GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-13566587) - 2020 - CRC - 4/15/19
224 Driving and Operating
Shifting Into 4mor AUTO
Turn the knob to the 4
mor AUTO
position. This can be done at any
speed. The indicator light will flash
while shifting. It will remain on when
the shift is completed.
Shifting Into 2
m
Turn the knob to the 2mposition.
This can be done at any speed. The
indicator light will flash while
shifting. It will remain on when the
shift is completed.
Brakes
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
The Antilock Brake System (ABS)
helps prevent a braking skid and
maintain steering while
braking hard.
ABS performs a system check when
the vehicle is first driven.
A momentary motor or clicking noise
may be heard while this test is going
on, and the brake pedal may move
slightly. This is normal.
If there is a problem with ABS, this
warning light stays on. See Antilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
0 138. ABS does not change the time
needed to get a foot on the brake
pedal and does not always
decrease stopping distance. If you
get too close to the vehicle ahead,
there will not be enough time to
apply the brakes if that vehicle
suddenly slows or stops. Always
leave enough room ahead to stop,
even with ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold
the brake pedal down firmly.
Hearing or feeling ABS operate is
normal.
Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows steering and braking at
the same time. In many
emergencies, steering can help
even more than braking.
GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-13566587) - 2020 - CRC - 4/15/19
Driving and Operating 273
Trailer Brakes
Loaded trailers over 900 kg
(2,000 lb) must be equipped with
brake systems and with brakes for
each axle. Trailer braking equipment
conforming to Canadian Standards
Association (CSA) requirement
CAN3-D313, or its equivalent, is
recommended.
State or local regulations may
require trailers to have their own
braking system if the loaded weight
of the trailer exceeds certain
minimums that can vary from state
to state. Read and follow the
instructions for the trailer brakes so
they are installed, adjusted, and
maintained properly. Never attempt
to tap into your vehicle's hydraulic
brake system. If you do, both the
vehicle anti-lock brakes and the
trailer brakes may not function,
which could result in a crash.
Trailer Wiring Harness
The seven-pin trailer connector is
mounted in the bumper. This
connector can be plugged into aseven-pin universal heavy-duty
trailer connector available through
your dealer.
Use only a round, seven-wire
connector with flat blade terminals
meeting SAE J2863 specifications
for proper electrical connectivity.
The seven-wire harness contains
the following trailer circuits:
.
Yellow/Grey: Left Stop/Turn
Signal
. Green/Violet: Right Stop/Turn
Signal
. Grey/Brown: Taillamps
. White: Ground
. White/Green: Back-up Lamps
. Red/Green: Battery Feed
. Dark Blue: Trailer Brake
To help charge a remote
(non-vehicle) battery, press the Tow/
Haul Mode button at the end of the
shift lever. If the trailer is too light for
Tow/Haul Mode, turn on the
headlamps to help charge the
battery.
Electric Brake Control Wiring
Provisions
These wiring provisions are
included with the vehicle as part of
the trailer wiring package. These
provisions are for an electric brake
controller.
The harness should be installed by
your dealer or a qualified service
center.
Refer to the aftermarket electric
trailer brake controller owner's
manual to determine wire color
coding of the electric trailer brake
controller. The wire colors on the
brake controller may be different
from the vehicle.
Trailer Lamps
Always check all trailer lamps are
working at the beginning of each
trip, and periodically on longer trips.
Turn Signals When Towing a
Trailer
When properly connected, the trailer
turn signals should will illuminate to
indicate the vehicle is turning,
GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-13566587) - 2020 - CRC - 4/15/19
Vehicle Care 281
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 282
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 283
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 291
Automatic Transmission Fluid (6-Speed Transmission) . . . . . 292
Automatic Transmission Fluid (10-Speed Transmission) . . . 295
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 296
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 300
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303 Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Battery - North America . . . . . . 305
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Noise Control System . . . . . . . . 306
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 308
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 309
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 309
Glass Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 310
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 310
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 314
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 314
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 315
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Instrument Panel Fuse Block
(Right) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Left) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
All-Terrain Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 329
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-13566587) - 2020 - CRC - 4/15/19
308 Vehicle Care
Starter Switch Check
{Warning
When you are doing this
inspection, the vehicle could
move suddenly. If the vehicle
moves, you or others could be
injured.
1. Before starting this check, be sure there is enough room
around the vehicle.
2. Apply both the parking brake and the regular brake.
Do not use the accelerator
pedal, and be ready to turn off
the engine immediately if it
starts.
3. Try to start the engine in each gear. The vehicle should start
only in P (Park) or N (Neutral).
If the vehicle starts in any other
position, contact your dealer for
service.
Automatic Transmission
Shift Lock Control
Function Check
{Warning
When you are doing this
inspection, the vehicle could
move suddenly. If the vehicle
moves, you or others could be
injured.
1. Before starting this check, be sure there is enough room
around the vehicle. It should be
parked on a level surface.
2. Apply the parking brake. Be ready to apply the regular
brake immediately if the vehicle
begins to move.
3. With the engine off, turn the ignition on, but do not start the
engine. Without applying the
regular brake, try to move the
shift lever out of P (Park) with normal effort. If the shift lever
moves out of P (Park), contact
your dealer for service.
