2007 SATURN ION air condition

Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage measures the
temperature of the
vehicle’s engine coolant.
If the pointer moves into the shaded area, your
engine is too hot, the CHK GAGE message
will appear and a chime will sound to alert you to
the engine coolant temperature gage. See
Check Gage Message on page 184for more
information. If you have been operating your
vehicle under normal driving conditions, you should
pull off the road and stop your vehicle, be sure
the air conditioning is off, let the engine idle for a
few minutes, then turn off the engine.On vehicles with the 2.2L engine, under severe
conditions – hot ambient temperature, steep
grades and towing – your vehicle may experience
more transaxle shifting to avoid engine coolant
overheating. This is temporary and normal under
these conditions. This does not require engine
or transaxle service.
If your engine control system detects a failure in
the engine coolant temperature circuit, the
malfunction indicator lamp light will come on. The
coolant gage may read all the way hot or cold.
The engine cooling fan will be turned on to protect
the engine and transaxle. SeeMalfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 174for more information.
Notice:Driving with the engine coolant
temperature gage indicator in the shaded area
could cause your vehicle to overheat. Your
vehicle could be damaged, and it might not be
covered by your warranty. Never drive with
the engine coolant temperature gage indicator
in the shaded area.
173
ProCarManuals.com

This light should come on, as a check to show
you it is working, when the ignition is on and the
engine is not running. If the light does not
come on, have it repaired. This light will also
come on during a malfunction in one of two ways:
Light Flashing— A misre condition has
been detected. A misre increases vehicle
emissions and may damage the emission
control system on your vehicle. Diagnosis and
service may be required.
Light On Steady— An emission control
system malfunction has been detected on your
vehicle. Diagnosis and service may be
required.
If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage
to your vehicle:
Reducing vehicle speed
Avoiding hard accelerations
Avoiding steep uphill grades
If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount
of cargo being hauled as soon as it is
possible
If the light stops ashing and remains on steady,
see “If the Light Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to ash, when it is safe to do
so, stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park
your vehicle. Turn the key off, wait at least
10 seconds and restart the engine. If the light
remains on steady, see “If the Light Is On Steady”
following. If the light is still ashing, follow the
previous steps, and see your retailer for service as
soon as possible.
175
ProCarManuals.com

The oil light may also come on when the ignition
is on but the engine is not running, the light
will come on as a test to show you it is working,
but the light will go out when you turn the
ignition to START. If it does not come on with the
ignition on, you may have a problem with the
fuse or bulb. Have it xed right away.
{CAUTION:
Do not keep driving if the oil pressure is
low. If you do, your engine can become so
hot that it catches re. You or others could
be burned. Check your oil as soon as
possible and have your vehicle serviced.
Notice:Lack of proper engine oil maintenance
may damage the engine. The repairs would
not be covered by your warranty. Always follow
the maintenance schedule in this manual for
changing engine oil.
Passlock®Warning Light
Your vehicle has a
Passlock®
theft-deterrent system.
With this system, the
security light will ash as
you open the door if your
ignition is off.
For more information, seePasslock
®on page 103.
Reduced Engine Power Light
This light will come on
briey when you start
the engine.
This light, along with the service engine soon light
will be displayed when a noticeable reduction in
the vehicle’s performance may occur. Stop the
vehicle and turn off the ignition. Wait for
10 seconds and restart your vehicle. This may
correct the condition.
178
ProCarManuals.com

XM Radio Messages
Radio Display Message Condition Action Required
XL (Explicit Language
Channels)XL on the radio display,
after the channel name,
indicates content with
explicit language.These channels, or any others, can be blocked at a
customer’s request, by calling 1-800-852-XMXM (9696).
XM Updating Updating encryption code The encryption code in the receiver is being updated, and
no action is required. This process should take no longer
than 30 seconds.
No XM Signal Loss of signal The system is functioning correctly, but the vehicle is in a
location that is blocking the XM™ signal. When you move
into an open area, the signal should return.
Loading XM Acquiring channel audio
(after 4 second delay)The audio system is acquiring and processing audio and
text data. No action is needed. This message should
disappear shortly.
Channel Off Air Channel not in service This channel is not currently in service. Tune to
another channel.
Channel Unavail Channel no
longer availableThis previously assigned channel is no longer assigned.
Tune to another station. If this station was one of the
presets, choose another station for that preset button.
No Artist Info Artist Name/Feature
not availableNo artist information is available at this time on this channel.
The system is working properly.
No Title Info Song/Program Title
not availableNo song title information is available at this time on this
channel. The system is working properly.
212
ProCarManuals.com

