2003 GMC YUKON engine coolant

Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap
SeeEngine Compartment
Overview on page 5-12for
more information on
location.
The coolant surge tank pressure cap must be fully
installed on the coolant surge tank.
Notice: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 Specications”for more
information.
Engine Overheating
You willfind a coolant temperature gage on your
vehicle’s instrument panel. SeeEngine Coolant
Temperature Gage on page 3-46. In addition, you will
find a LOW COOLANT LEVEL, ENGINE OVERHEATED
and a REDUCED ENGINE POWER message in the
DIC on the instrument panel. SeeDriver Information
Center (DIC) on page 3-53.
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode (V8 Engines Only)
If an overheated engine condition exists and the
REDUCED ENGINE POWER message is displayed, an
overheat protection mode which alternatesfiring
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.
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”in the Index.
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If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
{CAUTION:
Steam from an overheated engine can burn
you badly, even if you just open the hood. Stay
away from the engine if you see or hear steam
coming from it. Just turn it off and get
everyone away from the vehicle until it cools
down. Wait until there is no sign of steam or
coolant before you open the hood.
If you keep driving when your engine is
overheated, the liquids in it can catchre. You
or others could be badly burned. Stop your
engine if it overheats, and get out of the
vehicle until the engine is cool.
See“Overheated Engine Protection Operating
Mode”in the Index for information on driving
to a safe place in an emergency.
Notice:If your engine catchesre because you keep
driving with no coolant, your vehicle can be badly
damaged. The costly repairs would not be covered by
your warranty. See“Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode”in the Index for information on
driving to a safe place in an emergency.
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If No Steam Is Coming From Your
Engine
An overheat warning, along with a low coolant message,
can indicate a serious problem. SeeLow Coolant
underDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-64.
If you get an engine overheat warning with no low
coolant message, but see or hear no steam, the problem
may not be too serious. Sometimes the engine can
get a little too hot when you:
•Climb a long hill on a hot day.
•Stop after high-speed driving.
•Idle for long periods in traffic.
•Tow a trailer. SeeTowing a Trailer on page 4-61.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam, try
this for a minute or so:
1. In heavy traffic, let the engine idle in neutral while
stopped. If it is safe to do so, pull off the road. Shift
to park or neutral and let the engine idle.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window as necessary.If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can
drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about 10 minutes.
If the warning doesn’t come back on, you can drive
normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there’s still no sign of steam, you can push down the
accelerator until the engine speed is about twice as
fast as normal idle speed for at least three minutes while
you’re parked. If you still have the warning,turn off
the engine and get everyone out of the vehicleuntil it
cools down. Also, seeOverheated Engine Protection
Operating Modelisted previously in this section.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
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Cooling System
When you decide it’s safe to lift the hood, here’s what
you’ll see:
A. Coolant Surge Tank
B. Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap
C. Engine Fan
If the coolant inside the coolant surge tank is boiling,
don’t do anything else until it cools down. The vehicle
should be parked on a level surface. 8100 V8 Engines
All Other Engines
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The coolant level should
be at or above the FULL
COLD mark. If it isn’t,
you may have a leak at the
pressure cap or in the
radiator hoses, heater
hoses, radiator, water
pump or somewhere else
in the cooling system.
{CAUTION:
Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
parts, can be very hot. Don’t touch them. If you
do, you can be burned.
Don’t run the engine if there is a leak. If you
run the engine, it could lose all coolant. That
could cause an enginere, and you could be
burned. Get any leakxed before you drive the
vehicle.If there seems to be no leak, start the engine again.
The engine cooling fan speed should increase when idle
speed is doubled by pushing the accelerator pedal
down. If it doesn’t, your vehicle needs service. Turn off
the engine.
Notice:Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn’t covered by your warranty.
See“Overheated Engine Protection Operating
Mode”in the Index for information on driving to a
safe place in an emergency.
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 occursrst.
Damage caused by the use of coolant other
than DEX-COOL
®is not covered by your new vehicle
warranty.
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How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Surge Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, check to see if coolant
is visible in the surge tank. If coolant is visible but the
coolant level isn’t at or above the FULL COLD mark, add
a 50/50 mixture ofclean, drinkable waterand
DEX-COOL
®coolant at the coolant surge tank, but be
sure the cooling system, including the coolant surge tank
pressure cap, is cool before you do it. SeeEngine
Coolant on page 5-26for more information.
If no coolant is visible in the surge tank, add coolant as
follows:
{CAUTION:
Steam and scalding liquids from a hot cooling
system can blow out and burn you badly. They
are under pressure, and if you turn the coolant
surge tank pressure cap—even a little—they
can come out at high speed. Never turn the
cap when the cooling system, including the
coolant surge tank pressure cap, is hot. Wait
for the cooling system and coolant surge tank
pressure cap to cool if you ever have to turn
the pressure cap.
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{CAUTION:
Adding only plain water to your cooling
system can be dangerous. Plain water, or
some other liquid such as alcohol, can boil
before the proper coolant mixture will. Your
vehicle’s coolant warning system is set for the
proper coolant mixture. With plain water or the
wrong mixture, your engine could get too hot
but you wouldn’t get the overheat warning.
Your engine could catchre and you or others
could be burned. Use a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
®coolant.
Notice:In cold weather, water can freeze and crack
the engine, radiator, heater core and other parts.
Use the recommended coolant and the proper
coolant mixture.
{CAUTION:
You can be burned if you spill coolant on hot
engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol
and it will burn if the engine parts are hot
enough. Don’t spill coolant on a hot engine.
1. Park the vehicle on a
level surface. You can
remove the coolant
surge tank pressure
cap when the cooling
system, including
the coolant surge tank
pressure cap and
upper radiator hose, is
no longer hot.
2. Turn the pressure cap slowly counterclockwise (left)
about one full turn. If you hear a hiss, wait for that to
stop. A hiss means there is still some pressure left.
3. Then keep turning the pressure cap slowly, and
remove it.
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4. Thenfill the coolant surge tank with the proper
mixture, to the FULL COLD mark.5. With the coolant surge tank pressure cap off, start
the 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.
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