2016 GMC SIERRA 1500 overheating

GMC Sierra Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234758) - 2016 - crc - 11/9/15
Vehicle Care 375
Light-Duty
Coolant Surge Tank
Pressure CapHeavy-Duty
Coolant Surge Tank
Pressure Cap
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 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 tank
pressure cap off, start the
engine and let it run until the
engine coolant temperature
gauge indicates approximately
90 °C (195 °F).
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.
5. Replace the pressure cap tightly.
6. Verify coolant level after the engine is shut off and the
coolant is cold. If necessary,
repeat coolant fill procedure
Steps 1-6.
Caution
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
If the vehicle has the Duramax
diesel engine, see the Duramax
diesel supplement.
Caution
Running the engine without
coolant may cause damage or a
fire. Vehicle damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
The vehicle has several indicators
to warn of engine overheating.
There is a coolant temperature
gauge in the vehicle's instrument
cluster. See Engine Coolant
Temperature Gauge 0135.
In addition, there are ENGINE
OVERHEATED STOP ENGINE,
ENGINE OVERHEATED IDLE
ENGINE, and ENGINE POWER IS
REDUCED messages in the Driver
Information Center (DIC). See
Engine Cooling System Messages
0 154 andEngine Power
Messages 0155.

GMC Sierra Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234758) - 2016 - crc - 11/9/15
376 Vehicle Care
If the decision is made not to lift the
hood when this warning appears,
get service help right away. See
Roadside Assistance
Program0476.
If the decision is made to lift the
hood, make sure the vehicle is
parked on a level surface.
4.3L V6, 5.3L V8, and 6.2L
V8 Engines
Check to see if the engine cooling
fans are running. If the engine is
overheating, the fans should be
running. If they are not, do not
continue to run the engine and have
the vehicle serviced.
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 (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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
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.
If No Steam is Coming from
the Engine Compartment
The ENGINE OVERHEATED STOP
ENGINE or the ENGINE
OVERHEATED IDLE ENGINE
message, along with a low coolant
condition, can indicate a serious
problem. If there is an engine overheat
warning, but no steam is 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; see Trailer
Towing 0325.
If the ENGINE OVERHEATED
STOP ENGINE or the ENGINE
OVERHEATED IDLE ENGINE
message appears with no sign of
steam, try this for a minute or so: 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. When it is safe to do so, pull off the road, shift to P (Park) or
N (Neutral) and let the
engine idle.
If the temperature overheat gauge is
no longer in the overheat zone or an
overheat warning no longer

GMC Sierra Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234758) - 2016 - crc - 11/9/15
Vehicle Care 399
Number Usage20 –
22 HVAC/Auxiliary HVAC/Ignition
23 Instrument cluster/ Ignition sensing
diagnostic module/
Ignition
24 –
25 Data link connector/ Driver seat module
26 Passive entry/Passive start/HVAC
27 –
28 –
29 Park enable/ Electrically adjustable
pedals
30 SEO
31 Accessory/Run/Crank
32 Heated steering wheel
33 –
34 Instrument cluster
36 – Number Usage
37 –
38 4WD TREC
40 Left doors
41 Driver power seat
43 Left heated, cooled or ventilated seats (if
equipped)
44 Right heated, cooled or ventilated seats (if
equipped)
45 –
49 Retained accessory power
50 Run/CrankWheels 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. See Vehicle Load
Limits 0269.
(Continued)

GMC Sierra Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234758) - 2016 - crc - 11/9/15
408 Vehicle Care
Tire Pressure
Tires need the correct amount of
air pressure to operate
effectively.Caution
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.
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
.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.
For additional information
regarding how much weight the
vehicle can carry, and an
example of the Tire and Loading
Information label, see Vehicle
Load Limits 0269. How the
vehicle is loaded affects vehicle
handling and ride comfort. Never load the vehicle with more
weight than it was designed to
carry.
When to Check
Check the tires once a month
or more.
Do not forget the spare tire,
if the vehicle has one. See
Full-Size Spare Tire
0433 for
additional information.
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type
gauge to check tire pressure.
Proper tire inflation cannot be
determined by looking at the tire.
Check the tire inflation pressure
when the tires are cold, meaning
the vehicle has not been driven
for at least three hours or no
more than 1.6 km (1 mi).
Remove the valve cap from the
tire valve stem. Press the tire
gauge firmly onto the valve to
get a pressure measurement.
If the cold tire inflation pressure

GMC Sierra Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234758) - 2016 - crc - 11/9/15
Index 499
D
Damage Repair, Collision . . . . . . . 479
Danger, Warning, and Caution . . . . 3
Data Recorders, Event . . . . . . . . . 484
Daytime RunningLamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Diagnostics OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 490
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Door Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Power Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Drive Belt Routing, Engine . . . . . . 471
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . 309
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148, 150
Driving Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . 312
Characteristics andTowing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Drunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
For Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . 30 Driving (cont'd)
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 266
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . 268
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Off-Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Dual Automatic Climate Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
E
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Electrical Equipment,Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349
Electrical System Engine Compartment FuseBlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 392
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 392
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 395, 397
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391
Emergency
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 487
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
Check and Service EngineSoon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 Engine (cont'd)
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 358
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373
Coolant Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Coolant Temperature
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371
Cooling System Messages . . . 154
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 471
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 377
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 366
Oil Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . . . . 134
Overheated Protection Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . 377
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 286
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . . . 484
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Extender, Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 174
Exterior Lamps Off Reminder . . . 176

GMC Sierra Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234758) - 2016 - crc - 11/9/15
Index 503
Messages (cont'd)Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Engine Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Fuel System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Key and Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Object Detection System . . . . . 156
Ride Control System . . . . . . . . . . 157
Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Steering System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Vehicle Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Vehicle Speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Mirrors
Automatic Dimming . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Automatic DimmingRearview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Blind Spot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Convex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Folding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Heated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Manual Rearview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Tilt in Reverse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Mirrors (cont'd)
Trailer Tow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Mirrors, Interior Rearview . . . . . . . . 49
Monitor System, Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 409
Multi-band Antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
N
Navigation OnStar®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 487
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Noise Control System . . . . . . . . . . 385
O
Object Detection System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 Trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Off-Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261 Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Oil Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 366
Engine Oil Pressure Gauge . . . 134
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Older Children, Restraints . . . . . . . 87
Online Owner Center . . . . . . . . . . . 475
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 485 OnStar
®Additional
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 490
OnStar
®Connections . . . . . . . . . . . 488
OnStar®Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . 490
OnStar®Emergency . . . . . . . . . . . . 487
OnStar®Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 487
OnStar®Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 486
OnStar®Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 487
Operating Mode Overheated EngineProtection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 377
Operation Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Ordering Service Publications . . . . . . . . . . 481
Outlets
Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode . . . . 377
Overheating, Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186, 189
P
Pandora Internet Radio . . . . . . . . . 199
Park Shifting Into . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Shifting Out of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301