coolant temperature GMC SIERRA 2010 User Guide

Notice:Using coolant other than DEX-COOL®can
cause premature engine, heater core, or radiator
corrosion. In addition, the engine coolant could
require changing sooner, at 50 000 km (30,000 miles)
or 24 months, whichever occurs first. 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 is filled with
DEX-COOL®engine coolant. This coolant is designed
to remain in the vehicle for five years or 150,000 miles
(240 000 km), 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 on page 6‑34.
What to Use
{WARNING:
Adding only plain water to the cooling system can
be dangerous. Plain water, or some other liquid
such as alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mixture will. The vehicle's 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 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-COOL
®coolant. If using this mixture, nothing else
needs to be added. This mixture:
.Gives freezing protection down to −34°F (−37°C),
outside temperature.
.Gives boiling protection up to 265°F (129°C),
engine temperature.
6-31

.Protects against rust and corrosion.
.Will not damage aluminum parts.
.Helps keep the proper engine temperature.
Notice: If an improper coolant mixture is used, the
engine could overheat and be badly damaged. The
repair cost would not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Too much water in the mixture can freeze
and crack the engine, radiator, heater core, and
other parts.
Notice: If extra inhibitors and/or additives are used
in the vehicle's cooling system, the vehicle could be
damaged. Use only the proper mixture of the engine
coolant listed in this manual for the cooling system.
See Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
on
page 7‑12for more information.
Checking Coolant
The coolant surge tank is located in the engine
compartment on the passenger side of the vehicle. See
Engine Compartment Overview
on page 6‑16for more
information on location.
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. 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 is
cool before this is done.
The coolant level should be at or above the FULL
COLD mark. If it is not, you may have a leak in the
cooling system.
If the vehicle has a low coolant sensor and the LOW
COOLANT LEVEL message comes on and stays on, it
means you are low on engine coolant. See “LOW
COOLANT LEVEL” underDIC Warnings and Messages
on page 4‑65.
6-32

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. Keep turning the pressure cap slowly, and remove it.
3. Fill the coolant surge tank with the proper mixtureto 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 gage indicates approximately
195°F (90°C). 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. Be sure the pressure cap is hand-tight and fully seated.
6. Verify coolant level after engine is shut off and the coolant is cold. If necessary, repeat coolant fill
procedure Steps 1 through 6.
Notice: 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 DURAMAX®Diesel engine, see
the DURAMAX®Diesel manual for more information.
The vehicle has several indicators to warn of engine
overheating.
You will find a coolant temperature gage on the
vehicle's instrument panel. See Engine Coolant
Temperature Gage on page 4‑41.
In addition, you will find ENGINE OVERHEATED STOP
ENGINE, ENGINE OVERHEATED IDLE ENGINE, and
ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED messages in the Driver
Information Center (DIC) on the instrument panel.
See DIC Warnings and Messages on page 4‑65.
6-34

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 you get an engine overheat warning, but see or hear
no steam, the problem may not be too serious.
Sometimes the engine can get a little too hot when you:
.Climb a long hill on a hot day.
.Stop after high-speed driving.
.Idle for long periods in traffic.
.Tow a trailer. SeeTowing a Trailer on page 5‑50.
If you get the ENGINE OVERHEATED STOP ENGINE
or the ENGINE OVERHEATED IDLE ENGINE message
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. If you are stopped in a traffic jam, apply the brake, shift to N (Neutral); otherwise, shift to the highest
gear while driving —D (Drive) or 3 (Third). If the temperature overheat gage is no longer in the
overheat zone or an overheat warning no longer
displays, the vehicle can be driven. Continue to drive
the vehicle slow for about 10 minutes. Keep a safe
vehicle distance from the car in front of you. If the
warning does not come back on, continue to drive
normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park the
vehicle right away.
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. Also,
see
“Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode”
later in this section.
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode
If an overheated engine condition exists and the
REDUCED ENGINE POWER message is displayed, an
overheat protection mode which alternates firing groups
of cylinders helps prevent engine damage. In this mode,
you will notice a loss in power and engine performance.
This operating mode allows the vehicle to be driven to a
safe place in an emergency. Driving extended
miles (km) and/or towing a trailer in the overheat
protection mode should be avoided.
6-36

