warning GMC ACADIA 2009 Workshop Manual

If Steam Is Coming From The
Engine Compartment
{CAUTION
Steam from an overheated engine
can burn you badly, even if you
just open the hood. Stay away
from the engine if you see or hear
steam coming from it. Turn it off
and get everyone away from the
vehicle until it cools down. Wait
until there is no sign of steam or
coolant before you open the hood.
If you keep driving when the
vehicles engine is overheated, the
liquids in it can catch re. You or
others could be badly burned.
Stop the engine if it overheats,
and get out of the vehicle until the
engine is cool.
SeeOverheated Engine
Protection Operating Mode on
page 5-23for information on
driving to a safe place in an
emergency.
If No Steam Is Coming From
The Engine Compartment
If an engine overheat warning is
displayed but no steam can be seen
or heard, the problem may not be too
serious. Sometimes the engine can
get a little too hot when the vehicle:
Climbs a long hill on a hot day.
Stops after high-speed driving.
Idles for long periods in traffic.
Tows a trailer.
If the overheat warning is displayed
with no sign of steam:
1. Turn the air conditioning off.
2. Turn the heater on to the highest
temperature and to the highest
fan speed. Open the windows as
necessary.
3. If in a traffic jam, shift to
N (Neutral), otherwise, shift
to the highest gear while
driving—D(Drive) or L (Low).If the temperature overheat gage is
no longer in the overheat zone or an
overheat warning no longer displays,
the vehicle can be driven. Continue
to drive the vehicle slow for about
10 minutes. Keep a safe vehicle
distance from the car in front of you.
If the warning does not come back
on, continue to drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull
over, stop, and park the vehicle
right away.
If there is no sign of steam, idle
the engine for three minutes while
parked. If the warning is still
displayed, turn off the engine until it
cools down. Also, see “Overheated
Engine Protection Operating Mode”
next in this section.
5-22 Service and Appearance Care

What to Use
To determine what kind of uid to
use, seeRecommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 6-12. Always
use the proper uid.
Notice:Use of the incorrect uid
may damage the vehicle and the
damages may not be covered by
the vehicle’s warranty. Always
use the correct uid listed in
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 6-12.
Windshield Washer Fluid
What to Use
When adding windshield washer
uid, be sure to read the
manufacturer’s instructions before
use. If the vehicle will be operating
in an area where the temperature
may fall below freezing, use a
uid that has sufficient protection
against freezing.
Adding Washer Fluid
When the windshield washer uid
reservoir is low, a WASHER FLUID
LOW ADD FLUID message will be
displayed on the Driver Information
Center (DIC). SeeDIC Warnings and
Messages on page 3-56for more
information.
Open the cap with the washer
symbol on it. Add washer uid
until the tank is full. SeeEngine
Compartment Overview on
page 5-10for reservoir location.Notice:When using concentrated
washer uid, follow the
manufacturer’s instructions
for adding water.
Do not mix water with
ready-to-use washer uid.
Water can cause the solution
to freeze and damage your
washer uid tank and other
parts of the washer system.
Also, water does not clean as
well as washer uid.
Fill the washer uid tank only
three-quarters full when it is
very cold. This allows for uid
expansion if freezing occurs,
which could damage the tank
if it is completely full.
Do not use engine coolant
(antifreeze) in your windshield
washer. It can damage the
vehicle’s windshield washer
system and paint.
5-24 Service and Appearance Care

Brakes
Brake Fluid
The brake master cylinder reservoir
is lled with DOT-3 brake uid.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview
on page 5-10for the location of
the reservoir.There are only two reasons why the
brake uid level in the reservoir
might go down:
The brake uid level goes down
because of normal brake lining
wear. When new linings are
installed, the uid level goes
back up.
A uid leak in the brake hydraulic
system can also cause a low uid
level. Have the brake hydraulic
system xed, since a leak means
that sooner or later the brakes will
not work well.
Do not top off the brake uid.
Adding uid does not correct a leak.
If uid is added when the linings are
worn, there will be too much uid
when new brake linings are installed.
Add or remove brake uid, as
necessary, only when work is done
on the brake hydraulic system.
{CAUTION
If too much brake uid is added, it
can spill on the engine and burn, if
the engine is hot enough. You or
others could be burned, and the
vehicle could be damaged. Add
brake uid only when work is done
on the brake hydraulic system.
When the brake uid falls to a low
level, the brake warning light comes
on. SeeBrake System Warning
Light on page 3-38.
Service and Appearance Care 5-25

