1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE coolant

FUNCTION MONITOR: This lets you know if you are
low on fluids or have a problem with a vehicle function:
0
0
0
0
CHECK OIL LEVEL: This message could mean
your oil level
is low. If it comes on for more than
three seconds, see “Check Oil
Level Warning Light”
in the Index.
WASHER FLUID: This message means your
washer fluid
tank is less than about 30 percent full.
The windshield portion
of the vehicle outline will
also glow,
If these come on, see “Windshield Washer
Fluid” in the Index.
LOW COOLANT: This message means your
coolant level has fallen to about half full. If it comes
on,
see “Engine Coolant” in the Index.
CHECK GAGES: If this light comes on and stays
on while you are driving, check your gages for fuel,
coolant temperature, oil pressure or battery voltage.
SECURITY: You’ll get a DOOR AJAR message if a
door is not fully closed. The vehicle outline will show
you which door
it is. You will also get a HOOD AJAR
or TRUNK AJAR message if the hood or the trunk isn’t
fully closed. The vehicle outline will
also show you
these are ajar.
LAMP MONITOR: Whenever you try to use one of
the following lamps, the LAMP MONITOR will tell you
if a bulb is out.
0 Headlamp (Low and High Beam)
0 Turn Signal/Parking/Stop
0 Parking Lamp/Sidemarker
Brake Lamp and Center High-Mounted Stoplamp
0 Back-up Lamp
0 Taillamp~rn/Sidemarker/License
If a bulb is out, you will see a message, such as PARK
LAMP, and you will also see where the problem is on
the vehicle outline.
The message stays on until the
problem
is fixed. See “Replacement Bulbs” in the
Index for bulb details.
2-78

To find your comfort zone, start with 75" F (24" C)
temperature setting and allow about 20 minutes for the
system to regulate. Press the
TEMP button up or down
to adjust the temperature setting if necessary, If you
choose the temperature setting of
60°F (15 "C), the
system will remain
at that maximum cooling setting and
will not regulate the
fan speed. If you choose the
temperature setting
of 90°F (33"c), the system will
remain at that maximum heating setting and will not
regulate the fan speed. Choosing either maximum
setting will not cause the system to heat
or cool
any faster.
Pressing
the AUTO button will display the requested
temperature, fan speed and air delivery mode for five
seconds, then change
to display the outside air
temperature. Be careful not to put
anythmg over the
sensor located
in the middle of the instrument panel near
the windshield,
or over the sensor in the grille above the
radio. These sensors are used by the automatic system to
regulate temperature.
The exterior temperature display sensor is in front of the
vehicle, near the radiator. The displayed temperature is
most accurate when the vehicle is moving. During stops,
or while idling, the display shows the previous driving
temperature for best system control.
To avoid blowing cold air in cold weather, the system
will delay
turning on the fan until warm air is available.
The length of delay depends on outside
air temperature,
engine coolant temperature, and time since
the engine
was last started. Pushing the fan button will override this
delay and change the fan to a selected single speed.
If you leave your vehicle, the system will remember the
control setting
the next time you start your engine.
Manual Operation
You may also manually adjust the air delivery mode or
fan speed.
'/J HEAR Manually selecting HEAT by cycling
through
the MODE settings will deliver air to the
floor outlets.
3 DEFOG: Manually selecting DEFOG by cycling
through the
MODE settings will deliver air to the floor
and windshield outlets.
a
Lo
BIDLEVEL: Manually selecting BI-LEVEL by
cycling through the MODE setting will deliver warm air
to the floor and cooler air to the middle instrument
panel outlets.
3-4

Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage or the warning
light about a hot engine on your vehicle’s instrument
panel. See “Coolant Temperature Gage” and “Coolant Temperature Warning
Light” in the Index.
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
1
A CAUTION:
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
there is no sign
of steam or coolant before you
open 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.
5-15

Cooling System
When you decide it’s safe to lift the hood, here’s what
you’ll see:
: CA
L
A CAUTION:
An electric engine cooling 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.
If the coolant inside the coolant recovery tank is boiling,
don’t do anything else until it cools down.
A. Coolant Recovery Tank
B. Radiator Pressure Cap
C. Electric Engine Fans
5-17

The coolant level should be at or above the FULL
COLD mark.
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 coul 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 fied before you drive the vehicle.
NOTICE:
Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn’t covered by
your warranty.
If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check to
see if the electric engine cooling fans are running. If the
engine is overheating, both fans should be running. If
they aren’t, your vehicle needs service.
5-18

How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant level
isn’t at the FULL COLD mark, add a
50/50 mixture of
clean water (preferably distilled) and DEX-COOL@
engine coolant at the coolant recovery tank. (See
“Engine Coolant” in the Index for more information.)
I 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
50/50 mixture of clean water and
DEX-COOL@ coolant.
I NOTICE:
In cold weather, water can freeze and crack
the engine, radiator, heater core and other parts.
Use the recommended coolant and the proper
coolant mixture.
5-19

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.
When the coolant in the coolant recovery tank is at the
FULL COLD mark, start your vehicle.
If the overheat warning continues, there’s one more
thing you can try. You can add the proper coolant
mixture directly
to the radiator, but be sure the cooling
system .. is cool before you do it.
5-20

How to Add Coolant to the Radiator
1. You can remove the radiator pressure cap when the
cooling system, including the radiator pressure cap
and upper radiator hose, is no longer hot. Turn the
pressure cap slowly counterclockwise until it first
stops. (Don’t press down while turning the
pressure cap.)
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, but now push
down as
you turn it. Remove the pressure cap.
5-22