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What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half clean, drinkable water
and one-half DEX-COOL®coolant which will
not damage aluminum parts. 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 retailer 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.
SeeRecommended Fluids and Lubricants
on page 345for more information.
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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 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.Cooling System
When you decide it is safe to lift the hood, here is
what you will see:
A. Electric Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View)
B. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap
2.4L L4 Engine
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A. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap
B. Electric Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View)
{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.
2.0L L4 Engine
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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 fan
are running. If the engine is overheating, the fan
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 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
Surge Tank
Notice:Your engine has a speci c 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.
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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. SeeEngine Coolant on
page 255for 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.
{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.
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{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. 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.
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