When you decide it's safe to lift the hood, here's what you'll see:

1. Electric Engine Fan

2. Coolant Surge Tank with 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 surge 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 the cold fill line. If it is not, you may have a leak at 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.

If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check to see if the electric engine cooling fan is running. If the engine is overheating, the fan should be running. If it is not, your vehicle needs service. Turn off the engine.

Notice: Engine damage from running the engine without coolant is not covered by the warranty.

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, check to see if coolant is visible in the surge tank. If coolant is visible but the coolant level is not at the cold fill line, add a 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and DEX-COOL® coolant at the coolant surge tank, but be sure the cooling system, including the coolant surge tank pressure cap, is cool before you do it. See Engine Coolant for more information.

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 coolant surge tank pressure cap -- even a little -- they can come out at high speed. Never turn the cap when the cooling system, including the coolant surge tank pressure cap, is hot. Wait for the cooling system and coolant surge tank pressure cap to cool if you ever have to turn the pressure cap.

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.

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.

1. You can remove the coolant surge tank pressure cap when the cooling system, including the upper radiator hose, is no longer hot. Turn the pressure cap slowly counterclockwise (left) about one-quarter of a turn. If you hear a hiss, wait for that to stop. This will allow any pressure still left to be vented out the discharge hose.
2. Then keep turning the pressure cap slowly, and remove it.



3. Fill the coolant surge tank with the proper DEX-COOL® coolant mixture, to the cold fill line.
4. With the coolant surge tank pressure cap off, start the engine and let it run until you can feel the upper radiator hose getting hot. Watch out for the engine cooling fan.

By this time, the coolant level inside the coolant surge tank may be lower. If the level is lower, add more of the proper DEX-COOL® coolant mixture to the coolant surge tank until the level reaches the cold fill line.

5. Then replace the pressure cap. Be sure the pressure cap is hand-tight.

Check the level in the surge tank when the cooling system has cooled down. If the coolant is not at the proper level, repeat Steps 1 through 3 and reinstall the pressure cap. If the coolant is not at the proper level when the system cools down again, see your retailer.

If you have not found a problem yet, check to see if coolant is visible in the fill neck. If coolant is visible but the coolant level is not one inch (25 mm) below the FULL HOT line, add a 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and DEX-COOL® coolant to the fill neck, but be sure the cooling system, including the fill neck pressure cap, is cool before you do so. See Engine Coolant for more information.

Caution: Turning the Intercooler System pressure cap when the engine and intercooler are hot can allow steam and scalding liquids to blow out and burn you badly. Never turn the Intercooler System pressure cap, even a little, when the engine and intercooler are hot.

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.

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.

1. You can remove the fill neck pressure cap when the cooling system, including the upper intercooler hose, is no longer hot. Turn the pressure cap slowly counterclockwise (left) about one-quarter of a turn. If you hear a hiss, wait for that to stop. This will allow any pressure still left to be vented.
2. Then keep turning the pressure cap slowly, and remove it.
3. Fill the fill neck with the proper DEX-COOL® coolant mixture, one inch (25 mm) below the FULL HOT line.
4. With the fill neck pressure cap off, start the engine and let it run. Watch out for the engine cooling fan.

By this time, the coolant level inside the fill neck may be lower. If the level is lower, add more of the proper DEX-COOL® coolant mixture to the fill neck until the level reaches one inch (25 mm) below the FULL HOT line.

5. Then replace the pressure cap. Be sure the pressure cap is hand-tight.

If the coolant is not at the proper level when the system cools down again, see your retailer.