2004 Cadillac XLR Owners Manual

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could be something in your lane, like a stalled car or an accident. • You may see highway signs on mountains that warn of special problems. Examples are long grades, passing or no-passing zones, a falling rocks area or winding roads. Be alert to these and take appropriate action. 4-27 Winter Driving Here are some tips for winter driving: • Have your vehicle in good shape for winter. • You may want to put winter emergency supplies in your vehicle. Include an ice scraper, a small brush or broom, a supply of windshield washer ﬂuid, a rag, some winter outer clothing, a small shovel, a ﬂashlight, a red cloth and a couple of reﬂective warning triangles. And, if you will be driving under severe conditions, include a small bag of sand, a piece of old carpet or a couple of burlap bags to help provide traction. Be sure you properly secure these items in your vehicle. 4-28 Driving On Snow or Ice Most of the time, those places where your tires meet the road probably have good traction. However, if there is snow or ice between your tires and the road, you can have a very slippery situation. You will have a lot less traction or “grip” and will need to be very careful. What is the worst time for this? “Wet ice.” Very cold snow or ice can be slick and hard to drive on. But wet ice can be even more trouble because it may offer the least traction of all. You can get wet ice when it is about freezing (32°F; 0°C) and freezing rain begins to fall. Try to avoid driving on wet ice until salt and sand crews can get there. Whatever the condition — smooth ice, packed, blowing or loose snow — drive with caution. Keep your traction control system on. It improves your ability to accelerate when driving on a slippery road. Even though your vehicle has the TCS system, you will want to slow down and adjust your driving to the road conditions. The Stabilitrak® System may also activate. See TractionControlSystem(TCS)on page4-9 and Stabilitrak® Systemonpage4-11. Your anti-lock brakes improve your vehicle’s stability when you make a hard stop on a slippery road. Even though you have the anti-lock braking system, you will want to begin stopping sooner than you would on dry pavement. See Braking on page4-6. • Allow greater following distance on any slippery road. • Watch for slippery spots. The road might be ﬁne until you hit a spot that is covered with ice. On an otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear in shaded areas where the sun can not reach: around clumps of trees, behind buildings or under bridges. Sometimes the surface of a curve or an overpass may remain icy when the surrounding roads are clear. If you see a patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you are on it. Try not to brake while you are actually on the ice, and avoid sudden steering maneuvers. 4-29 If You Are Caught in a Blizzard If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in a serious situation. You should probably stay with your vehicle unless you know for sure that you are near help and you can hike through the snow. Here are some things to do to summon help and keep yourself and your passengers safe: • Turn on your hazard ﬂashers. • Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that you have been stopped by the snow. 4-30 • Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you. If you have no blankets or extra clothing, make body insulators from newspapers, burlap bags, rags, ﬂoor mats — anything you can wrap around yourself or tuck under your clothing to keep warm. You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful. {CAUTION: Snow can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle. This can cause deadly CO (carbon monoxide) gas to get inside. CO could overcome you and kill you. You can not see it or smell it, so you might not know it is in your vehicle. Clear away snow from around the base of your vehicle, especially any that is blocking your exhaust pipe. And check around again from time to time to be sure snow does not collect there. Open a window just a little on the side of the vehicle that is away from the wind. This will help keep CO out. Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little faster than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps the battery charged. You will need a well-charged battery to restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on with your headlamps. Let the heater run for a while. Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable from the cold. But do it as little as possible. Preserve the fuel as long as you can. To help keep warm, you can get out of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises every half hour or so until help comes. If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow In order to free your vehicle when it is stuck, you will need to spin the wheels, but you do not want to spin your wheels too fast. The method known as “rocking” can help you get out when you are stuck, but you must use caution. {CAUTION: If you let your tires spin at high speed, they can explode, and you or others could be injured. And, the transmission or other parts of the vehicle can overheat. That could cause an engine compartment ﬁre or other damage. When you are stuck, spin the wheels as little as possible. Do not spin the wheels above 35 mph (55 km/h) as shown on the speedometer. Notice: Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of your vehicle as well as the tires. If you spin the wheels too fast while shifting your transmission back and forth, you can destroy your transmission. For information about using tire chains on your vehicle, see Tire Chains on page5-68. 4-31 Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will clear the area around your front wheels. Turn your traction control system off; see TractionControlSystem (TCS)onpage4-9. Then shift back and forth between REVERSE (R) and a forward gear, spinning the wheels as little as possible. Release the accelerator pedal while you shift, and press lightly on the accelerator pedal when the transmission is in gear. By slowly spinning your wheels in the forward and reverse directions, you will cause a rocking motion that may free your vehicle. If that does not get you out after a few tries, you may need to be towed out. If you do need to be towed out, see TowingYourVehicleonpage4-32. Towing Towing Your Vehicle Consult your dealer or a professional towing service if you need to have your disabled vehicle towed. See Roadside Service on page7-5. Recreational Vehicle Towing Recreational vehicle towing means towing your vehicle behind another vehicle — such as behind a motorhome. The two most common types of recreational vehicle towing are known as “dinghy towing” (towing your vehicle with all four wheels on the ground) and “dolly towing” (towing your vehicle with two wheels on the ground and two wheels up on a device known as a “dolly”). Your vehicle was not designed to be towed with any of its wheels on the ground. If your vehicle must be towed, see “Towing Your Vehicle” earlier in this section. Loading Your Vehicle It is very important to know how much weight your vehicle can carry. This weight is called the vehicle capacity weight and includes the weight of all occupants, cargo and all nonfactory-installed options. Two labels on your vehicle show how much weight it may properly carry, the Tire and Loading Information label and the Certiﬁcation label. 