GMC Yukon Denali XL 2005 User manual

Seats and Restraint Systems ........................... 1-1
Front Seats ............................................... 1-3
Rear Seats ............................................... 1-8
Safety Belts ............................................. 1-27
Child Restraints ....................................... 1-47
Airbag System ......................................... 1-70
Restraint System Check ............................ 1-85
Features and Controls ..................................... 2-1
Keys ........................................................ 2-3
Doors and Locks ....................................... 2-8
Windows ................................................. 2-15
Theft-Deterrent Systems ............................ 2-17
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle ........... 2-19
Mirrors .................................................... 2-32
OnStar
®
System ...................................... 2-37
HomeLink
®
Transmitter ............................. 2-39
Storage Areas ......................................... 2-43
Sunroof .................................................. 2-47
Vehicle Personalization ............................. 2-48
Instrument Panel ............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview .......................... 3-4
Climate Controls ...................................... 3-20
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators ........ 3-28
Driver Information Center (DIC) .................. 3-46
Audio System(s) ....................................... 3-67
Driving Your Vehicle ....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle ..... 4-2
Towing ................................................... 4-50
Service and Appearance Care .......................... 5-1
Service ..................................................... 5-3
Fuel ......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood ............... 5-10
All-Wheel Drive ........................................ 5-47
Rear Axle ............................................... 5-48
Front Axle ............................................... 5-48
Bulb Replacement .................................... 5-50
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement ......... 5-55
Tires ...................................................... 5-56
Appearance Care ..................................... 5-94
Vehicle Identification ............................... 5-104
Electrical System .................................... 5-105
Capacities and Specifications ................... 5-114
Maintenance Schedule ..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule ................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance and Information .............. 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information ........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects ........................... 7-11
Index ................................................................ 1
2005 GMC Yukon Denali/Yukon XL Denali Owner Manual M

GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, GMC, the
GMC Truck Emblem, and the names YUKON and
DENALI are registered trademarks of General Motors
Corporation.
This manual includes the latest information at the time it
was printed. We reserve the right to make changes
after that time without further notice. For vehicles first
sold in Canada, substitute the name “General Motors of
Canada Limited” for GMC whenever it appears in this
manual.
Keep this manual in the vehicle, so it will be there if it is
needed while you are on the road. If the vehicle is
sold, leave this manual in the vehicle.
Canadian Owners
A French language copy of this manual can be obtained
from your dealer or from:
Helm, Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
How to Use This Manual
Many people read the owner manual from beginning to
end when they first receive their new vehicle. If this
is done, it can help you learn about the features
and controls for the vehicle. Pictures and words work
together in the owner manual to explain things.
Index
A good place to quickly locate information about the
vehicle is the Index in the back of the manual. It is an
alphabetical list of what is in the manual and the
page number where it can be found.
Litho in U.S.A.
Part No. 05DENALI A First Edition
©
2004 General Motors Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
ii

Safety Warnings and Symbols
There are a number of safety cautions in this book. We
use a box and the word CAUTION to tell about things
that could hurt you if you were to ignore the warning.
{CAUTION:
These mean there is something that could hurt
you or other people.
In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is.
Then we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce the
hazard. Please read these cautions. If you do not,
you or others could be hurt.
You will also find a circle
with a slash through it in
this book. This safety
symbol means “Do Not,”
“Do Not do this” or “Do Not
let this happen.”
iii

Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this manual you will find these notices:
Notice: These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
A notice tells about something that can damage the
vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be covered
by your vehicle’s warranty, and it could be costly. But
the notice will tell what to do to help avoid the damage.
When you read other manuals, you might see
CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in
different words.
There are also warning labels on the vehicle. They use
the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.
Vehicle Symbols
The vehicle has components and labels that use
symbols instead of text. Symbols are shown along with
the text describing the operation or information
relating to a specific component, control, message,
gage, or indicator.
If you need help figuring out a specific name of a
component, gage, or indicator, reference the following
topics:
•Seats and Restraint Systems in Section 1
•Features and Controls in Section 2
•Instrument Panel Overview in Section 3
•Climate Controls in Section 3
•Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators in Section 3
•Audio System(s) in Section 3
•Engine Compartment Overview in Section 5
iv

