2010 GMC TERRAIN engine overheat

8-62 Driving and Operating
Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine.
3. Shift into a gear.
4. Release the parking brake.
5. Let up on the brake pedal.
6. Drive slowly until the trailer isclear of the chocks.
7. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer
Towing
The vehicle needs service more
often when pulling a trailer. See this
manual's Maintenance Schedule or
Index for more information. Things
that are especially important in
trailer operation are automatic
transmission fluid, engine oil, axle
lubricant, belts, cooling system and
brake system. Inspect these before
and during the trip.
Check periodically to see that all
hitch nuts and bolts are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer
Towing
The cooling system may temporarily
overheat during severe operating
conditions. See Engine Overheating
on page 9‑20.
Trailer Towing
Before pulling a trailer, there are
three important considerations that
have to do with weight:
.The weight of the trailer
.The weight of the trailer tongue
.The total weight on the vehicle's
tires

Vehicle Care 9-1
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 9-3
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Engine Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-9
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-10
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . 9-12
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-13 Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . 9-13
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-15
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-16
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Power Steering Fluid
(2.4L L4 Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
Power Steering Fluid (3.0L V6 Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . 9-26
Automatic Transmission Shift Lock Control
System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . 9-28
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker, and
Parking Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Taillamps, Turn Signal,
Sidemarker, Stoplamps,and Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . . 9-34
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Electrical System
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-39
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-45
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . 9-46
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-48
Tire Terminology and
Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-49

9-16 Vehicle Care
If the coolant inside the coolant
surge tank is boiling, do not do
anything else until it cools down.
The vehicle should be parked on a
level surface.
The coolant level should be at the
COLD FILL line. If it is not, you may
have a leak at the radiator hoses,
heater hoses, radiator, water pump,
or somewhere else in the cooling
system.
{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.If there seems to be no leak,
with the engine on, check to see
if the electric engine cooling
fan is running. If the engine is
overheating, the fan should be
running. If it is not, your vehicle
needs service. Turn off the engine.
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. This coolant is designed to
remain in the vehicle for five years
or 240 000 km (150,000 miles),
whichever occurs first.
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,
see Engine Overheating
on
page 9‑20.

Vehicle Care 9-17
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
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.
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 COLD FILL line, 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. See Cooling System
on
page 9‑15for more information.
The coolant surge tank is located in
the engine compartment on the
driver side of the vehicle. See
Engine Compartment Overview
on
page 9‑6for more information on
location.

9-18 Vehicle Care
How to Add Coolant to the
Coolant Surge Tank
Notice:This vehicle has a
specific coolant fill procedure.
Failure to follow this procedure
could cause the engine to
overheat and be severely
damaged.
If you have not found a problem
yet, check to see if coolant is visible
in the coolant surge tank. If coolant
is visible but the coolant level is
not at the COLD FILL line, add a
50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable
water and DEX-COOL
®coolant at
the coolant surge tank, but be sure
the cooling system, including the
coolant surge tank pressure cap, is
cool before you do it. See Engine
Overheating
on page 9‑20for more
information.
{WARNING
Steam and scalding liquids from a
hot cooling system can blow out
and burn you badly. They are
under pressure, and if you turn
the coolant surge tank pressure
cap —even a little —they can
come out at high speed. Never
turn the cap when the cooling
system, including the coolant
surge tank pressure cap, is hot.
Wait for the cooling system and
coolant surge tank pressure cap
to cool if you ever have to turn
the pressure cap.
{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
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
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
fire and you or others could be
burned. Use a 50/50 mixture of
clean, drinkable water and
DEX-COOL
®coolant.
{WARNING
You can be burned if you spill
coolant on hot engine parts.
Coolant contains ethylene glycol
and it will burn if the engine parts
are hot enough. Do not spill
coolant on a hot engine.

9-20 Vehicle Care
Engine Overheating
The vehicle has an indicator to warn
of engine overheating. There is an
engine coolant temperature warning
light on the vehicle's instrument
panel. SeeEngine Coolant
Temperature Gauge on page 4‑14.
The decision may be made not
to lift the hood when this warning
appears, but instead get service
help right away. See Roadside
Assistance Program on page 12‑6.
If the decision to lift the hood is
made, 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.
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. Just 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 your
engine is overheated, the liquids
in it can catch fire. You or others
could be badly burned. Stop your
engine if it overheats, and get out
of the vehicle until the engine
is cool.
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. In heavy traffic, let the engine idle in N (Neutral) while stopped.
If it is safe to do so, pull off
the road, shift to P (Park) or
N (Neutral) and let the
engine idle.

Vehicle Care 9-21
If the temperature overheat gauge
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 three minutes while
parked. If the warning is still
displayed, turn off the engine
until it cools down.
Power Steering Fluid
(2.4L L4 Engine)
The vehicle has electric power
steering and does not use power
steering fluid.
Power Steering Fluid
(3.0L V6 Engine)
The power steering fluid reservoir
is located toward the rear of the
engine compartment on the
passenger side of the vehicle. See
Engine Compartment Overview
on
page 9‑6for reservoir location.
When to Check Power
Steering Fluid
The power steering fluid does not
need to be checked unless there is
a leak in the system or you hear an
unusual noise. Have the system
inspected and repaired if there is a
fluid loss.
How to Check Power
Steering Fluid
To check the power steering fluid:
1. Turn the engine off and let it cool down.
2. Remove the engine cover. Refer toEngine Cover on page 9‑9.
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.
The fluid level should be between
MAX and MIN line at room
temperature. If the fluid is on or
below MIN line, add fluid.
What to Use
For the proper fluid, see
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 10‑7.

i-4 INDEX
E
ECO Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-38
Economy ModeFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-38
Electrical Equipment, Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-66
Electrical System
Engine Compartment FuseBlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-39
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-13
Check and Service EngineSoon Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-17
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . 9-6
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-16
Coolant Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-31
Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-14 Engine (cont.)
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-15
Cooling System Messages . . . 4-31
Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-9
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-4
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-34
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-32
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-23
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 8-34
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-29
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-12
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-31
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-65
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . 12-15
Extender, Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . 2-23
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 5-1
F
Filter Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . 9-13
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . 5-3
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-67
Flat Tire, Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-69
Fluid Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 9-13
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Power Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Fog Lamps Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . 5-3, 9-34
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-25
Front Seats
Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Heated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7