engine overheat GMC SIERRA 1500 2006 Owner's Manual

If the coolant inside the coolant surge tank is boiling,
do not do anything else until it cools down. The vehicle
should be parked on a level surface. Check the coolant
level after the system cools down. Some amount of
coolant may be lost due to overheating.
The coolant level should
be at or above the FULL
COLD mark. If it is not,
you may have a leak at
the pressure cap or in
the radiator hoses, heater
hoses, radiator, water
pump, or somewhere
else in the cooling system.
{CAUTION:
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 re, and you could be
burned. Get any leak xed before you drive the
vehicle.
If your vehicle is equipped with an electric engine cooling
fan, check the coolant temperature gage. If the coolant
temperature is approximately 232°F (111°C), the electric
cooling fan should be running. If it is not, your vehicle
needs service. Turn off the engine.
5-41

If your vehicle is equipped with an engine-driven cooling
fan, start the engine again and see if the fan speed
increases when idle speed is doubled by pushing the
accelerator pedal down. If it does not, your vehicle
needs service. Turn off the engine.
Notice:Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant is not covered by your warranty.
SeeOverheated Engine Protection Operating Mode
(V8 Engines Only) on page 5-39for information
on driving to a safe place in an emergency.
Notice:Using coolant other than DEX-COOL
®may
cause premature engine, heater core or radiator
corrosion. In addition, the engine coolant may
require changing sooner, at 30,000 miles (50 000 km)
or 24 months, whichever occurs rst. Any repairs
would not be covered by your warranty. Always use
DEX-COOL
®(silicate-free) coolant in your vehicle.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Surge Tank for Gasoline Engines
If your vehicle has a diesel engine, see “Cooling
System” in the DURAMAX®Diesel Supplement for
the proper coolant ll procedure.If you have not found a problem yet, check to see if
coolant is visible in the surge tank. If coolant is visible
but the coolant level is not at or above the FULL COLD
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.
SeeEngine Coolant on page 5-35for more information.
If no coolant is visible in the surge tank, add coolant
as follows:
{CAUTION:
Steam and scalding liquids from a hot cooling
system can blow out and burn you badly. They
are under pressure, and if you turn the coolant
surge tank pressure cap — even a little — they
can come out at high speed. Never turn the
cap when the cooling system, including the
coolant surge tank pressure cap, is hot. Wait
for the cooling system and coolant surge tank
pressure cap to cool if you ever have to turn
the pressure cap.
5-42

{CAUTION:
Adding only plain water to your cooling
system can be dangerous. Plain water, or
some other liquid such as alcohol, can boil
before the proper coolant mixture will. Your
vehicle’s coolant warning system is set for the
proper coolant mixture. With plain water or the
wrong mixture, your engine could get too hot
but you would not get the overheat warning.
Your engine could catch re and you or others
could be burned. Use a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and a proper coolant.
Notice:In cold weather, water can freeze and crack
the engine, radiator, heater core and other parts.
Use the recommended coolant and the proper
coolant mixture.
{CAUTION:
You can be burned if you spill 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.
1. You can 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 you hear a hiss, wait for that to
stop. A hiss means there is still some pressure left.
2. Then keep turning the pressure cap slowly, and
remove it.
5-43

How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure. You cannot tell if your tires are properly
inated simply by looking at them. Radial tires may look
properly inated even when they’re underinated.
Check the tire’s ination pressure when the tires are
cold. Cold means your vehicle has been sitting
for at least three hours or driven no more than
1 mile (1.6 km).
Remove the valve cap from the tire valve stem. Press
the tire gage rmly onto the valve to get a pressure
measurement. If the cold tire ination pressure matches
the recommended pressure on the Tire and Loading
Information label, no further adjustment is necessary.
If the ination pressure is low, add air until you reach the
recommended amount.
If you overll the tire, release air by pushing on the
metal stem in the center of the tire valve. Recheck the
tire pressure with the tire gage.
Be sure to put the valve caps back on the valve stems.
They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt and moisture.
Dual Tire Operation
When the vehicle is new, or whenever a wheel, wheel
bolt or wheel nut is replaced, check the wheel nut torque
after 100, 1,000 and 6,000 miles (160, 1 600 and
10 000 km) of driving. For proper torque and wheel nut
tightening information, seeRemoving the Spare Tire
and Tools on page 5-92.
The outer tire on a dual wheel setup generally wears
faster than the inner tire. Your tires will wear more evenly
and last longer if you rotate the tires periodically,
seeTire Inspection and Rotation on page 5-81. Also see
Scheduled Maintenance (Gasoline Engine) on page 6-4.
{CAUTION:
If you operate your vehicle with a tire that is
badly underinated, the tire can overheat. An
overheated tire can lose air suddenly or catch
re. You or others could be injured. Be sure all
tires (including the spare) are properly inated.
SeeInation - Tire Pressure on page 5-79, for
information on proper tire ination.
5-80