4-32 {CAUTION: Do not load your vehicle any heavier than the GVWR, or either the maximum front or rear GAWR. If you do, parts on your vehicle can break, and it can change the way your vehicle handles. These could cause you to lose control and crash. Also, overloading can shorten the life of your vehicle. Tire and Loading Information Label A. Vehicle Capacity Weight Example 2 A. Vehicle Capacity Weight Example 1 4-33 The Tire and Loading Information label shows the seating capacity and the total weight your vehicle can properly carry. This weight is called the vehicle capacity weight. If your vehicle has the Tire and Loading Information label, Example 1, the label is attached to the center pillar, near the driver’s door latch. If your vehicle has the Tire-Loading Information label, Example 2, the label is on the rear edge of the driver’s door. The Tire and Loading Information label also gives you the size and recommended inﬂation pressure for the factory-installed, original equipment tires on your vehicle. For more information on tires and inﬂation see Tiresonpage5-50 and Inﬂation-TirePressureon page5-57. There is also important loading information on the Certiﬁcation label. It tells you the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and the Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for the front and rear axle; see “Certiﬁcation Label” later in this section. 4-34 Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit 1. Locate the statement “The combined weight of occupants and cargo should never exceed XXX pounds” on your vehicle placard. 2. Determine the combined weight of the driver and passengers that will be riding in your vehicle. 3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver and passengers from XXX kilograms or XXX pounds. 4. The resulting ﬁgure equals the available amount of cargo and luggage load capacity. For example, if the “XXX” amount equals 1400 lbs. and there will be ﬁve 150 lb. passengers in your vehicle, the amount of available cargo and luggage load capacity is 650 lbs. (1400 - 750 (5 x 150) = 650 lbs). 5. Determine the combined weight of luggage and cargo being loaded on the vehicle. That weight may not safely exceed the available cargo and luggage load capacity calculated in Step 4. 6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, the load from your trailer will be transferred to your vehicle. Consult this manual to determine how this reduces the available cargo and luggage load capacity of your vehicle. Your vehicle is neither designed nor intended to tow a trailer. Example 1 Loading Your Vehicle Example 2 Loading Your Vehicle Item Description Total Item Description Total Vehicle Capacity Weight for Example 1 = Subtract Occupant Weight 150 lbs (68 kg) x 1 = Available Occupant and Cargo Weight = 400 lbs (181 kg) 150 lbs (68 kg) 250 lbs (113 kg) Vehicle Capacity Weight for Example 2 = Subtract Occupant Weight 150 lbs (68 kg) x 2 = Available Cargo Weight = 400 lbs (181 kg) 300 lbs (136 kg) 100 lbs (45 kg) 4-35 Certiﬁcation Label Example 3 Loading Your Vehicle Item Description Total Vehicle Capacity Weight for Example 3 = Subtract Occupant Weight 200 lbs (91 kg) x 2 = Available Cargo Weight = 400 lbs (181 kg) 400 lbs (181 kg) 0 lbs (0 kg) Refer to your vehicle’s tire and loading information label for speciﬁc information about your vehicle’s capacity weight and seating positions. The combined weight of the driver, passengers and cargo should never exceed your vehicle’s capacity weight. 4-36 The other label is the Certiﬁcation label, found on the rear edge of the driver’s door. It tells you the gross weight capacity of your vehicle, called the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). The GVWR includes the weight of the vehicle, all occupants, fuel and cargo. Never exceed the GVWR for your vehicle, or the Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for either the front or rear axle. And, if you do have a heavy load, you should spread it out. Do not carry more than 100 lbs. (45 kg) in your rear area. {CAUTION: {CAUTION: Do not load your vehicle any heavier than the GVWR, or either the maximum front or rear GAWR. If you do, parts on your vehicle can break, and it can change the way your vehicle handles. These could cause you to lose control and crash. Also, overloading can shorten the life of your vehicle. Notice: Overloading your vehicle may cause damage. Repairs would not be covered by your warranty. Do not overload your vehicle. If you put things inside your vehicle – like suitcases, tools, packages or anything else – they will go as fast as the vehicle goes. If you have to stop or turn quickly, or if there is a crash, they will keep going. Things you put inside your vehicle can strike and injure people in a sudden stop or turn, or in a crash. • Put things in the rear area of your vehicle. Try to spread the weight evenly. • Never stack heavier things, like suitcases, inside the vehicle so that some of them are above the tops of the seats. • Do not leave an unsecured child restraint in your vehicle. • When you carry something inside the vehicle, secure it whenever you can. Towing a Trailer Your XLR is neither designed nor intended to tow a trailer. 4-37 - NOTES 4-38 Section 5 Service and Appearance Care Service ............................................................5-3 Doing Your Own Service Work .........................5-3 Adding Equipment to the Outside of Your Vehicle ......................................................5-4 Fuel ................................................................5-4 Gasoline Octane ............................................5-4 Gasoline Speciﬁcations ....................................5-5 California Fuel ...............................................5-5 Additives .......................................................5-6 Fuels in Foreign Countries ...............................5-6 Filling Your Tank ............................................5-7 Filling a Portable Fuel Container .....................5-10 Checking Things Under the Hood ....................5-10 Hood Release ..............................................5-11 Engine Compartment Overview .......................5-12 Engine Oil ...................................................5-13 Engine Air Cleaner/Filter ................................5-18 Automatic Transmission Fluid .........................5-19 Engine Coolant .............................................5-20 Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap ..................5-23 Engine Overheating .......................................5-23 Cooling System ............................................5-26 Power Steering Fluid .....................................5-32 Windshield Washer Fluid ................................5-33 Brakes ........................................................5-35 Battery ........................................................5-38 Jump Starting ...............................................5-39 Rear Axle .......................................................5-45 Headlamp Aiming ...........................................5-46 Headlamp Vertical Aiming ..............................5-47 Bulb Replacement ..........................................5-49 Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement ..............5-49 Tires ..............................................................5-50 Run-Flat Tires ..............................................5-56 Inﬂation - Tire Pressure .................................5-57 Tire Pressure Monitor System .........................5-58 Tire Inspection and Rotation ...........................5-60 When It Is Time for New Tires .......................5-62 Buying New Tires .........................................5-63 Uniform Tire Quality Grading ..........................5-64 Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance ..................5-65 Wheel Replacement ......................................5-66 Tire Chains ..................................................5-68 Lifting Your Vehicle .......................................5-69 If a Tire Goes Flat ........................................5-73 5-1 Section 5 Service and Appearance Care Appearance Care ............................................5-75 Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle .................5-75 Care of Safety Belts ......................................5-78 Weatherstrips ...............................................5-78 Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle ..............5-78 Finish Damage .............................................5-80 Underbody Maintenance ................................5-81 Chemical Paint Spotting .................................5-81 Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials ..................5-82 Vehicle Identiﬁcation ......................................5-83 Vehicle Identiﬁcation Number (VIN) .................5-83 Service Parts Identiﬁcation Label .....................5-83 Electrical System ............................................5-84 Add-On Electrical Equipment ..........................5-84 Windshield Wiper Fuses ................................5-84 Power Windows and Other Power Options .......5-84 Fuses and Circuit Breakers ............................5-85 Capacities and Speciﬁcations ..........................5-91 Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts ..........5-92 5-2 Service Your dealer knows your vehicle best and wants you to be happy with it. We hope you will go to your dealer for all your service needs. You will get genuine GM parts and GM-trained and supported service people. We hope you will want to keep your GM vehicle all GM. Genuine GM parts have one of these marks: Doing Your Own Service Work If you want to do some of your own service work, you will want to use the proper service manual. It tells you much more about how to service your vehicle than this manual can. To order the proper service manual, see Service PublicationsOrderingInformationonpage7-11. Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting to do your own service work, see ServicingYourAir Bag-EquippedVehicleonpage1-48. You should keep a record with all parts receipts and list the mileage and the date of any service work you perform. See MaintenanceRecordonpage6-14. {CAUTION: You can be injured and your vehicle could be damaged if you try to do service work on a vehicle without knowing enough about it. • Be sure you have sufficient knowledge, experience, the proper replacement parts and tools before you attempt any vehicle maintenance task. CAUTION: (Continued) 5-3 CAUTION: (Continued) • Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts and other fasteners. “English” and “metric” fasteners can be easily confused. If you use the wrong fasteners, parts can later break or fall off. You could be hurt. Adding Equipment to the Outside of Your Vehicle Things you might add to the outside of your vehicle can affect the airﬂow around it. This may cause wind noise and affect windshield washer performance. Check with your dealer before adding equipment to the outside of your vehicle. Fuel Use of the recommended fuel is an important part of the proper maintenance of your vehicle. Gasoline Octane Use premium unleaded gasoline with a posted octane of 91 or higher for best performance. You may also use middle grade or regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher, but your vehicle’s acceleration may be slightly reduced. If the octane is less than 87, you may get a heavy knocking noise when you drive. If this occurs, use a gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher as soon as possible. Otherwise, you might damage your engine. 5-4 Gasoline Speciﬁcations It is recommended that gasoline meet speciﬁcations which were developed by automobile manufacturers around the world and contained in the World-Wide Fuel Charter which is available from the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers at www.autoalliance.org. Gasoline meeting these speciﬁcations could provide improved driveability and emission control system performance compared to other gasoline. In Canada, look for the “Auto Makers’ Choice” label on the pump. California Fuel If your vehicle is certiﬁed to meet California Emission Standards (see the underhood emission control label), it is designed to operate on fuels that meet California speciﬁcations. If this fuel is not available in states adopting California emissions standards, your vehicle will operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal speciﬁcations, but emission control system performance may be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp may turn on (see MalfunctionIndicatorLamponpage3-50 ) and your vehicle may fail a smog-check test. If this occurs, return to your authorized GM dealer for diagnosis. If it is determined that the condition is caused by the type of fuel used, repairs may not be covered by your warranty. Canada Only 5-5 Some gasolines that are not reformulated for low emissions may contain an octane-enhancing additive called methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT); ask the attendant where you buy gasoline whether the fuel contains MMT. General Motors does not recommend the use of such gasolines. Fuels containing MMT can reduce the life of spark plugs and the performance of the emission control system may be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp may turn on. If this occurs, return to your authorized GM dealer for service. Fuels in Foreign Countries If you plan on driving in another country outside the United States or Canada, the proper fuel may be hard to ﬁnd. Never use leaded gasoline or any other fuel not recommended in the previous text on fuel. Costly repairs caused by use of improper fuel would not be covered by your warranty. To check the fuel availability, ask an auto club, or contact a major oil company that does business in the country where you will be driving. Additives To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the United States are now required to contain additives that will help prevent engine and fuel system deposits from forming, allowing your emission control system to work properly. You should not have to add anything to your fuel. However, some gasolines contain only the minimum amount of additive required to meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations. General Motors recommends that you buy gasolines that are advertised to help keep fuel injectors and intake valves clean. If your vehicle experiences problems due to dirty injectors or valves, try a different brand of gasoline. Gasolines containing oxygenates, such as ethers and ethanol, and reformulated gasolines may be available in your area to contribute to clean air. General Motors recommends that you use these gasolines, particularly if they comply with the speciﬁcations described earlier. Notice: Your vehicle was not designed for fuel that contains methanol. Do not use fuel containing methanol. It can corrode metal parts in your fuel system and also damage the plastic and rubber parts. That damage would not be covered under your warranty. 5-6 Filling Your Tank {CAUTION: Fuel vapor burns violently and a fuel ﬁre can cause bad injuries. To help avoid injuries to you and others, read and follow all the instructions on the pump island. Turn off your engine when you are refueling. Do not smoke if you are near fuel or refueling your vehicle. Keep sparks, ﬂames and smoking materials away from fuel. Do not leave the fuel pump unattended when refueling your vehicle — this is against the law in some places. Keep children away from the fuel pump; never let children pump fuel. The fuel cap is located behind a hinged door on the driver’s side of your vehicle. 