These are some examples of symbols that may be found on the vehicle:
v

✍NOTES
vi

Front Seats ......................................................1-3
Power Seats ..................................................1-3
Power Lumbar ...............................................1-4
Heated Seats .................................................1-5
Reclining Seatbacks ........................................1-6
Head Restraints .............................................1-7
Rear Seats .......................................................1-8
Rear Seat Operation .......................................1-8
Heated Seats .................................................1-9
60/40 Split Bench Seat ..................................1-10
50/50 Split Bench Seat ..................................1-13
Bench Seat ..................................................1-18
Bucket Seats ...............................................1-24
Safety Belts ...................................................1-27
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone ................1-27
Questions and Answers About Safety Belts ......1-31
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly .................1-32
Driver Position ..............................................1-32
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy ..................1-39
Right Front Passenger Position .......................1-40
Center Passenger Position .............................1-40
Rear Seat Passengers ..................................1-41
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for Children
and Small Adults .......................................1-44
Safety Belt Extender .....................................1-47
Child Restraints .............................................1-47
Older Children ..............................................1-47
Infants and Young Children ............................1-50
Child Restraint Systems .................................1-53
Where to Put the Restraint .............................1-56
Top Strap ....................................................1-57
Top Strap Anchor Location .............................1-58
Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) ...........................1-61
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for the
LATCH System .........................................1-63
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Outside
Seat Position ............................................1-63
Securing a Child Restraint in a Center Rear
Seat Position ............................................1-65
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front
Seat Position ............................................1-67
Airbag System ...............................................1-70
Where Are the Airbags? ................................1-73
When Should an Airbag Inflate? .....................1-76
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? .......................1-77
How Does an Airbag Restrain? .......................1-77
What Will You See After an Airbag Inflates? .....1-78
Passenger Sensing System ............................1-79
Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
1-1

Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle ...........1-84
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle ....................................................1-84
Restraint System Check ..................................1-85
Checking Your Restraint Systems ...................1-85
Replacing Restraint System Parts After
a Crash ...................................................1-86
Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
1-2

Front Seats
Power Seats
Horizontal Control: You can adjust your vehicle’s front
seats with the horizontal control located on the
outboard edge of each front seat.
Raise or lower the front of the seat by raising or
lowering the forward edge of the control. Raise or lower
the rear of the seat by raising or lowering the rear
edge of the control.
Move the seat forward or rearward by moving the whole
control toward the front or toward the rear of the vehicle.
Moving the whole control up or down raises or lowers the
entire seat cushion.
Vertical Control: You can use the vertical control to
adjust the angle of the seatback. Move the reclining
seatback forward or rearward by moving the top of the
control toward the front or toward the rear of the
vehicle.
For information on the reclining seatbacks, see Reclining
Seatbacks on page 1-6.
Your vehicle may have a memory function which allows
seat settings to be saved and recalled. See Memory
Seat on page 2-48 for more information.
1-3

Power Lumbar
Your vehicle’s seats may be equipped with power
lumbar.
You can increase or
decrease lumbar support
in an area of the lower
seatback with this control,
located on the outboard
sides of the front seat(s).
To increase support, press and hold the front of the
control. To decrease support, press and hold the rear of
the control. Let go of the control when the lower
seatback reaches the desired level of support.
You can also reshape the side wing area of the lower
seatback for more lateral support.
To increase support, press and hold the top of the
control. To decrease support, press and hold the bottom
of the control. Let go of the control when the lower
seatback reaches the desired level of support.
Your vehicle may have a memory function which allows
seat settings to be saved and recalled. See Memory
Seat on page 2-48 for more information.
1-4

