2020 GMC ACADIA coolant temperature

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13687875) - 2020 - CRC - 10/28/19
Vehicle Care 275
{Warning
Operating the engine with the air
cleaner/filter off can cause you or
others to be burned. Use caution
when working on the engine. Do
not start the engine or drive the
vehicle with the air cleaner/filter
off, as flames may be present if
the engine backfires.
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 driving.
Cooling System
The cooling system allows the
engine to maintain the correct
working temperature.
2.0L L4 Engine
1. Engine Cooling Fan (Outof View)
2. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap
2.5L L4 Engine
1. Engine Cooling Fan (Outof View)
2. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13687875) - 2020 - CRC - 10/28/19
276 Vehicle Care
3.6L V6 Engine
1. Engine Cooling Fan (Outof View)
2. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap
{Warning
An underhood electric fan 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
Do not touch heater or radiator
hoses, or other engine parts.
They can be very hot and can
burn you. Do not run the engine if
there is a leak; all coolant could
leak out. That could cause an
engine fire and can burn you. Fix
any leak before driving the
vehicle.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in the vehicle is
filled with DEX-COOL engine
coolant. This coolant needs to be
checked and replaced at
appropriate intervals. See
Maintenance Schedule 0353.
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 0279.
What to Use
{Warning
Do not touch heater or radiator
hoses, or other engine parts.
They can be very hot and can
burn you. Do not run the engine if
there is a leak; all coolant could
leak out. That could cause an
engine fire and can burn you. Fix
any leak before driving the
vehicle.
Use a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
coolant. 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.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13687875) - 2020 - CRC - 10/28/19
Vehicle Care 277
.Helps keep the proper engine
temperature.
Caution
Do not use anything other than a
mix of DEX-COOL coolant that
meets GM Standard
GMW3420 and clean, drinkable
water. Anything else can cause
damage to the engine cooling
system and the vehicle, which
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Never dispose of engine coolant by
putting it in the trash, 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 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, do not do anything else until
it cools down. See Engine
Overheating 0279.
The coolant surge tank is located in
the engine compartment on the
driver side of the vehicle. See
Engine Compartment Overview
0 264.
{Warning
Spilling coolant on hot engine
parts can burn you. Coolant
contains ethylene glycol and it will
burn if the engine parts are hot
enough.
{Warning
Steam and scalding liquids from a
hot cooling system are under
pressure. Turning the pressure
cap, even a little, can cause them
to come out at high speed and
you could be burned. Never turn
the cap when the cooling system,
including the pressure cap, is hot.
Wait for the cooling system and
pressure cap to cool.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13687875) - 2020 - CRC - 10/28/19
Vehicle Care 279
mixture to the coolant surge
tank until the level reaches the
indicated level 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.
If the coolant still is not at the
proper level when the system
cools down again, see your
dealer.
Caution
If the pressure cap is not tightly
installed, coolant loss and engine
damage may occur. Be sure the
cap is properly and tightly
secured.
Automatic Coolant Service Fill
(2.0L Engine Only)
If equipped, this feature assists in
filling and removing air from the
cooling system after service of
components or when coolant is
added after being too low.
To activate the fill and air removal
process:
1. With a cold system, disconnect the vent line from the port near
the cap on the surge tank. Add
coolant to the indicated mark
on the surge tank.
2. Reconnect the vent line to the surge tank and replace the cap
on the surge tank.
3. Connect the vehicle to a battery charger.
4. Put the vehicle in Service Mode. See Ignition Positions
0 190.
5. Turn off the air conditioning.
6. Set the parking brake. 7. At the same time, press the
accelerator and the brake for
automatic transmission
vehicles for two seconds, then
release.
At the end of the cycle, check the
coolant level in the surge tank and
add coolant, if it is low. Turn off the
vehicle, allow the Engine Control
Module (ECM) to go to sleep, about
two minutes, and repeat steps 3-7.
Listen for pump activation and
movement of the control valves
while watching the level of the tank.
If the tank empties, turn the ignition
off, carefully remove the surge tank
cap, refill to the indicated mark and
repeat steps 3-6. The fill and air
removal process will run for
approximately 10 minutes.
Engine Overheating
The vehicle has several indicators
to warn of the engine overheating.
There is an engine coolant
temperature gauge on the
instrument cluster. See Engine
Coolant Temperature Gauge 0123.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13687875) - 2020 - CRC - 10/28/19
280 Vehicle Care
The vehicle may also display a
message on the Driver Information
Center (DIC).