5-7 The fuel door release button is located on the left side of the instrument panel. To open the fuel door, press the fuel door release button. The vehicle must be in PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) and the valet lockout button must be in OFF. An alternate fuel door release is located inside the trunk behind a panel on the driver’s side. Pull the handle to release the fuel door. 5-8 While refueling, hang the fuel cap by the tether from the hook on the fuel door. To remove the fuel cap, turn it slowly to the left (counterclockwise). The fuel cap has a spring in it; if you let go of the cap too soon, it will spring back to the right. {CAUTION: If you spill fuel and then something ignites it, you could be badly burned. Fuel can spray out on you if you open the fuel cap too quickly. This spray can happen if your tank is nearly full, and is more likely in hot weather. Open the fuel cap slowly and wait for any “hiss” noise to stop. Then unscrew the cap all the way. Be careful not to spill fuel. Don’t top off or overﬁll your tank, and wait a few seconds after you’ve ﬁnished pumping before you remove the nozzle. Clean fuel from painted surfaces as soon as possible. See Cleaning theOutsideofYourVehicleonpage5-78. When you put the fuel cap back on, turn it to the right (clockwise) until you hear a clicking sound. Make sure you fully install the cap. The diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap has been left off or improperly installed. This would allow fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere. See MalfunctionIndicatorLampon page3-50. 5-9 The CHECK GAS CAP message in the Driver Information Center (DIC) will come on if the fuel cap is not properly reinstalled. Notice: If you need a new fuel cap, be sure to get the right type. Your dealer can get one for you. If you get the wrong type, it may not ﬁt properly. This may cause your malfunction indicator lamp to light and may damage your fuel tank and emissions system. See “Malfunction Indicator Lamp” in the Index. Filling a Portable Fuel Container {CAUTION: Never ﬁll a portable fuel container while it is in your vehicle. Static electricity discharge from the container can ignite the gasoline vapor. You can be badly burned and your vehicle damaged if this occurs. To help avoid injury to you and others: • Dispense gasoline only into approved containers. CAUTION: (Continued) 5-10 CAUTION: (Continued) • Do not ﬁll a container while it is inside a vehicle, in a vehicle’s trunk, pickup bed or on any surface other than the ground. • Bring the ﬁll nozzle in contact with the inside of the ﬁll opening before operating the nozzle. Contact should be maintained until the ﬁlling is complete. • Do not smoke while pumping gasoline. Checking Things Under the Hood {CAUTION: An electric fan under the hood can start up and injure you even when the engine is not running. Keep hands, clothing and tools away from any underhood electric fan. {CAUTION: Things that burn can get on hot engine parts and start a ﬁre. These include liquids like fuel, oil, coolant, brake ﬂuid, windshield washer and other ﬂuids, and plastic or rubber. You or others could be burned. Be careful not to drop or spill things that will burn onto a hot engine. Hood Release To lift the hood, use the following steps: 1. Pull the lever inside the vehicle to open the hood. It is located on the lower left side of the instrument panel. 2. Then go to the front of the vehicle and ﬁnd the secondary hood release lever. The lever is located under the hood near the center of the vehicle. Move the release lever to the right and raise the hood. Before closing the hood, be sure all ﬁller caps are on properly. Then pull the hood down and close it ﬁrmly. 5-11 Engine Compartment Overview When you open the hood you’ll see: 5-12 You should check your engine oil level regularly; this is an added reminder. Checking Engine Oil It is a good idea to check your engine oil every time you get fuel. In order to get an accurate reading, the oil must be warm and the vehicle must be on level ground. The engine oil dipstick handle is a yellow loop. See EngineCompartmentOverviewonpage5-12 for the location of the engine oil dipstick. Turn off the engine and give the oil several minutes to drain back into the oil pan. If you don’t, the oil dipstick might not show the actual level. Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel or cloth, then push it back in all the way. Remove it again, keeping the tip down, and check the level. A. Battery. See Batteryonpage5-38. B. Passenger Compartment Air Filter. See Passenger CompartmentAirFilteronpage3-40. C. Underhood Fuse Block. See FusesandCircuit Breakersonpage5-85. D. Power Steering Fluid. See PowerSteeringFluidon page5-32. E. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. See EngineAir Cleaner/Filteronpage5-18. F. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See EngineOilonpage5-13. G. Engine Oil Dipstick. See EngineOilonpage5-13. H. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See Brakes onpage5-35. I. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See CoolantSurgeTankPressureCaponpage5-23. J. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Windshield WasherFluidonpage5-33 Engine Oil If the LOW OIL LEVEL or LOW OIL PRESSURE message on the Driver Information Center appears, it means you need to check your engine oil level right away. For more information, see “LOW OIL LEVEL” and “LOW OIL PRESSURE” under DICWarningsand Messagesonpage3-59. 5-13 When to Add Engine Oil If the oil is at or below the indentation at the tip of the dipstick, then you will need to add at least one quart of oil. But you must use the right kind. This section explains what kind of oil to use. For engine oil crankcase capacity, see CapacitiesandSpeciﬁcationson page5-91. Notice: Do not add too much oil. If your engine has so much oil that the oil level gets above the indented area of the dipstick that shows the proper operating range, your engine could be damaged. See EngineCompartment Overviewonpage5-12 for the location of the engine oil ﬁll cap. Be sure to add enough oil to put the level somewhere in the proper operating range. Push the dipstick all the way back in when you are through. What Kind of Engine Oil to Use Look for two things: • GM4718M Your vehicle’s engine requires a special oil meeting GM Standard GM4718M. Oils meeting this standard may be identiﬁed as synthetic. However, not all synthetic oils will meet this GM standard. You should look for and use only an oil that meets GM Standard GM4718M. Notice: If you use oils that do not have the GM4718M Standard designation, you can cause engine damage not covered by your warranty. 5-14 • SAE 5W-30 As shown in the viscosity chart, SAE 5W-30 is best for your vehicle. However, you can use SAE 10W-30 if it is going to be 0°F (–18°C) or above. These numbers on an oil container show its viscosity, or thickness. Do not use other viscosity oils such as SAE 20W-50. Oils meeting these requirements should also have the starburst symbol on the container. This symbol indicates that the oil has been certiﬁed by the American Petroleum Institute (API). You should look for this on the oil container, and use only those oils that are identiﬁed as meeting GM Standard GM4718M and have the starburst symbol on the front of the oil container. Your vehicle’s engine is ﬁlled at the factory with a Mobil 1® synthetic oil, which meets all requirements for your vehicle. 