check transmission fluid GMC YUKON 2010 Owner's Manual

Highway Hypnosis
Always be alert and pay attention to your surroundings
while driving. If you become tired or sleepy, find a safe
place to park your vehicle and rest.
Other driving tips include:
.Keep the vehicle well ventilated.
.Keep interior temperature cool.
.Keep your eyes moving—scan the road ahead
and to the sides.
.Check the rearview mirror and vehicle instruments
often.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through mountains is different
than driving on flat or rolling terrain. Tips for driving in
these conditions include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in good shape.
.Check all fluid levels and brakes, tires, cooling
system, and transmission.
.Going down steep or long hills, shift to a
lower gear.
{WARNING:
If you do not shift down, the brakes could get so
hot that they would not work well. You would then
have poor braking or even none going down a hill.
You could crash. Shift down to let the engine
assist the brakes on a steep downhill slope.
5-26

Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine
3. Shift into a gear
4. Release the parking brake
5. Let up on the brake pedal.
6. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
7. Stop and have someone pick up and store thechocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
The vehicle needs service more often when pulling a
trailer. See this manual's Maintenance Schedule or
Index for more information. Things that are especially
important in trailer operation are automatic transmission
fluid, engine oil, axle lubricant, belts, cooling system
and brake system. It is a good idea to inspect these
before and during the trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Trailer Wiring Harness
The vehicle is equipped with the following wiring
harnesses for towing a trailer.
Basic Trailer Wiring
The trailer wiring harness, with a seven-pin connector,
is located at the rear of the vehicle and is tied to the
vehicle's frame. The harness connector can be plugged
into a seven-pin universal heavy-duty trailer connector
available through your dealer.
The seven-wire harness contains the following trailer
circuits:
.Yellow: Left Stop/Turn Signal
.Dark Green: Right Stop/Turn Signal
.Brown: Taillamps
.White: Ground
.Light Green: Back-up Lamps
.Red: Battery Feed*
.Dark Blue: Trailer Brake*
*The fuses for these two circuits are installed in the
underhood electrical center, but the wires are not
connected. They should be connected by your dealer
or a qualified service center.
5-67

Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
California Proposition 65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Doing Your Own Service Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Adding Equipment to the Outside of the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Gasoline Octane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
California Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-11
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-13
Checking Things Under the Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-14
Hood Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-14
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-16
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-18
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-20
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-22
Automatic Transmission Fluid (4-Speed Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-24 Automatic Transmission Fluid (6-Speed
Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-27
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-30
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-32
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-36
Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-39
Engine Fan Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-39
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-40
Windshield Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-41
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-42
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-45
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-46
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-51
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-52
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-53
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-55
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-58
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-58
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and Back-up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-58
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-60
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-60
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . .6-61
6-1

A.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on page 6‑22.
B. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling System on page 6‑30.
C. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. See Jump Starting
on page 6‑46.
D. Battery on page 6‑45.
E. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine Oil”
under Engine Oil on page 6‑18.
F. Automatic Transmission Dipstick. See “Checking
the Fluid Level” underAutomatic Transmission
Fluid (4-Speed Transmission)
on page 6‑24or Automatic Transmission Fluid (6-Speed
Transmission) on page 6‑27.
G. Remote Negative (−) Terminal (Out of View). See Jump Starting on page 6‑46. H. Engine Oil Dipstick (Out of View). See
“Checking
Engine Oil” underEngine Oil on page 6‑18.
I. Engine Cooling Fan. See Cooling System
on
page 6‑30.
J. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. See Power
Steering Fluid on page 6‑40.
K. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See “Brake
Fluid” under Brakes on page 6‑42.
L. Underhood Fuse Block on page 6‑122.
M. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding
Washer Fluid” underWindshield Washer Fluid
on
page 6‑41.
6-17

