2013 GMC ACADIA Owner's Manual

Black plate (15,1)Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 12/11/12
Vehicle Care 10-15
1. Detach the fasteners and lift offthe panel that covers the
radiator cap.
2. Remove the radiator pressurecap when the cooling system,
including the 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 in the
system.
3. Keep turning the pressure cap slowly and remove it.
4. Fill the radiator to the base of the filler neck with the proper
DEX-COOL coolant mixture.
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.

Black plate (16,1)Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 12/11/12
10-16 Vehicle Care
8. If the coolant level inside theradiator 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 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 5‑12. The vehicle may also display an
ENGINE OVERHEATED IDLE
ENGINE and ENGINE
OVERHEATED STOP ENGINE
message in the Driver Information
Center (DIC). See
Engine Cooling
System Messages on page 5‑33.
You may decide not to lift the hood
when this warning appears, but
instead get service help right away.
See Roadside Assistance Program
(Mexico) on page 13‑7 orRoadside
Assistance Program (U.S. and
Canada) on page 13‑10.
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: Running the engine
without coolant may cause
damage or a fire. Vehicle damage
would not be covered by the warranty. See
Overheated Engine
Protection Operating Mode on
page 10‑17 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.
(Continued)

Black plate (17,1)Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 12/11/12
Vehicle Care 10-17
WARNING (Continued)
Stop the engine if it overheats,
and get out of the vehicle until the
engine is cool.
SeeOverheated Engine
Protection Operating Mode on
page 10‑17 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. 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. If in a traffic jam, shift to N (Neutral); otherwise, shift to
the highest gear while
driving —D (Drive) or L (Low).
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. Also, see
“Overheated
Engine Protection Operating Mode”
next in this section.
Overheated Engine
Protection
Operating Mode
This emergency operating mode lets
the vehicle be driven to a safe place
in an emergency situation. If an
overheated engine condition exists,
an overheat protection mode which
alternates firing groups of cylinders
helps prevent engine damage. In
this mode, there is a significant loss
in power and engine performance.
The temperature gauge indicates an
overheat condition exists. Driving
extended distances and/or towing a
trailer in the overheat protection
mode should be avoided.

Black plate (18,1)Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 12/11/12
10-18 Vehicle Care
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 10‑7.
Power Steering Fluid
The power steering fluid reservoir is
located under the engine cover on
the passenger side of the vehicle.
See Engine Compartment Overview
on page 10‑5 for 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.
How to Check Power Steering
Fluid
To check the power steering fluid:
1. Turn the key off and let the
engine compartment cool down.
2. Remove the engine cover. See Engine Cover on page 10‑6.
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
somewhere between the MAX and
MIN line on the dipstick in room
temperature. If the fluid is on or
below the MIN line, add fluid close
to the MAX Line.
What to Use
To determine what kind of fluid to
use, see
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 11‑12. Always
use the proper fluid.
Notice: Use of the incorrect fluid
may damage the vehicle and the
damages may not be covered by
the vehicle's warranty. Always
use the correct fluid listed in
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 11‑12.
Washer Fluid
What to Use
When adding windshield washer
fluid, be sure to read the
manufacturer's instructions before
use. If the vehicle will be operating
in an area where the temperature

Black plate (19,1)Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 12/11/12
Vehicle Care 10-19
may fall below freezing, use a fluid
that has sufficient protection against
freezing.
Adding Washer Fluid
When the windshield washer fluid
reservoir is low, a WASHER FLUID
LOW ADD FLUID message will be
displayed on the Driver Information
Center (DIC). SeeWasher Fluid
Messages on page 5‑41 for more
information.
Open the cap with the washer
symbol on it. Add washer fluid until
the tank is full. See Engine
Compartment Overview on
page 10‑5 for reservoir location. Notice
.When using concentrated
washer fluid, follow the
manufacturer instructions for
adding water.
.Do not mix water with
ready-to-use washer fluid.
Water can cause the solution
to freeze and damage the
washer fluid tank and other
parts of the washer system.
.Fill the washer fluid tank only
three-quarters full when it is
very cold. This allows for
fluid expansion if freezing
occurs, which could damage
the tank if it is
completely full.
.Do not use engine coolant
(antifreeze) in the windshield
washer. It can damage the
windshield washer system
and paint.
Brakes
This vehicle has disc brakes. Disc
brake pads have built-in wear
indicators that make a high-pitched
warning sound when the brake pads
are worn and new pads are needed.
The sound can come and go or be
heard all the time the vehicle is
moving, except when applying the
brake pedal firmly.
{WARNING
The brake wear warning sound
means that soon the brakes will
not work well. That could lead to
a crash. When the brake wear
warning sound is heard, have the
vehicle serviced.
Notice: Continuing to drive with
worn-out brake pads could result
in costly brake repair.

