engine overheat GMC SIERRA CLASSIC 2007 Owners Manual

3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC
outlet.
{CAUTION:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded
outlet could cause an electrical shock.
Also, the wrong kind of extension cord
could overheat and cause a re. You
could be seriously injured. Plug the cord
into a properly grounded three-prong
110-volt AC outlet. If the cord will not
reach, use a heavy-duty three-prong
extension cord rated for at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug
and store the cord as it was before to keep it
away from moving engine parts. If you do
not, it could be damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater
plugged in? The answer depends on the outside
temperature, the kind of oil you have, and
some other things. Instead of trying to list
everything here, we ask that you contact yourdealer in the area where you will be parking your
vehicle. The dealer can give you the best
advice for that particular area.
Automatic Transmission Operation
If your vehicle has an automatic transmission,
it features an electronic shift position indicator
within the instrument panel cluster. This display
must be powered anytime the shift lever is moved
out of PARK (P). SeeFuses and Circuit Breakers
on page 600.
There are several different positions for your shift
lever.
Automatic Transmission
140

6. You may start the engine and shift the
transmission to the desired position.
Excessively shifting the transfer case into or
out of the different modes may cause the
transfer case to enter the shift protection
mode. This mode protects the transfer case
from possible damage and only allows
the transfer case to respond to one shift per
10 seconds. The transfer case may stay in this
mode for up to three minutes.
7. After the transfer case has shifted out of
NEUTRAL the red light will go out.
Parking Brake
To set the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down with your right foot. Push down
the parking brake pedal with your left foot.
A chime will activate and the warning light will
ash when the parking brake is applied and
the vehicle is moving at least 3 mph (5 km/h) for
at least three seconds.To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down. Pull the bottom edge of the lever,
located above the parking brake pedal, with the
parking brake symbol, to release the parking brake.
If the ignition is on when the parking brake is
released, the brake system warning light will go off.
Notice:Driving with the parking brake on can
overheat the brake system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system parts. Verify
that the parking brake is fully released and the
brake warning light is off before driving.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on any
hill, seeTowing a Trailer on page 429.
169

Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine
Running (Automatic Transmission)
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle
with the engine running. Your vehicle
could move suddenly if the shift lever is
not fully in PARK (P) with the parking
brake rmly set.
If you have four-wheel drive and your
transfer case is in NEUTRAL, your vehicle
will be free to roll, even if your shift lever
is in PARK (P). So be sure the transfer
case is in a drive gear — not in NEUTRAL.
And, if you leave the vehicle with the
engine running, it could overheat and
even catch re. You or others could be
injured. Do not leave your vehicle with the
engine running unless you have to.If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine
running, be sure your vehicle is in PARK (P)
and the parking brake is rmly set before
you leave it. After you move the shift lever into
PARK (P), hold the regular brake pedal down.
Then, see if you can move the shift lever away
from PARK (P) without rst pulling it toward you.
If you can, it means that the shift lever was
not fully locked into PARK (P).
Torque Lock (Automatic Transmission)
If you are parking on a hill and you do not shift
your transmission into PARK (P) properly,
the weight of the vehicle may put too much force
on the parking pawl in the transmission. You
may nd it difficult to pull the shift lever out
of PARK (P). This is called “torque lock.” To
prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then
shift into PARK (P) properly before you leave
the driver’s seat. To nd out how, see “Shifting Into
PARK (P)” listed earlier in this section.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever
out of PARK (P) before you release the parking
brake.
171

The ABS warning light should come on briey
when you turn the ignition key to RUN. If the light
does not come on then, have it xed so it will
be ready to warn you if there is a problem.
Traction Off Light
If your vehicle has the
Traction Assist System,
this light should
come on briey when
you turn the ignition
to RUN.
If the light does not come on then, the system
may require service. Have it xed so it will be there
to warn you if the system is turned off.
If the light stays on, or comes on when you are
driving, there may be a problem with your Traction
Assist System and your vehicle may need
service. When this light is on, the system will not
limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the engine coolant temperature.
It also provides an indicator of how hard your
vehicle is working. During a majority of the
operation, the gage will read 210°F (100°C) or
less. If you are pulling a load or going up hills, it is
normal for the temperature to uctuate and
approach the 250°F (122°C) mark. If the gage
reaches the 260°F (125°C) mark, it indicates that
the cooling system is working beyond its
capacity.
SeeEngine Overheating on page 505.
United StatesCanada
256

