2003 GMC SIERRA DENALI oil temperature

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

Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap
The coolant surge tank
pressure cap must be fully
installed on the coolant
surge tank.
Nofice: Your pressure cap is a pressure-type cap
and must be tightly installed to prevent coolant loss
and possible engine damage from overheating. See “Capacities and Specifications” for more
information.
Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage on your
vehicle’s instrument panel. See
Engine Coolant
Temperature Gage
on page 3-36. In addition, you will
find a LOW COOLANT, ENGINE OVERHEATED and a
REDUCED ENGINE POWER message in the DIC on
the instrument panel. See
Driver lnformation Center
(DIC)
on page 3-43.
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode
If an overheated engine condition exists and the
REDUCED ENGINE POWER 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 your 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.
Nofice: 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” in the Index.
5-27

Scheduled Maintenance
The services shown in this schedule up to 100,000 miles
(1 66 000 km) should be repeated after 100,000 miles
(1 66 000 km) at the same intervals for the life of
this vehicle. The services shown at
150,000 miles
(240
000 km) and 200,000 miles (332 000 km) should
be repeated at the same intervals after 150,000 miles
(240
000 km) and 200,000 miles (332 000 km) for the life
of this vehicle.
See
Part B: Owner Checks and Services on page 6-10
and Part C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections on
page
6- 14.
Footnotes
t The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or the
California Air Resources Board has determined that the
failure to perform this maintenance item will not nullify
the emission warranty or limit recall liability prior to
the completion of the vehicle
's useful life. We, however,
urge that all recommended maintenance services be
performed at the indicated intervals and the
maintenance be recorded.
+ A good time to check your brakes is during tire
rotation. See Brake System Inspection on page
6-15.
Engine Oil and Chassis Lubrication
Scheduled Maintenance
Change engine oil and filter as indicated by the GM
Oil Life SystemTM (or every 12 months, whichever
occurs first). Reset the system.
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 message will
come on. Change your oil as soon as possible within
the next two times you stop for fuel. It is possible that,
it
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.
6-5

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. See
Engine Oil on
page 5-73
for information on resetting the system.
An Emission Control Service.
Lubricate chassis components with each engine oil
and filter change.
Lubricate the front suspension, ball joints, steering
linkage, transmission shift linkage, transfer case shift
linkage and parking brake cable guides. Ball joints
should not be lubricated unless their temperature is
10°F (-12°C) or higher or they could be damaged.
After the services are performed, record the date,
odometer reading and who performed the service on the
maintenance record pages in Part
E of this schedule.
7,500 Miles (12 500 km)
0 Check readfront axle fluid level and add fluid as
needed. Check constant velocity joints and axle seals
for leaking.
page 5-62 for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.
(See footnote +.)
0 Rotate tires. See Tire Inspection and Rotation on
15,000 Miles (25 000 km)
0 Inspect engine air cleaner filter if you are driving in
dusty conditions. Replace filter
if necessary. An
Emission Control Service. (See footnote
t.)
0 Check readfront axle fluid level and add fluid as
needed. Check constant velocity joints and axle seals
for leaking.
0 Rotate tires. See Tire Inspection and Rotation on
page 5-62
for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.
(See footnote +.)
6-6

Driving Through Flowing Water ..................... 4-32
Driving with a Trailer
....................................... 4-56
Dual Automatic Climate Control System
.......... 3-18
E
Easy Exit Seat .................... .... 2-43
Electrical System
Add-on Equipment
...................................... 5-95
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
........................... 5-95
Power Windows and Other Power Options
...... 5-95
Windshield Wiper Fuses
............................... 5-95
Electrochromic Mirror Operation
........................ 2-28
Maintenance Programs
................................. 3-40
Air CleanedFilter
......................................... 5-1 9
Battery
....................................................... 5-42
Check and Service Engine Soon Light
............ 3-38
Coolant
...................................................... 5-24
Coolant Heater
............................................ 2-17
Coolant Temperature Gage
........................ 3-36
Cooling System Inspection
......................... 6-14
Engine Compartment Overview
...................... 5-1 2
Exhaust
..................................................... 2-26
Fan Noise
.................................................. 5-36
Oil
............................................................. 5-13
Overheating
................................................ 5-27
Starting
...................................................... 2-1 6
Emissions
Inspection and
Engine ENGINE COOLANT HOT
................................. 3-54
Engine Coolant Level Check
............................. 6-10
Engine Hour Meter Display
............................... 3-26
Engine
Oil and Chassis Lubrication Scheduled
Engine
Oil Additives
........................................ 5-17
Engine Oil Level Check
................................... 6-10
Entry Lighting
......................... ............. 3-15
Maintenance
................................................. 6-5
ENGINE OVERHEATED
.................................. 3-54
Erasing HomeLink@ Buttons
...... ......... 2-38
Exit Lighting
............................... ............. 3-15
Express-Down Windows
................................... 2-11
Extender, Safety Belt
....................................... 1-29
Exterior Lamps
............................................... 3-11
F
FabridCarpet ................................................. 5-87
Engine Air Cleaner
...................................... 5-19
Filter
Finding
a PTY Station
(RDS, XMTM and DAB)
................................. 3-67
Finding a Station
............................................ 3-64
Finish Care
.................................................... 5-89
Finish Damage
............................................... 5-91
Fixed Mast Antenna
........................................ 3-84
Flash-To-Pass Feature
....................................... 3-6
Flat Tire
........................................................ 5-68
Flat Tire, Changing
......................................... 5-69

