tow GMC YUKON XL 2010 Owner's Manual

A thick layer of additional material, such as a blanket
or cushion, or aftermarket equipment such as seat
covers, seat heaters, and seat massagers can affect
how well the passenger sensing system operates.
We recommend that you not use seat covers or other
aftermarket equipment except when approved by GM
for your specific vehicle. SeeAdding Equipment to
Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
on page 2‑100for more
information about modifications that can affect how
the system operates.
The on indicator may be lit if an object, such as a
briefcase, handbag, grocery bag, laptop or other
electronic device, is put on an unoccupied seat.
If this is not desired remove the object from the seat.
{WARNING:
Stowing of articles under the passenger seat
or between the passenger seat cushion and
seatback may interfere with the proper operation
of the passenger sensing system.
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle
Airbags affect how the vehicle should be serviced.
There are parts of the airbag system in several places
around the vehicle. Your dealer and the service manual
have information about servicing the vehicle and the
airbag system. To purchase a service manual, see
Service Publications Ordering Information
on
page 8‑16.
{WARNING:
For up to 10 seconds after the ignition is turned off
and the battery is disconnected, an airbag can still
inflate during improper service. You can be injured
if you are close to an airbag when it inflates. Avoid
yellow connectors. They are probably part of the
airbag system. Be sure to follow proper service
procedures, and make sure the person performing
work for you is qualified to do so.
2-99

Section 3 Features and Controls
Keys. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Doors and Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Power Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Programmable Automatic Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Rear Door Security Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12
Lockout Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12
Liftgate/Liftglass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13
Power Liftgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15
Power Assist Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-18
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19
Power Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20
Sun Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-22
Theft-Deterrent Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-23
Content Theft-Deterrent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23
PASS-Key
®III+ Electronic Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . 3-25
PASS-Key®III+ Electronic Immobilizer
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-25 Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
. . . . . . . . . . . .3-27
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-27
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-28
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29
Adjustable Throttle and Brake Pedal . . . . . . . . . . . 3-31
Engine Coolant Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-31
Active Fuel Management™ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-33
Automatic Transmission Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-33
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-39
Four-Wheel Drive (Two Speed Automatic Transfer Case) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-41
Four-Wheel Drive (Single Speed Automatic Transfer Case) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-46
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-48
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-49
Shifting Out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-51
Parking Over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-51
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-52
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-53
3-1

Section 3 Features and Controls
Mirrors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-54
Manual Rearview Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-54
Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . 3-54
Outside Manual Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-54
Outside Towing Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-55
Outside Power Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-55
Outside Power Foldaway Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-56
Outside Automatic Dimming Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-57
Park Tilt Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-57
Outside Convex Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-57
Outside Heated Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-58
Object Detection Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-58
Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist (URPA) . . . . . . . . 3-58
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-60
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-64 Universal Home Remote System
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-69
Universal Home Remote System Operation (With Three Round LED) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-69
Storage Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-75
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-75
Cupholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-75
Center Console Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-76
Roof Rack System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-76
Rear Storage Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-77
Rear Seat Armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-77
Cargo Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-78
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-79
3-2

Starting and Operating Your
Vehicle
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice:The vehicle does not need an elaborate
break-in. But it will perform better in the long run if
you follow these guidelines:
.Keep your speed at 55 mph (88 km/h) or less
for the first 500 miles (805 km).
.Do not drive at any one constant speed,
fast or slow, for the first 500 miles (805 km).
Do not make full-throttle starts. Avoid
downshifting to brake or slow the vehicle.
.Avoid making hard stops for the first
200 miles (322 km) or so. During this time
the new brake linings are not yet broken in.
Hard stops with new linings can mean
premature wear and earlier replacement.
Follow this breaking-in guideline every time
you get new brake linings.
.Do not tow a trailer during break-in. See
Towing a Trailer
on page 5‑49for the trailer
towing capabilities of the vehicle and more
information.
Following break‐in, engine speed and load can be
gradually increased.
3-27