Automatic Transmission Fluid
(4-Speed Transmission)
When to Check and Change Automatic
Transmission Fluid
A good time to check the automatic transmission fluid
level is when the engine oil is changed.
Change the fluid and filter at the intervals listed in
Scheduled Maintenance
on page 7‑3and be sure
to use the transmission fluid listed in Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants on page 7‑11.
How to Check Automatic Transmission
Fluid
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you
may choose to have this done at the dealer service
department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the instructions
here or you could get a false reading on the dipstick.
Notice: Too much or too little fluid can damage the
transmission. Too much can mean that some of the
fluid could come out and fall on hot engine parts or
exhaust system parts, starting a fire. Too little fluid
could cause the transmission to overheat. Be sure
to get an accurate reading if checking the
transmission fluid. Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the
transmission fluid level if you have been driving:
.When outside temperatures are above
32°C (90°F).
.At high speed for quite a while.
.In heavy traffic
—especially in hot weather.
.While pulling a trailer.
To get the right reading, the fluid should be at normal
operating temperature, which is 82°C to 93°C
(180°F to 200°F).
Get the vehicle warmed up by driving about
24 km (15 miles) when outside temperatures are above
10°C (50°F). If it is colder than 10°C (50°F), drive the
vehicle in 3 (Third) until the engine temperature gauge
moves and then remains steady for 10 minutes.
A cold fluid check can be made after the vehicle has
been sitting for eight hours or more with the engine off,
but this is used only as a reference. Let the engine
run at idle for five minutes if outside temperatures are
10°C (50°F) or more. If it is colder than 10°C (50°F),
you may have to idle the engine longer. Should the fluid
level be low during this cold check, you must check the
fluid hot before adding fluid. Checking the fluid hot will
give you a more accurate reading of the fluid level.
6-24

Checking the Fluid Level
Prepare the vehicle as follows:1. Park the vehicle on a level place. Keep the engine running.
2. With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever in P (Park).
3. With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift lever through each gear range, pausing for about
three seconds in each range. Then, position the
shift lever in P (Park).
4. Let the engine run at idle for three minutes or more. Then, without shutting off the engine, follow these
steps:1. Locate the
transmission
dipstick handle
with this graphic
which is located at
the rear of the engine
compartment, on the
passenger side of the
vehicle.
See Engine Compartment Overview
on page 6‑16for more information on location.
2. Flip the handle up and then pull out the dipstick and wipe it with a clean rag or paper towel.
3. Push it back in all the way, wait three seconds and then pull it back out again.
6-25

4. Check both sides of the dipstick, and read thelower level. The fluid level must be in the COLD
area, below the cross-hatched area, for a cold
check or in the HOT or cross-hatched area for a
hot check. Be sure to keep the dipstick pointed
down to get an accurate reading.
5. If the fluid level is in the acceptable range, push the dipstick back in all the way; then flip the handle
down to lock the dipstick in place.
Consistency of Readings
Always check the fluid level at least twice using
the procedure described previously. Consistency
(repeatable readings) is important to maintaining proper
fluid level. If readings are still inconsistent, contact your
dealer.
How to Add Automatic Transmission
Fluid
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of transmission fluid to use. See Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants on page 7‑11.
Using a funnel, add fluid down the transmission dipstick
tube only after checking the transmission fluid while it is
hot. A cold check is used only as a reference. If the fluid
level is low, add only enough of the proper fluid to bring
the level up to the HOT area for a hot check. It does not
take much fluid, generally less than 0.5 Liter (1 Pint).
Do not overfill.
Notice: Use of the incorrect automatic transmission
fluid may damage the vehicle, and the damages may
not be covered by the vehicle's warranty. Always
use the automatic transmission fluid listed in
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 7‑11.
.After adding fluid, recheck the fluid level as
described under “How to Check Automatic
Transmission Fluid,” earlier in this section.
.When the correct fluid level is obtained, push the
dipstick back in all the way; then flip the handle
down to lock the dipstick in place.
6-26

