engine coolant CHEVROLET TAHOE 2020 User Guide

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13566622) - 2020 - CRC - 4/15/19
302 Vehicle Care
{Warning
Do not touch heater or radiator
hoses, or other engine parts.
They can be very hot and can
burn you. Do not run the engine if
there is a leak; all coolant could
leak out. That could cause an
engine fire and can burn you. Fix
any leak before driving the
vehicle.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in the vehicle is
filled with DEX-COOL engine
coolant. This coolant is designed to
remain in the vehicle for 5 years or
240 000 (150,000 mi), whichever
occurs first.
The following explains the cooling
system and how to check and add
coolant when it is low. If there is a
problem with engine overheating,
seeEngine Overheating 0305.
What to Use
{Warning
Plain water, or other liquids such
as alcohol, can boil before the
proper coolant mixture will. With
plain water or the wrong mixture,
the engine could get too hot but
there would not be an 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. This mixture:
. Gives freezing protection down
to−37 °C (−34 °F), outside
temperature
. Gives boiling protection up to
129 °C (265 °F), engine
temperature
. Protects against rust and
corrosion
. Will not damage aluminum parts .
Helps keep the proper engine
temperatureCaution
Do not use anything other than a
mix of DEX-COOL coolant that
meets GM Standard
GMW3420 and clean, drinkable
water. Anything else can cause
damage to the engine cooling
system and the vehicle, which
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Never dispose of engine coolant by
putting it in the trash, or by pouring
it on the ground, or into sewers,
streams, or bodies of water. Have
the coolant changed by an
authorized service center, familiar
with legal requirements regarding
used coolant disposal. This will help
protect the environment and your
health.

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13566622) - 2020 - CRC - 4/15/19
Vehicle Care 303
Checking Coolant
The coolant surge tank is in the
engine compartment on the
passenger side of the vehicle. See
Engine Compartment Overview
0288.
The vehicle must be on a level
surface when checking the coolant
level.
Check to see if coolant is visible in
the coolant surge tank. If the coolant
inside the coolant surge tank is
boiling, wait until it cools down. The
coolant level should be at or above the full cold mark. If it is not, there
may be a leak in the cooling
system.
If coolant is visible but the coolant
level is not at or above the full cold
mark, see
“How to Add Coolant to
the Coolant Surge Tank,” following.
How to Add Coolant to the
Coolant Surge Tank
{Warning
Spilling coolant on hot engine
parts can burn you. Coolant
contains ethylene glycol and it will
burn if the engine parts are hot
enough.
{Warning
Plain water, or other liquids such
as alcohol, can boil before the
proper coolant mixture will. With
plain water or the wrong mixture,
the engine could get too hot but
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
there would not be an overheat
warning. The engine could catch
fire and you or others could be
burned.
{Warning
Steam and scalding liquids from a
hot cooling system are under
pressure. Turning the pressure
cap, even a little, can cause them
to come out at high speed and
you could be burned. Never turn
the cap when the cooling system,
including the pressure cap, is hot.
Wait for the cooling system and
pressure cap to cool.

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13566622) - 2020 - CRC - 4/15/19
304 Vehicle Care
Caution
Failure to follow the specific
coolant fill procedure could cause
the engine to overheat and could
cause system damage. If coolant
is not visible in the surge tank,
contact your dealer.
If no coolant is visible in the surge
tank, add coolant.
1. Remove the coolant surge tank pressure cap when the cooling
system, including the coolant
surge tank pressure cap and
upper radiator hose, is no
longer hot. Turn the pressure cap slowly
counterclockwise about one full
turn. If a hiss is heard, wait for
that to stop. A hiss means
there is still some pressure left.
2. Keep turning the pressure cap slowly, and remove it.
3. Fill the coolant surge tank withthe proper mixture to the full
cold mark.
4. With the coolant surge tank pressure cap off, start the
engine and let it run until the
engine coolant temperature
gauge indicates approximately
90 °C (195 °F). By this time, the coolant level
inside the coolant surge tank
may be lower. If the level is
lower, add more of the proper
mixture to the coolant surge
tank until the level reaches the
full cold mark.
5. Replace the pressure cap tightly.
6. Verify coolant level after the engine is shut off and the
coolant is cold. If necessary,
repeat coolant fill procedure
Steps 1–6.
Caution
If the pressure cap is not tightly
installed, coolant loss and engine
damage may occur. Be sure the
cap is properly and tightly
secured.

