maintenance GMC YUKON XL 2010 User Guide

Oil Pressure Light
{WARNING:
Do not keep driving if the oil pressure is low.
The engine can become so hot that it catches fire.
Someone could be burned. Check the oil as soon
as possible and have the vehicle serviced.
Notice: Lack of proper engine oil maintenance
can damage the engine. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty. Always follow the
maintenance schedule in this manual for changing
engine oil. This light comes on briefly while starting the engine.
If it does not, have the vehicle serviced by your dealer.
If the system is working normally the indicator light then
goes off.
If the light comes on and stays on, it means that oil is
not flowing through the engine properly. The vehicle
could be low on oil and it might have some other
system problem.
Security Light
For information regarding
this light and the vehicle's
security system, see
Content Theft-Deterrent
on page 3‑23.
4-44

Transmission Temperature
Press the trip/fuel button until TRANS TEMP displays.
This display shows the temperature of the automatic
transmission fluid in either degrees Fahrenheit (°F) or
degrees Celsius (°C).
Instantaneous Economy and Active Fuel
Management™Indicator
If your vehicle has this display, press the trip/fuel button
until INST ECON V8 displays. This display shows the
current fuel economy at a particular moment and will
change frequently as driving conditions change. This
display shows the instantaneous fuel economy in miles
per gallon (mpg) or liters per 100 kilometers (L/100 km).
Unlike average economy, this screen cannot be reset.
An Active Fuel Management indicator will display on the
right side of the DIC, while INST ECON displays on the
left side. Active Fuel Management allows the engine to
operate on either four or eight cylinders, depending on
your driving demands. When Active Fuel Management
is active, V4 will display on the DIC. When Active Fuel
Management is inactive, V8 will display. See Active
Fuel Management™
on page 3‑33for more
information.
Blank Display
This display shows no information.
Vehicle Information Menu Items
T
(Vehicle Information): Press this button to scroll
through the following menu items:
Oil Life
Press the vehicle information button until OIL LIFE
REMAINING displays. This display shows an
estimate of the oil's remaining useful life. If you see
99% OIL LIFE REMAINING on the display, that means
99% of the current oil life remains. The engine oil life
system will alert you to change the oil on a schedule
consistent with your driving conditions.
When the remaining oil life is low, the CHANGE
ENGINE OIL SOON message will appear on the
display. See “CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON” underDIC
Warnings and Messages
on page 4‑61. You should
change the oil as soon as you can. See Engine Oilon
page 6‑18. In addition to the engine oil life system
monitoring the oil life, additional maintenance is
recommended in the Maintenance Schedule in this
manual. See Scheduled Maintenance
on page 7‑3for more information.
4-51

Trailer Gain and Output
On vehicles with the Integrated Trailer Brake
Control (ITBC) system, the trailer brake display
appears in the DIC. Press the trip odometer reset
stem until TRAILER GAIN and OUTPUT display.
TRAILER GAIN shows the trailer gain setting. This
setting can be adjusted from 0.0 to 10.0 with either a
trailer connected or disconnected. To adjust this setting,
see“Integrated Trailer Brake Control System” under
Towing a Trailer
on page 5‑49for more information.
OUTPUT shows the power output to the trailer anytime
a trailer with electric brakes is connected. Output is
displayed in 0 to 10 bars. Dashes may appear in the
OUTPUT display. See “Integrated Trailer Brake Control
System” underTowing a Trailer
on page 5‑49for more
information.
Compass Zone Setting
This display allows for setting the compass zone.
See DIC Compasson page 4‑58for more information.
Compass Recalibration
This display allows for calibrating the compass.
SeeDIC Compasson page 4‑58for more information.
Oil Life
To access this display, the vehicle must be in
P (Park). Press the trip odometer reset stem until
OIL LIFE REMAINING displays. This display shows an
estimate of the oil's remaining useful life. If you see
99% OIL LIFE REMAINING on the display, that means
99% of the current oil life remains. The engine oil life
system will alert you to change the oil on a schedule
consistent with your driving conditions.
When the remaining oil life is low, the CHANGE
ENGINE OIL SOON message will appear on the
display. See “CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON” underDIC
Warnings and Messages
on page 4‑61. You should
change the oil as soon as you can. See Engine Oilon
page 6‑18. In addition to the engine oil life system
monitoring the oil life, additional maintenance is
recommended in the Maintenance Schedule in this
manual. See Scheduled Maintenance
on page 7‑3for more information.
Remember, you must reset the OIL LIFE display
yourself after each oil change. It will not reset itself.
Also, be careful not to reset the OIL LIFE display
accidentally at any time other than when the oil has just
been changed. It cannot be reset accurately until the
next oil change. To reset the engine oil life system,
seeEngine Oil Life System on page 6‑20.
4-57

