engine overheat GMC SIERRA 2017 Owner's Guide

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 4/18/17
Vehicle Care 375
Checking Coolant
The coolant surge tank is located in
the engine compartment on the
passenger side of the vehicle. See
Engine Compartment Overview
0359.
The vehicle must be on a level
surface when checking the coolant
level.
5.3L V8 Shown, 4.3L V6, 6.0L V8, and 6.2L V8 Similar
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
for Gasoline Engines,” following.
How to Add Coolant to the
Coolant Surge Tank for
Gasoline Engines
If the vehicle has a diesel engine,
see“Cooling System” in the
Duramax diesel supplement for the
proper coolant fill procedure.
{Warning
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.
Caution
This vehicle has a specific
coolant fill procedure. Failure to
follow this procedure could cause
the engine to overheat and be
severely damaged.
{Warning
Steam and scalding liquids from a
hot cooling system can blow out
and burn you badly. Never turn
the cap when the cooling system,
including the surge tank pressure
cap, is hot. Wait for the cooling
system and surge tank pressure
cap to cool.
If no coolant is visible in the surge
tank, add coolant.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 4/18/17
376 Vehicle Care
Light-Duty
Coolant Surge Tank
Pressure CapHeavy-Duty
Coolant Surge Tank
Pressure Cap
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 with the 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
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 supplement.
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 0138.
In addition, there are ENGINE
OVERHEATED STOP ENGINE,
ENGINE OVERHEATED IDLE
ENGINE, and ENGINE POWER IS
REDUCED messages in the Driver
Information Center (DIC).
See Engine Cooling System
Messages 0159 andEngine Power
Messages 0160.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 4/18/17
Vehicle Care 377
If the decision is made not to lift the
hood when this warning appears,
get service help right away. See
Roadside Assistance Program
0478.
If the decision is made to lift the
hood, make sure the vehicle is
parked on a level surface.
4.3L V6, 5.3L V8, and 6.2L
V8 Engines
Check to see if the engine cooling
fans are running. If the engine is
overheating, the fans should be
running. If they are not, do not
continue to run the engine and have
the vehicle serviced.
If Steam is Coming from the
Engine Compartment
{Warning
Steam from an overheated engine
can burn you badly, even if you
just open the hood. Stay away
from the engine if you see or hear
steam coming from it. Just turn it (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
off and get everyone away from
the vehicle until it cools down.
Wait until there is no sign of
steam or coolant before you open
the hood.
If you keep driving when the
engine is overheated, the liquids
in it can catch fire. You or others
could be badly burned. Stop the
engine if it overheats, and get out
of the vehicle until the engine
is 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
0 323.
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.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 4/18/17
378 Vehicle Care
If the temperature overheat 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.Overheated Engine
Protection
Operating Mode
If an overheated engine condition
exists and the ENGINE POWER IS
REDUCED message displays, an
overheat protection mode which
alternates firing groups of cylinders
helps to prevent engine damage. In
this mode, a loss in power and
engine performance will be noticed.
This operating mode allows the
vehicle to be driven to a safe place
in an emergency. Driving extended
distances and/or towing a trailer in
the overheat protection mode
should be avoided.
Caution
After driving in the overheated
engine protection operating
mode, the engine oil will be
severely degraded. Any repairs
performed before the engine is
cool may cause engine damage.
Allow the engine to cool before(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
attempting any repair. Repair the
cause of coolant loss, change the
oil, and reset the oil life system.
SeeEngine Oil 0364.
Engine Fan
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 an increase in fan
noise may be heard. 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.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 4/18/17
Index 501
Customer SatisfactionProcedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 474
D
Damage Repair, Collision . . . . . . . 481
Danger, Warning, and Caution . . . . 3
Data Collection
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . . 487
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 486
Data Recorders, Event . . . . . . . . . 486
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Diagnostics OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 492
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Door
Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Power Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Drive Belt Routing, Engine . . . . . . 473
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . 305
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152, 154 Driving
Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . 308
Characteristics and
Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Drunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
For Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . 31
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 262
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . 264
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Off-Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Dual Automatic Climate
Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
E
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Electrical Equipment,Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
Electrical System Engine Compartment FuseBlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 393
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 393
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 396, 398
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 392 Emergency
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 489
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371
Check Light (MalfunctionIndicator) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 359
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374
Coolant Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372
Cooling System Messages . . . 159
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 473
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367
Oil Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . . . . 137
Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Overheated Protection Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 282
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 4/18/17
506 Index
OnStar®Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 488
OnStar®Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 489
Operating Mode Overheated EngineProtection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378
Operation Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Ordering Service Publications . . . . . . . . . . 483
Outlets Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode . . . . 378
Overheating, Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . 376
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189, 193
P
Park Shifting Into . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Shifting Out of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Parking
Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Brake and P (Park)Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 388
Over Things That Burn . . . . . . . 281
Parking Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Parking or Backing
Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . 306 Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Passenger Compartment Air Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . 81
Perchlorate Materials Requirements, California . . . . . . 357
Personalization Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Phone Apple CarPlay and
Android Auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Bluetooth . . . . . . . . 222, 224, 228, 233
Pickup Conversion to
Chassis Cab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
Port USB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206, 208
Power Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Protection, Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Retained Accessory (RAP) . . . 277
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Steering Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Power Assist Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Pregnancy, Using Safety Belts . . . 70
Privacy
Vehicle Data Recording . . . . . . . 485
Program Courtesy Transportation . . . . . . 480
Proposition 65 Warning,
California . . . . . . . . . . . .357, 383, 435
R
Radio Frequency Statement . . . . 484
Radio Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Radios
AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . 197, 199
Satellite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200, 201
Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385 Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63, 64
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . 306
Rear Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Rearview Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Automatic Dimming . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Recognition Voice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 464