2010 CHEVROLET EXPRESS engine overheat

Starting Procedure
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn the
ignition key to START. When the engine starts,
let go of the key. The idle speed will go down as
your engine gets warm. Do not race the engine
immediately after starting it. Operate the engine and
transmission gently to allow the oil to warm up
and lubricate all moving parts.
The vehicle has a Computer-Controlled Cranking
System. This feature assists in starting the
engine and protects components. If the ignition key
is turned to the START position, and then
released when the engine begins cranking, the
engine will continue cranking for a few seconds or
until the vehicle starts. If the engine does not
start and the key is held in START for many
seconds, cranking will be stopped after 15 seconds
to prevent cranking motor damage. To prevent
gear damage, this system also prevents cranking if
the engine is already running. Engine cranking
can be stopped by turning the ignition switch to the
ACC/ACCESSORY or LOCK/OFF position.
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 let the cranking motor 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 flooded with too much gasoline.
Try pushing the accelerator pedal all the way to
the floor and holding it there as you hold the key in
START for up to 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
briefly 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:The engine is designed to work with the
electronics in the vehicle. If you add electrical parts
or accessories, you could change the way the
engine operates. Before adding electrical equipment,
check with your dealer/retailer. If you do not, the
engine might not perform properly. Any resulting
damage would not be covered by the vehicle
warranty.
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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 for the engine coolant heater is located
on the driver side of the engine compartment and is
attached to the hose for the power steering
reservoir.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.{WARNING:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet could
cause an electrical shock. Also, the wrong kind of
extension cord could overheat and cause a fire.
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 and prevent damage.
The length of time the heater should remain plugged in
depends on several factors. Ask a dealer/retailer in
the area where you will be parking the vehicle for the
best advice on this.
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To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down. Pull the handle, located just above
the parking brake pedal, with the parking brake symbol,
to release the parking brake.
If the ignition is on when the parking brake is released,
the brake system warning light will go off.
Notice:Driving with the parking brake on can
overheat the brake system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system parts. Verify that
the parking brake is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on a hill, see
Towing a Trailer on page 5-30.Shifting Into Park
{WARNING:
It can be dangerous to get out of the vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in P (Park) with the parking
brake firmly set. The vehicle can roll. If you have
left the engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured. To be
sure the vehicle will not move, even when you are
on fairly level ground, use the steps that follow.
If you are pulling a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer on
page 5-30.
1. Hold the brake pedal down and set the parking
brake. SeeParking Brake on page 3-36
2. Move the shift lever into P (Park) by pulling the shift
lever toward you and moving it up as far as it will go.
3. Turn the ignition key to LOCK/OFF.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
leave the vehicle with the ignition key in your
hand, the vehicle is in P (Park).
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Leaving the Vehicle With the Engine
Running
{WARNING:
It can be dangerous to leave the vehicle with the
engine running. The vehicle could move suddenly
if the shift lever is not fully in P (Park) with the
parking brake firmly set. And, if you leave the
vehicle with the engine running, it could overheat
and even catch fire. You or others could be
injured. Do not leave the vehicle with the engine
running.
If you have to leave the vehicle with the engine running,
be sure the vehicle is in P (Park) and the parking
brake is firmly set before you leave it. After you move
the shift lever into P (Park), hold the regular brake pedal
down. Then, see if you can move the shift lever away
from P (Park) without first pulling it toward you. If
you can, it means that the shift lever was not fully locked
into P (Park).
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you do not shift the
vehicle into P (Park) properly, the weight of the vehicle
may put too much force on the parking pawl in the
transmission. You may find it difficult to pull the shift
lever out of P (Park). This is called torque lock. To
prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then shift
into P (Park) properly before you leave the driver
seat. To find out how, seeShifting Into Park on
page 3-37.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out of
P (Park) 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 P (Park).
Shifting Out of Park
The vehicle has an automatic transmission shift lock
control system. You have to fully apply the brakes before
you can shift from P (Park) when the ignition is in
ON/RUN. SeeAutomatic Transmission Operation
(Six Speed Automatic Transmission) on page 3-27or
Automatic Transmission Operation (Four Speed
Automatic Transmission) on page 3-32.
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For vehicles with a Driver Information Center (DIC), see
DIC Warnings and Messages on page 4-44for all
brake related DIC messages.
StabiliTrak®Indicator Light
For vehicles with the
StabiliTrak®system,
this light comes on or
flashes, according to the
description table for
the StabiliTrak system.
For more information, seeStabiliTrak
®System on
page 5-5.
Three chimes sound if the light turns on and one chime
if the light turns off.
If this light remains on steady, the vehicle needs to be
taken in for service.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the engine coolant temperature.
It also provides an indicator of how hard the vehicle is
working. During a majority of the operation, the gage will
read 100°C (210°F) or less. If the vehicle is pulling a load
or going up hills, it is normal for the temperature to
fluctuate and approach the 122°C (250°F) mark. If the
gage reaches the 125°C (260°F) mark, it indicates that
the cooling system is working beyond its capacity.
