oil level GMC SIERRA DENALI 2003 Owners Manual

See Driver Information Center (DIC) on page 3-43 for
further information.
If the transmission fluid reaches temperatures of
approximately 275°F
(1 35°C) or greater, the Driver
Information Center wiil display a
TRANS HOT IDLE
ENG warning message. Pull the vehicle off the roadway
when it
is safe to do so. Set the parking brake, place
the transmission in PARK
(P) and allow the engine
to idle until the transmission temperature falls below
260°F (1 27°C). If the transmission continues to operate
above
265°F (13O"C), contact your nearest dealer or
the
GM Roadside Assistance Center. See Roadside
Assistance Program
on page 7-5.
Notices If you keep driving your vehicle with the
transmission temperature gage above the normal
operating range, 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:
0 Towing a trailer
0 Hot outside air temperatures
0 Hauling a large or heavy load
0 Low transmission fluid level
High transmission fluid level
0 Restricted air flow to the radiator and the auxiliary
transmission oil cooler
(if equipped).
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.
3-37

A reading in the low pressure zone may be caused by a
dangerously low oil level or some other problem
causing
low oil pressure. Check your oil as soon as
possible. See
DIC Warnings and Messages on
page 3-53
and ‘vgine Oil on page 5-13.
Don’t keep driving if the oil pressure is low. If
you do, your engine can become
so hot that it
catches fire. You or others could be burned.
Check your oil as soon as possible and have
your vehicle serviced.
Notice: Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and is not covered by
your warranty.
Cruise Control Light
The cruise light comes on
whenever you set your
cruise control. See “Cruise
Control” under
Turn
SignaVMultifunction Lever
on page 3-5.
Tow/HauI Mode Light
This light is displayed
when the tow/haul mode
has been activated.
For more information, see
Towing a Trailer on
page 4-5
I.
3-41

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.

FUEL LEVEL LOW
If the fuel level is low, this message will appear on the
DIC and you will hear a chime. Refuel as soon as
possible. Pressing the select button will acknowledge
this message and clear it from the DIC display.
CHECK OIL LEVEL
If the oil level in the vehicle is low, this message will
appear on the DIC. Check and oil level and correct it as
necessary. You may need
to let the vehicle cool or
warm up and cycle the ignition to be sure this message
will clear. Once the problem is corrected, pressing
the select button will clear this message from the DIC
display.
CHECK WASHER FLUID
If the washer fluid level is low, this message will appear
on the DIC. Adding washer fluid will clear the message.
Pressing the select button will acknowledge this
message and clear it from the DIC display.
SERVICE 4 WHEEL STEER
If a problem occurs with the 4 wheel steer system, this
message will appear on the DIC. If this message
appears, stop as soon as possible and turn
off the
vehicle. Restart the vehicle and check for the message
on the DIC display.
If the message is still displayed,
or appears again when you begin driving, the four wheel
steer system needs service.
TRACTION ACTIVE
When the traction control system had detected that any
of the vehicle’s wheels are slipping, the traction
control system will activate and this message will appear
on the DIC. For more information see “Traction Assist”
in the Index.
3-58

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

Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable following distance. Expect to
move slightly slower at night.
When you want
to leave the freeway, move to the
proper lane well in advance.
If you miss your exit, do
not, under any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive
on to the next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
The exit speed is usually posted.
Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not
to your sense of motion. After driving for any distance
at higher speeds, you may tend
to think you are
going slower than you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must start when you’re not fresh
- such as after a day’s
work
- don’t plan to make too many miles that first
part of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes
you can easily drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it’s ready to go. If it needs
service, have it done before starting out.
Of course,
you’ll find experienced and able service experts
in dealerships all across North America. They’ll be
ready and willing to help
if you need it.
Here are some things you can check before a trip:
e
e e
e
e
e
e
Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservior full? Are
all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked
all levels?
Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
Tires: They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip.
Is the tread good enough for
long-distance driving? Are the tires all inflated to the
recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts: What’s the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay your trip a
short time to avoid a major storm system?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
4-35

Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade.
If you don’t shift
down, you might have to use your brakes
so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
You can tow in DRIVE
(5). You may want to shift the
transmission to THIRD
(3) or, if necessary, a lower gear
selection
if the transmission shifts too often (e.g.,
under heavy loads and/or hilly conditions).
You may also want to activate the tow/haul mode
if the
transmission shifts too often. See “Tow/Haul Mode”
earlier in this section.
When towing at high altitude on steep uphill grades,
consider the following: Engine coolant will boil at a lower
temperature than at normal altitudes.
If you turn your
engine
off immediately after towing at high altitude
on steep uphill grades, your vehicle may show signs
similar
to engine overheating. To avoid this, let the
engine run while parked (preferably on level ground)
with the automatic transmission in PARK (P) for a
few minutes before turning the engine
off. If you do get
the overheat warning, see
Engine Overheating on
page
5-27.
Parking on Hills
m
You really should not park your vehicle, with a
trailer attached, on a hill.
If something goes
wrong, your rig could start to move. People
can be injured, and both your vehicle and the
trailer can be damaged.
But
if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
PARK
(P) yet.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer
wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your
parking brake and shift into PARK (P).
5. Release the regular brakes.
4-58

A. Engine Air CleanedFilter
B. Coolant Surge Tank
C. Air CleanerlFilter Restriction Indicator
B. Engine Oil Dipstick
E. Engine Oil Fill Cap
F. Automatic Transmission Dipstick
G. Fan
H. Remote Negative
(-) Terminal (GND)
I. Remote Positive (+) Terminal
J. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
K. Brake Fluid Reservoir
L. Underhood Fuse Block
M. Battery
N. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir
Engine Oil
If the CHECK ENG OIL LEVEL message appears on
the instrument cluster, it means you need to check your
engine
oil level right away.
For more information, see “CHECK ENG
OIL LEVEL”
under
DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-53.
You should check your engine oil level regularly; this is
an added reminder.
5-1 3

Checking Engine Oil
It’s a good idea to check your engine oil every time you
get fuel. In order to get an accurate reading, the oil
must be warm and the vehicle must be on level ground.
The engine oil dipstick has
a yellow looped handle
and is located on the
passenger’s side of the
vehicle. See
Engine
Compartment
Overview
on page 5- 12 for more
information on location. Turn
off the
engine and give the oil several minutes to
drain back into the oil pan.
If you don’t, the oil dipstick
might not show the actual level.
Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel or
cloth, then push it back in all the way. Remove it again,
keeping the tip down, and check the level.
5-1 4