GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-11349262) - 2018 - crc - 6/20/17
142 Instruments and Controls
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator The vehicle has a passenger
sensing system. See Passenger
Sensing System 0 91 for important
safety information. The passenger
airbag status indicator is in the
overhead console.
United States
Canada and Mexico
When the vehicle is started, the
passenger airbag status indicator
will light ON and OFF, or the
symbols 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
(Continued) Warning (Continued) with the airbag system. To help
avoid injury to yourself or others,
have the vehicle serviced right
away. See Airbag Readiness
Light 0 141 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
GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-11349262) - 2018 - crc - 6/21/17
198 Driving and Operating
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.
{ WarningUsing 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. { WarningCoasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. This can cause
overheating of the brakes and
loss of steering assist. 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 0 229 .
.
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) 0 227 .
GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-11349262) - 2018 - crc - 6/21/17
Driving and Operating 261Driving on Grades Reduce speed and shift to a lower
gear before 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 0 222 .
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 0 294 .
Parking on Hills
{ WarningParking 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.
Maintenance when Trailer
Towing
The vehicle needs service more
often when pulling a trailer. See
Maintenance Schedule 0 370 .
Things that are especially important
in trailer operation are automatic
transmission fluid, engine oil, axle
lubricant, belts, cooling system, and
GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-11349262) - 2018 - crc - 6/20/17
Vehicle Care 351instructions on how to remove,
install, or store a spare tire, see Tire
Changing 0 342 .
If equipped with a temporary use
full-size spare tire, it is indicated on
the tire sidewall. See Tire Sidewall
Labeling 0 322 . This spare tire
should not be driven on over
112 km/h (70 mph), or 88 km/h
(55 mph) when pulling a trailer, at
the proper inflation pressure. Repair
and replace the road tire as soon as
it is convenient, and stow the spare
tire for future use.
CautionIf the vehicle has four-wheel drive
and a different size spare tire is
installed, do not drive in
four-wheel drive until the flat tire
is repaired and/or replaced. The
vehicle could be damaged and
the repairs would not be covered
by the warranty. Never use
four-wheel drive when a different
size spare tire is installed on the
vehicle. The vehicle may have a different
size spare tire than the road tires
originally installed on the vehicle.
This spare tire was developed for
use on this vehicle, so it is all right
to drive on it. If the vehicle has
four-wheel drive and a different size
spare tire is installed, drive only in
two-wheel drive.
After installing the spare tire on the
vehicle, stop as soon as possible
and check that the spare tire is
correctly inflated.
Have the damaged or flat road tire
repaired or replaced and installed
back onto the vehicle as soon as
possible so the spare tire will be
available in case it is needed again.
Do not mix tires and wheels of
different sizes, because they will not
fit. Keep your spare tire and its
wheel together. If the vehicle has a
spare tire that does not match the
original road tires and wheels in size
and type, do not include the spare in
the tire rotation. Jump Starting Jump Starting - North
America For more information about the
vehicle battery, see Battery - North
America 0 298 .
If the vehicle's battery has run
down, you may want to use another
vehicle and some jumper cables to
start your vehicle. Be sure to use
the following steps to do it safely.
{ WarningWARNING: Battery posts,
terminals, and related
accessories contain lead and lead
compounds, chemicals known to
the State of California to cause
cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm. Batteries also
contain other chemicals known to
the State of California to cause
cancer. WASH HANDS AFTER
(Continued)
GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-11349262) - 2018 - crc - 6/21/17
Index 415Driving (cont'd)
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Drunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
For Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . 26
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 198
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . 200
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Off-Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Dual Automatic Climate
Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
E E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Electrical Equipment,
Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Electrical System
Engine Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 309
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314, 317
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Rear Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319 Emergency
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 401
Engine
Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Check Light (Malfunction
Indicator) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 280
Coolant Temperature
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Coolant Temperature
Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . . . . 137
Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 215
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . . . 398
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214 Extender, Seat Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 170
Exterior Lamps Off Reminder . . . 172
Exterior Lighting Battery
Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
F Fan
Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Features
Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Filter,
Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . 174
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
FlexFuel
E85 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367
Fluid
Automatic
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . 286, 289
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Four-Wheel Drive
Transfer Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 307