Pontiac 2009 Vibe User Manual
Page 191
{
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 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: If an improper coolant
mixture is used, the engine could
overheat and be badly damaged.
The repair cost would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Too much water in the mixture
can freeze and crack the engine,
radiator, heater core, and other
parts.
Notice: If you use extra
inhibitors and/or additives in
your vehicle’s cooling system,
you could damage your vehicle.
Use only the proper mixture of
the engine coolant listed in this
manual for the cooling system.
See Part D: Recommended Fluids
and Lubricants on page 11-18 for
more information.
•
Gives freezing protection down to
−
34°F (
−
38°C).
•
Gives boiling protection up to
265°F (129°C).
•
Protects against rust and
corrosion.
•
Helps keep the proper engine
temperature.
•
Lets the warning lights and gages
work as they should.
Notice: Using coolant other than
DEX-COOL can cause premature
engine, heater core or radiator
corrosion. In addition, the engine
coolant may 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 your vehicle.
Checking Coolant
The vehicle must be on a level
surface. When the engine is cold,
the coolant level should be at LOW,
or a little higher. When the engine
is warm, the level should be up to
FULL, or a little higher. If it is not,
there could be a leak at the pressure
cap or in the radiator hoses, heater
hoses, radiator, water pump, or
somewhere else in the cooling
system.
See Engine Compartment Overview
on page 9-6 Engine Compartment
Overview for the location of the
coolant recovery tank.
Vehicle Service and Care
9-19
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual