2007 GMC CANYON engine overheat

Notice:Cranking the engine for long periods of
time, by returning the key to the START position
immediately after cranking has ended, can
overheat and damage the cranking motor, and
drain the battery. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to allow the cranking motor
to cool down.
2. If the engine does not start after 5-10 seconds,
especially in very cold weather (below 0°F
or−18°C), it could be ooded with too much
gasoline. Try pushing the accelerator pedal all
the way to the oor and holding it there as you
hold the key in START for up to a maximum of
15 seconds. Wait at least 15 seconds between
each try, to allow the cranking motor to cool
down. When the engine starts, let go of the key
and accelerator. If the vehicle starts briey but
then stops again, do the same thing. This
clears the extra gasoline from the engine.
Do not race the engine immediately after
starting it. Operate the engine and transmission
gently until the oil warms up and lubricates
all moving parts.Notice:Your engine is designed to work with
the electronics in your vehicle. If you add
electrical parts or accessories, you could
change the way the engine operates. Before
adding electrical equipment, check with your
dealer. If you do not, your engine might not
perform properly. Any resulting damage would
not be covered by your vehicle’s warranty.
Engine Coolant Heater
Your vehicle may have this feature.
In very cold weather, 0°F (–18°C) or colder, the
engine coolant heater can help. You will get easier
starting and better fuel economy during engine
warm-up. Usually, the coolant heater should
be plugged in a minimum of four hours prior to
starting your vehicle. At temperatures above 32°F
(0°C), use of the coolant heater is not required.
Your vehicle may also have an internal thermostat
in the plug end of the cord. This will prevent
operation of the engine coolant heater when the
temperature is at or above 0F (−18C) as noted
on the cord.
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To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical
cord. The cord is located in the engine
compartment behind the underhood fuse block
on the driver’s side of the vehicle.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC
outlet.
{CAUTION:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded
outlet could cause an electrical shock.
Also, the wrong kind of extension cord
could overheat and cause a re. You
could be seriously injured. Plug the cord
into a properly grounded three-prong
110-volt AC outlet. If the cord will not
reach, use a heavy-duty three-prong
extension cord rated for at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug
and store the cord as it was before to keep it
away from moving engine parts. If you do
not, it could be damaged.How long should you keep the coolant heater
plugged in? The answer depends on the outside
temperature, the kind of oil you have, and
some other things. Instead of trying to list
everything here, we ask that you contact your
dealer in the area where you will be parking your
vehicle. The dealer can give you the best
advice for that particular area.
Automatic Transmission Operation
Your automatic transmission has a shift lever on
the steering column.
It features an electronic shift position indicator
within the instrument cluster. This display must
be powered anytime the shift lever is capable of
being moved out of PARK (P). This means that if
your key is turned off, but not in LOCK, there will be
a small current drain on your battery which could
discharge your battery over a period of time.
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Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine
Running (Automatic Transmission)
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle
with the engine running. Your vehicle
could move suddenly if the shift lever is
not fully in PARK (P) with the parking
brake rmly set. And, if you leave the
vehicle with the engine running, it could
overheat and even catch re. You or
others could be injured. Do not leave
your vehicle with the engine running.
If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine
running, be sure your vehicle is in PARK (P)
and your parking brake is rmly set before you
leave it. After you have moved the shift lever into
PARK (P), hold the regular brake pedal down.
Then, see if you can move the shift lever
away from PARK (P) without rst pulling it toward
you. If you can, it means that the shift lever
was not fully locked into PARK (P).
Torque Lock (Automatic Transmission)
If you are parking on a hill and you do not shift
your transmission into PARK (P) properly,
the weight of the vehicle may put too much force
on the parking pawl in the transmission. You
may nd it difficult to pull the shift lever out
of PARK (P). This is called torque lock. To prevent
torque lock, set the parking brake and then shift
into PARK (P) properly before you leave the
driver’s seat. To nd out how, seeShifting Into
Park (P) (Automatic Transmission) on page 132.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift
lever out of PARK (P) before you release the
parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to
have another vehicle push yours a little uphill to
take some of the pressure from the parking pawl
in the transmission, so you can pull the shift
lever out of PARK (P).
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Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the
engine coolant
temperature.
If the gage pointer is near the top of the gage,
the engine is too hot. It means that your engine
coolant has overheated. If you have been
operating your vehicle under normal driving
conditions, you should pull off the road, stop your
vehicle and turn off the engine as soon as
possible.
SeeEngine Overheating on page 340for more
information.
Tire Pressure Light
This light should come
on briey when you turn
the ignition to ON.
This light will also come on when one or more of
your tires are signicantly underinated. A LOW
TIRE message will also appear in the Driver
Information Center (DIC), seeDIC Warnings and
Messages on page 198for more information.
Stop and check your tires as soon as it is safe to do
so. If underinated, inate to the proper pressure.
SeeTires on page 369for more information.
This light will ash for 60 seconds and then turn
on solid if a problem is detected with the Tire
Pressure Monitor system. SeeTire Pressure
Monitor System on page 378for more information.
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DIC Warnings and Messages
Messages are displayed on the DIC to notify the
driver that the status of the vehicle has changed
and that some action may be needed by the driver
to correct the condition. Multiple messages may
appear one after another. The messages are
displayed for four seconds each.
