service GMC YUKON DENALI 2010 Repair Manual

Parking on Hills
{WARNING:
Parking the vehicle on a hill with the trailer
attached can be dangerous. If something goes
wrong, the rig could start to move. People can be
injured, and both the vehicle and the trailer can be
damaged. When possible, always park the rig on
a flat surface.
If parking the rig on a hill: 1. Press the brake pedal, but do not shift into P (Park) yet. Turn the wheels into the curb if facing downhill
or into traffic if facing uphill.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then apply the parking brake and shift into P (Park).
5. Release the brake pedal.
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 the chocks.
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.
5-58

Trailer Wiring Harness
Heavy-Duty Trailer Wiring Harness Package
The vehicle is equipped with the seven-wire trailer
towing harness. This harness with a seven-pin universal
trailer connector is attached to a bracket on the hitch
platform.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/retailer or a qualified service center.
If charging a remote (non-vehicle) battery, press the
tow/haul mode button located at the end of the shift
lever. This will boost the vehicle system voltage and
properly charge the battery. If the trailer is too light for
tow/haul mode, turn on the headlamps as a second way
to boost the vehicle system and charge the battery.
5-59

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 instrument panel
contains blunt cut wires near the data link connector for
the trailer brake controller. The harness contains the
following wires:
.Dark Blue: Brake Signal to Trailer Connector
.Red/Black: Battery
.Light Blue/White: Brake Switch
.White: Ground
It should be installed by your dealer/retailer or a
qualified service center.
If the vehicle is equipped with an ITBC, the blunt cuts
exist, but are not connected further in the harness. If an
aftermarket trailer brake controller is installed, the ITBC
must be disconnected. Do not power both ITBC and
aftermarket controllers to control the trailer brakes at the
same time.
Trailer Recommendations
Subtract the hitch loads from the Cargo Weight Rating
(CWR). CWR is the maximum weight of the load the
vehicle can carry. It does not include the weight of the
people inside, but you can figure about 150 lbs. (68 kg)
for each passenger. The total cargo load must not be
more than the vehicles CWR.
Weigh the vehicle with the trailer attached, so the
GVWR or GAWR are not exceeded. If using a
weight-distributing hitch, weigh the vehicle without the
spring bars in place.
The best performance is obtained by correctly
spreading out the weight of the load and choosing the
correct hitch and trailer brakes.
For more information see Towing a Trailer
on
page 5‑42.
5-60

Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
California Proposition 65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Doing Your Own Service Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside of the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Gasoline Octane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
California Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-11
Checking Things Under the Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-12
Hood Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-12
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-14
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-15
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-18
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-20
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-22
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-26
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-27 Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-32
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-35
Engine Fan Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-35
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-36
Windshield Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-37
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-38
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-41
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-42
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-47
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-48
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-49
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-50
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-52
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-53
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and Back-up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-53
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-54
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-54
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . .6-55
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-57
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-58
Tire Terminology and Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-61
Inflation - Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-64
6-1

Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-66
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-66
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-68
Tire Inspection and Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-71
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-73
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-74
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-75
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-76
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-77
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-77
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-78
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-79
Changing a Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-80
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-81
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing theSpare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-86
Secondary Latch System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-91
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools . . . . . . . . . 6-94
Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-98
Appearance Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-98
Interior Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-98
Fabric/Carpet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-100
Leather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-100
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other Plastic Surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-101
Wood Panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-101 Speaker Covers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-101
Care of Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-101
Weatherstrips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-101
Washing Your Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-102
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-102
Finish Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-102
Windshield, Backglass, and Wiper Blades . . . . 6-103
Aluminum Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-104
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-104
Sheet Metal Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-104
Finish Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-105
Underbody Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-105
Chemical Paint Spotting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-105
Vehicle Identification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-106
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) . . . . . . . . . . . 6-106
Service Parts Identification Label . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-106
Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-106
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-106
Windshield Wiper Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-107
Power Windows and Other Power Options . . . 6-107
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-107
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-108
Center Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . 6-110
Underhood Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-111
Capacities and Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-115
6-2

Service
For service and parts needs, visit your dealer/retailer.
You will receive genuine GM parts and GM-trained and
supported service people.
Genuine GM parts have one of these marks:
Accessories and Modifications
When non‐dealer/non‐retailer accessories are added to
the vehicle, they can affect vehicle performance and
safety, including such things as airbags, braking,
stability, ride and handling, emissions systems,
aerodynamics, durability, and electronic systems like
antilock brakes, traction control, and stability control.
Some of these accessories could even cause
malfunction or damage not covered by the vehicle
warranty.
Damage to vehicle components resulting from the
installation or use of non‐GM certified parts, including
control module modifications, is not covered under the
terms of the vehicle warranty and may affect remaining
warranty coverage for affected parts.
GM Accessories are designed to complement and
function with other systems on the vehicle. Your GM
dealer/retailer can accessorize the vehicle using
genuine GM Accessories. When you go to your GM
dealer/retailer and ask for GM Accessories, you will
know that GM-trained and supported service
technicians will perform the work using genuine
GM Accessories.
Also, seeAdding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle on page 2‑91.
6-3

