engine coolant CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2017 3.G User Guide

Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-9956065) - 2017 - CRC - 4/29/16
346 Driving and Operating
Caution (Continued)
damaged if either the front or rear
axle ratings or the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR) are
exceeded.
The plow the vehicle can carrydepends on many things, such as:
.The options the vehicle camewith, and the weight of thoseoptions.
.The weight and number ofpassengers to be carried.
.The weight of items added to thevehicle, like a tool box ortruck cap.
.The total weight of anyadditional cargo to be carried.
For example, if the snow plowweighs 318 kg (700 lb), the totalweight of all occupants and cargoinside the cab should not exceed135 kg (300 lb). This means that youmay only be able to carry onepassenger. Even this may be too
much if there is other equipmentalready adding to the weight of thevehicle.
To s a f e l y c a r r y a s n o w p l o w o n t h evehicle:
.Follow all aftermarket snow plowmanufacturer’sinstructionsforthe operation and transportationof the snow plow.
.With a snow plow attached, theengine coolant temperaturegauge may show a highertemperature than while drivingwithout one. The snow plowcould block the airflow to theradiator. This could be morenoticeable as vehicle speedincreases. At speeds above72 km (45 mph), this may causethe engine coolant to overheat.
.To i n c r e a s e t h e a i r f l o w, m o v e t h esnow plow blade postion.
.If driving more than 24 km(15 mi), angle the plow bladeposition.
.Make sure the weight on thefront and rear axles does notexceed the axle rating for each.
.For the front axle, if more cargoor passengers must be carried,appropriate counter ballast mustbe installed rear of the rear axle.Counter ballast must be properlysecured so it will not moveduring driving.
.Rear ballast may be required toensure a proper front and rearweight distribution ratio, eventhough the actual weight at thefront axle may be less than thefront axle rating.
.The snow plow manufacturer orinstaller can assist indetermining the amount of rearballast required, to help makesure the snow plow/vehiclecombination does not exceedthe GVW rating, the front andrear axle ratings, and the frontand rear weight distribution ratio.
.The total vehicle must notexceed the GVW rating.

Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-9956065) - 2017 - CRC - 4/29/16
350 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 351California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351California PerchlorateMaterials Requirements . . . . . 352Accessories andModifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353Engine CompartmentOverview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 362Automatic Transmission Fluid(6-Speed Transmission) . . . . . 363Automatic Transmission Fluid(8-Speed Transmission) . . . . . 366Manual Transmission Fluid . . . 366Hydraulic Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 366Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 367Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 372
Overheated Engine ProtectionOperating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374Power Steering Fluid (1500Series) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375Power Steering Fluid (2500/3500 Series) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 377Battery - North America . . . . . . 378Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380Noise Control System . . . . . . . . 382Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 383Automatic Transmission ShiftLock Control FunctionCheck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 383Ignition Transmission LockCheck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 383Park Brake and P (Park)Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 384Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 384Glass Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 385
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385High Intensity Discharge (HID)Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 386LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 386Headlamps, Front Turn Signal,Sidemarker, and ParkingLamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 386Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 387Ta i l l a m p s ( C h a s s i s C a bModels) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 387Ta i l l a m p s , T u r n S i g n a l ,Stoplamps, and Back-UpLamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 387Center High-MountedStoplamp (CHMSL) andCargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . 389
Electrical System
High Voltage Devices andWiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389Electrical System Overload . . . 389Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 390Engine Compartment FuseBlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 390Instrument Panel Fuse Block(Right) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 393Instrument Panel FuseBlock (Left) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 395

Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-9956065) - 2017 - CRC - 4/29/16
Vehicle Care 355
1. Positive (+) Terminal. SeeJump Starting - NorthAmerica0432.
2.Battery - North America0378.
3. Coolant Surge Tank andPressure Cap. SeeCoolingSystem0368.
4.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter0367.
5. Automatic TransmissionDipstick (If Equipped). See“How to Check AutomaticTransmission Fluid”underAutomatic Transmission Fluid(6-Speed Transmission)0363orAutomatic TransmissionFluid (8-SpeedTr a n s m i s s i o n )0366.
6. Remote Negative (–)Location.SeeJump Starting - NorthAmerica0432.
7. Engine Cooling Fans (Out ofView). SeeCoolingSystem0368.
8. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See“Whento Add Engine Oil”underEngine Oil0359.
9. Engine Oil Dipstick. See“Checking Engine Oil”underEngine Oil0359.
10. Brake Fluid Reservoir. SeeBrake Fluid0377.
11 . W i n d s h i e l d Wa s h e r F l u i dReservoir. See“Adding WasherFluid”underWasherFluid0375.
12. Clutch Fluid Reservoir (IfEquipped). SeeHydraulicClutch0366.
13.Engine Compartment FuseBlock0390.

Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-9956065) - 2017 - CRC - 4/29/16
Vehicle Care 357
1. Positive (+) Terminal. SeeJump Starting - NorthAmerica0432.
2.Battery - North America0378.
3. Coolant Surge Tank andPressure Cap. SeeCoolingSystem0368.
4.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter0367.
5. Automatic TransmissionDipstick (If Equipped). See“How to Check AutomaticTransmission Fluid”underAutomatic Transmission Fluid(6-Speed Transmission)0363orAutomatic TransmissionFluid (8-SpeedTr a n s m i s s i o n )0366.
6. Remote Negative (–)Location(Out of View). SeeJumpStarting - North America0432.
7. Engine Cooling Fans (Out ofView). SeeCoolingSystem0368.
8. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See“Whento Add Engine Oil”underEngine Oil0359.
9. Engine Oil Dipstick. See“Checking Engine Oil”underEngine Oil0359.
10. Windshield Washer FluidReservoir. See“Adding WasherFluid”underWasherFluid0375.
11 . B r a k e F l u i d R e s e r v o i r. S e eBrake Fluid0377.
12.Engine Compartment FuseBlock0390.

Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-9956065) - 2017 - CRC - 4/29/16
Vehicle Care 359
1. Positive (+) Terminal. SeeJump Starting - NorthAmerica0432.
2.Battery - North America0378.
3. Coolant Surge Tank andPressure Cap. SeeCoolingSystem0368.
4.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter0367.
5. Automatic TransmissionDipstick (If Equipped). See“How to Check AutomaticTransmission Fluid”underAutomatic Transmission Fluid(6-Speed Transmission)0363orAutomatic TransmissionFluid (8-SpeedTr a n s m i s s i o n )0366.
6. Engine Oil Dipstick. See“Checking Engine Oil”underEngine Oil0359.
7. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See“Whento Add Engine Oil”underEngine Oil0359.
8. Engine Cooling Fan (Out ofView). SeeCoolingSystem0368.
9. Remote Negative (–)Location.SeeJump Starting - NorthAmerica0432.
10. Power Steering FluidReservoir. SeePower SteeringFluid (1500 Series)0375orPower Steering Fluid (2500/3500 Series)0375.
11 . W i n d s h i e l d Wa s h e r F l u i dReservoir. See“Adding WasherFluid”underWasherFluid0375.
12. Brake Fluid Reservoir. SeeBrake Fluid0377.
13. Auxiliary Battery (If Equipped).SeeBattery - NorthAmerica0378.
14.Engine Compartment FuseBlock0390.
If the vehicle has a diesel engineand/or an Allison Transmission, seethe Duramax diesel supplement.
For an eAssist vehicle, see theSilverado/Sierra eAssistsupplement.
Engine Oil
For diesel engine vehicles, see“Engine Oil”in the Duramax dieselsupplement.
To e n s u r e p r o p e r e n g i n eperformance and long life, carefulattention must be paid to engine oil.Following these simple, butimportant steps will help protectyour investment:
.Use engine oil approved to theproper specification and of theproper viscosity grade. See“Selecting the Right Engine Oil”in this section.
.Check the engine oil levelregularly and maintain theproper oil level. See“CheckingEngine Oil”and“When to AddEngine Oil”in this section.
.Change the engine oil at theappropriate time. SeeEngine OilLife System0362.
.Always dispose of engine oilproperly. See“What to Do withUsed Oil”in this section.

Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-9956065) - 2017 - CRC - 4/29/16
368 Vehicle Care
4. Remove the four screws (1) ontop of the cover of the housingand lift up the cover.
5. Remove the engine air cleaner/filter from the housing. Takecare to dislodge as little dirt aspossible.
6. Clean the engine air cleaner/filter sealing surfaces and thehousing.
7. Inspect or replace the engineair cleaner/filter.
8. Reverse Steps 2–4toreinstallthe filter cover housing.
{Warning
Operating the engine with the air
cleaner/filter off can cause you or
others to be burned. The air
cleaner not only cleans the air; it
helps to stop flames if the engine
backfires. Use caution when
working on the engine and do not
drive with the air cleaner/filter off.
Caution
If the air cleaner/filter is off, dirt
can easily get into the engine,
which could damage it. Always
have the air cleaner/filter in place
when you are driving.
Cooling System
If the vehicle has the Duramaxdiesel engine, see the Duramaxdiesel supplement.
The cooling system allows theengine to maintain the correctworking temperature.
5.3L V8 Engine Shown, 4.3L
V6 Engine and 6.2L V8 Engine
Similar
1. Coolant Surge Tank
2. Coolant Surge TankPressure Cap
3. Engine Electric CoolingFans (Out of View)
{Warning
An electric engine cooling fan can
start even when the engine is not
running. To avoid injury, always
(Continued)

Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-9956065) - 2017 - CRC - 4/29/16
Vehicle Care 369
Warning (Continued)
keep hands, clothing, and tools
away from any engine
cooling fan.
6.0L V8 Engine
1. Coolant Surge Tank
2. Coolant Surge TankPressure Cap
3. Engine Belt-Driven CoolingFan (Out of View)
{Warning
Heater and radiator hoses, and
other engine parts, can be very
hot. Do not touch them. If you do,
you can be burned.
Do not run the engine if there is a
leak. If you run the engine, it
could lose all coolant. That could
cause an engine fire, and you
could be burned. Get any leak
fixed before you drive the vehicle.
Caution
Using coolant other than
DEX-COOL®can cause
premature engine, heater core,
or radiator corrosion. In addition,
the engine coolant could require
changing sooner. Any repairs
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Always use
DEX-COOL (silicate-free) coolant
in the vehicle.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in the vehicle isfilled with DEX-COOL®enginecoolant. This coolant is designed toremain in the vehicle for 5 years or240 000 km (150,000 mi), whicheveroccurs first.
The following explains the coolingsystem and how to check and addcoolant when it is low. If there is aproblem with engine overheating,seeEngine Overheating0372.
What to Use
{Warning
Adding only plain water or some
other liquid to the cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water
and other liquids, can boil before
the proper coolant mixture will.
The coolant warning system is set
for the proper coolant mixture.
With plain water or the wrong
mixture, the engine could get too
hot but you would not get the
(Continued)

Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-9956065) - 2017 - CRC - 4/29/16
370 Vehicle Care
Warning (Continued)
overheat warning. The engine
could catch fire and you or others
could be burned. Use a
50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable
water and DEX-COOL coolant.
Use a 50/50 mixture of clean,drinkable water and DEX-COOLcoolant. If using this mixture,nothing else needs to be added.This mixture:
.Gives freezing protection downto✓37 °C (✓34 °F), outsidetemperature.
.Gives boiling protection up to129 °C (265 °F), enginetemperature.
.Protects against rust andcorrosion.
.Will not damage aluminum parts.
.Helps keep the proper enginetemperature.
Caution
If improper coolant mixture,
inhibitors, or additives are used in
the vehicle cooling system, the
engine could overheat and be
damaged. Too much water in the
mixture can freeze and crack
engine cooling parts. The repairs
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Use only the
proper mixture of engine coolant
for the cooling system. See
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants0462.
Never dispose of engine coolant byputting it in the trash, or by pouringit on the ground, or into sewers,streams, or bodies of water. Havethe coolant changed by anauthorized service center, familiarwith legal requirements regardingused coolant disposal. This will helpprotect the environment and yourhealth.
Checking Coolant
The coolant surge tank is located inthe engine compartment on thepassenger side of the vehicle. SeeEngine CompartmentOverview0354.
The vehicle must be on a levelsurface when checking the coolantlevel.
5.3L V8 Shown, 4.3L V6, 6.0L V8,
and 6.2L V8 Similar
Check to see if coolant is visible inthe coolant surge tank. If the coolantinside the coolant surge tank isboiling, wait until it cools down. Thecoolant level should be at or above

Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-9956065) - 2017 - CRC - 4/29/16
Vehicle Care 371
the FULL COLD mark. If it is not,there may be a leak in the coolingsystem.
If coolant is visible but the coolantlevel is not at or above the FULLCOLD mark, see“How to AddCoolant to the Coolant Surge Tankfor Gasoline Engines,”following.
How to Add Coolant to the
Coolant Surge Tank for
Gasoline Engines
If the vehicle has a diesel engine,see“Cooling System”in theDuramax diesel supplement for theproper coolant fill procedure.
{Warning
Yo u c a n b e b u r n e d i f y o u s p i l l
coolant on hot engine parts.
Coolant contains ethylene glycol
and it will burn if the engine parts
are hot enough. Do not spill
coolant on a hot engine.
Caution
This vehicle has a specific
coolant fill procedure. Failure to
follow this procedure could cause
the engine to overheat and be
severely damaged.
{Warning
Steam and scalding liquids from a
hot cooling system can blow out
and burn you badly. Never turn
the cap when the cooling system,
including the surge tank pressure
cap, is hot. Wait for the cooling
system and surge tank pressure
cap to cool.
If no coolant is visible in the surgetank, add coolant.
Light-Duty
Coolant Surge
Tank
Pressure Cap
Heavy-Duty
Coolant Surge
Tank
Pressure Cap
1. Remove the coolant surge tankpressure cap when the coolingsystem, including the coolantsurge tank pressure cap andupper radiator hose, is nolonger hot.
Turn the pressure cap slowlycounterclockwise about one fullturn. If a hiss is heard, wait forthat to stop. A hiss meansthere is still some pressure left.
2. Keep turning the pressure capslowly, and remove it.
3. Fill the coolant surge tank withthe proper mixture to the FULLCOLD mark.

Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-9956065) - 2017 - CRC - 4/29/16
372 Vehicle Care
4. With the coolant surge tankpressure cap off, start theengine and let it run until theengine coolant temperaturegauge indicates approximately90 °C (195 °F).
By this time, the coolant levelinside the coolant surge tankmay be lower. If the level islower, add more of the propermixture to the coolant surgetank until the level reaches theFULL COLD mark.
5. Replace the pressure captightly.
6. Verify coolant level after theengine is shut off and thecoolant is cold. If necessary,repeat coolant fill procedureSteps 1–6.
Caution
If the pressure cap is not tightly
installed, coolant loss and
possible engine damage may
occur. Be sure the cap is properly
and tightly secured.
Engine Overheating
If the vehicle has the Duramaxdiesel engine, see the Duramaxdiesel supplement.
Caution
Running the engine without
coolant may cause damage or a
fire. Vehicle damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
The vehicle has several indicatorsto warn of engine overheating.
There is a coolant temperaturegauge in the vehicle's instrumentcluster. SeeEngine CoolantTe m p e r a t u r e G a u g e0133.
In addition, there are ENGINEOVERHEATED STOP ENGINE,ENGINE OVERHEATED IDLEENGINE, and ENGINE POWER ISREDUCED messages in the DriverInformation Center (DIC). SeeEngine Cooling System Messages0152andEngine PowerMessages0153.
If the decision is made not to lift thehood when this warning appears,get service help right away. SeeRoadside AssistanceProgram0476.
If the decision is made to lift thehood, make sure the vehicle isparked on a level surface.
4.3L V6, 5.3L V8, and 6.2LV8 Engines
Check to see if the engine coolingfans are running. If the engine isoverheating, the fans should berunning. If they are not, do notcontinue to run the engine and havethe vehicle serviced.
If Steam is Coming from the
Engine Compartment
{Warning
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. Just turn it
(Continued)