Black plate (20,1)Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 12/11/12
10-20 Vehicle Care
Some driving conditions or climates
can cause a brake squeal when the
brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean
something is wrong with the brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are
necessary to help prevent brake
pulsation. When tires are rotated,
inspect brake pads for wear and
evenly tighten wheel nuts in the
proper sequence to torque
specifications inCapacities and
Specifications on page 12‑2.
Brake linings should always be
replaced as complete axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal
does not return to normal height,
or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign
that brake service might be
required.
Brake Adjustment
Every time the brakes are applied,
with or without the vehicle moving,
the brakes adjust for wear.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a vehicle is
complex. Its many parts have to be
of top quality and work well together
if the vehicle is to have really good
braking. The vehicle was designed
and tested with top-quality brake
parts. When parts of the braking
system are replaced, be sure to get
new, approved replacement parts.
If this is not done, the brakes might
not work properly. For example,
installing disc brake pads that are
wrong for the vehicle, can change
the balance between the front and
rear brakes —for the worse. The
braking performance expected can
change in many other ways if the
wrong replacement brake parts are
installed.
Brake Fluid
The brake master cylinder reservoir
is filled with DOT 3 brake fluid as
indicated on the reservoir cap. See
Engine Compartment Overview on
page 10‑5 for the location of the
reservoir.
There are only two reasons why the
brake fluid level in the reservoir
might go down:
.The brake fluid level goes down
because of normal brake lining
wear. When new linings are
installed, the fluid level goes
back up.

Black plate (21,1)Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 12/11/12
Vehicle Care 10-21
.A fluid leak in the brake
hydraulic system can also cause
a low fluid level. Have the brake
hydraulic system fixed, since a
leak means that sooner or later
the brakes will not work well.
Do not top off the brake fluid.
Adding fluid does not correct a leak.
If fluid is added when the linings are
worn, there will be too much fluid
when new brake linings are
installed. Add or remove brake fluid,
as necessary, only when work is
done on the brake hydraulic system.
{WARNING
If too much brake fluid is added, it
can spill on the engine and burn,
if the engine is hot enough. You
or others could be burned, and
the vehicle could be damaged.
Add brake fluid only when work is
done on the brake hydraulic
system. When the brake fluid falls to a low
level, the brake warning light comes
on. See
Brake System Warning
Light on page 5‑18.
What to Add
Use only new DOT 3 brake fluid
from a sealed container. See
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 11‑12.
Always clean the brake fluid
reservoir cap and the area around
the cap before removing it. This
helps keep dirt from entering the
reservoir.{WARNING
With the wrong kind of fluid in the
brake hydraulic system, the
brakes might not work well. This
could cause a crash. Always use
the proper brake fluid. Notice
.Using the wrong fluid can
badly damage brake
hydraulic system parts. For
example, just a few drops of
mineral-based oil, such as
engine oil, in the brake
hydraulic system can
damage brake hydraulic
system parts so badly that
they will have to be replaced.
Do not let someone put in
the wrong kind of fluid.
.If brake fluid is spilled on the
vehicle's painted surfaces,
the paint finish can be
damaged. Be careful not to
spill brake fluid on the
vehicle. If you do, wash it off
immediately.

Black plate (22,1)Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 12/11/12
10-22 Vehicle Care
Battery
Refer to the replacement number on
the original battery label when a
new battery is needed.
{WARNING
Battery posts, terminals, and
related accessories contain lead
and lead compounds, chemicals
known to the State of California to
cause cancer and reproductive
harm. Wash hands after handling.
Vehicle Storage
{WARNING
Batteries have acid that can burn
you and gas that can explode.
You can be badly hurt if you are
not careful. SeeJump Starting on
page 10‑68 for tips on working
around a battery without
getting hurt. Infrequent Usage: Remove the
black, negative (−) cable from the
battery to keep the battery from
running down.
Extended Storage: Remove the
black, negative (−) cable from the
battery or use a battery trickle
charger.
All-Wheel Drive
Transfer case fluid does not require
checking unless there is a fluid leak
or unusual noise. If required, have
the transfer case serviced by your
dealer.
Starter Switch Check
{WARNING
When you are doing this
inspection, the vehicle could
move suddenly. If the vehicle
moves, you or others could be
injured.
1. Before starting this check, be
sure there is enough room
around the vehicle.
2. Firmly apply both the parking brake and the regular brake.
See Parking Brake on
page 9‑26.
Do not use the accelerator
pedal, and be ready to turn off
the engine immediately if it
starts.
3. Try to start the engine in each gear. The vehicle should start
only in P (Park) or N (Neutral).
If the vehicle starts in any other
position, contact your dealer for
service.