1996 PONTIAC PONTIAC coolant temperature

Engine Coolant Heater (Option)
In very cold weather, 0" F
(- 18 O C) or colder, the
engine coolant heater can
help. You'll get easier
starting and better fuel
economy during
engine warm-up.
A I
I A CAUTION: I
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock. Also, the wrong
kind
of extension cord could overheat and cause
a fire. You could be seriously injured. Plug the
cord into a properly grounded three-prong 110-volt AC outlet.
If the cord won't reach, use a
heavy-duty three-prong extension cord rated for
I at least 15 amps.
4. After you've used the coolant heater, be sure to store
Usually, the coolant heater should be plugged in a the cord as it was before to keep it away from
minimum of four hours prior to starting your vehicle. moving engine parts. If you don't, it could
' - be damaged. To Use the- Coolant Heater
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
1. Turn off the engine.
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord. kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead of
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~ ~
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet. trying to list
everything here, we ask that you contact
your Pontiac dealer in tlie area where you'll be parking
your vehicle. The dealer can give you-the best advice for
that particular area,
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Anti-Lock Brake System Active Light
(Option)
Men your anti-lock system
is adjusting brake pressure
to help avoid a braking skid,
the anti-lock brake system
active light will come on.
Engine Coolant Temperature Light
h E- -
c. TEMP
This light tells you that your
engine coolant,
has
overheated or your radiator
c-ooling €an
is not working.
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Slippery road conditions may exist if this light comes
on,
so adjust your driving accordingly. The light will
stay un for a few seconds after the system stops
adjusting brake pressure.
If you have been operatmg your vehicle under normal
driving conditions, you should pull off the road, stop
your vehicle and turn off the engine as soon as possible.
In "Problems on the Road," this manual shows what to
do. See "Engine Overheating" in the Index.
The anti-lock brake system active light also come,s on
briefly when you turn the ignition key to RUN. If the
'light doesn't come on then, have it fixed
so it will be
there to tell you when the system is active.
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Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
You have a gage that shows
the engine coolant temperature.
If the gage
pointer moves into the red
area,
your engine is too hot!
Low Coolant Warning Light
LOW
COOLANT
If this light comes on, your
system
is low on coolant
and the engine may
overheat. See “Engine
Coolant” in the Index
and
have your vehicle serviced
as soon as you can.
That reading means the same thing as the warning light.
It means that your engine coolant has overheated.
If you
have been ‘operating your vehicle under normal driving
conditions, you should pull off the road, stop your
vehicle and turn
off the engine as soon as possible.
In “Problems on the Road,” this manual shows what to
do. S’ee “Engine Overheating” in the Index.
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EXT. TEMP: Shows the temperature outside your
vehicle. Temperature can be displayed in Fahrenheit or
Celsius. This mode can’t be reset.
TRIP: Shows how far you’ve driv’en since you last reset
this mode.
ELAPSED TIME: Shows how much time has passed
with the engine running since you last reset this mode.
Control Buttons
The trip calculator has three buttons that control
its functions.
MODE: Press this button to change the mode
being displayed.
EM: Press this button to change the display from
English to metric units or metric to English.
RESET: Press this button for one second to reset the
mode displayed.
If you push and hold RESET for more
than five seconds, all the modes will reset. You can’t
reset
INST ECON, RANGE or EXT. TEMP.
Head-Up Display (Option)
If you have the Head-Up
Display
(HUD), you can see
the speedometer reading, in
English or metric units,
’
displayed “through”
the windshield.
The
HUD also shows these lights when they are lit on
the instrument panel:
0 Turn Signal Indicators
High-Beam Indicator Symbol
0 Low Fuel Symbol
Oil Warning Symbol
0 Coolant Temperature Symbol
0 Charging System Symbol
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light will come on). The system will bring in outside air
and cool it. To turn off the air conditioning, press the
NC button again.(the indicator light will go off).
On cool but sunny days, the sun may warm your upper
body, but your lower body may not be warm enough.
Turn the control knob to the
BI-LEVEL position, with
the temperature knob set for comfort and press the
A/C
button once (the indicator light will come on). The
system will bring in outside air and direct it to your
upper body, while sending slightly warmed air to
your
lower body. You may notice this temperature difference
more at some times than others.
To turn off the air
conditioning, press the
A/C button again (the indicator
light will go
off).
Heating
On cold days, use FLOOR with the temperature knob all
the way in the red area. The system will bring in outside
air, heat it and send it to the floor ducts.
If your vehicle has an engine coolant heater, you can use
it to help your system provide warm air faster when it’s
cold outside
(0°F (-18°C) or lower). An engine coolant
heater warms the coolant your engine and heating
system use to provide heat. See “Engine Coolant
Heater” in
the Index.
Ventilation System
Adjust the direction of airflow by moving the louvered vents.
Your vehicle’s flow-through ventilation system supplies outside air into the vehicle when
it is moving. Outside
air will also enter the vehicle when the air conditioning
fan is running.
For mild outside temperatures when little heating or
cooling is needed,
use VENT to direct outside air
through your vehicle.
3-3
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Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage and a warning
light about a hot engine on your instrument panel. See
“Engine Coolant Temperature Gage” and “Engine
Coolant Temperature Warning Light” in the Index. You
also have
a LOW COOLANT light on your instrument
panel. See
“Low Coolant Light” in the Index.
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
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 clown. Wait until
there
is no sign of steam or coolant before
opening 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.
I I
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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How to Add Fluid
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of transaxle fluid to use. See “Recommended
Fluids
and Lubricants” in the Index.
If the fluid level is low, add only enough of the proper
fluid to bring the level into the cross-hatched area on
the dipstick.
1. Pull out the dipstick.
2. Using a long-neck funnel, add enough fluid at the
It doesn’t take much fluid, generally less than a pint
(0.5 L). Don’t oveflll. We recommend you use only
fluid /labeled DEXRON@-HI, because fluid with that
label
is made especially for your automatic transaxle.
Damage caused by fluid other than
DEXRON-111 is
not covered by your new vehicle warranty.
0 After adding fluid, recheck the fluid level as
0 When the correct fluid level is obtained, push the
dipstick hole to bring
it to the
proper level.
described under “How to Check.”
dipstick
back in all the way.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in your vehicle is filled with new
DEX-COOL (orange-colored, silicate-free) engine
coolant. This coolant is designed
to remain in your
vehicle for 5 years or 100,000 miles (166 000 km), ,
whichever occurs first.
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.
A 50/50 mixture of water and the proper coolant for
your Pontiac will:
0
0
0
0
0
Give freezing protection down to -34°F (-37°C).
Give boiling protection up to 265 “F (129°C).
Protect against rust
and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine temperature.
Let the warning lights lights and gages work as
they should.
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Radiator Pressure Cap Power Steering Fluid
NOTICE:
Your radiator cap is a 15 psi (105 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.
3.1L L82 Engine 3.4L LQ1 Engine
When to Check Power Steering Fluid
It is not necessary to regularly check power steering
fluid unless
you suspect there is a leak in the system or
you hear an unusual noise.
A fluid loss in this system
could indicate
a problem. Have the system inspected
and repaired.
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