You will need a well-charged battery to restart the
vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on with
your headlamps. Let the heater run for a while.
Then, shut the engine off and close the window
almost all the way to preserve the heat. Start
the engine again and repeat this only when you
feel really uncomfortable from the cold. But do it as
little as possible. Preserve the fuel as long as
you can. To help keep warm, you can get out of
the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or so until help comes.
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow
In order to free your vehicle when it is stuck, you
will need to spin the wheels, but you do not
want to spin your wheels too fast. The method
known as rocking can help you get out when you
are stuck, but you must use caution.
If your vehicle has the Enhanced Traction System
(ETS), the ETS can often help to free a stuck
vehicle. SeeEnhanced Traction System (ETS) on
page 226. If the stuck condition is too severe
for the ETS to free the vehicle, turn the ETS off
and use the rocking method.
{CAUTION:
If you let your vehicle’s tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you or
others could be injured. And, the
transaxle or other parts of the vehicle can
overheat. That could cause an engine
compartment re or other damage. When
you are stuck, spin the wheels as little as
possible. Do not spin the wheels above
35 mph (55 km/h) as shown on the
speedometer.
Notice:Spinning the wheels can destroy parts
of your vehicle as well as the tires. If you
spin the wheels too fast while shifting
the transaxle back and forth, you can destroy
the transaxle. SeeRocking Your Vehicle to
Get It Out on page 250.
For information about using tire chains on your
vehicle, seeTire Chains on page 348.
249
ProCarManuals.com

If your vehicle has the 2.4L L4 engine (VIN Code B)
or the 2.0L Supercharged engine (VIN Code P), use
premium unleaded gasoline with a posted octane
rating of 91 or higher. You may also use regular
unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher, but
your vehicle’s acceleration may be slightly reduced,
and you may notice a slight audible knocking noise,
commonly referred to as spark knock. If the octane
is less than 87, you may notice a heavy knocking
noise when you drive. If this occurs, use a gasoline
rated at 87 octane or higher as soon as possible.
Otherwise, you might damage your engine. If you
are using gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher and
you hear heavy knocking, your engine needs
service.
Gasoline Specications
At a minimum, gasoline should meet ASTM
specication D 4814 in the United States or
CAN/CGSB-3.5 in Canada. Some gasolines may
contain an octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT). Saturn recommends against the use
of gasolines containing MMT. SeeAdditives on
page 273for additional information.
California Fuel
If your vehicle is certied to meet California
Emissions Standards, it is designed to operate on
fuels that meet California specications. See the
underhood emission control label. If this fuel is not
available in states adopting California emissions
standards, your vehicle will operate satisfactorily on
fuels meeting federal specications, but emission
control system performance may be affected. The
malfunction indicator lamp may turn on and your
vehicle may fail a smog-check test. SeeMalfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 174. If this occurs, return to
your authorized Saturn retailer for diagnosis. If it is
determined that the condition is caused by the type
of fuel used, repairs may not be covered by your
warranty.
Additives
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the United
States are now required to contain additives
that will help prevent engine and fuel system
deposits from forming, allowing your emission
control system to work properly. In most cases,
you should not have to add anything to your fuel.
273
ProCarManuals.com

When to Inspect the Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter
Inspect the air cleaner/lter at the MaintenanceII
intervals and replace it at the rst oil change
after each 50,000 mile (83 000 km) interval. See
Scheduled Maintenance on page 391for more
information. If you are driving in dusty/dirty
conditions, inspect the lter at each engine oil
change.
How to Inspect the Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter
To inspect the air cleaner/lter remove the lter
from the vehicle and lightly shake the lter to
release loose dust and dirt. If the lter remains
caked with dirt, a new lter is required.To inspect or replace the engine air cleaner/lter,
do the following:
1. Loosen the hose clamp that is on the inlet
duct on the cover and pull off the hose.
2. For vehicles that have the 2.2L L4 or 2.4L L4
engine, release the two clips and turn the cover
upward to unhook the hinges. For vehicles that
have the 2.0L L4 Supercharged engine,
remove the three screws on the cover.
3. Pull the air cleaner/lter box cover out and
remove the air lter element from the air lter
box. If the element is dirty, you should replace
it. If the element is only dusty, it may be
cleaned by blowing compressed air through it
from the clean side. Make sure you are away
from your engine compartment when cleaning
the air lter with compressed air.
291
ProCarManuals.com

If No Steam Is Coming From Your
Engine
If you get an engine overheat warning with no
warning messages, 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. 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. Try to minimize engine load. If you are in a
traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N); otherwise,
shift to the highest gear possible while driving.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.
299
ProCarManuals.com