Heated Seats
If your vehicle is equipped
with this feature, the
buttons are located on the
front doors. The engine
must be running for
the heated seats to work.
To heat the entire seat, press the horizontal button with
the heated seat and seatback symbol. Press the button to
cycle through the temperature settings of high, medium
and low and to turn the heated seat off. Indicator lights
will be lit to designate the level of heat selected: three for
high, two for medium, and one for low.
The low setting warms the seatback and cushion until
the seat temperature is near body temperature. The
medium and high settings heat the seatback and seat
cushion to a slightly higher temperature. You will be able
to feel heat in about two minutes.
To heat only the seatback, press the vertical button with
the heated seatback symbol. An indicator light on the
seatback button will be lit to designate that only the
seatback is being heated. Additional presses of
the seatback button will cycle through the heat levels for
the seatback only. Press the horizontal button again
to heat the whole seat.
The heated front seats will shut off automatically when
the ignition is turned off.
1-5

Reclining Seatbacks
The vertical power seat control described earlier allows
the seatback to recline.
But do not have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is
moving.
{CAUTION:
Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle
is in motion can be dangerous. Even if you
buckle up, your safety belts can not do their
job when you are reclined like this.
The shoulder belt can not do its job. In a
crash, you could go into it, receiving neck or
other injuries.
The lap belt can not do its job either. In a
crash the belt could go up over your abdomen.
The belt forces would be there, not at your
pelvic bones. This could cause serious internal
injuries.
For proper protection when the vehicle is in
motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit
well back in the seat and wear your safety belt
properly.
1-6

Head Restraints
Adjust your head restraint so that the top of the restraint
is closest to the top of your head. This position
reduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash.
The head restraints tilt forward and rearward also.
To adjust the tilt for either of the front head restraints,
pull it toward you until you hear a click. There are
four positions available: initial position, first click, second
click and third click. Each position will click into place.
After the third position (three clicks) is reached,
pulling the head restraint farther will release it back
to the upright position.
Pull firmly on the top of the head restraint to position
it to your liking.
The rear seat head restraints in your vehicle are
adjustable up and down. Move the head restraint so
that the top of the restraint is closest to the top of your
head. This position reduces the chance of a neck
injury in a crash.
1-7

Rear Seats
Rear Seat Operation
Entering or Exiting the Third Row
Seats
Yukon Denali: To enter or exit the third row seat, you
must fold the second row seat down following the
instructions later in this section. See “Folding the
Seatback” under 60/40 Split Bench Seat on page 1-10.
If you are exiting the third row seat with no assistance,
do the following: 1. Reach over the second
row seat and pull up on
the strap loop. Then
pull the seat cushion up
and push it forward.
2. Next, push the seatback forward until it is flat with
the floor.
Be sure to return the seat to the passenger position
when finished. Pull forward and push rearward on the
seat to make sure it is locked in place.
Yukon XL Denali: The passenger’s side of the second
row 60/40 or rear bucket seat has an easy entry/exit
feature. This makes it easy to get in and out of the third
row seat.
To operate the easy entry seat, do the following:
1. Lift the release lever on the back of the seat.
2. Tilt the seatback toward the front of the vehicle and
the seat will release.
1-8

3. Pull (push if you are exiting the third row with no
assistance) the seat forward until it stops.
{CAUTION:
If the seatback is not locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there. Always
press rearward on the seatback to be sure it is
locked.
{CAUTION:
A safety belt that is improperly routed, not
properly attached, or twisted will not provide
the protection needed in a crash. The person
wearing the belt could be seriously injured.
After raising the rear seatback, always check
to be sure that the safety belts are properly
routed and attached, and are not twisted.
Be sure to return the seat to the passenger position
when finished. Pull forward and push rearward on the
seat to make sure it is locked in place.
Heated Seats
The buttons used to control
this feature are located on
the back of the center
console. The engine must
be running for the heated
seat feature to work.
To heat the seat, press the button to cycle through the
temperature settings of high and low. Press the
button a third time to turn the seats off. An Indicator
light will glow for each heat setting when the seats are
operating.
The heated rear seats will shut off automatically when
the ignition is turned off.
1-9

