2007 BUICK RAINIER engine overheat

Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
The arrows on your instrument panel will
ash whenever you signal a turn or lane change.
Properly hooked up, the trailer lamps will also
ash, telling other drivers you’re about to
turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on your
instrument panel will ash for turns even if the
bulbs on the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may
think drivers behind you are seeing your signal
when they are not. It’s important to check
occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs are
still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gearbefore
you start down a long or steep downgrade. If you
don’t shift down, you might have to use your
brakes so much that they would get hot and no
longer work well.You can tow in DRIVE (D). You may want to shift
the transmission to THIRD (3) or a lower gear,
under heavy loads or hilly conditions.
When towing at high altitude on steep uphill
grades, consider the following: Engine coolant will
boil at a lower temperature than at normal
altitudes. If you turn your engine off immediately
after towing at high altitude on steep uphill grades,
your vehicle may show signs similar to engine
overheating. To avoid this, let the engine run while
parked (preferably on level ground) with the
automatic transmission in PARK (P) for a few
minutes before turning the engine off. If you do get
the overheat warning, seeEngine Overheating
on page 382.
349

Service........................................................ 356
Accessories and Modications................... 356
California Proposition 65 Warning.............. 357
Doing Your Own Service Work.................. 357
Adding Equipment to the Outside
of Your Vehicle...................................... 358
Fuel............................................................. 358
Gasoline Octane........................................ 358
Gasoline Specications.............................. 358
California Fuel........................................... 359
Additives................................................... 359
Fuels in Foreign Countries........................ 360
Filling the Tank......................................... 361
Filling a Portable Fuel Container............... 363
Checking Things Under the Hood.............. 364
Hood Release........................................... 364
Engine Compartment Overview.................. 366
Engine Oil................................................. 369
Engine Oil Life System.............................. 372
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter............................ 374
Automatic Transmission Fluid.................... 375
Engine Coolant.......................................... 379Radiator Pressure Cap.............................. 382
Engine Overheating................................... 382
Cooling System......................................... 384
Engine Fan Noise..................................... 390
Power Steering Fluid ................................. 390
Windshield Washer Fluid........................... 391
Brakes...................................................... 392
Battery...................................................... 396
Jump Starting............................................ 397
All-Wheel Drive........................................... 402
Rear Axle.................................................... 402
Front Axle................................................... 403
Bulb Replacement....................................... 404
Halogen Bulbs........................................... 404
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, and
Parking Lamps....................................... 405
Taillamps and Turn Signal Lamps............. 405
License Plate Lamp................................... 407
Replacement Bulbs................................... 407
Windshield Replacement............................ 408
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement....... 408
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
353

{CAUTION:
Operating the engine with the air
cleaner/lter off can cause you or others
to be burned. The air cleaner not only
cleans the air; it helps to stop ames if
the engine backres. If it is not there and
the engine backres, you could be
burned. Do not drive with it off, and be
careful working on the engine with the air
cleaner/lter off.
Notice:If the air cleaner/lter is off, a backre
can cause a damaging engine re. And, dirt can
easily get into your engine, which will damage
it. Always have the air cleaner/lter in place
when you are driving.
Automatic Transmission Fluid
When to Check and Change Automatic
Transmission Fluid
A good time to check your automatic transmission
uid level is when the engine oil is changed.Change the uid and lter at the intervals listed in
Additional Required Services on page 482, and be
sure to use the transmission uid listed in
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 489.
How to Check Automatic
Transmission Fluid
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 parts 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.
375

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 382.
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
the rst maintenance service after each
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.
379

What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half clean, drinkable water
and one-half DEX-COOL®coolant. 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 extra inhibitors and/or
additives in your vehicle’s cooling system, you
could damage your vehicle. Use only the proper
mixture of the engine coolant listed in this
manual for the cooling system. See
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on
page 489for more information.
380

Add coolant mixture at the recovery tank, but be
careful not to spill it.
{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.
Occasionally check the coolant level in the
radiator. For information on how to add coolant to
the radiator, seeCooling System on page 384.
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 366
for information on location.
Engine Overheating
You will nd a coolant temperature gage on your
vehicle’s instrument panel. SeeEngine Coolant
Temperature Gage on page 189for more
information.
If your vehicle has a Driver Information Center
(DIC), the display will show an Engine Coolant
Hot/Engine Overheated message. SeeDIC
Warnings and Messages on page 202for more
information.
382

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.
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.
383

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 vehicle until it cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to
get service help right away.Cooling System
When you decide it is safe to lift the hood, here is
what you will see:
A. Coolant Recovery Tank
B. Radiator Pressure Cap
C. Engine Fan
4.2L L6 Engine
384