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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Problems on the Road
NOTICE:
If your engine catches fire because
you keep driving with
no coolant,
your vehicle can be badly damaged.
The costly repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
If No Steam Is Coming from Your
Engine:
If you get the overheat warning but see or
hear no steam, the problem may not be
too serious. Sometimes
the engine can gel
a little too hot when you:
0 Climb a long hill on a hot day.
0 Stop after high speed driving.
0 Idle for long periods in traffic.
Tow a trailer.
If you get
the overheat warning with no
sign of steam,
try this for a minute or so:
1. If you have an air conditioner, turn it
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the
off.
highest fan speed and open
the
window as necessary.
3. Tr!
to keep your engine under load
(in a drive gear where the engine runs
slower).
[f you no longer have the overheat
warning, you can drive. Just to be safe,
drive slower for about ten minutes. If the
warning doesn’t come back on,
you can
drive normally.
[f the warning continues, pull over, stop,
and park your vehicle right away.
If there’s still no sign of steam, you can
idle the engine for two or three minutes
while you’re parked, to see if the warning
stops. But
then, if you still have the
warning, TURN
OFF THE ENGINE
AND GET EVERYONE
OUT OF THE
VEHICLE until it cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to
get service help right away.
Cooling System
When you decide it’s safe to lift the hood,
here’s what you’ll see on the
V6 engine:
1. Coolant recovery tank
2. Radiator pressure cap
3. Electric engine fan
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Page 161 of 292

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine On the V8 engine you’ll see this:
1. Coolant recovery tank
2. Radiator pressure cap
3. Electric engine fans
A CAUTION:
An electric fan under the hood can
start up even when the engine is not
running and can injure
you. Keep
hands, clothing and tools
away from
any underhood electric fan.
II
If the coolant inside the coolant recovery
tank is boiling, don’t do anything else
until it cools down.
When
it is cool, remove the coolant
recovery tank cap and look at
the dipstick.
The coolant level should be at or above
“FULL COLD.” If it isn’t, you may have
a leak
in the radiator hoses, heater hoses,
radiator,
water pump or somewhere else
in the cooling system.
A CAUTION:
Heater and radiator hoses, and other
engine parts, can be very hot. Don’t
touch them. If you do, you can be
burned.
Don’t
run the engine if there is a
leak. If you run the engine, it could
lose all coolant. That could
cause an
engine fire, and you could be burned.
Get any leak fixed before you drive
the vehicle.
NOTICE:
Engine damage from running your
engine without coolant isn’t covered
by your warranty. I
If there seems to be no leak, check to see
if the electric engine fan is running. If the
engine
is overheating, the fan should be
running.
If it isn’t, your vehicle needs
service.
159. I
Page 162 of 292
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Problems an the Road
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery Bank
If yon .haven’t found a problem yet, but
the COOhint level isn’t at ur above the
“FULL COLD” mark, add a 50/50
mixture of clew wata (preferably
distilled) and a proper antifreeze at the
coolant‘rtyxwery ta&. (see “~nginef
Coolant” in the Index for more infor-
mation about the prop coolaat mix.)
c
I
NOTICE:
I
In cold weather, water can freeze and
crack the engine, radiator, heater core
and other parts. Use the warn-
mended coolant.
When the coolant in the coalant recovery
tank is at or above the “FULL GOLD”
mark, .start your vehicle.
If the overheat warning continues, there’s
one more thing you can try. You can add
the proper coolant mix directly to the
radiator, but be sure the cooling system is
cool before you do it.
. . .I60
Page 165 of 292
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 6. Start the engine and let it run until
you can feel the upper radiator hose
getting hot. Watch out for the engine
fan(s).
7. By this time the coolant level inside
the radiator filler neck may be lower.
If the level is lower, add more
of the
proper
mix through the filler neck
until the level reaches the base of the
filler neck.
8. Then replace the pressure cap. At any
time during this procedure if coolant
begins to
flow out of the filler neck,
reinstall the pressure cap. Be sure the
arrows on the pressure cap line up
like
this.
How to Add Coolant to the Radiator
(5.7L LTl (Code P) Engine)
~ NOTICE:
The LTl engine (Code P) has a
specific radiator fill procedure.
Failure to follow this procedure
could cause your engine to overheat
and be severely damaged.
163 ...
Page 200 of 292