5-15 Substitute Engine Oil: when adding oil to maintain engine oil level, oil meeting GM Standard GM4718M may not be available. You can add substitute oil designated SAE 5W-30 with the starburst symbol at all temperatures. If temperatures are above 0°F (–18°C), you may substitute SAE 10W-30 with the starburst symbol. Substitute oil not meeting GM Standard GM4718M should not be used for an oil change. Engine Oil Additives Do not add anything to your oil. The recommended oils with the starburst symbol that meet GM Standard GM4718M are all you will need for good performance and engine protection. When to Change Engine Oil (GM Oil Life System) Your vehicle has a computer system that lets you know when to change the engine oil and ﬁlter. This is based on engine revolutions and engine temperature, and not on mileage. Based on driving conditions, the mileage at which an oil change will be indicated can vary considerably. For the oil life system to work properly, you must reset the system every time the oil is changed. When the system has calculated that oil life has been diminished, it will indicate that an oil change is necessary. A CHANGE OIL NOW message in the DIC will come on. Change your oil as soon as possible within the next two times you stop for fuel. It is possible that, if you are driving under the best conditions, the oil life system may not indicate that an oil change is necessary for over a year. However, your engine oil and ﬁlter must be changed at least once a year and at this time the system must be reset. Your dealer has GM-trained service people who will perform this work using genuine GM parts and reset the system. It is also important to check your oil regularly and keep it at the proper level. If the system is ever reset accidentally, you must change your oil at 3,000 miles (5 000 km) since your last oil change. Remember to reset the oil life system whenever the oil is changed. 5-16 How to Reset the CHANGE OIL NOW Message and the Oil Life Indicator The GM Oil Life System calculates when to change your engine oil and ﬁlter based on vehicle use. Anytime your oil is changed, reset the system so it can calculate when the next oil change is required. If a situation occurs where you change your oil prior to a CHANGE OIL NOW message in the DIC being turned on, reset the system. After the oil has been changed, the CHANGE OIL NOW message and the oil life indicator must be reset. To reset the message use the following procedure: 1. Press the up or down arrow to scroll the DIC to show OIL LIFE. 2. Once the XXX% ENGINE OIL LIFE menu item is highlighted, press and hold the RESET button until the percentage shows 100%. Repeat the steps if the percentage does not return to 100. 3. Turn the key to OFF. If the CHANGE OIL NOW message comes back on when you start your vehicle, the engine oil life system has not reset. Repeat the procedure. What to Do with Used Oil Used engine oil contains certain elements that may be unhealthy for your skin and could even cause cancer. Do not let used oil stay on your skin for very long. Clean your skin and nails with soap and water, or a good hand cleaner. Wash or properly dispose of clothing or rags containing used engine oil. See the manufacturer’s warnings about the use and disposal of oil products. Used oil can be a threat to the environment. If you change your own oil, be sure to drain all the oil from the ﬁlter before disposal. Never dispose of oil by putting it in the trash, pouring it on the ground, into sewers, or into streams or bodies of water. Instead, recycle it by taking it to a place that collects used oil. If you have a problem properly disposing of your used oil, ask your dealer, a service station or a local recycling center for help. 5-17 Engine Air Cleaner/Filter See EngineCompartmentOverviewonpage5-12 for location of engine air cleaner/ﬁlter. When to Inspect the Engine Air Cleaner/Filter Inspect the air cleaner/ﬁlter at every oil change and replace at the ﬁrst oil change after 25,000 miles (40 000 km). How to Inspect the Engine Air Cleaner/Filter To inspect the air cleaner/ﬁlter, remove the ﬁlter from the vehicle and lightly shake the ﬁlter to release loose dust and dirt. If the ﬁlter remains caked with dirt, a new ﬁlter is required. 5-18 To inspect or replace the ﬁlter, do the following: 1. Flip the clasps on the top of the engine air cleaner/ﬁlter cover forward to unlatch the cover. 2. Lift the front of the cover at an angle and remove. This is necessary due to the four tabs located on the rear of the cover. 3. Remove the engine air cleaner/ﬁlter element and any loose debris that may be found in the air cleaner base. 4. Replace the air ﬁlter element. Follow these steps to reinstall the cover to the engine air cleaner/ﬁlter housing: 1. Align the four tabs located on the back of the cover with the three slots on the back of the housing. 2. Push the cover slightly down and towards the engine to engage the tabs in the slots and align the two wing screws. 3. Engage and tighten the two clasps on the top of the engine air cleaner/ﬁlter cover. {CAUTION: Operating the engine with the air cleaner/ﬁlter off can cause you or others to be burned. The air cleaner not only cleans the air, it helps to stop ﬂame if the engine backﬁres. If it is not there and the engine backﬁres, you could be burned. Do not drive with it off, and be careful working on the engine with the air cleaner/ﬁlter off. Notice: If the air cleaner/ﬁlter is off, a backﬁre can cause a damaging engine ﬁre. And, dirt can easily get into your engine, which will damage it. Always have the air cleaner/ﬁlter in place when you’re driving. Automatic Transmission Fluid How to Check It is not necessary to check the transmission ﬂuid level. A transmission ﬂuid leak is the only reason for ﬂuid loss. If a leak occurs, take the vehicle to your dealer service department and have it repaired as soon as possible. There is a special procedure for checking and changing the transmission ﬂuid. Because this procedure is difficult, you should have this done at your dealer service department. Contact your dealer for additional information or the procedure can be found in the service manual. To purchase a service manual, see Service PublicationsOrderingInformationonpage7-11. 5-19 The following explains your cooling system and how to add coolant when it is low. If you have a problem with engine overheating, see EngineOverheatingon page5-23. A 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and DEX-COOL® coolant will: • Giving 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. Notice: We recommend you use only ﬂuid labeled DEXRON® -III, because ﬂuid with that label is made especially for your automatic transmission. Damage caused by ﬂuid other than DEXRON® -III is not covered by your new vehicle warranty. Change both the ﬂuid and ﬁlter every 50,000 miles (80 000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one of these conditions: • In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature regularly reaches 90°F (32°C) or higher. • In hilly or mountainous terrain. • High performance operation. If you do not use your vehicle under one of these conditions, change the ﬂuid and ﬁlter every 100,000 miles (166 000 km). See ScheduledMaintenanceonpage6-4 for the proper service intervals for the transmission ﬂuid and ﬁlter. 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. 5-20 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. If you have to add coolant more than four times a year, have your dealer check your cooling system. Notice: If you use the proper coolant, you do not have to add extra inhibitors or additives which claim to improve the system. These can be harmful. What to Use Use a mixture of one-half clean,drinkablewater and one-half DEX-COOL® coolant which won’t damage aluminum parts. If you use this coolant mixture, you don’t 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 DEX-COOL® coolant. 