Ignition Transmission
Lock Check
If equipped with a Key Access
ignition, while parked and with the
parking brake set, try to turn the
ignition off in each shift lever
position.
.
The ignition should turn off only
when the shift lever is in
P (Park).
. The key should come out only
when the ignition is off.
Contact your dealer if service is
required.
GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-13566587) - 2020 - CRC - 4/15/19
Vehicle Care 363
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. Do not drag a locked
wheel/tire. Use tire skates or
dollies under any locked wheel/
tire while loading the vehicle. Do
not use a sling type lift to tow the
vehicle. This could damage the
vehicle.
Caution
If the vehicle cannot be shifted
into Neutral (N), do not use the
tow eye to tow the vehicle.
Vehicle damage may occur.
GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-13566587) - 2020 - CRC - 4/15/19
366 Vehicle Care
4. Shift the transfer case toN (Neutral). See “Shifting into
N (Neutral)” underFour-Wheel
Drive 0219. Check that the
vehicle is in N (Neutral) by
starting the engine and shifting
the transmission to
R (Reverse) and then to D
(Drive). There should be no
movement of the vehicle while
shifting.
5. Shift the transmission into D (Drive). Turn the engine off.
Caution
Failure to disconnect the negative
battery cable or to have it contact
the terminals can cause damage
to the vehicle.
6. Disconnect the negative battery cable at the battery and
secure the nut and bolt. Cover
the negative battery post with a
non-conductive material to
prevent any contact with the
negative battery terminal. 7. Shift the transmission to
P (Park).
Caution
If the steering column is locked,
vehicle damage may occur.
8. Move the steering wheel to make sure the steering column
is unlocked.
9. With a foot on the brake pedal, release the parking brake.
10. Keep the ignition key in the towed vehicle in ACC/
ACCESSORY to prevent the
steering column from locking.
If equipped with Keyless
Access, keep the RKE
transmitter outside of the
vehicle, and manually lock the
doors. Access the vehicle as if
it has a dead RKE transmitter
battery, by using the key in the
door lock. Disconnecting the Towed Vehicle
Before disconnecting the towed
vehicle:
1. Park on a level surface.
2. Set the parking brake, then shift the transmission to
P (Park).
3. Connect the battery.
4. Apply the brake pedal.
5. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN with the engine off. Shift the
transfer case out of N (Neutral)
to 2
m. See “Shifting out of
N (Neutral)” underFour-Wheel
Drive 0219. See your dealer if
the transfer case cannot be
shifted out of N (Neutral).
6. Check that the vehicle is in 2
m
by starting the engine and
shifting the transmission to
R (Reverse) and then to D
(Drive). There should be
movement of the vehicle while
shifting.
GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-13566587) - 2020 - CRC - 4/15/19
Vehicle Care 367
7. Shift the transmission toP (Park) and turn off the
ignition.
8. Disconnect the vehicle from the tow vehicle.
9. Release the parking brake.
10. Reset any lost presets. The outside temperature
display will default to 0 °C (32 °
F) but will reset with normal
usage.
Dolly TowingCaution
Do not tow this vehicle with two
wheels on the ground, or vehicle
damage could occur. This
damage would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty.
Dolly towing this vehicle is not
allowed with either the front or the
rear tires on the ground for
two-wheel drive or four-wheel drive,
regardless of transfer case.
Appearance Care
Exterior Care
Locks
Locks are lubricated at the factory.
Use a de-icing agent only when
absolutely necessary, and have the
locks greased after using. See
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0388.
Washing the Vehicle
To preserve the vehicle's finish,
wash it often and out of direct
sunlight.
Caution
Do not use petroleum-based,
acidic, or abrasive cleaning
agents as they can damage the
vehicle's paint, metal, or plastic
parts. If damage occurs, it would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Approved cleaning
products can be obtained from
(Continued)
GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Cana-
da/Mexico-13566587) - 2020 - CRC - 4/15/19
422 Index
Assistance Program,Roadside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Assistance Systems for Parking and Backing . . . . . . . . . . 242
Automatic
Dimming Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Emergency Braking (AEB) . . . . 248
Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Level Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Transmission Fluid . . . . . . 292, 295
Automatic Transmission Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Shift Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Axle, Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Axle, Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
B
Battery Exterior Lighting BatterySaver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Load Management . . . . . . . . . . . . 172 Battery (cont'd)
Power Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Battery - North America . . . . 305, 360
Blade Replacement, Wiper . . . . . 309
Blind Spot Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Brake Pedal and AdjustableThrottle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
System Warning Light . . . . . . . . 138
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303 Antilock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186 AutomaticEmergency (AEB) . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Break-In, New Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . 201
Bulb Replacement
Back-up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
High Intensity Discharge(HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
License Plate Lamps . . . . . . . . . 314
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
C
Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
California Perchlorate MaterialsRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
California Proposition
65 Warning . . . . . . . . . .282, 305, 360, Back Cover
Canadian Vehicle Owners . . . . . . . . 2
Capacities and
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 393
Carbon Monoxide Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Liftgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Cargo Tie-Downs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112
Caution, Danger, and Warning . . . . 3
Center Console Storage . . . . . . . . 110
Center Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Chains, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Charging Wireless . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . 135
Check Engine Light (MalfunctionIndicator) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136