GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-16417394) - 2023 - CRC - 5/16/22
278 Driving and Operating
.State laws may require the use of
extended side view mirrors. If your
visibility is limited or restricted while
towing, install extended side view mirrors
on your vehicle, even if not required.
.Do not tow a trailer during the first
800 km (500 mi) of vehicle use to
prevent damage to the engine, axle,
or other parts.
.Perform the first oil change before heavy
towing.
.Do not drive over 800 km/h (50 mph) and
do not make starts at full throttle during
the first 800 km (500 mi) of trailer
towing.
.Tow in D (Drive). Tow/Haul Mode is
recommended for heavier trailers. See
Driver Mode Control0217. If the
transmission downshifts too often, a
lower gear may be selected using Manual
Mode. See Manual Mode 0207.
If equipped, the following driver assistance
features should be turned off when towing
a trailer:
.Park Assist
.Automatic Parking Assist (APA)
.Reverse Automatic Braking (RAB) If equipped, the following driver assistance
features should be turned to alert or off
when towing a trailer, unless equipped with
Super Cruise:
.Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB)
.Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB)
If equipped with Lane Change Alert (LCA),
the LCA detection zones that extend back
from the side of the vehicle do not move
further back when a trailer is towed. Use
caution while changing lanes when towing a
trailer.
If equipped with Rear Cross Traffic Alert RIM
(RCTA, RTCB, and RAB), these features will be
disabled when towing a trailer.
{Warning
When towing a trailer, exhaust gases
may collect at the rear of the vehicle and
enter if the liftgate, trunk/hatch,
or rear-most window is open.
When towing a trailer:
.Do not drive with the liftgate, trunk/
hatch, or rear-most window open.
.Fully open the air outlets on or under
the instrument panel. (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Also adjust the climate control system
to a setting that brings in only outside
air. See“Climate Control Systems” in
the Index.
For more information about carbon
monoxide, see Engine Exhaust 0203.
Towing a trailer requires experience. The
combination of the vehicle and trailer is
longer and not as responsive as the vehicle
itself. Get used to the handling and braking
of the combination by driving on a level
road surface before driving on public roads.
The trailer structure, the tires, and the
brakes must be all be rated to carry the
intended cargo. Inadequate trailer
equipment can cause the combination to
operate in an unexpected or unsafe manner.
Before driving, inspect all trailer hitch parts
and attachments, safety chains, electrical
connectors, lamps, tires, and mirrors. See
Towing Equipment 0285. If the trailer has
electric brakes, start the combination
moving and then manually apply the trailer
brake controller to check the trailer brakes
work. During the trip, occasionally check
GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-16417394) - 2023 - CRC - 5/16/22
Driving and Operating 281
Pulling the Trailer from the Water1. Press and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine and shift into a gear.
3. Release the parking brake.
4. Let up on the brake pedal.
5. Drive slowly until the tires are clear of the chocks.
6. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
7. Slowly pull the trailer from the water.
8. Once the vehicle and trailer have been driven from the sloped part of the boat
ramp, the vehicle can be shifted from
four-wheel-drive high. Shift into the drive
mode that is appropriate for the road
conditions.
Caution
If the vehicle tires begin to spin and the
vehicle begins to slide toward the water,
remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal and apply the brake pedal. Seek
help to have the vehicle towed up
the ramp.
Maintenance when Trailer Towing
The vehicle needs service more often when
used to tow trailers. See Maintenance
Schedule 0388. It is especially important to
check the engine oil, axle lubricant, belts,
cooling system, and brake system before
and during each trip.
Check periodically that all nuts and bolts on
the trailer hitch are tight.
Engine Cooling when Trailer Towing
The cooling system may temporarily
overheat during severe operating conditions.
See Engine Overheating 0321.
Trailer Towing
If equipped with a diesel engine, see the
Duramax diesel supplement.
Caution
Towing a trailer improperly can damage
the vehicle and result in costly repairs
not covered by the vehicle warranty. To
tow a trailer correctly, follow the
directions in this section and see your
dealer for important information about
towing a trailer with the vehicle. Trailering is different than just driving the
vehicle by itself. Trailering means changes in
handling, acceleration, braking, durability,
and fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering
takes correct equipment, and it has to be
used properly.
The following information has many
time-tested, important trailering tips and
safety rules. Many of these are important
for your safety and that of your passengers.
Read this section carefully before pulling a
trailer.
Trailer Weight
{Warning
Never exceed the towing capacity for
your vehicle.
Safe trailering requires monitoring the
weight, speed, altitude, road grades, outside
temperature, dimensions of the front of the
trailer, and how frequently the vehicle is
used to tow a trailer.
GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-16417394) - 2023 - CRC - 5/16/22
Driving and Operating 305
Maintenance Alerts
Touch Maintenance Alert to turn on/off
Maintenance Alerts for the selected profile.
These alerts are based on the Trailer Profile,
so the settings for each Trailer Profile must
be turned on or off.
The setting is on by default for each profile.
All Maintenance Alerts for that active Trailer
Profile will be received.
Turn this setting off to not receive any of
the Maintenance Alerts when the Trailer
Profile is active.
Theft Alert
Theft alert can be set if a trailer is
connected and the alert is enabled. When
the trailer is disconnected and the vehicle is
off, an alarm will sound.
Touch Theft Alert to turn on/off Theft Alerts
for the selected profile. These alerts are
based on the Trailer Profile, so the settings
for each Trailer Profile must be turned on
or off.
This setting will be off by default for each
Trailer Profile, including the Guest Trailer
Profile.A smartphone will receive a notification that
the trailer related to the selected Trailer
Profile is disconnected from the vehicle,
if the setting is on for the active Trailer
Profile, the vehicle has an OnStar or
connected service plan and the smartphone
number has been added to the account for
this notification.