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13566622) - 2020 - CRC - 4/15/19
Vehicle Care 305
Engine Overheating
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 indicators
to warn of engine overheating.
There is a coolant temperature
gauge in the vehicle's instrument
cluster. See Engine Coolant
Temperature Gauge 0134.
In addition, there are ENGINE
OVERHEATED STOP ENGINE,
ENGINE OVERHEATED IDLE
ENGINE, and ENGINE POWER IS
REDUCED messages in the Driver
Information Center (DIC).
If the decision is made not to lift the
hood when this warning appears,
get service help right away.
If the decision is made to lift the
hood, make sure the vehicle is
parked on a level surface. Check to see if the engine cooling
fan(s) are running. If the engine is
overheating, the fans should be
running. If they are not, do not
continue to run the engine. Have the
vehicle serviced.
Caution
Do not run the engine if there is a
leak in the engine cooling system.
This can cause a loss of all
coolant and can damage the
system and vehicle. Have any
leaks fixed right away.
If Steam is Coming from the
Engine Compartment
{Warning
Steam and scalding liquids from a
hot cooling system are under
pressure. Turning the pressure
cap, even a little, can cause them
to come out at high speed and
you could be burned. Never turn
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
the cap when the cooling system,
including the pressure cap, is hot.
Wait for the cooling system and
pressure cap to cool.
If No Steam is Coming from
the Engine Compartment
The ENGINE OVERHEATED STOP
ENGINE or the ENGINE
OVERHEATED IDLE ENGINE
message, along with a low coolant
condition, can indicate a serious
problem.
If there is an engine overheat
warning, but no steam is 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; see Trailer Towing
0 267.

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13566622) - 2020 - CRC - 4/15/19
306 Vehicle Care
If the ENGINE OVERHEATED
STOP ENGINE or the ENGINE
OVERHEATED IDLE ENGINE
message appears with no sign of
steam, try this for a minute or so: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. When it is safe to do so, pull off the road, shift to P (Park) or
N (Neutral), and let the
engine idle.
If the engine coolant temperature
gauge is no longer in the overheat
zone or an overheat warning no
longer displays, the vehicle can be
driven. Continue to drive the vehicle
slowly for about 10 minutes. Keep a
safe vehicle distance from the
vehicle in front. If the warning does
not come back on, continue to drive
normally and have the cooling
system checked for proper fill and
function. If the warning continues, pull over,
stop, and park the vehicle
right away.
If there is still no sign of steam and
the vehicle is equipped with an
engine driven cooling fan, push
down the accelerator until the
engine speed is about twice as fast
as normal idle speed for at least
five minutes while the vehicle is
parked. If the warning is still there,
turn off the engine and get everyone
out of the vehicle until it cools down.
If there is no sign of steam, idle the
engine for five minutes while
parked. If the warning is still
displayed, turn off the engine until it
cools down.
Engine Fan
If the vehicle has electric cooling
fans, the fans may be heard
spinning at low speed during most
everyday driving. The fans may turn
off if no cooling is required. Under
heavy vehicle loading, trailer towing,
high outside temperatures,
or operation of the air conditioningsystem, the fans may change to
high speed and an increase in fan
noise may be heard. This is normal
and indicates that the cooling
system is functioning properly. The
fans will change to low speed when
additional cooling is no longer
required.
The electric engine cooling fans
may run after the engine has been
turned. off. This is normal and no
service is required.
Washer Fluid
What to Use
When windshield washer fluid needs
to be added, be sure to read the
manufacturer's instructions before
use. Use a fluid that has sufficient
protection against freezing in an
area where the temperature may fall
below freezing.
Adding Washer Fluid
The vehicle has a low washer fluid
message on the DIC that comes on
when the washer fluid is low. The
message is displayed for

