2018 GMC YUKON gear

GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-11349262) - 2018 - CRC - 11/3/17
224 Driving and Operating
When the shift lever is moved from
D (Drive) to L (Manual Mode), a
number displays next to the L,
indicating the current transmission
range.
This number is the highest gear that
the transmission will command while
operating in L (Manual Mode). All
gears below that number are
available. As driving conditions
change, the transmission can
automatically shift to lower gears.
For example, when 5 (Fifth) is
selected, 1 (First) through 5 (Fifth)
gears are automatically shifted by
the transmission, but 6 (Sixth)
cannot be used until the plus/minus
button on the shift lever is used to
change to the range.
When the shift lever is moved from
D (Drive) to L (Manual Mode), a
downshift may occur. The gear that
the transmission is operating in
when the shift lever is moved from
D (Drive) to L (Manual Mode)
determines if a downshift occurs.
See the following chart.6 Speed Transmission
Gear before shifting from
D (Drive) to L (Manual Mode)6th 5th 4th 3rd 2nd 1st
Range after shifting from
D (Drive) to L (Manual Mode) L4 L4 L3 L2 L2 L1
Low Traction Mode
Low Traction Mode assists in
vehicle acceleration when road
conditions are slippery, such as with
ice or snow. While the vehicle is at a stop, select L2 using Range
Selection Mode. This will limit
torque to the wheels and help to
prevent the tires from spinning.

GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-11349262) - 2018 - CRC - 11/3/17
Driving and Operating 225
10 Speed Transmission
Gear before shifting from D (Drive) to
L (Manual Mode)10th 9th 8th 7th 6th 5th 4th 3rd 2nd 1st
Range after shifting from D (Drive) to
L (Manual Mode) - Tow/Haul not engaged L7 L7 L7 L6 L5 L4 L3 L3 L2 L1
Range after shifting from D (Drive) to
L (Manual Mode) - Tow/Haul engaged L7 L7 L6 L5 L4 L3 L3 L3 L2 L1
Grade Braking is not available when
Range Selection Mode is active.
See Tow/Haul Mode 0225.
While using Range Selection Mode,
cruise control and the Tow/Haul
Mode can be used.
Caution
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 the vehicle
is stuck, do not spin the tires.
When stopping on a hill, use the
brakes to hold the vehicle in
place.
Tow/Haul Mode
The Tow/Haul Mode adjusts the
transmission shift pattern to reduce
shift cycling. This provides
increased performance, vehicle

GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-11349262) - 2018 - CRC - 11/3/17
228 Driving and Operating
AUTO (Automatic Four-Wheel
Drive) :Use when road surface
traction conditions are variable.
When driving 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. This setting
provides slightly lower fuel economy
than 2
m.
Do not use AUTO mode,
if equipped, to park on a steep
grade with poor traction such as ice,
snow, mud, or gravel. In AUTO
mode only the rear wheels will hold
the vehicle from sliding when
parked. If parking on a steep grade,
use 4
mto keep all four wheels
engaged.
4
m(Four-Wheel Drive High) : Use
this position when extra traction is
needed, such as when driving on
snowy or icy roads, when
off-roading, or when plowing snow. 4
n(Four-Wheel Drive Low) :
This
setting engages the front axle and
delivers extra torque. Choose 4
n
when driving off-road in deep sand,
deep mud, or deep snow, and while
climbing or descending steep hills.
Shifting into 4
nwill turn Traction
Control and StabiliTrak off. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control 0234.
Shifting Into 4
mor AUTO
Turn the knob to the 4
mor AUTO
position at any speed, except from
4
n. The indicator light will flash
while shifting and will remain on
when the shift is completed.
Shifting Into 2
m
Turn the knob to 2mat any speed,
except when shifting from 4
n. The
indicator light will flash while shifting
and will remain on when the shift is
completed. Shifting Into 4
n
When 4nis engaged, keep vehicle
speed below 72 km/h (45 mph).
To shift:
1. The ignition must be on and the vehicle must be stopped
or moving less than
5 km/h (3 mph) with the
transmission in N (Neutral). It is
best for the vehicle to be
moving
1.6 to 3.2 km/h (1 to 2 mph).
2. Turn the knob to 4
n. Wait for
the 4
nindicator light to stop
flashing before shifting the
transmission into gear.
Caution
Shifting the transmission into gear
before the requested mode
indicator light has stopped
flashing could damage the
transfer case.

GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-11349262) - 2018 - CRC - 11/3/17
Driving and Operating 229
If the transmission is in gear and/or
moving more than 5 km/h (3 mph),
the 4
nindicator light will flash for
30 seconds and not complete the
shift. After 30 seconds the transfer
case will shift to 4
m. Turn the knob
to 4
mto display the indicator. With
the vehicle moving less than 5 km/h
(3 mph), and the transmission in
N (Neutral), attempt the shift again.
Shifting Out of 4
n
To shift:
1. The vehicle must be stopped or moving less than 5 km/h
(3 mph) with the transmission
in N (Neutral) and the ignition
on. It is best for the vehicle to
be moving
1.6 to 3.2 km/h (1 to 2 mph).
2. Turn the knob to 4
m, AUTO,
or 2
m. Wait for the 4m, AUTO,
or 2
mindicator light to stop
flashing before shifting the
transmission into gear.
Caution
Shifting the transmission into gear
before the requested mode
indicator light has stopped
flashing could damage the
transfer case.
If the transmission is in gear and/or
moving more than 5 km/h (3 mph),
the 4
m, AUTO, or 2mindicator 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 in N (Neutral),
attempt the shift again.
Shifting Into N (Neutral)
To shift into N (Neutral):
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface.
2. Set the parking brake and press and hold the brake
pedal. See Parking Brake
0 232.
3. Start the vehicle or turn the ignition on. 4. Shift the transmission to
N (Neutral).
5. Shift the transfer case to 2
m.
6. Turn the transfer case knob 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 knob to the 4
n
position. The N (Neutral) light
will come on when the transfer
case shift to N (Neutral) is
complete.
7. With the engine running, verify that the transfer case is in
N (Neutral) by shifting the
transmission to R (Reverse),
then shift the transmission to
D (Drive). There should be no
movement of the vehicle while
shifting the transmission.
8. Turn the engine off, and the ignition to ACC/ACCESSORY.

GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-11349262) - 2018 - CRC - 11/3/17
230 Driving and Operating
9. Place the transmission shiftlever in P (Park). See
Recreational Vehicle Towing
0360.
10. Turn the ignition off.
Shifting Out of N (Neutral)
To shift out of N (Neutral): 1. Set the parking brake and apply the brake pedal.
2. Turn the ignition on with the engine off.
3. Shift the transmission to N (Neutral).
4. Turn the transfer case knob to the desired setting.
After the transfer case has
shifted out of N (Neutral), the
N (Neutral) light will go out.
5. Release the parking brake.
6. Start the engine and shift the transmission to the
desired gear.Single Speed Automatic
Transfer Case
Use the transfer case knob, next to
the steering wheel, to shift into and
out of four-wheel drive for extra
traction.
All of the lights will blink on then off
momentarily when the ignition is
turned on. The light that remains on
will indicate the state of the
transfer case. If the indicator mark on the switch
does not match up with the light
then that likely means the switch
was moved when the ignition
was off.
The indicator mark on the switch
must line up with the indicator light
before a shift can be commanded.
To command a shift rotate the
transfer case switch to the new
desired position. The light will blink
meaning that the shift is in progress.
When the shift is completed the new
position will be illuminated. If the
transfer case can not complete a
shift command, it will go back to its
last chosen setting.
The settings are:
2
m(Two-Wheel Drive High) :
Use
for driving on most streets and
highways. The front axle is not
engaged. This setting provides the
best fuel economy.

GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-11349262) - 2018 - CRC - 11/3/17
Driving and Operating 233
Caution
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, a DIC
message will appear and a chime
will sound warning you that the
parking brake is still on.
Brake Assist
The Brake Assist feature is
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
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)
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 vehicle drive 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 may activate.

GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-11349262) - 2018 - CRC - 11/3/17
236 Driving and Operating
Hill Descent
Control (HDC)
If equipped, Hill Descent Control
(HDC) sets and maintains vehicle
speed while driving down steep
grades in a forward or reverse gear.
The HDC switch is on the center
stack, below the climate controls.
Press
5to enable or disable HDC.
Vehicle speed must be below
50 km/h (31 mph).
When enabled, the HDC light
displays on the instrument cluster.
A blinking HDC light indicates the
system is actively applying the
brakes to maintain vehicle speed.
HDC can maintain vehicle speeds
between 1 and 30 km/h (1 and
19 mph) on grades greater than or
equal to 10%. If HDC is to be used for more than
three minutes or on grades steeper
than 25%, the transfer case should
be put into Four-Wheel Drive Low
(4
n) to reduce the possibility of
brake overheating.
Noise from the hydraulic brake
control module is normal when HDC
is active.
When HDC is activated, the initial
HDC speed is set to the current
driving speed. It can be increased or
decreased by pressing +RES or
SET- on the steering wheel, or by
applying the accelerator or brake
pedal. This adjusted speed
becomes the new set speed.
HDC will remain enabled between
30 and 60 km/h (19 and 37 mph);
however, vehicle speed cannot be
set or maintained in this range. HDC
will automatically disable if the
vehicle speed is above 80 km/h
(50 mph) or above 60 km/h
(37 mph) for at least 30 seconds.
5must be pressed again to
re-enable HDC. HDC may disable
after an extended period of use. If this happens, HDC will require
time to cool down. The length of
time HDC remains active depends
on road conditions, grade, set
speed, vehicle loading, and outside
temperature.
When enabled, if the vehicle speed
is above 30 km/h (19 mph) and
below 60 km/h (37 mph), a DIC
message will display.
Magnetic Ride Control
This vehicle may have a semi-active
damping system called Magnetic
Ride Control. With this feature,
improved vehicle ride and handling
is provided under a variety of
passenger and loading conditions.
Magnetic Ride Control is fully
automatic and uses 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

GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-11349262) - 2018 - CRC - 11/3/17
250 Driving and Operating
on the left or right side, depending
on the direction of the detected
vehicle.
Use caution while backing up when
towing a trailer, as the RCTA
detection zones that extend out
from the back of the vehicle do not
move further back when a trailer is
towed.
Turning the Features On or Off
TheXbutton to the left of the
steering wheel is used to turn on or
off the Front and Rear Parking
Assist. The indicator light in the
button comes on when the features
are on and turns off when the
features have been disabled. Front and Rear Parking Assist can
be turned off, on, or on with towbar
through vehicle personalization. See
“Parking Assist”
underVehicle
Personalization 0162. If the parking
assist is turned off through vehicle
personalization, the parking assist
button will be disabled. To turn the
parking assist on again, select On in
vehicle personalization. The On with
Towbar setting allows for the
parking assist to work properly with
an attached trailer hitch. Turn off
parking assist when towing a trailer.
To turn the rear parking assist
symbols, guidance lines, or Rear
Cross Traffic Alert on or off, see
“Rear Camera” and“Collision/
Detection Systems” underVehicle
Personalization 0162.
Assistance Systems for
Driving
If equipped, when driving the
vehicle in a forward gear, Forward
Collision Alert (FCA), Lane
Departure Warning (LDW), Lane
Keep Assist (LKA), Side Blind Zone
Alert (SBZA), Lane Change Alert (LCA), and/or Forward Automatic
Braking (FAB) can help to avoid a
crash or reduce crash damage.
Forward Collision Alert
(FCA) System
If equipped, the FCA system may
help to avoid or reduce the harm
caused by front-end crashes. When
approaching a vehicle ahead too
quickly, FCA provides a red flashing
alert on the windshield and rapidly
beeps or pulses the driver seat.
FCA also lights an amber visual
alert if following another vehicle
much too closely.
FCA detects vehicles within a
distance of approximately 60 m
(197 ft) and operates at speeds
above 8 km/h (5 mph). If the vehicle
has Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC),
it can detect vehicles to distances of
approximately 110 m (360 ft) and
operates at all speeds. See
Adaptive Cruise Control
0240.