engine coolant CHEVROLET TRACKER 1996 Owners Manual

Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
For example,
these symbols
are used on an
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
ACIbTELi CAUSE
BURNS
AVOID
SPARKS OR
FLAMES
SPARK
OR ,\I/,
COULD FLAME
EXPLODE BATTERY
These symbols are important
for you and
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle
is
driven:
FASTEN
SEAT
BELTS
These symbols
have
to do with
your lights:
SIGNALS e e3
TURN
PARKING
0
LAMPS pq
RUNNING 0
DAYTIME *
LAMPS '**
FOG LAMPS $0
These symbols
are on some
of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER
VENTILATING
&?
FAN
These symbols are used
on
warning and
indicator lights:
ENGINE t
COOLANT - t-
TEMP -
CHARGING BAllERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE
(0)
R
COOLANT
ENGINE OIL
w,
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK
(@)
BRAKES
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE *
P
LIGHTER
HORN
)tr
SPEAKER
b
FUEL B
vi
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Anti-Lock Brake’ System Active
Light (Option)
ABS
ACTIVE
When your anti-lock system
is adjusting brake pressure
to help avoid
a braking skid,
the
anti-lock brake system
active light will
come on.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the engine
coolant temperature. If the
gage pointer
moves to the
H (red) side, your engine is
I/
Slippery road conditions may exist if this light comes
on, so adjust your driving accordingly. The light will
stay on for a few seconds after the system stops
adjusting brake pressure. It
means that your engine coolant
has overheated and
you should stop your vehicle and turn off the engine as
soon as possible.
In “Problems on the Road,” this manual shows what to
do. See
“Engine Overheating” in the Index.
The anti-lock brake system active light also comes on
briefly when you turn the ignition key to ON. If the light
doesn’t come on then, have it fixed so it will be there to
tell you when the system is active.
2-64
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Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage on your Geo
instrument panel.
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
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
opening the hood.
If you keep driving when your engine is
overheated, the liquids in it can catch fire. You or
others could be badly burned. Stop your engine if
it overheats, and get out
of the vehicle until the
engine
is cool.
I NOTICE:
If your engine catches fire because you keep
driving with no coolant,
your vehicle can be
badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered
by your warranty.
5-12
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When you decide it’s safe to lift the hood, here’s what
you’ll
see:
c
A. Radiator Pressure Cap
B. Electric Engine Fan
C. Coolant Recovery Tank
A CAUTION:
An electric 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. Don’t reach through
the grille to release the underhood lever.
If the coolant inside the coolant recovery tank is boiling,
don’t do anything
else until it cools down.
5-14
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The coolant level should be at or above FULL. If it
isn’t, you may have a leak in the radiator hoses, heater
hoses, radiator, water
pump or somewhere else in the
cooling system.
Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
parts, can be very hot. Don’t touch them.
If you
do, you can be burned.
Don’t run the engine
if there is a leak. If you run
the engine, it could lose
all coolant. That could
cause an engine fire, and you could be burned.
Get any leak fixed before you drive the vehicle.
I NOTICE:
Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn’t covered
by your warranty.
If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check to
see if the electric engine fan is running. If the engine is
overheating, the
fan should be running. If it isn’t, your
vehicle needs service.
5-15
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How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant level
isn’t at or above the
FULL mark, add a 50/50 mixture of
clean water (preferably distilled) and a proper antifi-eeze at
the coolant recovery tank. (See “Engine Coolant” in the
Index for more information about the proper coolant mix.)
Adding only plain water to your cooling system
can
be dangerous. Plain water, or some other
liquid
like alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mix
will. Your vehicle’s coolant warning
system is set
for the proper coolant mix. With
plain water or the wrong mix, your engine couId
get
too hot but you wouldn’t get the overheat
warning. Your engine could catch fire and
you or
others
could be burned. Use a 50/50 mix of clean
water and a proper antifreeze.
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
mix.
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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. Don’t spill coolant on a hot engine.
When the coolant in the coolant recovery tank is at or
above the FULL mark start your vehicle.
If the overheat warning continues, there’s one more
thing you can try. You can add the proper coolant mix
directly to the radiator, but be sure the cooling system is
cool before you do it.
5-17
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6. Start the engine and let it run until you can feel the
upper radiator hose getting hot. Watch out for the
engine fan.
filler neck may be lower.
If the level is lower, add
more
of the proper mix through the filler neck until
the level reaches the base
of the filler neck.
7. By this time the coolant level inside the radiator
8. Then replace the pressure cap. At any time during
this procedure if coolant begins to flow out of the
filler neck, reinstall the pressure cap. Be sure the
arrows on the pressure cap line up like this.
5-21
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Checking Things Under the Hood
A CAUTICV: I
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. Don’t reach through the
grille to release the underhood lever.
To open the hood, first pull the release handle inside the
glove box.
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts and
start
a fire. These include liquids like gasoline,
oil, coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer and
other fluids, 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.
6-6 ProCarManuals.com

When you open the hood, you’ll see the following:
c
A. Windshield Washer Reservoir
B. Engine Coolant Reservoir
C. Main Fuse Box
D. Battery
E. Engine Oil Dipstick
E Automatic Transmission Dipstick (if equipped)
G. Oil Fill Cap
H. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
I. Brake Fluid Reservoir
J. Air Cleaner
6-8
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