2011 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN cooling

Black plate (85,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-85
VehicleAxle Ratio Maximum Trailer Weight GCWR*
1500 Series 4WD Long Wheel Base 5.3L V8 (LC9) 3.082 268 kg (5,000 lbs) 4 990 kg (11,000 lbs)
5.3L V8 3.422 495 kg (5,500 lbs) 5 216 kg (11,500 lbs)
5.3L V8 K5L HD Cooling Pkg 3.423 629 kg (8,000 lbs) 6 350 kg (14,000 lbs)
2500 Series 2WD Long Wheel Base
6.0L V8 3.734 355 kg (9,600 lbs) 7 257 kg (16,000 lbs)
2500 Series 4WD Long Wheel Base 6.0L V8 3.734 264 kg (9,400 lbs) 7 257 kg (16,000 lbs)
*The Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) is the total allowable weight of the completely loaded vehicle and
trailer including any passengers, cargo, equipment and conversions. The GCWR for the vehicle should not be
exceeded.
Ask your dealer for trailering
information or advice, or write us at
our Customer Assistance Offices,
See Customer Assistance Offices
(U.S. and Canada) on page 13‑4 or
Customer Assistance Offices
(Mexico) on page 13‑5.
Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is
very important because it is also
part of the vehicle weight. The
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW)
includes the curb weight of the vehicle, any cargo carried in it, and
the people who will be riding in the
vehicle as well as trailer tongue
weight. Vehicle options, equipment,
passengers and cargo in the vehicle
reduce the amount of tongue weight
the vehicle can carry, which will also

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-1
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . 10-3
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-7
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . 10-11
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-12
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . 10-15
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-17
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . 10-21 Overheated Engine
Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . 10-24
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . 10-32
Automatic Transmission Shift Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-34
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Glass Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-35
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . 10-39
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . 10-40
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-40
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-41
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-41
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-46
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-49
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . 10-50
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . 10-52
Tire Terminology and
Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-57
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-58

Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-7
A.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 10‑15.
B. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling
System on page 10‑16.
C. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. See Jump Starting on
page 10‑88.
D. Battery on page 10‑29.
E. Remote Negative (−) Terminal (Out of View). See Jump
Starting on page 10‑88.
F. Automatic Transmission Dipstick (Out of View). See
“Checking the Fluid Level”
under Automatic Transmission
Fluid on page 10‑12.
G. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When
to Add Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil on page 10‑7.
H. Engine Oil Dipstick (Out of View). See “Checking Engine
Oil” under Engine Oil on
page 10‑7. I. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of
View). See Cooling System on
page 10‑16.
J. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. See Power Steering Fluid on
page 10‑24.
K. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid”
under Brake Fluid on
page 10‑27.
L. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block on page 10‑41.
M. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer
Fluid” under Washer Fluid on
page 10‑25.
If the vehicle is a hybrid, see the
hybrid supplement for more
information.Engine Oil
To ensure proper engine
performance and long life, careful
attention must be paid to engine oil.
Following these simple, but
important steps will help protect
your investment:
.Always use engine oil approved
to the proper specification and of
the proper viscosity grade. See
“Selecting the Right Engine Oil.”
.Check the engine oil level
regularly and maintain the
proper oil level. See “Checking
Engine Oil” and“When to Add
Engine Oil.”
.Change the engine oil at the
appropriate time. See Engine Oil
Life System on page 10‑11.
.Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do With
Used Oil.”

Black plate (16,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2011
10-16 Vehicle Care
Replacing the Engine Air Cleaner/
Filter
1. Locate the air cleaner/filterassembly . See Engine
Compartment Overview on
page 10‑6.
2. Loosen the four screws on the
cover of the housing and lift up
the cover.
3. Remove the engine air cleaner/filter from the housing. Care
should be taken to dislodge as
little dirt as possible.
4. Clean the engine air cleaner/ filter sealing surfaces and the
housing.
5. Inspect or replace the engine air cleaner/filter.
6. Reinstall the cover and tighten the screws.
{WARNING
Operating the engine with the air
cleaner/filter off can cause you or
others to be burned. The air
cleaner not only cleans the air; it
helps to stop flames if the engine
backfires. Use caution when
working on the engine and do not
drive with the air cleaner/filter off.
Cooling System
If the vehicle is a hybrid, see the
hybrid supplement for more
information.
The cooling system allows the
engine to maintain the correct
working temperature.

Black plate (17,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-17
5.3 L V8 Engine Shown, 6.0 LV8 Engine Similar
A. Coolant Surge Tank
B. Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap
C. Engine Cooling Fan(s) (Out of View)
{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. This coolant is designed to
remain in the vehicle for 5 years or
240 000 km (150,000 mi), 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 10‑21.

Black plate (18,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2011
10-18 Vehicle Care
What to Use
{WARNING
Adding only plain water or some
other liquid to the cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water
and other liquids, 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. 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 11‑7 for more
information.
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.

Black plate (19,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-19
The coolant surge tank is located in
the engine compartment on the
passenger side of the vehicle. See
Engine Compartment Overview on
page 10‑6for more information on
location.
The coolant level should be at or
above the FULL COLD mark. If it is
not, the vehicle may have a leak in
the cooling system.
How to Add Coolant to the
Surge Tank
{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.
Notice: This vehicle has a
specific coolant fill procedure.
Failure to follow this procedure
could cause the engine to
overheat and be severely
damaged.
{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
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 surge tank pressure
cap —even a little —they can
come out at high speed. Never
turn the cap when the cooling
system, including the surge tank
pressure cap, is hot. Wait for the
cooling system and surge tank
pressure cap to cool if you ever
have to turn the pressure cap.

Black plate (20,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2011
10-20 Vehicle Care
If no coolant is visible in the surge
tank, add coolant as follows:
1. Remove the coolant surge tankpressure 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 full
turn. If a hiss is heard, 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 mixture to the FULL
COLD mark.4. With the coolant surge tankpressure cap off, start the
engine and let it run until the
upper radiator hose can be felt
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
mixture to the coolant surge tank
until the level reaches the FULL
COLD mark.