PONTIAC PONTIAC 1995 Owners Manual

Use wheel lift or car carrier equipment. Additional
ramping may be required
for car carrier equipment. Use
safety chains and wheel straps.
NOTICE:
Do not tow with sling-type equipment or the rear
bumper valance will be damaged.
Towing
a vehicle over rough surfaces could
damage a vehicle. Damage can occur
from vehicle
to ground or vehicle to wheel-lift equipment.
To
help avoid damage, install a towing dolly and raise
the vehicle until adequate clearance is obtained
between the ground and/or wheel-lift equipment.
Do not attach winch cables or J-hooks to suspension
components when using car carrier equipment.
Always use T-hooks inserted
in the T-hook slots.
Attach
a separate safety
chain around the outboard
end
of each lower control
arm.
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Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage and a warning
light about a hot engine on your instrument panel. See
“Engine Coolant Temperature Gage” and “Engine
Coolant Temperature Warning Light” in the Index. You
also have a low coolant light on your instrument panel.
See “Low Coolant Light” in the Index.
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
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.
If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
If you get the 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.
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If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for
a minute or so:
1. Turn off your air conditioner.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
3. If you’re in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
speed and open the window as necessary.
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while
driving
-- DRIVE (D) or THIRD (3).
If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can
drive.
Just to be safe, drive slower for about ten 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, you can idle the engine
for two or three minutes while you’re parked, to see
if
the warning stops. But then, if you still have the
warning,
turn ofSthe 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.
3.1L L82 (Code M) Engine
When you decide it’s safe to lift the hood, here’s what \
you’ll see:
A. Coolant Recovery Tank
B. Radiator Pressure Cap
C. Electric Engine Fans
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3.4L L27 (Code X) Engine The coolant level should
be at or above the 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.
If the coolant inside the coolant recovery tank is boiling,
don't do anything else until it cools down.
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If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on check to
see
if the electric engine fan(s) are running. If the engine
is overheating, both fan(s) should be running.
If they
aren’t,
your vehicle needs service.
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
COLD mark, add a 50/50 mixture of clean
water (preferably distilled) and a proper antifreeze at the
coolant recovery tank. (See “Engine Coolant”
in the
Index for more information about the proper coolant
mix.)
I I
NOTICE: I
Engine damage from runmng your engine
without coolant
isn’t covered by your warranty.
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NOTICE:
In cold weather, water can kreeze and crack the
engine, radiator, heater core and other parts. Use
the recommended coolant.
When the coolant in the coolant recovery tank is at the
COLD 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.
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How to Add Coolant to the Radiator
NOTICE:
Your engine has a specific radiator fill procedure.
Failure to follow this procedure could cause your
engine
to overheat and be severely damaged.
i
1. You can remove the
radiator pressure cap
when the cooling system, including the
radiator pressure cap and
upper radiator hose, is
no longer
hot. TU^ the
pressure cap slowly to
the left until it first
stops. (Don’t press down
while turning the
pressure cap.)
If you hear a
hiss, wait for that to stop. A hiss means
there is still some pressure left.
2. Then keep turning the
pressure cap, but now
push down
as you turn
it. Remove the pressure
cap.
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3. After the engine cools, open the coolant air bleed
valve.
3.1L L82 (Code M) Engine
3.1L V6 (VIN Code M): There are two bleed valves.
One is located on the thermostat housing. The other is
located
on the thermostat bypass tube.
3.4L LQl (Code X) Engine
3.4L V6 (VIN Code X): There are two bleed valves.
They are located on the thermostat housing and heater
inlet pipe.
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Fill the radiator with the
base of the filler neck,
If you see a stream of
coolant coming fi-om an
air bleed valve, close the
valve. Otherwise, close
the valves after the
radiatur is filled.
proper mix, up to the
5. Rinse or wipe any spilled coolant from the engine
and compartment.
6. Then fill the coolant recovery tank to the COLD
mark.
7. Put the cap back on the coolant recovery tank, but
leave the radiator pressure cap off,
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