2010 GMC Terrain Owner's Manual - Page 294

9-20 Vehicle Care If Steam Is Coming From The Engine Compartment If No Steam Is Coming From The Engine Compartment If an engine overheat warning is displayed but no steam can be seen or heard, the problem may not be too serious. Sometimes the engine can get a little too hot when the vehicle: ... Engine Overheating The vehicle has an indicator to warn of engine overheating. There is an engine coolant temperature warning light on the vehicle's instrument panel. See Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge on page 4‑14. The decision may be made not to lift the hood when this warning appears, but instead get service help right away. See Roadside Assistance Program on page 12‑6. If the decision to lift the hood is made, make sure the vehicle is parked on a level surface. Then check to see if the engine cooling fans are running. If the engine is overheating, both fans should be running. If they are not, do not continue to run the engine and have the vehicle serviced. Notice: Engine damage from running the engine without coolant is not covered by the warranty. { WARNING Steam from an overheated engine can burn you badly, even if you just open the hood. Stay away from the engine if you see or hear steam coming from it. Just turn it off and get everyone away from the vehicle until it cools down. Wait until there is no sign of steam or coolant before you open the hood. If you keep driving when your engine is overheated, the liquids in it can catch fire. You or others could be badly burned. Stop your engine if it overheats, and get out of the vehicle until the engine is cool. Climbs a long hill on a hot day. Stops after high-speed driving. Idles for long periods in traffic. Tows a trailer. If the overheat warning is displayed with no sign of steam: 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. In heavy traffic, let the engine idle in N (Neutral) while stopped. If it is safe to do so, pull off the road, shift to P (Park) or N (Neutral) and let the engine idle.