Notice:After driving in the overheated engine
protection operating mode, to avoid engine damage,
allow the engine to cool before attempting any
repair. The engine oil will be severely degraded.
Repair the cause of coolant loss, change the oil and
reset the oil life system. See Engine Oil
on
page 6‑18.
Engine Fan Noise
If the vehicle has a clutched engine cooling fan, when
the clutch is engaged, the fan spins faster to provide
more air to cool the engine. In most everyday driving
conditions, the fan is spinning slower and the clutch is
not fully engaged. This improves fuel economy and
reduces fan noise. Under heavy vehicle loading, trailer
towing, and/or high outside temperatures, the fan speed
increases as the clutch more fully engages, so you may
hear an increase in fan noise. This is normal and should
not be mistaken as the transmission slipping or making
extra shifts. It is merely the cooling system functioning
properly. The fan will slow down when additional cooling
is not required and the clutch disengages.
You may also hear this fan noise when you start the
engine. It will go away as the fan clutch partially
disengages.
If the vehicle has electric cooling fans, you may hear
the fans spinning at low speed during most everyday
driving. The fans may turn off if no cooling is required. Under heavy vehicle loading, trailer towing, and/or high
outside temperatures, or if you are operating the air
conditioning system, the fans may change to high
speed and you may hear an increase in fan noise.
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.
Power Steering Fluid
See
Engine Compartment
Overviewon page 6‑16for reservoir location.
When to Check Power Steering Fluid
It is not necessary to regularly check power steering
fluid unless you suspect there is a leak in the system or
you hear an unusual noise. A fluid loss in this system
could indicate a problem. Have the system inspected
and repaired.
6-37

When the Change Engine Oil Soon message
displays, certain services, checks, and inspections are
required. The services described for MaintenanceI
should be performed at every engine oil change.
The services described for Maintenance IIshould be
performed when:
.Maintenance Iwas performed the last time the
engine oil was changed.
.It has been 10 months or more since the Change
Engine Oil Soon message has displayed or since
the last service.
Maintenance I
.Change engine oil and filter. See Engine Oilon
page 6‑18. An Emission Control Service.
.Engine coolant level check. See Engine Coolanton page 6‑31.
.Windshield washer fluid level check. See
Windshield Washer Fluid on page 6‑38.
.Tire inflation check. SeeInflation - Tire Pressureon page 6‑72.
.Tire wear inspection. See Tire Inspection and
Rotation on page 6‑80.
.Rotate tires. See Tire Inspection and Rotationon
page 6‑80.
.Fluids visual leak check (or every 12 months,
whichever occurs first). A leak in any system
must be repaired and the fluid level checked.
.Engine air cleaner filter inspection (vehicles
driven in dusty conditions only). See Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 6‑21.
.Brake system inspection (or every 12 months,
whichever occurs first).
.For vehicles with Allison Transmission®only:
At the first engine oil change only, replace external
transmission filter.
Maintenance II
.Perform all services described in Maintenance I.
.Steering and suspension inspection. Visual
inspection for damaged, loose, or missing parts or
signs of wear.
.Lubricate the front suspension, steering linkage,
and parking brake cable guides. Control arm
ball joints on 2500/3500 series vehicles require
lubrication but should not be lubricated unless their
temperature is−12°C (10°F) or higher, or they
could be damaged. Control arm ball joints on
1500 series vehicles are maintenance‐free.
Vehicles used under severe commercial operating
conditions require lubrication on a regular basis
every 5 000 km/3,000 miles.
7-4

Cigarette Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-18
Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-118
CleaningAluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-115
Exterior Lamps/Lenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-113
Fabric/Carpet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-111
Finish Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-114
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other PlasticSurfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-112
Interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-110
Leather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-112
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-116
Underbody Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-116
Washing Your Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-113
Weatherstrips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-113
Windshield and Wiper Blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-114
Climate Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-18, 4-20 Outlet Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-29
Climate Control Systems Dual Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-22
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19
Clock, Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-84
Collision Damage Repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-12
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-62
Content Theft-Deterrent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5-3 Coolant
Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-31
Engine Temperature Gage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-41
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-30
Courtesy Transportation Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-10
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-7 Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-48
Cupholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-75
Customer Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8-6 Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Text Telephone (TTY) Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Customer Information Service Publications Ordering Information . . . . . . . . 8-16
Customer Satisfaction Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8-2
D
Damage Repair, Collision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-12
Data Recorders, Event . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-18
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5-2
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
DIC Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-62
Disc, MP3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-107, 4-114
Doing Your Own Service Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-5
Dome Lamp Override . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-14
i - 4

Engine (cont.)Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-31
Coolant Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
Coolant Temperature Gage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-41
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-30
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-16
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-54
Fan Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-37
Fast Idle System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-25
Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-18
Overheated Protection Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . 6-36
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-34
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23
Engine Oil
Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-20
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-18
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15
Extender, Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-38
Exterior Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10F
Fast Idle System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-25
Filter Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-21
Finish Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-116
Fixed Mast Antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-149
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-5
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-3
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-89
Flat Tire, Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-90
Flat Tire, Storing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-106
Fluid Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-23, 6-26
Power Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-37
Windshield Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-38
Fog Lamps
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-13
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-48
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-36, 6-50
Four-Wheel-Drive Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-49
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-52
i - 6

Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-6Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
California Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-13
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-11
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-11
Gage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-49
Gasoline Octane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-50
Management, Active . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-27
Fuel Economy Driving for Better . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-33
Fuses Center Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-121
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-118
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-119
Underhood Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-122
Windshield Wiper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-118G
Gages
Engine Coolant Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-41
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-49
Oil Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-46
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-31
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-31
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-31
Voltmeter Gage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-38
Garage Door Opener . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-69
Gasoline Octane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-75
GM Mobility Reimbursement Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8-7
H
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-57
Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-3
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-3
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-57 Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-54
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-57
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12
i - 7