2010 GMC TERRAIN coolant level

Instruments and Controls 4-31
Rear Access Open
This message will display along with
a symbol when the liftgate is open.
Close the liftgate completely.
Engine Cooling System
Messages
A/C Off Due to High
Engine Temp
This message displays when the
engine coolant becomes hotter than
the normal operating temperature.
To avoid added strain on a hot
engine, the air conditioning
compressor automatically turns off.
When the coolant temperature
returns to normal, the air
conditioning compressor turns
back on. You can continue to
drive the vehicle.
If this message continues to appear,
have the system repaired by your
dealer/retailer as soon as possible
to avoid damage to the engine.
Coolant Level Low Add
Coolant
This message will display if the
coolant is low, seeEngine Coolant
on page 9‑16.
Engine Overheated —Idle
Engine
This message displays when the
engine coolant temperature is too
hot. Stop and allow the vehicle to
idle until it cools down.
Engine Overheated —Stop
Engine
This message displays and a
continuous 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.
High Coolant Temperature
This message displays if the coolant
temperature is hot, see Engine
Overheating on page 9‑20.
Engine Oil Messages
Change Engine Oil Soon
This message displays when the
engine oil needs to be changed.
When you change the engine oil, be
sure to reset the Oil Life System.
See Engine Oil Life System
on
page 9‑12and Driver Information
Center (DIC)on page 4‑25for
information on how to reset the
system. See Engine Oil
on
page 9‑10and Scheduled
Maintenanceon page 10‑2for
more information.
Engine Oil Hot, Idle Engine
This message displays when the
engine oil temperature is too hot.
Stop and allow the vehicle to idle
until it cools down.

Driving and Operating 8-61
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower
gear before starting down a long
or steep downgrade. If the
transmission is not shifted down,
the brakes might have to be used
so much that they would get hot and
no longer work well.
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 9‑20.
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.

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.

Vehicle Care 9-19
Notice:In cold weather, water
can freeze and crack the engine,
radiator, heater core and other
parts. Use the recommended
coolant and the proper coolant
mixture.
1. Remove the coolant surge tank pressure cap when the cooling
system, including the coolant
surge tank pressure cap and
upper radiator hose, is no
longer hot. Turn the pressure cap slowly
counterclockwise about
one-quarter of a turn. If you
hear a hiss, wait for that to stop.
This will allow any pressure
still left to be vented out the
discharge hose.
2. Keep turning the pressure cap slowly, and remove it.
3. Fill the coolant surge tank with
the proper DEX-COOL®coolant
mixture, to the COLD FILL line. 4. With the coolant surge tank
pressure cap off, start the
engine and let it run until you
can feel the upper radiator hose
getting hot. Watch out for the
engine cooling fan.
By this time, the coolant level
inside the coolant surge tank
may be lower. If the level is
lower, add more of the proper
DEX-COOL
®coolant mixture
to the coolant surge tank until
the level reaches the COLD
FILL line.
5. Replace the pressure cap. Be sure the pressure cap is
hand-tight.
Check the level in the coolant surge
tank when the cooling system has
cooled down. If the coolant is not at
the proper level, repeat Steps 1
through 3 and reinstall the pressure
cap. If the coolant still is not at the
proper level when the system cools
down again, see your dealer/retailer.

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.

Service and Maintenance 10-3
system is reset accidentally,
service the vehicle within
5 000 km/3,000 miles since the
last service. Reset the oil life
system whenever the oil is changed.
SeeEngine Oil Life System
on
page 9‑12.
When the Change Engine Oil Soon
message displays, certain services,
checks, and inspections are
required. The services described for
Maintenance Ishould be performed
at every engine oil change. The
services described for Maintenance
II should be performed when:
.Maintenance Iwas performed
the last time the engine oil was
changed.
.It has been 10 months or more
since the Change Engine Oil
Soon message has displayed or
since the last service.
Maintenance I
.Change engine oil and filter. See
Engine Oilon page 9‑10.An
Emission Control Service.
.Engine coolant level check. See
Engine Coolant on page 9‑16.
.Windshield washer fluid level
check. See Washer Fluidon
page 9‑22.
.Tire inflation check. See Tire
Pressure on page 9‑52.
.Tire wear inspection. See Tire
Inspection on page 9‑58.
.Rotate tires. See Tire Rotationon page 9‑58.
.Fluids visual leak check (or
every 12 months, whichever
occurs first). A leak in any
system must be repaired and the
fluid level checked.
.Engine air cleaner filter
inspection (vehicles driven in
dusty conditions only). See
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
on
page 9‑13.
.Brake system inspection (or
every 12 months, whichever
occurs first).
Maintenance II
.Perform all services described in
MaintenanceI.
.Steering and suspension
inspection. Visual inspection for
damaged, loose, or missing
parts or signs of wear.
.Engine cooling system
inspection. Visual inspection of
hoses, pipes, fittings, and
clamps and replacement,
if needed.