GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-15555988) - 2022 - CRC - 12/3/21
Vehicle Care 295
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
California Perchlorate MaterialsRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . 296
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own Service Work . . . . . . . . 297
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 299
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . 305
Engine Air Filter Life System . . . . . . . . . . 305
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
Brake Pad Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
Battery - North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315 Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Glass Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Headlamp Aiming
Front Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Bulb Replacement
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . 320
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . 324
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . 326
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
All-Terrain Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Tire Terminology and Definitions . . . . . . 331
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
Tire Pressure for High-Speed
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . 336
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . 337 Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . 340
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . 342
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . 343
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . 344
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356
Jump Starting
Jump Starting - North America . . . . . . . . 357
Towing the Vehicle
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . 361
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 364
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371
GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-15555988) - 2022 - CRC - 12/3/21
300 Vehicle Care
1. Remote Negative (–) Location. SeeJump
Starting - North America 0357.
2. Positive (+) Terminal (Under Cover). See Jump Starting - North America 0357.
3. Battery - North America 0314.
4. Engine Compartment Fuse Block 0320.
5. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine
Oil” under Engine Oil 0302.
6. Engine Cooling Fans (Out of View). See Cooling System 0306.
7. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add
Engine Oil” underEngine Oil 0302.
8. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling System 0306.
9. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0305.
10. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid
0 313.
11. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer Fluid” underWasher
Fluid 0311.
GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-15555988) - 2022 - CRC - 12/3/21
302 Vehicle Care
1. Remote Negative (–) Location. SeeJump
Starting - North America 0357.
2. Positive (+) Terminal (Under Cover). See Jump Starting - North America 0357.
3. Battery - North America 0314.
4. Engine Compartment Fuse Block 0320.
5. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine
Oil” under Engine Oil 0302.
6. Engine Cooling Fans (Out of View). See Cooling System 0306.
7. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add
Engine Oil” underEngine Oil 0302.
8. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling System 0306.
9. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0305.
10. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid
0 313.
11. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer Fluid” underWasher
Fluid 0311.
Engine Oil
For diesel engine vehicles, see “Engine Oil”
in the Duramax diesel supplement. To ensure proper engine performance and
long life, careful attention must be paid to
engine oil. Following these simple, but
important steps will help protect your
investment:
.Use engine oil approved to the proper
specification and of the proper viscosity
grade. See
“Selecting the Right Engine
Oil” in this section.
.Check the engine oil level regularly and
maintain the proper oil level. See
“Checking Engine Oil” and“When to Add
Engine Oil” in this section.
.Change the engine oil at the appropriate
time. SeeEngine Oil Life System 0304.
.Always dispose of engine oil properly. See
“What to Do with Used Oil” in this
section.
Checking Engine Oil
Check the engine oil level regularly, every
650 km (400 mi), especially prior to a long
trip. The engine oil dipstick handle is a loop.
See Engine Compartment Overview 0299 for
the location.
{Warning
The engine oil dipstick handle may be
hot; it could burn you. Use a towel or
glove to touch the dipstick handle.
If a low oil Driver Information Center (DIC)
message displays, check the oil level.
Follow these guidelines:
.To get an accurate reading, park the
vehicle on level ground. Check the engine
oil level after the engine has been off for
at least two hours. Checking the engine
oil level on steep grades or too soon after
engine shutoff can result in incorrect
readings. Accuracy improves when
checking a cold engine prior to starting.
Remove the dipstick and check the level.
.If unable to wait two hours, the engine
must be off for at least 15 minutes if the
engine is warm, or at least 30 minutes if
the engine is not warm. Pull out the
dipstick, wipe it with a clean paper towel
or cloth, then push it back in all the way.
Remove it again, keeping the tip down,
and check the level.
GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-15555988) - 2022 - CRC - 12/3/21
314 Vehicle Care
{Warning
The wrong or contaminated brake fluid
could result in damage to the brake
system. This could result in the loss of
braking leading to a possible injury.
Always use the proper GM approved
brake fluid.
Caution
If brake fluid is spilled on the vehicle's
painted surfaces, the paint finish can be
damaged. Immediately wash off any
painted surface.
Battery - North America
The original equipment battery is
maintenance free. Do not remove the cap
and do not add fluid.
