2021 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500HD overheating

Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD/3500 HD Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.
S./Canada/Mexico-14632154) - 2021 - CRC - 11/20/20
310 Vehicle Care
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
If the vehicle has the Duramax diesel
engine, see the Duramax diesel supplement.
The cooling system allows the engine to
maintain the correct working temperature.
{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.
1. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View)
2. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap
{Warning
Do not touch heater, radiator, a/c pipes
or 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
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, seeEngine Overheating 0312.
What to Use
{Warning
Plain water, or other liquids such as
alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mixture will. With plain water or
the wrong mixture, the engine could get
too hot but there would not be an
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. This mixture:
.Gives freezing protection down to −37 °C
(−34 °F), outside temperature.
.Gives boiling protection up to 129 °C
(265 °F), engine temperature.

Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD/3500 HD Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.
S./Canada/Mexico-14632154) - 2021 - CRC - 11/20/20
312 Vehicle Care
{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.
Caution
Failure to follow the specific coolant fill
procedure could cause the engine to
overheat and could cause system
damage. If coolant is not visible in the
surge tank, contact your dealer.
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 indicated 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 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
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.
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 0108.
In addition, there are ENGINE OVERHEATED
STOP ENGINE, ENGINE OVERHEATED IDLE
ENGINE, and ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED
messages in the Driver Information
Center (DIC).

Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD/3500 HD Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.
S./Canada/Mexico-14632154) - 2021 - CRC - 11/20/20
Vehicle Care 313
If the decision is made not to lift the hood
when this warning appears, get service help
right away. SeeRoadside Assistance Program
0 404.
If the decision is made to lift the hood,
make sure the vehicle is parked on a level
surface.
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 the engine or transmission detects an
impending hot fluid condition, then the
transmission may force upshifts to limit
temperatures. Downshifts may also be
prevented in this instance. Normal operation
may continue unless the display indicates
there is a hot condition and engine should
be idled.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
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 Towing0272.
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 displays, the vehicle can
be driven. Continue to drive the vehicle
slowly for about 10 minutes. Keep a safe
vehicle 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.
If there is still no sign of steam and the
vehicle is equipped with an engine driven
cooling fan, push down the accelerator until
the engine speed is about twice as fast as

Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD/3500 HD Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.
S./Canada/Mexico-14632154) - 2021 - CRC - 11/20/20
336 Vehicle Care
FusesUsage
F42 TCP
F43 –
F44 Active vibration management
F45 Body control module 2
F46 Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning/Battery 1
F47 Instrument panel cluster/ Battery
F48 Transmission control module
F49 Body control module 1 F50 –
F51 Battery 1
F52 Battery 2
F53 –
F54 Sunroof F55 Driver power seat
F56 DC DC TRANS 1 F57 DC DC TRANS 2
F58 Infotainment 2 Circuit
Breakers Usage
1 Accessory power outlet 2
2 Accessory power outlet 1/ Cigarette Lighter
3 Accessory power outlet 3
4 Accessory power outlet 4
Relays Usage
K1 Run/Crank
K2 Retained accessory power/ Accessory 1
K4 Retained accessory power/ Accessory 2
K5 –
Wheels 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
0217.
.Underinflated tires pose the same
danger as overloaded tires. The
resulting crash could cause serious
injury. Check all tires frequently to
maintain the recommended
pressure. Tire pressure should be
checked when the tires are cold.
.Overinflated tires are more likely
to be cut, punctured, or broken by
a sudden impact —such as when
hitting a pothole. Keep tires at the
recommended pressure.
(Continued)

Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD/3500 HD Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.
S./Canada/Mexico-14632154) - 2021 - CRC - 11/20/20
Vehicle Care 341
Recommended Inflation Pressure:
Vehicle manufacturer's recommended
tire inflation pressure as shown on the
tire placard. SeeTire Pressure0341 and
Vehicle Load Limits 0217.
Radial Ply Tire
:A pneumatic tire in
which the ply cords that extend to the
beads are laid at 90 degrees to the
centerline of the tread.
Rim
:A metal support for a tire and
upon which the tire beads are seated.
Sidewall
:The portion of a tire between
the tread and the bead.
Speed Rating
:An alphanumeric code
assigned to a tire indicating the
maximum speed at which a tire can
operate.
Traction
:The friction between the tire
and the road surface. The amount of
grip provided.
Tread
:The portion of a tire that comes
into contact with the road. Treadwear Indicators
:Narrow bands,
sometimes called wear bars, that show
across the tread of a tire when only
1.6 mm (1/16 in) of tread remains. See
When It Is Time for New Tires 0350.
UTQGS (Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standards)
:A tire information system
that provides consumers with ratings
for a tire's traction, temperature, and
treadwear. Ratings are determined by
tire manufacturers using government
testing procedures. The ratings are
molded into the sidewall of the tire.
See Uniform Tire Quality Grading 0352.
Vehicle Capacity Weight
:The number
of designated seating positions
multiplied by 68 kg (150 lb) plus the
rated cargo load. See Vehicle Load
Limits 0217.
Vehicle Maximum Load on the Tire
:
Load on an individual tire due to curb
weight, accessory weight, occupant
weight, and cargo weight.
Vehicle Placard
:A label permanently
attached to a vehicle showing the
vehicle capacity weight and the original equipment tire size and recommended
inflation pressure. See
“Tire and Loading
Information Label” underVehicle Load
Limits 0217.
Tire Pressure
Tires need the correct amount of air
pressure to operate effectively.
{Warning
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.
.Poor handling.
(Continued)

Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD/3500 HD Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.
S./Canada/Mexico-14632154) - 2021 - CRC - 11/20/20
Index 423
Driver Mode Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
DrivingAssistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . 268
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Impaired . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Off-Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Dual Automatic Climate Control
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
E
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Electrical Equipment, Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Electrical SystemEngine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . 329
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . 332, 334
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328 Electronic Stability Control (ESC) Off
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Emergency OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 413
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Check Light (Malfunction Indicator) . . . . . 111
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . . 116
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Overheated ProtectionOperating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Engine Air Filter Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 411 Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Extender, Seat Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Exterior Cargo Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134
Exterior Lamps Off Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver . . . . . . . . . . .142
F
Fan
Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Filter,
Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Fixed Mast Antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356
FlexFuel E85 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Floor Console Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .381
Fluid
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Four-Wheel Drive Transfer Case . . . . . . . . 236
Power Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315

Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD/3500 HD Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.
S./Canada/Mexico-14632154) - 2021 - CRC - 11/20/20
Index 427
Off-Road (cont'd)Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Oil Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Engine Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Older Children, Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Online Owner Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 411
OnStar Additional Information . . . . . . . . . . . .413
OnStar Emergency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .413
OnStar Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .412
OnStar Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .413
OnStar System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157, 168
Operating Mode Overheated Engine Protection . . . . . . . . . 314
Operation Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Outlets Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .314
Overheating, Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4P
Park
Shifting Into . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Shifting Out of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Park Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Parking
Brake and P (Park) MechanismCheck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
Extended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Parking or Backing Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . .110
Passenger Compartment Air Filter . . . . . . . 204
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Perchlorate Materials Requirements, California . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Personalization Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Phone Apple CarPlay and Android Auto . . . . . . . 180
Bluetooth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175, 176
Pickup Conversion to Chassis Cab . . . . . . . . 299
Port USB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Positioning Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169 Power
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Protection, Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Retained Accessory (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Steering Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Power Assist Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Pregnancy, Using Seat Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Privacy Vehicle Data Recording . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 410
Problems with Route Guidance . . . . . . . . . . 169
Program Courtesy Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 406
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Proposition 65 Warning, California . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .301, 318, 367, Back Cover
Publication Ordering Information . . . . . . . . 408
R
Radio
HD Radio Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Radio Data System (RDS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Radio Frequency Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 409
Radio Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153