Pontiac 2005 Grand Am - Manual (Page 230)

Engine Coolant
The cooling system in your vehicle is filled with
DEX-COOL
® engine coolant. This coolant is designed
to remain in your vehicle for 5 years or 150,000 miles
(240 000 km), whichever occurs first, if you add
only DEX-COOL
® extended life coolant.
The following explains your cooling system and how to
add coolant when it is low. If you have a problem
with engine overheating, see Engine Overheating on
page 5-24.
A 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX-COOL
® coolant will:
• Give freezing protection down to
−
34°F (
−
37°C).
• Give boiling protection up to 265°F (129°C).
• Protect against rust and corrosion.
• Help keep the proper engine temperature.
• Let the warning lights and gages work as they
should.
Notice: Using coolant other than DEX-COOL ® may
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 your warranty. Always use
DEX-COOL
® (silicate-free) coolant in your vehicle.
What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half clean, drinkable water and
one-half DEX-COOL
® coolant which will not damage
aluminum parts. If you use this coolant mixture, you do
not need to add anything else.
{ CAUTION:
Adding only plain water to your cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water, or some other
liquid such as alcohol, can boil before the
proper coolant mixture will. Your vehicle’s
coolant warning system is set for the proper
coolant mixture. With plain water or the wrong
mixture, your engine could get too hot but you
would not get the overheat warning. Your
engine could catch fire and you or others could
be burned. Use a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and the proper coolant.
Notice: If you use an improper coolant mixture, your
engine could overheat and be badly damaged. The
repair cost would not be covered by your warranty.
Too much water in the mixture can freeze and crack
the engine, radiator, heater core and other parts.
5-22