coolant level GMC ACADIA 2021 Owner's Manual

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
2 Introduction
Using this Manual
To quickly locate information about the
vehicle, use the Index in the back of the
manual. It is an alphabetical list of what is
in the manual and the page number where
it can be found.
Danger, Warning, and Caution
Warning messages found on vehicle labels
and in this manual describe hazards and
what to do to avoid or reduce them.
{Danger
Danger indicates a hazard with a high
level of risk which will result in serious
injury or death.
{Warning
Warning indicates a hazard that could
result in injury or death.
Caution
Caution indicates a hazard that could
result in property or vehicle damage.
A circle with a slash through it is a safety
symbol which means“Do not,” “Do not do
this,” or“Do not let this happen.”
Symbols
The vehicle has components and labels that
use symbols instead of text. Symbols are
shown along with the text describing the
operation or information relating to a
specific component, control, message, gauge,
or indicator.
M:Shown when the owner’s manual has
additional instructions or information.
*: Shown when the service manual has
additional instructions or information.
0: Shown when there is more information
on another page — “see page.” Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols that may
be found on the vehicle and what they
mean. See the features in this manual for
information.
u:
Air Conditioning System
G:Air Conditioning Refrigerant Oil
9:Airbag Readiness Light
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
$:Brake System Warning Light
9:Dispose of Used Components Properly
P:Do Not Apply High Pressure Water
B:Engine Coolant Temperature
_:Flame/Fire Prohibited
H: Flammable
[:Forward Collision Alert
R:Fuse Block Cover Lock Location
+:Fuses
j:ISOFIX/LATCH System Child Restraints

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
Instruments and Controls 89
Instruments and Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Rear Window Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Wireless Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Warning Lights, Gauges, and Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Instrument Cluster (Base and Midlevel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Instrument Cluster (Uplevel) . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Engine Oil Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . 103
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . 104
Voltmeter Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Seat Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . 106
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Check
Engine Light) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . 108
Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Service Electric Parking Brake Light
(Uplevel and Midlevel
Cluster Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Gear Shifting Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Tow/Haul Mode Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Hill Descent Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) Light . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Vehicle Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Pedestrian Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Traction Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
StabiliTrak OFF Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Traction Control System (TCS)/ StabiliTrak Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Door Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Information Displays
Driver Information Center
(DIC) (Base) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Midlevel and Uplevel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Head-Up Display (HUD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Engine Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Vehicle Speed Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Vehicle Personalization
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Universal Remote System
Universal Remote System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Universal Remote System Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Universal Remote System Operation . . . 129

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
Instruments and Controls 97
Instrument Cluster (Base and Midlevel)
Base Level and Midlevel English Shown, Metric Similar
1.Fuel Gauge 0102
2. Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge
0104
3. Speedometer 0102 4.
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Base)
0115 or
Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Midlevel and Uplevel) 0117
5. Tachometer 0102
Base Cluster Menu
There is an interactive display area in the
center of the instrument cluster.
Use the right steering wheel control to open
and scroll through the different items and
displays.
Press
oto access the cluster applications.
Use
worxthrough the list of available
applications. Not all applications will be
available on all vehicles.
.Info App. This is where the selected Driver
Information Center (DIC) displays can be
viewed. See “Driver Information Center
(DIC) (Base and Midlevel)” in the Index.
.Options

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
100 Instruments and Controls
Instrument Cluster (Uplevel)
Uplevel English Standard Theme Shown, Metric Similar
1.Engine Oil Temperature Gauge 0103
2. Speedometer 0102
3. Voltmeter Gauge 0104
4. Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge
0104
5. Fuel Gauge 0102 6.
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Base)
0115 or
Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Midlevel and Uplevel) 0117
7. Tachometer 0102
Cluster Menu
There is an interactive display area in the
center of the instrument cluster.
Use the right steering wheel control to open
and scroll through the different items and
displays.
Press
oto access the cluster applications.
Use
worxto scroll through the list of
available applications. Press
Vto select. Not
all applications will be available on all
vehicles.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
104 Instruments and Controls
Engine Coolant Temperature
Gauge
Metric Base and Midlevel
English Base and Midlevel
Metric Uplevel
English Uplevel
This gauge shows the engine coolant
temperature. If the pointer moves toward the warning
area at the high end of the gauge, the
engine is too hot.
If the engine coolant has overheated and
the vehicle has been operating under normal
driving conditions, pull off the road, stop the
vehicle, and turn off the engine as soon as
possible. See
Engine Overheating 0285.
Voltmeter Gauge
When the ignition is on, this gauge indicates
the battery voltage.
When the engine is running, this gauge
shows the condition of the charging system.
The gauge can transition from a higher to
lower or a lower to higher reading. This is