5-21 Checking Coolant The engine coolant surge tank is located toward the rear of the engine compartment on the driver’s side of the vehicle. For more information on location, see Engine CompartmentOverviewon page5-12. {CAUTION: Turning the surge tank pressure cap when the engine and radiator are hot can allow steam and scalding liquids to blow out and burn you badly. Never turn the surge tank pressure cap — even a little — when the engine and radiator are hot. 5-22 The vehicle must be on a level surface. When your engine is cold, the coolant level should be at the FULL COLD mark, located on the side of the surge tank that faces the front. If the LOW COOLANT message on the Driver Information Center (DIC) comes on and stays on, it means you’re low on engine coolant. For more information see DICWarningsandMessages onpage3-59. Adding Coolant If you need more coolant, add the proper DEX-COOL® coolant mixture atthesurgetank, but only when the engine is cool. {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. When replacing the pressure cap, press down and turn it clockwise (right) until you hear a clicking sound. Make sure you fully install the cap. Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap Notice: If the pressure cap is not tightly installed, coolant loss and possible engine damage may occur. Be sure the cap is properly and tightly secured. See EngineCompartmentOverviewonpage5-12 for information on location. Engine Overheating You will ﬁnd an COOLANT OVER TEMP message or an ENGINE HOT, STOP ENGINE message displayed in the Driver Information Center (DIC). You will also hear a chime. There is also an engine coolant temperature gage on the instrument panel cluster. See EngineCoolantTemperatureGageonpage3-49. Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode This operating mode allows your vehicle to be driven to a safe place in an emergency situation. If an overheated engine condition exists and the DIC message ENGINE HOT, STOP ENGINE is displayed, 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. Driving extended miles (km) 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. 5-23 If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine CAUTION: (Continued) 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” under EngineOverheatingonpage5-23 for information on driving to a safe place in an emergency. {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 CAUTION: (Continued) 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” under Engine Overheatingonpage5-23 for information on driving to a safe place in an emergency. 5-24 If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine An overheat warning, along with a low coolant message, can indicate a serious problem. See DICWarnings andMessagesonpage3-59. If you get an engine overheat warning with no low coolant message, but see or hear no steam, the problem may not be too serious. Sometimes the engine can get a little too hot when you: • Climb a long hill on a hot day. • Stop after high-speed driving. • Idle for long periods in traffic. • Tow a trailer. If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam, try this for a minute or so: 1. In heavy traffic, let the engine idle in NEUTRAL (N) while stopped. If it safe to do so, pull of the road, shift to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) and let the engine idle. 2. Set the temperature control to the highest heat setting and open the windows, as necessary. 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, turnofftheengineandgeteveryoneoutof thevehicle 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. 5-25 Cooling System When you decide it’s safe to lift the hood, here’s what you’ll see: {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. A. Electric Engine Cooling Fan B. Coolant Surge Tank with Pressure Cap 5-26 A low coolant level should be indicated by a LOW COOLANT message on the Driver Information Center. If it is, 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. Do not touch them. If you do, you can be burned. CAUTION: (Continued) CAUTION: (Continued) Do not 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 fan is running. If the engine is overheating, the fan should be running. If it is not, your vehicle needs service. Notice: Engine damage from running your engine without coolant is not covered by your warranty. See “Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode” in the Index for information on driving to a safe place in an emergency. 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. 5-27 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 proper level, add a 50/50 of clean,drinkablewater 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 EngineCoolantonpage5-20 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. 5-28 CAUTION: (Continued) 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 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. 5-29 {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. CAUTION: (Continued) 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). If you hear a hiss, wait for that to stop. A hiss means there is still some pressure left. 2. Then keep turning the cap and remove it. 5-30 3. Then ﬁll the coolant surge tank with the proper mixture to the full cold ﬁll mark on the front of the coolant surge tank. 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 mixture to the coolant surge tank until the level reaches the FULL COLD mark located on the front of the coolant surge tank. 5-31 5. Then replace the pressure cap. Be sure the cap is fully installed. Power Steering Fluid If the LOW COOLANT message does not appear on the Driver Information Center after two minutes, coolant is at the proper ﬁll level. If a LOW COOLANT message does appear, repeat Steps 1 to 3 and reinstall the pressure cap or see your dealer. 5-32 When to Check Power Steering Fluid It is not necessary to regularly check power steering ﬂuid unless you suspect there is a leak in the system or you hear an unusual noise. A ﬂuid loss in this system could indicate a problem. Have the system inspected and repaired. See EngineCompartmentOverview onpage5-12 for reservoir location. How to Check Power Steering Fluid Turn the vehicle off, let the engine compartment cool down, wipe the cap and the top of the reservoir clean, then unscrew the cap and wipe the dipstick with a clean rag. Replace the cap and completely tighten it. Then remove the cap again and look at the ﬂuid level on the dipstick. The level should be at the FULL COLD mark. If necessary, add only enough ﬂuid to bring the level up to the mark. What to Use To determine what kind of ﬂuid to use, see RecommendedFluidsandLubricantsonpage6-11. Always use the proper ﬂuid. Failure to use the proper ﬂuid can cause leaks and damage hoses and seals. Windshield Washer Fluid What to Use When you need windshield washer ﬂuid, be sure to read the manufacturer’s instructions before use. If you will be operating your vehicle in an area where the temperature may fall below freezing, use a ﬂuid that has sufficient protection against freezing. See Engine Compartment Overview on page5-12 for reservoir location. 5-33 Adding Washer Fluid The LOW WASHER FLUID message will be displayed on the Driver Information Center (DIC) when the ﬂuid is low. The windshield washer ﬂuid reservoir is located in front of the underhood fuse block on the driver’s side of the vehicle. Open the cap with the washer symbol on it. Add washer ﬂuid until the tank is full. Notice: • When using concentrated washer ﬂuid, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for adding water. • Don’t mix water with ready-to-use washer ﬂuid. Water can cause the solution to freeze and damage your washer ﬂuid tank and other parts of the washer system. Also, water doesn’t clean as well as washer ﬂuid. • Fill your washer ﬂuid tank only three-quarters full when it’s very cold. This allows for expansion if freezing occurs, which could damage the tank if it is completely full. • Don’t use engine coolant (antifreeze) in your windshield washer. It can damage your washer system and paint. 