2003 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE cooling

Checking Engine Oil
It’s a good idea to check your engine oil every time you
get fuel. In order to get an accurate reading, the oil
must be warm and the vehicle must be on level ground. Turn
off the engine
and give the oil several minutes to
drain back into the oil pan.
If you don’t, the oil
dipstick might not show the actual level.
Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel or
cloth, then push
it back in all the way. Remove it again,
keeping the tip down, and check the level.
The engine oil dipstick is located behind the engine
cooling fans and in front of the engine
oil fill cap. The top
of the dipstick is a round yellow loop. See
Engine
Comparfment Overview on page 5-74 for more
information on location.
I I
5-1 6

How to Add Fluid
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of transaxle fluid
to use. See Part D:
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-24.
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
dipstick hole
to bring it to the proper level.
It doesn’t take much fluid, generally less than one
pint
(0.5 L). Don’t overfill.
Notice: We recommend you use only fluid labeled
DEXRON@-Ill, because fluid with that label is
made especially for your automatic transaxle.
Damage caused by fluid other than DEXRON@-Ill
is
not covered by your new vehicle warranty.
3. After adding fluid, recheck the fluid level as
described under “How to Check,” earlier in this
section.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system 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 extended life coolant.
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 on
page
5-29.
A 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX-COOL@ coolant will:
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 and gages work as
they should.
4. When the correct fluid level is obtained, push the
dipstick back
in all the way.
5-26

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.
What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half clean, drinkable water and
one-half
DEX-COOL@ coolant which won’t damage
aluminum
parts. If you use this coolant 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 such as 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,
drinkable water and
DEX-@SOL@ esslani.
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, neater core ana
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.
5-27

1 -J can __ burned if you spill coolant -.I 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.
~~ ~ ~~
Occasionally check the coolant level in the radiator.
For information on how to add coolant to the radiator,
see
Cooling System on page 5-32.
Radiator Pressure Cap
Notice: Your radiator cap is a 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.
See Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-14 for
more information on location.
Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage or a DIC
warning message about a hot engine on your vehicle’s
instrument panel. See
Engine Coolant Temperature
Gage on page 3-45
and DIC Warnings and Messages
on page
3-60.
5-29

Cooling System
When you decide it’s safe to lift the hood, here’s what
you’ll see:
A. Coolant Recovery Tank
B. Radiator Pressure Cap
C. Electric Engine Cooling Fans
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. The vehicle
should be parked on a level surface.
See
Engine Compartment
Overview on page
5- 14 for
more information on
location.
5-32

The coolant level should be at or above the FULL COLD
mark when the engine is cold. The coolant level
should be at the FULL HOT mark under normal
operating conditions.
If it isn’t, you may have a leak at
the pressure cap or in the radiator hoses, heater hoses,
radiator, water pump or somewhere else in the cooling
syster
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.
Notice: Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant
isn’t covered by your warranty.
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
1
Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine radiator corrosion may result.
-In addition, the engine
parts, can be very hot. Don’t touch them. If you coolant will require change sooner - at 30,000 miles
(50 000 km) or 24 months, whichever occurs first.
do, you can be burned.
Damage caused by the use of coolant other
Don’t run the engine if there
is a leak. If you than DEX-COOL@ is not covered by your new vehicie
run the engine,
it could lose all coolant. That warranty.
could cause an engine fire, and you could be
burned. Get any leak fixed before you drive the
vehicle.
5-33

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, drinkable water and DEX-COOL@ engine coolant
at the coolant recovery tank. See
Engine Coolant on
page
5-26 for more information.
Adding only plain water to your cooling system can be dangerous. Plain water, or
some other liquid such as 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,
drinkable water and DEX COOL@ coolant.
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. 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.
5-34

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.
Steam and scalding liquids from a hot cooling
system can blow out and burn you badly. They
are under pressure, and if you
turn the radiator
pressure cap
-- even a little -- they can come
out at high speed. Never turn the cap when the
cooling system, including the radiator pressure
cap,
is hot. Wait for the cooling system and
radiator pressure cap to cool if you ever have
to turn the pressure cap.
5-35