2005 GMC SIERRA brake fluid

Service............................................................5-4
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-5
Adding Equipment to the Outside
of Your Vehicle...........................................5-6
Fuel................................................................5-6
Gasoline Octane............................................5-6
Gasoline Specications....................................5-7
California Fuel...............................................5-7
Additives.......................................................5-7
Fuel E-85 (85% Ethanol).................................5-8
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-9
Filling Your Tank..........................................5-10
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.....................5-12
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-12
Hood Release..............................................5-13
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-14
Engine Oil (Gasoline Engine)..........................5-20
Engine Oil Life System (Gasoline Engine)........5-23
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-25
Automatic Transmission Fluid
(Except Allison Transmission
®) ....................5-27
Automatic Transmission Fluid
(Allison Transmission
®) ...............................5-30
Manual Transmission Fluid.............................5-33
Hydraulic Clutch...........................................5-34Engine Coolant.............................................5-35
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap..................5-37
Engine Overheating.......................................5-37
Overheated Engine Protection Operating
Mode (V8 Engines Only)............................5-39
Cooling System............................................5-40
Engine Fan Noise.........................................5-45
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-46
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-48
Brakes........................................................5-49
Battery........................................................5-52
Jump Starting...............................................5-53
Rear Axle.......................................................5-58
Four-Wheel Drive............................................5-58
Front Axle......................................................5-60
Noise Control System.....................................5-61
Tampering with Noise Control System
Prohibited.................................................5-61
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-62
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-62
Headlamps..................................................5-63
Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker and
Daytime Running Lamps.............................5-64
Roof Marker Lamps......................................5-65
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

A. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-25.
B. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. SeeEngine
Coolant on page 5-35andCoolant Surge Tank
Pressure Cap on page 5-37.
C. Air Filter Restriction Indicator (If Equipped). See
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on page 5-25.
D. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil (Gasoline Engine) on page 5-20.
E. Automatic Transmission Fluid Dipstick (If Equipped).
See “Checking the Fluid Level” underAutomatic
Transmission Fluid (Except Allison Transmission
®)
on page 5-27orAutomatic Transmission Fluid
(Allison Transmission
®) on page 5-30.
F. Electric Engine Cooling Fan (If Equipped). See
Cooling System on page 5-40.
G. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil (Gasoline Engine) on page 5-20.H. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. SeePower Steering
Fluid on page 5-46.
I. Remote Negative (−) Terminal (GND). SeeJump
Starting on page 5-53.
J. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. SeeJump Starting on
page 5-53.
K. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid” under
Brakes on page 5-49.
L. Clutch Fluid Reservoir (If Equipped). SeeHydraulic
Clutch on page 5-34.
M. Underhood Fuse Block. SeeUnderhood Fuse Block
on page 5-125.
N. Battery. SeeBattery on page 5-52.
O. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding
Washer Fluid” underWindshield Washer Fluid
on page 5-48.
5-15

A. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-25.
B. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. SeeEngine
Coolant on page 5-35andCoolant Surge Tank
Pressure Cap on page 5-37.
C. Air Filter Restriction Indicator (If Equipped). See
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on page 5-25.
D. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil (Gasoline Engine) on page 5-20.
E. Automatic Transmission Fluid Dipstick (If Equipped).
See “Checking the Fluid Level” underAutomatic
Transmission Fluid (Except Allison Transmission
®)
on page 5-27orAutomatic Transmission Fluid
(Allison Transmission
®) on page 5-30.
F. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil (Gasoline Engine) on page 5-20.
G. Electric Engine Cooling Fan (If Equipped). See
Cooling System on page 5-40.H. Remote Negative (−) Terminal (GND). SeeJump
Starting on page 5-53.
I. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. SeePower Steering
Fluid on page 5-46.
J. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. SeeJump Starting on
page 5-53.
K. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid” under
Brakes on page 5-49.
L. Clutch Fluid Reservoir (If Equipped). SeeHydraulic
Clutch on page 5-34.
M. Underhood Fuse Block. SeeUnderhood Fuse Block
on page 5-125.
N. Battery. SeeBattery on page 5-52.
O. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding
Washer Fluid” underWindshield Washer Fluid
on page 5-48.
5-17

A. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-25.
B. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. SeeEngine
Coolant on page 5-35andCoolant Surge Tank
Pressure Cap on page 5-37.
C. Air Filter Restriction Indicator (If Equipped). See
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on page 5-25.
D. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil (Gasoline Engine) on page 5-20.
E. Automatic Transmission Fluid Dipstick (If Equipped).
See “Checking the Fluid Level” underAutomatic
Transmission Fluid (Except Allison Transmission
®)
on page 5-27orAutomatic Transmission Fluid
(Allison Transmission
®) on page 5-30.
F. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil (Gasoline Engine) on page 5-20.
G. Engine-Driven Cooling Fan. SeeCooling System on
page 5-40.H. Remote Negative (−) Terminal (GND). SeeJump
Starting on page 5-53.
I. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. SeeJump Starting on
page 5-53.
J. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. SeePower Steering
Fluid on page 5-46.
K. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid” under
Brakes on page 5-49.
L. Clutch Fluid Reservoir (If Equipped). SeeHydraulic
Clutch on page 5-34.
M. Underhood Fuse Block. SeeUnderhood Fuse Block
on page 5-125.
N. Battery. SeeBattery on page 5-52.
O. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding
Washer Fluid” underWindshield Washer Fluid
on page 5-48.
5-19

