There is a coolant temperature gage and a warning light on the instrument panel that indicate an overheated engine condition. See Engine Coolant Temperature Gage and Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light .
In addition, you will find an ENGINE OVERHEATED IDLE ENGINE and an ENGINE OVERHEATED STOP ENGINE message displayed on the vehicle's Driver Information Center (DIC). See DIC Warnings and Messages for more information.
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. 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 the vehicles engine is overheated, the liquids in it can catch fire. You or others could be badly burned. Stop the engine if it overheats, and get out of the vehicle until the engine is cool. See Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode for information on driving to a safe place in an emergency.Notice: If the engine catches fire while driving with no coolant, the vehicle can be badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be covered by the vehicle warranty. See Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode for information on driving to a safe place in an emergency.
If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
An overheat warning can indicate a serious problem.
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 an overheat warning occurs without any sign of steam, try this for a minute or so:
- 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.
- Set the heater at the highest setting and the fan at the highest speed and open the windows as necessary.
If the overheat warning no longer exists, the vehicle can be driven. Just to be safe, drive slower for about 10 minutes. If the warning does not come back on, the vehicle can be driven normally.
If the warning continues, and you have not stopped, pull over, stop, and park the vehicle right away.
If there is still no sign of steam, idle the engine for three minutes while parked. If the warning is still there, turn off the engine and get everyone out of the vehicle until it cools down. Also, see "Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode" later in this section.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service help right away.
