
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Overheating
You will find an ENGINE COOLANT HOT IDLE
ENGINE message or an ENGINE OVERHEATED
STOP ENGINE message on the Driver Information
Center (DIC). There is also an engine temperature
warning light and/or gage on the instrument panel. See
“Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light” or
“Engine Coolant Temperature Gage” in the Index.
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode
NOTICE:
After driving in the overheated engine protection
operating mode, to avoid engine damage, allow
the engine to cool before attempting any repair.
The engine oil will be severely degraded. Repair
the cause
of coolant loss, change the oil and reset
the Oil Life Indicator. See “Engine Oil, When to
Change” in the Index.
Should an overheated engine condition exist and the
message ENGINE
OVERHEATED STOP ENGINE is
displayed, an overheat protection mode which alternates
firing groups
of four cylinders helps prevent engine
damage. In this mode, you will notice
a loss in power
and engine performance. This operating mode allows
your vehicle to be driven to
a safe place in an
emergency; you may drive up
to 50 miles (SO km).
Towing a trailer in
the overheat protection mode should
be avoided.
5-15

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
0 Tow a trailer.
11 you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or
so:
1. Dial temperature control to the highest heat setting
2. If you’re in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
and open the windows, as necessary.
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while
driving
-- OVERDRIVE (0).
If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can
drive. 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 ofthe engine and get everyone out of the
vehicle
until it cools down. Also, see “Overheated
Engine Protection Operating Mode” listed previously in
this section.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
5-17

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine A CAUTION:
Adding only plain water to your cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water, or some other
liquid like alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mixture will. Your vehicle’s coolant
warning system is set for the proper coolant
mixture. With plain water or the wrong mixture,
your engine could get too hot but you wouldn’t
get the overheat warning. Your engine could
catch fire and you or others could be burned.
Use a
50150 mixture of clean water and
DEX-COOL@ coolant.
NOTICE:
In cold weather, water can freeze and crack the
engine, radiator, heater core and other parts.
So
use the recommended coolant.
A CAUTION:
You can be burned if you spill coolant on hot
engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol
and it
will burn if the engine parts are hot
enough. Don’t spill coolant on
a hot engine.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine [f a Tire Goes Flat
Changing a Flat Tire
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” while you’re \
driving, If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel d\
amage
especially if you maintain your tires properly.
If air goes by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your hazard
out
of a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out slowly. warning flash-x
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, and 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 any 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 bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake to a stop
-- well off the road if possible.
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change a flat tire safely.
Changing a tire can cause an injury. The vehicle
can slip
off the jack and roll over you or other
people. You
and they could be badly injured.
Find
a level place to change your tire. To help
prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Put the shift lever in PARK (P).
2. Set the parking brake firmly.
3. ”m off the engine.
To be even more certain the vehicle won’t move,
you can put blocks at the front and rear of the
tire farthest away from the one being changed.
That would be the tire on the other side of the
vehicle, at the opposite end.
5-24

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine How to Reset the Oil Life Indicator
After the oil has been changed, display the ENGINE
OIL LIFE message by pressing the INFO button. Then
press and hold the INFO RESET button until the display
shows
“100.” This resets the oil life index. The message
will remain off until the next oil change is needed.
The percentage of oil life remaining may be checked at
any time by pressing the INFO button several times until
the ENGINE
OIL LIFE message appears. For more
information on the Oil Life feature, see “Oil Life
Indicator” in the Index.
What to Do with Used Oil
Did you know that used engine oil contains certain
elements that may be unhealthy for your skin and could
even cause cancer? Don’t let used oil stay on your skin
for
very long. Clean your skin and nails with soap and
water, or a good hand cleaner. Wash or properly throw
away clothing or rags containing used engine oil. (See
the manufacturer’s warnings about the use and disposal
of oil products.)
Used oil can be
a real threat to the environment. If you
change your own oil, be sure to drain all free-flowing oil
from the filter before disposal. Don’t ever dispose of oil
by putting it in the trash, pouring it on the ground, into
sewers, or into streams or bodies of water. Instead,
recycle it by taking it to a place that collects used oil. If
you have a problem properly disposing of your used oil,
ask your dealer, a service station or a local recycling
center for
help.
6-15

