2024 GMC SIERRA overheating

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 2500 HD/3500 HD Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada-16908340) - 2024 - CRC - 12/7/22
Vehicle Care 319
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 0321.
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.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 2500 HD/3500 HD Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada-16908340) - 2024 - CRC - 12/7/22
Vehicle Care 321
{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 0118.
In addition, there are ENGINE OVERHEATED
STOP ENGINE, ENGINE OVERHEATED IDLE
ENGINE, and ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED
messages in the Driver Information
Center (DIC).

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 2500 HD/3500 HD Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada-16908340) - 2024 - CRC - 12/7/22
322 Vehicle Care
If the decision is made not to lift the hood
when this warning appears, get service help
right away. SeeRoadside Assistance Program
0 408.
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 Towing0280.
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

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 2500 HD/3500 HD Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada-16908340) - 2024 - CRC - 12/7/22
Vehicle Care 345
Circuit
Breakers Usage
1 Accessory Power Outlet 1
2 –
3 –
4 –
Relays Usage K1 –
K2 Retained Accessory Power/ Accessory 1
K4 –
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 0210.
.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.
.Worn or old tires can cause a
crash. If the tread is badly worn,
replace them.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Replace any tires that have been
damaged by impacts with
potholes, curbs, etc.
.Improperly repaired tires can cause
a crash. Only your 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.
Consider installing winter tires on the
vehicle if frequent driving on snow or
ice-covered roads is expected. All-season tires

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 2500 HD/3500 HD Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada-16908340) - 2024 - CRC - 12/7/22
350 Vehicle Care
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)
Warning (Continued)
.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 0210. How the vehicle is loaded
affects vehicle handling and ride
comfort. Never load the vehicle with
more weight than it was designed to
carry.
When to Check
Check the pressure of the tires once a
month or more. Do not forget the spare, if the vehicle
has one. See
Full-Size Spare Tire 0375
for additional information.
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gauge
to check tire pressure. Proper tire
inflation cannot be determined by
looking at the tire. Check the tire
inflation pressure when the tires are
cold, meaning the vehicle has not been
driven for at least three hours or no
more than 1.6 km (1 mi).
Remove the valve cap from the tire
valve stem. Press the tire gauge firmly
onto the valve to get a pressure
measurement. If the cold tire inflation
pressure matches the recommended
pressure on the Tire and Loading
Information label, no further adjustment
is necessary. If the inflation pressure is
low, add air until the recommended
pressure is reached. If the inflation
pressure is high, press on the metal
stem in the center of the tire valve to
release air.

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 2500 HD/3500 HD Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada-16908340) - 2024 - CRC - 12/7/22
428 Index
Data Collection (cont'd)OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 416
Data Recorders, Event . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .415
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . .145
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Destination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Diagnostics Connected Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 424
Disabled Vehicle Transporting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379
Distracted
Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Door Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Power Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Drive Belt Routing, Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 404
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Driver Assistance Systems, Advanced . . . . . . . . . 252
Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . 131, 133
Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Mode Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 Driver (cont'd)
Teen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Driving Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . 276
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Impaired . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Off-Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Dual Automatic Climate Control System . . . . 193
E
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
ElectricParking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Electrical Equipment, Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335 Electrical System
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . 337
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . 341, 342
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Emergency
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 418
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Air Filter Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Check Light (Malfunction Indicator) . . . . 122
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Coolant Temperature WarningLight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 404
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Overheated Protection Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 2500 HD/3500 HD Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada-16908340) - 2024 - CRC - 12/7/22
432 Index
M
MaintenanceRecords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400
Maintenance Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 394 Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 398
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Manual Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Massage Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Media
Avoiding Untrusted Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Memory Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Messages Engine Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Vehicle Speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Mirrors Automatic Dimming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Automatic Dimming Rearview . . . . . . . . . . 38
Blind Spot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Convex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Folding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Heated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Interior Rearview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Mirrors (cont'd)
Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Manual Rearview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Rear Camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Tilt in Reverse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Trailer Tow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Mode Driver Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Monitor System, Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
Multi-band Antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Multi-Point Vehicle Inspection (MPVI) . . . . 396
N
Navigation Connected Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 422
Destination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Using the System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Noise Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
O
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 Trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202 Oil
Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Engine Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Older Children, Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
Online Account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 416 Additional Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 417
OnStar Emergency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 418
OnStar Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 418
Operating Mode
Overheated Engine Protection . . . . . . . . . 323
Outlets Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Overheating, Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154, 155 Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5P
Park
Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253, 262
Shifting Into . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Shifting Out of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221