2010 GMC SIERRA engine overheat

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. Keep turning the pressure cap slowly, and remove it.
3. Fill the coolant surge tank with the proper mixtureto the FULL COLD mark.
4. With the coolant surge tank pressure cap off, start the engine and let it run until the engine coolant
temperature gage indicates approximately
195°F (90°C). By this time, the coolant level inside the coolant
surge tank may be lower. If the level is lower, add
more of the proper mixture to the coolant surge
tank until the level reaches the FULL COLD mark.
5. Replace the pressure cap. Be sure the pressure cap is hand-tight and fully seated.
6. Verify coolant level after engine is shut off and the coolant is cold. If necessary, repeat coolant fill
procedure Steps 1 through 6.
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
If the vehicle has the DURAMAX®Diesel engine, see
the DURAMAX®Diesel manual for more information.
The vehicle has several indicators to warn of engine
overheating.
You will find a coolant temperature gage on the
vehicle's instrument panel. See Engine Coolant
Temperature Gage on page 4‑41.
In addition, you will find ENGINE OVERHEATED STOP
ENGINE, ENGINE OVERHEATED IDLE ENGINE, and
ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED messages in the Driver
Information Center (DIC) on the instrument panel.
See DIC Warnings and Messages on page 4‑65.
6-34

You may decide not to lift the hood when this warning
appears, but instead get service help right away.
SeeRoadside Assistance Program on page 8‑7.
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 your engine
without coolant is not covered by your warranty.
See Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode
on page 6‑36for information on driving to a safe
place in an emergency.
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 6‑36for information on
driving to a safe place in an emergency.
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.
See Overheated Engine Protection Operating
Mode
on page 6‑36for information on driving to
a safe place in an emergency.
6-35

If No Steam Is Coming From The
Engine Compartment
The ENGINE OVERHEATED STOP ENGINE or the
ENGINE OVERHEATED IDLE ENGINE message, along
with a low coolant condition, can indicate a serious
problem.
If you get an engine overheat warning, but see or hear
no steam, the problem may not be too serious.
Sometimes the engine can get a little too hot when you:
.Climb a long hill on a hot day.
.Stop after high-speed driving.
.Idle for long periods in traffic.
.Tow a trailer. SeeTowing a Trailer on page 5‑50.
If you get the ENGINE OVERHEATED STOP ENGINE
or the ENGINE OVERHEATED IDLE ENGINE message
with no sign of steam, try this for a minute or so: 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 you are stopped in a traffic jam, apply the brake, shift to N (Neutral); otherwise, shift to the highest
gear while driving —D (Drive) or 3 (Third). 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.
If there is no sign of steam, idle the engine for
five minutes while parked. If the warning is still
displayed, turn off the engine until it cools down. Also,
see
“Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode”
later in this section.
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode
If an overheated engine condition exists and the
REDUCED ENGINE POWER message is displayed, an
overheat protection mode which alternates firing groups
of cylinders helps prevent engine damage. In this mode,
you will notice a loss in power and engine performance.
This operating mode allows the vehicle to be driven to a
safe place in an emergency. Driving extended
miles (km) and/or towing a trailer in the overheat
protection mode should be avoided.
6-36

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 6‑18.
Engine Fan Noise
If the vehicle has a clutched engine cooling fan, when
the clutch is engaged, the fan spins faster to provide
more air to cool the engine. In most everyday driving
conditions, the fan is spinning slower and the clutch is
not fully engaged. This improves fuel economy and
reduces fan noise. Under heavy vehicle loading, trailer
towing, and/or high outside temperatures, the fan speed
increases as the clutch more fully engages, so you may
hear an increase in fan noise. This is normal and should
not be mistaken as the transmission slipping or making
extra shifts. It is merely the cooling system functioning
properly. The fan will slow down when additional cooling
is not required and the clutch disengages.
You may also hear this fan noise when you start the
engine. It will go away as the fan clutch partially
disengages.
If the vehicle has electric cooling fans, you may hear
the fans spinning at low speed during most everyday
driving. The fans may turn off if no cooling is required. Under heavy vehicle loading, trailer towing, and/or high
outside temperatures, or if you are operating the air
conditioning system, the fans may change to high
speed and you may hear an increase in fan noise.
This is normal and indicates that the cooling system is
functioning properly. The fans will change to low speed
when additional cooling is no longer required.
Power Steering Fluid
See
Engine Compartment
Overviewon page 6‑16for 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.
6-37

Engine (cont.)Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-31
Coolant Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
Coolant Temperature Gage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-41
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-30
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-16
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-54
Fan Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-37
Fast Idle System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-25
Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-18
Overheated Protection Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . 6-36
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-34
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23
Engine Oil
Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-20
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-18
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15
Extender, Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-38
Exterior Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10F
Fast Idle System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-25
Filter Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-21
Finish Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-116
Fixed Mast Antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-149
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-5
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-3
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-89
Flat Tire, Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-90
Flat Tire, Storing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-106
Fluid Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-23, 6-26
Power Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-37
Windshield Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-38
Fog Lamps
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-13
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-48
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-36, 6-50
Four-Wheel-Drive Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-49
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-52
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OutsideConvex Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-59
Heated Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-59
Manual Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-56
Power Foldaway Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-58
Power Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-57
Towing Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-57
Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode . . . . 6-36
Owner Checks and Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-11
Owners, Canadian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
P
Paint, Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-116
Park Shifting Into . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-51
Shifting Out of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-53
Park Aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-60
Park Tilt Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-59
Parking Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-60
Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-50
Over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-53
PASS-Key
®III+ Electronic Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19
PASS-Key®III+ Electronic Immobilizer
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-36 Passenger Sensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-85
Passing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Perchlorate Materials Requirements, California . . . . . .6-5
Phone
Bluetooth
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-123
Pickup Conversion to Chassis Cab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-43
Power Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9
Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-118
Lumbar Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Retained Accessory (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23
Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5
Sliding Rear Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-16
Steering Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-37
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15
Pregnancy, Using Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-37
Privacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-18
Navigation System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-19
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-19
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-19
Program
Courtesy Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-10
Programmable Automatic Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Proposition 65 Warning, California . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-5
Puddle Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-13
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