When you decide it is safe to lift the hood, here is what you will see:
Electric Engine Cooling Fans
Coolant Recovery Tank
Pressure Cap
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.
When the engine is cold, the coolant level should be at or above the cold fill line on the coolant recovery tank. If it is not, there may be 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, the fans should be running. If the fans are not running, the 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.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant Recovery Tank
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.
If you have not found a problem yet, but the coolant level is not at the cold fill line, 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.
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.
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.
When the coolant level in the coolant recovery tank is at the cold fill line, start the vehicle.
If the overheat warning continues, there is one more thing you can try. You can add the proper coolant mixture directly to the radiator, but be sure the 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.
How to Add Coolant to the Cooling System
Notice: The engine has a specific cooling system drain and fill procedure. Failure to follow this procedure could cause the engine to overheat and be severely damaged. If the engine's cooling system needs to be drained and re-filled, please see the dealer/retailer.
- Turn the pressure cap slowly counterclockwise. If you hear a hiss, wait for that to stop. A hiss means that there is still some pressure left.
- Then keep turning the pressure cap and remove it.
- Fill the cooling system with the proper DEX-COOL® coolant mixture, up to the base of the filler neck. See Engine Coolant for more information about the proper coolant mixture.
- Rinse or wipe any spilled coolant from the engine and the compartment.
- Then fill the coolant recovery tank to the cold fill line.
- Reinstall the coolant recovery tank cap and the pressure cap.
- If the coolant in the recovery tank is constantly low, you should have your dealership service department inspect the vehicle for leaks.
You can remove the pressure cap when the cooling system, including the pressure cap and upper radiator hose is no longer hot.
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.
