Oldsmobile Intrigue (2002 year). Manual - part 15

5-4

NOTICE:

If the other system isn’t a 12

-

volt system with a

negative ground, both vehicles can be damaged.

1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12

-

volt

battery with a negative ground system.

2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables

can reach, but be sure the vehicles aren’t touching
each other. If they are, it could cause a ground
connection you don’t want. You wouldn’t be able to
start your vehicle, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.

To avoid the possibility of the vehicles rolling, set
the parking brake firmly on both vehicles involved in
the jump start procedure. Put an automatic transaxle
in PARK (P) or a manual transaxle in NEUTRAL
before setting the parking brake.

NOTICE:

If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.

3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug

unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter or in the accessory power outlets. Turn off the
radio and all lamps that aren’t needed. This will
avoid sparks and help save both batteries. And it
could save your radio!

4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries. Find the

positive (+) and negative (

-

) terminal locations on

each vehicle. Your vehicle has a remote positive (+)
jump starting terminal. The terminal is on the same
side of the engine compartment as your battery. See
“Engine Compartment Overview” in the Index for
more information on location.

5-5

To uncover the remote positive (+) terminal, squeeze
the sides of the red plastic cap and pull the cap
toward you. You should always use the remote
positive (+) terminal instead of the positive (+)
terminal on your battery.

CAUTION:

An electric fan can start up even when the engine
is not running and can injure you. Keep hands,
clothing and tools away from any underhood
electric fan.

CAUTION:

Using a match near a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing this,
and some have been blinded. Use a flashlight if
you need more light.

Be sure the battery has enough water. You don’t
need to add water to the ACDelco

R

 battery

installed in every new GM vehicle. But if a
battery has filler caps, be sure the right amount
of fluid is there. If it is low, add water to take 
care of that first. If you don’t, explosive gas could
be present.

Battery fluid contains acid that can burn you.
Don’t get it on you. If you accidentally get it in
your eyes or on your skin, flush the place with
water and get medical help immediately.

5-6

CAUTION:

Fans or other moving engine parts can injure you
badly. Keep your hands away from moving parts
once the engine is running.

5. Check that the jumper cables don’t have loose or

missing insulation. If they do, you could get a shock.
The vehicles could be damaged, too.

Before you connect the cables, here are some basic
things you should know. Positive (+) will go to
positive (+) or to a remote positive (+) terminal if 
the vehicle has one. Negative (

-

) will go to a heavy,

unpainted metal engine part or to a remote 
negative (

-

) terminal if the vehicle has one.

Don’t connect a positive (+) terminal to a negative (

-

)

terminal or you’ll get a short that would damage the
battery and maybe other parts, too. And don’t connect
a negative (

-

) cable to a negative (

-

) terminal on the

dead battery because this can cause sparks.

5-7

6. Connect the red positive (+) cable to the positive (+)

terminal location on the vehicle with the dead
battery. Use a remote positive (+) terminal if the
vehicle has one.

7. Don’t let the other end touch on metal. Connect it to

the positive (+) terminal location on the vehicle with
the good battery. Use a remote positive (+) terminal
if the vehicle has one.

5-8

8. Now connect the black negative (

-

) cable to the

negative (

-

) terminal location on the vehicle with the

good battery. Use a remote negative (

-

) terminal if

the vehicle has one.

Don’t let the other end touch anything until the next
step. The other end of the negative (

-

) cable  doesn’t

go to the dead battery. It goes to a heavy, unpainted
metal engine part or to a remote negative (

-

) terminal

on the vehicle with the dead battery.

9. Connect the other end of the negative (

-

) cable at

least 18 inches (45 cm) away from the dead battery,
but not near engine parts that move. The electrical
connection is just as good there, and the chance of
sparks getting back to the battery is much less.

10. Now start the vehicle with the good battery and run

the engine for a while.

11. Try to start the vehicle that had the dead battery. 

If it won’t start after a few tries, it probably 
needs service.

5-9

NOTICE:

Damage to your vehicle may result from electrical
shorting if jumper cables are removed incorrectly.
To prevent electrical shorting, take care that the
cables don’t touch each other or any other metal.
The repairs wouldn’t be covered by your warranty.

Jumper Cable Removal

A. Heavy, Unpainted Metal Engine Part

B. Good Battery or Remote (+) and Remote 

Negative (

-

) Terminals.

C. Dead Battery or Remote (+) Terminal

To disconnect the jumper cables from both vehicles, do
the following:

1. Disconnect the black negative (

-

) cable from the

vehicle that had the dead battery.

2. Disconnect the black negative (

-

) cable from the

vehicle with the good battery.

3. Disconnect the red positive (+) cable from the

vehicle with the good battery.

4. Disconnect the red positive (+) cable from the 

other vehicle.

5. Return the remote positive (+) terminal cover to its

original position.

5-10

Towing Your Vehicle

Consult your dealer or a professional towing service if
you need to have your disabled vehicle towed. See
“Roadside Assistance” in the Index. If you want to tow
your vehicle behind another vehicle for recreational
purposes (such as behind a motorhome), see
“Recreational Vehicle Towing” in the Index.

Engine Overheating

You will find a coolant temperature gage and a warning
light about a hot engine on your instrument panel
cluster. See “Engine Coolant Temperature Gage” in the
Index. You also have a low coolant light on your
instrument panel cluster. See “Low Coolant Light” in
the Index.

