2004 PONTIAC VIBE open hood

Engine Coolant Heater
In very cold weather, 0ÉF (-18ÉC) or colder, the engine
coolant heater, if equipped, can help. You'll get
easier starting and better fuel economy during engine
warm-up. Usually, the coolant heater should be plugged
in a minimum of four hours prior to starting your
vehicle. At temperatures above 32ÉF (0ÉC), use of the
coolant heater is not required.
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord
located on the driver's side of the engine
compartment, near the front.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
{CAUTION:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock. Also, the
wrong kind of extension cord could overheat
and cause a ®re. You could be seriously
injured. Plug the cord into a properly grounded
three-prong 110-volt AC outlet. If the cord
won't reach, use a heavy-duty three-prong
extension cord rated for at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and
store the cord as it was before to keep it away
from moving engine parts. If you don't, it could be
damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead
of trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your dealer in the area where you'll be parking your
vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice for that
particular area.
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Checking Things Under
the Hood
{CAUTION:
An electric fan under the hood can start up
and injure you even when the engine is not
running. Keep hands, clothing and tools away
from any underhood electric fan.
{CAUTION:
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts
and start a ®re. These include liquids like fuel,
oil, coolant, brake ¯uid, windshield washer and
other ¯uids, and plastic or rubber. You or
others could be burned. Be careful not to drop
or spill things that will burn onto a hot engine.
Hood Release
To open the hood, do the following:
1. Pull the release handle
inside the vehicle. It's
located below the
instrument panel to the
left of the steering
wheel.
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Engine Compartment Overview
When you open the hood of the 1.8 L (Code 8) engine, you'll see the following:
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When you open the hood of the 1.8 L (Code L) H.O. DOHC engine, you'll see the following:
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Engine Overheating
You will ®nd a coolant temperature gage on your
vehicle's instrument panel. SeeEngine Coolant
Temperature Gage on page 3-33.
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
{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 ®re. You
or others could be badly burned. Stop your
engine if it overheats, and get out of the
vehicle until the engine is cool.
Notice:If your engine catches ®re because you
keep driving with no coolant, your vehicle can
be badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
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If No Steam Is Coming From Your
Engine
If you get an engine 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.
·Tow a trailer.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or so:
1. In heavy traffic, let the engine idle in NEUTRAL (N)
while stopped. If it is safe to do so, pull off the road,
shift to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) and let the
engine idle.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window as necessary.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 and you have not stopped, pull
over, stop, and park your vehicle right away.
If there's still no sign of steam, you can idle the engine
for three minutes while you're parked. If you still
have the warning,
turn off the engine and get everyone
out of the vehicleuntil it cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
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Notice:If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn't be covered by
your warranty.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter. Turn off the radio and all lamps that aren't
needed. This will avoid sparks and help save
both batteries. And it could save your radio!
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries. Find the
positive (+) and negative (-) terminal locations on
each vehicle. See
Engine Compartment Overview
on page 5-12for more information on location.
{CAUTION:
An electric fan 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.
{CAUTION:
Using a match near a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing
this, and some have been blinded. Use a
¯ashlight if you need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough water. You
don't need to add water to the battery installed
in your new vehicle. But if a battery has ®ller
caps, be sure the right amount of ¯uid is there.
If it is low, add water to take care of that ®rst.
If you don't, explosive gas could be present.
Battery ¯uid contains acid that can burn you.
Don't get it on you. If you accidentally get it in
your eyes or on your skin, ¯ush the place with
water and get medical help immediately.
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To replace the headlamp bulb, do the following:
1. Open the hood and locate the lamp assembly.
2. Remove the rubber cover and socket from the
headlamp.
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