engine coolant PONTIAC BONNEVILLE 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
BURNS AVOID
SPARKS
OR
FLAMES
SPARK
OR ,\I/,
COULD
RAM€
EXPLODE BATTERY
These symbols are
important
for you and
your passengers whenever your
vehicle
is
driven:
f-l DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK
FASTEN SEAT
BELTS
e?
AIR BAG p
These symbols
have to do with your lights:
SIGNALS e
TURN
PARKING
p$ LAMPS
FOG LAMPS
$0
These symbols are on some of
your controls:
WIPER Q
WINDSHIELD
DEFROSTER
VENTILATING
FAN - )
These symbols are used on
warning
and
indicator lights:
ENGINE
COOLANT
- e-
TEMP -
CHARGING I-1
BATTERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE
(0)
COOLANT a
ENGINE OIL e,
PRESSURE
ANTI~LOCK (@)
BRAKES
Here are some
other symbols
you
may see:
FUSE
LIGHTER
m
HORN )tr
SPEAKER
b
FUEL p3
v
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Engine CoolantKeater (Option)
In very cold weather, 0" F (- 18 O C) or colder, the engine
coolant heater
can help. You'll get easier starting and
better fuel economy during engine warm-up. Usually,
the coolant heater should
be plugged in a minimum of
four hours prior to starting you vehicle.
To use the coolant heater:
'' 1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 1 10-volt AC outlet.
A. CAUTION:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock.
Also, the wrong
kind
of extension cord could overheat and cause
a fire. You could be seriously injured. Plug the
cord into
a properly grounded three-prong
110-volt
AC outlet. If the cord won't reach, use a
heavy-duty three-prong extension cord rated for
at least 15 amps.
,
4. After you've used the coolant heater? be sure to store
the cord as it was before to keep it away fiom moving
engine parts.
If you don't, it could be damaged.
How long should YQU keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead of
trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your Pontkc dealer
in the area where you'll be parking
your vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice for
that particular mea.
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Low Coolant Warning Light
LOW
COOLANT
If you have this light and it
comes on, your system may
be low on coolant and the
engine may overheat.
Check to see
if the level is low at the recovery tank, and
add coolant if necessary. If the level is not low, have
your low
coolant warning system serviced. See “Engine
Coolant”
in the Index.
The
LOW COOLANT warning light will also come on
when you
turn on the ignition, but your engine is not
running, as a check to show you it is working. If it
doesn’t come on then, have
it fixed right away.
After the buIb check, the light will go out for 20 seconds.
If the light comes back on after 20 seconds, the system
may
be low on ,coolant. See “Engine Coolant’’ in
the Index.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the engine
coolant temperature.
If the gage pointer moves
into the red
,area, your
engine
is too hot! The
CHECK GAGES light
will
go on and a warning
chime
will sound, if you
have this option.
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.
In the section “Problems on the Road,” this manual
explains what to do. See “Engine Overheating”
in
the Index.
, .-; ’.
. . -.
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Low Washer Fluid Warning Light
WASHER FLUID
This light will come on
when your windshield
washers are working 'and the
fluid container is less
than
one-third full.
Check Gages Warning ,, Light (Option)
CHECK GAG.ES
This light will come on
briefly when you are
starting the engine.
Driving without washer fluid canbe dangerous.
A bad
mud splash can block
your vision. You could collide
with another vehicle. Check your washer
fluid often,
and add only the proper fluid. See "Windshield Washer
Fluid" in
the Index.
If the light comes on and stays on while you are driving,
check your gages for fuel, coolant temperature, okl
pressure or voltage. This light will stay on if your engine
is not running.
... . - ._
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Driver Information Center
3 (-1 INFORMATION (I , J,
DRIVER TRIP
CHECK OIL LEVEL
WASHER FLUID
LOW COOLANT
CHECK QAOES
VOOD DOOR
TRUNK AJAR I
I
MlLES
888888
LAMP
MONITOR
TURN SIQNAL
BACK UP TAIL
BRAKE LAMP
TRIP
8 B 8 8.8
If you have the Driver Information Center, it gives you
important safety and maintenanc,e facts. When you turn
the ignition on, the entire center lights
up for a few
seconds. Then it goes to work.