DRIVER DOOR AJAR
If the driver’s door is not fully closed, this message
will appear on the display and you will hear a
chime. Stop and turn off the vehicle, check
the door for obstructions, and close the door again.
Check to see if the message still appears on the
DIC. Pressing any of the four DIC buttons will
acknowledge the message and clear it from the
DIC display. If your vehicle does not have the four
DIC buttons, pressing the trip odometer reset
stem will acknowledge the message and clear it
from the DIC display.
ENGINE COOLANT HOT
If the cooling system temperature gets hot, this
message will appear in the DIC. Turn off the
air conditioning. If the message is still on, or if the
engine coolant temperature gage continues to
rise, pull the vehicle over when it is safe to do so.
SeeEngine Coolant Temperature Gage on
page 256for more information. Stop the vehicle
and let the engine idle in PARK (P) for a few
minutes, or NEUTRAL with the parking brake set
for manual transmissions, to allow the coolant
to reach a safe temperature. This message
will clear when the coolant temperature drops to
safe operating temperature.
ENGINE OVERHEATED
Notice:If you drive your vehicle while the
engine is overheating, severe engine damage
may occur. If an overheat warning appears
on the instrument panel cluster and/or
DIC, stop the vehicle as soon as possible.
Do not increase the engine speed above
normal idling speed. SeeEngine Overheating
on page 505for more information.
If the engine cooling system reaches unsafe
temperatures for operation, this message
will appear in the DIC and you will hear a chime.
Stop and turn off the vehicle as soon as it is
safe to do so to avoid severe damage. This
message will clear when the engine has cooled to
a safe operating temperature.
273

FUEL LEVEL LOW
If the fuel level is low, this message will appear on
the DIC and you will hear a chime. Refuel as
soon as possible. Pressing any of the four DIC
buttons will acknowledge the message and clear it
from the DIC display. If your vehicle does not
have the four DIC buttons, pressing the trip
odometer reset stem will acknowledge the
message and clear it from the DIC display. See
Low Fuel Warning Light on page 265,Fuel
Gage on page 264, andFuel on page 470.
KEYFOB X BATTERY LOW
If a Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter
battery is low, this message will appear on the
DIC. The battery needs to be replaced in the
transmitter. See “Battery Replacement” under
Remote Keyless Entry System Operation on
page 117. Pressing any of the four DIC buttons
will acknowledge the message and clear it from the
DIC display. If your vehicle does not have the
four DIC buttons, pressing the trip odometer reset
stem will acknowledge the message and clear
it from the DIC display.
LEFT REAR DOOR AJAR (Crew Cab)
If the driver’s side rear door is not fully closed, this
message will appear on the display and you will
hear a chime. Stop and turn off the vehicle, check
the door for obstructions, and close the door
again. Check to see if the message still appears
on the DIC. Pressing any of the four DIC
buttons will acknowledge the message and clear it
from the DIC display. If your vehicle does not
have the four DIC buttons, pressing the trip
odometer reset stem will acknowledge the
message and clear it from the DIC display.
LOW COOLANT LEVEL
Notice:Engine damage from running your
engine without coolant is not covered by your
warranty. See “Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode” in the Index for information
on driving to a safe place in an emergency.
274

PASSENGER DOOR AJAR
If the passenger’s door is not fully closed, this
message will appear on the display and you will
hear a chime. Stop and turn off the vehicle, check
the door for obstructions, and close the door
again. Check to see if the message still appears
on the DIC. Pressing any of the four DIC
buttons will acknowledge the message and clear it
from the DIC display. If your vehicle does not
have the four DIC buttons, pressing the trip
odometer reset stem will acknowledge the
message and clear it from the DIC display.
RANGE SHIFT INHIBITED
(Allison Transmission®Only)
If the transmission is unable to shift into a selected
gear, this message will appear on the DIC. The
electronic shift position indicator on the instrument
panel cluster may blink when this occurs. To
make the vehicle shift to the requested gear, you
may have to shift back to PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL (N) and re-select the desired gear.
REDUCED ENGINE POWER
This message is displayed when the cooling
system temperature gets too hot and the engine
further enters the engine coolant protection mode.
SeeEngine Overheating on page 505for further
information.
This message will also display when the vehicle’s
engine power is reduced. Reduced engine
power can affect the vehicle’s ability to accelerate.
If this message is on, but there is no reduction
in performance, proceed to your destination. The
performance may be reduced the next time
the vehicle is driven. The vehicle may be driven at
a reduced speed while this message is on, but
acceleration and speed may be reduced. Anytime
this message stays on, the vehicle should be
taken to your dealer for service as soon as
possible.
276

