2006 PONTIAC SOLSTICE engine overheat

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. SeeOverheated Engine
Protection Operating Mode on page 5-25for
information on driving to a safe place in an
emergency.
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.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.
5-24

Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode
This emergency operating mode allows your vehicle to
be driven to a safe place in an emergency situation. If an
overheated engine condition exists, an overheat
protection mode which alternates ring groups of
cylinders helps prevent engine damage. In this mode, you
will notice a signicant loss in power and engine
performance. An engine coolant temperature warning
light will come on in the instrument panel to indicate that
an overheat condition exists. Driving extended miles (km)
in the overheat protection mode should be avoided.
Notice:After driving in the overheated engine
protection operating mode, to avoid engine damage,
allow the engine to cool before attempting any
repair. The engine oil will be severely degraded.
Repair the cause of coolant loss, change the oil and
reset the oil life system. SeeEngine Oil on
page 5-13.
Cooling System
When you decide it is safe to lift the hood, here is what
you will see:
A. Electric Engine Cooling Fans
B. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap
5-25

{CAUTION:
An electric engine cooling fan under the hood
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.
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 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.
5-26

How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Surge Tank
Notice:Your engine has a specic cooling system
drain and ll procedure. Failure to follow this
procedure could cause your engine to overheat and
be severely damaged. If your engine’s cooling
system needs to be drained and re-lled, please see
your dealer.
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 5-19for more information.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
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.
5-27

{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.
1. You can remove the coolant surge tank pressure
cap when the cooling system, including the coolant
surge tank pressure cap and upper radiator
hose, is no longer hot. Turn the pressure cap slowly
counterclockwise about two or two and one-half
turns. If you hear a hiss, wait for that to stop. This
will allow any pressure still left to be vented out
the discharge hose.
2. Then keep turning the
pressure cap slowly,
and remove it.
5-28

Door
Automatic Door Lock..................................... 2-8
Automatic Door Unlock.................................. 2-9
Delayed Locking........................................... 2-8
Manual Door Locks....................................... 2-7
Power Door Locks......................................... 2-7
Driver
Position, Safety Belt.....................................1-10
Driver Information Center (DIC).........................3-36
DIC Operation and Displays..........................3-36
DIC Vehicle Personalization..........................3-40
DIC Warnings and Messages........................3-38
Driving
At Night.....................................................4-15
City...........................................................4-19
Defensive..................................................... 4-2
Drunken....................................................... 4-3
Freeway.....................................................4-20
Hill and Mountain Roads..............................4-22
In Rain and on Wet Roads...........................4-16
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get it Out.................4-29
Winter........................................................4-24
E
Electrical System
Add-On Equipment......................................5-77
Floor Console Fuse Block.............................5-78
Fuses and Circuit Breakers...........................5-78
Headlamp Wiring.........................................5-78Electrical System (cont.)
Power Windows and Other Power Options......5-78
Underhood Fuse Block.................................5-80
Engine
Air Cleaner/Filter.........................................5-18
Battery.......................................................5-34
Check and Service Engine Soon Light............3-30
Coolant......................................................5-19
Coolant Temperature Warning Light................3-29
Cooling System Inspection............................6-20
Engine Compartment Overview......................5-12
Exhaust.....................................................2-28
Oil .............................................................5-13
Oil Life System...........................................5-16
Overheated Protection Operating Mode...........5-25
Overheating................................................5-23
Reduced Power Light...................................3-34
Starting......................................................2-19
Entry/Exit Lighting...........................................3-15
Event Data Recorders (EDR)............................. 7-9
Extender, Safety Belt.......................................1-17
F
Filter
Engine Air Cleaner......................................5-18
Finish Damage...............................................5-75
Fixed Mast Antenna........................................3-71
Flash-to-Pass................................................... 3-8
Flat Tire........................................................5-59
4

Mirrors (cont.)
Outside Manual Mirror..................................2-30
Outside Power Mirrors..................................2-30
MyGMLink.com................................................ 7-3
N
New Vehicle Break-In......................................2-16
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts............6-23
O
Odometer......................................................3-22
Off-Road Recovery..........................................4-12
Oil
Engine.......................................................5-13
Pressure Light.............................................3-32
Oil, Engine Oil Life System..............................5-16
Older Children, Restraints................................1-18
Online Owner Center........................................ 7-3
OnStar
®System, see OnStar®Manual...............2-30
Other Warning Devices...................................... 3-6
Outlet Adjustment............................................3-20
Outside
Manual Mirror.............................................2-30
Power Mirrors.............................................2-30
Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode . . . 5-25
Owners, Canadian............................................... ii
P
Park (P)
Shifting Into................................................2-25
Shifting Out of............................................2-26
Parking
Brake........................................................2-24
Over Things That Burn.................................2-27
Parking Your Vehicle.......................................2-27
Part A - Scheduled Maintenance Services............ 6-4
Part B - Owner Checks and Services................6-13
Part C - Periodic Maintenance Inspections..........6-19
Part D - Recommended Fluids and Lubricants....6-21
Part E - Maintenance Record...........................6-24
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator.....................3-25
Passenger Position, Safety Belts.......................1-17
Passenger Sensing System..............................1-37
Passing.........................................................4-12
PASS-Key
®III+..............................................2-14
PASS-Key®III+ Operation................................2-15
Power
Accessory Outlet(s)......................................3-15
Door Locks.................................................. 2-7
Electrical System.........................................5-78
Reduced Engine Light..................................3-34
Retained Accessory (RAP)............................2-19
Steering Fluid.............................................5-29
Windows....................................................2-12
Pretensioners, Safety Belt................................1-17
8