If No Steam Is Coming From
Your Engine
The ENGINE COOLANT HOT message, along with a
low coolant condition, can indicate a serious problem.
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. SeeTowing a Trailer on page 4-60.
If you get the ENGINE COOLANT HOT message 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. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the windows as necessary.
3. 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.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, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there is still no sign of steam and your vehicle is
equipped with an engine-driven cooling fan, 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 there is still no sign of steam and your vehicle is
equipped with an electric cooling fan, 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. Also,
see “Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode”
later in this section.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
5-29
The coolant level should
be at or above the FULL
COLD mark. 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 else
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 an electric engine
cooling fan, check the coolant temperature gage. If the
coolant temperature is approximately 232°F (111°C),
the electric cooling fan should be running. If it is
not, your vehicle needs service. Turn off the engine.
If your vehicle is equipped with an engine-driven cooling
fan, start the engine again and see if the fan speed
increases when idle speed is doubled by pushing the
accelerator pedal down. If it does not, your vehicle
needs service. Turn off the engine.
Notice:Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant is not covered by your warranty. See
Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode on
page 5-30for information on driving to a safe place
in an emergency.
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
If you have not found a problem yet, check to see if
coolant is visible in the surge tank. If coolant is visible
but the coolant level is not at or above the FULL COLD
mark, 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.
SeeEngine Coolant on page 5-25for more information.
If no coolant is visible in the 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
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.
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.
5-33
Collision Damage Repair..................................7-11
Comfort Guides, Rear Safety Belt.....................1-44
Content Theft-Deterrent....................................2-17
Control of a Vehicle.......................................... 4-5
Convenience Net............................................2-58
Coolant
Engine Temperature Gage............................3-43
Heater, Engine............................................2-22
Surge Tank Pressure Cap.............................5-27
Cooling System..............................................5-30
Cruise Control................................................3-11
Cruise Control Light........................................3-49
Cupholder(s)..................................................2-56
Customer Assistance Information
Courtesy Transportation.................................. 7-7
Customer Assistance for Text
Telephone (TTY) Users............................... 7-4
Customer Assistance Offices........................... 7-4
Customer Satisfaction Procedure..................... 7-2
GM Mobility Reimbursement Program............... 7-5
Reporting Safety Defects to
General Motors........................................7-15
Reporting Safety Defects to the
Canadian Government..............................7-14
Reporting Safety Defects to the
United States Government.........................7-14
Roadside Assistance Program......................... 7-6
Service Publications Ordering Information........7-15D
Daytime Running Lamps..................................3-16
Defensive Driving............................................. 4-2
Delayed Locking.............................................2-10
Doing Your Own Service Work........................... 5-4
Dome Lamp Override......................................3-20
Dome Lamps.................................................3-19
Door
Delayed Locking..........................................2-10
Locks.......................................................... 2-8
Power Door Locks......................................... 2-9
Programmable Automatic Door Locks.............2-10
Rear Door Security Locks.............................2-12
Driver
Position, Safety Belt.....................................1-32
Driver Information Center (DIC).........................3-52
DIC Operation and Displays..........................3-53
DIC Vehicle Customization............................3-67
DIC Warnings and Messages........................3-56
Driving
At Night.....................................................4-31
City...........................................................4-34
Defensive..................................................... 4-2
Drunken....................................................... 4-3
Freeway.....................................................4-35
Hill and Mountain Roads..............................4-38
In Rain and on Wet Roads...........................4-32
Off-Road....................................................4-16
Recovery Hooks..........................................4-45
4
Driving (cont.)
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get it Out.................4-44
Winter........................................................4-40
Dual Automatic Climate Control System.............3-25
Dual Climate Control System............................3-23
DVD
Rear Seat Entertainment System..................3-118
E
Electrical System
Add-On Equipment.....................................5-106
Center Instrument Panel Fuse Block.............5-108
Fuses and Circuit Breakers.........................5-106
Instrument Panel Fuse Block.......................5-107
Power Windows and Other Power Options....5-106
Underhood Fuse Block...............................5-109
Windshield Wiper Fuses.............................5-106
Engine
Air Cleaner/Filter.........................................5-20
Battery.......................................................5-41
Check and Service Engine Soon Light............3-46
Coolant......................................................5-25
Coolant Heater............................................2-22
Coolant Temperature Gage...........................3-43
Drive Belt Routing.......................................6-16
Engine Compartment Overview......................5-12
Exhaust.....................................................2-35
Fan Noise..................................................5-35Engine (cont.)
Oil .............................................................5-15
Oil Life System...........................................5-18
Overheated Protection Operating Mode...........5-30
Overheating................................................5-28
Starting......................................................2-20
Entry Lighting.................................................3-20
Event Data Recorders (EDR)............................7-10
Exit Lighting...................................................3-20
Extender, Safety Belt.......................................1-46
F
Filter
Engine Air Cleaner......................................5-20
Finish Damage.............................................5-103
Fixed Mast Antenna.......................................3-136
Flash-to-Pass................................................... 3-9
Flat Tire........................................................5-75
Flat Tire, Changing.........................................5-76
Flat Tire, Storing.............................................5-92
Fluid
Automatic Transmission................................5-22
Power Steering...........................................5-36
Windshield Washer......................................5-37
Fog Lamps....................................................3-18
Four-Wheel Drive....................................2-26, 5-48
Four-Wheel-Drive Light....................................3-50
Front Axle......................................................5-49
5
Front Reading Lamps......................................3-20
Front Storage Area.........................................2-56
Fuel............................................................... 5-4
Additives...................................................... 5-5
California Fuel.............................................. 5-5
E85 (85% Ethanol)........................................ 5-6
Filling a Portable Fuel Container....................5-10
Filling Your Tank........................................... 5-8
Fuels in Foreign Countries.............................. 5-7
Gage.........................................................3-51
Gasoline Octane........................................... 5-5
Gasoline Speci cations.................................. 5-5
Low Warning Light.......................................3-51
Fuses
Center Instrument Panel Fuse Block.............5-108
Fuses and Circuit Breakers.........................5-106
Instrument Panel Fuse Block.......................5-107
Underhood Fuse Block...............................5-109
Windshield Wiper.......................................5-106
GGage
Engine Coolant Temperature.........................3-43
Fuel..........................................................3-51
Oil Pressure...............................................3-48
Speedometer..............................................3-37
Tachometer.................................................3-37
Transmission Temperature.............................3-44
Voltmeter Gage...........................................3-41Garage Door Opener.......................................2-52
Gasoline
Octane........................................................ 5-5
Speci cations............................................... 5-5
Glove Box.....................................................2-56
GM Mobility Reimbursement Program.................. 7-5
H
Hazard Warning Flashers................................... 3-6
Head Restraints............................................... 1-7
Headlamps............................................3-14, 5-50
Automatic Headlamp System.........................3-16
Bulb Replacement.......................................5-50
Daytime Running Lamps...............................3-16
Flash-to-Pass............................................... 3-9
Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker and
Daytime Running Lamps...........................5-51
Halogen Bulbs............................................5-50
High/Low Beam Changer................................ 3-8
On Reminder..............................................3-15
Roof Marker Lamps.....................................5-53
Side Identi cation Marker Lamps...................5-52
Heated Seats................................................... 1-5
Heater...................................................3-22, 3-23
Heater...........................................................3-25
Highbeam On Light.........................................3-50
Highway Hypnosis...........................................4-37
Hill and Mountain Roads..................................4-38
6