60/40 Split Bench Seat
If your vehicle has a 60/40 split bench, the seats can be
folded to give you more cargo space.
Folding the Seatbacks (60/40 Split
Bench Seat)
The rear seat may have a 60/40 split seat which may be
folded down to create a load floor and give you more
cargo space. On the Yukon Denali, the rear seatbacks
are equipped with rearward folding head restraints.
When the seatback is being folded down, the head
restraint will automatically fold rearward.
To fold the rear seat, do the following:
1. Make sure that nothing is under or in front
of the seat.
2. Pull up on the strap
loop located at the rear
of the seat cushion and
pull the seat cushion
up. Then fold it
forward.
3. Yukon Denali: Pull the seatback forward and fold it
down until it is flat.
1-10

Yukon XL Denali: On the passenger side of
Yukon XL Denali models, the lever at the base of the
seat must be pulled up to release the seatback. Pull
the seatback forward and fold it down until it is flat.
If the seatback cannot fold flat because it interferes with
the cushion, try moving the front seat forward and/or
bringing the front seatback more upright.
On Yukon XL Denali models only, once the seatbacks
are folded down, the rear seat footwell area will be
exposed and will have to be covered by the load floor
panel(s). To create a load floor, do the following:
1. Release the panels from the seatbacks by pushing
forward on the latches.
2. Then fold the panels back to cover the rear seat
footwell area.
1-11

Returning the Seats to an Upright
Position
{CAUTION:
If the seatback is not locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there. Always
press rearward on the seatback to be sure it is
locked.
{CAUTION:
A safety belt that is improperly routed, not
properly attached, or twisted will not provide
the protection needed in a crash. The person
wearing the belt could be seriously injured.
After raising the rear seatback, always check
to be sure that the safety belts are properly
routed and attached, and are not twisted.
1-12

To return the seat to the upright position, do the
following:
1. On Yukon XL Denali models, lift the load floor
panels and latch them into the seatback.
2. Lift the seatback up and push it rearward all the way.
3. Lower the seat cushion until it latches into
position.
4. On Yukon Denali models, return the head restraints
to the upright position.
5. Pull forward on the seatback and up on the seat
cushion to make sure the seat is securely in place.
6. Check to see that the safety belt buckles on the
driver’s side seat are accessible to the outboard
and center occupants and are not under the
seat cushions.
50/50 Split Bench Seat
If your vehicle has a 50/50 split bench, the seatback(s)
can be folded and the entire seat(s) tilted or removed
from the vehicle.
Folding the Seatbacks
To fold the seatbacks, do the following:
1. Pull up on the release
lever labeled 1 located
on the rear of the
seatback, and push the
seatback forward.
1-13

Unfolding the Seatbacks
{CAUTION:
If the seatback is not locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there. Always
press rearward on the seatback to be sure it is
locked.
To return the seatbacks to the passenger position, do
the following: 1. Pull up on the release
lever labeled 1 and then
pull up on the seatback
or the assist strap
located on the outboard
side of the seat until the
seatback locks into the
upright position.
2. Push forward on the seatback to make sure it is
locked into position.
Tilting the 50/50 Split Bench Seat
1. Fold the seatbacks forward using the instructions
listed previously. 2. Unlatch the seat from
the floor by pulling up
on the lever labeled 2
located on the rear
of the seat.
3. Lift the rear of the seat up from the floor and push it
forward until it locks into place. You will not be able
to unlatch the seat from the floor unless the
seatback is folded down.
The seat will now remain locked in the upright position.
1-14