transmission oil GMC YUKON XL 2010 Owners Manual

Section 1 In Brief
Instrument Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Liftgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7
Second Row Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11
Third Row Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11
Heated Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
Head Restraint Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13
Sensing System for Passenger Airbag . . . . . . . . . 1-13
Mirror Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-20 Vehicle Features
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-21
Radio(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-21
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22
Portable Audio Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-23
Bluetooth
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-23
Navigation System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-23
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-25
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-25
Universal Remote System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-25
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-26
Performance and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-27
StabiliTrak
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-27
Tire Pressure Monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-27
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-28
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-28
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-29
Roadside Assistance Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-29
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-30
1-1

Starting Procedure
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn theignition key to START. When the engine starts, let
go of the key. The idle speed will go down as the
engine gets warm. Do not race the engine
immediately after starting it. Operate the engine
and transmission gently to allow the oil to warm up
and lubricate all moving parts.
The vehicle has a Computer-Controlled Cranking
System. This feature assists in starting the engine
and protects components. If the ignition key is
turned to the START position, and then released
when the engine begins cranking, the engine will
continue cranking for a few seconds or until the
vehicle starts. If the engine does not start and the
key is held in START for many seconds, cranking
will be stopped after 15 seconds to prevent
cranking motor damage. To prevent gear damage,
this system also prevents cranking if the engine is
already running. Engine cranking can be stopped
by turning the ignition switch to the ACC/
ACCESSORY or LOCK/OFF position.
Notice: Cranking the engine for long periods of
time, by returning the key to the START position
immediately after cranking has ended, can overheat
and damage the cranking motor, and drain the
battery. Wait at least 15 seconds between each try,
to let the cranking motor cool down. 2. If the engine does not start after 5‐10 seconds,
especially in very cold weather (below 0°F or
−18°C), it could be flooded with too much gasoline.
Try pushing the accelerator pedal all the way to
the floor and holding it there as you hold the key
in START for up to a maximum of 15 seconds.
Wait at least 15 seconds between each try, to allow
the cranking motor to cool down. When the engine
starts, let go of the key and accelerator. If the
vehicle starts briefly but then stops again, do the
same thing. This clears the extra gasoline from the
engine. Do not race the engine immediately after
starting it. Operate the engine and transmission
gently until the oil warms up and lubricates all
moving parts.
Notice: The engine is designed to work with the
electronics in the vehicle. If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the
way the engine operates. Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your dealer. If you do
not, the engine might not perform properly.
Any resulting damage would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty.
3-30

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

Language
This display allows you to select the language in which
the DIC messages will appear. To select a language:1. Press the trip odometer reset stem until ODOMETER displays.
2. While in the ODOMETER display, press and hold the trip odometer reset stem for three seconds until
the currently set language displays.
3. Continue to press and hold the trip odometer reset stem to scroll through all of the available
languages.
The available selections are ENGLISH (default),
FRANCAIS (French), ESPANOL (Spanish), and
NO CHANGE.
4. Once the desired language is displayed, release the trip odometer reset stem to set your choice.
Engine Hours
To display the ENGINE HOURS, place the ignition in
LOCK/OFF or ACC/ACCESSORY, then press and hold
the trip odometer reset stem for four seconds while
viewing the ODOMETER. This display shows the total
number of hours the engine has run.
DIC Operation and Displays
(Without DIC Buttons)
If your vehicle does not have DIC buttons, the
information below explains the operation of this system.
The DIC has different displays which can be accessed
by pressing the trip odometer reset stem located on the
instrument panel cluster. Pressing the trip odometer
reset stem will also turn off, or acknowledge, DIC
messages.
The DIC displays trip and vehicle system information,
and warning messages if a system problem is detected.
If your vehicle does not have DIC buttons, you
can use the trip odometer reset stem to view the
following displays: language selection, trip odometer,
transmission temperature, trailer brake gain and output
information for vehicles with the Integrated Trailer Brake
Control (ITBC) system, compass zone setting, compass
recalibration, oil life, Tire Pressure Monitor System
(TPMS) programming for vehicles with the TPMS, and
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter programming.
4-55

Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then, to move the trailer to the left, move that hand to
the left. To move the trailer to the right, move your hand
to the right. Always back up slowly and, if possible,
have someone guide you.
Making Turns
Notice:Making very sharp turns while trailering
could cause the trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. The vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
When turning with a trailer, make wider turns than
normal. Do this so the trailer will not strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees or other objects.
Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.
If the trailer turn signal bulbs burn out, the arrows on the
instrument panel will still flash for turns. It is important to
check occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs are still
working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear beforestarting
down a long or steep downgrade. If the transmission
is not shifted down, the brakes might get hot and no
longer work well.
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.
The tow/haul mode may be used if the transmission
shifts too often. See Tow/Haul Mode on page 3‑39.
When towing at high altitude on steep uphill grades,
consider the following: Engine coolant will boil at a
lower temperature than at normal altitudes. If the engine
is turned off immediately after towing at high altitude on
steep uphill grades, the vehicle may show signs similar
to engine overheating. To avoid this, let the engine run
while parked, preferably on level ground, with the
automatic transmission in P (Park) for a few minutes
before turning the engine off. If the overheat warning
comes on, see Engine Overheating on page 6‑36.
5-65