SeeEngine Overheating on page 6-35.
United StatesCanada
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ENGINE OIL LOW ADD OIL
If your vehicle has an oil level sensor, this message
displays if the oil level in the vehicle is low. Check the oil
level and correct it as necessary. You may need to let
the vehicle cool or warm up and cycle the ignition
to be sure this message clears. SeeEngine Oil on
page 6-15for additional information.
ENGINE OVERHEATED IDLE ENGINE
Notice:If you drive your vehicle while the engine
is overheating, severe engine damage may occur.
If an overheat warning appears on the instrument
panel cluster and/or DIC, stop the vehicle as soon as
possible. SeeEngine Overheating on page 6-35
for more information.
This message displays when the engine coolant
temperature is too hot. Stop and allow the vehicle to
idle until it cools down. SeeEngine Coolant
Temperature Gage on page 4-29.
ENGINE OVERHEATED STOP ENGINE
Notice:If you drive your vehicle while the engine
is overheating, severe engine damage may occur.
If an overheat warning appears on the instrument
panel cluster and/or DIC, stop the vehicle as soon as
possible. SeeEngine Overheating on page 6-35
for more information.
This message displays and a chime sounds if the
engine cooling system reaches unsafe temperatures for
operation. Stop and turn off the vehicle as soon as it is
safe to do so to avoid severe damage. This message
clears when the engine has cooled to a safe operating
temperature.
ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED
This message displays and a chime sounds when the
cooling system temperature gets too hot and the engine
further enters the engine coolant protection mode. See
Engine Overheating on page 6-35for further information.
This message also displays when the vehicle’s engine
power is reduced. Reduced engine power can affect
the vehicle’s ability to accelerate. If this message is
on, but there is no reduction in performance, proceed
to your destination. The performance may be
reduced the next time the vehicle is driven.
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SERVICE TRANSMISSION
This message displays when there is a problem with the
transmission. See your dealer/retailer for service.
SERVICE VEHICLE SOON
This message displays when a non-emissions related
malfunction occurs. Have the vehicle serviced by
your dealer/retailer as soon as possible.
STABILITRAK NOT READY
If your vehicle has StabiliTrak, this message may display
and the StabiliTrak indicator light on the instrument
panel cluster may be on after first driving the vehicle
and exceeding 32 km/h (20 mph) for 30 seconds.
The StabiliTrak system is not functional until the light
has turned off. SeeStabiliTrak
®System on page 5-5for
more information.
STABILITRAK OFF
If your vehicle has StabiliTrak, this message displays
when you turn off StabiliTrak, or when the stability control
has been automatically disabled. To limit wheel spin and
realize the full benefits of the stability enhancement
system, you should normally leave StabiliTrak on.However, you should turn StabiliTrak off if your vehicle
gets stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow and you want to
rock your vehicle to attempt to free it, or if you are driving
in extreme off-road conditions and require more wheel
spin. SeeIf Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or
Snow on page 5-18. To turn the StabiliTrak system on or
off, seeStabiliTrak
®System on page 5-5.
There are several conditions that can cause this
message to appear.
•One condition is overheating, which could occur if
StabiliTrak activates continuously for an extended
period of time.
•The message also displays if the brake system
warning light is on. SeeBrake System Warning
Light on page 4-27.
•The message could display if the stability system
takes longer than usual to complete its diagnostic
checks due to driving conditions.
•The message displays if an engine or vehicle
related problem has been detected and the vehicle
needs service. See your dealer/retailer.
The message turns off as soon as the conditions that
caused the message to be displayed are no longer
present.
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TRANSMISSION HOT IDLE ENGINE
Notice:If you drive your vehicle while the
transmission uid is overheating and the
transmission temperature warning is displayed on
the instrument panel cluster and/or DIC, you
can damage the transmission. This could lead to
costly repairs that would not be covered by
your warranty. Do not drive your vehicle with
overheated transmission uid or while the
transmission temperature warning is displayed.
This message displays along with a chime if the
transmission fluid in the vehicle gets hot. Driving with the
transmission fluid temperature high can cause damage to
the vehicle. Stop the vehicle and let it idle to allow the
transmission to cool. This message clears and the chime
stops when the fluid temperature reaches a safe level.
TURN SIGNAL ON
This message displays and a chime sounds if a turn
signal is left on for 1.2 km (3/4 of a mile). Move the turn
signal/multifunction lever to the off position.
WAIT TO START
This message displays briefly when the theft-deterrent
system has initially found incorrect conditions within
the vehicle and is making a double check. If your vehicle
does not start soon after, try to start it again. If it still
does not start, have your vehicle serviced by your
dealer/retailer.
DIC Vehicle Customization
Your vehicle may have customization capabilities that
allow you to program certain features to one preferred
setting. Customization features can only be programmed
to one setting on the vehicle and cannot be programmed
to a preferred setting for two different drivers.
All of the customization options may not be available on
your vehicle. Only the options available will be
displayed on the DIC.
The default settings for the customization features were
set when your vehicle left the factory, but may have
been changed from their default state since then.
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