If the setting is turned off for a given Trailer
Profile, the smartphone will not receive this
security notification even if the Trailer
Profile is active.
Tow/Haul Mode Reminder
This is a reminder to turn on the Tow/Haul
mode when towing a trailer. See
Driver
Mode Control 0217.
Touch Tow/Haul Mode Reminder to turn on/
off Tow/Haul Mode reminders for the
selected profile. These alerts are based on
the Trailer Profile, so the settings for each
Trailer Profile must be turned on or off.
This setting will default to OFF for each
Trailer Profile, including the Guest Trailer
Profile. If Tow/Haul Mode is off and this setting is
on for a Trailer Profile, each time the vehicle
is turned on, a reminder will appear to turn
on Tow/Haul Mode when the Trailer Profile
is active.
If Tow/Haul Mode is on and this setting is
on for a Trailer Profile, the reminder will not
appear when the Trailer Profile is active.
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment
{Warning
The Data Link Connector (DLC) is used for
vehicle service and Emission Inspection/
Maintenance testing. See
Malfunction
Indicator Lamp (Check Engine Light) 0113.
A device connected to the DLC —such as
an aftermarket fleet or driver-behavior
tracking device —may interfere with
vehicle systems. This could affect vehicle
operation and cause a crash. Such devices
may also access information stored in the
vehicle’s systems.
GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-16417394) - 2023 - CRC - 4/26/22
Vehicle Care 307
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
California Perchlorate MaterialsRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . 308
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own Service Work . . . . . . . . 309
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . 311
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . 316
Engine Air Filter Life System . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Brake Pad Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
Battery - North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327 Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Glass Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Headlamp Aiming
Front Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Bulb Replacement
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . 332
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . 336
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . 338
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
All-Terrain Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
Tire Terminology and Definitions . . . . . . 343
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
Tire Pressure for High-Speed
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . 348
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . 349 Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . 354
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . 356
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . 356
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . 357
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 358
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360
Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
Jump Starting
Jump Starting - North America . . . . . . . . 370
Towing the Vehicle
Transporting a Disabled Vehicle . . . . . . . 373
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . 375
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-16417394) - 2023 - CRC - 4/26/22
Vehicle Care 309
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own Service Work
{Warning
It can be dangerous to work on your
vehicle if you do not have the proper
knowledge, service manual, tools,
or parts. Always follow owner’s manual
procedures and consult the service
manual for your vehicle before doing any
service work.
If doing some of your own service work, use
the proper service manual. It tells you much
more about how to service the vehicle than
this manual can. To order the proper service
manual, see Publication Ordering
Information 0407. This vehicle has an airbag system. Before
attempting to do your own service work,
see
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
0 70.
If equipped with remote vehicle start, open
the hood before performing any service
work to prevent remote starting the vehicle
accidentally. See Remote Vehicle Start 014.
Keep a record with all parts receipts and list
the mileage and the date of any service
work performed. See Maintenance Records
0 394.
Caution
Even small amounts of contamination can
cause damage to vehicle systems. Do not
allow contaminants to contact the fluids,
reservoir caps, or dipsticks.
Hood
{Warning
For vehicles with auto engine stop/start,
turn the vehicle off before opening the
hood. If the vehicle is on, the engine will
start when the hood is opened. You or
others could be injured.
{Warning
Components under the hood can get hot
from running the engine. To help avoid
the risk of burning unprotected skin,
never touch these components until they
have cooled, and always use a glove or
towel to avoid direct skin contact.
Clear any snow from the hood before
opening.
GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-16417394) - 2023 - CRC - 4/26/22
312 Vehicle Care
1. Remote Negative (–) Location. SeeJump
Starting - North America 0370.
2. Positive (+) Terminal (Under Cover). See Jump Starting - North America 0370.
3. Battery - North America 0326.
4. Engine Compartment Fuse Block 0332.
5. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine
Oil” under Engine Oil 0314.
6. Engine Cooling Fans (Out of View). See Cooling System 0318.
7. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add
Engine Oil” underEngine Oil 0314.
8. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling System 0318.
9. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0317.
10. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid
0 325.
11. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer Fluid” underWasher
Fluid 0323.
GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-16417394) - 2023 - CRC - 4/26/22
Vehicle Care 313
6.2L V8 Engine
1. Remote Negative (–) Location. See Jump
Starting - North America 0370.
2. Positive (+) Terminal (Under Cover). See Jump Starting - North America 0370.
3. Battery - North America 0326.
4. Engine Compartment Fuse Block 0332. 5. Engine Oil Dipstick. See
“Checking Engine
Oil” under Engine Oil 0314.
6. Engine Cooling Fans (Out of View). See Cooling System 0318.
7. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add
Engine Oil” underEngine Oil 0314. 8. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap.
See Cooling System 0318.
9. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0317.
10. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid
0 325.
GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-16417394) - 2023 - CRC - 4/26/22
314 Vehicle Care
11. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See“Adding Washer Fluid” underWasher
Fluid 0323.
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 0316.
.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 0311 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.
When to Add Engine Oil
If the oil is below the cross-hatched area at
the tip of the dipstick and the engine has
been off for at least 15 minutes, add 1 L
(1 qt) of the recommended oil and then
recheck the level. See
“Selecting the Right
Engine Oil” later in this section for an
explanation of what kind of oil to use. For
engine oil crankcase capacity, see Capacities
and Specifications 0396.
Caution
Do not add too much oil. Oil levels above
or below the acceptable operating range
shown on the dipstick are harmful to the
engine. If the oil level is above the
operating range (i.e., the engine has so
(Continued)