engine overheat CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER 2023 User Guide

Chevrolet Trailblazer Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
16263960) - 2023 - CRC - 2/23/22
Vehicle Care 251
1. Engine Coolant Surge Tank andPressure Cap
2. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View)
{Warning
An underhood electric fan can start up
even when the engine is not running and
can cause injury. Keep hands, clothing,
and tools away from any underhood
electric fan.
{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 five
years or 240 000 km (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, see
Engine Overheating 0254.
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
temperature.
Caution
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, 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.
Checking Coolant
The vehicle must be on a level surface when
checking the coolant level.
It is normal to see coolant moving in the
upper coolant hose return line when the
engine is running.

Chevrolet Trailblazer Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
16263960) - 2023 - CRC - 2/23/22
252 Vehicle Care
Check to see if coolant is visible in the
coolant surge tank. If the coolant inside the
coolant surge tank is boiling, do not do
anything else until it cools down.
If coolant is visible but the coolant level is
not at or above the mark pointed to, add a
50/50 mixture of clean drinkable water and
DEX-COOL coolant.
Be sure the cooling system is cool before
this is done.
If no coolant is visible in the coolant surge
tank, add coolant as follows:
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Surge Tank
{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.
{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.
{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.
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 problem is found, check to see if
coolant is visible in the coolant surge tank.
If coolant is visible but the coolant level is
not at the indicated level mark, add a
50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX-COOL coolant at the coolant surge tank,
but be sure the cooling system, including
the coolant surge tank pressure cap, is cool
before you do it.

Chevrolet Trailblazer Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
16263960) - 2023 - CRC - 2/23/22
254 Vehicle Care
5. Set the parking brake.
6. At the same time, press the acceleratorand the brake for two seconds, then
release.
At the end of the cycle, check the coolant
level in the surge tank and add coolant if it
is low. Turn off the vehicle, allow the Engine
Control Module (ECM) to go to sleep, about
two minutes, and repeat Steps 3-7.
Listen for pump activation and movement of
the control valves while watching the level
of the coolant in the surge tank. If the tank
empties, turn the ignition off, carefully
remove the surge tank cap, refill to the
indicated mark, and repeat Steps 4-7. The fill
and air removal process will run for
approximately 10 minutes.
Engine Overheating
The vehicle has an engine coolant
temperature gauge to warn of the engine
overheating. See Engine Coolant
Temperature Gauge 096.
If the decision is made not to lift the hood
when this warning appears, get service help
right away. See Roadside Assistance Program
0 330. If the decision is made to lift the hood,
make sure the vehicle is parked on a level
surface.
Then check to see if the engine cooling fan
is running. If the engine is overheating, the
fan should be running. If it is 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 the cap when the cooling system,
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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
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
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. When it is safe to do so, pull off the road, shift to P (Park) or N (Neutral), and
let the engine idle.

Chevrolet Trailblazer Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
16263960) - 2023 - CRC - 2/23/22
Vehicle Care 255
If the engine coolant temperature gauge is
no longer in the overheat zone, 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 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.
Washer Fluid
What to Use
When the vehicle needs windshield washer
fluid, be sure to read the manufacturer's
instructions before use. If operating the
vehicle in an area where the temperature
may fall below freezing, use a fluid that has
sufficient protection against freezing.
Adding Washer Fluid
Open the cap with the washer symbol on it.
Add washer fluid until the tank is full. See
Engine Compartment Overview0242 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, and may also clog the
washer nozzle.
.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.
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
.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 linings have built-in wear
indicators that make a high-pitched warning
sound when the brake linings are worn and
new linings 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.

Chevrolet Trailblazer Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
16263960) - 2023 - CRC - 2/23/22
270 Vehicle Care
4. If the fuse must be replacedimmediately, borrow a replacement fuse
with the same amperage from the fuse
block. Choose a vehicle feature that is
not needed to safely operate the vehicle.
Repeat Steps 2-3.
5. Insert the replacement fuse into the empty slot of the blown fuse.
At the next opportunity, see your dealer to
replace the blown fuse.
Headlamp Wiring
An electrical overload may cause the lamps
to go on and off, or in some cases to
remain off. Have the headlamp wiring
checked right away if the lamps go on and
off or remain off.
Windshield Wipers
If the wiper motor overheats due to heavy
snow or ice, the windshield wipers will stop
until the motor cools and will then restart.
Although the circuit is protected from
electrical overload, overload due to heavy
snow or ice may cause wiper linkage
damage. Always clear ice and heavy snow
from the windshield before using the
windshield wipers. If the overload is caused by an electrical
problem and not snow or ice, be sure to get
it fixed.
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
The wiring circuits in the vehicle are
protected from short circuits by a
combination of fuses and circuit breakers.
This greatly reduces the chance of damage
caused by electrical problems.
{Danger
Fuses and circuit breakers are marked
with their ampere rating. Do not exceed
the specified amperage rating when
replacing fuses and circuit breakers. Use
of an oversized fuse or circuit breaker can
result in a vehicle fire. You and others
could be seriously injured or killed.
{Warning
Installation or use of fuses that do not
meet GM’s original fuse specifications is
dangerous. The fuses could fail, and result
in a fire. You or others could be injured
or killed, and the vehicle could be
damaged.
See Accessories and Modifications 0239 and
General Information 0239.
To check or replace a blown fuse, see
Electrical System Overload 0269.
Where To Find Fuse Maps for
Your Vehicle
A detailed fuse map and fuse locations for
the vehicle are on the inside of the cover of
the fuse compartments. For the location of
fuse blocks, see Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0271, Instrument Panel Fuse Block
0 273, and Rear Compartment Fuse Block
0 275.

