oil change GMC SIERRA DENALI 2003 Owners Manual

Section 3 Instrument Panel
I~s~Pu~~~IP Panel OWWV~~W ............................... 3.2
Hazard Warning Flashers
................................ 3.3
Other Warning Devices ................................... 3.4
Horn
............................................................. 3.4
Tilt Wheel
..................................................... 3.4
Turn SignaVMultifunction Lever
......................... 3.5
Exterior Lamps
............................................. 3.11
Interior Lamps
.............................................. 3.15
Accessory Power Outlets
............................... 3.16
Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter
........................ 3.17
Climate Controls
............................................ 3.18
Dual Automatic Climate Control System
........... 3.18
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
............. 3.24
Instrument Panel Cluster
................................ 3.25
Speedometer and Odometer
........................... 3.26
Tachometer
................................................ -3-26
Safety Belt Reminder Light
............................. 3.26
Air Bag Readiness Light
................................ 3-27
Passenger Air Bag Status Indicator
................. 3.30
Battery Warning Light
.................................... 3.33
Brake System Warning Light
.......................... 3.34
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
............. 3.35
Air
Bag
Off Light .......................................... 3-28
Voltmeter Gage
............................................ 3-33
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
..... ..... 3.36 Transmission Temperature
Gage
..................... 3.36
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
............................. 3.38
Oil Pressure Gage
........................................ 3-40
Cruise Control Light
...................................... 3.41
Tow/Haul Mode Light
.................................... 3-41
Fuel Gage
................................................... 3.42
Driver Information Center (DIC)
....................... 3.43
DIC Operation and Displays
........................... 3.43
DIC Warnings and Messages
......................... 3.53
Audio System(s)
............................................. 3.61
Setting the Time
...................... .......... 3.6 1
Radio with Cassette and CD ..... .............. 3.62
Rear Seat Audio (RSA)
............................. 3.76
CD Changer
................................................ 3-78
Theft-Deterrent Feature
................................. -3-81
Audio Steering Wheel Controls
....................... 3.81
Understanding Radio Reception
...................... 3-82
Care of Your Cassette Tape Player
................ -3-83
Care of Your CDs
......................................... 3.84
Care of Your CD Player
................................ 3.84
Fixed Mast Antenna
...................................... 3.84
XMTM Satellite Radio Antenna System
............. 3.84
DAB Radio Antenna System
........................... 3.84
Low Fuel Warning Light
................................. 3-42

Driver Information Center (DIC)
The DIC display is located on the instrument panel
cluster above the steering wheel. The DIC can display
information such as the trip odometer, fuel economy and
personalization features.
A (Trip Information): This button will display the
odometer, personal trip odometer, business trip
odometer, hourmeter, annual log and the timer.
B (Fuel Information): This button will display the
current range, average fuel economy, instant fuel
economy and engine oil life.
C (Personalization): This button will change personal
options available on your vehicle.
D (Select): This button resets certain functions and
turns
off or acknowledges messages on the DIC.
If your vehicle is not equipped with the DIC steering
wheel buttons you will not have all of the features listed
above, and you will turn off,
or acknowledge DIC
messages by using the trip odometer reset stem located
on the instrument panel cluster.
DIC Operation and Displays
The DIC comes on when the ignition is on. After a short
delay the DIC will display the current driver and the
information that was last displayed before the engine
was turned
off.
If a problem is detected, a warning message will appear
on the display. Pressing the select button will
acknowledge any current warning or service messages.
The DIC has different modes which can be accessed
by pressing the four buttons on the DIC. These buttons
are trip information, fuel information, personalization
and select. The button functions are detailed in
the following.
If your vehicle is not equipped with the DIC steering
wheel buttons not all of the features listed will be
available on your vehicle.
3-43

