2023 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 cooling

Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico/Paraguay-16515119) - 2023 - CRC - 6/2/22
Vehicle Care 331
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
California Perchlorate MaterialsRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . 332
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own Service Work . . . . . . . . . 333
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . 335
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . 340
Engine Air Filter Life System . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 348
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 348
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349
Brake Pad Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
Battery - North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354 Automatic Transmission Shift Lock
Control Function Check (Mechanical
Shifter) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355
Glass Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355
Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356Headlamp Aiming
Front Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker, and Parking Lamps . . . . . . 357
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 358
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) and Cargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . 360
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . 362
Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Left) . . . . 365
Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Right) . . . 367
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
All-Terrain Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372
Tire Terminology and Definitions . . . . . . 374
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . 377
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . 377
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 381
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . 383
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 383
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . 385
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . 385
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . 386
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 386
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 387
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 387
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389
Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 399
Jump Starting
Jump Starting - North America . . . . . . . . 399
Towing the Vehicle
Transporting a Disabled Vehicle . . . . . . . 402
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . 403

Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico/Paraguay-16515119) - 2023 - CRC - 6/2/22
336 Vehicle Care
1. Remote Negative (–) Location. SeeJump
Starting - North America 0399.
2. Positive (+) Terminal (Under Cover). See Jump Starting - North America 0399.
3. Battery - North America 0351.
4. Engine Compartment Fuse Block 0362.
5. Engine Cooling Fans (Out of View). See Cooling System 0343.
6. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add
Engine Oil” underEngine Oil 0338.
7. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine
Oil” under Engine Oil 0338.
8. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling System 0343.
9. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0341.
10. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid
0 350.
11. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer Fluid” underWasher
Fluid 0348.

Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico/Paraguay-16515119) - 2023 - CRC - 6/2/22
Vehicle Care 337
5.3L V8 Engine (L84) Shown, 6.2L V8 Engine (L87) Similar
1. Remote Negative (–) Location. See Jump
Starting - North America 0399.
2. Positive (+) Terminal (Under Cover). See Jump Starting - North America 0399.
3. Battery - North America 0351.
4. Engine Compartment Fuse Block 0362. 5. Engine Oil Dipstick. See
“Checking Engine
Oil” under Engine Oil 0338.
6. Engine Cooling Fans (Out of View). See Cooling System 0343.
7. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add
Engine Oil” underEngine Oil 0338. 8. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap.
See Cooling System 0343.
9. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0341.
10. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid
0 350.

Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico/Paraguay-16515119) - 2023 - CRC - 6/2/22
Vehicle Care 343
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.
2.7L L4 Engine (L3B)
5.3L V8 Engine (L84) Shown, 6.2L V8 Engine(L87) Similar
1. Engine Electric Cooling Fans (Outof View)
2. 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, 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, see Engine Overheating 0346.
What to Use
{Warning
Plain water, or other liquids such as
alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mixture will. With plain water or
(Continued)

Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico/Paraguay-16515119) - 2023 - CRC - 6/2/22
344 Vehicle Care
Warning (Continued)
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.
.Protects against rust and corrosion.
.Will not damage aluminum parts.
.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, 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 driver side of the
vehicle. See
Engine Compartment Overview
0 335.
The vehicle must be on a level surface when
checking the coolant level.
All Engines 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 the indicated 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 indicated mark, see the
following sections on how to add coolant to
the coolant surge tank following.
Automatic Coolant Service Fill
Instructions (L3B Engine)
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. 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.

Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico/Paraguay-16515119) - 2023 - CRC - 6/2/22
Vehicle Care 345
3. Fill the coolant surge tank with theproper mixture to the indicated mark.
4. Connect the vehicle to a battery charger.
5. Set the ignition to service mode, see Ignition Positions 0211.
6. Turn off the air conditioning.
7. Set the parking brake.
8. At the same time, press the accelerator and the brake for automatic vehicles for
two seconds, then release.
9. Listen for pump activation and movement of the control valves while
watching the level of the coolant in the
surge tank. Add fluid as the level drops
below the indicated mark on the surge
tank. Allow 15 minutes for the fill and air
removal process to complete.
10. Reinstall the surge tank cap.
If the tank empties, turn the ignition off,
allow the Electronic Control Module (ECM) to
go to sleep, about two minutes, refill to the
indicated mark, and repeat Steps 5–9.How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Surge Tank for Gasoline Engines
Except L3B
If the vehicle has a diesel engine, see
“Cooling System” in the Duramax diesel
supplement for the proper coolant fill
procedure.
{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
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.
{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.

Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico/Paraguay-16515119) - 2023 - CRC - 6/2/22
346 Vehicle Care
1. Remove the coolant surge tank pressurecap 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.
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. See
Roadside Assistance Program
0 433.
If the decision is made to lift the hood,
make sure the vehicle is parked on a level
surface.
2.7L L4, 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.

Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico/Paraguay-16515119) - 2023 - CRC - 6/2/22
Vehicle Care 347
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; seeTrailer Towing0302.
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
normal idle speed for at least five minutes
while the vehicle is parked. If the warning is
still there, turn off the engine and get
everyone out of the vehicle until it
cools down.
If there is no sign of steam, idle the engine
for five minutes while parked. If the warning
is still displayed, turn off the engine until it
cools down.
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode
If an overheated engine condition exists and
the ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED message
displays, an overheat protection mode which
alternates firing groups of cylinders helps to
prevent engine damage. In this mode, a loss
in power and engine performance will be
noticed. This operating mode allows the
vehicle to be driven to a safe place in an
emergency. Driving extended distances and/
or towing a trailer in the overheat
protection mode should be avoided.