. ..
..
.. -*
FUNCTION MONITOR: This lets you know if
you are low on fluids or have a problem with a
vehicle function:
CHECK OIL LEVEL: This message could mean
your oil level is low.
If it comes on for more than
three seconds, see "Check Oil Level
Warning Light" . ..
in the Index. - I
WASHER FLUID: This message means your
washer fluid tank is less than about
30% full. 'The
windshield portion of the vehicle outline
will also
glow.
If these come on, see "Windshield Washer
Fluid"
in the Index.
LOW COOLANT This message means your
coolant level has fallen to about half
full. If it comes
on, see "Engine Coolant" in the Index.
CHECK GAGES: If this light comes on and stays
on while you are driving, check your gages for fuel,
coolant temperature, oil pressure or battery voltage.
~. h I_ - I e:. ..
SECURITY: You'll get a DOOR AJAR message if a
door is not fully closed. The vehicle outline will show
you which door it is. You
will also get a HOOD AJAR
or TRUNK AJAR message if the hood or the trunk isn't
fully closed. The vehicle outline will
also show you
these are
ajar. ;,. . . ,--. . ,(/,,:-I.. - : , , .. , .. . . . .! _.
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Pressing the AUTO button will display the requested
temperature, fan speed'and
air delivery mode for five
seconds, then change to display the outside air
temperature. Be careful not to put anything over the
sensor located in the middle
of the instrument panel near
the windshield, or over the sensor
in the gnlle above the
radio. These sensors are used by the automatic system to
regulate temperature.
The exterior temperature display sensor is in front
of the
car, near the radiator. This displayed temperature is most
accurate when the vehicle
is moving. During stops, or
while idling, the display shows the previous driving
temperature for best system control.
To avoid blowing cold air in cold weather, the system
will delay turning
on the fan until warm air is available.
The length
of delay depends on outside air temperature,
engine coolant temperature, and time since the engine
was last started. Pushing the
fan button will override this
delay and change the fan to a selected single speed.
If you leave your vehicle, the system will remember the
control setting the next time you start your engine.
Manual Operation
You may also manually adjust the delivery mode or
fan speed.
'!! HEAT: Manually selecting HEAT by cycling
through the
MODE settings will deliver air to the floor
outlets.
+# DEFOG: Manually selecting DEFOG by cycling
through the
MODE settings will deliver air to the floor
and windshield outlets.
12 BI-LEVEL: Manually selecting BI-LEVEL by
cycling through the MODE setting will deliver warm air
to the floor and cooler air to the middle instrument panel outlets.
OFF: Press this button to turn the system off. Fresh air
will continue to flow through the vehicle, and the
system
will try to maintain the previously set
temperature. The outside temperature will show in the
display when the system
is OFF.
w.
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Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage or the warning
light about a hot engine
on your Pontiac’s instrument
panel. See “Coolant Temperature Gage” and “Coolant Temperature Warning Light” in the Index.
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
I
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.
5-15
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Cooling System
When you decide it's safe to lift the hood, here's what
you'll see:
C
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.
If the coolant inside the coolant recovery tank is boiling,
don't do anything else until it cools down.
.
A. Coolant recovery tank
B. Radiator pressure cap
C. Electric engine fans
5-17
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,
‘The coolant level should be at or above the FULL
% COLD mark. 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.
A CAWTION:
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 mn 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:
I
Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn’t covered by your warranty.
I
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.
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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 the
FULL COLD mark, add-a 50/50 mixture of
clean water (preferably distilled) and DEX-COOL TM
(orange-colored, silicate-free) antifreeze at the coolant
recovery tank. (See “Engine Coolarit” in the Index for
more information.)
Adding only plain water to your cooning system
can be dangerous. Plain water, or some other
liquid like alcohol, can boil before the proper
CAUTION: (Continued) -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 could
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
DEX-COOL TM 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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