2021 GMC SIERRA overheating

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-14632426) - 2021 - CRC - 11/5/20
338 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 0112.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-14632426) - 2021 - CRC - 11/5/20
Vehicle Care 339
In addition, there are ENGINE OVERHEATED
STOP ENGINE, ENGINE OVERHEATED IDLE
ENGINE, and ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED
messages in the Driver Information
Center (DIC).
If the decision is made not to lift the hood
when this warning appears, get service help
right away. SeeRoadside Assistance Program
0 431.
If the decision is made to lift the hood,
make sure the vehicle is parked on a level
surface.
2.7L L4, 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 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.
The 2.7L L4 engine will shut down
automatically if the ENGINE OVERHEATED
STOP ENGINE message displays.
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 Towing0293.
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.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-14632426) - 2021 - CRC - 11/5/20
Vehicle Care 361
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 Limits0222.
.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)
Warning (Continued)
.Worn or old tires can cause a
crash. If the tread is badly worn,
replace them.
.Replace any tires that have been
damaged by impacts with
potholes, curbs, etc.
.Improperly repaired tires can cause
a crash. Only the dealer or an
authorized tire service center
should repair, replace, dismount,
and mount the tires.
.Do not spin the tires in excess of
56 km/h (35 mph) on slippery
surfaces such as snow, mud, ice,
etc. Excessive spinning may cause
the tires to explode.
All-Season Tires
This vehicle may come with all-season tires.
These tires are designed to provide good
overall performance on most road surfaces
and weather conditions. Original equipment
tires designed to GM's specific tire
performance criteria have a TPC specification
code molded onto the sidewall. Original equipment all-season tires can be identified
by the last two characters of this TPC code,
which will be
“MS.”
Consider installing winter tires on the
vehicle if frequent driving on snow or
ice-covered roads is expected. All-season tires
provide adequate performance for most
winter driving conditions, but they may not
offer the same level of traction or
performance as winter tires on snow or
ice-covered roads. See Winter Tires0361.
Winter Tires
This vehicle was not originally equipped
with winter tires. Winter tires are designed
for increased traction on snow and
ice-covered roads. Consider installing winter
tires on the vehicle if frequent driving on ice
or snow covered roads is expected. See your
dealer for details regarding winter tire
availability and proper tire selection. Also,
see Buying New Tires 0376.
With winter tires, there may be decreased
dry road traction, increased road noise, and
shorter tread life. After changing to winter
tires, be alert for changes in vehicle
handling and braking.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-14632426) - 2021 - CRC - 11/5/20
Vehicle Care 367
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 0375.
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 0377.
Vehicle Capacity Weight
:The number
of designated seating positions
multiplied by 68 kg (150 lb) plus the
rated cargo load. See Vehicle Load
Limits 0222. 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 0222.
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.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Reduced fuel economy.
Overinflated tires, or tires that have
too much air, can result in:
.Unusual wear.
.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 0222. How the vehicle is loaded
affects vehicle handling and ride

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Cana-
da/Mexico-14632426) - 2021 - CRC - 11/5/20
Index 451
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145
DoorAjar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Power Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Drive Belt Routing, Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 427
Driver
Teen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . 124, 125
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Driver Mode Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Driving Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . 288
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Impaired . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Off-Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220 Dual Automatic Climate Control
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
E
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Electric Brake Boost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Electrical Equipment, Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . .318
Electrical System
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . 353
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . 357, 358
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Emergency
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 441
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Check Light (Malfunction Indicator) . . . . . 115
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . . 121
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 427 Engine (cont'd)
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Overheated Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Engine Air Filter Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 438
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Extender, Seat Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Exterior Cargo Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Exterior Lamps Off Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver . . . . . . . . . . .147

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Cana-
da/Mexico-14632426) - 2021 - CRC - 11/5/20
Index 455
Mirrors (cont'd)Convex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Folding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Heated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Manual Rearview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Tilt in Reverse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Trailer Tow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Mirrors, Interior Rearview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251 Driver Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Monitor System, Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . 368
Multi-band Antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .158
N
Navigation Connected Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 445
Destination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Using the System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Navigation Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
O
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110 Trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Off-Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214 Oil
Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Engine Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Older Children, Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Online Owner Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 430
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 439
OnStar Additional Information . . . . . . . . . . . 441
OnStar Emergency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 441
OnStar Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 440
OnStar Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 441
OnStar System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162, 173
Operating Mode Overheated Engine Protection . . . . . . . . . 340
Operation
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Outlets Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Overheating, Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
P
ParkShifting Into . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Shifting Out of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Park Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Parking
Brake and P (Park) MechanismCheck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Extended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Parking or Backing Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . 114
Passenger Compartment Air Filter . . . . . . . 209
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Pedestrian Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Perchlorate Materials Requirements, California . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
Personalization
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Phone Apple CarPlay and Android Auto . . . . . . . 185
Bluetooth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180, 181
Pickup Conversion to Chassis Cab . . . . . . . . 320
Port
USB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Positioning Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174