open hood PONTIAC VIBE 2007 Owners Manual

To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical
cord. The electrical cord is located on the
driver’s side of the engine compartment.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC
outlet.
{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 re. You
could be seriously injured. Plug the cord
into a properly grounded three-prong
110-volt AC outlet. If the cord will not
reach, use a heavy-duty three-prong
extension cord rated for at least 15 amps.4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug
and store the cord as it was before to keep it
away from moving engine parts. If you do
not, it could be damaged.
How long should you 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
dealer in the area where you will be parking your
vehicle. The dealer can give you the best
advice for that particular area.
107

Checking Things Under
the Hood
{CAUTION:
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.
{CAUTION:
Things that burn can get on hot engine
parts and start a re. These include
liquids like fuel, oil, coolant, brake uid,
windshield washer and other uids, 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.
Hood Release
To open the hood, do the following:
1. Pull the release
handle with this
symbol on it.
It is located below
the instrument panel
to the left of the
steering wheel.
280

Engine Compartment Overview
When you open the hood, here is what you will see:
282

Occasionally check the coolant level in the
radiator. For information on how to add coolant to
the radiator, seeCooling System on page 299.
Radiator Pressure Cap
Notice:If the pressure cap is not tightly
installed, coolant loss and possible engine
damage may occur. Be sure the cap is properly
and tightly secured.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview on page 282
for more information on location.
Engine Overheating
You will nd a coolant temperature gage on your
vehicle’s instrument panel. SeeEngine Coolant
Temperature Gage on page 169.
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.
297

If No Steam Is Coming From
Your Engine
If you get an engine 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.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of
steam, try this for a minute or so:
1. In heavy traffic, let the engine idle in
NEUTRAL (N) 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.
2. 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.
298

4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries. Find
the positive (+) and negative (−) terminal
locations on each vehicle. SeeEngine
Compartment Overview on page 282for more
information on location.
{CAUTION:
An electric fan 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.
{CAUTION:
Using a match near a battery can cause
battery gas to explode. People have been
hurt doing this, and some have been
blinded. Use a ashlight if you need
more light.
Be sure the battery has enough water.
You do not need to add water to the
battery installed in your new vehicle. But
if a battery has ller caps, be sure the
right amount of uid is there. If it is low,
add water to take care of that rst. If you
don’t, explosive gas could be present.
Battery uid contains acid that can burn
you. Do not get it on you. If you
accidentally get it in your eyes or on your
skin, ush the place with water and get
medical help immediately.
312

Headlamps, Front Turn Signal,
and Parking Lamps
A. Headlamp
B. Turn Signal/Parking LampTo replace the headlamp, turn signal, or parking
lamp bulb, do the following:
1. Open the hood and locate the lamp assembly.
2. Remove the rubber cover and socket from
the headlamp or turn signal/parking lamp.
316

Part B: Owner Checks and Services
Listed in this part are owner checks and services
which should be performed at the intervals
specied to help ensure the safety, dependability
and emission control performance of your
vehicle.
Be sure any necessary repairs are completed at
once. Whenever any uids 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 ll.
Engine Oil Level Check
Check the engine oil level and add the proper oil
if necessary. SeeEngine Oil on page 284for
further details.
Engine Coolant Level Check
Check the engine coolant level and add the proper
coolant mixture if necessary. SeeEngine Coolant
on page 294for further details.
Windshield Washer Fluid Level Check
Check the windshield washer uid level in the
windshield washer uid reservoir and add
the proper uid if necessary. SeeWindshield
Washer Fluid on page 305for further details.
Hood Latch Operation Check
Pull the primary hood latch release handle inside
the vehicle. The secondary latch should keep
the hood from opening all the way when the
primary latch is released. Make sure the hood
closes rmly. SeeHood Release on page 280for
further details.
At Least Once a Month
Tire Ination Check
Visually inspect the tires and make sure the tires
are inated to the correct pressures. Do not
forget to check the spare tire. SeeInation - Tire
Pressure on page 329.
386