check oil GMC SIERRA DENALI 2010 User Guide

Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another country outside the
United States or Canada, the proper fuel might be hard
to find. Never use leaded gasoline or any other fuel not
recommended in the previous text on fuel. Costly
repairs caused by use of improper fuel would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
To check the fuel availability, ask an auto club,
or contact a major oil company that does business in
the country where you will be driving.
Filling the Tank
{WARNING:
Fuel vapor burns violently and a fuel fire can
cause bad injuries. To help avoid injuries to you
and others, read and follow all the instructions on
the fuel pump island. Turn off the engine when
refueling. Do not smoke near fuel or when
refueling the vehicle. Do not use cellular phones.
Keep sparks, flames, and smoking materials away
from fuel. Do not leave the fuel pump unattended
when refueling the vehicle. This is against the law
in some places. Do not re-enter the vehicle while
pumping fuel. Keep children away from the fuel
pump; never let children pump fuel.
6-10

Checking Things Under
the Hood
{WARNING:
An electric fan under the hood can start up and
injure you even when the engine is not running.
Keep hands, clothing, and tools away from any
underhood electric fan.
{WARNING:
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts and
start a fire. These include liquids like fuel, oil,
coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer and other
fluids, and plastic or rubber. You or others could
be burned. Be careful not to drop or spill things
that will burn onto a hot engine.
Hood Release
To open the hood:
1. Pull the handle withthis symbol on it. It is
located inside the
vehicle to the left of the
brake pedal.
6-14

A.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on page 6‑22.
B. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling System on page 6‑28.
C. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. See Jump Starting
on page 6‑44.
D. Battery on page 6‑43.
E. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine Oil”
under Engine Oil on page 6‑18.
F. Automatic Transmission Dipstick (Out of View). See “Checking the Fluid Level” underAutomatic
Transmission Fluid on page 6‑24.
G. Remote Negative (−) Terminal (GND) (Out of View). See Jump Starting on page 6‑44. H. Engine Oil Dipstick (Out of View). See
“Checking
Engine Oil” underEngine Oil on page 6‑18.
I. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling
System on page 6‑28.
J. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir (Out of View). See Power Steering Fluid on page 6‑38.
K. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See “Brake
Fluid” under Brakes on page 6‑40.
L. Underhood Fuse Block on page 6‑118.
M. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding
Washer Fluid” underWindshield Washer Fluid
on
page 6‑39.
6-17

Engine Oil
Checking Engine Oil
It is a good idea to check the engine oil level at each
fuel fill. In order to get an accurate reading, the oil must
be warm and the vehicle must be on level ground.
The engine oil dipstick handle is a yellow loop. See
Engine Compartment Overview
on page 6‑16for the
location of the engine oil dipstick.
1. Turn off the engine and give the oil several minutes to drain back into the oil pan. If this is not done, the
oil dipstick might not show the actual level.
2. 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.
When to Add Engine Oil
If the oil is below the cross-hatched area at the tip of
the dipstick, add at least one quart/liter of the
recommended oil. This section explains what kind of oil
to use. For engine oil crankcase capacity, see
Capacities and Specifications on page 6‑122.
Notice: Do not add too much oil. If the engine has
so much oil that the oil level gets above the
cross-hatched area that shows the proper operating
range, the engine could be damaged.
6-18

Engine Oil Additives / Engine Oil
Flushes
Do not add anything to the oil. The recommended oils
with the starburst symbol that meet GM Standard
GM6094M are all that is needed for good performance
and engine protection.
Engine oil system flushes are not recommended and
could cause engine damage not covered by the vehicle
warranty.
Engine Oil Life System
When to Change Engine Oil
This vehicle has a computer system that indicates 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 is indicated can vary considerably.
For the oil life system to work properly, the system must
be reset every time the oil is changed.
On some vehicles, when the system has calculated that
oil life has been diminished, a CHANGE ENGINE OIL
SOON message comes on to indicate that an oil
change is necessary. SeeDIC Warnings and Messages
on page 4‑57. Change the oil as soon as possible
within the next 1 000 km (600 miles). It is possible that,
if driving under the best conditions, the oil life system might not indicate that an oil change is necessary for
over a year. However, the engine oil and filter must be
changed at least once a year and at this time the
system must be reset. For vehicles without the
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON message, An oil change
is needed when the OIL LIFE REMAINING percentage
is near 0%. Your dealer/retailer has trained service
people who will perform this work using genuine parts
and reset the system. It is also important to check the
oil regularly and keep it at the proper level.
If the system is ever reset accidentally, the oil must be
changed at 5 000 km (3,000 miles) since the last oil
change. Remember to reset the oil life system
whenever the oil is changed.
How to Reset the Engine Oil Life
System
The Engine Oil Life System calculates when to change
the engine oil and filter based on vehicle use.
Whenever the oil is changed, reset the system so it can
calculate when the next oil change is required. If a
situation occurs where the oil is changed prior to a
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON message coming on,
reset the system.
6-20