DIC Warnings and Messages
Messages are displayed on the DIC to notify the driver
that the status of the vehicle has changed and that
some action may be needed by the driver to correct the
condition. Multiple messages may appear one after
another.
Some messages may not require immediate action, but
you can press any of the DIC buttons on the instrument
panel or the trip odometer reset stem on the instrument
panel cluster to acknowledge that you received the
messages and to clear them from the display.
Some messages cannot be cleared from the DIC
display because they are more urgent. These
messages require action before they can be cleared.
You should take any messages that appear on the
display seriously and remember that clearing the
messages will only make the messages disappear,
not correct the problem.
The following are the possible messages that can be
displayed and some information about them.
If your vehicle is a Two-mode Hybrid, see the
Two-mode Hybrid manual for more information.
BATTERY LOW START VEHICLE
When the vehicle’s battery is severely discharged, this
message will display and four chimes will sound. Start
the vehicle immediately. If the vehicle is not started and
the battery continues to discharge, the climate controls,
heated seats, and audio systems will shut off and the
vehicle may require a jump start. These systems will
function again after the vehicle is started.
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
This message displays when the engine oil needs to
be changed. When you change the engine oil, be sure
to reset the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON message.
See Engine Oil Life System
on page 6‑20for
information on how to reset the message. See Engine
Oil
on page 6‑18and Scheduled Maintenanceon
page 7‑3for more information.
4-61

Before You Go Off-Roading
.Have all necessary maintenance and service
work done.
.Make sure there is enough fuel, that fluid levels are
where they should be, and that the spare tire, if the
vehicle has one, is fully inflated.
.Be sure to read all the information about
four-wheel-drive vehicles in this manual.
.Make sure all underbody shields, if the vehicle has
them, are properly attached.
.Know the local laws that apply to off-roading where
you will be driving or check with law enforcement
people in the area.
.Be sure to get the necessary permission if you will
be on private land.
If you think you will need some more ground clearance
at the front of your vehicle, you can remove the front
fascia lower air dam. The air dam is held in place by
two bolts and 10 snaps accessible from underneath the
front fascia. To remove the air dam:
1. Remove the two outboard air dam bolts.
2. With a flat‐blade tool, disengage the snaps.
3. After the bolts are removed and the snaps are disengaged, push forward on the air dam until it
is free.
Notice: Operating your vehicle for extended periods
without the front fascia lower air dam installed can
cause improper air flow to the engine. Always be
sure to replace the front fascia air dam when you
are finished off-road driving.
After off-roading, be sure to reinstall the air dam:
1. Line up the snaps and push the air dam rearward to engage the snaps.
2. Install the two outboard bolts.
5-13

Driving in Water
{WARNING:
Driving through rushing water can be dangerous.
Deep water can sweep your vehicle downstream
and you and your passengers could drown. If it
is only shallow water, it can still wash away the
ground from under your tires, and you could lose
traction and roll the vehicle over. Do not drive
through rushing water.
Heavy rain can mean flash flooding, and flood waters
demand extreme caution.
Find out how deep the water is before driving through it.
Do not try it if it is deep enough to cover the wheel
hubs, axles, or exhaust pipe —you probably will not get
through. Deep water can damage the axle and other
vehicle parts.
If the water is not too deep, drive slowly through it.
At faster speeds, water splashes on the ignition system
and the vehicle can stall. Stalling can also occur if you get the tailpipe under water. If the tailpipe is under
water, you will never be able to start the engine.
When going through water, remember that when
the brakes get wet, it might take longer to stop.
See
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads on page 5‑24.After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that has collected
on the underbody, chassis, or under the hood.
These accumulations can be a fire hazard.
After operation in mud or sand, have the brake linings
cleaned and checked. These substances can cause
glazing and uneven braking. Check the body structure,
steering, suspension, wheels, tires, and exhaust system
for damage and check the fuel lines and cooling system
for any leakage.
The vehicle requires more frequent service due to
off-road use. Refer to the Maintenance Schedule for
additional information.
5-23

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
Tires. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-63
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-64
Tire Terminology and Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-69
Inflation - Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-72
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-73
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-75
Tire Inspection and Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-78
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-79
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-80
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-82
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-82
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-84
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-85
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-86
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-87
Changing a Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-88
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-89
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-94
Secondary Latch System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-100
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools . . . . . . . . 6-103
Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-107 Appearance Care
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-108
Interior Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-108
Fabric/Carpet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-109
Leather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-110
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other Plastic Surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-111
Care of Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-111
Weatherstrips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-111
Washing Your Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-112
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-112
Finish Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-113
Windshield, Backglass, and Wiper Blades . . . . 6-114
Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels and Trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-114
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-115
Sheet Metal Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-115
Finish Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-116
Underbody Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-116
Chemical Paint Spotting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-116
6-2

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
If this vehicle is a Two‐mode Hybrid, see the Two‐mode
Hybrid manual for more information.
{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.
6-5

This vehicle has an airbag system. Before attempting
to do your own service work, seeServicing Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on page 2‑99.
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 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.The 8th digit of the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
shows the code letter or number that identifies the
vehicle's engine. The VIN is at the top left of the
instrument panel. See Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN) on page 6‑117.
6-6