If the decision is made not to lift the
hood when this warning appears,
get service help right away. See
Roadside Assistance Program
0374.
If the decision is made to lift the
hood, make sure the vehicle is
parked on a level surface. Then
check to see if the engine cooling
fan is running. If the engine is
overheating, the fan should be
running. If it is not, do not continue
to run the engine. Have the vehicle
serviced.
Caution
Do not run the engine if there is a
leak in the engine cooling system.
This can cause a loss of all
coolant and can damage the
system and vehicle. Have any
leaks fixed right away.
If Steam Is Coming from the
Engine Compartment
{Warning
Steam and scalding liquids from a
hot cooling system are under
pressure. Turning the pressure
cap, even a little, can cause them
to come out at high speed and
you could be burned. Never turn
the cap when the cooling system,
including the pressure cap, is hot.
Wait for the cooling system and
pressure cap to cool.
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. 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. 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 engine coolant temperature
gauge is no longer in the
overheated area, the vehicle can be
driven. Continue to drive the vehicle
slowly for about 10 minutes. Keep a
safe distance from the vehicle in
front. If the warning does not come
back on, continue to drive normally
and have the cooling system
checked for proper fill and function.
If the warning continues, pull over,
stop, and park the vehicle
right away.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13687875) - 2020 - CRC - 10/28/19
Vehicle Care 281
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.
Washer Fluid
What to Use
When windshield washer fluid is
needed, be sure to read the
manufacturer's instructions before
use. If operating the vehicle in an
area where the temperature may fall
below freezing, use a fluid that has
sufficient protection against
freezing.
Adding Washer Fluid
Open the cap with the washer
symbol on it. Add washer fluid until
the tank is full. SeeEngine
Compartment Overview 0264 for
reservoir location.
Caution
. Do not use washer fluid that
contains any type of water
repellent coating. This can
cause the wiper blades to
chatter or skip.
. Do not use engine coolant
(antifreeze) in the
windshield washer. It can
damage the windshield
washer system and paint.
. 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.
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
.When using concentrated
washer fluid, follow the
manufacturer instructions for
adding water.
. 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.
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 can
be heard all the time when the
vehicle is moving, except when
applying the brake pedal firmly.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/-
Mexico-13687875) - 2020 - CRC - 10/28/19
Index 395
Child Restraints (cont'd)Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Securing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93, 95
Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Cleaning Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
Climate Control Systems Dual Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Cluster, Instrument . . . . . . . . 115, 119
Collision Damage Repair . . . . . . . 377
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Compartments
Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Compressor Kit, Tire Sealant . . . 321
Connected Services Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391
Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 392
Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 390
Connections Connected Services . . . . . . . . . . 391
Control
Hill Descent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .211 Control (cont'd)
Traction and Electronic
Stability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Control Light Hill Descent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Coolant Engine Temperature Gauge . . 123
Engine TemperatureWarning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Cooling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165, 169
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Courtesy Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Courtesy Transportation Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376
Cover Cargo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214 Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Cruise Control, Adaptive . . . . . . . . 216
Customer Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . 373
Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372
Text Telephone (TTY)Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373
Customer Information
Publications OrderingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379 Customer Satisfaction
Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
Cybersecurity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382
D
Damage Repair, Collision . . . . . . . 377
Danger, Warning, and Caution . . . . 3
Data Collection Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . . 383
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 383
Data Recorders, Event . . . . . . . . . 382
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Diagnostics Connected Services . . . . . . . . . . 392
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Door Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Power Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Drive Belt Routing, Engine . . . . . . 369
Drive Systems All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . 206, 284
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . 225

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/-
Mexico-13687875) - 2020 - CRC - 10/28/19
396 Index
Driver InformationCenter (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137, 139
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Driving Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . 231
Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . 174
Characteristics andTowing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Drunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 183
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . 185
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Off-Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Dual Automatic Climate Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
E
Electric Brake Boost . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . 207
Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . 130
Electrical Equipment,Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258 Electrical System
Engine Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 289
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Rear Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Emergency OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Check Light (MalfunctionIndicator) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 264
Coolant Temperature
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 369
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 Engine (cont'd)
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 201
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Engine Air Filter Life System . . . . 273
Engine Oil Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . 123
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . . . 382
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Extender, Seat Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 155
Exterior Lamps Off Reminder . . . 157
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
F
Filter,
Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . 159
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
Fluid Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 272
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282