2005 CHEVROLET COBALT engine overheat

What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half clean, drinkable water and
one-half DEX-COOL®coolant which will not damage
aluminum parts. If you use this coolant mixture, you do
not 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.
Checking Coolant
The coolant surge tank is located in the engine
compartment on the driver’s side of the vehicle. See
Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-12for more
information on location.
5-24

{CAUTION:
Turning the surge tank pressure cap when the
engine and radiator are hot can allow steam
and scalding liquids to blow out and burn you
badly. Never turn the surge tank pressure
cap — even a little — when the engine and
radiator are hot.
The vehicle must be on a level surface. When your
engine is cold, the coolant level should be at the COLD
FILL line.
Adding Coolant
If you need more coolant, add the proper DEX-COOL®
coolant mixture at the coolant surge tank, but only
when the engine is cool. If the coolant surge tank is
empty, a special ll procedure is necessary. SeeEngine
Overheating on page 5-29for instructions on “How to
Add Coolant to the Coolant Surge Tank.”
{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 replacing the pressure cap, make sure it is
hand-tight and fully seated.
5-25

Coolant Surge Tank 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
more information on location.
Engine Overheating
You will nd an engine coolant temperature warning
light on your vehicle’s instrument panel. SeeEngine
Coolant Temperature Warning Light on page 3-29for
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.
5-29

If No Steam Is Coming From Your
Engine
An engine coolant temperature warning can indicate a
serious problem. SeeEngine Coolant Temperature
Warning Light on page 3-29.
If you get an engine coolant temperature 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 engine coolant temperature warning with
no sign of steam, try this for a minute or so:
1. If you have an air conditioner and it is on, turn it off.
2. 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.
3. 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 idle the engine
for three minutes while you are parked. If you still
have the warning, turn off the engine and get everyone
out of the vehicle until it cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
5-30

If the coolant inside the coolant surge tank is boiling, do
not do anything else until it cools down. The vehicle
should be parked on a level surface.
The coolant level should be at the COLD FILL line. If it
is not, you may have a leak at the pressure cap or
in the radiator hoses, heater hoses, radiator, water
pump, or somewhere in the cooling system.
{CAUTION:
Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
parts, can be very hot. Do not touch them. If
you do, you can be burned.
Do not run the engine if there is a leak. If you
run the engine, it could lose all coolant. That
could cause an engine re, and you could be
burned. Get any leak xed before you drive the
vehicle.If your vehicle is equipped with the 2.2L L4 engine and
there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check
to see if the electric engine cooling fan is running. If the
engine is overheating, the fan should be running. If it
is not, your vehicle needs service.
If your vehicle is equipped with the 2.0L L4 Supercharged
engine and there seems to be no leak, with the engine
on, check to see if the electric engine cooling fans are
running. If the engine is overheating, the fans should be
running. If they are not, your vehicle needs service.
Notice:Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant is not covered by your warranty.
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.
5-32

How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Surge Tank
Notice:This vehicle has a specic coolant ll
procedure. Failure to follow this procedure could
cause your engine to overheat and be severely
damaged.
If you have not found a problem yet, check to see if
coolant is visible in the coolant surge tank. If coolant is
visible but the coolant level is not at the COLD FILL
line, add a 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX-COOL
®coolant at the coolant surge tank, but
be sure the cooling system, including the coolant surge
tank pressure cap, is cool before you do it. See
Engine Coolant on page 5-23for more information.
2.2L L4 Engine
If no coolant is visible in the coolant surge tank, add
coolant as follows:
{CAUTION:
Steam and scalding liquids from a hot cooling
system can blow out and burn you badly. They
are under pressure, and if you turn the coolant
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
surge tank pressure cap — even a little — they
can come out at high speed. Never turn the
cap when the cooling system, including the
coolant surge tank pressure cap, is hot. Wait
for the cooling system and coolant surge tank
pressure cap to cool if you ever have to turn
the pressure cap.
{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.
5-33

E
Easy Entry Seat............................................... 1-7
Electrical System
Add-On Equipment......................................5-90
Engine Compartment Fuse Block...................5-94
Floor Console Fuse Block.............................5-92
Fuses and Circuit Breakers...........................5-91
Headlamp Wiring.........................................5-90
Power Windows and Other Power Options......5-91
Windshield Wiper Fuses...............................5-90
Engine
Air Cleaner/Filter.........................................5-21
Battery.......................................................5-39
Check and Service Engine Soon Light............3-30
Coolant......................................................5-23
Coolant Heater............................................2-20
Coolant Temperature Warning Light................3-29
Engine Compartment Overview......................5-12
Exhaust.....................................................2-30
Oil .............................................................5-15
Oil Life System...........................................5-19
Overheating................................................5-29
Starting......................................................2-19Enhanced Traction System (ETS)........................ 4-8
Warning Light.............................................3-28
Entry/Exit Lighting...........................................3-16
Event Data Recorders (EDR)............................. 7-9
Extender, Safety Belt.......................................1-27
F
Filter
Engine Air Cleaner......................................5-21
Finish Damage...............................................5-87
Fixed Mast Antenna........................................3-76
Flash-to-Pass................................................... 3-8
Flat Tire........................................................5-69
Flat Tire, Changing.........................................5-70
Flat Tire, Storing.............................................5-78
Fluid
Automatic Transaxle.....................................5-22
Manual Transaxle........................................5-22
Windshield Washer......................................5-35
Fog Lamp Light..............................................3-33
Fog Lamps....................................................3-15
Folding Rear Seat............................................ 1-8
5