towing GMC YUKON DENALI 2015 Owner's Manual

Black plate (36,1)GMC 2015i Yukon Denali/Yukon XL Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-8431504) - 2015 - CRC - 7/30/14
9-36 Driving and Operating
ignition is turned on and one will
stay on. If the lights display
momentarily when the ignition is in
ON/RUN, but none stay on, the
knob may have been turned while
the vehicle was off. To see the
indicator, turn the knob to another
position so that it matches the
actual transfer case setting. If no
lights display, take the vehicle to
your dealer for service. An indicator
light flashes while shifting the
transfer case and remains
illuminated when the shift is
complete.
If the transfer case cannot make a
requested shift, it will return to the
last chosen setting. Turn the knob
back to the previous transfer case
setting to see the indicator.
The settings are:
N (Neutral):Use only when the
vehicle needs to be towed. See
Recreational Vehicle Towing on
page 10-77 orTowing the Vehicle
on page 10-77. 2m(Two-Wheel Drive High):
Use
for driving on most streets and
highways. The front axle is not
engaged. This setting provides the
best fuel economy.
AUTO (Automatic Four-Wheel
Drive): Use when road surface
traction conditions are variable.
When driving in AUTO, the front
axle is engaged, and the vehicle's
power is sent to the front and rear
wheels automatically based on
driving conditions. This setting
provides slightly lower fuel economy
than 2
m.
4
m(Four-Wheel Drive High): Use
this position when extra traction is
needed, such as when driving on
snowy or icy roads, when
off-roading, or when plowing snow.
4
n(Four-Wheel Drive Low): This
setting engages the front axle and
delivers extra torque. Choose 4
n
when driving off-road in deep sand,
deep mud, or deep snow, and while
climbing or descending steep hills. Shifting into 4
nwill turn Traction
Control and StabiliTrak off. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control on page 9-41.
Shifting Into 4
mor AUTO
Turn the knob to the 4
mor AUTO
position at any speed, except from
4
n. The indicator light will flash
while shifting and will remain on
when the shift is completed.
Shifting Into 2
m
Turn the knob to 2mat any speed,
except when shifting from 4
n. The
indicator light will flash while shifting
and will remain on when the shift is
completed.
Shifting Into 4
n
When 4nis engaged, keep vehicle
speed below 72 km/h (45 mph).

Black plate (38,1)GMC 2015i Yukon Denali/Yukon XL Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-8431504) - 2015 - CRC - 7/30/14
9-38 Driving and Operating
4. Shift the transmission toN (Neutral).
5. Shift the transfer case to 2
m.
6. Turn the transfer case knob clockwise to N (Neutral) until it
stops and hold it there until the
N (Neutral) light starts blinking.
This will take at least
10 seconds. Then slowly release
the dial to the 4
nposition. The
N (Neutral) light will come on
when the transfer case shift to
N (Neutral) is complete.
7. With the engine running, verify that the transfer case is in
N (Neutral) by shifting the
transmission to R (Reverse),
then shift the transmission to
D (Drive). There should be no
movement of the vehicle while
shifting the transmission.
8. Turn the engine off, and the ignition to ACC/ACCESSORY. 9. Place the transmission shift
lever in P (Park). See
Recreational Vehicle Towing on
page 10-77.
10. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
Shifting Out of N (Neutral)
To shift:
1. Set the parking brake and apply the brake pedal.
2. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN with the engine off.
3. Shift the transmission to N (Neutral).
4. Turn the transfer case knob to the desired setting.
After the transfer case has
shifted out of N (Neutral), the
N (Neutral) light will go out.
5. Release the parking brake.
6. Start the engine and shift the transmission to the desired gear.
Brakes
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
This vehicle has ABS, an advanced
electronic braking system that helps
prevent a braking skid.
When the vehicle begins to drive
away, ABS checks itself.
A momentary motor or clicking noise
might be heard while this test is
going on, and it might even be
noticed that the brake pedal moves
a little. This is normal.
If there is a problem with ABS, this
warning light stays on. See Antilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
on page 5-24.

