2005 BUICK RAINIER engine overheat

Service............................................................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside of Your
Vehicle......................................................5-5
Fuel................................................................5-5
Gasoline Octane............................................5-5
Gasoline Specications....................................5-5
California Fuel...............................................5-5
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-7
Filling Your Tank............................................5-7
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...................................................5-16
Engine Oil Life System..................................5-19
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-20
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-22
Engine Coolant.............................................5-24
Radiator Pressure Cap..................................5-27
Engine Overheating.......................................5-27
Cooling System............................................5-29
Engine Fan Noise.........................................5-34
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-35
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-36Brakes........................................................5-37
Battery........................................................5-40
Jump Starting...............................................5-41
All-Wheel Drive..............................................5-46
Rear Axle.......................................................5-46
Front Axle......................................................5-47
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-48
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-48
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker,
and Parking Lamps....................................5-49
Taillamps and Turn Signal Lamps...................5-49
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-50
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-51
Tires..............................................................5-53
Tire Sidewall Labelling...................................5-54
Tire Terminology and Denitions.....................5-57
Ination - Tire Pressure.................................5-59
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-60
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-62
Buying New Tires.........................................5-62
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-63
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-64
Wheel Replacement......................................5-65
Tire Chains..................................................5-66
Accessory Inator.........................................5-67
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

Automatic Transmission Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transmission uid
level is when the engine oil is changed.
Change both the uid and lter every 50,000 miles
(83 000 km) 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 do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, change the uid and lter every
100,000 miles (166 000 km).
How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may
choose to have this done at the dealership service
department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the instructions
here, or you could get a false reading on the dipstick.
Notice:Too much or too little uid can damage
your transmission. Too much can mean that some
of the uid could come out and fall on hot engine
part or exhaust system parts, starting a re.
Too little uid could cause the transmission to
overheat. Be sure to get an accurate reading if you
check your transmission uid.
Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the
transmission uid level if you have been driving:
When outside temperatures are above 90°F (32°C).
At high speed for quite a while.
In heavy traffic — especially in hot weather.
While pulling a trailer.
To get the right reading, the uid should be at normal
operating temperature, which is 180°F to 200°F
(82°C to 93°C).
5-22

3. If the uid level is in the acceptable range, push the
dipstick back in all the way; then ip the handle
down to lock the dipstick in place.
How to Add Fluid
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of transmission uid to use. SeeRecommended
Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-12.
Add uid only after checking the transmission uid while
it is hot. A cold check is used only as a reference. If
the uid level is low, add only enough of the proper uid
to bring the level up to the HOT area for a hot check.
It does not take much uid, generally less than
one pint (0.5 L).Do not overll.Notice:Use of automatic transmission uid labeled
other than DEXRON
®-III, Approved for the
H-Specication, may damage your vehicle, and the
damages may not be covered by your warranty.
Always use automatic transmission uid labeled
DEXRON
®-III, Approved for the H-Specication.
After adding uid, recheck the uid level as
described under “How to Check,” earlier in
this section.
When the correct uid level is obtained, push the
dipstick back in all the way; then ip the handle
down to lock the dipstick in place.
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 ve years or
150,000 miles (240 000 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 5-27.
5-24

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. 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. 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 would not get the overheat warning.
Your engine could catch re and you or others
could be burned. Use a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
®coolant.
Notice:If you use an improper coolant mixture,
your engine could overheat and be badly damaged.
The repair cost would not be covered by your
warranty. Too much water in the mixture can freeze
and crack the engine, radiator, heater core and
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 do not
have to add extra inhibitors or additives which claim
to improve the system. These can be harmful.
5-25

Radiator Pressure Cap
Notice:If the pressure cap is not tightly installed,
coolant loss and possible engine damage may
occur. Be sure the cap is properly and tightly
secured.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview on page 5-12for
information on location.
Engine Overheating
You will nd a coolant temperature gage on your
vehicle’s instrument panel. If your vehicle has a Driver
Information Center (DIC), the display will show an
Engine Coolant Hot or Engine Overheated message.
SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-47
for more information.
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.
5-27

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 windows 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 does not 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 is still no sign of steam, you can push down the
accelerator until the engine speed is about twice as
fast as normal idle speed for at least three minutes while
you are 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.
5-28

How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery Tank
If you have not found a problem yet, but the coolant
level is not at the FULL COLD mark, add a
50/50 mixture ofclean, drinkable waterand DEX-COOL
®
engine coolant at the coolant recovery tank. See
Engine Coolant on page 5-24for more information.
{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. 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 would not get the overheat warning.
Your engine could catch re 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.
{CAUTION:
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. Do not spill coolant on a hot engine.
When the coolant in the coolant recovery tank is at the
FULL COLD mark, start your vehicle.
5-31

E
Electrical System
Add-On Equipment......................................5-92
Engine Compartment Fuse Block...................5-93
Fuses and Circuit Breakers...........................5-93
Headlamps.................................................5-92
Power Windows and Other Power Options......5-92
Rear Underseat Fuse Block..........................5-99
Windshield Wiper Fuses...............................5-92
Engine
Air Cleaner/Filter.........................................5-20
Battery.......................................................5-40
Change Engine Oil Light...............................3-39
Check and Service Engine Soon Light............3-35
Coolant......................................................5-24
Coolant Heater............................................2-21
Coolant Temperature Gage...........................3-34
Engine Compartment Overview......................5-12
Exhaust.....................................................2-28
Fan Noise..................................................5-34
Oil .............................................................5-16
Overheating................................................5-27
Reduced Power Light...................................3-40
Starting......................................................2-20
Entry Lighting.................................................3-17
Event Data Recorders (EDR)............................. 7-9
Exit Lighting...................................................3-17
Extender, Safety Belt.......................................1-25
F
Filter
Engine Air Cleaner......................................5-20
Finish Damage...............................................5-89
Fixed Mast Antenna.......................................3-124
Flash-to-Pass................................................... 3-8
Flat Tire........................................................5-68
Flat Tire, Changing.........................................5-69
Flat Tire, Storing.............................................5-80
Fluid
Automatic Transmission................................5-22
Power Steering...........................................5-35
Windshield Washer......................................5-36
Fog Lamps....................................................3-16
Front Axle......................................................5-47
Fuel............................................................... 5-5
Additives...................................................... 5-6
California Fuel.............................................. 5-5
Check Gas Cap Light...................................3-42
Filling a Portable Fuel Container..................... 5-9
Filling Your Tank........................................... 5-7
Fuels in Foreign Countries.............................. 5-7
Gage.........................................................3-42
Gasoline Octane........................................... 5-5
Gasoline Specications.................................. 5-5
Low Warning Light.......................................3-42
5