towing GMC YUKON XL DENALI 2007 User Guide

This light should come on briey when you turn
the ignition key to RUN. If it does not come
on then, have it xed so it will be ready to warn
you if there’s a problem.
If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off
the road and stop carefully. You may notice
that the pedal is harder to push or may go closer
to the oor. It may take longer to stop. If the
light is still on, have the vehicle towed for service.
SeeTowing Your Vehicle on page 398.
{CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working
properly if the brake system warning light
is on. Driving with the brake system
warning light on can lead to an accident.
If the light is still on after you have pulled
off the road and stopped carefully, have
the vehicle towed for service.
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning
Light
With the anti-lock brake
system, this light will
come on when you start
your engine and may
stay on for several
seconds.
United StatesCanada
234

This light will also come on during a malfunction in
one of two ways:
Light Flashing— A misre condition has
been detected. A misre increases vehicle
emissions and may damage the emission
control system on your vehicle. Diagnosis and
service may be required.
Light On Steady— An emission control
system malfunction has been detected on your
vehicle. Diagnosis and service may be
required.
If the Light is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage
to your vehicle:
Reducing vehicle speed
Avoiding hard accelerations
Avoiding steep uphill grades
If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount
of cargo being hauled as soon as it is
possibleIf the light stops ashing and remains on steady,
see “If the Light Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to ash, when it is safe to do
so, stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park
your vehicle. Turn the key off, wait at least
10 seconds and restart the engine. If the light
remains on steady, see “If the Light Is On Steady”
following. If the light is still ashing, follow the
previous steps, and see your dealer for service as
soon as possible.
If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully
install the cap. SeeFilling the Tank on page 426.
The diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap
has been left off or improperly installed. A loose or
missing fuel cap will allow fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere. A few driving trips with the cap
properly installed should turn the light off.
238

Fog Lamp Light
The fog lamps light will
come on when the fog
lamps are in use.
The light will go out when the fog lamps are
turned off. SeeFog Lamps on page 206for more
information.
Cruise Control Light
This light comes on
whenever you set your
cruise control.
The light will go out when the cruise control is
turned off. SeeCruise Control on page 200
for more information.
Highbeam On Light
This light will come on
when the high-beam
headlamps are in use.
SeeHeadlamp High/Low-Beam Changer on
page 195.
Tow/Haul Mode Light
This light is displayed
when the Tow/Haul
mode has been
activated.
For more information, seeTowing a Trailer on
page 400andTow/Haul Mode on page 150.
242

Your Driving, the Road, and Your
Vehicle..................................................... 342
Defensive Driving...................................... 342
Drunken Driving........................................ 343
Control of a Vehicle.................................. 346
Braking...................................................... 346
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS).................. 347
Braking in Emergencies............................. 349
Locking Differential.................................... 349
StabiliTrak
®System................................... 349
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) System.................. 353
Steering.................................................... 353
Off-Road Recovery.................................... 355
Passing..................................................... 356
Loss of Control.......................................... 357
Off-Road Driving........................................ 359
Driving at Night......................................... 375
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads............ 376
City Driving............................................... 380Freeway Driving........................................ 381
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.................. 382
Highway Hypnosis..................................... 383
Hill and Mountain Roads........................... 384
Winter Driving........................................... 386
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Ice, or Snow.......................................... 390
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out........... 390
Recovery Hooks........................................ 391
Loading Your Vehicle................................ 392
Towing........................................................ 398
Towing Your Vehicle................................. 398
Recreational Vehicle Towing...................... 398
Level Control............................................. 399
Autoride
®................................................... 399
Towing a Trailer........................................ 400
Trailer Recommendations.......................... 415
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
341

By slowly spinning your wheels in the forward and
reverse directions, you will cause a rocking motion
that may free your vehicle. If that does not get you
out after a few tries, you may need to be towed out.
Or, you can use your recovery hooks. If you do
need to be towed out, seeTowing Your Vehicle on
page 398.
Recovery Hooks
{CAUTION:
These hooks, when used, are under a lot
of force. Always pull the vehicle straight
out. Never pull on the hooks at a
sideways angle. The hooks could break
off and you or others could be injured
from the chain or cable snapping back.Notice:Never use recovery hooks to tow the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged
and it would not be covered by warranty.
Your vehicle has recovery hooks at the front of the
vehicle. You may need to use them if you are
stuck off-road and need to be pulled to some place
where you can continue driving.
391

The Tire and Loading Information label also shows
the size of the original equipment tires (C) and
the recommended cold tire ination pressures (D).
For more information on tires and ination see
Tires on page 480andInation - Tire Pressure on
page 488.
There is also important loading information on the
vehicle Certication/Tire label. It tells you the
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and
the Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for the
front and rear axles. See “Certication/Tire Label”
later in this section.
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit
1. Locate the statement “The combined
weight of occupants and cargo should never
exceed XXX kg or XXX pounds” on your
vehicle’s placard.
2. Determine the combined weight of the driver
and passengers that will be riding in your
vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and passengers from XXX kilograms or
XXX pounds.4. The resulting gure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity.
For example, if the “XXX” amount equals
1400 lbs and there will be ve 150 lb
passengers in your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and luggage load capacity is
650 lbs (1400−750 (5 x 150) = 650 lbs).
5. Determine the combined weight of luggage
and cargo being loaded on the vehicle. That
weight may not safely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capacity calculated in
Step 4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, the load
from your trailer will be transferred to your
vehicle. Consult this manual to determine how
this reduces the available cargo and luggage
load capacity of your vehicle. SeeTowing
a Trailer on page 400for important information
on towing a trailer, towing safety rules and
trailering tips.
393

