2016 GMC CANYON coolant

GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9159361) -
2016 - crc - 8/25/15
214 Driving and Operating
The APOs in the console or center
seat position are powered by RAP.
They will continue to work for up to
10 minutes after the key is turned
from ON/RUN to LOCK/OFF, or until
the driver door is opened.
The APOs on the center stack come
from the factory powered directly
from the vehicle battery, and supply
accessory power at all times,
regardless of ignition key position.
If electronic items are left plugged
into these APOs for long periods of
time with the vehicle off, the vehicle
battery could be drained. The
vehicle may not start if the battery is
allowed to drain for an extended
period of time.
Engine Coolant Heater
If the vehicle has a diesel engine,
see the Duramax diesel
supplement.
Heater Cord Near Coolant Surge
Tank, 2.5L L4 Engine Shown, 3.6L V6 Engine SimilarHeater Cord Near Engine Air
Cleaner, 2.5L L4 Engine Shown, 3.6L V6 Engine Similar
The engine heater can provide
easier starting and better fuel
economy during engine warm-up in
cold weather conditions at or below
−18 °C (0 °F). Vehicles with an
engine heater should be plugged in
at least four hours before starting.
An internal thermostat in the
plug-end of the cord may exist,
which will prevent engine coolant
heater operation at temperatures
above −18 °C (0 °F).

GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9159361) -
2016 - crc - 8/25/15
Driving and Operating 215
To Use the Engine Coolant
Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap theelectrical cord. The cord is
secured near the coolant surge
tank or to the engine air
cleaner. Carefully remove
the cord.
Check the heater cord for
damage. If it is damaged, do
not use it. See your dealer for
a replacement. Inspect the
cord for damage yearly.
3. Plug the cord into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
{Warning
Improper use of the heater cord
or an extension cord can damage
the cord and may result in
overheating and fire.
. Plug the cord into a
three-prong electrical utility
receptacle that is protected
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
by a ground fault detection
function. An ungrounded
outlet could cause an
electric shock.
. Use a weatherproof,
heavy-duty, 15 amp-rated
extension cord if needed.
Failure to use the
recommended extension
cord in good operating
condition, or using a
damaged heater or
extension cord, could make
it overheat and cause a fire,
property damage, electric
shock, and injury.
. Do not operate the vehicle
with the heater cord
permanently attached to the
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
vehicle. Possible heater
cord and thermostat
damage could occur.
. While in use, do not let the
heater cord touch vehicle
parts or sharp edges. Never
close the hood on the
heater cord.
. Before starting the vehicle,
unplug the cord, reattach
the cover to the plug, and
securely fasten the cord.
Keep the cord away from
any moving parts.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and store the
cord as it was before to keep it
away from moving engine
parts. If you do not, it could be
damaged.
The length of time the heater should
remain plugged in depends on
several factors. Ask a dealer in the
area where you will be parking the
vehicle for the best advice on this.

GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9159361) -
2016 - crc - 8/25/15
Driving and Operating 247
right, move your hand to the right.
Always back up slowly and,
if possible, have someone
guide you.
Making TurnsCaution
Making very sharp turns while
trailering could cause the trailer to
come in contact with the vehicle.
The vehicle could be damaged.
Avoid making very sharp turns
while trailering.
When turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal. Do this so
the trailer will not strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees,
or other objects. Avoid jerky or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.
If the trailer turn signal bulbs burn
out, the arrows on the instrument
cluster will still flash for turns. It is
important to check occasionally to
be sure the trailer bulbs are still
working.
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 get hot and no longer
work well.
Vehicles can tow in D (Drive). Shift
the transmission to a lower gear if
the transmission shifts too often
under heavy loads and/or hilly
conditions.
The Tow/Haul Mode may be used if
the transmission shifts too often.
See Tow/Haul Mode 0223
ii.
When towing at high altitude on
steep uphill grades, consider the
following: 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 0271
ii.
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 regular
brakes until the chocks absorb
the load.

GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9159361) -
2016 - crc - 8/25/15
Vehicle Care 255
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 256
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 256
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 264
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Manual Transmission Fluid . . . 266
Hydraulic Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 266
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 271
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274 Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Battery - North America . . . . . . 276
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 278
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 280
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 280
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker, and Parking
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) and
Cargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 284
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
All-Terrain Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 294
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Tire Pressure Monitor
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309

GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9159361) -
2016 - crc - 8/25/15
260 Vehicle Care
1. Coolant Surge Tank andPressure Cap. See Engine
Coolant 0269
ii.
2. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
0266
ii.
3. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine Oil 0262
ii.
4. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System
0 268
ii.
5. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine Oil 0262
ii.
6. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0285
ii.
7. Brake/Clutch Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid 0275
iior
Hydraulic Clutch 0266ii(If
Equipped).
8. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer Fluid
0 273
ii.
9. Battery - North America 0276
ii.

GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9159361) -
2016 - crc - 8/25/15
262 Vehicle Care
1. Coolant Surge Tank andPressure Cap. See Engine
Coolant 0269
ii.
2. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
0266
ii.
3. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System
0 268
ii.
4. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine Oil 0262
ii.
5. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine Oil 0262
ii.
6. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0285
ii.
7. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid 0275
ii.
8. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer Fluid
0 273
ii.
9. Battery - North America 0276
ii.
Engine Oil
For diesel engine vehicles, see
“Engine Oil” in the Duramax diesel
supplement. 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:
.
Use engine oil approved to the
proper specification and of the
proper viscosity grade. See
“Selecting the Right Engine Oil”
in this section.
. Check the engine oil level
regularly and maintain the
proper oil level. See “Checking
Engine Oil” and“When to Add
Engine Oil” in this section.
. Change the engine oil at the
appropriate time. See Engine Oil
Life System 0264
ii.
. Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do with
Used Oil” in this section.
Checking Engine Oil
It is a good idea to check the engine
oil level at each fuel fill. In order to
get an accurate reading, the vehicle
must be on level ground. The
engine oil dipstick handle is a yellow loop. See
Engine Compartment
Overview 0259
iifor the location of
the engine oil dipstick.
Obtaining an accurate oil level
reading is essential:
1. If the engine has been running recently, turn off the engine and
allow several minutes for the oil
to drain back into the oil pan.
Checking the oil level too soon
after engine shutoff will not
provide an accurate oil level
reading.
2. Pull out the dipstick and wipe it with a clean paper towel or
cloth, then push it back in all
the way. Remove it again,
keeping the tip down, and
check the level.

GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9159361) -
2016 - crc - 8/25/15
268 Vehicle Care
4. Lift the filter cover housingaway from the engine air
cleaner/filter housing.
5. Pull out the filter.
6. Inspect or replace the engine air cleaner/filter.
7. Reverse Steps 2-5 to reinstall the filter cover housing.
{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.
Caution
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.
2.5L L4 Gas Engine Shown, 2.8L
L4 Diesel Engine Similar
1. Coolant Surge Tank andPressure Cap
2. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View)
3.6L V6 Engine
1. Coolant Surge Tank and
Pressure Cap
2. Engine Cooling Fan (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.

GMC Canyon Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9159361) -
2016 - crc - 8/25/15
Vehicle Care 269
{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.
Caution
Using coolant other than
DEX-COOL®can cause
premature engine, heater core,
or radiator corrosion. In addition,
the engine coolant could require
changing sooner. 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 mixture. See Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants 0350
iiand
Maintenance Schedule 0341ii.
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 0271
ii.
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 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
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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.