2003 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE engine coolant

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

3. Remove the 3800 Series II V6 engine cover shield
to access the bleed valve.
3.1. Clean the area around the engine oil fill tube
and cap before removing. Twist the oil
fill
tube, with cap attached, counterclockwise
and remnvc! it^
3.2. If you have the supercharged engine,
remove the nut in the center of the cover
shield.
3.3. Lift the engine cover shield at the front, slide
the catch tab out
of the engine bracket and
remove the cover shield.
3.4. Put the oil
fill tube, with cap attached, in the
valve cover oil
fill hole until you’re ready to
replace the cover shield.
4. After the engine cools,
open the coolant air
bleed valve. There
is one bleed valve. It is
located on the
thermostat housing.
5-37

5. Fill the radiator with the proper DEX-COOL@
coolant mixture, up to the base of the filler
neck. See
Engine Coolant on page 5-26 for more
information about the proper coolant mixture.
If you see a stream of coolant coming from an air
bleed valve, close the valve. Otherwise, close
the valve after the radiator is filled.
6. Rinse or wipe any spilled coolant from the engine
and the compartment.
5-38
7. Replace the 3800 Series II V6 engine cover shield.
7.1. Remove the oil fill tube, with cap attached,
i.2. Insert the catch tab on the cover shield
under the bracket on the engine.
from the
valve cover.
7.3. Place the hole in the cover shield over the
hole in the valve cover. Install oil
fill tube and
cap by twisting clockwise.
7.4. If you have the supercharged engine, install
the nut in the center of the cover shield.
8. Then fill the coolant recovery tank to the
FULL
COLD mark.

9. Put the cap back on the coolant recovery tank, but
leave the radiator pressure cap
off.
11. By this time, the coolant level inside the radiator
filler neck may be lower.
If the level is lower, add
more of the proper
DEX-COOL@ coolant mixture
through the filler neck until the level reaches
the base
of the filler neck.
12. Then replace the
pressure cap. At any
time during this
procedure
if coolant
begins to
flow out
of the filler neck,
reinstall the
pressure cap.
IO. Start the engine and let it run until you can feel the
upper radiator hose getting hot. Watch out for the
engine cooling fans. Be
sure the arrow on the pressure cap lines
up like this.
5-39

Adding Washer Fluid
The washer fluid warning light will come on when the
ignition switch is on and the fluid container is less than
one-third full. On vehicles with the optional Driver
Information Center (DIC), a WASHER FLUID LOW
message
will be displayed and a chime will sound letting
you know to add windshield washer fluid to your
vehicle.
Open the cap with the
washer symbol on it. Add
washer fluid until the
tank is full.
Notice:
e
e
e
0
When using concentrated washer fluid,
follow the manufacturer’s instructions for adding water.
Don’t mix water with ready-to-use washer fluid.
Water can cause the solution to freeze and
damage your washer fluid tank and other parts
of the washer system.
Also, water doesn’t
clean as well as washer fluid.
Fill your washer fluid tank only three-quarters
full when
it’s very cold. This allows for
expansion if freezing occurs, which could damage the tank if
it is completely full.
Don’t use engine coolant (antifreeze)
in your
windshield washer. It can damage your
washer system and paint.
5-4 1

93,000 Miles (155 000 km)
0 Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months,
whichever occurs first).
An Emission Control Service.
(See footnote
*.)
96,000 Miles (160 000 km)
Q Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months,
whichever occurs first).
An Emission Control Service.
(See footnote
*.)
0 Rotate tires. See Tire Inspection and Rotation on
page
5-65 for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.
(See footnote @.) (See footnote +.)
99,000 Miles (165 000 km)
0 Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months,
whichever occurs first).
An Emission Control Service.
(See footnote
*.)
100,000 Miles (166 000 km)
0 Inspect spark plug wires. An Emission Control
Service.
0 Replace spark plugs. An Emission Control Service.
0 Change automatic transaxle fluid and filter if the
vehicle is mainly driven under one or more of
these conditions:
- In heavy city traffic where the outside
temperature regularly reaches
90°F (32°C) or
higher.
- In hilly or mountainous terrain.
- When doing frequent trailer towing.
- Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery
service.
If you haven’t used your vehicle under severe service
conditions listed previously and, therefore, haven’t
changed your automatic transaxle fluid, change both the
fluid and filter.
150,000 Miles (240 000 km)
0 Drain, flush and refill cooling system (or every
60 months since last service, whichever occurs first).
See
Engine Coolant on page 5-26 for what to use.
Inspect hoses. Clean radiator, condenser, pressure
cap and neck. Pressure test the cooling system
and pressure cap.
An Emission Control Service.
0 Inspect engine accessory drive belt. An Emission
Control Service.
6-13

100,000 Miles (166 000 km)
0 Inspect spark plug wires. An Emission Control
0 Replace spark plugs. An Emission Control Service.
0 Change automatic transaxle fluid and filter if the
vehicie is mainly driven under one
or more of
these conditions:
- In heavy city traffic where the outside
Service.
temperature regularly reaches 90°F (32°C) or
higher.
- In hilly or mountainous terrain.
- When doing frequent trailer towing.
- Uses such as found in taxi, poiice or delivery
service.
0 If you haven’t used your vehicle under severe service
conditions listed previously and, therefore, haven’t
changed your automatic transaxle fluid, change both
the fluid and filter.
150,000 Miles (240 000 km)
0 Drain, flush and refill cooling system (or every
60 months since last service, whichever occurs first).
See
Engine Coolant on page 5-26 for what to use.
Inspect hoses. Clean radiator, condenser, pressure
cap and neck. Pressure test the cooling system
and pressure cap.
An Emission Control Service.
tl Inspect engine accessory drive belt. An Emission
Control Service.
6-1
7

Part B: Owner Checks and Services
Listed in this part are owner checks and services
which should be perFormed at the intervals specified to
help ensure the safety, dependability and emission
control performance of your vehicle.
Be sure any necessary repairs are completed at once.
Whenever any fluids or lubricants are added to your
vehicle, make sure they are the proper ones, as shown
in Part D.
At Each Fuel Fill
It is important for you or a service station attendant to
perform these underhood checks at each fuel fill.
Engine Oil Level Check
Check the engine oil level and add the proper oil if
necessary. See Engine Oil on page 5-75 for further
details.
Engine Coolant Level Check
Check the engine coolant level and add DEX-COOL@
coolant mixture
if necessary. See Engine Coolant
on page 5-26
for further details.
Windshield Washer Fluid Level Check
Check the windshield washer fluid level in the windshield
washer tank and add the proper fluid
if necessary.
See
Windshield Washer Fluid on page 5-40 for further
details.
At Least Once a Month
Tire Inflation Check
Make sure tries are inflated to the correct pressures.
Don’t forget to check your spare tire. See
Tires on
page 5-62
for further details.
Cassette Tape Player Service
Clean cassette tape player. Cleaning should be done
every
50 hours of tape play. See Audio System(s)
on page
3-77 for further details.
6-1 8