TRANSMISSION HOT
Notice:If you drive your vehicle while the
transmission uid is overheating and the
transmission temperature warning is displayed
on the instrument panel cluster and/or DIC,
you can damage the transmission. This could
lead to costly repairs that would not be
covered by your warranty. Do not drive your
vehicle with overheated transmission uid
or while the transmission temperature warning
is displayed.
If the transmission uid temperature becomes
high, this message will appear on the DIC display.
When the transmission enters the protection
mode, you may notice a change in the
transmission shifting patterns. When the
transmission uid temperature returns to normal,
the display will turn off and the transmission
shifting patterns will return to normal.If the vehicle has the Tow/Haul mode, use this
feature if the transmission is operating at higher
temperatures and/or the following situations
exist, which can cause the transmission to operate
at higher temperatures:
Towing a trailer
Hot outside air temperatures
Hauling a large or heavy load
Over-loading
Low transmission uid level
High transmission uid level
Restricted air ow to the radiator and the
auxiliary transmission oil cooler
A temporary solution to hotter transmission
operating temperatures may be to let the
transmission cool down. If the transmission is
operated at higher temperatures on a frequent
basis, seeScheduled Maintenance (Gasoline
Engine) on page 617for the transmission
your vehicle is equipped with for the proper
transmission maintenance intervals. Also see
Transmission Temperature Gage on page 257for
more information.
280

TRANS (Transmission) HOT IDLE
ENGINE
Notice:If you drive your vehicle while the
transmission uid is overheating and the
transmission temperature warning is displayed
on the instrument panel cluster and/or DIC,
you can damage the transmission. This could
lead to costly repairs that would not be
covered by your warranty. Do not drive your
vehicle with overheated transmission uid
or while the transmission temperature warning
is displayed.
If the transmission uid in the vehicle gets hot, this
message will appear on the DIC along with a
continuous chime. Driving with the transmission
uid temperature high can cause damage to
the vehicle. Stop the vehicle and let it idle to allow
the transmission to cool. This message will
clear and the chime will stop when the uid
temperature reaches a safe level. See
Transmission Temperature Gage on page 257.
TRANS (Transmission) IN WARM UP
(Allison Transmission®Only)
When temperatures are very cold, the transmission
will prevent certain operations such as shifts to
some ranges and engaging the torque converter
clutch to protect against damage. When active, the
DIC will display the message TRANS IN
WARM UP.
TURN SIGNAL ON
If a turn signal is left on for 3/4 of a mile (1.2 km),
this message will appear on the display and
you will hear a chime. Move the turn
signal/multifunction lever to the off position.
Pressing any of the four DIC buttons will
acknowledge the message and clear it from the
DIC display. If your vehicle does not have the
four DIC buttons, pressing the trip odometer reset
stem will acknowledge the message and clear
it from the DIC display.
281

Driving Downhill
When off-roading takes you downhill, you will want
to consider a number of things:
How steep is the downhill? Will I be able to
maintain vehicle control?
What is the surface like? Smooth? Rough?
Slippery? Hard-packed dirt? Gravel?
Are there hidden surface obstacles? Ruts?
Logs? Boulders?
What is at the bottom of the hill? Is there a
hidden creek bank or even a river bottom
with large rocks?If you decide you can go down a hill safely, then
try to keep your vehicle headed straight down, and
use a low gear. This way, engine drag can help
the brakes and they will not have to do all
the work. Descend slowly, keeping your vehicle
under control at all times.
{CAUTION:
Heavy braking when going down a hill can
cause your brakes to overheat and fade.
This could cause loss of control and a
serious accident. Apply the brakes lightly
when descending a hill and use a low
gear to keep vehicle speed under control.
385