coolant temperature GMC SIERRA DENALI 2010 User Guide

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.
.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 7‑11for more information.
6-30

4. With the coolant surge tank pressure cap off, startthe engine and let it run until you can feel the
upper radiator hose getting hot. Watch out for the
engine cooling fan.
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
The vehicle has several indicators to warn of engine
overheating.
There is a coolant temperature gage on your vehicle's
instrument panel. See Engine Coolant Temperature
Gage on page 4‑37.
In addition, ENGINE OVERHEATED STOP ENGINE,
ENGINE OVERHEATED IDLE ENGINE, and a ENGINE
POWER IS REDUCED message comes on in the Driver
Information Center (DIC) on the instrument panel. See
DIC Warnings and Messages on page 4‑57.
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 an engine overheat warning is displayed but no steam
can be 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. SeeTowing a Trailer on page 5‑42.
If the overheat warning is displayed with no sign of
steam: 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. In heavy traffic, let the engine idle in N (Neutral) while stopped. If it is safe to do so, pull off the
road, shift to P (Park) or N (Neutral) and let the
engine idle. 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
three 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.
6-36

Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode
If an overheated engine condition exists and the
ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED 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.
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
The vehicle has electric cooling fans. You might hear
the fans spinning at low speed during most everyday
driving. The fans can 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 can change to high speed
and you might hear an increase in fan noise. This is
normal and indicates that the cooling system is
functioning properly. The fans change to low speed
when additional cooling is no longer required.
6-37

Windshield Washer Fluid
What to Use
When windshield washer fluid needs to be added, be
sure to read the manufacturer's instructions before use.
Use a fluid that has sufficient protection against freezing
in an area where the temperature may fall below
freezing.
Adding Washer Fluid
The vehicle has a low washer fluid message in the DIC
that comes on when the washer fluid is low. The
message is displayed for 15 seconds at the start of
each ignition cycle. When the WASHER FLUID LOW
ADD FLUID message displays, you will need to add
washer fluid to the windshield washer fluid reservoir.
Open the cap with the
washer symbol on it. Add
washer fluid until the tank
is full. SeeEngine
Compartment Overview
on page 6‑16for
reservoir location. Notice:
.When using concentrated washer fluid,
follow the manufacturer's instructions for
adding water.
.Do not mix water with ready-to-use washer
fluid. Water can cause the solution to freeze
and damage the washer fluid tank and other
parts of the washer system. Also, water does
not clean as well as washer fluid.
.Fill the washer fluid tank only three-quarters
full when it is very cold. This allows for fluid
expansion if freezing occurs, which could
damage the tank if it is completely full.
.Do not use engine coolant (antifreeze) in the
windshield washer. It can damage the
vehicle's windshield washer system and
paint.
6-39

Climate Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-17, 4-20Outlet Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-27
Climate Control Systems Dual Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-21
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
Clock, Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-77
Collision Damage Repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-13
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-55
Content Theft-Deterrent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-18
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5-3
Coolant Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-29
Engine Temperature Gage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-37
Cooled Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-5
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-28
Courtesy Transportation Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-11
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-7 Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-42
Cupholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-57
Customer Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8-6 Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Text Telephone (TTY) Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Customer Information Service Publications Ordering Information . . . . . . . . 8-17
Customer Satisfaction Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8-2D
Damage Repair, Collision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-13
Data Recorders, Event . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-19
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5-2
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
DIC Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-55
Disc, MP3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-99, 4-106
Doing Your Own Service Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-5
Dome Lamp Override . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-14
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-13
Door
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Power Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Programmable Automatic Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Rear Door Security Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12
Rear Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13
Drive Systems All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-49
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-44 DIC Operation and Displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-44, 4-48
DIC Vehicle Customization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-67
DIC Warnings and Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-57
i - 4

Engine (cont.)Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-29
Coolant Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
Coolant Temperature Gage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-37
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-28
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-14
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-37
Fan Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-37
Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-18
Overheated Protection Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . 6-37
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-34
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-20
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-14
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-19
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-14
Extender, Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-32
Exterior Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10F
Features Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
Filter Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-22
Finish Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-112
Fixed Mast Antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-140
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-5
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-3
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-85
Flat Tire, Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-86
Flat Tire, Storing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-100
Fluid Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-24
Power Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-38
Windshield Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-39
Fog Lamps Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-13
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-42
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-51
i - 6

Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-6Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
California Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-13
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10
Gage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-43
Gasoline Octane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Management, Active . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-27
Fuel Economy Driving for Better . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-26
Fuses Center Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-117
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-114
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-115
Underhood Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-118
Windshield Wiper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-114G
GagesEngine Coolant Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-37
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-43
Oil Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-40
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-29
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-29
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-29
Voltmeter Gage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-33
Garage Door Opener . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-51
Gasoline Octane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-57
GM Mobility Reimbursement Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8-7
H
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-55
Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-3
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-2
i - 7