2004 SATURN ION cooling

Rear Doors (Coupe)
Your vehicle has a driver’s and passenger’s side rear
access door. To open the rear access doors, rst
you must open the driver’s or passenger’s door.
Then use the handle located on the front edge of the
rear door to open it.
When closing the doors, the rear door must be closed
and latched before you can close the driver’s or
passenger’s door.
Trunk
To unlock the trunk from the outside, insert the key and
turn the trunk lock cylinder or use the remote keyless
entry transmitter.
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to drive with the trunk lid
open because carbon monoxide (CO) gas can
come into your vehicle. You can not see or
smell CO. It can cause unconsciousness and
even death. If you must drive with the trunk lid
open or if electrical wiring or other cable
connections must pass through the seal
between the body and the trunk lid:
Make sure all other windows are shut.
Turn the fan on your heating or cooling
system to its highest speed and select the
control setting that will force outside air
into your vehicle. See Climate Control
System in the Index.
If you have air outlets on or under the
instrument panel, open them all the way.
SeeEngine Exhaust on page 2-34.
2-12
ProCarManuals.com

Climate Control System
(With Air Conditioning)
With this system you can control the heating, cooling
and ventilation for your vehicle.
Operation
To change the current mode, select one of the following:
H(Vent):This mode directs air to the instrument
panel outlets.
)(Bi-Level):This mode directs approximately half
of the air to the instrument panel outlets, and then
directs the remaining air to the oor outlets. Cooler air is
directed to the upper outlets and warmer air to the
oor outlets.
6(Floor):This mode directs most of the air to the
oor outlets with some air directed to the windshield.
The left knob can also be used to select defog or defrost
mode. Information on defogging and defrosting can
be found later in this section.
A(Fan):Turn the center knob clockwise or
counterclockwise to increase or decrease the fan speed.
In any setting other than off, the fan will run continuously
with the ignition on. The fan must be turned on to run
the air conditioning compressor.
9(Off):To turn the fan off, turn the knob all the way
counterclockwise to the off position.
Temperature Control:Turn the right knob clockwise
or counterclockwise to increase or decrease the
temperature inside your vehicle.
>(Recirculate):This mode keeps outside air from
coming in the vehicle. It can be used to prevent outside
air and odors from entering your vehicle or to help
heat or cool the air inside your vehicle more quickly.
An indicator light will come on in this mode.
3-22
ProCarManuals.com

Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage on the left
measures the temperature
of the vehicle’s engine
coolant. If the pointer
moves into the shaded
area, your engine is
too hot!
If the engine coolant temperature reaches 253° (123°C)
the CHK GAGE message will appear and a chime
will sound to alert you to the engine coolant
temperature gage. SeeMessage Center on page 3-41.If you have been operating your vehicle under normal
driving conditions, you should pull off the road and
stop your vehicle, be sure the air conditioning is off,
let the engine idle for a few minutes, then turn off
the engine.
If your engine control system detects a failure in the
engine coolant temperature circuit, the malfunction
indicator lamp (service engine soon) light will come on.
The coolant gage may read all the way hot or cold.
The engine cooling fan will be turned on to protect the
engine and transmission. SeeMalfunction Indicator
Lamp on page 3-36for more information.
3-35
ProCarManuals.com

Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in at or rolling terrain.If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you are
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable.
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all uid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system
and transaxle. These parts can work hard on
mountain roads.
Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some of
the slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long hill.
{CAUTION:
If you do not shift down, your brakes could get
so hot that they would not work well. You
would then have poor braking or even none
going down a hill. You could crash. Shift down
to let your engine assist your brakes on a
steep downhill slope.
4-24
ProCarManuals.com

Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer. SeeScheduled Maintenance on
page 6-4for more information. Things that are especially
important in trailer operation are automatic transaxle
uid (don’t overll), engine oil, axle lubricant, drive belt,
cooling system and brake system. Each of these is
covered in this manual, and the Index will help you nd
them quickly. If you’re trailering, it’s a good idea to
review this information before you start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer Towing
Your cooling system may temporarily overheat during
severe operating conditions. SeeEngine Overheating on
page 5-29.
Changing a Tire When Trailer Towing
If you get a at tire while towing a trailer, be sure
to secure the trailer and disconnect it from the vehicle
before changing the tire.
4-46
ProCarManuals.com

Service............................................................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside of Your
Vehicle......................................................5-4
Fuel................................................................5-5
Gasoline Octane............................................5-5
Gasoline Specications....................................5-5
California Fuel...............................................5-6
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-7
Filling Your Tank............................................5-8
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.......................5-9
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-10
Hood Release..............................................5-10
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-12
Engine Oil...................................................5-15
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-22
Automatic Transaxle Fluid..............................5-24
Manual Transaxle Fluid..................................5-25
Hydraulic Clutch...........................................5-25
Engine Coolant.............................................5-26Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap..................5-29
Engine Overheating.......................................5-29
Cooling System............................................5-32
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-37
Brakes........................................................5-38
Battery........................................................5-41
Jump Starting...............................................5-42
Headlamp Aiming...........................................5-47
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-48
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-48
Headlamps (Sedan)......................................5-48
Headlamps (Coupe)......................................5-50
Front Turn Signal Lamps (Sedan)...................5-51
Front Turn Signal and Parking Lamps
(Coupe)...................................................5-53
Fog Lamps..................................................5-53
Sidemarker Lamps (Coupe)............................5-54
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL).........5-55
Taillamps, Stoplamps and Back-up Lamps........5-55
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-56
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1
ProCarManuals.com

A. Engine Oil Dipstick Location. SeeEngine Oil on
page 5-15.
B. Electric Cooling Fan. SeeCooling System on
page 5-32.
C. Engine Oil Fill Location. SeeEngine Oil on
page 5-15.
D. Radiator Pressure Cap. SeeEngine Coolant on
page 5-26.
E. Brake Master Cylinder. SeeBrakes on page 5-38
andHydraulic Clutch on page 5-25.
F. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-22.
G. Engine Compartment Fuse Block. SeeFuses and
Circuit Breakers on page 5-95.
H. Remote Positive Terminal Location. SeeJump
Starting on page 5-42.
I. Surge Tank. SeeCoolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap
on page 5-29.
J. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. SeeWindshield
Washer Fluid on page 5-37.
Before closing the hood, be sure all ller caps are on
properly.Engine Oil
Checking Engine Oil
It is 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.
The engine oil dipstick handle is a yellow loop. See
Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-12for
the location of the engine oil dipstick.
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.
5-15
ProCarManuals.com

Engine Coolant
The cooling system in your vehicle is lled with
DEX-COOL®engine coolant. This coolant is designed
to remain in your vehicle for 5 years or 100,000 miles
(166 000 km), whichever occurs rst, if you add
only DEX-COOL
®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, seeEngine 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.Notice:Using coolant other than DEX-COOL
®may
cause premature engine, heater core or radiator
corrosion. In addition, the engine coolant may
require changing sooner, at 30,000 miles (50 000 km)
or 24 months, whichever occurs rst. Any repairs
would not be covered by your warranty. Always use
DEX-COOL
®(silicate-free) coolant in your vehicle.
What to Use
Use a mixture of one-halfclean, drinkable waterand
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.
{CAUTION:
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.
CAUTION: (Continued)
5-26
ProCarManuals.com