Overheated Engine Protection 
Operating Mode

This emergency operating mode allows your vehicle 
to be driven to a safe place in an emergency situation. 
If an overheated engine condition exists, an overheat
protection mode which alternates firing groups of
cylinders helps prevent engine damage. In this mode,
you will notice a significant loss in power and engine
performance. The low coolant light may come on 
and the temperature gage will indicate an overheat
condition exists. Driving extended miles (km) and/or
towing a trailer in the overheat protection mode should
be avoided.

NOTICE:

After driving in the overheated engine protection
operating mode, to avoid engine damage, allow
the engine to cool before attempting any repair.
The engine oil will be severely degraded. Repair
the cause of coolant loss, change the oil and reset
the oil life system. See “Engine Oil” in the Index.

5-11

If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine

CAUTION:

Steam from an overheated engine can burn you
badly, even if you just open the hood. Stay away
from the engine if you see or hear steam coming
from it. Just turn it off and get everyone away
from the vehicle until it cools down. Wait until
there is no sign of steam or coolant before you
open the hood.

If you keep driving when your engine is
overheated, the liquids in it can catch fire. You or
others could be badly burned. Stop your engine if
it overheats, and get out of the vehicle until the
engine is cool. See “Overheated Engine
Protection Operating Mode” in the Index.

5-12

NOTICE:

If your engine catches fire because you keep
driving with no coolant, your vehicle can be
badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. See “Overheated
Engine Protection Operating Mode” in the Index.

If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine

An overheat warning along with a low coolant light can
indicate a serious problem. See “Low Coolant Light” in
the Index.

If you get an engine overheat warning with no low
cooling light, but see or hear no steam, the problem may
not be too serious. Sometimes the engine can get a little
too hot when you:
D Climb a long hill on a hot day.
D Stop after high

-

speed driving.

D Idle for long periods in traffic.
D Tow a trailer.

If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or so:

1. If your air conditioner is on, turn it off.

2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan

speed and open the window as necessary.

3. If you’re in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);

otherwise, shift to the highest gear while 
driving 

--

 AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (

B) 

or DRIVE (D).

If you no longer have the overheat warning, you 
can drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about 
10 minutes. If the warning doesn’t come back on, you
can drive normally.

If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.

If there’s still no sign of steam, idle the engine for three
minutes while you’re parked. If you still have the
warning, turn off the engine and get everyone out of the
vehicle until it cools down. Also, see “Overheated
Engine Protection Operating Mode” listed previously in
this section.

You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.

5-13

Cooling System

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

A. Coolant Surge Tank

B. Electric Engine Cooling Fans

CAUTION:

An electric engine cooling fan under the hood can
start up even when the engine is not running and
can injure you. Keep hands, clothing and tools
away from any underhood electric fan.

If the coolant inside the coolant surge tank is boiling,
don’t do anything else until it cools down. The vehicle
should be parked on a level surface.

5-14

The coolant level should beat or above the FULL COLD
mark on the coolant surge tank. If it isn’t, 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. Don’t touch them. If you
do, you can be burned.

Don’t 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 aren’t, your vehicle needs service.

5-15

NOTICE:

Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn’t covered by your warranty.
See “Overheated Engine Protection Operating
Mode” in the Index.

NOTICE:

When adding coolant, it is important that you use
only DEX

-

COOL

R

 (silicate

-

free) coolant.

If coolant other than DEX

-

COOL is added to the

system, premature engine, heater core or
radiator corrosion may result. In addition, the
engine coolant will require change sooner 

--

 at

30,000 miles (50 000 km) or 24 months,
whichever occurs first. Damage caused by the use
of coolant other than DEX

-

COOL

R

 is not

covered by your new vehicle warranty.

5-16

How to Add Coolant to the Coolant 
Surge Tank

If you haven’t found a problem yet, check to see if
coolant is visible in the surge tank. If coolant is visible
but the coolant level isn’t at the FULL COLD mark, add
a 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX

-

COOL

R

 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” in the Index for more information.

If no coolant is visible in the surge tank, add coolant 
as follows:

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.

5-17

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 wouldn’t
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 DEX

-

COOL

R

 coolant.

NOTICE:

In cold weather, water can freeze and crack the
engine, radiator, heater core and other parts. 
So use the recommended coolant.

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. Don’t spill coolant on a hot engine.

5-18

1. Park the vehicle 

on a level surface.
You can remove
the coolant surge
tank pressure cap
when the cooling
system, including
the coolant surge
tank pressure 
cap and upper
radiator hose, is 
no longer hot.

Turn the pressure cap slowly counterclockwise (left)
about one

-

quarter turn and then stop.

If you hear a hiss, wait for that to stop. A hiss means
there is still some pressure left.

2. Then keep turning the pressure cap slowly, and

remove it.

3. Then fill the coolant surge tank with the proper

mixture, to the FULL COLD mark.

5-19

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 fans.

By this time, the coolant level inside the coolant
surge tank may be lower. If the level is lower, add
more of the proper mixture to the coolant surge tank
until the level reaches the FULL COLD mark.

5. Then replace the pressure cap. Be sure the pressure

cap is hand

-

tight and fully seated.

If a Tire Goes Flat

It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” while you’re driving,
especially if you maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out of a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out slowly.
But if you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a 
few tips about what to expect and what to do:

If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, and then gently brake to
a stop well out of the traffic lane.

A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you’d use in a
skid. In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by
steering the way you want the vehicle to go. It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake to a stop 

--

 well off the road if possible.

If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change a flat tire safely.