What to Add
Use only new DOT-3 brake uid
from a sealed container. See
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 6-12.
Always clean the brake uid
reservoir cap and the area around
the cap before removing it. This
helps keep dirt from entering
the reservoir.
{CAUTION
With the wrong kind of uid in
the brake hydraulic system, the
brakes might not work well. This
could cause a crash. Always use
the proper brake uid.Notice:
Using the wrong uid can
badly damage brake hydraulic
system parts. For example, just
a few drops of mineral-based
oil, such as engine oil, in the
brake hydraulic system can
damage brake hydraulic system
parts so badly that they will
have to be replaced. Do not let
someone put in the wrong kind
of uid.
If brake uid is spilled on the
vehicle’s painted surfaces, the
paint nish can be damaged.
Be careful not to spill brake
uid on the vehicle. If you do,
wash it off immediately. See
Washing Your Vehicle on
page 5-84.
Brake Wear
This vehicle has disc brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear
indicators that make a high-pitched
warning sound when the brake
pads are worn and new pads are
needed. The sound can come
and go or be heard all the time the
vehicle is moving, except when
applying the brake pedal rmly.
{CAUTION
The brake wear warning sound
means that soon the brakes will
not work well. That could lead to
an accident. When the brake wear
warning sound is heard, have the
vehicle serviced.
Notice:Continuing to drive with
worn-out brake pads could
result in costly brake repair.
5-26 Service and Appearance Care

Battery
This vehicle has a maintenance free
battery. When it is time for a new
battery, see your dealer/retailer
for one that has the replacement
number shown on the original
battery’s label.
For battery replacement, see your
dealer/retailer or the service manual.
To purchase a service manual,
seeService Publications Ordering
Information on page 7-15.
Warning:Battery posts, terminals,
and related accessories contain
lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and
reproductive harm. Wash hands
after handling.
Vehicle Storage
{CAUTION
Batteries have acid that can burn
you and gas that can explode.
You can be badly hurt if you are
not careful. SeeJump Starting
on page 5-28for tips on working
around a battery without
getting hurt.
Infrequent Usage: If the vehicle is
driven infrequently, remove the
black, negative (−) cable from the
battery. This helps keep the battery
from running down.
Extended Storage: For extended
storage of the vehicle, remove
the black, negative (−) cable from
the battery or use a battery
trickle charger. This helps maintain
the charge of the battery over
an extended period of time.
Jump Starting
If the vehicle’s battery has run
down, you may want to use another
vehicle and some jumper cables
to start your vehicle. Be sure to use
the following steps to do it safely.
{CAUTION
Batteries can hurt you. They can
be dangerous because:
They contain acid that can
burn you.
They contain gas that can
explode or ignite.
They contain enough
electricity to burn you.
If you do not follow these steps
exactly, some or all of these
things can hurt you.
5-28 Service and Appearance Care

