GMC YUKON 2020 Owner's Manual

GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-13566587) - 2020 - CRC - 4/15/19
270 Driving and Operating
including the carrier, is no more than
half of the maximum allowable
tongue weight for the vehicle or
227 kg (500 lb), whichever is less.
Rear Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR-RR)
The GAWR-RR is the total weight
that can be supported by the rear
axle of the vehicle. Do not exceed
the GAWR-RR for the vehicle, with
the tow vehicle and trailer fully
loaded for the trip including the
weight of the trailer tongue. If using
a weight-distributing hitch, do not
exceed the GAWR-RR before
applying the weight distribution
spring bars.
Ask your dealer for trailering
information or assistance.
Towing Equipment
Hitches
Always use the correct hitch
equipment for your vehicle.
Crosswinds, large trucks going by,
and rough roads can affect the
trailer and the hitch.
Proper hitch equipment for your
vehicle helps maintain control of the
vehicle-trailer combination. Many
trailers can be towed using a
weight-carrying hitch which has a
coupler latched to the hitch ball, or a
tow eye latched to a pintle hook.
Other trailers may require a
weight-distributing hitch that uses
spring bars to distribute the trailer
tongue weight between your vehicle
and trailer axles. See“Maximum
Trailer Tongue Weight Rating” under
Trailer Towing 0264 for weight limits
with various hitch types.
Never attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches. Only use
frame-mounted hitches that do not
attach to the bumper.

GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
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Driving and Operating 271
Hitch Cover
To remove hitch cover, if equipped:1. Remove the two fasteners on the lower tabs (2).
2. Pull the lower edge of the cover to about a 45 degree
angle.
3. Pull the cover upward to disengage the upper
attachments (1). To reinstall hitch cover:
1. Hold cover at a 45 degree angle to the vehicle and push
the upper tabs into the slots in
the bumper.
2. Push the bottom of the cover forward until the lower tabs line
up with the lower slots.
3. Snap the hitch cover into place by pushing the upper corners
forward (1).
4. Reinstall the two fasteners on the lower tabs (2).
Consider using mechanical sway
controls with any trailer. Ask a
trailering professional about sway
controls or refer to the trailer
manufacturer's recommendations
and instructions.
Weight-Distributing Hitch
Adjustment
A weight-distributing hitch may be
useful with some trailers. Use the
following guidelines to determine if a
weight-distributing hitch should
be used.

GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
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272 Driving and Operating
Vehicle SeriesTrailer WeightWeight-Distributing Hitch
Usage Hitch Distribution
1500 Up to 3 175 kg (7,000 lb) OptionalRefer to trailer
manufacturer ’s
recommendation
1500 Over 3 175 kg (7,000 lb) Required50%
1. Front of Vehicle
2. Body to Ground Distance
When using a weight-distributing
hitch, measure the front fender
height above the front axle
distance (2) before and after
connecting trailer. Adjust the spring bars until the front fender height
distance (2) is approximately half
way between the first and second
measurements.
If equipped with
Automatic Level
Control 0229, it is recommended to
allow the shocks to inflate, leveling
the vehicle prior to adjusting the
hitch.
Tires
. Do not tow a trailer while using a
compact spare tire on the
vehicle.
. Tires must be properly inflated to
support loads while towing a
trailer. See Tires0326 for
instructions on proper tire
inflation.
Safety Chains
Always attach chains between the
vehicle and the trailer, and attach
the chains to the holes on the trailer
hitch platform. Instructions about
safety chains may be provided by
the hitch manufacturer or by the
trailer manufacturer.
Cross the safety chains under the
tongue of the trailer to help prevent
the tongue from contacting the road
if it becomes separated from the
hitch. Always leave just enough
slack so the combination can turn.
Never allow safety chains to drag on
the ground.

GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
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Driving and Operating 273
Trailer Brakes
Loaded trailers over 900 kg
(2,000 lb) must be equipped with
brake systems and with brakes for
each axle. Trailer braking equipment
conforming to Canadian Standards
Association (CSA) requirement
CAN3-D313, or its equivalent, is
recommended.
State or local regulations may
require trailers to have their own
braking system if the loaded weight
of the trailer exceeds certain
minimums that can vary from state
to state. Read and follow the
instructions for the trailer brakes so
they are installed, adjusted, and
maintained properly. Never attempt
to tap into your vehicle's hydraulic
brake system. If you do, both the
vehicle anti-lock brakes and the
trailer brakes may not function,
which could result in a crash.
Trailer Wiring Harness
The seven-pin trailer connector is
mounted in the bumper. This
connector can be plugged into aseven-pin universal heavy-duty
trailer connector available through
your dealer.
Use only a round, seven-wire
connector with flat blade terminals
meeting SAE J2863 specifications
for proper electrical connectivity.
The seven-wire harness contains
the following trailer circuits:
.
Yellow/Grey: Left Stop/Turn
Signal
. Green/Violet: Right Stop/Turn
Signal
. Grey/Brown: Taillamps
. White: Ground
. White/Green: Back-up Lamps
. Red/Green: Battery Feed
. Dark Blue: Trailer Brake
To help charge a remote
(non-vehicle) battery, press the Tow/
Haul Mode button at the end of the
shift lever. If the trailer is too light for
Tow/Haul Mode, turn on the
headlamps to help charge the
battery.
Electric Brake Control Wiring
Provisions
These wiring provisions are
included with the vehicle as part of
the trailer wiring package. These
provisions are for an electric brake
controller.
The harness should be installed by
your dealer or a qualified service
center.
Refer to the aftermarket electric
trailer brake controller owner's
manual to determine wire color
coding of the electric trailer brake
controller. The wire colors on the
brake controller may be different
from the vehicle.
Trailer Lamps
Always check all trailer lamps are
working at the beginning of each
trip, and periodically on longer trips.
Turn Signals When Towing a
Trailer
When properly connected, the trailer
turn signals should will illuminate to
indicate the vehicle is turning,

GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
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274 Driving and Operating
changing lanes, or stopping. When
towing a trailer, the arrows on the
instrument cluster will illuminate
even if the trailer is not properly
connected or the bulbs are
burned out.
Tow/Haul Mode
For instructions on how to enter
Tow/Haul mode, seeTow/Haul
Mode 0218.
Tow/Haul assists when pulling a
heavy trailer or a large or
heavy load.
Tow/Haul Mode is designed to be
most effective when the vehicle and
trailer combined weight is at least
75% of the vehicle's Gross
Combined Weight Rating (GCWR).
See “Maximum Trailer Weight”
under Trailer Towing 0264.
Tow/Haul Mode is most useful when
towing a heavy trailer or carrying a
large or heavy load:
. through rolling terrain
. in stop-and-go traffic
. in busy parking lots Operating the vehicle in Tow/Haul
Mode when lightly loaded or not
towing will not cause damage;
however, it is not recommended and
may result in unpleasant engine and
transmission driving characteristics
and reduced fuel economy.Integrated Trailer Brake
Control System
The vehicle may have an Integrated
Trailer Brake Control (ITBC) system
for use with electric trailer brakes or
most electric over hydraulic trailer
brake systems. These instructions
apply to both types of electric trailer
brakes.
This symbol is on the Trailer Brake
Control Panel on vehicles with an
ITBC system. The power output to
the trailer brakes is proportional to
the amount of vehicle braking. This
available power output to the trailer
brakes can be adjusted to a wide
range of trailering situations.
The ITBC system is integrated with
the vehicle’
s brake, anti-lock brake,
and StabiliTrak systems. In trailering
conditions that cause the vehicle’s
anti-lock brake or StabiliTrak
systems to activate, power sent to
the trailer's brakes will be
automatically adjusted to minimize
trailer wheel lock-up. This does not
imply that the trailer has StabiliTrak.
If the vehicle’s brake, anti-lock
brake, or StabiliTrak systems are
not functioning properly, the ITBC
system may not function fully or at
all. Make sure all of these systems
are fully operational to allow the
ITBC system to function properly.
The ITBC system is powered
through the vehicle's electrical
system. Turning the ignition off will
also turn off the ITBC system. The
ITBC system is fully functional only
when the ignition is in ON/RUN.