5-34 Brakes Brake Fluid Your brake master cylinder reservoir is ﬁlled with DOT-3 brake ﬂuid. See EngineCompartmentOverviewon page5-12 for the location of the reservoir. There are only two reasons why the brake ﬂuid level in the reservoir might go down. The ﬁrst is that the brake ﬂuid goes down to an acceptable level during normal brake lining wear. When new linings are put in, the ﬂuid level goes back up. The other reason is that ﬂuid is leaking out of the brake system. If it is, you should have your brake system ﬁxed, since a leak means that sooner or later your brakes will not work well, or will not work at all. So, it is not a good idea to “top off” your brake ﬂuid. Adding brake ﬂuid will not correct a leak. If you add ﬂuid when your linings are worn, then you will have too much ﬂuid when you get new brake linings. You should add (or remove) brake ﬂuid, as necessary, only when work is done on the brake hydraulic system. {CAUTION: If you have too much brake ﬂuid, it can spill on the engine. The ﬂuid will burn if the engine is hot enough. You or others could be burned, and your vehicle could be damaged. Add brake ﬂuid only when work is done on the brake hydraulic system. See “Checking Brake Fluid” in this section. Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when to check your brake ﬂuid. See ScheduledMaintenance onpage6-4. 5-35 Checking Brake Fluid You can check the brake ﬂuid without taking off the cap. Just look at the brake ﬂuid reservoir. The ﬂuid level should be above the MIN mark on the reservoir. If it is not, have your brake system checked to see if there is a leak. After work is done on the brake hydraulic system, make sure the level is between the MIN and MAX marks. What to Add When you do need brake ﬂuid, use only DOT-3 brake ﬂuid. Refer to RecommendedFluidsandLubricants onpage6-11. Use new brake ﬂuid from a sealed container only. Always clean the brake ﬂuid reservoir cap and the area around the cap before removing it. This will help keep dirt from entering the reservoir. {CAUTION: With the wrong kind of ﬂuid in your brake system, your brakes may not work well, or they may not even work at all. This could cause a crash. Always use the proper brake ﬂuid. Notice: • Using the wrong ﬂuid can badly damage brake system parts. For example, just a few drops of mineral-based oil, such as engine oil, in your brake system can damage brake system parts so badly that they will have to be replaced. Do not let someone put in the wrong kind of ﬂuid. • If you spill brake ﬂuid on your vehicle’s painted surfaces, the paint ﬁnish can be damaged. Be careful not to spill brake ﬂuid on your vehicle. If you do, wash it off immediately. See Appearance Careonpage5-75. 5-36 Brake Wear Your vehicle has four-wheel disc brakes. Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make a high-pitched warning sound when the brake pads are worn and new pads are needed. The sound may come and go or be heard all the time your vehicle is moving (except when you are pushing on the brake pedal ﬁrmly). {CAUTION: The brake wear warning sound means that soon your brakes will not work well. That could lead to an accident. When you hear the brake wear warning sound, have your vehicle serviced. Notice: Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads could result in costly brake repair. Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake squeal when the brakes are ﬁrst applied or lightly applied. This does not mean something is wrong with your brakes. Brake linings should always be replaced as complete axle sets. Brake Pedal Travel See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to normal height, or if there is a rapid increase in pedal travel. This could be a sign of brake trouble. Brake Adjustment As you make brake stops, your disc brakes automatically adjust for wear. Replacing Brake System Parts The braking system on a vehicle is complex. Its many parts have to be of top quality and work well together if the vehicle is to have really good braking. Your vehicle was designed and tested with top-quality GM brake parts. When you replace parts of your braking system — for example, when your brake linings wear down and you need new ones put in — be sure you get new approved GM replacement parts. If you do not, your brakes may no longer work properly. For example, if someone puts in brake linings that are wrong for your vehicle, the balance between your front and rear brakes can change — for the worse. The braking performance you have come to expect can change in many other ways if someone puts in the wrong replacement brake parts. 5-37 Battery Your new vehicle comes with a maintenance free ACDelco® battery. When it is time for a new battery, get one that has the replacement number shown on the original battery’s label. We recommend an ACDelco® battery. For battery replacement, see your dealer or the service manual. To purchase a service manual, see Service andOwnerPublications in ServicePublicationsOrdering Informationonpage7-11. Warning: Battery posts, terminals and related accessories contain lead and lead compounds, chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and reproductive harm. Wash hands after handling. Vehicle Storage If you are not going to drive your vehicle for 25 days or more, remove the black, negative (-) cable from the battery. This will help keep your battery from running down. {CAUTION: Batteries have acid that can burn you and gas that can explode. You can be badly hurt if you are not careful. See JumpStartingon page5-39 for tips on working around a battery without getting hurt. You must close all doors and the trunk before reconnecting the battery. After reconnecting the battery, you must press the unlock button on the key FOB. Failure to follow this procedure may result in a sounding alarm. Pressing unlock on the key FOB would stop the sounding alarm. Contact your dealer to learn how to prepare your vehicle for longer storage periods. Also, for your audio system, see Theft-Deterrent Featureonpage3-74. 5-38 Jump Starting If your battery has run down, you may want to use another vehicle and some jumper cables to start your vehicle. Be sure to follow the steps below to do it safely. {CAUTION: Batteries can hurt you. They can be dangerous because: • They contain acid that can burn you. • They contain gas that can explode or • They contain enough electricity to ignite. burn you. If you do not follow these steps exactly, some or all of these things can hurt you. Notice: If you try to start your vehicle by pushing or pulling it, you could damage your vehicle. Do not push or pull your vehicle to start it; instead, use the jump starting procedure in this manual to start your vehicle when the battery has run down. 1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt battery with a negative ground system. Notice: If the other vehicle’s system is not a 12-volt system with a negative ground, both vehicles can be damaged. Only use vehicles with 12-volt systems with negative grounds to jump start your vehicle. 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 transmission in PARK (P) or a manual transmission in NEUTRAL before setting the parking brakes. 5-39 {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 do not need to add water to the ACDelco® battery installed in your new 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 do not, explosive gas could be present. Battery ﬂuid contains acid that can burn you. Do not 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. Notice: If you leave your radio or other accessories on during the jump starting procedure, they could be damaged. The repairs would not be covered by your warranty. Always turn off your radio and other accessories when jump starting your vehicle. 