2010 GMC ACADIA coolant temperature

9-18 Driving and Operating
2. If the engine does not start after5-10 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 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 briefly but
then stops again, repeat these
steps. 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.
Engine Heater
The engine coolant heater can
provide easier starting and better
fuel economy during engine
warm-up in cold weather conditions
at or below 0°F (−18°C). Vehicles
with an engine coolant heater
should be plugged in at least four
hours before starting. Some models
may have an internal thermostat in
the cord which will prevent engine
coolant heater operation at
temperatures above 0°F (−18°C).
To Use the Engine Coolant
Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the
electrical cord. The cord is
located on the driver side of the
engine compartment. It is routed
around the windshield washer
fluid reservoir.
3. Plug the cord 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.

9-48 Driving and Operating
The vehicle can tow in D (Drive).
Use a lower gear if the transmission
shifts too often.
When towing at high altitude on
steep uphill grades, engine coolant
will boil at a lower temperature than
at normal altitudes. If the engine is
turned off immediately after towing
at high altitude on steep uphill
grades, the vehicle may show
signs similar to engine overheating.
To avoid this, let the engine run
while parked, preferably on level
ground, with the transmission in
P (Park) for a few minutes before
turning the engine off. If the
overheat warning comes on, see
Engine Overheating on page 10‑19.
On a long uphill grade, shift down
and reduce the vehicle speed to
around 88 km/h (55 mph) to reduce
the possibility of the engine and the
transmission overheating.Parking on Hills
{WARNING
Parking the vehicle on a hill with
the trailer attached can be
dangerous. If something goes
wrong, the rig could start to move.
People can be injured, and both
the vehicle and the trailer can be
damaged. When possible, always
park the rig on a flat surface.
If parking the rig on a hill:
1. Press the brake pedal, but do not shift into P (Park) yet. Turn
the wheels into the curb if facing
downhill or into traffic if facing
uphill.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels. 3. When the wheel chocks are in
place, release the brake pedal
until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then apply the parking brake and shift
into P (Park).
5. Release the brake pedal.
Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal while you:
.Start the engine.
.Shift into a gear.
.Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.

10-14 Vehicle Care
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
{WARNING
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.
{WARNING
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.Notice:
Using coolant other than
DEX-COOL
®can cause premature
engine, heater core, or radiator
corrosion. In addition, the engine
coolant could require changing
sooner, at 50 000 km
(30,000 miles) or 24 months,
whichever occurs first. Any
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Always use
DEX-COOL
®(silicate-free) coolant
in the vehicle.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in the vehicle is
filled with DEX-COOL®engine
coolant. The coolant is designed to
remain in the vehicle for five years
or 240 000 km (150,000 miles),
whichever occurs first.

Vehicle Care 10-15
The following explains the cooling
system and how to check and add
coolant when it is low. If there is a
problem with engine overheating,
seeEngine Overheating
on
page 10‑19.
What to Use
{WARNING
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
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
fire and you or others could be
burned. Use a 50/50 mixture of
clean, drinkable water and
DEX-COOL
®coolant.
Use a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
coolant. If using this mixture,
nothing else needs to be added.
This mixture:
.Gives freezing protection down
to −37°C (−34°F), outside
temperature.
.Gives boiling protection up to
129°C (265°F), engine
temperature.
.Protects against rust and
corrosion.
.Will not damage aluminum parts.
.Helps keep the proper engine
temperature. Notice:
If an improper coolant
mixture is used, the engine could
overheat and be badly damaged.
The repair cost would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Too much water in the mixture
can freeze and crack the engine,
radiator, heater core, and other
parts.
Notice: If extra inhibitors and/or
additives are used in the vehicle's
cooling system, the vehicle could
be damaged. Use only the proper
mixture of the engine coolant
listed in this manual for the
cooling system. See
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants
on page 11‑8for more
information.

Vehicle Care 10-19
9. If the coolant level inside theradiator filler neck is low, add
more of the proper DEX-COOL
coolant mixture through the filler
neck until the level is back up to
the base of the filler neck.
Replace the pressure cap. Be
sure to secure it tightly.
Notice: If the pressure cap is not
tightly installed, coolant loss and
possible engine damage may
occur. Be sure the cap is properly
and tightly secured.
Engine Overheating
The vehicle has several indicators
to warn of engine overheating.
There is an engine coolant
temperature gage on the instrument
panel cluster. See Engine Coolant
Temperature Gage on page 5‑13. The vehicle may also display an
ENGINE OVERHEATED IDLE
ENGINE and ENGINE
OVERHEATED STOP ENGINE
message in the Driver Information
Center (DIC). See
Warning Lights,
Gages, and Indicators
on
page 5‑10.
You may decide not to lift the hood
when this warning appears, but
instead get service help right away.
See Roadside Assistance Program
on page 13‑5.
If you do decide to lift the hood ,
make sure the vehicle is parked on
a level surface.
Then check to see if the engine
cooling fans are running. If the
engine is overheating, both fans
should be running. If they are not,
do not continue to run the engine
and have the vehicle serviced. Notice:
Engine damage from
running the engine without
coolant is not covered by the
warranty.
Notice: If the engine catches fire
while driving with no coolant, the
vehicle can be badly damaged.
The costly repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
See Overheated Engine
Protection Operating Mode
on
page 10‑21for information on
driving to a safe place in an
emergency.

