ESP GMC YUKON XL 2018 User Guide

GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-11349262) - 2018 - crc - 6/21/17
216 Driving and Operating
Automatic
Transmission If equipped, there is an electronic
shift lever position indicator within
the instrument cluster. This display
comes on when the ignition is
turned on.
There are several different positions
for the shift lever.
See “ Range Selection Mode ” under
Manual Mode 0 218 .
P : This position locks the drive
wheels. Use P (Park) when starting
the engine because the vehicle
cannot move easily. When parked
on a hill, especially when the
vehicle has a heavy load, you might
notice an increase in the effort to
shift out of P (Park). See “ Torque
Lock ” under Shifting Into Park
0 212 . { WarningIt is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
See Shifting Into Park 0 212 and
Driving Characteristics and
Towing Tips 0 259 .
{ Warning
If you have four-wheel drive, the
vehicle will be free to roll — even
if the shift lever is in P (Park) — if
the transfer case is in N (Neutral).
(Continued) Warning (Continued) So, be sure the transfer case is in
a drive gear, Two-Wheel Drive
High or Four-Wheel Drive High or
Four-Wheel Drive Low — not in
N (Neutral). See Shifting Into Park
0 212 .
R : Use this gear to back up.
CautionShifting to R (Reverse) while the
vehicle is moving forward could
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Shift to
R (Reverse) only after the vehicle
is stopped.
To rock the vehicle back and forth to
get out of snow, ice, or sand without
damaging the transmission, see If
the Vehicle Is Stuck 0 200 .

GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-11349262) - 2018 - crc - 6/21/17
Driving and Operating 229control module to supplement the
power brake system under
conditions where the driver has
quickly and forcefully applied the
brake pedal in an attempt to quickly
stop or slow down the vehicle. The
stability system hydraulic brake
control module increases brake
pressure at each corner of the
vehicle until the ABS activates.
Minor brake pedal pulsation or
pedal movement during this time is
normal and the driver should
continue to apply the brake pedal as
the driving situation dictates. The
Brake Assist feature will
automatically disengage when the
brake pedal is released or brake
pedal pressure is quickly
decreased.
Hill Start Assist (HSA) Vehicles with StabiliTrak have a Hill
Start Assist (HSA) feature, which
may be useful when the vehicle is
stopped on a grade. This feature is
designed to prevent the vehicle from
rolling, either forward or rearward,
during vehicle drive off. After the
driver completely stops and holds the vehicle in a complete standstill
on a grade, HSA will be
automatically activated. During the
transition period between when the
driver releases the brake pedal and
starts to accelerate to drive off on a
grade, HSA holds the braking
pressure for a maximum of
two seconds to ensure that there is
no rolling. The brakes will
automatically release when the
accelerator pedal is applied within
the two-second window. If the
vehicle is equipped with the
Integrated Trailer Brake Control
(ITBC) system, HSA may also apply
the trailer brakes. It will not activate
if the vehicle is in a drive gear and
facing downhill or if the vehicle is
facing uphill and in R (Reverse).
There may be situations on minor
hills (less than 5% grade) with a
loaded vehicle or while pulling a
trailer where HSA may activate. Ride Control Systems Traction Control/
Electronic Stability
Control System Operation The vehicle has a Traction Control
System (TCS) and StabiliTrak ®
, an
electronic stability control system.
These systems help limit wheel spin
and assist the driver in maintaining
control, especially on slippery road
conditions.
TCS activates if it senses that any
of the drive wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. When this
happens, TCS applies the brakes to
the spinning wheels and reduces
engine power to limit wheel spin.
StabiliTrak activates when the
vehicle senses a difference between
the intended path and the direction
the vehicle is actually traveling.
StabiliTrak selectively applies
braking pressure to any one of the
vehicle wheel brakes to assist the
driver in keeping the vehicle on the

GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-11349262) - 2018 - crc - 6/21/17
238 Driving and Operating Increasing Speed While ACC is at
a Set Speed
Do one of the following:
.
Use the accelerator to get to the
higher speed. Press SET – .
Release the control and the
accelerator pedal. The vehicle
will now cruise at the higher
speed.
When the accelerator pedal is
pressed, ACC will not brake
because it is overridden.
A warning message will appear
on the Driver Information Center
(DIC) and HUD, if equipped. See
Vehicle Messages 0 157 .
.
Press and hold +RES until the
desired set speed appears on
the display, then release it.
.
To increase vehicle speed in
small increments, briefly press
+RES. For each press, the
vehicle goes to the next 1 km/h
(1 mph) faster mark on the
speedometer.
.
To increase speed in larger
increments, press and briefly
hold +RES. For each press, the vehicle speed goes to next
5 km/h (5 mph) faster mark on
the speedometer.
When it is determined that there is
no vehicle ahead or the vehicle
ahead is beyond the selected
following gap, then the vehicle
speed will increase to the set speed.
Reducing Speed While ACC is at a
Set Speed
Do one of the following:
.
Use the brake to get to the
desired lower speed. Release
the brake and press SET – . The
vehicle will now cruise at the
lower speed.
.
Press and hold SET – until the
desired lower speed is reached,
then release it.
.
To decrease the vehicle speed in
small increments, briefly press
SET − . For each press, the
vehicle speed goes to the next
1 km/h (1 mph) slower mark on
the speedometer. .
To decrease speed in larger
increments, press and briefly
hold SET − . For each press, the
vehicle speed goes to the next
5 km/h (5 mph) slower mark on
the speedometer.
Selecting the Follow Distance Gap
When a slower moving vehicle is
detected ahead within the selected
following gap, ACC will adjust the
vehicle's speed and attempt to
maintain the follow distance gap
selected.
Press
3 on the steering wheel to
adjust the following gap. When
pressed, the current gap setting
displays briefly on the instrument
cluster and HUD, if equipped.
Subsequent presses cycle the
3 button through three settings: Far,
Medium, or Near. The gap setting
will be maintained until it is
changed.
Since each gap setting corresponds
to a following time (Far, Medium,
or Near), the following distance will
vary based on vehicle speed. The
faster the vehicle speed, the further

GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-11349262) - 2018 - crc - 6/21/17
Driving and Operating 239back your vehicle will follow a
vehicle detected ahead. Consider
traffic and weather conditions when
selecting the following gap. The
range of selectable gaps may not be
appropriate for all drivers and
driving conditions.
Changing the gap setting
automatically changes the alert
timing sensitivity (Far, Medium,
or Near) for the Forward Collision
Alert (FCA) feature. See Forward
Collision Alert (FCA) System 0 246 .
Alerting the Driver
Without Head-Up Display With Head-Up Display
If ACC is engaged, driver action
may be required when ACC cannot
apply sufficient braking because of
approaching a vehicle too rapidly.
When this condition occurs, six red
lights or the collision alert symbol on
the HUD, if equipped, will flash on
the windshield, and either eight
beeps will sound from the front,
or both sides of the Safety Alert
Seat will pulse five times. See
“ Collision/Detection Systems ” under
Vehicle Personalization 0 158 .
See Defensive Driving 0 190 . Approaching and Following a
Vehicle
The vehicle ahead indicator is in the
instrument cluster and HUD,
if equipped.
The vehicle ahead indicator only
displays when a vehicle is detected
in your vehicle ’ s path moving in the
same direction.
If this indicator is not displaying,
ACC will not respond to or brake to
vehicles ahead.
ACC automatically slows the vehicle
down and adjusts vehicle speed to
follow the vehicle in front at the
selected follow gap. The vehicle
speed increases or decreases to
follow the vehicle in front of you, but
will not exceed the set speed. It may
apply limited braking, if necessary.
When braking is active, the brake
lights will come on. The automatic

GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-11349262) - 2018 - crc - 6/21/17
Driving and Operating 241Warning (Continued)especially when following a
vehicle exiting or entering exit
ramps. You could lose control of
the vehicle or crash. Do not use
ACC while driving on an entrance
or exit ramp. Always be ready to
use the brakes if necessary.
{ WarningOn curves, ACC may respond to
a vehicle in another lane, or may
not have time to react to a vehicle
in your lane. You could crash into
a vehicle ahead of you, or lose
control of your vehicle. Give extra
attention in curves and be ready
to use the brakes if necessary.
Select an appropriate speed while
driving in curves.
ACC may operate differently in a
sharp curve. It may reduce the
vehicle speed if the curve is too
sharp. When following a vehicle and
entering a curve, ACC may not
detect the vehicle ahead and
accelerate to the set speed. When
this happens, the vehicle ahead
indicator will not appear.
ACC may detect a vehicle that is
not in your lane and apply the
brakes. ACC may occasionally provide an
alert and/or braking that is
considered unnecessary. It could
respond to vehicles in different
lanes, signs, guardrails, and other
stationary objects when entering or
exiting a curve. This is normal
operation. The vehicle does not
need service.
Other Vehicle Lane Changes
ACC will not detect a vehicle ahead
until it is completely in the lane. The
brakes may need to be manually
applied.

GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-11349262) - 2018 - crc - 6/21/17
242 Driving and Operating Do Not Use ACC on Hills and
When Towing a Trailer
Do not use ACC when driving on
steep hills or when towing a trailer.
ACC will not detect a vehicle in the
lane while driving on steep hills. The
driver will often need to take over
acceleration and braking on steep
hills, especially when towing a
trailer. If the brakes are applied, the
ACC disengages.
Disengaging ACC
There are three ways to
disengage ACC:
.
Step lightly on the brake pedal.
.
Press
* .
.
Press
5 . Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is
erased from memory if
5 is pressed
or if the ignition is turned off.
Cleaning the Sensing System
The radar sensor on the front of the
vehicle can become blocked by
snow, ice, dirt, or mud. This area
needs to be cleaned for ACC to
operate properly.
For cleaning instructions, see
“ Washing the Vehicle ” under
Exterior Care 0 360 .
System operation may also be
limited under snow, heavy rain,
or road spray conditions. Driver Assistance
Systems This vehicle may have features that
work together to help avoid crashes
or reduce crash damage while
driving, backing, and parking. Read
this entire section before using
these systems.
{ WarningDo not rely on the Driver
Assistance Systems. These
systems do not replace the need
for paying attention and driving
safely. You may not hear or feel
alerts or warnings provided by
these systems. Failure to use
proper care when driving may
result in injury, death, or vehicle
damage. See Defensive Driving
0 190 .
(Continued)

GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-11349262) - 2018 - crc - 6/21/17
Driving and Operating 249The system works when driving in a
forward gear between 8 km/h
(5 mph) and 80 km/h (50 mph),
or on vehicles with Adaptive Cruise
Control (ACC), above 4 km/h
(2 mph). It can detect vehicles up to
approximately 60 m (197 ft).
{ WarningFAB is an emergency crash
preparation feature and is not
designed to avoid crashes. Do
not rely on FAB to brake the
vehicle. FAB will not brake
outside of its operating speed
range and only responds to
detected vehicles.
FAB may not:
.
Detect a vehicle ahead on
winding or hilly roads.
.
Detect all vehicles,
especially vehicles with a
trailer, tractors, muddy
vehicles, etc.
(Continued) Warning (Continued) .
Detect a vehicle when
weather limits visibility, such
as in fog, rain, or snow.
.
Detect a vehicle ahead if it
is partially blocked by
pedestrians or other objects.
Complete attention is always
required while driving, and you
should be ready to take action
and apply the brakes and/or steer
the vehicle to avoid crashes.
FAB may slow the vehicle to a
complete stop to try to avoid a
potential crash. The vehicle will only
hold at a stop briefly. A firm press of
the accelerator pedal will also
release FAB.
{ Warning
FAB may automatically brake the
vehicle suddenly in situations
where it is unexpected and
(Continued) Warning (Continued) undesired. It could respond to a
turning vehicle ahead, guardrails,
signs, and other non-moving
objects. To override FAB, firmly
press the accelerator pedal, if it is
safe to do so.
Intelligent Brake Assist (IBA) IBA may activate when the brake
pedal is applied quickly by providing
a boost to braking based on the
speed of approach and distance to
a vehicle ahead.
Minor brake pedal pulsations or
pedal movement during this time is
normal and the brake pedal should
continue to be applied as needed.
IBA will automatically disengage
only when the brake pedal is
released.

GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-11349262) - 2018 - crc - 6/21/17
250 Driving and Operating
{ WarningIBA may increase vehicle braking
in situations when it may not be
necessary. You could block the
flow of traffic. If this occurs, take
your foot off the brake pedal and
then apply the brakes as needed.
FAB and IBA can be disabled
through vehicle personalization. See
“ Collision/Detection Systems ” under
Vehicle Personalization 0 158 .
{ WarningUsing FAB or IBA while towing a
trailer could cause you to lose
control of the vehicle and crash.
Turn the system to Alert, or if the
vehicle has ACC to Off, when
towing a trailer.
A system unavailable message may
display if:
.
The front of the vehicle or
windshield is not clean. .
Heavy rain or snow is interfering
with object detection.
.
There is a problem with the
StabiliTrak system.
The FAB system does not need
service.
Side Blind Zone
Alert (SBZA) If equipped, the SBZA system is a
lane-changing aid that assists
drivers with avoiding crashes that
occur with moving vehicles in the
side blind zone (or spot) areas.
When the vehicle is in a forward
gear, the left or right side mirror
display will light up if a moving
vehicle is detected in that blind
zone. If the turn signal is activated
and a vehicle is also detected on
the same side, the display will flash
as an extra warning not to change
lanes. Since this system is part of
the Lane Change Alert (LCA)
system, read the entire LCA section
before using this feature. Lane Change Alert (LCA) If equipped, the LCA system is a
lane-changing aid that assists
drivers with avoiding lane change
crashes that occur with moving
vehicles in the side blind zone (or
spot) areas or with vehicles rapidly
approaching these areas from
behind. The LCA warning display
will light up in the corresponding
outside side mirror and will flash if
the turn signal is on.
{ WarningLCA does not alert the driver to
vehicles outside of the system
detection zones, pedestrians,
bicyclists, or animals. It may not
provide alerts when changing
lanes under all driving conditions.
Failure to use proper care when
changing lanes may result in
injury, death, or vehicle damage.
Before making a lane change,
always check mirrors, glance over
your shoulder, and use the turn
signals.

GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-11349262) - 2018 - crc - 6/21/17
252 Driving and Operating trailer. LCA may alert to objects
attached to the vehicle, such as a
trailer, bicycle, or object extending
out to either side of the vehicle.
Attached objects may also interfere
with the detection of vehicles. This
is normal system operation; the
vehicle does not need service.
LCA may not always alert the driver
to vehicles in the next lane over,
especially in wet conditions or when
driving on sharp curves. The system
does not need to be serviced. The
system may light up due to
guardrails, signs, trees, shrubs, and
other non-moving objects. This is
normal system operation; the
vehicle does not need service.
LCA may not operate when the LCA
sensors in the left or right corners of
the rear bumper are covered with
mud, dirt, snow, ice, or slush, or in
heavy rainstorms. For cleaning
instructions, see "Washing the
Vehicle" under Exterior Care 0 360 .
If the DIC still displays the system
unavailable message after cleaning
both sides of the vehicle toward the
rear corners of the vehicle, see your
dealer. If the LCA displays do not light up
when moving vehicles are in the
side blind zone or are rapidly
approaching this zone and the
system is clean, the system may
need service. Take the vehicle to
your dealer.
When LCA is disabled for any
reason other than the driver turning
it off, the Side Blind Zone Alert On
option will not be available on the
personalization menu.
Radio Frequency Information See Radio Frequency Statement
0 396 .
Lane Departure
Warning (LDW) If equipped, LDW may help avoid
crashes due to unintentional lane
departures. It may provide a
warning if the vehicle is crossing a
detected lane marking without using
a turn signal in the lane departure
direction. Since this system is part
of the Lane Keep Assist (LKA)
system, read the entire LKA section
before using this feature. Lane Keep Assist (LKA) If equipped, LKA may help avoid
crashes due to unintentional lane
departures. It may assist by gently
turning the steering wheel if the
vehicle approaches a detected lane
marking without using a turn signal
in that direction. It may also provide
a Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
system alert as the lane marking is
crossed. The LKA system will not
assist or provide an LDW alert if it
detects that you are actively
steering. Override LKA by turning
the steering wheel. LKA uses a
camera to detect lane markings
between 60 km/h (37 mph) and
180 km/h (112 mph).
{ Warning
The LKA system does not
continuously steer the vehicle.
It may not keep the vehicle in the
lane or give a Lane Departure
Warning (LDW) alert, even if a
lane marking is detected.
(Continued)

GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-11349262) - 2018 - crc - 6/21/17
260 Driving and Operating 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 0 215 .
Towing a trailer requires a certain
amount of experience. The
combination you are driving is
longer and not as responsive as the
vehicle itself. Get acquainted with
the handling and braking of the rig
before setting out for the open road.
The structure, tires, and brakes of
the trailer must be rated to carry the
load. Inadequate trailer equipment
can cause the combination to
operate in an unexpected or unsafe
manner.
Before starting, check all trailer hitch
parts and attachments, safety
chains, electrical connectors, lamps,
tires, and mirrors. Get familiar with the handling and braking of the rig.
If the trailer has electric brakes, start
the combination moving and then
apply the trailer brake controller by
hand to be sure the brakes work.
During the trip, check occasionally
to be sure that the load is secure
and the lamps and any trailer
brakes still work.
Following Distance Stay at least twice as far behind the
vehicle ahead as you would when
driving the vehicle without a trailer.
This can help to avoid heavy
braking and sudden turns.
Passing More passing distance is needed
when towing a trailer. The
combination will not accelerate as
quickly and is longer so it is
necessary to go much farther
beyond the passed vehicle before
returning to the lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering
wheel with one hand. To move the
trailer to the left, move that hand to the left. To move the trailer to the
right, move your hand to the right.
Always back up slowly and,
if possible, have someone
guide you.
Making Turns
CautionMaking very sharp turns while
trailering could cause the trailer to
come in contact with the vehicle.
The vehicle could be damaged.
Avoid making very sharp turns
while trailering.
When turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal. Do this so
the trailer will not strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees,
or other objects. Avoid jerky or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.
If the trailer turn signal bulbs burn
out, the arrows on the instrument
cluster will still flash for turns. It is
important to check occasionally to
be sure the trailer bulbs are still
working.