GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-13690468) - 2021 - CRC - 5/18/21
2 Introduction
Helm, Incorporated
Attention: Customer Service
47911 Halyard Drive
Plymouth, MI 48170
USA
Using this Manual
To quickly locate information about the
vehicle, use the Index in the back of the
manual. It is an alphabetical list of what is
in the manual and the page number where
it can be found.
Danger, Warning, and Caution
Warning messages found on vehicle labels
and in this manual describe hazards and
what to do to avoid or reduce them.
{Danger
Danger indicates a hazard with a high
level of risk which will result in serious
injury or death.
{Warning
Warning indicates a hazard that could
result in injury or death.
Caution
Caution indicates a hazard that could
result in property or vehicle damage.
A circle with a slash through it is a safety
symbol which means“Do not,” “Do not do
this,” or“Do not let this happen.”
Symbols
The vehicle has components and labels that
use symbols instead of text. Symbols are
shown along with the text describing the
operation or information relating to a
specific component, control, message, gauge,
or indicator.
M:Shown when the owner’s manual has
additional instructions or information.
*: Shown when the service manual has
additional instructions or information.
0: Shown when there is more information
on another page — “see page.” Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols that may
be found on the vehicle and what they
mean. See the features in this manual for
information.
u:
Air Conditioning System
G:Air Conditioning Refrigerant Oil
9:Airbag Readiness Light
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
$:Brake System Warning Light
9:Dispose of Used Components Properly
P:Do Not Apply High Pressure Water
B:Engine Coolant Temperature
_:Flame/Fire Prohibited
H: Flammable
[:Forward Collision Alert
R:Fuse Block Cover Lock Location
+:Fuses
j:ISOFIX/LATCH System Child Restraints
GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-13690468) - 2021 - CRC - 5/18/21
Introduction 5
1.Electric Parking Brake 0240.
2.
gTraction Control/Electronic Stability
Control 0242.
hStop/Start Button (If Equipped). See
Stop/Start System 0229
XPark Assist Button (If Equipped). See
Assistance Systems for Parking or Backing
0 262.
ALane Keep Assist (LKA) 0275 (If
Equipped).
5Hill Descent Control (HDC) 0244 (If
Equipped).
-110V Power Outlet Enable Button
(If Equipped). See Power Outlets0100.
3. Air Vents 0208
4. Turn Signal Lever. See Turn and
Lane-Change Signals 0138.
Windshield Wiper/Washer 097.
Rear Window Wiper/Washer 098.
5. Head-Up Display (HUD) 0122 (If
Equipped). 6. Favorite Switches (Out of View). See
Steering Wheel Controls 0144.
Volume Switches (Out of View). See
Steering Wheel Controls 0144.
7. Instrument Cluster 0104.
8. Hazard Warning Flashers 0137
(Denali Only).
9. Shift Buttons. See Automatic
Transmission 0232.
Electronic Range Select (ERS). See Manual
Mode 0235.
10. Light Sensor. See Automatic Headlamp
System 0136.
11. Infotainment. See Introduction0142.
12. Instrument Panel Storage 089 (If
Equipped).
13. Hazard Warning Flashers 0137.
14. Infotainment Controls. See Overview
0 143.
15. Dual Automatic Climate Control System
0204.
16. Heated and Ventilated Front Seats 044
(If Equipped). 17. Power Outlet (12V Direct Current) (If
Equipped). See Power Outlets0100.
18. Rear Climate Control Buttons. See Rear
Climate Control System 0207.
19. USB Port 0152.
20. Wireless Charging 0101.
21. ENGINE START/STOP. See Ignition
Positions 0226.
22. Steering Wheel Controls 0144.
23. Horn 097.
24. Hood Release. See Hood0310.
25. Steering Wheel Adjustment 096.
26. Cruise Control 0251.
Adaptive Cruise Control (Advanced) 0253
(If Equipped).
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System
0 267 (If Equipped).
Heated Steering Wheel 096 (If
Equipped).
27. Trailer Brake Control Panel (If Equipped). SeeTowing Equipment 0287.
28. Data Link Connector (DLC) (Out of View). SeeMalfunction Indicator Lamp (Check
Engine Light) 0111.
GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-13690468) - 2021 - crc - 8/14/20
Keys, Doors, and Windows 17
Slow Flash :Indicates battery conserving
secured state.
No light : Indicates unsecured state.
Delayed Locking
This feature delays the locking of the doors
until five seconds after all doors are closed.
When
Qis pressed on the power door lock
switch while the door is open, a chime will
sound three times indicating delayed locking
is active.
The doors will lock automatically
five seconds after all doors are closed. If a
door is reopened before that time, the
five-second timer will reset when all doors
are closed again.
Press
Qon the door lock switch again or
press
Qon the remote key to lock the
doors immediately.