Fuel Information Button
Use the fuel information button to scroll through the
range, average fuel economy, instant fuel economy and
the GM
Oil Life SystemTM.
If your vehicle is not equipped with the DIC steering
wheel control buttons you will not be able to display the
fuel information.
Fuel Range
Press the fuel information button until RANGE appears
to display the remaining distance you can drive
without refueling. It’s based on fuel economy and the
fuel remaining in the tank. The display will show
LOW if
the fuel level is low.
The fuel economy data used to determine fuel range is
an average of recent driving conditions. As your
driving conditions change, this data is gradually updated.
Fuel range cannot be reset.
Average Fuel Economy
Press the fuel information button until AVG appears in
the display. Average fuel economy is how many
miles per gallon your vehicle is getting based on current
and past driving conditions.
Press and hold the select button while AVG.ECON is
displayed to reset the average fuel economy. Average
fuel economy will then
be calculated starting from
that point.
If the average fuel economy is not reset, it
will be continually updated each time you drive.
Instant Fuel Economy
Press the fuel information button until INST appears in
the display. Instant fuel economy is how many miles
per gallon your vehicle is at the particular moment
in time. The instant fuel economy cannot be reset.
GM Oil Life SystemTM
Press the fuel information button until ENGINE OIL LIFE
appears in the display. The GM
Oil Life SystemTM
shows an estimate of the oil’s remaining useful life. It
will show
100% when the system is reset after an
oil change. It will alert you
to change your oil on a
schedule consistent with your driving conditions.
Always reset the engine oil life after and oil change.
To
reset the Oil Life System press and hold the select
button while ENGINE
OIL LIFE is displayed.
The DIC does not replace the need to maintain your
vehicle as recommended in the Maintenance Schedule
in this manual. Also, the oil change reminder will not
detect dusty conditions or engine malfunctions that may
affect the oil. Also, the oil change reminder does not
measure how much
oil you have in your engine. So, be
sure to check your oil level often. See
Engine Oil on
page 5- 13.
3-46

CHANGE ENGINE OIL
This message is displayed when the engine oil needs to
be changed.
When you change the engine oil, be sure to reset the
CHANGE ENGINE
OIL message. See Engine Oil, When
to Change
under Engine Oil on page 5-13.
OIL LIFE RESET
This message will appear on the display for about 10
seconds after resetting the change engine oil message.
LOW COOLANT LEVEL
If the engine coolant level is low, this message will
appear on the DIC. Adding coolant will clear the
message.
ENGINE COOLANT HOT
If the cooling system temperature gets hot, this message
will appear in the DIC. Stop the vehicle and let the
engine idle in PARK (P) to allow the coolant to reach a
safe temperature. This message will clear when the
coolant temperature drops to safe operating
temperature.
ENGINE OVERHEATED
If the engine cooling system reaches unsafe
temperatures for operation, this message will appear in
the DIC and you will hear a chime. Stop and turn
off
3-54
the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so to avoid
severe damage. This message will clear when the
engine has cooled to a safe operating temperature.
OIL PRESSURE LOW
If low oil pressure levels occur, this message will be
displayed on the DIC and a chime will sound. Stop the
vehicle as soon as safely possible and do not operate
it until the cause of the low oil pressure has been
corrected. Check your oil as soon as possible and have
your vehicle serviced.
REDUCED ENGINE POWER
This message is displayed when the cooling system
temperature gets too hot and the engine further enters
the engine coolant protection mode.
See
Engine Overheating on page 5-27 for further
information.
BATTERY NOT CHARGING
if the battery is not charging during operation, this
message will appear on the DIC. Driving with this
problem could drain your battery. Have the electrical
system checked as soon as possible. Pressing the
select button will acknowledge this message and clear it
from the DIC display.