Fluid Automatic Transmission
................................ 5-21
Power Steering
........................................... 5-37
Windshield Washer
...................................... 5-38
FM Stereo
..................................................... 3-82
Fog Lamps
.................................................... 3-14
Folding the Rear Seat
....................................... 1-7
Following Distance
.......................................... 4-57
Footnotes
........................................................ 6-5
Front Axle
...................................................... 5-51
Front Reading Lamps
...................................... 3-15
Fuel
............................................................... 5-5
Additives ...................................................... 5-6
California Fuel
.............................................. 5-6
Filling a Portable Fuel Container
..................... 5-9
Filling Your Tank
........................................... 5-7
Fuels in Foreign Countries .............................. 5-7
Gage ......................................................... 3-42
Gasoline Octane
........................................... 5-5
Gasoline Specifications .................................. 5-5
Low Warning Light ....................................... 3-42
System Inspection
....................................... 6-14
Fuel Information Button
.................................... 3-46
FUEL LEVEL LOW
......................................... 3-58
Fuses Fuses and Circuit Breakers
........................... 5-95
Windshield Wiper ......................................... 5-95
G
Gage
Engine Coolant Temperature
......................... 3-36
Fuel
.......................................................... 3-42
Oil Pressure
........................................... 3-40
Speedometer
.......................................... 3-26
Tachometer
................................................. 3-26
Transmission Temperature
............................. 3-36
Voltmeter Gage
........................................... 3-33
Garage Door Opener
....................................... 2-35
Gasoline
Octane
.................................................... 5-5
Specifications
............................................... 5-5
Glass Surfaces ............................................... 5-88
Glove Box
..................................................... 2-39
GM Mobility Program for Persons with
Disabilities
.................................................... 7-5
Gate
Operator and Canadian Programming
........ 2-37
Hazard Warning Flashers
............................... 3-3
Head Restraints
............................................... 1-6
Headlamp High/Low Beam Changer
.................... 3-6
Headlamps
.................................................... 5-52
Bulb Replacement
....................................... 5-52
Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker and Daytime
Running Lamps
........................................ 5-53

M
Maintenance. Normal Replacement Parts .......... 5-1 05
Maintenance Schedule
At Each Fuel Fi!!
......................................... 6-10
At Least Once a Month ................................ 6-10
At Least Once a Year
.................................. 6-1 1
At Least Twice a Year .................................. 6-1 1
Brake System Inspection
.............................. 6-15
Engine Cooling System Inspection
................. 6-14
Exhaust System Inspection
........................... 6-1 4
How This Section is Organized
....................... 6-3
Introduction
.................................................. 6-2
Maintenance Requirements
............................. 6-2
Part
A - Scheduled Maintenance Services ......... 6-4
Part
B - Owner Checks and Services ............. 6-10
Part C
- Periodic Maintenance Inspections ...... 6-1 4
Part D
- Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants
............................................... 6-1 6
Part E
- Maintenance Record ........................ 6-1 8
Scheduled Maintenance
................................. 6-5
Steering and Suspension Inspection
............... 6-14
Your Vehicle and the Environment
................... 6-2
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
..................... 4-59
Fuel
System Inspection
................................ 6-14
Using Your
................................................... 6-4
Making Turns
................................................. 4-57
Malfunction Indicator Light
................................ 3-38
Matching Transmitter(s) to Your Vehicle
............... 2-5
Memory Seat ................................................. 2-42
..... 3-53
Message
DIC Warnings and Messages ...............
Mexico. Central America and Caribbean
Islands/Countries (Except Puerto Rico
and
U.S. Virgin Islands) ................................. 7-4
Mirrors Automatic Dimming Rearview with Onstar@,
Compass and Temperature Display
............. 2-28
Outside Automatic Dimming Mirror
................. 2-31
Outside Convex Mirror
................................. 2-32
Outside Curb View Assist Mirrors
................... 2-32
Outside Heated Mirrors
............... ......... 2-32
Outside Power Foldaway Mirrors
.................... 2-31
Outside Power Mirrors
.................................. 2-31
MyGMLink.com
................................................ 7-3
New Vehicle Break-In
.........................
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts ....
..... 2-15
.... 5-105
Odometer ...................................................... 3-26
Off-Road Recovery
.......................................... 4-13
Oil Engine
....................................................... 5-13
Pressure Gage
............................................ 3-40
OIL LIFE RESET
............................................ 3-54
9