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Service and Appearance Care
Engine Coolant
The following explains your cooling
system and how to add coolant when
it
is low. If you have a problem with
engine overheating or if you need
to add
coolant to your radiator, see “Engine
Overheating” in the Index.
The proper coolant for your Chevrolet
will:
0 Give freezing protection down to
Give boiling protection up to 262°F
Protect against rust and corrosion.
0 Help keep the proper engine
Let the warning lights work as they
-34°F (-37°C).
(128°C).
temperature.
should.
What to Use:
Use a mixture of one-half clean water
(preferably distilled) and one-half
antifreeze that meets “GM Specification
1825M,” which won’t damage aluminum
parts.
You can also use a recycled coolant
conforming to GM Specification
1825M
with a complete coolant flush and refill. If
you use
this mixture, you don’t need to
add anything else.
NOTICE:
If you use an improper coolant mix,
your engine could overheat and be
badly damaged. The repair cost
wouldn’t be covered by your war-
ranty.
Too much water in the mix can
freeze and crack the engine, radiator,
heater core and other parts.
. . .I98
Page 201 of 292
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Adding Coolant
To Check Coolant:
When your engine is
cold, check the dipstick on the cap of the
coolant recovery tank. The coolant level
should be at
“COLD,” or a little higher.
When your engine
is warm, the level on
the dipstick should be up to
“HOT,” or a
little higher.
If you have the 5.7L LTI (Code P) engine
and this light comes on,
it means you’re
low on engine coolant.
To Add Coolant to the Recovery Tank:
If you need more coolant, add the proper
mix at the coolant recovery tank, but only
when your engine
is cool. If the tank is
very low or empty, also add coolant to the
radiator, see “Engine Overheating” in the
Index for information.
199 ...
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Service and Appearance Care
e CAUTION:
Turning the radiator pressure cap when the engine and radiator
are hot
can allow steam and scalding liquids
to
blow out and burn you badly.
Never
turn the pressure cap - even a
little
- when the engine and radiator
are hot.
Add coolant mix at the recovery tank, bul
be careful not to spill
it.
A CAUTION:
You can be burned if you spill
coolant on hot engine parts. Coolant
contains ethylene glycol,
and it will
bum if the engine parts are hot
enough. Don't spill coolant
on a
hot engine.
Radiator Pressure Cap (All Engines)
NOTICE:
Your radiator cap is a 18 psi
(1 24 kPa) pressure-type cap and
must be tightly installed to prevent
coolant
loss and possible engine
damage from overheating. Be sure
the arrows
on the cap line up with
the overflow tube on the radiator
filler neck.
When you replace your radiator pressure
cap, an
AC@ cap is recommended.
Thermostat
Engine coolant temperature is controlled
by a thermostat in the engine coolant
system. The thermostat stops the flow of
coolant through the radiator until the
coolant reaches a preset temperature.
When
you replace your thermostat, an
AC@ thermostat is recommended.
f
I I
3.4L L32 (Code S)
Power Steering Fluid
How to Check Power Steering Fluid:
Unscrew the cap and wipe the dipstick
with a clean rag. Replace the cap and
completely tighten it. Then remove the
cap again and look
at the fluid level on
the dipstick.
. . .200
Page 230 of 292

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Service and Appearance Care
Fuses and Circuit
Breakers
The wiring circuits in your vehicle are
protected from short circuits by a
combination of fuses, circuit breakers,
and fusible thermal links in the wiring
itself. This greatly reduces the chance of
fires caused by electrical problems.
There are two fuse centers on your
vehicle. One is in the left side of your
instrument panel. The other
is in the engine compartment.
Open the cover on either of the boxes to
expose
the fuses.
Look at the silver-colored band inside
the fuse.
If the band is broken or melted,
replace the fuse. Be sure you replace a
bad fuse
with a new one of the correct
size.
If you ever have a problem on the road
and don’t have a spare fuse, you can
borrow one of the correct value. Just pick
some feature of your vehicle that you car
get along without
- like the radio or
cigarette lighter
- and use its fuse, if it i
the size you need. Replace it as soon as
you can.
Headlights
The headlight wiring is protected by a
circuit breaker. An electrical overload
will cause the lights to go on and off,
or
in some cases to remain off. If this
happens, have your headlight wiring
checked right away.
Windshield Wipers
The windshield wiper motor is protected
by a circuit breaker and a fuse. If the
motor overheats due to heavy snow, etc.,
the wiper will stop until the motor
cools. If the overload is caused by
some electrical problem and not
snow, etc., be sure to get it fixed.
Power Windows and Other Power
Options
Circuit breakers protect the power
windows and other power accessories.
When the current load is too heavy,
the circuit breaker opens and closes,
protecting the circuit until the problem
is fixed or goes away.
. . .228