Refer to the replacement number shown on
the original battery label when a new
battery is needed. SeeEngine Compartment
Overview 0299 for battery location.
The vehicle has an Absorbed Glass Mat
(AGM) 12-volt battery. Installation of a
standard 12-volt battery will result in
reduced 12-volt battery life. When using a 12-volt battery charger on the
12-volt AGM battery, some chargers have an
AGM battery setting on the charger.
If available, use the AGM setting on the
charger, to limit charge voltage to 14.8 volts.
Follow the charger manufacturer's
instructions.
Stop/Start System
This vehicle has a Stop/Start system to shut
off the engine to help conserve fuel. See
Stop/Start System
0208.
{Warning
WARNING: Battery posts, terminals and
related accessories can expose you to
chemicals including lead and lead
compounds, which are known to the
State of California to cause cancer and
birth defects or other reproductive harm.
Wash hands after handling. For more
information go to
www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.
See the warning on the back cover.
Vehicle Storage
{Warning
Batteries have acid that can burn you and
gas that can explode. You can be badly
hurt if you are not careful. See Jump
Starting - North America 0357 for tips on
working around a battery without
getting hurt.
Infrequent Usage: Remove the black,
negative (−) cable from the battery to keep
the battery from running down.
Extended Storage: Remove the black,
negative (−) cable from the battery or use a
battery trickle charger.
Four-Wheel Drive
Transfer Case
When to Check Lubricant
Refer to Maintenance Schedule 0374 to
determine when to check the lubricant.
GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-15555988) - 2022 - CRC - 12/3/21
Vehicle Care 357
If equipped with a temporary use full-size
spare tire, it is indicated on the tire sidewall.
SeeTire Sidewall Labeling 0330. 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.
Caution
If 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 is correctly inflated. The spare tire is
made to perform well at speeds up to
112 km/h (70 MPH) at the recommended
inflation pressure, so you can finish
your trip.
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 difference
sizes, because they will not fit. Keep the
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 0314. If the vehicle's battery (or batteries) 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.
{Warning
WARNING:
Battery posts, terminals and
related accessories can expose you to
chemicals including lead and lead
compounds, which are known to the
State of California to cause cancer and
birth defects or other reproductive harm.
Wash hands after handling. For more
information go to
www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.
See the warning on the back cover.
{Warning
Batteries can hurt you. They can be
dangerous because:
.They contain acid that can burn you.
.They contain gas that can explode or
ignite.
.They contain enough electricity to
burn you. (Continued)
GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-15555988) - 2022 - CRC - 12/3/21
358 Vehicle Care
Warning (Continued)
If you do not follow these steps exactly,
some or all of these things can hurt you.
Caution
Ignoring these steps could result in costly
damage to the vehicle that would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty. Trying
to start the vehicle by pushing or pulling
it will not work, and it could damage the
vehicle.
5.3L V8 Shown, 6.2L V8 Similar
1. Good Battery Positive (+) Terminal
2. Good Battery Negative (–) Terminal
3. Discharged Battery Negative (–)Grounding Point
4. Discharged Battery Remote Positive (+) Terminal
The good battery positive (+) terminal and
the good battery negative (–) terminal are
on the battery of the vehicle providing the
jump start.
The discharged battery positive (+) terminal
and the discharged battery negative (–)
grounding point are on the passenger side
of the vehicle.
The discharged battery positive (+) terminal
is under a cover. Open the cover to expose
the terminal.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt battery with a negative ground
system.
Caution
If the other vehicle does not have a
12-volt system with a negative ground,
both vehicles can be damaged. Only use
a vehicle that has a 12-volt system with a
negative ground for jump starting. 2. If you have a vehicle with a diesel
engine with two batteries, you should
know before you begin that, especially in
cold weather, you may not be able to
get enough power from a single battery
in another vehicle to start your diesel
engine. If your vehicle has more than
one battery, using the battery that is
closer to the starter will reduce electrical
resistance. This is located on the
passenger side, in the rear of the engine
compartment.
3. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables can reach, but be sure the
vehicles are not touching each other.
If they are, it could cause an unwanted
ground connection. You would not be
able to start your vehicle, and the bad
grounding could damage the electrical
systems.
