1997 PONTIAC PONTIAC engine overheat

Engine Coolant Heater (Option)
In very cold weather, 0°F (- 18 “C) or colder, the engine
coolant heater can help. You’ll get easier starting and
better €uel economy during engine warm-up. Usually,
the coolant heater should be plugged in a
minimum of
four hours prior to starting your vehicle.
To Use tl Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
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
at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and store
the cord
as it was before to keep it away from moving
engine parts.
If you don’t, it could be damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things, Instead of
trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your Pontiac dealer in the area where you’ll be parking
your vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice for
that particular area.
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Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine Running
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle with
the engine running. Your vehicle could move
suddenly if the shift lever is not fully in PARK
(P)
with the parking brake firmly set. And, if you
leave the vehicle with the engine running, it could
overheat and even catch fire. You or others could
be injured. Don’t leave your vehicle with the
engine running unless you have to.
If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine
running, be sure your vehicle is in PARK (P) and your
parking brake is firmly set before you leave it. After
you’ve moved the shift lever into
the PARK (P)
position, hold the regular brake pedal down. Then, see if
you can move the shift lever away from PARK (P)
without first pulling it toward you (or, if you have a
console
shift lever, without first pushing the button). If
you can, it means that the shift lever wasn’t fully locked
into PARK (P).
Torque Lock
If you are parlung on a hill and you don’t shift your
transaxle into PARK (P) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl in
the transaxle. You may find it difficult to pull the shift
lever out of PARK (P). This is called “torque lock.” To
prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then shift
into PARK (P) properly before you leave the driver’s
seat.
To find out how, see “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in
the Index.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out
of
PARK (P) before you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have another
vehicle push yours a little uphill to take some of the
pressure from the parking pawl in the transaxle,
so you
can pull the shift lever out of PARK (P).
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Low Oil Level Light
Your engine is equipped
with an oil level monitoring
system. When the ignition
key
is turned on, the LOW
OIL
LEVEL light will
briefly flash. If the light
does not flash, have it fixed
so it will be ready to warn
you if there’s
a problem.
Engine Coolant Temperature Light
TEMP
This light tells you that your
engine coolant has
overheated or your radiator
cooling fan is not working.
If the light stays on, stop th’e vehicle on a level surface
and
turn the engine off, Check the oil level using the
engine oil dipstick, (See “Engine Oil” in
the Index.)
The
oil level monitoring system only checks oil level
during the brief period between key ‘on and engine
crank. It
does not monitor engine oil level when the
engine
is running. Additionally, an oil level check is
only performed if the engine has been turned off for a
considerable period of time, allowing the oil normally in
circulation to drain back into the oil pan.
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.
See “Engine Overheating” in the Index.
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Engine Coolant Temp’erature 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!
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.
See “Engine Overheating” in the Index.
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.
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Making Turns
I NOTICE:
Making very sharp turns while trailering could cause the trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid making very sharp turns while trailering.
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns than
normal.
Do this so your trailer won’t strike soft shoulders,
curbs, road signs, trees or other objects. Avoid jerky or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well in advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle may need a
different turn signal flasher andlor extra wiring. Check
with your Pontiac dealer. The green arrows on your
instrument panel will flash whenever you signal a turn
or lane change. Properly hooked up, the trailer lamps
will also flash, telling other drivers you’re about to turn,
change lanes or stop. When towing
a trailer, the green
arrows on your
instrument panel will flash for turns even if the bulbs on
the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers
behind you are seeing your signal when they are not. It’s
important to check occasionally to be
sure the trailer
bulbs
are still working.
Your vehicle has bulb warning lights. When you plug
a
trailer lighting system into your vehicle’s lighting
system, its bulb warning lights may not
let you know if
one of your lamps goes out. So, when you have a trailer
lighting system plugged in, be sure to check your
vehicle and trailer lamps
from time to time to be sure
they’re all working. Once you disconnect the trailer
lamps, the bulb warning lights again can tell you if one
of your vehicle lamps is out.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade. If you don’t shift
down, you might have to use your brakes
so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
On
a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your
speed to around
45 mph (70 kd) to reduce the
possibility
of engine and transaxle overheating.
If you have Overdrive, you may want to drive in
THIRD (3), instead of DRIVE (D),
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Section 5 Problems on the Road
Here you’ll find what to do about some problems that can occur on the road.
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5-3
5-8
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How to Use Warning Flashers
Other Types
of Warning Devices
Step-by-step Procedure for Jump Starting
Information
You Should Know Before Towing
Towing Your Vehicle From the Front
Towing Your Vehicle From the Rear
If Your Engine is Overheating
If Steam is Coming From Your Engine
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5-35
5-35 Cooling System
How to
Add Coolant
What to do if
a Tire Goes Flat
How to Change
a Flat Tire
Where to Store the Flat Tire and Tools
Information on the Compact Spare Tire
If You’re Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Snow or on Ice
How to Rock Your Vehicle to Get Unstuck
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Attach a separate safety
chain around the outboard
end
of both lateral arms.
Please take care not to
damage speed sensor
wires or brake
hoses
when attaching chains
l.1 and T-hooks. -
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.
Sed‘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 down. Wait until
CAUTION: (Continued)
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tnere 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 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 get a little
too hot when you:
Climb a long hill on a hot day.
Stop after high-speed driving. 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. Turn off your air conditioner.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window as necessary.
3. If you’re in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while
driving
e- AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D).
If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can dnve.
Just to be safe, drive slower for about 10 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.
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.
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