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{Warning
Connecting a trailer that has an
air brake system may result in
reduced or complete loss of trailer
braking, including increased
stopping distance or trailer
instability which could result in
serious injury, death, or property
damage. Only use the ITBC
system with electric or electric
over hydraulic trailer brake
systems.
Trailer Brake Control Panel
1. Manual Trailer Brake Apply Lever
2. Trailer Gain Adjustment Buttons
The ITBC control panel is on the
instrument panel to the left of the
steering column. The control panel
allows adjustment to the amount of
output, referred to as Trailer Gain,
available to the trailer brakes and
allows manual application of the
trailer brakes. Use the ITBC control
panel and the DIC trailer brake
display page to adjust and display
power output to the trailer brakes.
Trailer Brake DIC Display Page
The ITBC display page indicates:
.Trailer Gain setting
. Output to the trailer brakes
. Trailer connection
. System operational status.
To display:
. Scroll through the DIC menu
pages
. Press a Trailer Gain (+) or (−)
button .
Activate the Manual Trailer
Brake Apply Lever
TRAILER GAIN:
Press a Trailer Gain button to recall
the current Trailer Gain setting.
Each press and release of the gain
buttons will then change the Trailer
Gain setting. Press the Trailer
Gain (+) or (−) to adjust. Press and
hold to continuously adjust the
Trailer Gain. To turn the output to
the trailer off, adjust the Trailer Gain
setting to 0.0. This setting can be
adjusted from 0.0 to 10.0 with a
trailer connected or disconnected.
TRAILER OUTPUT: This displays
anytime a trailer with electric brakes
is connected. Output to the trailer
brakes is based on the amount of
vehicle braking present and relative
to the Trailer Gain setting. Output is
displayed from 0 to 100% for each
gain setting.
The Trailer Output will indicate “- - -
- - -” on the Trailer Brake Display
Page whenever the following occur:
. No trailer is connected.

GMC Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
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276 Driving and Operating
.A trailer without electric brakes
is connected, no DIC message
will display
. A trailer with electric brakes has
become disconnected, a CHECK
TRAILER WIRING message
displays on the DIC
. There is a fault present in the
wiring to the trailer brakes, a
CHECK TRAILER WIRING
message displays on the DIC
. The ITBC system is not working
due to a fault, a SERVICE
TRAILER BRAKE SYSTEM
message displays in the DIC
Manual Trailer Brake Apply Lever
Slide this lever left to apply the
trailer ’s electric brakes independent
of the vehicle’s brakes. Use this
lever to adjust Trailer Gain to
achieve the proper power output to
the trailer brakes. The trailer's and
the vehicle's brake lamps will come
on when either vehicle brakes or
manual trailer brakes are applied
and properly connected. Trailer Gain Adjustment Procedure
Trailer Gain should be set for a
specific trailering condition and it
must be readjusted anytime vehicle
loading, trailer loading, or road
surface conditions change.
{Warning
Trailer brakes that are
over-gained or under-gained may
not stop the vehicle and the trailer
as intended and can result in a
crash. Always follow the
instructions to set the Trailer Gain
for the proper trailer stopping
performance.
To adjust Trailer Gain for each
towing condition: 1. Drive the vehicle with the trailer attached on a level road
surface representative of the
towing condition and free of
traffic at about 32 to 40 km/h
(20 to 25 mph) and fully apply
the Manual Trailer Brake apply
lever. Note
Adjusting Trailer Gain at speeds
lower than 32 to 40 km/h (20 to
25 mph) may result in an incorrect
gain setting.
2. Adjust the Trailer Gain, using the Trailer Gain adjustment
buttons, to just below the point
of trailer wheel lock-up,
indicated by trailer wheel
squeal or tire smoke when a
trailer wheel locks.
Note
Trailer wheel lock-up may not occur
if towing a heavily loaded trailer. In
this case, adjust the Trailer Gain to
the highest allowable setting for the
towing condition.
3. Readjust Trailer Gain any time vehicle loading, trailer loading,
or road surface conditions
change or if trailer wheel
lock-up is noticed at any time
while towing.

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Other ITBC-Related DIC Messages
TRAILER CONNECTED: This
message will briefly display when a
trailer with electric brakes is first
connected to the vehicle. This
message will automatically turn off
in about 10 seconds. This message
can be acknowledged before it
automatically turns off.
CHECK TRAILER WIRING: This
message will display if:
.The ITBC system first
determines connection to a
trailer with electric brakes and
then the trailer harness becomes
disconnected the vehicle.
If the disconnect occurs while
the vehicle is stationary, this
message will automatically turn
off in about 30 seconds. This
message will also turn off if it is
acknowledged or if the trailer
harness is reconnected.
If the disconnect occurs while
the vehicle is moving, this
message will continue until the
ignition is turned off. This message will also turn off if it is
acknowledged or if the trailer
harness is reconnected.
. There is an electrical fault in the
wiring to the trailer brakes. This
message will continue as long
as there is an electrical fault in
the trailer wiring. This message
will also turn off if it is
acknowledged.
To determine whether the electrical
fault is on the vehicle side or trailer
side of the trailer wiring harness
connection: 1. Disconnect the trailer wiring harness from the vehicle.
2. Turn the ignition off.
3. Wait 10 seconds, then turn the ignition back to RUN.
4. If the CHECK TRAILER WIRING message reappears,
the electrical fault is on the
vehicle side.
If the CHECK TRAILER
WIRING message only
reappears when connecting the trailer wiring harness to the
vehicle, the electrical fault is on
the trailer side.
SERVICE TRAILER BRAKE
SYSTEM: This message will display
when there is a problem with the
ITBC system. If this message
continues over multiple ignition
cycles, there is a problem with the
ITBC system. Have the vehicle
serviced.
If either the CHECK TRAILER
WIRING or SERVICE TRAILER
BRAKE SYSTEM message displays
while driving, the ITBC system may
not be fully functional or may not
function at all. When traffic
conditions allow, carefully pull the
vehicle over to the side of the road
and turn the ignition off. Check the
wiring connection to the trailer and
turn the ignition back on. If either of
these messages continues, either
the vehicle or trailer needs service.
A GM dealer may be able to
diagnose and repair problems with
the trailer. However, any diagnosis
and repair of the trailer is not
covered under the vehicle warranty.