E
Electrical System
Add-On Equipment.....................................5-123
Center Instrument Panel Fuse Block.............5-126
Fuses and Circuit Breakers.........................5-123
Instrument Panel Fuse Block.......................5-124
Power Windows and Other Power Options....5-123
Underhood Fuse Block...............................5-127
Windshield Wiper Fuses.............................5-123
Engine
Air Cleaner/Filter.........................................5-25
Battery.......................................................5-51
Check and Service Engine Soon Light............3-46
Coolant......................................................5-35
Coolant Heater............................................2-25
Coolant Temperature Gage...........................3-43
Drive Belt Routing.......................................6-19
Engine Compartment Overview......................5-14
Exhaust.....................................................2-57
Fan Noise..................................................5-45
Oil .............................................................5-20
Oil Life System...........................................5-23
Overheated Protection Operating Mode...........5-39
Overheating................................................5-37
Starting......................................................2-23Entry Lighting.................................................3-19
Event Data Recorders (EDR)............................. 7-9
Exit Lighting...................................................3-19
Extender, Safety Belt.......................................1-30
F
Filter
Engine Air Cleaner......................................5-25
Finish Damage.............................................5-120
Fixed Mast Antenna.......................................3-132
Flash-to-Pass................................................... 3-9
Flat Tire........................................................5-90
Flat Tire, Changing.........................................5-91
Flat Tire, Storing...........................................5-108
Fluid
Automatic Transmission........................5-28, 5-30
Manual Transmission....................................5-33
Power Steering...........................................5-45
Windshield Washer......................................5-46
Fog Lamps....................................................3-17
Four-Wheel Drive....................................2-38, 5-59
Four-Wheel-Drive Light....................................3-50
Front Axle......................................................5-60
Front Reading Lamps......................................3-19
Front Storage Area.........................................2-79
5

Mirrors (cont.)
Automatic Dimming Rearview with OnStar®,
Compass and Temperature Display.............2-61
Manual Rearview Mirror................................2-59
Outside Automatic Dimming Mirror.................2-71
Outside Camper-Type Mirrors........................2-68
Outside Convex Mirror.................................2-72
Outside Curb View Assist Mirrors...................2-72
Outside Heated Mirrors................................2-72
Outside Manual Mirrors................................2-68
Outside Power Foldaway Mirrors....................2-71
Outside Power Mirrors..................................2-70
Outside West Coast-Type Mirrors...................2-70
MyGMLink.com................................................ 7-3
N
New Vehicle Break-In......................................2-21
Noise Control System, Tampering......................5-62
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts............6-18
O
Odometer......................................................3-33
Odometer, Trip...............................................3-33
Off-Road Driving.............................................4-16
Off-Road Recovery..........................................4-13Oil
Engine.......................................................5-20
Pressure Gage............................................3-48
Oil, Engine Oil Life System..............................5-23
Older Children, Restraints................................1-31
Online Owner Center........................................ 7-3
OnStar
®System, see OnStar®Manual...............2-73
Other Warning Devices...................................... 3-6
Outlet Adjustment............................................3-30
Outside
Automatic Dimming Mirror.............................2-71
Camper-Type Mirrors....................................2-68
Convex Mirror.............................................2-72
Curb View Assist Mirrors..............................2-72
Heated Mirrors............................................2-72
Manual Mirrors............................................2-68
Power Foldaway Mirrors...............................2-71
Power Mirrors.............................................2-70
West Coast-Type Mirrors..............................2-70
Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode . . . 5-39
Owner Checks and Services.............................6-11
Owners, Canadian............................................... ii
9