This feature can be programmed. See
“Delayed Door Lock” underVehicle
Personalization 0126.
Automatic Door Locks
The doors will lock automatically when all
doors are closed, the ignition is on, and the
vehicle is shifted out of P (Park). If a vehicle door is unlocked, and then
opened and closed, the doors will lock either
when your foot is removed from the brake
or the vehicle speed becomes faster than
13 km/h (8 mph).
To unlock the doors:
.PressKon the power door lock switch.
.Shift the transmission into P (Park).
Automatic door locking cannot be disabled.
Automatic door unlocking can be
programmed. See Vehicle Personalization
0 126.
Lockout Protection
When locking is requested with the driver
door open and the vehicle is on or in ACC/
ACCESSORY, all the doors will lock and then
the driver door will unlock.
If the vehicle is off and locking is requested
while a door is open, when all doors are
closed the vehicle will check for remote keys
inside. If a remote key is detected and the
number of remote keys inside has not
reduced, the driver door will unlock and the
horn will sound three times. This can be manually overridden by pressing
and holding
Qon the power door lock
switch.
Safety Locks
The rear door safety locks prevent
passengers from opening the rear doors
from inside the vehicle.
The safety lock is on the inside edge of the
rear doors. To use the safety lock:
1. Move the lever down to the lock position.
2. Close the door.
3. Do the same for the other rear door.
GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-13690468) - 2021 - crc - 8/14/20
Keys, Doors, and Windows 27
Intrusion and Inclination Sensors Disable
Switch
It is recommended that the intrusion and
inclination sensors be deactivated if pets are
left in the vehicle or the vehicle is being
transported.
With the vehicle off, press
oin the front
overhead console to turn off the feature.
The indicator light will come on
momentarily, indicating that these sensors
have been disabled until the next time the
alarm system is armed.
Steering Column Lock
If equipped, the steering column lock is a
theft-deterrent device. This feature locks the
steering column when the vehicle is turned
off and the driver door is opened, or when
the driver door is opened and then the
vehicle is turned off. The steering column
unlocks when the vehicle is turned on.
The Driver Information Center (DIC) may
display one of these messages:
.A message to service the steering column
lock indicates that an issue has been
detected with the column lock feature
and the vehicle should be serviced.
.A message that the steering column is
locked indicates that the engine is
running, but the steering column is still
locked. It is normal for the column to be
locked during a remote start, but the
column should unlock after the brake
pedal is pressed and the vehicle is started.
No message will display during a remote
start.
.A message that the steering wheel must
be turned and the vehicle must be started
again indicates that the column lock
mechanism is bound, the column locking
device was unable to unlock the steering column, and the vehicle did not start.
If this happens, immediately turn the
steering wheel from side to side to
unbind the column lock. If this does not
unlock the steering column, turn the
vehicle off and open the driver door to
reset the system. Then turn the vehicle
on and immediately turn the steering
wheel side to side for about 15 seconds.
In some cases, it may take significant
force to unbind the column.
To keep the steering column from binding,
straighten the front wheels before turning
off the vehicle.
Immobilizer
See Radio Frequency Statement 0407.
Immobilizer Operation
This vehicle has a passive theft-deterrent
system.
The system does not have to be manually
armed or disarmed.
The vehicle is automatically immobilized
when the vehicle is turned off.
GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-13690468) - 2021 - crc - 8/14/20
Instruments and Controls 95
Instruments and Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Rear Window Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Wireless Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Warning Lights, Gauges, and Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Engine Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . 108
Voltmeter Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Seat Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . 110
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Check
Engine Light) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Service Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . 113
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Four-Wheel-Drive Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Hill Descent Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) Light . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Vehicle Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Pedestrian Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Traction Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Traction Control System (TCS)/Electronic Stability Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Driver Mode Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Four Corner Air Suspension Light . . . . . . . 117
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Door Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . 120
Head-Up Display (HUD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Engine Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Vehicle Speed Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Vehicle Personalization
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Universal Remote System
Universal Remote System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Universal Remote System Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Universal Remote System Operation . . . 133
GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-13690468) - 2021 - crc - 8/14/20
112 Instruments and Controls
If the light continues to flash, find a safe
place to park. Turn the vehicle off and wait
at least 10 seconds before restarting the
engine. If the light is still flashing, follow
the previous guidelines and see your dealer
for service as soon as possible.
If the light is on steady :A malfunction has
been detected. Diagnosis and service may be
required.
Check the following:
.If fuel has been added to the vehicle
using the capless fuel funnel adapter,
make sure that it has been removed. See
“Filling the Tank with a Portable Gas Can”
under Filling the Tank 0278. The
diagnostic system can detect if the
adapter has been left installed in the
vehicle, allowing fuel to evaporate into
the atmosphere. A few driving trips with
the adapter removed may turn off the
light.
