engine overheat SATURN ASTRA 2008 User Guide

If you get the engine coolant
temperature warning with no sign of
steam, try this for a minute or so:
1. If your air conditioner is on,
turn it off.
2. In heavy traffic, let the engine
idle in N (NEUTRAL) while
stopped. If it is safe to do so, pull
off the road, shift to P (PARK)
or N (NEUTRAL) and let
the engine idle.
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, this is what you see:
A. Coolant Reservoir
B. Coolant Reservoir Pressure Cap
C. Engine Cooling Fans
(Out of view)
9-16 Vehicle Service and Care
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{CAUTION
An electric engine cooling fan
under the hood can start up
even when the engine is not
running and can cause injury.
Keep hands, clothing, and tools
away from any underhood
electric fan.
If the coolant inside the coolant
reservoir 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 or
above the KALT/COLD mark on the
coolant reservoir. If it is not, you
may have a leak at the coolant
reservoir pressure cap or in
the radiator hoses, heater hoses,
radiator, water pump, or somewhere
else 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.
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 fans are
running. If the engine is overheating,
both fans should be running.
If they are not, your vehicle needs
service.Notice:Engine damage from
running the engine without
coolant is not covered by the
warranty.
Notice:Using coolant other
than DEX-COOL
®can 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 the vehicle warranty. Always
use DEX-COOL
®(silicate-free)
coolant in the vehicle.
Vehicle Service and Care 9-17
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How to Add Coolant to the
Coolant Reservoir
Notice:This vehicle has a
specic coolant ll procedure.
Failure to follow this procedure
could cause the 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 reservoir. If coolant is
visible but the coolant level is not
at or above the KALT/COLD
mark, add a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
®
coolant at the coolant reservoir,
but be sure the cooling system,
including the coolant reservoir
pressure cap, is cool before you
do it. SeeEngine Coolant on
page 9-12for more information.If no coolant is visible in the coolant
reservoir, 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
reservoir pressure cap — even
a little — they can come out at
high speed. Never turn the cap
when the cooling system,
including the coolant reservoir
pressure cap, is hot. Wait for
the cooling system and coolant
reservoir pressure cap to cool
if you ever have to turn the
pressure cap.
{CAUTION
Adding only plain water to
the cooling system can be
dangerous. Plain water, or
some other liquid such as
alcohol, can boil before the
proper coolant mixture will.
The vehicle’s coolant warning
system is set for the proper
coolant mixture. With plain
water or the wrong mixture, the
engine could get too hot but
you would not get the overheat
warning. The 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.
9-18 Vehicle Service and Care
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Windshield Wiper Fuses
The windshield wiper motor is
protected by a circuit breaker and a
fuse. If the motor overheats due
to heavy snow, etc., the wiper
will stop until the motor cools.
If the overload is caused by some
electrical problem, have it xed.
Power Windows and
Other Power Options
Circuit breakers in the fuse block
protect the power windows and
other power accessories. When the
current load is too heavy, the
circuit breaker opens and closes,
protecting the circuit until the
problem is xed or goes away.
Fuses
The wiring circuits in your vehicle
are protected from short circuits by a
combination of fuses and circuit
breakers. This greatly reduces the
chance of damage caused by
electrical problems.
Look at the silver-colored band
inside the fuse. If the band is broken
or melted, replace the fuse. Be sure
to replace a bad fuse with a new one
of the identical size and rating.
There are two fuse blocks in
your vehicle: one in the engine
compartment and one in the trunk.
There is a fuse puller located
on the rear compartment fuse block.
SeeRear Compartment Fuse
Block on page 9-36. It can be used
to easily remove fuses from the
fuse block.
Engine Compartment
Fuse Block
The engine compartment fuse block
is located in the front left side of
the engine compartment.Engine
Compartment Overview on
page 9-6.
To open the fuse block cover,
insert a tool into the latch and turn.
Pull up on the cover to remove.
Notice:Spilling liquid on any
electrical components on
your vehicle may damage it.
Always keep the covers on any
electrical component.
9-34 Vehicle Service and Care
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D
Daytime Running Lamps......... 5-2
Defensive Driving.................8-16
Delayed Headlamps............... 5-2
Doing Your Own
Service Work..................... 9-4
Dome Lamps ........................ 5-3
Door
Ajar Light........................4-24
Locks............................... 2-5
Power Door Locks.............. 2-5
Rear Door Security Locks.... 2-6
Driver Information
Center (DIC)....................4-26
DIC Operation and
Displays...............4-27, 4-31
DIC Warnings and
Messages....................4-37
Driving
At Night..........................8-24
Before a Long Trip............8-26
Defensive........................8-16
Drunken..........................8-16
Highway Hypnosis............8-26Driving (cont.)
Hill and Mountain Roads....8-26
In Rain and on Wet
Roads.........................8-25
Rocking Your Vehicle to
Get it Out ....................8-30
Winter.............................8-27
Winter Mode Light............4-23
E
EDR .................................11-15
Electrical System
Add-On Equipment............9-33
Engine Compartment
Fuse Block...................9-34
Fuses.............................9-34
Headlamp Wiring..............9-33
Power Windows and
Other Power
Options........................9-34
Rear Compartment Fuse
Block...........................9-36
Windshield Wiper Fuses....9-34Engine
Air Cleaner/Filter...............9-11
Check and Service
Engine Soon
Light............................4-20
Coolant...........................9-12
Coolant Temperature
Warning Light...............4-19
Engine Compartment
Overview....................... 9-6
Exhaust...........................8-14
Oil ................................... 9-7
Oil Life System.................. 9-9
Overheating.....................9-15
Starting............................. 8-3
Engine Heater....................... 8-4
Entry Lighting........................ 5-3
Event Data Recorders.........11-16
Extender, Safety Belt............1-22
Exterior Lamps...................... 5-1
Exterior Lamps Off
Reminder........................4-24
INDEX i-3
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