Checking Coolant
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 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 coolant level should be at or above the FULL
COLD mark. If it is not, you may have a leak in the
cooling system.
6-31

Checking Brake Fluid
Check brake fluid by looking at the brake fluid reservoir.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview on page 6‑16.
The fluid level should be
above MIN. If it is not,
have the brake hydraulic
system checked to see if
there is a leak.
After work is done on the brake hydraulic system, make
sure the level is above the MIN but not over the
MAX mark.
What to Add
Use only new DOT 3 brake fluid from a sealed
container. See Recommended Fluids and Lubricantson
page 7‑11. Always clean the brake fluid reservoir cap and the area
around the cap before removing it. This helps keep dirt
from entering the reservoir.
{WARNING:
With the wrong kind of fluid in the brake hydraulic
system, the brakes might not work well. This could
cause a crash. Always use the proper brake fluid.
Notice:
.Using the wrong fluid can badly damage
brake hydraulic system parts. For example,
just a few drops of mineral-based oil, such
as engine oil, in the brake hydraulic system
can damage brake hydraulic system parts so
badly that they will have to be replaced. Do
not let someone put in the wrong kind of
fluid.
.If brake fluid is spilled on the vehicle's
painted surfaces, the paint finish can be
damaged. Be careful not to spill brake fluid
on the vehicle. If you do, wash it off
immediately. See Washing Your Vehicle
on
page 6‑108
.
6-41

Capacities and Specifications
The following approximate capacities are given in English and metric conversions. SeeRecommended Fluids and
Lubricantson page 7‑11for more information.
Application Capacities
English Metric
Air Conditioning Refrigerant For the air conditioning system refrigerant charge
amount, see the refrigerant caution label located under
the hood. See your dealer/retailer for more information.
Cooling System 16.8 qt15.9 L
Engine Oil with Filter 6.0 qt†5.7 L†
Fuel Tank 26.0 gal98.4 L
Transmission Fluid (Pan Removal and Filter Replacement) 6.0 qt5.7 L
Transfer Case Fluid 1.5 qt1.4 L
Wheel Nut Torque 140 lbft190Y
All capacities are approximate. When adding, be sure to fill to the approximate level, as recommended in this manual.
Recheck fluid after filling.
†Oil filter should be changed at every oil change.
Engine Specifications
Engine VIN CodeTransmission Spark Plug Gap
6.2L V8 2Automatic 0.040 in (1.01 mm)
6-122

Rotation of New Tires
To maintain ride, handling, and performance of the
vehicle, it is important that the first rotation service for
new tires be performed when they have 8 000 to
13 000 km (5,000 to 8,000 miles). SeeTire Inspection
and Rotation on page 6‑78.
Scheduled Maintenance
When the Change Engine Oil Soon
Message Displays
Change engine oil and filter. See Engine Oilon
page 6‑18. An Emission Control Service.
When the Change Engine Oil Soon message displays,
service is required for the vehicle as soon as possible,
within the next 1 000 km/600 miles. If driving under the
best conditions, the engine oil life system might not
indicate the need for vehicle service for more than a
year. The engine oil and filter must be changed at least
once a year and the oil life system must be reset. Your
dealer/retailer has trained service technicians who will
perform this work and reset the system. If the engine oil
life system is reset accidentally, service the vehicle
within 5 000 km/3,000 miles since the last service. Reset
the oil life system whenever the oil is changed. See
Engine Oil Life System on page 6‑20. When the Change Engine Oil Soon message displays,
certain services, checks, and inspections are required.
The services described for Maintenance
Ishould 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 6‑29.
.Windshield washer fluid level check. See
Windshield Washer Fluid on page 6‑39.
.Tire inflation check. SeeInflation - Tire Pressureon page 6‑71.
.Tire wear inspection. See Tire Inspection and
Rotation on page 6‑78.
.Rotate tires. See Tire Inspection and Rotationon
page 6‑78.
7-3

Additional Required Services
At Each Fuel Stop
.Engine oil level check. SeeEngine Oilon
page 6‑18.
.Engine coolant level check. See Engine Coolanton page 6‑29.
.Windshield washer fluid level check. See
Windshield Washer Fluid on page 6‑39.
Once a Month
.Tire inflation check. SeeInflation - Tire Pressureon page 6‑71.
.Tire wear inspection. See Tire Inspection and
Rotation on page 6‑78.
Once a Year
.Starter switch check. See Owner Checks and
Services on page 7‑9.
.Parking brake and automatic transmission P (Park)
mechanism check. See Owner Checks and
Services on page 7‑9.
.Automatic transmission shiftlock control system
check. See Owner Checks and Serviceson
page 7‑9.
.Ignition transmission lock check. See Owner
Checks and Services on page 7‑9.
.Engine cooling system and pressure cap pressure
check. Radiator and air conditioning condenser
outside cleaning. See Cooling System
on
page 6‑28.
.Exhaust system and nearby heat shields
inspection for loose or damaged components.
.Accelerator pedal check for damage, high effort,
or binding. Replace if needed.
7-5