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
Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
California Proposition 65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Doing Your Own Service Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Adding Equipment to the Outside of the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Gasoline Octane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
California Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-11
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-13
Checking Things Under the Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-14
Hood Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-14
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-16
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-18
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-20
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-22
Automatic Transmission Fluid (4-Speed Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-24 Automatic Transmission Fluid (6-Speed
Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-27
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-30
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-32
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-36
Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-39
Engine Fan Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-39
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-40
Windshield Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-41
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-42
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-45
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-46
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-51
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-52
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-53
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-55
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-58
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-58
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and Back-up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-58
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-60
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-60
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . .6-61
6-1

A.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on page 6‑22.
B. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling System on page 6‑30.
C. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. See Jump Starting
on page 6‑46.
D. Battery on page 6‑45.
E. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine Oil”
under Engine Oil on page 6‑18.
F. Automatic Transmission Dipstick. See “Checking
the Fluid Level” underAutomatic Transmission
Fluid (4-Speed Transmission)
on page 6‑24or Automatic Transmission Fluid (6-Speed
Transmission) on page 6‑27.
G. Remote Negative (−) Terminal (Out of View). See Jump Starting on page 6‑46. H. Engine Oil Dipstick (Out of View). See
“Checking
Engine Oil” underEngine Oil on page 6‑18.
I. Engine Cooling Fan. See Cooling System
on
page 6‑30.
J. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. See Power
Steering Fluid on page 6‑40.
K. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See “Brake
Fluid” under Brakes on page 6‑42.
L. Underhood Fuse Block on page 6‑122.
M. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding
Washer Fluid” underWindshield Washer Fluid
on
page 6‑41.
6-17

Automatic Transmission Fluid
(4-Speed Transmission)
When to Check and Change Automatic
Transmission Fluid
A good time to check the automatic transmission fluid
level is when the engine oil is changed.
Change the fluid and filter at the intervals listed in
Scheduled Maintenance
on page 7‑3and be sure
to use the transmission fluid listed in Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants on page 7‑11.
How to Check Automatic Transmission
Fluid
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you
may choose to have this done at the dealer service
department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the instructions
here or you could get a false reading on the dipstick.
Notice: Too much or too little fluid can damage the
transmission. Too much can mean that some of the
fluid could come out and fall on hot engine parts or
exhaust system parts, starting a fire. Too little fluid
could cause the transmission to overheat. Be sure
to get an accurate reading if checking the
transmission fluid. Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the
transmission fluid level if you have been driving:
.When outside temperatures are above
32°C (90°F).
.At high speed for quite a while.
.In heavy traffic
—especially in hot weather.
.While pulling a trailer.
To get the right reading, the fluid should be at normal
operating temperature, which is 82°C to 93°C
(180°F to 200°F).
Get the vehicle warmed up by driving about
24 km (15 miles) when outside temperatures are above
10°C (50°F). If it is colder than 10°C (50°F), drive the
vehicle in 3 (Third) until the engine temperature gauge
moves and then remains steady for 10 minutes.
A cold fluid check can be made after the vehicle has
been sitting for eight hours or more with the engine off,
but this is used only as a reference. Let the engine
run at idle for five minutes if outside temperatures are
10°C (50°F) or more. If it is colder than 10°C (50°F),
you may have to idle the engine longer. Should the fluid
level be low during this cold check, you must check the
fluid hot before adding fluid. Checking the fluid hot will
give you a more accurate reading of the fluid level.
6-24

Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode
If an overheated engine condition exists and the
ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED message is displayed,
an overheat protection mode which alternates firing
groups of cylinders helps prevent engine damage.
In this mode, you will notice a loss in power and engine
performance. This operating mode allows the vehicle
to be driven to a safe place in an emergency. Driving
extended miles (km) and/or towing a trailer in the
overheat protection mode should be avoided.
Notice:After driving in the overheated engine
protection operating mode, to avoid engine damage,
allow the engine to cool before attempting any
repair. The engine oil will be severely degraded.
Repair the cause of coolant loss, change the oil
and reset the oil life system. See Engine Oil
on
page 6‑18.
Engine Fan Noise
If the vehicle has a clutched engine cooling fan, when
the clutch is engaged, the fan spins faster to provide
more air to cool the engine. In most everyday driving
conditions, the fan is spinning slower and the clutch is
not fully engaged. This improves fuel economy and
reduces fan noise. Under heavy vehicle loading, trailer
towing, and/or high outside temperatures, the fan speed
increases as the clutch more fully engages, so you may
hear an increase in fan noise. This is normal and should
not be mistaken as the transmission slipping or making
extra shifts. It is merely the cooling system functioning
properly. The fan will slow down when additional cooling
is not required and the clutch disengages.
You may also hear this fan noise when you start the
engine. It will go away as the fan clutch partially
disengages.
If the vehicle has electric cooling fans, you may hear
the fans spinning at low speed during most everyday
driving. The fans may turn off if no cooling is required.
Under heavy vehicle loading, trailer towing, and/or high
outside temperatures, or if you are operating the air
conditioning system, the fans may change to high
speed and you may hear an increase in fan noise.
This is normal and indicates that the cooling system is
functioning properly. The fans will change to low speed
when additional cooling is no longer required.
6-39