Changes or modications to
this system by other than an
authorized service facility could void
authorization to use this equipment.
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation
This vehicle may have a Tire
Pressure Monitor System (TPMS).
The TPMS is designed to warn
the driver when a low tire pressure
condition exists. TPMS sensors
are mounted onto each tire
and wheel assembly, excluding the
spare tire and wheel assembly,
if the vehicle has one. The TPMS
sensors monitor the air pressure in
the vehicle’s tires and transmits
the tire pressure readings to
a receiver located in the vehicle.When a low tire pressure condition
is detected, the TPMS illuminates
the low tire pressure warning
light located on the instrument
panel cluster.
At the same time a message to
check the pressure in a specic tire
appears on the Driver Information
Center (DIC) display. The low tire
pressure warning light and the DIC
warning message come on at each
ignition cycle until the tires are
inated to the correct ination
pressure. Using the DIC, tire
pressure levels can be viewed by
the driver. For additional information
and details about the DIC operation
and displays seeDIC Operation and
Displays (With DIC Buttons) on
page 3-46orDIC Operation and
Displays (Without DIC Buttons) on
page 3-51andDIC Warnings and
Messages on page 3-56.The low tire pressure warning light
may come on in cool weather
when the vehicle is rst started, and
then turn off as you start to drive.
This could be an early indicator that
the air pressure in the tire(s) are
getting low and need to be inated
to the proper pressure.
A Tire and Loading Information
label, attached to your vehicle,
shows the size of your vehicle’s
original equipment tires and
the correct ination pressure for
your vehicle’s tires when they
are cold. SeeLoading the Vehicle
on page 4-16, for an example of
the Tire and Loading Information
label and its location on your
vehicle. Also seeInflation - Tire
Pressure on page 5-41.
Your vehicle’s TPMS can warn you
about a low tire pressure condition
but it does not replace normal tire
maintenance. SeeTire Inspection
and Rotation on page 5-47andTires
on page 5-35.
5-44 Service and Appearance Care

Notice:Using non-approved tire
sealants could damage the Tire
Pressure Monitor System (TPMS)
sensors. TPMS sensor damage
caused by using an incorrect tire
sealant is not covered by the
vehicle warranty. Always use the
GM approved tire sealant available
through your dealer/retailer.
Your vehicle, when new, may have
included a factory-installed Tire
Inator Kit. This kit uses a GM
approved liquid tire sealant. Using
non-approved tire sealants could
damage the TPMS sensors.
See Tire Sealant and Compressor
Kit for information regarding the
inator kit materials and instructions.
TPMS Malfunction Light and
Message
The TPMS will not function properly
if one or more of the TPMS sensors
are missing or inoperable. When the
system detects a malfunction, the
low tire warning light ashes for
about one minute and then stays
on for the remainder of the ignitioncycle. A DIC warning message is
also displayed. The low tire warning
light and DIC warning message
come on at each ignition cycle until
the problem is corrected. Some of
the conditions that can cause the
malfunction light and DIC message
to come on are:
One of the road tires has been
replaced with the spare tire, if
your vehicle has one. The spare
tire does not have a TPMS
sensor. The TPMS malfunction
light and DIC message should go
off once you re-install the road tire
containing the TPMS sensor.
The TPMS sensor matching
process was started but not
completed or not completed
successfully after rotating the
vehicle’s tires. The DIC message
and TPMS malfunction light
should go off once the TPMS
sensor matching process is
performed successfully. See
“TPMS Sensor Matching Process”
later in this section.
One or more TPMS sensors
are missing or damaged. The
DIC message and the TPMS
malfunction light should go off
when the TPMS sensors are
installed and the sensor
matching process is performed
successfully. See your dealer/
retailer for service.
Replacement tires or wheels do
not match your vehicle’s original
equipment tires or wheels. Tires
and wheels other than those
recommended for your vehicle
could prevent the TPMS from
functioning properly. SeeBuying
New Tires on page 5-49.
Operating electronic devices or
being near facilities using radio
wave frequencies similar to the
TPMS could cause the TPMS
sensors to malfunction.
If the TPMS is not functioning it
cannot detect or signal a low tire
condition. See your dealer/ retailer
for service if the TPMS malfunction
light and DIC message comes on
and stays on.
Service and Appearance Care 5-45

