2009 CHEVROLET KODIAK engine coolant

Low Washer Fluid Warning Light
This light is located above
the climate controls in the
center of the instrument
panel.
This light will come on when your vehicle is low on
windshield washer fluid.
For more information, seeWindshield Washer Fluid on
page 5-50.
Power Take-Off Light (PTO)
For vehicles with Power
Take-Off (PTO), this light
is located in the center
of the instrument panel.
This light will come on when the PTO switch is in the
ON/RUN position. SeePower Take-Off (PTO) on
page 2-30for more information.
Check Gages Warning Light
This light will come on
briefly when the engine is
started.
If this light comes on and stays on while you are driving.
It means that either the engine coolant temperature
gage or the engine oil pressure gage may be showing a
reading in the warning zone.
When the check gages light comes on, you will also
hear a warning tone. The tone and the light will
stay activated until the problem is corrected.
This light may also come on if your vehicle is has
automatic engine shutdown system and engine
shutdown has begun. SeeEngine Alarm and Automatic
Shutdown on page 2-18.
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Service............................................................5-3
Accessories and Modifications..........................5-3
California Proposition 65 Warning.....................5-4
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements.....5-4
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-5
Engine Fan Breakage.....................................5-6
Fuel................................................................5-6
Gasoline Octane............................................5-6
Gasoline Specifications....................................5-7
Additives.......................................................5-7
Diesel Engine Fuel.........................................5-8
What Fuel to Use...........................................5-8
Very Cold Weather Operation.........................5-11
Water in Fuel...............................................5-11
Running Out of Fuel.....................................5-17
Fuel Filter Replacement.................................5-18
Fuels in Foreign Countries.............................5-19
Filling the Tank............................................5-20
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.....................5-22
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-22
Hood Latches...............................................5-23
Engine Oil (DURAMAX Diesel Engine).............5-24
Engine Oil (Caterpillar Diesel Engine)..............5-27
Engine Oil (Isuzu Diesel Engine).....................5-28
Engine Oil (Gasoline Engine)..........................5-32
Engine Oil Life System (Gasoline Engine)........5-35Engine Oil Life System (DURAMAX/Isuzu
Diesel Engines).........................................5-36
Engine Oil Life System (Caterpillar
Diesel Engine)..........................................5-38
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-38
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-42
Manual Transmission Fluid.............................5-42
Cooling System............................................5-43
Engine Coolant (Caterpillar Diesel Engines)......5-47
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap..................5-47
Engine Overheating.......................................5-48
Engine Fan Noise.........................................5-49
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-49
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-50
Brakes........................................................5-52
Battery........................................................5-61
Jump Starting...............................................5-62
Rear Axle.......................................................5-67
Rear Axle Shift Motor....................................5-68
Four-Wheel Drive............................................5-68
Front Axle......................................................5-69
Noise Control System.....................................5-70
Tampering with Noise Control System
Prohibited.................................................5-70
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-71
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

Filling a Portable Fuel Container
{CAUTION:
Never fill a portable fuel container while it is in the
vehicle. Static electricity discharge from the
container can ignite the fuel vapor. You can be
badly burned and the vehicle damaged if this
occurs. To help avoid injury to you and others:
•Dispense fuel only into approved containers.
•Do not fill a container while it is inside a
vehicle, in a vehicle’s trunk, pickup bed, or on
any surface other than the ground.
•Bring the fill nozzle in contact with the inside
of the fill opening before operating the nozzle.
Contact should be maintained until the filling
is complete.
•Do not smoke while pumping fuel.
•Do not use a cellular phone while
pumping fuel.
Checking Things Under
the Hood
{CAUTION:
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts and
start a fire. These include liquids like fuel, oil,
coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer and other
fluids, and plastic or rubber. You or others could
be burned. Be careful not to drop or spill things
that will burn onto a hot engine.
5-22

Hood Inlet Seal
If the vehicle is being used in heavy snow conditions or
for snow plowing, there is a possibility of snow and
ice build up in the inlet to the air cleaner, which
can block airflow to the engine and affect impacting
engine performance.
To prevent this from happening, remove the hood
inlet seal:
1. Loosen the clamp that holds the seal to the air
cleaner.
2. Slide the seal off.3. Store the seal in the inlet, located on the underside
of the hood.
4. Store the air cleaner clamp on the coolant surge
tank. Pull the overflow tube out of the white plastic
retainer, slip the clamp over and reinstall the hose.
Replace the air cleaner seal during non-snow or non-icy
conditions.
5-41

How to Add Fluid
To add transmission fluid, do the following:
1. Remove the filler plug.
2. Add fluid at the filler plug hole. Add only enough
fluid to bring the fluid level up to the bottom of the
fill opening. Refer to the Maintenance Schedule
to determine the proper fluid to use. SeePart
C: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on
page 6-31.
3. Reinstall the filler plug. Be sure the plug is fully
seated.
Cooling System
When you decide it is safe to lift the hood, here is what
you will see:
A. Engine Fan
B. Coolant Surge Tank
If your vehicle has a Caterpillar
®diesel engine, see the
Caterpillar®Diesel Engine Operation and Maintenance
Manual provided with your vehicle.
If the coolant inside the coolant surge tank is boiling, do
not do anything else until it cools down. The vehicle
should be parked on a level surface.
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The coolant level should
be at the FULL COLD
mark or higher. If it is not,
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. Do not touch them. If you do, you
can be burned.
Do not run the engine if there is a leak. If you run
the engine, it could lose all coolant. That could
cause an engine fire, and you could be burned.
Get any leak fixed 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 does not, your vehicle needs service. Turn off the
engine.
Notice:Engine damage from running the engine
without coolant is not covered by the warranty.
Notice:Using coolant other than DEX-COOL can
cause premature engine, heater core or radiator
corrosion. In addition, the engine coolant may
require changing sooner, at 30,000 miles (50 000 km)
or 24 months, whichever occurs first. Any repairs
would not be covered by the vehicle warranty.
Always use DEX-COOL (silicate-free) coolant in
your vehicle.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Surge Tank
If you have not found a problem yet, check to see if
coolant is visible in the surge tank. If coolant is visible
but the coolant level is not at the FULL COLD mark
or higher, add a 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water
and 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 (Caterpillar Diesel Engines) on
page 5-47for more information.
5-44

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.
{CAUTION:
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.
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.
5-45

{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. Do
not spill coolant on a hot engine.
1. 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.
Turn the pressure cap slowly counterclockwise
about one full turn. If you hear a hiss, wait for that to
stop. A hiss means there is still some pressure left.
2. Then keep turning the pressure cap slowly, and
remove it.3. Fill the coolant surge tank with the proper mixture,
to the FULL COLD mark.
5-46