1994 PONTIAC GRAND-AM coolant

Your Driving and the Road
Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
Have your Pontiac in good shape for
winter. Be sure your engine coolant
mix is correct.
0 You may want to put winter
emergency supplies in your trunk.
Include an ice scraper, a small brush or
broom, a supply
of windshield washer
fluid, a rag, some winter outer clothing, a
small shovel, a flashlight, a red cloth, and
a couple of reflective warning triangles.
And, if you will be driving under severe
conditions, include a small bag of sand, a
piece of old carpet or a couple
of burlap
bags
to help provide traction. Be sure you
properly secure these items
in your
vehicle.
Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where your
tires meet the road probably have good
traction.
However, if there is snow or ice between
your tires and the road, you can have a
very slippery situation. You’ll have a lot
less traction or “grip” and will need to be
very careful.
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Problems on the Road
Towing from the
Rear-Vehicle
Hook-Up
(CONT.)
Attach a separate safety chain to each side
of the axle inboard of the spring.
Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage
or the warning light about a hot engine on
your Pontiac’s instrument panel. See
“Coolant Temperature Gage” and
“Coolant Temperature Warning Light”; in
the Index. You will also find
a low
coolant warning light
on your Pontiac’s
instrument panel.
If Steam Is Coming From
Your Engine 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.
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If No Steam 1s 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 get
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.
[f 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
off.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the
highest fan speed and open the
window as necessary.
3. Try to keep your engine under load (in
a drive gear where the engine runs
slower).
If 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.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop,
and park your vehicle right away.
[f 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
4ND 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:
(A) Coolant surge tank with pressure cap
(B) Electric engine fan ii" , I .. i I. i. 4:. .;I'
.r': 5.
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Problems on the Road
1 Cooling System (CONK)
If the coolant inside the coolant surge
tank is boiling, don’t do anything else
until it cools down. 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. ~~~
NOTICE:
Engine
damage from running your
engine without coolant isn’t covered
by your warranty.
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.
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How to Add Coolant to the
Coolant Surge Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but
the coolant level isn’t at or above
FULL
COLD,-add a 50/50 mixture of clean
water (preferably distilled) and a proper
antifreeze
at the coolant surge tank, but be
sure the cooling system, including the
coolant surge tank pressure cap, is cool
before
you do it. (See “Engine Coolant”
in the Index for more information about
the proper coolant
mix.)
NOTICE:
In cold weather, water can freeze
and crack the engine, radiator,
heater core and other
parts. So use
the recommended coolant.
L
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Problems on the Road
..
How to Add Coolant to the
Coolant Surge Tank
(CONK)
1. You can 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 about one-quarter
turn to the left and then stop.
If you hear a hiss, wait for that to stop.
A hiss means there is still some
pressure left.
2. Then keep turning the pressure cap
slowly, and remove it.
. Once the pressure cap is off, look
inside the surge tank opening and look
for a small cylinder at the base
of the
opening. This should be covered with
coolant. If the cylinder
is uncovered,
the coolant
in your system is low.
Fill the coolant surge tank with the
proper mix, up to FULL COLD, or
just above the small cylinder at the
base
of the opening.
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7
4. With the coolant surge tank pressure
cap off, start the engine and let
it run
until you can feel the upper radiator
hose getting hot. Watch out for the
engine fan.
By this time, the coolant level inside
the coolant surge tank may be lower. If
the level is lower, add more
of the
proper
mix to the coolant surge tank
until the level reaches FULL COLD,
or just above the small cylinder at the
base
of the opening.
I
5. Then replace the pressure cap. Be sure
the pressure cap is tight.
If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” while
you’re driving, especially
if you maintain
your tires properly. If air goes out
of a
tire, it’s much more likely to leak out
slowly. But if you should ever have a
“blowout,” here are
a few tips about what
to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create
a drag that pulls the vehicle toward that
side. Take your foot off the accelerator
pedal and grip
the steering wheel firmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, then
gently brake to
a stop well out of the
traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve,
acts much like a skid and may require
the
same correction you’d use in a skid. In
my rear blowout, remove your foot from
the accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle
under control by steering the way you
want the vehicle to go. It may be very
wmpy and noisy, but you can still steer.
Sently brake to a stop, well off the road if
Jossible.
[fa tire goes flat, the next section shows
low to use your jacking equipment to
:hange a
flat tire safely.
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2.3L Quad OHC and Quad
4 Engines (CODES 3,
D AND A)
When you open the hood, you'll see:
1. Automatic Transaxle Dipstick
(if'equipped)
2. Brake Fluid Reservoir
3. Air Cleaner
4. Hydraulic Clutch Fluid Reservoir
(if so equipped)
5. Battery
6. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir
7. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
B. Engine Oil Fill Cap, Engine Oil
Dipstick
3. Engine Coolant Surge Tank
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