coolant level Oldsmobile Aurora 1997 Owner's Manuals

Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
280
n 100
Q
This gage shows the engine
coolant temperature.
If the gage pointer moves into the red warning zone,
your engine
is hot. To prevent engine overheating, the
air conditioning compressor will turn off automatically,
a fast-pulsed chime will sound, and the message
ENGINE
HOT. ..A/C OFF will appear in the information
center.
As the engine cools down, the air conditioning
compressor will automatically turn back on.
If the coolant temperature is over 26 1 OF ( 127’ C), the
message
HOT ... STOP ENGINE will appear. It means
that your engine coolant has overheated. If you have
been operating your vehicle under normal driving
conditions, you should pull
off the road, stop your
vehicle and turn
off the engine as soon as possible.
The section “Problems on the Road,” in this manual
explains what
to do. See “Engine Overheating” in
the Index.
If your coolant level is low, the message
LOW ENGINE
COOLANT will appear on the Driver Information
Center. Check your coolant level as soon as possible.
See “Engine Coolant” in the Index.
2-74

If it isn’t, the coolant level should be indicated by a
CHECK
COOLANT LEVEL message on the Driver
Information Center. If it
is, 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.
NOTICE:
Engine damage if you keep running your engine
without coolant isn’t covered by your warranty.
See “Overheated Engine Protection Operating
Mode” in the Index.
If there seems to be
no leak, with the engine on, check to
see if the electric engine fans are running.
If the engine
is overheating, both fans should be running. If they
aren’t, your vehicle needs service.
5-18

How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Surge Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant level
isn’t at
FULL COLD, add a 50/50 mixture of clean
water
(preferably distilled) 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. (See “Engine Coolant’’ in the Index
for
more information.)
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.
I

3. Then fill the coolant surge tank with the proper mix,
up to FULL COLD. 4. With the coolant surge tank pressure cap off, start the
engine and let
it run until you can feel the upper
radiator hose getting hot. Watch out for the
engine fans.
By this time, the coolant level inside the coolant
surge tank may be lower.
If the level is lower, add
more of the proper mix to the coolant surge tank
until the level reaches FULL COLD.
5-22

@ Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your Aurora. This section begins with service and fuel information,
and then it shows how to check important fluid and lubricant levels. There is also technical information about your
vehicle, and a part devoted to its appearance care.
6-2
6-3
6-8
6-1 1
6-15 6-18
6-2
1
6-27
6-28
6-32
6-33
6-3 7
6-44
6-52 Service
Fuel
Checking Things Under the Hood
Engine Oil
Air Cleaner
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
Engine Coolant Windshield Washer Fluid
Brakes
Battery
Bulb Replacement
Headlamp Aiming
Tires
Appearance Care 6-53
6-57
6-59
6-59
6-60 6-6 1
6-62
6-65
6-72
6-73
6-74
6-74
6-74
6-74 Cleaning the
Inside
of Your Aurora
Cleaning the Outside
of Your Aurora
Underbody Maintenance Chemical Paint Spotting
Appearance Care Materials Chart
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
Electrical System
Removing the Rear Seat Cushion
Replacement Bulbs
Capacities and Specifications
Air Conditioning Refrigerants
Engine Specifications
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
Vehicle Dimensions
6-1

How to Add Fluid
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of transaxle fluid to use. See “Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants” in the Index.
If the fluid level
is low, add only enough of the proper
fluid
to bring the level into the cross-hatched area on
the dipstick.
1. Pull out the dipstick.
2. Using a long-neck funnel, add enough fluid at the
dipstick hole to bring it to
the proper level.
3. After adding fluid, recheck the fluid level as
described under “How to Check.”
4. When the correct fluid level is obtained, push the
dipstick back
in all the way.
Engine Coolant
The cooling s stem in your vehicle is filled with
DEX-COOL engine coolant. This coolant
is designed
to remain
in your vehicle for 5 years or 150,000 miles
(240 000 km), whichever occurs first, if you add only
DEX-COOL@ extended life coolant.
Lx
It doesn’t take much fluid, generally less than one pint The following explains
Your cooling system and how to
(0.5 L). Don’t overjill. add coolant when it is low. If you have a problem with
engine overheating, see “Engine Overheating” in
the Index.
NOTICE: A 50/50 mixture of water and DEX-COOL’
coolant will:
We recommend you use only fluid labeled
DEXRON’III, because fluid with that label is
made especially for your automatic transaxle.
Damage caused by fluid other than
DEXRON@III
is not covered by your new vehicle warranty.
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.

