2010 CHEVROLET TAHOE checking oil

Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
California Proposition 65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Doing Your Own Service Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Adding Equipment to the Outside of the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Gasoline Octane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
California Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-11
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-13
Checking Things Under the Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-14
Hood Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-14
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-16
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-17 Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-20
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-21
Automatic Transmission Fluid (4-Speed
Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-23
Automatic Transmission Fluid (6-Speed
Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-26
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-30
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-31
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-36
Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-39
Engine Fan Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-39
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-40
Windshield Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-41
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-42
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-45
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-46
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-51
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-53
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-54
6-1

Checking Things Under
the Hood
{WARNING:
An electric fan under the hood can start up and
injure you even when the engine is not running.
Keep hands, clothing, and tools away from any
underhood electric fan.
{WARNING:
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.
Hood Release
To open the hood:
1. Pull the handle withthis symbol on it. It is
located inside the
vehicle to the lower left
of the steering wheel.
6-14

A.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on page 6‑21.
B. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling System on page 6‑30.
C. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. See Jump Starting
on page 6‑46.
D. Battery on page 6‑45.
E. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine Oil”
under Engine Oil on page 6‑17.
F. Automatic Transmission Dipstick. See “Checking
the Fluid Level” underAutomatic Transmission
Fluid (4-Speed Transmission)
on page 6‑23or
Automatic Transmission Fluid (6-Speed
Transmission) on page 6‑26.
G. Remote Negative (−) Terminal (Out of View). See Jump Starting on page 6‑46.
H. Engine Oil Dipstick (Out of View). See “Checking
Engine Oil” underEngine Oil on page 6‑17.
I. Engine Cooling Fan. See Cooling System
on
page 6‑30.
J. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. See Power
Steering Fluid on page 6‑40. K. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See
“Brake
Fluid” under Brakes on page 6‑42.
L. Underhood Fuse Block on page 6‑121.
M. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding
Washer Fluid” underWindshield Washer Fluid
on
page 6‑41.
Engine Oil
Checking Engine Oil
It is a good idea to check the engine oil level at each
fuel fill. 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. See
Engine Compartment Overview
on page 6‑16for 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 this is not done, 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.
6-17

Checking Coolant
The vehicle must be on a level surface when checking
the coolant level.
Check to see if coolant is visible in the coolant surge
tank. If the coolant inside the coolant surge tank is
boiling, do not do anything else until it cools down.
If coolant is visible but the coolant level is not at or
above the FULL COLD mark, add a 50/50 mixture of
clean, drinkable water and DEX-COOL
®coolant at the
coolant surge tank, but be sure the cooling system is
cool before this is done.
The coolant surge tank is located in the engine
compartment on the passenger side of the vehicle.
See Engine Compartment Overview
on page 6‑16for
more information on location.
The coolant level should be at or above the FULL
COLD mark. If it is not, you may have a leak in the
cooling system.
6-33

Checking Brake Fluid
Check brake fluid by looking at the brake fluid reservoir.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview on page 6‑16.
The fluid level should be
above MIN. If it is not,
have the brake hydraulic
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
Use only new DOT 3 brake fluid from a sealed
container. See Recommended Fluids and Lubricantson
page 7‑12. Always clean the brake fluid reservoir cap and the area
around the cap before removing it. This helps keep dirt
from entering the reservoir.
{WARNING:
With the wrong kind of fluid in the brake hydraulic
system, the brakes might not work well. This could
cause a crash. Always use the proper brake fluid.
Notice:
.Using the wrong fluid can badly damage
brake hydraulic system parts. For example,
just a few drops of mineral-based oil, such
as engine oil, in the brake hydraulic system
can damage brake hydraulic system parts
so badly that they will have to be replaced.
Do not let someone put in the wrong kind of
fluid.
.If brake fluid is spilled on the vehicle's
painted surfaces, the paint finish can be
damaged. Be careful not to spill brake
fluid on the vehicle. If you do, wash it off
immediately. See Washing Your Vehicle
on
page 6‑111
.
6-43

.Windshield wiper blade inspection for wear,
cracking, or contamination and windshield and
wiper blade cleaning, if contaminated. See
Windshield, Backglass, and Wiper Blades
on
page 6‑113. Worn or damaged wiper blade
replacement. See Windshield Wiper Blade
Replacement on page 6‑61.
.Body hinges and latches, key lock cylinders,
folding seat hardware, and liftgate hinges,
linkage, and handle pivot points lubrication.
See Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
on
page 7‑12. More frequent lubrication may be
required when vehicle is exposed to a corrosive
environment. Applying silicone grease on
weatherstrips with a clean cloth makes them last
longer, seal better, and not stick or squeak.
.Restraint system component check. See Checking
the Restraint Systems on page 2‑101.
.Automatic transmission fluid level check
and adding fluid, if needed. See Automatic
Transmission Fluid (4-Speed Transmission)
on
page 6‑23or Automatic Transmission Fluid
(6-Speed Transmission) on page 6‑26.
.Four‐wheel drive vehicles: Transfer case fluid level
check and adding fluid, if needed.
.Engine air cleaner filter inspection. See Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 6‑21.
Additional Required Services
At Each Fuel Stop
.Engine oil level check. See Engine Oilon
page 6‑17.
.Engine coolant level check. See Engine Coolanton page 6‑31.
.Windshield washer fluid level check. See
Windshield Washer Fluid on page 6‑41.
Once a Month
.Tire inflation check. SeeInflation - Tire Pressureon page 6‑72.
.Tire wear inspection. See Tire Inspection and
Rotation on page 6‑78.
7-5

Fuel EconomyDriving for Better . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-29
Fuses Center Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-120
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-118
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-118
Underhood Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-121
Windshield Wiper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-117
G
Garage Door Opener . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-66
GasolineOctane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Gauges Engine Coolant Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-38
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-45
Oil Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-42
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-31
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-31
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-31
Voltmeter Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-35
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-73
GM Mobility Reimbursement Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8-7
H
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-58
Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-3
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-3
Headlamps
Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-55
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-58
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12
Exterior Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12
Heated Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8, 2-9
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-18 Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-30
Highbeam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-44
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Hood Checking Things Under . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-14
Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-14
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-3
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-37
i - 7