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278 Driving and Operating
Contact your trailer dealer for
assistance with trailer repairs and
trailer warranty information.
Trailer Sway
Control (TSC)
Vehicles with StabiliTrak have a
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) feature.
Trailer sway is unintended
side-to-side motion of a trailer while
towing. If the vehicle is towing a
trailer and the TSC detects that
sway is increasing, the vehicle
brakes are selectively applied at
each wheel, to help reduce
excessive trailer sway. If equipped
with the Integrated Trailer Brake
Control (ITBC) system, and the
trailer has an electric brake system,
StabiliTrak may also apply the trailer
brakes.If TSC is enabled, the Traction
Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak
warning light will flash on the
instrument cluster. Reduce vehicle
speed by gradually removing your
foot from the accelerator. If trailer
sway continues, StabiliTrak can
reduce engine torque to help slow
the vehicle. TSC will not function if
StabiliTrak is turned off. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control0226.
{Warning
Trailer sway can result in a crash
and in serious injury or death,
even if the vehicle is equipped
with TSC.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
If the trailer begins to sway,
reduce vehicle speed by
gradually removing your foot from
the accelerator. Then pull over to
check the trailer and vehicle to
help correct possible causes,
including an improperly or
overloaded trailer, unrestrained
cargo, improper trailer hitch
configuration, or improperly
inflated or incorrect vehicle or
trailer tires. SeeTowing
Equipment 0270 for trailer ratings
and hitch setup
recommendations.
Aftermarket Electronic Trailer
Sway Control Devices
Some trailers may come equipped
with an electronic device designed
to reduce or control trailer sway.
Aftermarket equipment
manufacturers also offer similar
devices that connect to the wiring
between the trailer and the vehicle.
These devices may interfere with

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Driving and Operating 279
the vehicle’s trailer brake systems
or other systems, including
integrated anti-sway systems,
if equipped. Messages related to
trailer connections or trailer brakes
could appear on the DIC. The
effects of these aftermarket devices
on vehicle handling or trailer brake
performance is not known.
{Warning
Use of aftermarket electronic
trailer sway control devices could
result in reduced trailer brake
performance, loss of trailer
brakes, or other malfunctions, and
result in a crash. You or others
could be seriously injured or
killed. Before using one of these
devices:
. Ask the device or trailer
manufacturer if the device
has been thoroughly tested
for compatibility with the
make, model, and year of
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
your vehicle and any
optional equipment installed
on your vehicle.
. Before driving, check the
trailer brakes are working
properly, if equipped. Drive
the vehicle with the trailer
attached on a level road
surface that is free of traffic
at about 32-40 km/h
(20-25 mph) and fully apply
the manual trailer brake
apply lever. Also, check the
trailer brake lamps and
other lamps are functioning
correctly.
. If the trailer brakes are not
operating properly at any
time, or if a DIC message
indicates problems with the
trailer connections or trailer
brakes, carefully pull the
vehicle over to the side of
the road when traffic
conditions allow.
Trailer Tires
Special Trailer (ST) tires differ from
vehicle tires. Trailer tires are
designed with stiff sidewalls to help
prevent sway and to support heavy
loads. These features can make it
difficult to determine if the trailer tire
pressures are low only based on a
visual inspection.
Always check all trailer tire
pressures before each trip when the
tires are cool. Low trailer tire
pressure is a leading cause of trailer
tire blow-outs.
Trailer tires deteriorate over time.
The trailer tire sidewall will show the
week and year the tire was
manufactured. Many trailer tire
manufacturers recommend
replacing tires more than six
years old.
Overloading is another leading
cause of trailer tire blow-outs. Never
load your trailer with more weight
than the tires are designed to
support. The load rating is located
on the trailer tire sidewall.