Black plate (40,1)GMC 2015i Yukon Denali/Yukon XL Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-8431504) - 2015 - CRC - 7/30/14
9-40 Driving and Operating
{Caution
Driving with the parking brake on
can overheat the brake system
and cause premature wear or
damage to brake system parts.
Make sure that the parking brake
is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
To release the parking brake, hold
the regular brake pedal down, then
push down momentarily on the
parking brake pedal until you feel
the pedal release. Slowly pull your
foot up off the parking brake pedal.
If the parking brake is not released
when you begin to drive, the brake
system warning light will flash and a
chime will sound warning you that
the parking brake is still on. If you are towing a trailer and are
parking on a hill, see
Driving
Characteristics and Towing Tips on
page 9-70.
Brake Assist
The Brake Assist feature is
designed to assist the driver in
stopping or decreasing vehicle
speed in emergency driving
conditions. This feature uses the
stability system hydraulic brake
control 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 an
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

Black plate (43,1)GMC 2015i Yukon Denali/Yukon XL Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-8431504) - 2015 - CRC - 7/30/14
Driving and Operating 9-43
To turn off only TCS, press and
release the
gbutton. The traction
off light
idisplays in the instrument
cluster. The appropriate message
will display in the DIC. See Ride
Control System Messages on
page 5-44. To turn TCS on again,
press and release the
gbutton. The
traction off light
idisplayed in the
instrument cluster will turn off.
If TCS is limiting wheel spin when
the
gbutton is pressed, the system
will not turn off until the wheels stop
spinning.
To turn off both TCS and StabiliTrak,
press and hold the
gbutton until
the traction off light
iand the
StabiliTrak OFF light
gcome on
and stay on in the instrument
cluster, then release. The
appropriate message will display in
the DIC. See Ride Control System
Messages on page 5-44. To turn TCS and StabiliTrak on
again, press and release the
g
button. The traction off lightiand
the StabiliTrak OFF light
gin the
instrument cluster turn off.
StabiliTrak will automatically turn on
if the vehicle exceeds 56 km/h
(35 mph). Traction control will
remain off.
The vehicle has a Trailer Sway
Control (TSC) feature and a Hill
Start Assist (HSA) feature. See
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) on
page 9-84 orHill Start Assist (HSA)
on page 9-40.
Adding accessories can affect the
vehicle performance. See
Accessories and Modifications on
page 10-3.
Magnetic Ride Control
This vehicle may have a semi-active
damping system called Magnetic
Ride Control. With this feature, improved vehicle ride and handling
is provided under a variety of
passenger and loading conditions.
Magnetic Ride Control is fully
automatic and uses a computer
controller to continuously monitor
vehicle speed, wheel to body
position, lift/dive, and steering
position of the vehicle. The
controller then sends signals to
each shock absorber to
independently adjust the damping
level to provide the optimum
vehicle ride.
Magnetic Ride Control also interacts
with the Tow/Haul Mode that, when
activated, will provide additional
control of the shock absorbers. This
additional control results in better
ride and handling characteristics
when the vehicle is loaded or towing
a trailer. See
“Tow/Haul Mode”
under Towing Equipment on
page 9-77.

Black plate (54,1)GMC 2015i Yukon Denali/Yukon XL Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-8431504) - 2015 - CRC - 7/30/14
9-54 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*.
.Press5.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is
erased from memory if
5is 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 on page 10-81.
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.
{Warning
Do 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
on page 9-3.
(Continued)