To avoid the possibility of the vehicles
rolling, set the parking brake firmly on
both vehicles involved in the jump start
procedure. Put an automatic transmission
in P (Park) or a manual transmission in
Neutral before setting the parking brake.
If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle, be
sure the transfer case is in a drive gear,
not in N (Neutral).
GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-15555988) - 2022 - CRC - 12/3/21
Vehicle Care 359
Caution
If any accessories are left on or plugged
in during the jump starting procedure,
they could be damaged. The repairs
would not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Whenever possible, turn off or
unplug all accessories on either vehicle
when jump starting.
4. Turn the ignition off on both vehicles. Unplug unnecessary accessories plugged
into the accessory power outlets. Turn
off the radio and all the lamps that are
not needed. This will avoid sparks and
help save both batteries. And it could
save the radio!
5. Open the hood on the other vehicle and locate the positive (+) and negative (−)
terminal locations on that vehicle.
{Warning
An electric fan can start up even when
the engine is not running and can injure
you. Keep hands, clothing, and tools
away from any underhood electric fan.
{Warning
Using a match near a battery can cause
battery gas to explode. People have been
hurt doing this, and some have been
blinded. Use a flashlight if you need
more light.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn
you. Do not get it on you. If you
accidentally get it in your eyes or on
your skin, flush the place with water and
get medical help immediately.
{Warning
Fans or other moving engine parts can
injure you badly. Keep your hands away
from moving parts once the engine is
running.
6. Check that the jumper cables do not have loose or missing insulation. If they
do, you could get a shock. The vehicles
could be damaged too.
Before you connect the cables, here are
some basic things you should know.
Positive (+) will go to positive (+) or to a
remote positive (+) terminal if the vehicle has one. Negative (−) will go to a
heavy, unpainted metal engine part or to
a remote negative (−) terminal if the
vehicle has one.
Do not connect positive (+) to negative
(−) or you will get a short that would
damage the battery and maybe other
parts too. And do not connect the
negative (−) cable to the negative (−)
terminal on the dead battery because
this can cause sparks.
7. Connect one end of the red positive (+) cable to the discharged battery
positive (+) terminal.
8. Do not let the other end touch metal. Connect it to the good battery
positive (+) terminal. Use a remote
positive (+) terminal if the vehicle
has one.
9. Connect one end of the black negative (−) cable to the good battery negative
(−) terminal. Use a remote negative (−)
terminal if the vehicle has one.
Do not let the other end touch anything
until the next step.
10. Connect the other end of the negative (−) cable to the discharged battery
negative (−) grounding point.
GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-15555988) - 2022 - CRC - 12/3/21
360 Vehicle Care
11. Start the vehicle with the good batteryand run the engine for a while.
12. 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 transporting a disabled vehicle
may cause damage to the vehicle. Use
proper tire straps to secure the vehicle to
the flatbed tow truck. Do not strap or
hook to any frame, underbody,
or suspension component not specified
below. Do not move vehicles with drive
axle tires on the ground. Damage is not
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Caution
The vehicle may be equipped with an
electric parking brake and/or an
electronic shifter. In the event of a loss of
12-volt battery power, the electric parking
brake cannot be released, and the vehicle
cannot be shifted to N (Neutral). Tire
skates or dollies must be used under the
non-rolling tires to prevent damage while
loading/unloading the vehicle. Dragging
the vehicle will cause damage not
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Caution
The vehicle may be equipped with a tow
eye. Improper use of the tow eye may
cause damage to the vehicle and is not
covered by the vehicle warranty.
If equipped, use the tow eye to load the
vehicle onto a flatbed tow truck from a
flat road surface, or to move the vehicle
a very short distance at a walking pace.
The tow eye is not designed for off-road
recovery. The vehicle must be in
N (Neutral) with the electric parking
brake released when using the tow eye.
Contact a professional towing service if the
disabled vehicle must be transported. GM
recommends a flatbed tow truck to
transport a disabled vehicle. Use ramps to
help reduce approach angles, if necessary.
If equipped, a tow eye may be located near
the spare tire or emergency jack. Do not use
the tow eye to pull the vehicle from the
snow, mud, sand, or ditch. Tow eye threads
may have right or left-hand threads. Use
caution when installing or removing the
tow eye.