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 uid can damage
your transmission. Too much can mean that some
of the uid could come out and fall on hot engine
part or exhaust system parts, starting a re.
Too little uid could cause the transmission to
overheat. Be sure to get an accurate reading if you
check your transmission uid.
Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the
transmission uid level if you have been driving:
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 uid should be at normal
operating temperature, which is 180°F to 200°F
(82°C to 93°C).Get the vehicle warmed up by driving about 15 miles
(24 km) when outside temperatures are above 50°F
(10°C). If it is colder than 50°F (10°C), drive the vehicle
in THIRD (3) until the engine temperature gage
moves and then remains steady for 10 minutes.
A cold uid check can be made after the vehicle has
been sitting for eight hours or more with the engine off,
but this is used only as a reference. Let the engine
run at idle for ve minutes if outside temperatures are
50°F (10°C) or more. If it is colder than 50°F (10°C), you
may have to idle the engine longer. Should the uid
level be low during this cold check, you must check the
uid hot before adding uid. Checking the uid hot
will give you a more accurate reading of the uid level.
Checking the Fluid Level
Prepare your vehicle as follows:
Park your vehicle on a level place. Keep the
engine running.
With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever
in PARK (P).
With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift
lever through each gear range, pausing for about
three seconds in each range. Then, position the shift
lever in PARK (P).
Let the engine run at idle for three minutes or more.
5-28

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 uid can damage
your transmission. Too much can mean that some
of the uid could come out and fall on hot engine
part or exhaust system parts, starting a re.
Too little uid could cause the transmission to
overheat. Be sure to get an accurate reading if you
check your transmission uid.
Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the
transmission uid level if you have been driving:
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.
Checking the Fluid Level
Prepare your vehicle as follows:
Park your vehicle on a level place. Keep the
engine running.
With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever
in PARK (P).
With your foot on the brake pedal, run the engine
for at least once minute and shift to DRIVE (D).
Then shift to NEUTRAL (N) and then REVERSE (R)
to ll the hydraulic system. Then, position the
shift lever in PARK (P).
Allow the engine to run at idle (500–800 rpm).
Slowly release the brake pedal.
Then, without shutting off the engine, follow these steps:
Cold Check Procedure
The purpose of the cold check is to determine if the
transmission has enough uid to be operated safely until
a hot check can be made. The uid level rises as uid
temperature increases. DO NOT ll above the COLD
CHECK band if the transmission uid is below normal
operating temperatures.
1. Pull out the dipstick and wipe it with a clean rag or
paper towel.
2. Push it back in all the way, wait three seconds and
then pull it back out again.
5-31

Brakes
Brake Fluid
Your brake master cylinder
reservoir is lled with
DOT-3 brake uid. See
Engine Compartment
Overview on page 5-14for
the location of the
reservoir.
There are only two reasons why the brake uid level in
the reservoir might go down. The rst is that the
brake uid goes down to an acceptable level during
normal brake lining wear. When new linings are put in,
the uid level goes back up. The other reason is
that uid is leaking out of the brake system. If it is, you
should have your brake system xed, since a leak
means that sooner or later your brakes will not work
well, or will not work at all.So, it is not a good idea to top off your brake uid.
Adding brake uid will not correct a leak. If you add uid
when your linings are worn, then you will have too
much uid when you get new brake linings. You should
add or remove brake uid, as necessary, only when
work is done on the brake hydraulic system.
{CAUTION:
If you have too much brake uid, it can spill on
the engine. The uid will burn if the engine is
hot enough. You or others could be burned,
and your vehicle could be damaged. Add brake
uid only when work is done on the brake
hydraulic system. See “Checking Brake Fluid”
in this section.
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when
to check your brake uid. SeeScheduled Maintenance
on page 6-4.
5-49

Checking Brake Fluid
You can check the brake uid without taking off the cap.
Just look at the brake uid
reservoir. The uid level
should be above MIN. If it
is not, have your brake
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
When you do need brake uid, use only DOT-3 brake
uid. Use new brake uid from a sealed container
only. SeeRecommended Fluids and Lubricants on
page 6-14.Always clean the brake uid reservoir cap and the area
around the cap before removing it. This will help
keep dirt from entering the reservoir.
{CAUTION:
With the wrong kind of uid in your brake
system, your brakes may not work well, or they
may not even work at all. This could cause a
crash. Always use the proper brake uid.
Notice:
Using the wrong uid can badly damage brake
system parts. For example, just a few drops of
mineral-based oil, such as engine oil, in your
brake system can damage brake system parts so
badly that they will have to be replaced. Do not
let someone put in the wrong kind of uid.
If you spill brake uid on your vehicle’s painted
surfaces, the paint nish can be damaged. Be
careful not to spill brake uid on your vehicle.
If you do, wash it off immediately. See
Appearance Care on page 5-112.
5-50