TRANSMISSION HOT
If the transmission fluid temperature becomes high, the
message center will display this message.
When the transmission enters the protection mode, you
may notice a change in the transmission shifting
patterns. When the transmission fluid temperature
returns to normal, the display will turn
off and the
transmission shifting patterns will return
to normal.
Nofice: If you keep driving your vehicle with the
transmission
TRANS FLUID HOT message
displayed, you can damage the transmission.
This
could lead to costly repairs that may not be covered
under your warranty. The
following situations can cause the transmission to
operate at higher temperatures:
Towing a trailer
Hot outside air temperatures
0 Hauling a large or heavy load
Low transmission fluid level
High transmission fluid level
transmission oil cooler.
0 Restricted air flow to the radiator and the auxiliary
A temporary solution to hotter transmission operating
temperatures may be to let the transmission
cool down.
If the transmission is operated at higher temperatures
on a frequent basis, see
Scheduled Maintenance
on page 6-5 for the proper transmission maintenance
intervals.
3-59

What Kind of Engine Oil to Use
Oils recommended for your vehicle can be identified by
looking for the starburst symbol.
This symbol indicates that the oil has been certified by
the American Petroleum Institute (API).
Do not use
any
oil which does not carry this starburst symbol.
If you choose to perform
the engine oil change
service yourself, be sure
the oil you use has the
starburst symbol on the
front
of the oil container.
If you have your oil
changed for you, be sure
the oil put into your engine
is American Petroleum
Institute certified for
gasoline engines.
You should also use the proper viscosity oil for your
vehicle, as shown in the viscosity chart.
I RECOMMENDED SAE VISCOSITI 6RADE ENGINE OILS I
HOT
WEATHER
/7 "F OC'
+loo- - +38
+BO--+27
i.60--+16
+40- - +4
t20 - - -7
0---18 I
COLD
WEATHER
LOOK
FOR MIS j
SYMBOL '
ACCEPTABLE r IF 5W-30 IS NOT -30 AVAILABLE
RECOMMENDED
DO NOT USE SAE
IOW-40, SAE 20W-50 OR ANY OTHER
MSCOSIWGRADE OIL NOT RECOMMENDED
5-1 6

As in the chart shown previously, SAE 5W-30 is the
only viscosity grade recommended for your vehicle.
You should look for and use only oils which have the
API Starburst symbol and which are also identified
as SAE 5W-30. If you cannot find such SAE 5W-30 oils,
you can use an SAE IOW-30 oil which has the API
Starburst symbol,
if it's going to be 0°F (-18°C)
or above. Do not use other viscosity grade oils, such as
SAE 1OW-40 or SAE 20W-50 under any conditions.
Notice: Use only engine oil with the American
Petroleum Institute Certified For Gasoline Engines
starburst symbol. Failure to use the recommended
oil can result in engine damage not covered by
your warranty.
GM Goodwrench@ oil meets all the requirements for
your vehicle.
If you are in an area of extreme cold, where the
temperature falls below -20°F
(-29"C), it is
recommended that you use either an SAE 5W-30
synthetic oil or an SAE OW-30 oil. Both will provide
easier cold starting and better protection for your engine
at extremely
low temperatures.
Engine Oil Additives
Don't add anything to your oil. The recommended oils
with the starburst symbol are all you will need for
good performance and engine protection.
When to Change Engine Oil
(GM Oil Life SystemTM)
Your vehicle has a computer system that lets you know
when to change the engine
oil and filter. This is based on
engine revolutions and engine temperature, and not on
mileage. Based on driving conditions, the mileage
at which an oil change will be indicated can vary
considerably. For the oil life system to work properly,
you must reset the system every time the oil is changed.
When the system has calculated that oil life has been
diminished, it will indicate that an oil change is necessary.
A CHANGE ENGINE
OIL SOON message will come on.
Change your oil as soon as possible within the next two
times you stop for fuel. It is possible that,
if you are driving
under the best conditions, the oil life system may not
indicate that an oil change is necessary for over a year.
However, your engine oil and filter must be changed at
least once a year and at this time the system must be
reset. It is also important to check your oil regularly and
keep it at the proper level.
If the system is ever reset accidentally, you must
change your oil at 3,000 miles (5
000 km) since your
last oil change. Remember to reset the oil life system
whenever the oil is changed.
5-1 7