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
258 Driving and Operating
Before driving, inspect all trailer hitch parts
and attachments, safety chains, electrical
connectors, lamps, tires, and mirrors. See
Towing Equipment0262. If the trailer has
electric brakes, start the combination
moving and then manually apply the trailer
brake controller to check the trailer brakes
work. During the trip, occasionally check
that the cargo and trailer are secure and
that the lamps and any trailer brakes are
working.
Towing with a Stability Control System
When towing, the stability control system
might be heard. The system reacts to
vehicle movement caused by the trailer,
which mainly occurs during cornering. This is
normal when towing heavier trailers.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle
ahead as you would when driving without a
trailer. This can help to avoid heavy braking
and sudden turns.
Passing
More passing distance is needed when
towing a trailer. The combination of the
vehicle and trailer will not accelerate as
quickly and is much longer than the vehicle
alone. It is necessary to go much farther
beyond the passed vehicle before returning
to the lane. Pass on level roadways. Avoid
passing on hills if possible.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with
one hand. To move the trailer to the left,
move that hand to the left. To move the
trailer to the right, move that hand to the
right. Always back up slowly and, if possible,
have someone guide you.
Making Turns
Caution
Turn more slowly and make wider arcs
when towing a trailer to prevent damage
to your vehicle. Making very sharp turns
could cause the trailer to contact the
vehicle. Make wider turns than normal when towing,
so the trailer will not go over soft shoulders,
over curbs, or strike road signs, trees,
or other objects. Always signal turns well in
advance. Do not steer or brake suddenly.
Driving on Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear
before starting down a long or steep
downhill grade. If the transmission is not
shifted down, the brakes may overheat and
result in reduced braking efficiency.
The vehicle can tow in D (Drive). Shift the
transmission to a lower gear if the
transmission shifts too often under heavy
loads and/or hilly conditions.
When towing at higher altitudes, engine
coolant will boil at a lower temperature
than at lower altitudes. If the engine is
turned off immediately after towing at high
altitude on steep uphill grades, the vehicle
could show signs similar to engine
overheating. To avoid this, let the engine
run, preferably on level ground, with the
transmission in P (Park) for a few minutes
before turning the engine off. If the
overheat warning comes on, see
Engine
Overheating 0285.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
276 Vehicle Care
1.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0279.
2. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine Oil0276.
3. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine Oil0276.
4. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System 0281.
5. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer Fluid 0286.
6. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid
0 287.
7. Battery - North America 0288.
8. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling System 0281.
9. Positive (+) Battery Terminal. See Jump
Starting - North America 0332.
10. Engine Compartment Fuse Block 0293.
11. Remote Negative (-) Battery Terminal. SeeJump Starting - North America 0332.Engine Oil
To ensure proper engine performance and
long life, careful attention must be paid to
engine oil. Following these simple, but
important steps will help protect your
investment:
.Use engine oil approved to the proper
specification and of the proper viscosity
grade. See “Selecting the Right Engine
Oil” in this section.
.Check the engine oil level regularly and
maintain the proper oil level. See
“Checking Engine Oil” and“When to Add
Engine Oil” in this section.
.Change the engine oil at the appropriate
time. SeeEngine Oil Life System 0278.
.Always dispose of engine oil properly. See
“What to Do with Used Oil” in this
section.
Checking Engine Oil
Check the engine oil level regularly, every
650 km (400 mi), especially prior to a long
trip. The engine oil dipstick handle is a loop.
See Engine Compartment Overview 0271 for
the location.
{Warning
The engine oil dipstick handle may be
hot; it could burn you. Use a towel or
glove to touch the dipstick handle.
If a low oil Driver Information Center (DIC)
message displays, check the oil level.
Follow these guidelines:
.To get an accurate reading, park the
vehicle on level ground. Check the engine
oil level after the engine has been off for
at least two hours. Checking the engine
oil level on steep grades or too soon after
engine shutoff can result in incorrect
readings. Accuracy improves when
checking a cold engine prior to starting.
Remove the dipstick and check the level.
.If unable to wait two hours, the engine
must be off for at least 15 minutes if the
engine is warm, or at least 30 minutes if
the engine is not warm. Pull out the
dipstick, wipe it with a clean paper towel
or cloth, then push it back in all the way.
Remove it again, keeping the tip down,
and check the level.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
Vehicle Care 283
Warning (Continued)
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.
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.
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. See
Engine
Overheating 0285. The coolant surge tank is located in the
engine compartment on the driver side of
the vehicle. See
Engine Compartment
Overview 0271.
{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
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.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
284 Vehicle Care
{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.
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 or above the indicated mark, add a
50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX-COOL coolant. Be sure the cooling
system, including the coolant surge tank
pressure cap, is cool before you do it.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Surge Tank (2.5L and 3.6L Engines Only)
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-quarter of a
turn. If you hear a hiss, wait for that to
stop. This will allow any pressure still
left to be vented out the discharge hose.
2. Keep turning the pressure cap slowly and remove it.
3. Fill the coolant surge tank with theproper mixture to the indicated
level mark.
4. With the coolant surge tank pressure cap off, start the engine and let it run until
you can feel the upper radiator hose
getting hot. Watch out for the engine
cooling fan.
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 indicated
level mark.
5. Replace the pressure cap tightly.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
Vehicle Care 285
6. Verify coolant level after the engine isshut off and the coolant is cold.
If necessary, repeat coolant fill procedure
Steps 1–6.
If the coolant still is not at the proper
level when the system cools down again,
see your dealer.
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.
Automatic Coolant Service Fill (2.0L
Engine Only)
If equipped, this feature assists in filling and
removing air from the cooling system after
service of components or when coolant is
added after being too low.
To activate the fill and air removal process:
1. With a cold system, disconnect the vent line from the port near the cap on the
surge tank. Add coolant to the indicated
mark on the surge tank.
2. Reconnect the vent line to the surge tank and replace the cap on the
surge tank. 3. Connect the vehicle to a battery charger.
4. Put the vehicle in Service Mode. See
Ignition Positions 0213.
5. Turn off the air conditioning.
6. Set the parking brake.
7. At the same time, press the accelerator and the brake for automatic transmission
vehicles 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 tank. If the tank empties, turn the
ignition off, carefully remove the surge tank
cap, refill to the indicated mark and repeat
steps 3-6. The fill and air removal process
will run for approximately 10 minutes.
Engine Overheating
The vehicle has several indicators to warn of
the engine overheating. There is an engine coolant temperature
gauge on the instrument cluster. See
Engine
Coolant Temperature Gauge 0104. The
vehicle may also display a message on the
Driver Information Center (DIC).
If the decision is made not to lift the hood
when this warning appears, get service help
right away. See Roadside Assistance Program
0 366.
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.