When you decide it is safe to lift the hood, here is what you will see:
Radiator Pressure Cap
Electric Engine Cooling Fans
Coolant Recovery Tank
Radiator Pressure Cap
Electric Engine Cooling Fans
Coolant Recovery Tank
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 recovery 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 or above the full cold mark. 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 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 fire, and you could be burned. Get any leak fixed 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 your engine without coolant is not covered by your warranty. See Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode for information on driving to a safe place in an emergency.
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 first. Any repairs would not be covered by the vehicle warranty. Always use DEX-COOL® (silicate-free) coolant in the vehicle.
If you have not found a problem yet, but the coolant level is not at or above the full cold mark, add a 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and DEX-COOL® engine coolant at the coolant recovery tank. See Engine Coolant for more information.
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 fire 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.
When the coolant in the coolant recovery tank is at or above the full cold mark, start your vehicle.
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.
If the overheat warning continues, there is one more thing you can try. You can add the proper coolant mixture directly at the pressure cap port, but be sure the cooling system is cool before you do it.
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 surge tank pressure cap -- even a little -- they can come out at high speed. Never turn the cap when the cooling system, including the surge tank pressure cap, is hot. Wait for the cooling system and surge tank pressure cap to cool if you ever have to turn the pressure cap.
Notice: Your engine has a specific radiator fill procedure. Failure to follow this procedure could cause your engine to overheat and be severely damaged.
If you hear a hiss, wait for that to stop. A hiss means there is still some pressure left.
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.
If your vehicle has the 3.5L V6 engine and you see a stream of coolant coming from an air bleed valve, close the valve. Otherwise, close the valves after the radiator is filled.