2004 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER coolant temperature

6. Engine Temperature Warning Light
This light warns of an overheated engine condi-
tion. If the engine is critically hot, a warning chime
will sound 10 times. After the chime turns off, the
engine will still be critically hot until the light goes out.
7. Turn Signal Indicators
The arrows will flash in unison with the exterior
turn signal, when using the turn signal lever.
NOTE:Turn signal bulbs are located in the Instrument
Panel.
8. Temperature Gauge
The temperature gauge shows engine coolant tem-
perature. Any reading below the red area of the
gauge shows that the engine cooling system is
operating properly. The gauge pointer may show a
higher than normal temperature when driving in hot
weather, up mountain grades, in heavy stop and go
traffic, or when towing a trailer.If the pointer rises to theH(red) mark, the instrument
cluster will sound a chime. Pull over and stop the vehicle.
Idle the vehicle with the air conditioner turned off until
the pointer drops back into the normal range. If the
pointer remains on theH(red) mark, turn the engine off
immediately and call for service.
There are steps that you can take to slow down an
impending overheat condition. If your air conditioning is
on, turn it off. The air conditioning system adds heat to
the engine cooling system and turning off the A/C
removes this heat. You can also turn the Temperature
control to maximum heat, the Mode control to Floor and
the Fan control to High. This allows the heater core to act
as a supplement to the radiator and aids in removing heat
from the engine cooling system.
9. Speedometer
Indicates vehicle speed.
130 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

WARNING!
Exhaust gases can injure or kill. They contain carbon
monoxide which is colorless and odorless. Breathing
it can make you unconscious and can eventually
poison you. Follow the above precautions to keep
your exhaust system as safe as possible.
Cooling System
WARNING!
²When working near the radiator cooling fan, dis-
connect the fan motor lead or turn the ignition
switch to the OFF position. The fan is temperature
controlled and can start at any time the ignition
switch is in the ON position.
²You or others can be badly burned by hot coolant
or steam from your radiator. If you see or hear
steam coming from under the hood, don't open
the hood until the radiator has had time to cool.
Never try to open a cooling system pressure cap
when the radiator is hot.
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 265
7

Coolant Checks
Check coolant protection every 12 months (before the
onset of freezing weather, where applicable). If coolant is
dirty or rusty in appearance, the system should be
drained, flushed and refilled with fresh coolant.
Check the front of the radiator for an accumulation of
bugs, leaves, etc. Clean the radiator by gently spraying
water from a garden hose at the back of the core.
Check the coolant recovery bottle tubing for brittle rubber,
cracking, tears, cuts and tightness of the connection at the
bottle and radiator. Inspect the entire system for leaks.
With the engine at normal operating temperature (but
not running), check the cooling system pressure cap for
proper vacuum sealing by draining a small amount of
coolant from the radiator drain cock. If the cap is sealing
properly, the coolant will begin to drain from the coolant
recovery bottle. Do not remove the cap when the cooling
system is hot.
Cooling System Ð Drain, Flush And Refill
At the intervals shown on the Maintenance Schedules,
the system should be drained, flushed and refilled.
If the solution is dirty and contains a considerable
amount of sediment, clean and flush with a reliable
cooling system cleaner. Follow with a thorough rinsing to
remove all deposits and chemicals. Discard old antifreeze
solution.
Engine Coolant Disposal
Used ethylene glycol based engine coolant is a regulated
substance requiring proper disposal. Check with your
local authorities to determine the disposal rules for your
community. To prevent ingestion by animals or children
do not store ethylene glycol based engine coolant in open
containers or allow it to remain in puddles on the
ground. If ingested by a child, contact a physician
immediately. Clean up any ground spills immediately.
266 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