Black plate (57,1)GMC 2015i Yukon Denali/Yukon XL Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-8431504) - 2015 - CRC - 7/30/14
Driving and Operating 9-57
The instrument cluster may have a
parking assist display with bars that
show“distance to object” and object
location information for RPA, and on
some vehicles, FPA. As the object
gets closer, more bars light up and
the bars change color from yellow to
amber to red.
When an object is first detected in
the rear, one beep will be heard
from the rear, or both sides of the
Safety Alert Seat will pulse two
times. When an object is very close
(<0.6 m (2 ft) in the vehicle rear,
or <0.3 m (1 ft) in the vehicle front),
a continuous beep will sound from the front or rear depending on
object location, or both sides of the
Safety Alert Seat will pulse five
times. Beeps for FPA are higher
pitched than for RPA.
Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA)
If equipped, when the vehicle is
shifted into R (Reverse), RCTA
displays a red warning triangle with
a left or right pointing arrow on the
RVC screen to warn of traffic
coming from the left or right. This
system detects objects coming from
up to 20 m (65 ft) from the left or
right side of the vehicle. When an
object is detected, either three
beeps sound from the left or right or
three Safety Alert Seat pulses occur
on the left or right side, depending
on the direction of the detected
vehicle.
Use caution while backing up when
towing a trailer, as the RCTA
detection zones that extend out
from the back of the vehicle do not
move further back when a trailer is
towed.
Turning the Features On or Off
TheXbutton to the left of the
steering wheel is used to turn on or
off the Front and Rear Parking
Assist. The indicator light in the
button comes on when the features
are on and turns off when the
features have been disabled.
Front and Rear Parking Assist can
be turned off, on, or on with towbar
through vehicle personalization. See
“Parking Assist” underVehicle
Personalization on page 5-50. If the
parking assist is turned off through
vehicle personalization, the parking
assist button will be disabled. To
turn the parking assist on again,
select On in the vehicle
personalization menu. The On with
Towbar setting allows for the

Black plate (58,1)GMC 2015i Yukon Denali/Yukon XL Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-8431504) - 2015 - CRC - 7/30/14
9-58 Driving and Operating
parking assist to work properly with
a small item attached to the trailer
hitch. Turn off parking assist when
towing a trailer.
To turn the rear parking assist
symbols, guidance lines, or Rear
Cross Traffic Alert on or off, see
“Rear Camera”underVehicle
Personalization on page 5-50
Assistance Systems for
Driving
If equipped, when driving the
vehicle forward, Forward Collision
Alert (FCA), Lane Departure
Warning (LDW), Side Blind Zone
Alert (SBZA), Lane Change Alert
(LCA), and/or the Active Emergency
Braking System can help to avoid a
crash or reduce crash damage.
Forward Collision Alert
(FCA) System
If equipped, the FCA system may
help to avoid or reduce the harm
caused by front-end crashes. When approaching a vehicle ahead too
quickly, FCA provides a red flashing
alert on the windshield and rapidly
beeps or pulses the driver seat.
FCA also lights an amber visual
alert if following another vehicle
much too closely.
FCA detects vehicles within a
distance of approximately 60 m
(197 ft) and operates at speeds
above 40 km/h (25 mph). If the
vehicle has Adaptive Cruise Control
(ACC), it can detect vehicles to
distances of approximately 110 m
(360 ft) and operates at all speeds.
See
Adaptive Cruise Control on
page 9-47.
{Warning
FCA is a warning system and
does not apply the brakes. When
approaching a slower-moving or
stopped vehicle ahead too rapidly,
or when following a vehicle too
closely, FCA may not provide a
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
warning with enough time to help
avoid a crash. FCA does not warn
of pedestrians, animals, signs,
guardrails, bridges, construction
barrels, or other objects. Be ready
to take action and apply the
brakes. For more information, see
Defensive Driving on page 9-3.
FCA can be disabled with the FCA
steering wheel control, or if your
vehicle is equipped with Adaptive
Cruise Control (ACC), through
vehicle personalization. See the
“Auto Collision Preparation” portion
of “Collision/Detection Systems”
under Vehicle Personalization on
page 5-50.