California Proposition 65 Warning
Most motor vehicles, including this one, contain and/or
emit chemicals known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive
harm. Engine exhaust, many parts and systems, many
fluids, and some component wear by-products contain
and/or emit these chemicals.
California Perchlorate Materials
Requirements
Certain types of automotive applications, such as
airbag initiators, seat belt pretensioners, and lithium
batteries contained in remote keyless transmitters,
may contain perchlorate materials. Special handling
may be necessary. For additional information,
see www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate.
Doing Your Own Service Work
{WARNING:
You can be injured and the vehicle could be
damaged if you try to do service work on a vehicle
without knowing enough about it.
.Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, the proper replacement parts,
and tools before attempting any vehicle
maintenance task.
.Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts, and
other fasteners. English and metric fasteners
can be easily confused. If the wrong fasteners
are used, parts can later break or fall off.
You could be hurt.
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 Service Publications
Ordering Information on page 8‑16.
6-4

This vehicle has an airbag system. Before attempting
to do your own service work, seeServicing Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on page 2‑91.
Keep a record with all parts receipts and list the
mileage and the date of any service work performed.
See Maintenance Record on page 7‑15.
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
the Vehicle
Things added to the outside of the vehicle can affect
the airflow around it. This can cause wind noise and
can affect fuel economy and windshield washer
performance. Check with your dealer/retailer before
adding equipment to the outside of the vehicle.
Fuel
Use of the recommended fuel is an important part of
the proper maintenance of this vehicle. To help keep
the engine clean and maintain optimum vehicle
performance, we recommend the use of gasoline
advertised as TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline. Look for the TOP TIER label on the fuel pump to ensure
gasoline meets enhanced detergency standards
developed by auto companies. A list of marketers
providing TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline can be found
at www.toptiergas.com.
This vehicle can use either unleaded gasoline or
ethanol fuel containing up to 85% ethanol (E85).
See
Gasoline Octane
on page 6‑6andFuel E85
(85% Ethanol) on page 6‑7.
6-5

Gasoline Octane
Use premium unleaded gasoline with a posted octane
rating of 91 or higher. You can also use regular
unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher, but the
vehicle's acceleration could be slightly reduced, and a
slight audible knocking noise, commonly referred to as
spark knock, might be heard. If the octane is less than
87, you might notice a heavy knocking noise when you
drive. If this occurs, use a gasoline rated at 87 octane
or higher as soon as possible. Otherwise, you could
damage the engine. If heavy knocking is heard when
using gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher, the engine
needs service.
Gasoline Specifications
At a minimum, gasoline should meet ASTM
specification D 4814 in the United States or
CAN/CGSB‐3.5 or 3.511 in Canada. Some gasolines
contain an octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT).
We recommend against the use of gasolines containing
MMT. SeeAdditives
on page 6‑6for additional
information.
California Fuel
If the vehicle is certified to meet California Emissions
Standards, it is designed to operate on fuels that meet
California specifications. See the underhood emission
control label. If this fuel is not available in states
adopting California emissions standards, the vehicle
will operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal
specifications, but emission control system performance
might be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp could
turn on and the vehicle might fail a smog‐check test.
See Malfunction Indicator Lamp
on page 4‑35. If this
occurs, return to your authorized dealer/retailer for
diagnosis. If it is determined that the condition is caused
by the type of fuel used, repairs might not be covered
by the vehicle warranty.
Additives
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the United States
are now required to contain additives that help prevent
engine and fuel system deposits from forming, allowing
the emission control system to work properly. In most
cases, nothing should have to be added to the fuel.
However, some gasolines contain only the minimum
amount of additive required to meet U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency regulations. To help keep fuel
injectors and intake valves clean, or if the vehicle
6-6

experiences problems due to dirty injectors or valves,
look for gasoline that is advertised as TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline.
For customers who do not use TOP TIER Detergent
Gasoline regularly, one bottle of GM Fuel System
Treatment PLUS, added to the fuel tank at every engine
oil change, can help clean deposits from fuel injectors
and intake valves. GM Fuel System Treatment PLUS is
the only gasoline additive recommended by General
Motors.
Also, your dealer/retailer has additives that will help
correct and prevent most deposit‐related problems.
Gasolines containing oxygenates, such as ethers and
ethanol, and reformulated gasolines might be available
in your area. We recommend that you use these
gasolines, if they comply with the specifications
described earlier. However, E85 (85% ethanol) and
other fuels containing more than 10% ethanol must
not be used in vehicles that were not designed for
those fuels.
Notice:This vehicle was not designed for fuel that
contains methanol. Do not use fuel containing
methanol. It can corrode metal parts in the fuel
system and also damage plastic and rubber parts.
That damage would not be covered under the
vehicle warranty. Some gasolines that are not reformulated for low
emissions can contain an octane-enhancing additive
called methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT); ask the attendant where you buy gasoline
whether the fuel contains MMT. We recommend against
the use of such gasolines. Fuels containing MMT can
reduce the life of spark plugs and the performance of
the emission control system could be affected.
The malfunction indicator lamp might turn on. If this
occurs, return to your dealer/retailer for service.
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol)
This vehicle can use either unleaded gasoline or
85% ethanol fuel (E85). We encourage the use of
E85 in vehicles that are designed to use it. The ethanol
in E85 is a
“renewable” fuel, meaning it is made from
renewable sources such as corn and other crops.
Many service stations will not have an 85% ethanol fuel
(E85) pump available. The U.S. Department of Energy
has an alternative fuels website (www.eere.energy.gov/
afdc/infrastructure/locator.html) that can help you find
E85 fuel. Those stations that do have E85 should have
a label indicating ethanol content. Do not use the fuel if
the ethanol content is greater than 85%.
6-7