Selection Of Coolant
Use only the manufacturers recommended coolant, refer
to Recommended Fluids, Lubricants and Genuine Parts
for correct coolant type.
CAUTION!
Failure to use the proper antifreeze could cause
radiator plugging and engine overheating. Do not
mix antifreeze brands or use plain water alone or
alcohol based antifreeze products. Do not use addi-
tional rust inhibitors or antirust products, as they
may not be compatible with the radiator coolant and
may plug the radiator.
Adding Coolant
When adding coolant, a minimum solution of 50% eth-
ylene glycol antifreeze coolant in water should be used.Use higher concentrations (not to exceed 70%) if tempera-
tures below234ÉF (237ÉC) are anticipated.
Use only high purity water such as distilled or deionized
water when mixing the water/antifreeze solution. The
use of lower quality water will reduce the amount of
corrosion protection in the engine cooling system.
Please note that it is the owner's responsibility to main-
tain the proper level of protection against freezing ac-
cording to the temperatures occurring in the area where
the vehicle is operated.
NOTE:Mixing coolant types will decrease the life of the
engine coolant and will require more frequent coolant
changes.
Cooling System Pressure Cap
The cap must be fully tightened to prevent loss of
coolant, and to insure that coolant will return to the
radiator from the coolant recovery bottle.
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 267
7

The cap should be inspected and cleaned if there is any
accumulation of foreign material on the sealing surfaces.
WARNING!
The warning words ªDO NOT OPEN HOTº on the
cooling system pressure cap are a safety precaution.
Never add coolant when the engine is overheated.
Do not loosen or remove the cap to cool an over-
heated engine. Heat causes pressure to build up in
the cooling system. To prevent scalding or injury, do
not remove the pressure cap while the system is hot
or under pressure.
Coolant Level
The coolant recovery bottle provides a quick visual
method for determining that the coolant level is ad-
equate. With the engine idling, and warm to normaloperating temperature, the level of the coolant in the
bottle should be between the ªFULLº and ªADDº marks.
The radiator normally remains completely full, so there is
no need to remove the radiator cap unless checking for
coolant freeze point or replacing coolant. Advise your
service attendant of this. As long as the engine operating
temperature is satisfactory, the coolant recovery bottle
need only be checked once a month.
When additional coolant is needed to maintain the
proper level, it should be added to the coolant recovery
bottle. Do not overfill.
Points To Remember
NOTE:When the vehicle is stopped after a few kilome-
ters (a few miles) of operation, you may observe vapor
coming from the front of the engine compartment. This is
normally a result of moisture from rain, snow, or high
268 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

Filler Cap.........................135,221
Filler Door........................... 135
Filter............................... 258
Gasoline............................ 216
Gauge.............................. 129
Hoses.............................. 270
Light............................... 135
Octane Rating........................ 216
Requirements......................... 216
System Hoses......................... 270
Tank Capacity........................ 290
Fueling............................... 221
Fuses................................ 282
GasCap .............................. 221
Gasoline...........................216,290
Gasoline, Clean Air...................... 217
Gasoline, Reformulated................... 217Gauges
Coolant Temperature.................... 130
Fuel................................ 129
Tachometer.......................... 131
Gearshift.............................. 185
General Information....................17,24
General Maintenance..................... 251
Glass Cleaning.......................... 281
Hands-Free Phone........................ 70
Hazard Warning Flasher................... 228
Head Restraints.......................... 85
Headlights
Bulb Replacement...................... 287
Cleaning............................ 281
High Beam.........................97,131
High Beam/Low Beam Select Switch......... 97
Passing.............................. 97
Switch............................... 96
INDEX 331
10

Side Airbag............................. 47
Side Window Demisters................... 173
Slippery Surfaces, Driving On............... 238
Snow Tires............................ 214
Spare Tire............................. 231
Spark Plugs............................ 256
Speed Control.......................101,133
Speedometer........................... 130
Speedometer and Odometer................ 126
Starting............................... 180
Automatic Transmission................. 180
Engine Fails to Start.................... 181
Manual Transmission................... 180
Starting Procedures...................... 180
Steering
Power...........................196,261
Tilt Column.......................... 100
Wheel Lock........................... 17
Storage............................ 114,285Storage Bin............................ 114
Stuck, Freeing.......................... 239
Sulfur in Gasoline....................... 218
Sun Roof.............................. 108
Sun Visor Extension....................... 70
Supplemental Restraint System - Airbag........ 41
Synthetic Engine Oil...................... 255
System, Navigation...................... 161
Tachometer............................ 131
Temperature Gauge, Engine Coolant.......130,229
Tether Anchor, Child Restraint............... 55
Theft Alarm............................ 26
Theft System............................ 26
Tilt Steering Column..................... 100
Tire and Loading Information Placard......... 202
Tire Identification Number (TIN)............. 201
Tire Markings.......................... 197
Tire Safety Information.................... 197
338 INDEX