution
If the jumper cables are
connected or removed in the
wrong order, electrical shorting
may occur and damage the
vehicle. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Always connect and remove the
jumper cables in the correct order,
making sure that the cables do
not touch each other or other
metal.
Jumper Cable Removal
Reverse the sequence exactly when
removing the jumper cables.
After starting the disabled vehicle
and removing the jumper cables,
allow it to idle for several minutes.
Towing the Vehicle
Caution
Incorrectly towing a disabled
vehicle may cause damage. The
damage would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty.
Do not lash or hook to
suspension components. Use the
proper straps around the tires to
secure the vehicle.
Have the vehicle towed on a flatbed
car carrier. A wheel lift tow truck
could damage the vehicle.
Consult your dealer or a
professional towing service if the
disabled vehicle must be towed.
GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-9955936) - 2017 - crc - 7/5/16
418 Index
Driving (cont'd)Characteristics and
Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Drunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
For Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . 26
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 209
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . .211
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Off-Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Dual Automatic Climate Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
E
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Electrical Equipment,Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Electrical System Engine Compartment FuseBlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320, 323
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315 Electrical System (cont'd)
Rear Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
Emergency
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 406
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Check and Service EngineSoon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 287
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Coolant Temperature
Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Cooling System Messages . . . 161
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 390
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Oil Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . . . . 138
Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 227 Engine (cont'd)
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . . . 403
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Extender, Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 181
Exterior Lamps Off Reminder . . . 183
F
Fan Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Features Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Filter, Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . 185
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
FlexFuel E85 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373
Fluid AutomaticTransmission . . . . . . . . . . . 293, 296
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305