Replacing less than a full set of
tires can affect the braking and
handling performance of your
vehicle. SeeTire Inspection
and Rotation on page 5-47for
information on proper tire
rotation.
{CAUTION
Mixing tires could cause you
to lose control while driving.
If you mix tires of different
sizes, brands, or types (radial
and bias-belted tires), the
vehicle may not handle
properly, and you could have a
crash. Using tires of different
sizes, brands, or types may
also cause damage to your
vehicle. Be sure to use the
correct size, brand, and type of
tires on all wheels. It is all right
to drive with your compact
spare temporarily, as it was
developed for use on your
vehicle. SeeCompact Spare
Tire on page 5-81.
{CAUTION
If you use bias-ply tires on the
vehicle, the wheel rim anges
could develop cracks after
many miles of driving. A tire
and/or wheel could fail
suddenly, causing a crash.
Use only radial-ply tires with
the wheels on the vehicle.
If you must replace your
vehicle’s tires with those that do
not have a TPC Spec number,
make sure they are the same
size, load range, speed rating,
and construction type (radial
and bias-belted tires) as your
vehicle’s original tires.
Vehicles that have a tire
pressure monitoring system
could give an inaccurate
low-pressure warning if non-TPC
Spec rated tires are installed
on your vehicle. Non-TPCSpec rated tires may give a
low-pressure warning that is
higher or lower than the proper
warning level you would get with
TPC Spec rated tires. SeeTire
Pressure Monitor System on
page 5-42.
Your vehicle’s original equipment
tires are listed on the Tire and
Loading Information Label.
SeeLoading the Vehicle on
page 4-16, for more information
about the Tire and Loading
Information Label and its location
on your vehicle.
Different Size Tires and
Wheels
If you add wheels or tires that are
a different size than your original
equipment wheels and tires, this
could affect the way your vehicle
performs, including its braking,
ride and handling characteristics,
stability, and resistance to rollover.
5-50 Service and Appearance Care

norm due to variations in driving
habits, service practices,
and differences in road
characteristics and climate.
Traction – AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from
highest to lowest, are AA, A, B,
and C. Those grades represent
the tire’s ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under
controlled conditions on specied
government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor
traction performance.
{WARNING
The traction grade assigned
to this tire is based on
straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include
acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.Temperature – A, B, C
The temperature grades
are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance
to the generation of heat and
its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled
conditions on a specied indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained
high temperature can cause
the material of the tire to
degenerate and reduce tire
life, and excessive temperature
can lead to sudden tire failure.
The grade C corresponds to a
level of performance which
all passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard No. 109. Grades
B and A represent higher levels
of performance on the laboratory
test wheel than the minimum
required by law.
{WARNING
The temperature grade for this
tire is established for a tire
that is properly inated and
not overloaded. Excessive
speed, underination, or
excessive loading, either
separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and
possible tire failure.
5-52 Service and Appearance Care

If a Tire Goes Flat
It is unusual for a tire to blowout
while you are driving, especially
if you maintain the tires properly.
SeeTires on page 5-35.Ifair
goes out of a tire, It is much more
likely to leak out slowly. But if
you should ever have a blowout,
here are a few tips about what
to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the at tire will
create a drag that pulls the vehicle
toward that side. Take your foot off
the accelerator pedal and grip the
steering wheel rmly. Steer to
maintain lane position, and then
gently brake to a stop well out of
the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a
curve, acts much like a skid and may
require the same correction youwould use in a skid. In any rear
blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle
under control by steering the way
you want the vehicle to go. It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but you can
still steer. Gently brake to a stop, well
off the road if possible.
If a tire goes at, avoid further tire
and wheel damage by driving slowly
to a level place and stopping.
1. Turn on the hazard warning
ashers. SeeHazard Warning
Flashers on page 3-5.
2. Park the vehicle. Set the parking
brake rmly and put the shift
lever in P (Park).
3. Turn off the engine.
4. Inspect the at tire.{CAUTION
Lifting a vehicle and getting under
it to do maintenance or repairs is
dangerous without the appropriate
safety equipment and training. If a
jack is provided with the vehicle, it
is designed only for changing a
at tire. If it is used for anything
else, you or others could be badly
injured or killed if the vehicle slips
off the jack. If a jack is provided
with the vehicle, only use it for
changing a at tire.
This vehicle may come with a jack
and spare tire or a tire sealant
and compressor kit. To use the jack
and spare tire, seeChanging a
Flat Tire on page 5-69. To use the
tire sealant and compressor kit,
seeTire Sealant and Compressor
Kit on page 5-56.
Service and Appearance Care 5-55