2009 GMC ACADIA check transmission fluid

Before Leaving on a
Long Trip
To prepare your vehicle for a long
trip, consider having it serviced
by your dealer/retailer before
departing.
Things to check on your own
include:
Windshield Washer Fluid:
Reservoir full? Windows
clean — inside and outside?
Wiper Blades:In good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:All
levels checked?
Lamps:Do they all work and are
lenses clean?
Tires:Are treads good? Are tires
inated to recommended
pressure?
Weather and Maps:Safe to
travel? Have up-to-date maps?
Highway Hypnosis
Always be alert and pay attention
to your surroundings while driving.
If you become tired or sleepy,
nd a safe place to park your
vehicle and rest.
Other driving tips include:
Keep the vehicle well ventilated.
Keep interior temperature cool.
Keep your eyes moving — scan
the road ahead and to the sides.
Check the rearview mirror and
vehicle instruments often.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on at or rolling terrain. Tips for
driving in these conditions include:
Keep the vehicle serviced
and in good shape.
Check all uid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
Going down steep or long hills,
shift to a lower gear.
{CAUTION
If you do not shift down, the
brakes could get so hot that they
would not work well. You would
then have poor braking or even
none going down a hill. You could
crash. Shift down to let the engine
assist the brakes on a steep
downhill slope.
4-12 Driving Your Vehicle

Service and
Appearance Care
Service
Service...............................5-3
Accessories and
Modications.....................5-3
California Proposition 65
Warning............................5-3
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements.....5-3
Doing Your Own
Service Work....................5-4
Adding Equipment to the
Outside of the Vehicle......5-4
Fuel
Fuel....................................5-5
Gasoline Octane.................5-5
Gasoline Specications.......5-5
California Fuel....................5-5
Additives.............................5-5
Fuels in Foreign
Countries..........................5-6
Filling the Tank...................5-7
Filling a Portable Fuel
Container..........................5-8
Checking Things
Under the Hood
Checking Things Under
the Hood..........................5-9
Hood Release.....................5-9
Engine Compartment
Overview.........................5-10
Engine Oil.........................5-11
Engine Oil Life System.....5-13
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. . .5-15
Automatic Transmission
Fluid................................5-16
Cooling System.................5-16
Engine Coolant.................5-17
Engine Overheating...........5-21
Overheated Engine
Protection
Operating Mode
...............5-23
Power Steering Fluid.........5-23
Windshield Washer Fluid. . .5-24
Brakes..............................5-25
Battery..............................5-28
Jump Starting...................5-28
All-Wheel Drive
All-Wheel Drive.................5-33
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming..............5-33
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement.............5-33
Halogen Bulbs..................5-33
License Plate Lamp..........5-34
Replacement Bulbs...........5-34
Windshield Wiper
Blade Replacement
Windshield Wiper Blade
Replacement...................5-34
Tires
Tires.................................5-35
Tire Sidewall Labeling.......5-36
Tire Terminology and
Denitions.......................5-38
Ination - Tire Pressure. . . .5-41
Tire Pressure Monitor
System............................5-42
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation........................5-44
Tire Inspection and
Rotation..........................5-47
Service and Appearance Care 5-1

A. Radiator Pressure Cap. See
Cooling System on page 5-16.
B. Engine Coolant Recovery Cap.
SeeCooling System on
page 5-16.
C. Remote Negative (−) Terminal.
SeeJump Starting on page 5-28.
D.Underhood Fuse Block on
page 5-92.
E. Remote Positive (+) Terminal.
SeeJump Starting on page 5-28.
F.Power Steering Fluid on
page 5-23.
G. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When
to Add Engine Oil” underEngine
Oil on page 5-11.
H. Engine Oil Dipstick. See
“Checking Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil on page 5-11.
I. Automatic Transmission Fluid
Dipstick. See “Checking the
Fluid Level” underAutomatic
Transmission Fluid on page 5-16.
J. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir.
See “Brake Fluid” underBrakes
on page 5-25.K.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 5-15.
L. Windshield Washer Fluid
Reservoir. See “Adding Washer
Fluid” underWindshield
Washer Fluid on page 5-24.
Engine Oil
Checking Engine Oil
It is a good idea to check the
engine oil every time you get fuel.
In order to get an accurate reading,
the oil must be warm and the
vehicle must be on level ground.
The engine oil dipstick handle
is a yellow loop. SeeEngine
Compartment Overview on
page 5-10for the location of
the engine oil dipstick.
1. Turn off the engine and give the
oil several minutes to drain back
into the oil pan. If you do not
do this, the oil dipstick might
not show the actual level.2. Pull out the dipstick and clean
it with a paper towel or cloth,
then push it back in all the way.
Remove it again, keeping the
tip down, and check the level.
When to Add Engine Oil
If the oil is below the cross-hatched
area at the tip of the dipstick,
add at least one quart/liter of the
recommended oil. This section
explains what kind of oil to use.
For engine oil crankcase capacity,
seeCapacities and Specifications
on page 5-96.
Notice:Do not add too much oil.
If the engine has so much oil
that the oil level gets above the
cross-hatched area that shows
the proper operating range,
the engine could be damaged.
Service and Appearance Care 5-11

Automatic Transmission
Fluid
It is not necessary to check
the transmission uid level.
A transmission uid leak is the
only reason for uid loss. If a
leak occurs, take the vehicle to
the dealer/retailer and have it
repaired as soon as possible.
Change the uid at the intervals
listed inAdditional Required Services
on page 6-6, and be sure to use
the transmission uid listed in
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 6-12.
Notice:Use of the incorrect
automatic transmission uid may
damage the vehicle, and the
damages may not be covered by
the vehicle’s warranty. Always
use the automatic transmission
uid listed inRecommended
Fluids and Lubricants on
page 6-12.The transmission uid will not
reach the end of the dipstick unless
the transmission is at operating
temperature. If you need to check the
transmission uid level, please take
the vehicle to your dealer/retailer.
Cooling System
The cooling system allows the
engine to maintain the correct
working temperature.
A. Engine Coolant Recovery Tank
B. Radiator Pressure Cap
C. Engine Cooling Fans
{CAUTION
An electric engine cooling fan
under the hood can start up even
when the engine is not running
and can cause injury. Keep
hands, clothing, and tools away
from any underhood electric fan.
{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 re, and you
could be burned. Get any leak
xed before you drive the vehicle.
5-16 Service and Appearance Care

Capacities and Specications
The following approximate capacities are given in English and metric conversions. SeeRecommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 6-12 for more information.
Application Capacities
English Metric
Air Conditioning Refrigerant R134a For the air conditioning system refrigerant charge
amount, see the refrigerant caution label located
under the hood. See your dealer/retailer for more information.
Cooling System 11.4 qt 10.8 L
Engine Oil with Filter 5.5 qt 5.2 L
Fuel Tank 22.0 gal 83.3 L
Transmission Fluid* 5.3 qt 5.0 L
Wheel Nut Torque 140 lb ft 190 Y
*Transmission uid capacity is approximate. See Automatic Transmission Fluid on page 5-16for information on
checking uid level.
All capacities are approximate. When adding, be sure to ll to the approximate level, as recommended in this
manual. Recheck uid level after lling.
Engine Specications
Engine VIN CodeTransmission Spark Plug Gap
3.6L V6 Engine DAutomatic 0.043 in (1.10 mm)
5-96 Service and Appearance Care