A CAUTION:
'hrning 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.
When your engine is cold, the coolant level should be at
the
FULL COLD mark or a little higher.
6-24

Part B: Owner Checks and Services
Listed below are owner checks and services which
should be performed at the intervals specified
to help
ensure the safety, dependability and emission control
performance of your vehicle.
Be sure any necessary repairs are completed at once.
Whenever any fluids or lubricants are added to your
vehicle, make sure they are the proper ones, as shown in
Part
D.
At Each Fuel Fill
It is important for you or a service station attendant to
perform these underhood checks at each fuel
fill.
Engine Oil Level Check
Check the engine oil level and add the proper oil if
necessary. See “Engine Oil” in the Index for
further details.
Engine Coolant Level Check Windshield Washer
Fluid Level Check
Check the windshield washer
fluid level in the
windshield washer tank and add the proper fluid if
necessary. See “Windshield Washer Fluid” in the Index
for further details.
At Least Once a Month
Tire Inflation Check
Make sure tires are inflated to the correct pressures. See
“Tires”
in the Index for further details.
Cassette Deck Service
Clean cassette deck. Cleaning should be done every
50 hours of tape play. See “Audio Systems” in the
Index for further details.
Power Antenna Service
Clean power antenna mast. See “Audio Systems” in the
Index for further details.
Check the engine coolant level and add DEX-COOL@
coolant mixture if necessary. See “Engine Coolant”
in
the Index for further details.
7-39

Drunken Driving ................................ 4-3
Elapsed Time Indicator
......................... 2-85
Electrical Equipment. Adding
........... 2.23. 3.29. 6-62
Electrical System
............................... 6-62
Electrochromic Daymight Rearview Mirror
.......... 2-50
Electronic Climate Control
........................ 3-2
Electronic Level Control
......................... 4-3 1
Engine (Message (DIC)
.......................... 2-82
Engine
....................................... 6-10
Accessory Belt
............................... 6-75
Coolant
..................................... 6-21
Coolant Heater
............................... 2-24
Coolant Level Check
.......................... 7-39
Coolant Temperature Gage
..................... 2-74
Exhaust
..................................... 2-32
FuseBlocks
................................. 6-63
Identification
................................ 6-6 1
OilLevelCheck .............................. 7-39
Overheating
................................. 5-14
Running While Parked
......................... 2-33
Specifications
................................ 6-74
StartingYour
................................ 2-22
Engineoil
.................................... 6-11
Adding
..................................... 6-12
Additives
................................... 6-14
Checking
................................... 6-11
Life Monitor ................................. 2-82
Pressure Light
............................... 2-77
Used
....................................... 6-15
Whentochange
.............................. 6-14 Estimated Time
of Arrival
........................ 2-84
Exit Lighting
.................................. 2-47
Express-Down Window
.......................... 2-34
Exhaust. Engine
................................ 2-32
Fabric Cleaning
............................... 6-53
Fan Knob. Climate Control System
.................. 3-3
Filling Your Tank
................................ 6-5
Filter. Air
..................................... 6-15
Finish Care
.................................... 6-57
Finish Damage
................................. 6-59
First Gear. Automatic Transaxle
................... 2-27
Flashers. Hazard Warning
......................... 5-2
Flash-to-Pass Feature
........................... 2-38
Flat Tire. Changing
............................. 5-24
Fluid Capacities
................................ 6-73
Fluids and Lubricants
............................ 7-44
FogLamps
.................................... 2-45
Foreign Countries. Fuel
........................... 6-4
FrenchLanguageManual
11
FrontTowing .................................. 5-11
Fuel .......................................... 6-3
Canada
...................................... 6-3
Filling
Your Tank .............................. 6-5
Gage
....................................... 2-79
RangeDisplay
............................... 2-82
UsedDisplay
................................ 2-81
Used Reset. Driver Information Center
............ 2-81
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
....................... 6-63
.. ...........................
Front Storage Armrest ........................... 2-55
In Foreign Countries
........................... 6-4
9-4