2024 CHEVROLET SILVERADO engine overheat

Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD/3500 HD Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.
S./Canada/Mexico-16908339) - 2024 - CRC - 12/5/22
Vehicle Care 313
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 0315.
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-16908339) - 2024 - CRC - 12/5/22
314 Vehicle Care
.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
0 307. 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 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.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Surge Tank
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.

Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD/3500 HD Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.
S./Canada/Mexico-16908339) - 2024 - CRC - 12/5/22
Vehicle Care 315
{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 0113.
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-16908339) - 2024 - CRC - 12/5/22
316 Vehicle Care
If the decision is made not to lift the hood
when this warning appears, get service help
right away. SeeRoadside Assistance Program
0 402.
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 Towing0274.
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-16908339) - 2024 - CRC - 12/5/22
Vehicle Care 317
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.
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 operationmay continue unless the display indicates
there is a hot condition and engine should
be idled.
Caution
After driving in the overheated engine
protection operating mode, the engine oil
will be severely degraded. Any repairs
performed before the engine is cool may
cause engine damage. Allow the engine
to cool before attempting any repair.
Repair the cause of coolant loss, change
the oil, and reset the oil life system. See
Engine Oil
0308.
Engine Fan
If the vehicle has the Duramax diesel
engine, see the Duramax diesel supplement.
The vehicle has a clutched engine cooling
fan. When the clutch is engaged, the fan
spins faster to provide more air to cool the
engine. In most everyday driving conditions,
the fan is spinning slower and the clutch is
not fully engaged. This improves fuel
economy and reduces fan noise. Under
heavy vehicle loading, trailer towing, and/or
high outside temperatures, the fan speed
increases as the clutch more fully engages, so an increase in fan noise may be heard.
This is normal and should not be mistaken
as the transmission slipping or making extra
shifts. It is merely the cooling system
functioning properly. The fan will slow down
when additional cooling is not required and
the clutch partially disengages.
This fan noise may be heard when starting
the engine. It will go away as the fan clutch
partially disengages.
Power Steering Fluid
The power steering fluid reservoir is in the
engine compartment on the driver side of
the vehicle. See
Engine Compartment
Overview 0307 for reservoir location.
When to Check Power Steering Fluid
It is not necessary to regularly check power
steering fluid unless there is a leak
suspected in the system or an unusual noise

Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD/3500 HD Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.
S./Canada/Mexico-16908339) - 2024 - CRC - 12/5/22
344 Vehicle Care
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 0353. 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 0356.
Vehicle Capacity Weight
:The number
of designated seating positions
multiplied by 68 kg (150 lbs) plus the
rated cargo load. See Vehicle Load
Limits 0204.
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's capacity weight and the
original equipment tire size and
recommended inflation pressure. See
“Tire and Loading Information Label”
under Vehicle Load Limits 0204.
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 for
internal combustion engine
vehicles
.Reduced range for electric vehicles
Overinflated tires, or tires that have
too much air, can result in:
.Unusual wear
.Poor handling
.Rough ride
(Continued)

Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD/3500 HD Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.
S./Canada/Mexico-16908339) - 2024 - CRC - 12/5/22
Index 421
D
Damage Repair, Collision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 405
Danger, Warning, and Caution . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Dashboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Data CollectionInfotainment System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 409
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 409
Data Recorders, Event . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 409
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Destination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Diagnostics Connected Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 417
Disabled Vehicle Transporting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145
Door
Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Power Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Drive Belt Routing, Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 398
Drive Systems Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323 Driver
Assistance Systems, Advanced . . . . . . . . . 246
Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . 126, 128
Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Mode Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Teen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Driving
Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . 270
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Impaired . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Off-Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Dual
Automatic Climate Control System . . . . 187
E
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
ElectricParking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 Electrical
Equipment, Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Electrical System Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . 332
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . 335, 337
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Emergency OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 411
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Air Filter Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
Check Light (Malfunction Indicator) . . . . . 117
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . 123
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 398
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Overheated ProtectionOperating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317

Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD/3500 HD Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.
S./Canada/Mexico-16908339) - 2024 - CRC - 12/5/22
422 Index
Engine (cont'd)Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 409
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Extended Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Extender, Seat Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Exterior Cargo Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Lamps Off Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Lighting Battery Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
F
FanEngine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Filter
Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 358 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360 Floor Console
Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
Fluid Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Power Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Fog Lamp Light Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142
Folding Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221, 323
Four-Wheel-Drive
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Frequency Statement
Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Heated and Ventilated Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Front Seats
Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
E85 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Economy, Driving for Better . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . 270
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267, 269 Fuel (cont'd)
Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Recommended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Top Tier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
Fuses Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . 332
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . 335, 337
G
Garage Door Opener . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Gauges
Engine Coolant Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Engine Oil Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Transmission Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Voltmeter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Warning Lights and Indicators . . . . . . . . . 106