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13566622) - 2020 - CRC - 4/15/19
Vehicle Care 307
15 seconds at the start of each
ignition cycle. When the WASHER
FLUID LOW ADD FLUID message
displays, washer fluid will need to
be added to the windshield washer
fluid reservoir.
Open the cap with the washer
symbol on it. Add washer fluid until
the tank is full. SeeEngine
Compartment Overview 0288 for
reservoir location.
Caution
. Do not use washer fluid that
contains any type of water
repellent coating. This can
cause the wiper blades to
chatter or skip.
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
.Do not use engine coolant
(antifreeze) in the
windshield washer. It can
damage the windshield
washer system and paint.
. Do not mix water with
ready-to-use washer fluid.
Water can cause the
solution to freeze and
damage the washer fluid
tank and other parts of the
washer system.
. When using concentrated
washer fluid, follow the
manufacturer instructions for
adding water.
. Fill the washer fluid tank
only three-quarters full when
it is very cold. This allows
for fluid expansion if
freezing occurs, which could
damage the tank if it is
completely full.
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 can
be heard all the time when the
vehicle is moving, except when
applying the brake pedal firmly.
{Warning
The brake wear warning sound
means that soon the brakes will
not work well. That could lead to
a crash. When the brake wear
warning sound is heard, have the
vehicle serviced.
Caution
Continuing to drive with worn-out
brake pads could result in costly
brake repair.

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13566622) - 2020 - CRC - 4/15/19
Service and Maintenance 383
Maintenance
Schedule
Owner Checks and Services
At Each Fuel Stop
.Check the engine oil level. See
Engine Oil 0293.
Once a Month
. Check the tire inflation
pressures, including the spare.
See Tire Pressure 0337.
. Inspect the tires for wear. See
Tire Inspection 0344.
. Check the windshield washer
fluid level. See Washer Fluid
0 306.
Engine Oil Change
When the CHANGE ENGINE OIL
SOON message displays, have the
engine oil and filter changed within
the next 1 000 km/600 mi. If driven
under the best conditions, the
engine oil life system may not
indicate the need for vehicle service
for up to a year. The engine oil and filter must be changed at least once
a year and the oil life system must
be reset. Your trained dealer
technician can perform this work.
If the engine oil life system is reset
accidentally, service the vehicle
within 5 000 km/3,000 mi since the
last service. Reset the oil life
system when the oil is changed.
See
Engine Oil Life System 0295.
Extended Idle Use
When the vehicle is used in a way
that requires extended idle time,
one hour of use shall be deemed
the same as 53 km (33 mi). See
Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Base Level) 0145 or
Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Uplevel) 0147 for hourmeter.
Air Conditioning Desiccant
(Replace Every Seven Years)
The air conditioning system requires
maintenance every seven years.
This service requires replacement of
the desiccant to help the longevity
and efficient operation of the air
conditioning system. This service
can be complex. See your dealer.
Tire Rotation and Required
Services Every 12 000 km/
7,500 mi
Rotate the tires, if recommended for
the vehicle, and perform the
following services. See Tire
Rotation 0344.
. Check engine oil level and oil
life percentage. If needed,
change engine oil and filter, and
reset oil life system. See Engine
Oil 0293 and
Engine Oil Life System 0295.
. Check engine coolant level. See
Cooling System 0301.
. Check windshield washer fluid
level. See Washer Fluid 0306.
. Check tire inflation pressures,
including the spare. See Tire
Pressure 0337.
. Inspect tire wear. See Tire
Inspection 0344.
. Visually check for fluid leaks.
. Inspect engine air cleaner filter.
See Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
0 300.

