PONTIAC G5 2007 Owners Manual

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.
If No Steam Is Coming From Your
Engine
An engine coolant temperature warning can
indicate a serious problem. SeeEngine Coolant
Temperature Warning Light on page 167.
If you get an engine coolant temperature 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.
If you get the engine coolant temperature warning
with no sign of steam, try this for a minute or so:
1. If you have an air conditioner and it is on, turn
it off.
2. In heavy traffic, let the engine idle in
NEUTRAL (N) for automatic transmission or
NEUTRAL for manual transmission, while
stopped. If it is safe to do so, pull off the road,
shift to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) and let the
engine idle.
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3. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the windows 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 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.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get
service help right away.Cooling System
When you decide it is safe to lift the hood, here is
what you will see:
A. Electric Engine Cooling Fan
B. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap
2.2L L4 Engine shown, 2.4L L4 Engine similar
292

{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 pressure cap
or in the radiator hoses, heater hoses, radiator,
water pump, or somewhere in the cooling system.
{CAUTION:
Heater and radiator hoses, and other
engine parts, can be very hot. Do not
touch them. If you do, you can be burned.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
Do not run the engine if there is a leak. If
you run the engine, it could lose all
coolant. That could cause an engine re,
and you could be burned. Get any leak
xed before you drive the vehicle.
If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on,
check to see if the electric engine cooling fan
is running. If the engine is overheating, the
fan should be running. If it is not, your vehicle
needs service.
Notice:Engine damage from running your
engine without coolant is not covered by your
warranty.
Notice:Using coolant other than DEX-COOL
®
may cause premature engine, heater core,
or radiator corrosion. In addition, the engine
coolant could require changing sooner,
at 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.
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How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Surge Tank
Notice:This vehicle has a specic coolant ll
procedure. Failure to follow this procedure
could cause your engine to overheat and
be severely damaged.
If you have not found a problem yet, check to
see if coolant is visible in the coolant surge tank.
If coolant is visible but the coolant level is not at
the COLD FILL line, add a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water 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. SeeEngine Coolant on
page 287for more information.If no coolant is visible in the coolant surge tank,
add coolant as follows:
{CAUTION:
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.
294

{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.
1. You can remove the coolant surge tank
pressure cap when the cooling system,
including the coolant surge tank pressure
cap and upper radiator hose, is no longer hot.
Turn the pressure cap slowly counterclockwise
about two or two and one-half turns. If you hear
a hiss, wait for that to stop. This will let any
pressure still left to be vented out the
discharge hose.
295

2. Then keep turning
the pressure cap
slowly, and
remove it.
3. Fill the coolant surge tank with the proper
mixture, to the COLD FILL line. Wait about
ve minutes, then check to see if the level
is below the COLD FILL line. If the level
is below the line, add additional coolant to
bring the level up to the line. Repeat this
procedure until the level remains constant at
the COLD FILL line for at least ve minutes.
296

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 cooling fan.
By this time, the coolant level inside the coolant
surge tank may be lower. If the level is lower
than the COLD FILL line, add more of the
proper mixture to the coolant surge tank until
the level reaches the COLD FILL line.
5. Then replace the pressure cap. Be sure the
pressure cap is hand-tight and fully seated.
See your dealer, if necessary.Windshield Washer Fluid
What to Use
When you need windshield washer uid, be sure to
read the manufacturer’s instructions before use. If
you will be operating your vehicle in an area where
the temperature may fall below freezing, use a uid
that has sufficient protection against freezing.
297

Adding Washer Fluid
Open the cap with the
washer symbol on it.
Add washer uid
until the tank is full. See
Engine Compartment
Overview on page 278
for reservoir location.
Notice:
When using concentrated washer uid,
follow the manufacturer’s instructions
for adding water.
Do not mix water with ready-to-use washer
uid. Water can cause the solution to freeze
and damage your washer uid tank and
other parts of the washer system. Also,
water does not clean as well as washer
uid.
Fill your washer uid tank only
three-quarters full when it is very cold.
This allows for expansion if freezing
occurs, which could damage the tank
if it is completely full.
Do not use engine coolant (antifreeze) in
your windshield washer. It can damage your
washer system and paint.
Brakes
Brake Fluid
The brake master
cylinder and, on manual
transaxle vehicles, the
clutch hydraulic system
use the same reservoir.
The reservoir is lled
with DOT-3 brake uid.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview on page 278
for the location of the reservoir.
298

There are only two reasons why the brake uid
level in the reservoir might go down. The rst is that
the brake uid goes down to an acceptable level
during normal brake lining wear. When new linings
are put in, the uid level goes back up. The other
reason is that uid is leaking out of the brake and/or
clutch hydraulic system. If it is, you should have
the brake and/or clutch system xed, since a leak
means that sooner or later the brakes and/or clutch
will not work well, or will not work at all.
So, it is not a good idea to top off the brake/clutch
uid. Adding uid will not correct a leak. If you
add uid when the brake linings are worn, you
will have too much uid when you get new brake
linings. You should add or remove uid, as
necessary, only when work is done on the
brake/clutch hydraulic system.
{CAUTION:
If your vehicle has too much brake uid, it
can spill on the engine. The uid will burn
if the engine is hot enough. You or others
could be burned, and your vehicle could
be damaged. Add brake uid only when
work is done on the brake and/or clutch
hydraulic system.
When the brake uid falls to a low level, the brake
warning light will come on. SeeBrake System
Warning Light on page 165.
299

What to Add
When you do need brake uid, use only DOT-3
brake uid. Use new brake uid from a sealed
container only. SeeRecommended Fluids
and Lubricants on page 385.
Always clean the brake uid reservoir cap and the
area around the cap before removing it. This
will help keep dirt from entering the reservoir.
{CAUTION:
With the wrong kind of uid in the
brake/clutch system, the brakes/clutch
may not work well, or they may not even
work at all. This could cause a crash.
Always use the proper brake uid.Notice:
Using the wrong uid can badly damage
brake/clutch system parts. For example, just
a few drops of mineral-based oil, such as
engine oil, in the brake/clutch hydraulic
system can damage brake/clutch system
parts so badly that they will have to be
replaced. Do not let someone put in the
wrong kind of uid.
If you spill brake uid on your vehicle’s
painted surfaces, the paint nish can be
damaged. Be careful not to spill brake uid
on your vehicle. If you do, wash it off
immediately. SeeWashing Your Vehicle on
page 356.
300