engine coolant CHEVROLET EQUINOX 2007 1.G User Guide

Service........................................................ 333
Accessories and Modications................... 333
California Proposition 65 Warning.............. 334
Doing Your Own Service Work.................. 334
Adding Equipment to the Outside
of Your Vehicle...................................... 335
Fuel............................................................. 335
Gasoline Octane........................................ 335
Gasoline Specications.............................. 335
California Fuel........................................... 336
Additives................................................... 336
Fuels in Foreign Countries........................ 337
Filling the Tank......................................... 337
Filling a Portable Fuel Container............... 339
Checking Things Under the Hood.............. 340
Hood Release........................................... 340
Engine Compartment Overview.................. 342
Engine Oil................................................. 344
Engine Oil Life System.............................. 347
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter............................ 349
Automatic Transaxle Fluid......................... 352
Engine Coolant.......................................... 352
Engine Overheating................................... 355Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode..................................... 357
Cooling System......................................... 358
Windshield Washer Fluid........................... 364
Brakes...................................................... 365
Battery...................................................... 368
Jump Starting............................................ 368
All-Wheel Drive........................................... 374
Bulb Replacement....................................... 375
Halogen Bulbs........................................... 376
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal,
Sidemarker, and Parking Lamps............. 376
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps
and Back-up Lamps............................... 378
License Plate Lamp................................... 380
Replacement Bulbs................................... 380
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement....... 380
Tires............................................................ 382
Tire Sidewall Labeling............................... 383
Tire Terminology and Denitions............... 387
Ination - Tire Pressure............................. 390
Tire Pressure Monitor System................... 391
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
331

Checking Things Under
the Hood
{CAUTION:
An electric fan under the hood can start up
and injure you even when the engine is not
running. Keep hands, clothing, and tools
away from any underhood electric fan.
{CAUTION:
Things that burn can get on hot engine
parts and start a re. These include
liquids like fuel, oil, coolant, brake uid,
windshield washer and other uids, and
plastic or rubber. You or others could be
burned. Be careful not to drop or spill
things that will burn onto a hot engine.
Hood Release
To open the hood, do the following:
1. Pull the handle with
this symbol on it. It is
located inside the
vehicle, to the left of
the brake pedal.
340

A. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 349.
B. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine
Oil” underEngine Oil on page 344.
C. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 344.
D. Brake Fluid Reservoir. SeeBrakes on
page 365.E. Engine Compartment Fuse Block. SeeFuses
and Circuit Breakers on page 429.
F. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. SeeJump
Starting on page 368.
G. Engine Coolant Surge Tank. SeeEngine
Coolant on page 352.
H. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See
Windshield Washer Fluid on page 364.
343

Automatic Transaxle Fluid
It is not necessary to check the transaxle uid
level. A transaxle uid leak is the only reason for
uid loss. If a leak occurs, take your vehicle to
the dealership service department and have
it repaired as soon as possible.
Change the uid at the intervals listed inAdditional
Required Services on page 442, and be sure to
use the transaxle uid listed inRecommended
Fluids and Lubricants on page 448.
Notice:Use of the incorrect automatic
transaxle uid may damage your vehicle, and
the damages may not be covered by your
warranty. Always use the automatic transaxle
uid listed inRecommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 448.
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 355.
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.
352

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 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 448for more information.
353

Checking Coolant
The surge tank is located on the driver’s side
of the engine compartment. SeeEngine
Compartment Overview on page 342for more
information on location.
{CAUTION:
Turning the surge tank pressure cap when
the engine and radiator are hot can allow
steam and scalding liquids to blow out
and burn you badly. Never turn the surge
tank pressure cap — even a little — when
the engine and radiator are hot.
The vehicle must be on a level surface. When
your engine is cold, the coolant level should be
at the COLD FILL line. When your engine is warm,
the level should be at the COLD FILL line or a
little higher.
354

Adding Coolant
If you need more coolant, add the proper
DEX-COOL®coolant mixture at the surge tank,
but only when the engine is cool.
{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 replacing the pressure cap, make sure it is
hand-tight and fully seated.
Engine Overheating
You will nd a coolant temperature gage on your
vehicle’s instrument panel. SeeEngine Coolant
Temperature Gage on page 182. There are several
different types of engine overheating messages
that may be displayed in the Driver Information
Center (DIC). SeeDIC Warnings and Messages
on page 198.
355

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. 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 the vehicles
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.
SeeOverheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode on page 357for
information on driving to a safe place
in an emergency.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. See
Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode
on page 357for information on driving to a
safe place in an emergency.
If No Steam Is Coming From
Your Engine
An overheat warning can indicate a serious
problem.
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.
356

If you get the overheat warning with no sign of
steam, try this for a minute or so:
1. If the air conditioner 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 while driving.
If you no longer have the overheat warning, you
can drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for
about ten 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. Also, see “Overheated Engine
Protection Operating Mode” later in this section.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get
service help right away.Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode
This emergency operating mode lets your vehicle
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, there is a signicant loss in power and
engine performance. The temperature gage
indicates an overheat condition exists. Driving
extended miles (km) and/or towing a trailer 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 344.
357

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{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 radiator
hoses, heater hoses, radiator, water pump,
or somewhere else in the cooling system.
358