How to Reset the CHANGE ENGINE OIL
Message
The GM Oil Life SystemTM calculates when to change
your engine oil and filter based on vehicle use.
Anytime your oil is changed, reset the system
so it can
calculate when the next oil change is required. If a
situation occurs where you can change your oil prior to
a CHANGE ENGINE
OIL message being turned on,
reset the system.
To reset the CHANGE ENGINE OIL message,
do the
following:
1. Turn the ignition key to RUN with the engine off.
2. Fully press and release the accelerator pedal three
times within five seconds.
If the CHANGE ENGINE OIL message flashes for five
seconds, the system is reset. If the system will not reset,
try the procedure again.
If the system still does not
reset, see your dealer for service.
What to Do with Used Oil
Used engine oil contains certain elements that may be
unhealthy for your skin and could even cause cancer.
Don’t let used oil stay on your skin for very long. Clean
your skin and nails with soap and water, or a good
hand cleaner. Wash or properly dispose of clothing or
rags containing used engine oil. See the manufacturer’s
warnings about the use and disposal of oil products.
Used oil can be a threat to the environment. If you
change your own oil, be sure to drain all the oil from the
filter before disposal. Never dispose of oil by putting it
in the trash, pouring it on the ground, into sewers,
or into streams or bodies of water. Instead, recycle it
by taking it to a place that collects used oil. If you have
a problem properly disposing of your used oil, ask
your dealer, a service station or a local recycling center
for help.
5-1 8

Automatic Transmission Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transmission fluid
level
is when the engine oil is changed.
Change both the fluid and filter every
50,000 miles
(83
000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or
more
of these conditions:
In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
regularly reaches 90°F (32°C) or higher.
In hilly or mountainous terrain.
When doing frequent trailer towing.
Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, change the fluid and filter every
100,000 miles (1 66 000 km).
See
Part A: Scheduled Maintenance Services on
page
6-4.
service.
How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may
choose to have this done at the dealership service
department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the instructions
here, or you could get a false reading on the dipstick.
Notice: Too much or too little fluid can damage
your transmission. Too much can mean that some
of the fluid could come out and fall on hot engine
part
or exhaust system parts, starting a fire.
Too little fluid could cause the transmission to overheat. Be sure to get an accurate reading if you
check your transmission fluid.
Wait at least
30 minutes before checking the
transmission fluid level
if you have been driving:
0 When outside temperatures are above 90°F (32°C).
At high speed for quite a while.
In heavy traffic - especially in hot weather.
While pulling a trailer.
To get the right reading, the fluid should be at normal
operating temperature, which is 180°F
to 200°F
(82°C to 93°C).
5-2
1

Engine Coolant
The cooling system in your vehicle is filled with
DEX-COOL@ engine coolant. This coolant is designed
to remain in your vehicle for 5 years or 150,000 miles
(240
000 km), whichever occurs first, if you add only
DEX-COOL@ extended life coolant.
The following explains your cooling system and how to
add coolant when
it is low. If you have a problem
with engine overheating, see
Engine Overheating on
page
5-27.
A 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX-COOL@ coolant will:
Give freezing protection down to -34°F ( -37°C).
Give boiling protection up to 265°F (129°C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine temperature.
Notice: When adding coolant, it is important that
you use only
DEX-COOL@ (silicate-free) coolant.
If coolant other than DEX-COOL@ is added to
the system, premature engine, heater core or
radiator corrosion may result.
In addition, the engine
coolant
will require change sooner -- at 30,000 miles
(50,000 km) or 24 months, whichever occurs first.
Damage caused by the use
of coolant other
than DEX-COOL@ is not covered by your new
vehicle warranty.
Let the warning lights and gages work as they
should.
5-24