10-20 Vehicle Care
If Steam Is Coming From The
Engine Compartment
{WARNING
Steam from an overheated engine
can burn you badly, even if you
just open the hood. Stay away
from the engine if you see or hear
steam coming from it. Turn it off
and get everyone away from the
vehicle until it cools down. Wait
until there is no sign of steam or
coolant before you open
the hood.
If you keep driving when the
vehicles engine is overheated,
the liquids in it can catch fire. You
or others could be badly burned.
Stop the engine if it overheats,
and get out of the vehicle until the
engine is cool.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
SeeOverheated Engine
Protection Operating Mode
on
page 10‑21
for information on
driving to a safe place in an
emergency.
If No Steam Is Coming From
The Engine Compartment
If an engine overheat warning is
displayed but no steam can be seen
or heard, the problem may not be
too serious. Sometimes the engine
can get a little too hot when the
vehicle:
.Climbs a long hill on a hot day.
.Stops after high-speed driving.
.Idles for long periods in traffic.
.Tows a trailer. If the overheat warning is displayed
with no sign of steam:
1. Turn the air conditioning off.
2. Turn the heater on to the highest
temperature and to the highest
fan speed. Open the windows as
necessary.
3. If in a traffic jam, shift to N (Neutral), otherwise, shift to
the highest gear while
driving —D (Drive) or L (Low).
If the temperature overheat gage is
no longer in the overheat zone or an
overheat warning no longer
displays, the vehicle can be driven.
Continue to drive the vehicle slow
for about 10 minutes. Keep a safe
vehicle distance from the car in front
of you. If the warning does not come
back on, continue to drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull over,
stop, and park the vehicle
right away.

Vehicle Care 10-21
If there is no sign of steam, idle the
engine for three minutes while
parked. If the warning is still
displayed, turn off the engine until it
cools down. Also, see“Overheated
Engine Protection Operating Mode”
next in this section.
Overheated Engine
Protection
Operating Mode
This emergency operating mode lets
the vehicle be driven to a safe place
in an emergency situation. If an
overheated engine condition exists,
an overheat protection mode which
alternates firing groups of cylinders
helps prevent engine damage. In
this mode, there is a significant loss
in power and engine performance.
The temperature gage indicates an
overheat condition exists. Driving
extended distances and/or towing a
trailer in the overheat protection
mode should be avoided. Notice:
After driving in the
overheated engine protection
operating mode, to avoid engine
damage, allow the engine to cool
before attempting any repair. The
engine oil will be severely
degraded. Repair the cause of
coolant loss, change the oil and
reset the oil life system. See
Engine Oil on page 10‑8.
Power Steering Fluid
The power steering fluid reservoir is
located under the engine cover on
the passenger side of the vehicle.
See Engine Compartment Overview
on page 10‑6for reservoir location.
When to Check Power Steering
Fluid
It is not necessary to regularly
check power steering fluid unless
you suspect there is a leak in the
system or you hear an unusual
noise. A fluid loss in this system
could indicate a problem. Have the
system inspected and repaired.
How to Check Power Steering
Fluid
To check the power steering fluid:
1. Turn the key off and let the
engine compartment cool down.
2. Remove the engine cover. See Engine Cover on page 10‑7.
3. Wipe the cap and the top of the reservoir clean.
4. Unscrew the cap and wipe the dipstick with a clean rag.
5. Replace the cap and completely tighten it.
6. Remove the cap again and look at the fluid level on the dipstick.

INDEX i-3
Compressor Kit, TireSealant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-58
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Convenience Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Coolant Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Engine Temperature Gage . . . . 5-13
Engine Temperature
Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Engine Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-36
Courtesy Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Courtesy Transportation Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-8
Covers
Cargo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-7
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30 Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-35
Cupholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1 Customer Assistance . . . . . . . . . . 13-4
Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-3
Text Telephone (TTY)
Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-4
Customer Information Service PublicationsOrdering Information . . . . . . 13-12
Customer Satisfaction Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-1
D
Damage Repair, Collision . . . . . . 13-9
Danger, Warnings, andCautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
Data Recorders, Event . . . . . . . 13-14
Daytime Running Lamps/ Automatic Headlamp
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Delayed Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Delayed Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Devices, Auxiliary . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-34 Displays
Head-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Door Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-35
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Power Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Drive Systems All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . 10-26, 9-25
Driver Information
Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23, 5-28
Driving Characteristics andTowing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-44
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Drunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . 9-7
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . 9-10
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 9-10
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8