Black plate (62,1)GMC 2015i Yukon Denali/Yukon XL Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-8431504) - 2015 - CRC - 7/30/14
9-62 Driving and Operating
Automatic Braking
If ACP detects it is about to crash
with the vehicle you are following
that is moving or has come to a
stop, and the brakes have not been
applied, it may automatically brake
hard. This can help to reduce crash
damage and it may even help to
avoid some very low speed crashes.
Automatic Braking 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 Automatic Braking.
{Warning
Automatic Braking may
automatically brake the vehicle
suddenly in situations where it is
unexpected and undesired.
It could respond to a turning
vehicle ahead, guardrails, signs,
and other non-moving objects. To(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
override Automatic Braking, firmly
press the accelerator pedal, if it is
safe to do so.
Automatic Braking can be disabled
or reduced through vehicle
personalization. See the “Auto
Collision Preparation” portion of
“Collision/Detection Systems” under
Vehicle Personalization on
page 5-50.
{Warning
Using the Automatic Collision
Preparation System while towing
a trailer could cause you to lose
control of the vehicle and crash.
Turn the system off when towing
a trailer.
Side Blind Zone
Alert (SBZA)
If equipped, the SBZA system is a
lane-changing aid that assists
drivers with avoiding crashes that
occur with vehicles in the side blind
zone (or spot) areas. When the
vehicle is moving forward, the left or
right side mirror display will light up
if a 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 system, read
the entire Lane Change Alert
section before using this feature.
Lane Change Alert (LCA)
If equipped, the Lane Change Alert
(LCA) system is a lane-changing aid
that assists drivers with avoiding
lane change crashes that occur with
vehicles in the side blind zone (or
spot) areas or with vehicles rapidly
approaching these areas from

Black plate (64,1)GMC 2015i Yukon Denali/Yukon XL Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-8431504) - 2015 - CRC - 7/30/14
9-64 Driving and Operating
lane over in that blind zone or
rapidly approaching that zone. If the
turn signal is activated in the same
direction as a detected vehicle, this
display will flash as an extra
warning not to change lanes.
LCA can be disabled through
vehicle personalization using the
Side Blind Zone Alert option. See
“Collision/Detection Systems”under
Vehicle Personalization on
page 5-50. If LCA is disabled by the
driver, the LCA mirror displays will
not light up.
When the System Does Not
Seem to Work Properly
The LCA system requires some
driving for the system to calibrate to
maximum performance. This
calibration may occur more quickly if
the vehicle is driving on a straight
highway road with traffic and
roadside objects (e.g., guardrails,
barriers).
LCA displays may not come on
when passing a vehicle quickly or
when towing a trailer. 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. 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 on
page 10-81. 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 vehicles are in the side blind
zone or 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 on
page 13-12.

Black plate (70,1)GMC 2015i Yukon Denali/Yukon XL Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-8431504) - 2015 - CRC - 7/30/14
9-70 Driving and Operating
Warning (Continued)
keep it in contact with the fill
opening until filling is
complete.
.Fill the container no more
than 95% full to allow for
expansion.
.Do not smoke, light matches,
or use lighters while
pumping fuel.
.Avoid using cell phones or
other electronic devices.
Trailer Towing
General Towing
Information
Only use towing equipment that has
been designed for the vehicle.
Contact your dealer or trailering
dealer for assistance with preparing
the vehicle for towing a trailer. Read
the entire section before towing a
trailer.
For towing a disabled vehicle, see
Towing the Vehicle on page 10-77.
For towing the vehicle behind
another vehicle such as a motor
home, seeRecreational Vehicle
Towing on page 10-77.
Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips
Driving with a Trailer
When towing a trailer:
.Become familiar with the state
and local laws that apply to
trailer towing.
.Do not tow a trailer during the
first 800 km (500 mi) to prevent
damage to the engine, axle,
or other parts.
.Then during the first 800 km
(500 mi) of trailer towing, do not
drive over 80 km/h (50 mph) and
do not make starts at full throttle.
.Vehicles can tow in D (Drive).
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear if the transmission shifts
too often under heavy loads and/
or hilly conditions.
.Do not use Adaptive Cruise
Control when towing.
.Turn off Park Assist when
towing.
.The Automatic Collision
Preparation System should be
set to Off when towing. See
Active Emergency Braking
System on page 9-60.