Chevrolet Trailblazer Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
16263960) - 2023 - CRC - 2/23/22
282 Vehicle Care
for a tire's traction, temperature, and
treadwear. Ratings are determined by
tire manufacturers using government
testing procedures. The ratings are
molded into the sidewall of the tire.
SeeUniform Tire Quality Grading
0 290.
Vehicle Capacity Weight
:The number
of designated seating positions
multiplied by 68 kg (150 lbs) plus the
rated cargo load. See Vehicle Load
Limits 0181.
Vehicle Maximum Load on the Tire
:
Load on an individual tire due to curb
weight, accessory weight, occupant
weight, and cargo weight.
Vehicle Placard
:A label permanently
attached to a vehicle showing the
vehicle's capacity weight and the
original equipment tire size and
recommended inflation pressure. See
“Tire and Loading Information Label”
under Vehicle Load Limits 0181.
Tire Pressure
Tires need the correct amount of air
pressure to operate effectively.
{Warning
Neither tire underinflation nor
overinflation is good. Underinflated
tires, or tires that do not have
enough air, can result in:
.Tire overloading and overheating,
which could lead to a blowout
.Premature or irregular wear
.Poor handling
.Reduced fuel economy for
internal combustion engine
vehicles
.Reduced range for electric vehicles
Overinflated tires, or tires that have
too much air, can result in:
.Unusual wear
.Poor handling
.Rough ride
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Needless damage from road
hazards
The Tire and Loading Information label
on the vehicle indicates the original
equipment tires and the correct cold
tire inflation pressures. The
recommended pressure is the minimum
air pressure needed to support the
vehicle's maximum load carrying
capacity. See Vehicle Load Limits 0181.
How the vehicle is loaded affects
vehicle handling and ride comfort.
Never load the vehicle with more
weight than it was designed to carry.
When to Check
Check the pressure of the tires once a
month or more. Do not forget the
spare, if the vehicle has one. The
compact spare cold tire pressure should
be at 420 kPa (60 psi). See Compact
Spare Tire 0298.

Chevrolet Trailblazer Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
16263960) - 2023 - CRC - 2/23/22
350 Index
Disabled VehicleTransporting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Door Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Power Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Drive Belt Routing, Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Drive Systems All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197, 258
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . 106, 108
Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Teen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Driving Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . 229
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Impaired . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177 Driving (cont'd)
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Driving the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
E
Electric Brake Boost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Electrical Equipment, Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Electrical System Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . 271
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . 275
Emergency OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Air Filter Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Check Light (Malfunction Indicator) . . . . . 99
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 Engine (cont'd)
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Extender, Seat Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Exterior
Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Lighting Battery Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
F
FilterEngine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294

Chevrolet Trailblazer Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
16263960) - 2023 - CRC - 2/23/22
354 Index
Online Account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338Additional Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
OnStar Emergency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
OnStar Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Outlets Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Overheating, Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
P
Park
Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215, 216
Shifting Into . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Shifting Out of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Parking Brake and P (Park) MechanismCheck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Extended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Parking or Backing Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Compartment Air Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Sensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Pedestrian Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Perchlorate Materials Requirements,
California . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Phone Apple CarPlay and Android Auto . . . . . . . . 151
Bluetooth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147, 148
Port
USB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Positioning Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Power
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Protection, Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Retained Accessory (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Pregnancy, Using Seat Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Privacy Vehicle Data Recording . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
Problems with Route Guidance . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Program Courtesy Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Proposition 65 Warning
California . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Proposition 65 Warning, California . . . . . . . 299
Publication Ordering Information . . . . . . . . 335
R
Radiator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Radio
AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Data System (RDS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Frequency Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
HD Radio Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Satellite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) System . . . . . . . 217
Seat Armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Window Washer/Wiper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Rear Compartment/Storage Panel Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Rearview Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Automatic Dimming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Recognition Voice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226