.Poor fuel quality can cause inefficient
engine operation and poor driveability,
which may go away once the engine is
warmed up. If this occurs, change the fuel
brand. It may require at least one full
tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off. See
Recommended Fuel (5.3L Engine)
0 277 or
Recommended Fuel (6.2L Engine) 0277.
If the light remains on, see your dealer.
Emissions Inspection and Maintenance
Programs
If the vehicle requires an Emissions
Inspection/Maintenance test, the test
equipment will likely connect to the
vehicle's Data Link Connector (DLC).
The DLC is under the instrument panel to
the left of the steering wheel. Connecting
devices that are not used to perform an
Emissions Inspection/Maintenance test or to
service the vehicle may affect vehicle
operation. See Add-On Electrical Equipment
0 306. See your dealer if assistance is
needed.
The vehicle may not pass inspection if:
.The light is on when the engine is
running.
.The light does not come on when the
ignition is in Service Mode.
.Critical emission control systems have not
been completely diagnosed. If this
happens, the vehicle would not be ready
for inspection and might require
several days of routine driving before the
system is ready for inspection. This can
happen if the 12-volt battery has recently
been replaced or run down, or if the
vehicle has been recently serviced.
See your dealer if the vehicle will not pass
or cannot be made ready for the test.
Brake System Warning Light
MetricEnglish
This light should come on briefly when the
vehicle is turned on. If it does not come on
then, have it fixed so it will be ready to
warn you if there is a problem.
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Instruments and Controls 113
If the light comes on and stays on at start
up, there is a brake problem. Have the brake
system inspected right away.
If the light comes on while driving, pull off
the road and stop carefully. The brake
system has electric brake boost. Vehicle
speed may be limited when the brake
system warning light comes on. The brake
pedal might be harder to push, or the brake
pedal may go closer to the floor. It could
take longer to stop. If the light is still on,
have the vehicle towed for service. See
Towing the Vehicle0370.
{Warning
The brake system might not be working
properly if the brake system warning
light is on. Driving with the brake system
warning light on can lead to a crash.
If the light is still on after the vehicle has
been pulled off the road and carefully
stopped, have the vehicle towed for
service.
Electric Parking Brake Light
MetricEnglish
This light comes on when the parking brake
is applied. If the light continues flashing
after the parking brake is released, or while
driving, there is a problem with the Electric
Parking Brake system. A message may also
display in the Driver Information
Center (DIC).
If the light does not come on, or remains
flashing, see your dealer.
Service Electric Parking Brake
Light
This light should come on briefly when
starting the vehicle. If it does not come on,
have it fixed so it will be ready to warn if
there is a problem.
If this light stays on, take the vehicle to
your dealer as soon as possible. See the
information for the Electric Parking Brake
under Electric Parking Brake 0240.
A message may also display in the Driver
Information Center (DIC).
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
Warning Light
This warning light should come on briefly
when the vehicle is turned on. If the light
does not come on, have it fixed so it will be
ready to warn if there is a problem.
If the light comes on while driving, safely
stop as soon as it is possible and turn off
the vehicle. Then turn on the vehicle again
to reset the system.
GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-13690468) - 2021 - crc - 8/14/20
114 Instruments and Controls
If the ABS warning light stays on, or comes
on again while driving, the vehicle needs
service. A chime may also sound when the
light stays on.
If the ABS warning light is the only light on,
the vehicle has regular brakes, but ABS is
not functioning.
If both the ABS warning light and the brake
system warning light are on, ABS is not
functioning and there is a problem with the
regular brakes. See your dealer for service.
SeeBrake System Warning Light 0112.
Four-Wheel-Drive Light
Auto Mode Shown, Other Modes Similar
If equipped, the four-wheel-drive light
displays what mode the vehicle is in. The
light will show each mode: 2WD, 4HI, AUTO
(all transfer cases); 4LOW and N (two-speed
transfer case only). The light will flash when a shift is in
progress. Once the shift is complete the
light will be steady.
If the light turns amber, there may be a
malfunction with the four-wheel-drive
system. See your dealer.
See
Four-Wheel Drive 0236.
Hill Descent Control Light
If equipped, the Hill Descent Control light
comes on when the system is ready for use.
When the light flashes, the system is active.
See Hill Descent Control (HDC) 0244.
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) Light
After the vehicle is started, this light turns
off and stays off if LKA has not been turned
on or is unavailable.
If equipped, this light is white if LKA is
turned on, but not ready to assist.
This light is green if LKA is turned on and is
ready to assist.
LKA may assist by gently turning the
steering wheel if the vehicle approaches a
detected lane marking. The LKA light is
amber when assisting.
This light flashes amber as a Lane Departure
Warning (LDW) alert, to indicate that the
lane marking has been crossed.
LKA will not assist or alert if the turn signal
is active in the direction of lane departure,
or if LKA detects that you are accelerating,
braking or actively steering.
See Lane Keep Assist (LKA) 0275.