B (ACC/ACCESSORY):This position lets things like
the radio and the windshield wipers operate while the
engine is off. Use this position if the vehicle must be
pushed or towed.
C (ON/RUN): This position can be used to operate the
electrical accessories and to display some instrument
panel cluster warning and indicator lights. The switch
stays in this position when the engine is running.
The transmission is also unlocked in this position
on automatic transmission vehicles.
If you leave the key in the ACC/ACCESSORY or
ON/RUN position with the engine off, the battery could
be drained. You may not be able to start the vehicle if
the battery is allowed to drain for an extended period
of time.
D (START): This is the position that starts the engine.
When the engine starts, release the key. The ignition
switch returns to ON/RUN for driving.
A warning tone will sound when the driver door is
opened, the ignition is in ACC/ACCESSORY or
LOCK/OFF and the key is in the ignition.Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
The following vehicle accessories can be used for up to
10 minutes after the engine is turned off:
.Audio System
.Power Windows
.OnStar®System (if equipped)
.Sunroof (if equipped)
These features work when the key is in ON/RUN
or ACC/ACCESSORY. Once the key is turned from
ON/RUN to LOCK/OFF, the windows and sunroof
continue to work up to 10 minutes until any door
is opened. The radio continues to work for up to
10 minutes or until the driver door is opened.
Starting the Engine
If the vehicle is a Two-mode Hybrid, see the Two-mode
Hybrid manual for more information.
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or N (Neutral).
The engine will not start in any other position. To restart
the engine when the vehicle is are already moving,
use N (Neutral) only.
Notice: Do not try to shift to P (Park) if the
vehicle is moving. If you do, you could damage
the transmission. Shift to P (Park) only when the
vehicle is stopped.
3-29

Heavy Duty 6-Speed Automatic Transmission Shown(Light Duty Similar)
See “Range Selection Mode” later in this section.
P (Park): This position locks the rear wheels. It is the
best position to use when starting the engine because
the vehicle cannot move easily. When parked on a hill,
especially when the vehicle has a heavy load, you
might notice an increase in the effort to shift out of
P (Park). See Torque Lock (Automatic Transmission)
under Shifting Into Park
on page 3‑49for more
information.
{WARNING:
It is dangerous to get out of the vehicle if the shift
lever is not fully in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when you are on fairly
level ground, always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park). See Shifting Into
Park
on page 3‑49. If you are pulling a trailer,
see Towing a Trailer on page 5‑49.
3-34

{WARNING:
If the vehicle has a four-wheel drive transfer
case with a N (Neutral) position, and the transfer
case is in N (Neutral), the vehicle will be free to
roll—even if the shift lever is in P (Park). Be sure
the transfer case is in a drive gear, Two-Wheel
Drive High or Four-Wheel Drive High or
Four-Wheel Drive Low —not in N (Neutral).
See Shifting Into Park
on page 3‑49. Always
set the parking brake.
R (Reverse): Use this gear to back up.
Notice: Shifting to R (Reverse) while the vehicle is
moving forward could damage the transmission.
The repairs would not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Shift to R (Reverse) only after the vehicle
is stopped.
To rock the vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice, or sand without damaging the transmission, see If
Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow
on
page 5‑29. N (Neutral):
In this position, the engine does not
connect with the wheels. To restart the engine when the
vehicle is already moving, use N (Neutral) only. Also,
use N (Neutral) when the vehicle is being towed.
{WARNING:
Shifting into a drive gear while the engine is
running at high speed is dangerous. Unless your
foot is firmly on the brake pedal, the vehicle could
move very rapidly. You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift into a drive gear
while the engine is running at high speed.
Notice: Shifting out of P (Park) or N (Neutral) with
the engine running at high speed may damage the
transmission. The repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Be sure the engine is not
running at high speed when shifting the vehicle.
3-35