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13566622) - 2020 - CRC - 4/15/19
392 Service and Maintenance
Recommended Fluids, Lubricants, and Parts
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
Fluids and lubricants identified below by name, part number, or specification can be obtained from your dealer.Usage Fluid/Lubricant
Automatic Transmission (6-Speed Transmission) DEXRON-VI Automatic Transmission Fluid.
Automatic Transmission (10-Speed Transmission) DEXRON ULV Automatic Transmission Fluid (GM Part No. 19352619, in
Canada 19352620).
Chassis Lubrication Chassis Lubricant (GM Part No. 12377985, in Canada 88901242) or lubricant meeting requirements of NLGI #2, Category LB or GC-LB.
Engine Coolant 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and use only DEX-COOL Coolant. SeeCooling System 0301.
Engine Oil Engine oil meeting the dexos1 specification of the proper SAE viscosity grade. ACDelco dexos1 full synthetic is recommended. See Engine Oil
0 293.
Front Axle (Four-Wheel Drive) SAE 75W-90 Synthetic Axle Lubricant (GM Part No. 88900401, in Canada 89021678).
Front Axle Propshaft Spline or One-Piece Propshaft Spline (Two-Wheel Drive) Spline Lubricant, Special Lubricant (GM Part No. 19257121, in
Canada 19257122).
Hydraulic Brake System DOT 3 Hydraulic Brake Fluid (GM Part No. 19353126, in Canada 19353127).

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/-
Mexico-13566622) - 2020 - CRC - 4/24/19
Index 427
ChargingWireless . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . 137
Check Engine Light (MalfunctionIndicator) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Ignition Transmission Lock . . . .311
Child Restraints Infants and Young Children . . . . . 89
Lower Anchors and Tethersfor Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Securing . . . . . . . . . . . . 104, 106, 107
Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Child-View Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Cleaning Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376
Climate Control Systems Dual Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Cluster, Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Collision Damage Repair . . . . . . . 407
Compartments Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 Connected Services
Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 423
Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 424
Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 422
Connections Connected Services . . . . . . . . . . 423
Control
Hill Descent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Traction and ElectronicStability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Control Light
Hill Descent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Convenience Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Coolant Engine Temperature Gauge . . 134
Cooling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178, 182
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Courtesy Transportation Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 406
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232 Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Cruise Control, Adaptive . . . . . . . . 235
Cupholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Customer Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . 403 Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 402 Text Telephone (TTY)
Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403
Customer Information Publications OrderingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 409
Customer Satisfaction Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400
Cybersecurity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 412
D
Damage Repair, Collision . . . . . . . 407
Danger, Warning, and Caution . . . . 2
Data Collection Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . . 413
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 413
Data Recorders, Event . . . . . . . . . 412
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Diagnostics Connected Services . . . . . . . . . . 424
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Door Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/-
Mexico-13566622) - 2020 - CRC - 4/24/19
428 Index
Power Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Drive Belt Routing, Engine . . . . . . 399
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . 243
Driver Information
Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145, 147
Driving Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . 248
Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . 187
Characteristics and
Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Drunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 196
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . 198
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Off-Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Dual Automatic Climate
Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
E
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Electrical Equipment,Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282 Electrical System
Engine Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 319
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324, 327
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Rear Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Emergency OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Check Light (MalfunctionIndicator) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 288
Coolant Temperature
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 399
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .211
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . . . . 133
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 216 Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . . . 412
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Extender, Seat Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 167
Exterior Lamps Off Reminder . . . 169
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
F
Fan
Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Filter, Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . 171
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
FlexFuel E85 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Floor Console Storage . . . . . . . . . . 113
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379
Fluid AutomaticTransmission . . . . . . . . . . . 296, 299