2007 BUICK RAINIER engine coolant

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.
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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
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A. Coolant Recovery Tank
B. Radiator Pressure Cap
C. Engine Fan
If the coolant inside the coolant recovery 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 least up to 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.
5.3L V8 Engine
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If there seems to be no leak, start the engine
again. The engine cooling fan speed should
increase 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.
Notice:Using coolant other than DEX-COOL
®
may cause premature engine, heater core,
or radiator corrosion. In addition, the engine
coolant could 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.
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 of clean, drinkable water and
DEX-COOL
®engine coolant at the coolant
recovery tank. SeeEngine Coolant on page 379
for 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.
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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.
If the overheat warning continues, there is one
more thing you can try. You can add the proper
coolant mixture directly to the radiator, but be sure
the cooling system is cool before you do it.
{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 radiator pressure cap — even
a little — they can come out at high
speed. Never turn the cap when the
cooling system, including the radiator
pressure cap, is hot. Wait for the cooling
system and radiator pressure cap to cool
if you ever have to turn the pressure cap.
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How to Add Coolant to the Radiator
1. You can remove the radiator pressure cap
when the cooling system, including the
radiator pressure cap and upper radiator hose,
is no longer hot.
Turn the pressure cap slowly counterclockwise
about one full turn. If you hear a hiss, wait
for that to stop. A hiss means there is
still some pressure left.
2. Then keep turning the pressure cap. Remove
the pressure cap.3. Fill the radiator with the proper DEX-COOL
®
coolant mixture, up to the base of the ller
neck. SeeEngine Coolant on page 379
for more information about the proper coolant
mixture.
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4. Then ll the coolant recovery tank to the
FULL COLD mark.
5. Put the cap back on the coolant recovery
tank, but leave the radiator pressure
cap off.6. Start the engine and let it run until you can
feel the upper radiator hose getting hot.
Watch out for the engine cooling fan.
7. By this time, the coolant level inside the
radiator ller neck may be lower. If the level is
lower, add more of the proper DEX-COOL
®
coolant mixture through the ller neck until the
level reaches the base of the ller neck.
8. Then replace the pressure cap. At any time
during this procedure if coolant begins to ow
out of the ller neck, reinstall the pressure
cap. Be sure the pressure cap is hand-tight
and fully seated.
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Adding Washer Fluid
Open the cap with the
washer symbol on it.
Add washer uid
until the tank is full. See
Engine Compartment
Overview on page 366
for reservoir location.
Notice:
When using concentrated washer uid,
follow the manufacturer’s instructions for
adding water.
Do not mix water with ready-to-use washer
uid. Water can cause the solution to freeze
and damage your washer uid tank and
other parts of the washer system. Also,
water does not clean as well as washer uid.
Fill your washer uid tank only
three-quarters full when it is very cold.
This allows for expansion if freezing occurs,
which could damage the tank if it is
completely full.
Do not use engine coolant (antifreeze) in
your windshield washer. It can damage your
washer system and paint.
Brakes
Brake Fluid
Your brake master
cylinder reservoir is
lled with DOT-3 brake
uid. SeeEngine
Compartment Overview
on page 366for the
location of the reservoir.
There are only two reasons why the brake uid
level in the reservoir might go down. The rst
is that the brake uid goes down to an acceptable
level during normal brake lining wear. When
new linings are put in, the uid level goes back
up. The other reason is that uid is leaking out of
the brake system. If it is, you should have your
brake system xed, since a leak means that
sooner or later your brakes will not work well, or
will not work at all.
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