Some messages may not require immediate
action, but you should press and release the trip
odometer reset stem to acknowledge that you
received the messages and to clear them from the
display. Each message must be acknowledged
individually.
Some messages cannot be cleared from the DIC
display because they are more urgent. These
messages require action before they can be
cleared. You should take any messages that
appear on the display seriously and remember
that clearing the messages will only make
the messages disappear, not correct the problem.
The following are the possible messages that can
be displayed and some information about them.
AC (Air Conditioning) OFF
This message displays when the engine coolant
temperature is too high and the air conditioning in
your vehicle needs to be turned off. SeeEngine
Overheating on page 340andClimate Control
System on page 173for more information.
This message displays along with the ENG HOT
message.
ABS (Anti-Lock Brake System) FAULT
This message displays if there is a problem
with the Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS). Check the
ABS as soon as possible and have your vehicle
serviced by your dealer. SeeBrakes on page 350
andAnti-Lock Brake System Warning Light on
page 186for more information. Press and release
the reset stem to acknowledge the message
and clear it from the display.
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BRAKES
This message displays if there is a problem with
the brakes. Check the brakes as soon as possible
and have your vehicle serviced by your dealer.
SeeBrakes on page 350andBrake System
Warning Light on page 185for more information.
Press and release the reset stem to acknowledge
the message and clear it from the display.
CHANGE OIL
This message displays when the oil needs to be
changed. Check the oil in your vehicle as soon
as possible and have your vehicle serviced by
your dealer. SeeEngine Oil on page 325
andScheduled Maintenance on page 437for
more information. Press and release the reset
stem to acknowledge the message and clear
it from the display.
DOORS
This message displays when one or more of
the doors is ajar. Check all the doors on your
vehicle to make sure they are closed. The
message clears from the display after all of
the doors are closed.
ENG (Engine) HOT
This message displays when the engine coolant
temperature is hot. Check the engine coolant
temperature gage. SeeEngine Coolant
Temperature Gage on page 187. Have your
vehicle serviced by your dealer as soon as
possible if you suspect the engine is overheating.
SeeEngine Overheating on page 340for more
information.
FLUID
This message displays if the brake uid is low.
Check the brake uid as soon as possible
and have your vehicle serviced by your dealer.
SeeBrakes on page 350for more information.
Press and release the reset stem to acknowledge
the message and clear it from the display.
199

Q:Suppose, after stalling, I try to back down
the hill and decide I just cannot do it.
What should I do?
A:Set the parking brake, put the automatic
transmission in PARK (P), or the manual
transmission in FIRST (1), and turn off the
engine. Leave the vehicle and go get some
help. Exit on the uphill side and stay clear of the
path the vehicle would take if it rolled downhill.
Driving Downhill
When off-roading takes you downhill, you will want
to consider a number of things:
How steep is the downhill? Will I be able to
maintain vehicle control?
What is the surface like? Smooth? Rough?
Slippery? Hard-packed dirt? Gravel?
Are there hidden surface obstacles? Ruts?
Logs? Boulders?
What is at the bottom of the hill? Is there a
hidden creek bank or even a river bottom
with large rocks?If you decide you can go down a hill safely, then
try to keep your vehicle headed straight down, and
use a low gear. This way, engine drag can help
the brakes and they will not have to do all
the work. Descend slowly, keeping your vehicle
under control at all times.
{CAUTION:
Heavy braking when going down a hill can
cause your brakes to overheat and fade.
This could cause loss of control and a
serious accident. Apply the brakes lightly
when descending a hill and use a low
gear to keep vehicle speed under control.
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Q:Are there some things I should not do
when driving down a hill?
A:Yes! These are important because if you
ignore them you could lose control and
have a serious accident.
When driving downhill, avoid turns that take
you across the incline of the hill. A hill that
is not too steep to drive down may be
too steep to drive across. You could roll over
if you do not drive straight down.
Never go downhill with the transmission in
NEUTRAL (N), or with the clutch pedal pressed
down with a manual transmission. This is called
“free-wheeling.” The brakes will have to do all
the work and could overheat and fade.
Q:Am I likely to stall when going downhill?
A:It is much more likely to happen going uphill. But
if it happens going downhill, here is what to do.
1. Stop your vehicle by applying the regular
brakes. Apply the parking brake.
2. Shift to PARK (P), or to NEUTRAL with the
manual transmission, and, while still braking,
restart the engine.3. Shift back to a low gear, release the parking
brake, and drive straight down.
4. If the engine will not start, get out and
get help.
Driving Across an Incline
Sooner or later, an off-road trail will probably go
across the incline of a hill. If this happens,
you have to decide whether to try to drive across
the incline. Here are some things to consider:
A hill that can be driven straight up or
down may be too steep to drive across. When
you go straight up or down a hill, the length
of the wheel base — the distance from
the front wheels to the rear wheels — reduces
the likelihood the vehicle will tumble end
over end. But when you drive across
an incline, the much more narrow track
width — the distance between the left and
right wheels — may not prevent the vehicle
from tilting and rolling over. Also, driving
across an incline puts more weight on
the downhill wheels. This could cause a
downhill slide or a rollover.
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