2004 Oldsmobile Alero Owner's Manual - Page 246

The vehicle must be on a level surface. When your engine is cold, the coolant level should be at the FULL COLD mark, or a little higher. If the low coolant light comes on and stays on, it means you're low on engine 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. When replacing the pressure cap, make sure it is hand-tight. See Low Coolant Warning Light on page 3-32 for more information. Engine Overheating You will find a coolant temperature gage and a low coolant warning light on your vehicle's instrument panel. See Engine Coolant Temperature Gage on page 3-31 and Low Coolant Warning Light on page 3-32. Adding Coolant If you need more coolant, add the proper DEX-COOL coolant mixture at the surge tank, but only when the engine is cool. If the surge tank is empty, a special fill procedure is necessary. See Engine Overheating on page 5-26 and "How to Add Coolant to the Coolant Surge Tank" under Cooling System on page 5-29 for instructions. ® 5-26