2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE overheating

Black plate (13,1)Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-13
Notice:If the air cleaner/filter is
off, dirt can easily get into the
engine, which could damage it.
Always have the air cleaner/filter
in place when you are driving.
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
(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 mi)
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 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 10‑17.

Black plate (17,1)Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-17
5. Fill the coolant recovery tank tothe FULL COLD mark.
6. Reinstall the cap on the coolant recovery tank but leave the
radiator pressure cap off.
7. Start the engine and let it run until the upper radiator hose
feels warm. Any time during this
procedure, watch out for the
engine cooling fans. 8. If the coolant level inside the
radiator 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.
9. Replace the pressure cap. Be sure to secure it tightly. At any
time during this procedure if
coolant begins to flow out of
the filler neck, reinstall the
pressure cap.
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 gauge on the
instrument panel cluster. See
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge
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,
Gauges, 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
(U.S. and Canada) on page 13‑7 or
Roadside Assistance Program
(Mexico) on page 13‑9.

Black plate (18,1)Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual - 2012
10-18 Vehicle Care
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 10‑19 for 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.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
SeeOverheated Engine
Protection Operating Mode on
page 10‑19 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.

Black plate (36,1)Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual - 2012
10-36 Vehicle Care
Wheels and Tires
Tires
Every new GM vehicle has
high-quality tires made by a
leading tire manufacturer. See
the warranty manual for
information regarding the tire
warranty and where to get
service. For additional
information refer to the tire
manufacturer.
{WARNING
.Poorly maintained and
improperly used tires are
dangerous.
.Overloading the tires can
cause overheating as a result
of too much flexing. There
could be a blowout and a
serious crash. SeeVehicle
Load Limits on page 9‑10.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.Underinflated tires pose the
same danger as overloaded
tires. The resulting crash
could cause serious injury.
Check all tires frequently to
maintain the recommended
pressure. Tire pressure
should be checked when the
tires are cold.
.Overinflated tires are more
likely to be cut, punctured,
or broken by a sudden
impact—such as when
hitting a pothole. Keep tires at
the recommended pressure.
.Worn or old tires can cause a
crash. If the tread is badly
worn, replace them.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.Replace any tires that have
been damaged by impacts
with potholes, curbs, etc.
.Improperly repaired tires can
cause a crash. Only the
dealer or an authorized tire
service center should repair,
replace, dismount, and mount
the tires.
.Do not spin the tires in
excess of 55 km/h (35 mph)
on slippery surfaces such
as snow, mud, ice, etc.
Excessive spinning may
cause the tires to explode.

Black plate (42,1)Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual - 2012
10-42 Vehicle Care
UTQGS (Uniform Tire Quality
Grading Standards)
:A tire
information system that provides
consumers with ratings for a
tire's traction, temperature,
and treadwear. Ratings
are determined by tire
manufacturers using
government testing procedures.
The ratings are molded into the
sidewall of the tire. See Uniform
Tire Quality Grading on
page 10‑52.
Vehicle Capacity Weight
:
The number of designated
seating positions multiplied by
68 kg (150 lbs) plus the rated
cargo load. See Vehicle Load
Limits on page 9‑10.
Vehicle Maximum Load on the
Tire
:Load on an individual tire
due to curb weight, accessory
weight, occupant weight, and
cargo weight. Vehicle Placard
:A label
permanently attached to a
vehicle showing the vehicle
capacity weight and the original
equipment tire size and
recommended inflation pressure.
See “Tire and Loading
Information Label” underVehicle
Load Limits on page 9‑10.
Tire Pressure
Tires need the correct amount
of air pressure to operate
effectively.
Notice: Neither tire
underinflation nor
overinflation is good.
Underinflated tires, or tires
that do not have enough air,
can result in:
.Tire overloading and
overheating which could
lead to a blowout.
.Premature or
irregular wear.
.Poor handling.
.Reduced fuel economy.
Overinflated tires, or tires
that have too much air, can
result in:
.Unusual wear.
.Poor handling.
.Rough ride.
.Needless damage from
road hazards.
The Tire and Loading
Information label on the
vehicle indicates the original
equipment tires and the correct
cold tire inflation pressures. The
recommended pressure is the
minimum air pressure needed to
support the vehicle's maximum
load carrying capacity.

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual - 2012
i-4 INDEX
Drive SystemsAll-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . 9-26, 10-24
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24, 5-29
Driving Characteristics andTowing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-43
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Drunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
For Better Fuel Economy . . . . . 1-24
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . 9-7
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . . 9-9
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 9-10
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Dual Automatic Climate Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-4
DVD
Rear Seat EntertainmentSystem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-36
DVD/CD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-15E
Electrical Equipment, Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51
Electrical System Engine CompartmentFuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Fuses and Circuit
Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Emergency, OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . 14-2
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . .10-11
Check and Service EngineSoon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 10-6
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Cooling System Messages . . . 5-33
Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-7
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-3 Engine (cont.)
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-18
Overheated Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . 10-19
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-17
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-35
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 9-22
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-17
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-10
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-34
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-49
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . 13-19
Extender, Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . 3-22
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 6-1
F
Features
Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8
Filter, Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . .10-11
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . 6-4

Black plate (8,1)Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual - 2012
i-8 INDEX
O
Object Detection SystemMessages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-36
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Oil
Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-8
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . 10-10
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-34
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Older Children, Restraints . . . . . 3-38
Online Owner Center . . . . . . . . . . 13-6
OnStar
®
Additional Information . . . . . . . . 14-5
Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-4
Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5
Emergency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-1
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
OnStar
®System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-25
Operation, Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-3
Ordering
Service Publications . . . . . . . . 13-16 Outlets
Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-19
Overheating, Engine . . . . . . . . . . 10-17
Overview, OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . 14-1
P
Parade Dimming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Park Shifting into . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Shifting out of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Park Tilt Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19
Parking Assist, Ultrasonic . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Brake and P (Park)Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-25
Over Things That Burn . . . . . . . 9-21
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Passenger Compartment Air
Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-12
Passenger Sensing System . . . 3-31 Perchlorate Materials
Requirements, California . . . . . 10-3
Personalization Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-40
Phone Bluetooth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-46
Power
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Protection, Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Retained Accessory (RAP) . . . 9-19
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Steering Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-19
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-20
Pregnancy, Using Safety
Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-21
Privacy Radio FrequencyIdentification (RFID) . . . . . . . 13-20
Program
Courtesy Transportation . . . . 13-13
Proposition 65 Warning, California . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3