Automatic Transmission Fluid
(6-Speed Transmission)
When to Check and Change Automatic
Transmission Fluid
It is usually not necessary to check the transmission
fluid level. The only reason for fluid loss is a
transmission leak or overheating the transmission.
If you suspect a small leak, then use the following
checking procedures to check the fluid level. However,
if there is a large leak, then it may be necessary to have
the vehicle towed to a dealer service department and
have it repaired before driving the vehicle further.
Notice:Use of the incorrect automatic transmission
fluid may damage the vehicle, and the damages may
not be covered by the vehicle's warranty. Always
use the automatic transmission fluid listed in
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 7‑11.
Change the fluid and filter at the intervals listed in the
Maintenance Schedule. See Scheduled Maintenance
on page 7‑3. Be sure to use the transmission fluid
listed in Recommended Fluids and Lubricantson
page 7‑11.
How to Check Automatic Transmission
Fluid
Notice: Too much or too little fluid can damage the
transmission. Too much can mean that some of the
fluid could come out and fall on hot engine parts or
exhaust system parts, starting a fire. Too little fluid
could cause the transmission to overheat. Be sure
to get an accurate reading if checking the
transmission fluid.
Before checking the fluid level, prepare the vehicle as
follows:
1. Start the engine and park the vehicle on a level surface. Keep the engine running.
2. Apply the parking brake and place the shift lever in P (Park).
3. With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift lever through each gear range, pausing for about
three seconds in each range. Then, move the shift
lever back to P (Park).
6-27

4. Allow the engine to idle (500–800 rpm) for at least
one minute. Slowly release the brake pedal.
5. Keep the engine running and press the Trip/Fuel button or trip odometer reset stem
until TRANS TEMP (Transmission Temperature)
displays on the Driver Information Center (DIC).
6. Using the TRANS TEMP reading, determine and perform the appropriate check procedure. If the
TRANS TEMP reading is not within the required
temperature ranges, allow the vehicle to cool,
or operate the vehicle until the appropriate
transmission fluid temperature is reached.
Cold Check Procedure
Use this procedure only as a reference to determine if
the transmission has enough fluid to be operated safely
until a hot check procedure can be made. The hot
check procedure is the most accurate method to check
the fluid level. Perform the hot check procedure at the first opportunity. Use this cold check procedure to
check fluid level when the transmission temperature
is between 27°C and 32°C (80°F and 90°F).
1. Locate the
transmission dipstick at
the rear of the engine
compartment, on the
passenger side of the
vehicle.
See Engine Compartment Overview
on page 6‑16for more information.
2. Flip the handle up, and then pull out the dipstick and wipe it with a clean rag or paper towel.
3. Install the dipstick by pushing it back in all the way, wait three seconds, and then pull it back out again.
4. Check both sides of the dipstick and read the lower level. Repeat the check procedure to verify the
reading.
6-28

5. If the fluid level is below the COLD check band,add only enough fluid as necessary to bring the
level into the COLD band. It does not take much
fluid, generally less than 0.5 Liter (1 Pint). Do not
overfill.
6. Perform a hot check at the first opportunity after the transmission reaches a normal
operating temperature between 71°C to 93°C
(160°F to 200°F).
7. If the fluid level is in the acceptable range, push the dipstick back in all the way, then flip the handle
down to lock the dipstick in place.
Hot Check Procedure
Use this procedure to check the transmission fluid level
when the transmission fluid temperature is between
71°C and 93°C (160°F and 200°F).
The hot check is the most accurate method to check
the fluid level. The hot check should be performed at
the first opportunity in order to verify the cold check.
The fluid level rises as fluid temperature increases,
so it is important to ensure the transmission
temperature is within range.
1. Locate thetransmission dipstick at
the rear of the engine
compartment, on the
passenger side of the
vehicle.
See Engine Compartment Overview
on page 6‑16for more information.
2. Flip the handle up, and then pull out the dipstick and wipe it with a clean rag or paper towel.
3. Install the dipstick by pushing it back in all the way, wait three seconds, and then pull it back out again.
4. Check both sides of the dipstick and read the lower level. Repeat the check procedure to verify the
reading.
6-29