engine overheat CHEVROLET S10 2004 User Guide

Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage on your
vehicle’s instrument panel. SeeEngine Coolant
Temperature Gage on page 3-29.
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.
5-27

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. See “Driving on Grades” under
Towing a Trailer on page 4-51.
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
while stopped. If it is safe to do so, pull off the
road, shift to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL and let the
engine idle.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window as necessary.If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can
drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about 10 minutes.
If the warning doesn’t come back on, you can
drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there’s still no sign of steam, idle the engine for three
minutes while you’re parked. Push down the accelerator
until the engine speed is about twice as fast as
normal idle speed for at least three minutes while you’re
parked. If you still have the warning,turn off the
engine and get everyone out of the vehicleuntil it
cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
5-28

How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant level
isn’t at the ADD mark, add a 50/50 mixture ofclean,
drinkable waterand DEX-COOL
®engine coolant at the
coolant recovery tank. SeeEngine Coolant on
page 5-23for 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.
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
ADD mark, start your vehicle.
5-31

E
Electrical System
Add-On Equipment.....................................5-104
Fuses and Circuit Breakers.........................5-105
Headlamps...............................................5-104
Power Windows and Other Power Options....5-105
Windshield Wiper Fuses.............................5-105
Emissions Inspection and
Maintenance Programs.................................3-32
Engine
Air Cleaner/Filter.........................................5-18
Battery.......................................................5-43
Check and Service Engine Soon Light............3-30
Coolant......................................................5-23
Coolant Heater............................................2-19
Coolant Temperature Gage...........................3-29
Cooling System Inspection............................6-30
Drive Belt Routing.......................................6-35
Engine Compartment Overview......................5-12
Exhaust.....................................................2-29
Fan Noise..................................................5-36
Oil .............................................................5-13
Overheating................................................5-27
Starting......................................................2-18
Engine Compartment Fuse Block.....................5-108
Engine Coolant Level Check.............................6-25
Engine Oil Additives........................................5-16
Engine Oil Level Check...................................6-25
Engine Speed Control.....................................2-19Entry Lighting.................................................3-15
Environmental Concerns..................................4-15
Event Data Records (EDR)................................ 7-9
Exit Lighting...................................................3-16
Express Down Window....................................2-12
Extender, Safety Belt.......................................1-26
Exterior Lamps...............................................3-12
F
Filter
Engine Air Cleaner......................................5-18
Finding a Program Type (PTY) Station...............3-54
Finding a Program Type (PTY) Station
(RDS and XM™).................................3-45, 3-65
Finding a Station....................3-38, 3-43, 3-52, 3-62
Finish Care....................................................5-99
Finish Damage.............................................5-101
Fixed Mast Antenna........................................3-78
Flash-to-Pass Feature....................................... 3-7
Flat Tire........................................................5-81
Flat Tire, Changing.........................................5-82
Fluid
Automatic Transmission................................5-20
Power Steering...........................................5-36
Windshield Washer......................................5-38
FM Stereo.....................................................3-76
Fog Lamps....................................................3-15
Following Distance..........................................4-57
Footnotes................................................6-7, 6-18
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