D (Drive):This position is for normal driving. It provides
the best fuel economy. If you need more power for
passing, and you are:
.Going less than about 35 mph (55 km/h), push the
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
.Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator all the way down.
By doing this, the vehicle shifts down to the next
gear and has more power.
D (Drive) can be used when towing a trailer, carrying a
heavy load, driving on steep hills, or for off-road driving.
You might want to shift the transmission to a lower gear
selection if the transmission shifts too often.
Downshifting the transmission in slippery road
conditions could result in skidding. See Skidding
under Loss of Control on page 5‑11.
The vehicle has a shift stabilization feature that
adjusts the transmission shifting to the current driving
conditions in order to reduce rapid upshifts and
downshifts. This shift stabilization feature is designed
to determine, before making an upshift, if the engine is
able to maintain vehicle speed by analyzing things such
as vehicle speed, throttle position, and vehicle load.
If the shift stabilization feature determines that a current
vehicle speed cannot be maintained, the transmission
does not upshift and instead holds the current gear.
In some cases, this could appear to be a delayed shift,
however the transmission is operating normally. The vehicle's transmission uses adaptive shift controls.
Adaptive shift controls continually compares key shift
parameters to pre-programmed ideal shifts stored in the
transmissions computer. The transmission constantly
makes adjustments to improve vehicle performance
according to how the vehicle is being used, such as
with a heavy load or when the temperature changes.
During this adaptive shift control process, shifting might
feel different as the transmission determines the best
settings.
When temperatures are very cold, the Hydra-Matic
®
6-Speed transmission's gear shifting could be delayed
providing more stable shifts until the engine warms
up. Shifts could be more noticeable with a cold
transmission. This difference in shifting is normal.
M (Manual Mode):
This position is available on vehicles
with the Hydra-Matic
®6-Speed transmission. It lets
drivers select the range of gears appropriate for current
driving conditions. If the vehicle has this feature,
see Range Select Mode (Hydra-Matic
®6-Speed
transmission) later in this section.
3 (Third): This position is also used for normal driving.
It reduces vehicle speed more than D (Drive) without
using the brakes. You might choose 3 (Third) instead
of D (Drive) when driving on hilly, winding roads, when
towing a trailer, so there is less shifting between gears
and when going down a steep hill.
3-36

2 (Second):This position reduces vehicle speed even
more than 3 (Third) without using the brakes. You can
use 2 (Second) on hills. It can help control vehicle
speed as you go down steep mountain roads, but then
you would also want to use the brakes off and on.
If you manually select 2 (Second) in an automatic
transmission, the transmission will start in second gear.
You can use this feature for reducing the speed of the
rear wheels when you are trying to start the vehicle
from a stop on slippery road surfaces.
1 (First): For the Hydra-Matic
®4-Speed transmission
this position reduces vehicle speed even more than
2 (Second) without using the brakes. You can use it
on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the shift
lever is put in 1 (First) while the vehicle is moving
forward, the transmission does not shift into first gear
until the vehicle is going slowly enough.
For a Hydra-Matic
®6-Speed transmission, this position
reduces vehicle speed without using the brakes. You
can use it for major/severe downgrades and off-road
driving where the vehicle would otherwise accelerate
due to steepness of grade. When you shift to 1 (First) it
provides the lowest gear appropriate to the vehicle's
current road speed and continues to downshift as the
vehicle slows, eventually downshifting to 1 (First) gear.
Notice: Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle in
one place on a hill using only the accelerator pedal
may damage the transmission. The repair will not be covered by the vehicle warranty. If you are stuck, do
not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill, use the
brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
Range Selection Mode
(Hydra-Matic®6-Speed Transmission)
Base trim shown (uplevel similar)
The vehicle may have a Range Selection Mode.
The Range Selection Mode helps control the vehicle's
transmission and vehicle speed while driving down hill
or towing a trailer by letting you select a desired range
of gears.
3-37

To use this feature, do the following:1. Move the shift lever to M (Manual Mode).
2. Press the plus/minus buttons, located on the steering column shift lever, to select the desired
range of gears for the current driving conditions.
When M (Manual Mode) is selected a number displays
next to the M, indicating the current gear.
This number is the highest gear that can be used.
However, the vehicle can automatically shift to lower
gears as it adjusts to driving conditions. This means
that all gears below that number are available. When
5 (Fifth) is selected, 1 (First) through 5 (Fifth) gears are
automatically shifted by the vehicle, but 6 (Sixth) cannot
be used until the plus/minus button located on the
steering column lever is used to change to the gear.
Grade Braking is not available when Range Selection
Mode is active. See Tow/Haul Mode on page 3‑39. While using Range Selection Mode, cruise control and
the Tow/Haul mode can be used.
Notice:
Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle in
one place on a hill using only the accelerator pedal
may damage the transmission. The repair will not be
covered by the vehicle warranty. If you are stuck, do
not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill, use the
brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
Low Traction Mode
If the vehicle has the Hydra-Matic®6-Speed Automatic
Transmission, it has a Low Traction Mode that assists in
vehicle acceleration when road conditions are slippery,
such as with ice or snow. While the vehicle is at a stop,
select the second gear range using Range Selection
Mode. This will limit torque to the wheels after it detects
wheel slip, preventing the tires from spinning.
3-38