Towing
Towing Your Vehicle
Consult your dealer or a professional towing
service if you need to have your disabled vehicle
towed. SeeRoadside Assistance Program on
page 575.
If you want to tow your vehicle behind another
vehicle for recreational purposes (such as behind
a motorhome), see “Recreational Vehicle
Towing” following.
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means towing your
vehicle behind another vehicle — such as behind
a motorhome. The two most common types of
recreational vehicle towing are known as “dinghy
towing” (towing your vehicle with all four wheels
on the ground) and “dolly towing” (towing
your vehicle with two wheels on the ground and
two wheels up on a device known as a “dolly”).
Dinghy Towing and Dolly Towing
All-Wheel Drive Vehicles
Notice:Towing an all-wheel-drive vehicle with
all four wheels on the ground, or even with
only two of its wheels on the ground, will
damage drivetrain components. Do not tow an
all-wheel-drive vehicle if any of its wheels
will be on the ground.
Your vehicle is not designed to be towed with any
of the wheels on the ground. If your vehicle
must be towed, seeTowing Your Vehicle on
page 398.
398

Level Control
Automatic Level Control
The automatic level control rear suspension is
available on light-duty vehicles and comes
as a part of the Autoride
®suspension, if equipped.
This type of level control is fully automatic and
will provide a better leveled riding position as well
as better handling under a variety of passenger
and loading conditions. An air compressor
connected to the rear shocks will raise or lower
the rear of the vehicle to maintain proper vehicle
height. The system is activated when the
ignition key is turned to RUN and will automatically
adjust vehicle height thereafter. The system
may exhaust (lower vehicle height) for up to
ten minutes after the ignition key has been turned
off. You may hear the air compressor operating
when the height is being adjusted.
If a weight-distributing hitch is being used, it is
recommended to allow the shocks to inate,
thereby leveling the vehicle prior to adjusting the
hitch.
Autoride®
The Autoride®feature provides improved vehicle
ride and handling under a variety of passenger and
loading conditions.
The system 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.
Autoride
®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” underTowing a Trailer on
page 400for more information.
399

Towing a Trailer
Do not tow a trailer during break-in. SeeNew
Vehicle Break-In on page 139for more information.
{CAUTION:
If you do not use the correct equipment
and drive properly, you can lose control
when you pull a trailer. For example, if the
trailer is too heavy, the brakes may not
work well — or even at all. You and your
passengers could be seriously injured.
Pull a trailer only if you have followed all
the steps in this section. Ask your dealer
for advice and information about towing a
trailer with your vehicle.Notice:Pulling a trailer improperly can
damage your vehicle and result in costly
repairs not covered by your warranty. To pull
a trailer correctly, follow the advice in this
part, and see your dealer for important
information about towing a trailer with your
vehicle.
To identify the trailering capacity for your vehicle,
you should read the information in “Weight of
the Trailer” that appears later in this section.
Trailering is different than just driving your vehicle
by itself. Trailering means changes in acceleration,
braking, handling, durability and fuel economy.
Successful, safe trailering takes correct equipment,
and it has to be used properly.
That’s the reason for this part. In it are many
time-tested, important trailering tips and safety
rules. Many of these are important for your safety
and that of your passengers. So please read
this section carefully before you pull a trailer.
400

If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points:
There are many different laws, including speed
limit restrictions, having to do with trailering.
Make sure your rig will be legal, not only where
you live but also where you’ll be driving. A
good source for this information can be state
or provincial police.
Consider using a sway control. See “Hitches”
later in this section.
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the rst
500 miles (800 km) your new vehicle is driven.
Your engine, axle or other parts could be
damaged.
Then, during the rst 500 miles (800 km) that
you tow a trailer, don’t drive over 50 mph
(80 km/h) and don’t make starts at full throttle.
This helps your engine and other parts of
your vehicle wear in at the heavier loads.
You can tow in DRIVE (D). You may want to
shift the transmission to THIRD (3) or, if
necessary, a lower gear selection if the
transmission shifts too often (e.g., under heavy
loads and/or hilly conditions). See “Tow/Haul
Mode” underTowing a Trailer on page 400.Three important considerations have to do with
weight:
the weight of the trailer
the weight of the trailer tongue
and the weight on your vehicle’s tires
Tow/Haul Mode
The Tow/Haul feature assists when pulling a
heavy trailer or a large or heavy load. The purpose
of the Tow/Haul mode is to:
Reduce the frequency and improve the
predictability of transmission shifts when
pulling a heavy trailer or a large or heavy load.
Provide the same solid shift feel when pulling a
heavy trailer or a large or heavy load as when
the vehicle is unloaded.
Improve control of vehicle speed while
requiring less throttle pedal activity when
pulling a heavy trailer or a large or heavy load.
401