If No Steam Is Coming from the Engine Compartment

If an engine overheat warning is displayed but no steam can be seen or heard, the problem may not be too serious. Sometimes the engine can get a little too hot when the vehicle:
• Climbs a long hill on a hot day
• Stops after high-speed driving
• Idles for long periods in traffic
• Tows a trailer

If the overheat warning is displayed with no sign of steam:
1. Turn the air conditioning off.
2. Turn the heater on to the highest temperature and to the highest fan speed. Open the windows as necessary.
3. If in a traffic jam, shift to N (Neutral); otherwise, shift to the highest gear while driving—D (Drive) or L (Low).

If the temperature overheat gauge is no longer in the overheat zone or an overheat warning no longer displays, the vehicle can be driven.

Continue to drive the vehicle slow for about 10 minutes. Keep a safe vehicle distance from the car in front of you. If the warning does not come back on, continue to drive normally.

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

If there is no sign of steam, idle the engine for three minutes while parked. If the warning is still displayed, turn off the engine until it cools down. Also, see “Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode” next in this section.

    See also:

    Starting the Engine
    Move the shift lever to P (Park) or N (Neutral). The engine will not start in any other position. To restart the engine when the vehicle is already moving, use N (Neutral) only. Notice: Do not try to ...

    If Steam is Coming from the Engine Compartment
    WARNING 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. Turn it off and get everyone away from t ...

    Starter Switch Check
    WARNING When you are doing this inspection, the vehicle could move suddenly. If the vehicle moves, you or others could be injured. 1. Before starting this check, be sure there is enough room around ...