2017 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN engine overheat

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955986) - 2017 - crc - 7/5/16
258 Driving and Operating
{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
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
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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
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.
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP)
The following vehicle accessories
can be used for up to 10 minutes
after the engine is turned off:
. Audio System.
. Power Windows.
. OnStar System (if equipped).
. Sunroof (if equipped).
. Accessory Power Outlets. The
console and center seat outlets
are Retained Accessory Power
(RAP) powered.
These features work with the
ignition on. Once the ignition is
turned off, the windows and sunroof
continue to work up to 10 minutes or
until any door is opened. The radio

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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Driving and Operating 259
continues to work for up to
10 minutes or until the driver door is
opened.
Shifting Into Park
{Warning
It can be dangerous to get out of
the vehicle if the shift lever is not
fully in P (Park) with the parking
brake firmly set. The vehicle can
roll. If you have left the engine
running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure the vehicle will
not move, even when you are on
fairly level ground, use the steps
that follow. If the vehicle has a
four-wheel-drive transfer case
with a N (Neutral) position, and
the transfer case is in N (Neutral),
the vehicle will be free to roll,
even if the shift lever is in
P (Park). Be sure the transfer
case is in a drive gear. If towing a
trailer, seeDriving Characteristics
and Towing Tips 0303. 1. Hold the brake pedal down,
then set the parking brake.
See Parking Brake 0273.
2. Move the shift lever into the P (Park) position by pulling the
shift lever toward you and
moving it up as far as it will go.
3. Be sure the transfer case is in a drive gear –not in
N (Neutral).
4. Turn the ignition key to LOCK/OFF.
5. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can leave the
vehicle with the ignition key in
your hand, the vehicle is in
P (Park).
Leaving the Vehicle with the
Engine Running
{Warning
It can be dangerous to leave the
vehicle with the engine running.
The vehicle could move suddenly
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
if the shift lever is not fully in
P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set.
If you have four-wheel drive and
the transfer case is in N (Neutral),
the vehicle will be free to roll,
even if the shift lever is in
P (Park). So be sure the transfer
case is in a drive gear –not in
N (Neutral).
And, if you leave the vehicle with
the engine running, it could
overheat and even catch fire. You
or others could be injured. Do not
leave the vehicle with the engine
running unless you have to.
If you have to leave the vehicle with
the engine running, be sure the
vehicle is in P (Park) and the
parking brake is firmly set before
you leave it. After you move the shift
lever into P (Park), hold the regular
brake pedal down. Then, see if you
can move the shift lever away from
P (Park) without first pulling it toward

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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Driving and Operating 305
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.
When towing, use the Tow/Haul
Mode to prevent damage to the
engine or transmission. SeeTow/
Haul Mode 0266.
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 0336.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.
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then apply the parking brake and
shift into P (Park). 5. Release the brake pedal.
Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake
pedal.
2. Start the engine.
3. Shift into a gear.
4. Release the parking brake.
5. Let up on the brake pedal.
6. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
7. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance when Trailer
Towing
The vehicle needs service more
often when pulling a trailer. See
Maintenance Schedule 0412.
Things that are especially important
in trailer operation are automatic
transmission fluid, engine oil, axle
lubricant, belts, cooling system, and
brake system. It is a good idea to
inspect these before and during
the trip.

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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Vehicle Care 319
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 320
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 321
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 327
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 331
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 336
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . . . 338
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339 Battery - North America . . . . . . 340
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
Noise Control System . . . . . . . . 343
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 344
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 345
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 345
Glass Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 346
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 346
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 348
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 348
Front Turn Signal Lamps . . . . . 348 Taillamps, Turn Signal,
Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 350
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . 351
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 351
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Left) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356
Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Right) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 364
All-Terrain Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 364
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 364
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365
Tire Terminology and
Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 366
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369
Tire Pressure for High-Speed
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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Vehicle Care 329
When to Check and Change
Automatic Transmission Fluid
It is usually not necessary to check
the transmission fluid level. The only
reason for fluid loss is a
transmission leak or overheated
transmission. If a small leak is
suspected, then use the following
checking procedures to check the
fluid level. However, if there is a
large leak, then it may be necessary
to have the vehicle towed to a
dealer service department and have
it repaired before driving the vehicle
further.
Caution
Use of the incorrect automatic
transmission fluid may damage
the vehicle, and the damage may
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Always use the
automatic transmission fluid listed
inRecommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0421. Change the fluid and filter at the
scheduled maintenance intervals
listed in
Maintenance Schedule
0 412. Be sure to use the
transmission fluid listed in
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0421.
How to Check Automatic
Transmission Fluid (6-Speed
Automatic Transmission Only)
Caution
Too much or too little fluid can
damage the transmission. Too
much can mean that some of the
fluid could come out and fall on
hot engine parts or exhaust
system parts, starting a fire. Too
little fluid could cause the
transmission to overheat. Be sure
to get an accurate reading if
checking the transmission fluid.
Before checking the fluid level,
prepare the vehicle: 1. Start the engine and park the
vehicle on a level surface.
Keep the engine running.
2. Apply the parking brake and place the shift lever in P (Park).
3. With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift lever
through each gear range,
pausing for about
three seconds in each range.
Then, move the shift lever back
to P (Park).
4. Allow the engine to idle (500– 800 rpm) for at least
one minute. Slowly release the
brake pedal.
5. Keep the engine running and check the transmission fluid
temperature on the Driver
Information Center (DIC). See
Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Base Level) 0158 orDriver
Information Center (DIC)
(Uplevel) 0160.
6. Using the transmission fluid temperature reading, determine
and perform the appropriate
check procedure. If the

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955986) - 2017 - crc - 7/5/16
Vehicle Care 333
1. Coolant Surge Tank
2. Coolant Surge TankPressure Cap
3. Engine Electric Cooling Fans
{Warning
An electric engine cooling fan can
start even when the engine is not
running. To avoid injury, always
keep hands, clothing, and tools
away from any engine
cooling 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.
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
For a heavy-duty Suburban, see the
Suburban Heavy-Duty Package
supplement.
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 0336.
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.
(Continued)

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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334 Vehicle Care
Warning (Continued)
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.
Caution
If improper coolant mixture,
inhibitors, or additives are used in
the vehicle cooling system, the
engine could overheat and be
damaged. Too much water in the
mixture can freeze and crack
engine cooling parts. The repairs
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Use only the
proper mixture of engine coolant
for the cooling system. See
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0421.
Never dispose of engine coolant by
putting it in the trash, or by pouring
it on the ground, or into sewers,
streams, or bodies of water. Have
the coolant changed by an
authorized service center, familiar
with legal requirements regarding
used coolant disposal. This will help
protect the environment and your
health.
Checking Coolant
The coolant surge tank is in the
engine compartment on the
passenger side of the vehicle. See
Engine Compartment
Overview 0323.
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, wait until it cools down. The
coolant level should be at or above

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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Vehicle Care 335
the FULL COLD mark. If it is not,
there may be a leak in the cooling
system.
If coolant is visible but the coolant
level is not at or above the FULL
COLD mark, see“How to Add
Coolant to the Coolant Surge Tank,”
following.
How to Add Coolant to the
Coolant 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.
Caution
This vehicle has a specific
coolant fill procedure. Failure to
follow this procedure could cause
the engine to overheat and be
severely damaged.
{Warning
Steam and scalding liquids from a
hot cooling system can blow out
and burn you badly. 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 no coolant is visible in the surge
tank, add coolant.
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.