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine How to Reset tk I ’I’ - ~- -- 3 Change
Indicator
After the transaxle fluid has been changed, display the
TRANS FLUID LIFE message by pressing the
INFO
button. Then press and hold the INFO RESET button
until the display shows
“loo.” This resets the transaxle
fluid life index. The message will remain off until the next transaxle fluid change is needed. The percentage
of
transaxle fluid life remaining may be checked at any
time by pressing the
INFO button several times until the
TRANS FLUID LIFE message appears.
Engine Coolant
The cooling s stem in your vehicle is filled with
DEX-COOL engine coolant. This coolant is designed
to remain in your vehicle for 5 years or 150,000 miles
(240 000 km) whichever occurs first, if you add only
DEX-COOL’ extended life coolant.
B
The following explains your cooling system and how to
add coolant when it is low.
If you have a problem with
engine overheating, see “Engine Overheating” in
the Index.
A 50/50 mixture of water and DEX-COOL@
coolant will:
0 Give freezing protection down to -34°F (-37°C).
0 Give boiling protection up to 265°F (129°C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine temperature.
0 Let the warning lights and gages work as
they should.
NOTICE:
When adding coolant, it is important that you use
only
DEX-COOL@ (silicate-free) coolant.
If coolant other than DEX-COOL is added to the
system, premature engine, heater core or
radiator corrosion may result. In addition, the
engine coolant will require change sooner
-- at
30,000 miles (50 000 km) or 24 months,
whichever occurs first. Damage caused
by the use
of coolant other than DEX-COOL@ is not
covered
by your new vehicle warranty.
6-22

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half clean water (preferably
distilled) and one-half
DEX-COOL@ coolant which
won’t damage aluminum
parts. If you use this mixture,
you don’t need to add anything else.
Adding only plain water to your cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water, or some other
liquid like alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mixture will. Your vehicle’s coolant
warning system is set for the proper coolant
mixture. With plain water or the wrong mixture,
your engine could get too hot but you wouldn’t
get the overheat warning. Your engine could
catch fire and you or others could be burned.
Use a
50/50 mixture of clean water and
DEX-COOL@ coolant.
NOTICE:
If you use an improper coolant mixture, your
engine could overheat
and be badly damaged.
The repair cost wouldn’t be covered by your
warranty.
Too much water in the mixture can
freeze and crack the engine, radiator, heater core
and other parts.
If you have to add coolant more than four times a year,
have your dealer check your cooling system.
NOTICE:
If you use the proper coolant, you don’t have to
add extra inhibitors or additives which claim to
improve the system. These can be harmful.
6-23

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine BrakPc
Brake Fluid
Your brake master cylinder reservoir is here. It is filled
with
DOT-3 brake fluid.
There are only
two reasons why the brake fluid level in the
reservoir might
go down. The first is that the brake fluid
goes down to an acceptable level during normal brake
lining wear. When new linings
are put in, the fluid level goes back
up. The other reason is that fluid is leaking out
of the brake system. If it is, you should have your brake
system fixed, since a leak means that sooner or later your
brakes won’t work well, or won’t work at
all.
So, it isn’t a good idea to “top off’ your brake fluid.
Adding brake fluid won’t correct a leak.
If you add fluid
when your linings are worn, then you’ll have too much
fluid when you get new brake linings. You should add (or remove) brake fluid, as necessary, only when work is
done on the brake hydraulic system.
I m-
I a Ch JTION:
If you have too much brake fluid, it can spill on the
engine. The fluid
will burn if the engine is hot
enough. You or others could be burned, and
your
vehicle could be damaged. Add brake fluid only
when work is done on the brake hydraulic system.
When your brake fluid falls to a low level, your brake
warning light will come on. See “Brake System Warning
Light” in the Index.
6-28