3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette lighter or in the accessory power outlet. 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. See EngineCompartmentOverview onpage5-12 for more information on location. {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. 5-40 {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 positive (+) to negative (- ) or you’ll get a short that would damage the battery and maybe other parts, too. And don’t connect the negative (- ) cable to the negative (- ) terminal on the dead battery because this can cause sparks. 6. Connect the red positive (+) cable to the positive (+) terminal of the dead battery. Use a remote positive (+) terminal if the vehicle has one. 5-41 7. Don’t let the other end touch metal. Connect it to the positive (+) terminal of the good battery. Use a remote positive (+) terminal if the vehicle has one. 8. Now connect the black negative (- ) cable to the negative (- ) terminal of 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. 5-42 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. Notice: If the jumper cables are removed in the wrong order, electrical shorting may occur and damage the vehicle. The repairs would not be covered by your warranty. Remove the jumper cables in the correct order, making sure that the cables do not touch each other or other metal. 5-43 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. Jumper Cable Removal A. Heavy, Unpainted Metal Engine Part B. Good Battery C. Dead Battery 5-44 Rear Axle When to Check Lubricant It is not necessary to regularly check rear axle ﬂuid unless you suspect there is a leak or you hear an unusual noise. A ﬂuid loss could indicate a problem. Have it inspected and repair. How to Check Lubricant To get an accurate reading, the vehicle should be on a level surface. If the level is below the bottom of the ﬁller plug hole, you will need to add some lubricant. Add enough lubricant to raise the level to the bottom of the ﬁller plug hole. What to Use To add lubricant when the level is low, use SAE 75W–90 Synthetic Gear Lubricant (GM Part No. 12378261) or equivalent meeting GM Speciﬁcation 9986115. To completely reﬁll after draining, add 4 ounces (118 ml) of Limited-Slip Differential Lubricant Additive (GM Part No. 1052358) or equivalent. Then ﬁll to the bottom of the ﬁller plug hole with the Synthetic Gear Lubricant. 5-45 Headlamp Aiming Your vehicle has a visual optical headlamp aiming system equipped with horizontal aim indicators. The aim has been preset at the factory and should need no further adjustment. This is true even though your horizontal aim indicators may not fall exactly on the “0” (zero) marks on their scales. If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the headlamp aim may be affected. Aim adjustment to the low beam may be necessary if it is difficult to see lane markers (for horizontal aim), or if oncoming drivers ﬂash their high beams at you (for vertical aim). If you believe your headlamps need to be re-aimed, we recommend that you take your vehicle to your dealer for service. However, it is possible for you to re-aim your headlamps as described in the following procedure. 5-46 Notice: To make sure your headlamps are aimed properly, read all the instructions before beginning. Failure to follow these instructions could cause damage to headlamp parts. The vehicle should be properly prepared as follows: • The vehicle should be placed so the headlamps are 25 ft. (7.6 m) from a light colored wall or other ﬂat surface. • The vehicle must have all four tires on a perfectly level surface which is level all the way to the wall or other ﬂat surface. • The vehicle should be placed so it is perpendicular to the wall or other ﬂat surface. • The vehicle should not have any snow, ice or mud attached to it. • The vehicle should be fully assembled and all other work stopped while headlamp aiming is being done. • The vehicle should be normally loaded with a full tank of fuel and one person or 160 lbs (75 kg) on the driver’s seat. • Tires should be properly inﬂated. • Start the vehicle and rock it to level the suspension. Headlamp aiming is done with the vehicle low beam lamps. The high beam lamps will be correctly aimed if the low beam lamps are aimed properly. The headlamp aiming devices are under the hood near the headlamps. If you believe your headlamps need vertical (up/down) adjustment, follow the vertical aiming procedure. Adjustment screws can be turned with an E8 Torx ® socket or T15 Torx screwdriver. Headlamp Vertical Aiming Notice: Horizontal aiming must be performed before making any adjustments to the vertical aim. Adjusting the vertical aim ﬁrst will result in an incorrect headlamp aim. 1. Find the aim dot on the lens of the low beam lamps. 2. Measure the distance from the ground to the aim dot on each low beam lamp. Record this distance. 3. At the wall or other ﬂat surface, measure from the ground upward the recorded distance from Step 2 and draw or tape a horizontal line the width of the vehicle. 5-47 Notice: Do not cover a headlamp to improve beam cut-off when aiming. Covering a headlamp may cause excessive heat build-up which may cause damage to the headlamp. 4. Turn on the low-beam headlamps and place a piece of cardboard or equivalent in front of the headlamp not being aimed. This should allow only the beam of light from the headlamp being aimed to be seen on the ﬂat surface. 5. Turn the vertical aiming screw until the headlamp beam is aimed to the horizontal tape line. The top edge of the cut-off should be positioned at the bottom edge of the horizontal tape line. 5-48 6. Repeat Steps 4 and 5 for the opposite headlamp. To replace the wiper blade assembly, do the following: 1. Place the vehicle in accessory mode and turn the wipers on. Position the wipers on the windshield in the mid-wipe position. Then with a door open, turn the vehicle off. Bulb Replacement It is recommended that all bulbs be replaced by your dealer. Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement Windshield wiper blades should be inspected at least twice a year for wear or cracking. See “Wiper Blade Check” under ScheduledMaintenanceonpage6-4. It’s a good idea to clean or replace the wiper blade assembly on a regular basis or when worn. For proper windshield wiper blade length and type, see Normal MaintenanceReplacementPartsonpage6-13. 2. Tip the blade up and push down on the tab to release the wiper blade assembly. 3. To install, align the wiper blade with the loop on the wiper blade assembly, and push up to snap it into place. 5-49 CAUTION: (Continued) • Overinﬂated tires are more likely to be cut, punctured or broken by a sudden impact — such as when you hit a pothole. Keep tires at the recommended pressure. • Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If your tread is badly worn, or if your tires have been damaged, replace them. Tire Sidewall Labeling Useful information about a tire is molded into its sidewall. The following illustration shows an example of a passenger car tire sidewall. Tires Your new vehicle comes with high-quality tires made by a leading tire manufacturer. If you ever have questions about your tire warranty and where to obtain service, see your GM Warranty booklet for details. For additional information refer to the tire manufacturer’s booklet included with your vehicle’s Owner’s Manual. {CAUTION: Poorly maintained and improperly used tires are dangerous. • Overloading your tires can cause overheating as a result of too much friction. You could have an air-out and a serious accident. See “Loading Your Vehicle” in the Index. • Underinﬂated tires pose the same danger as overloaded tires. The resulting accident could cause serious injury. Check all tires frequently to maintain the recommended pressure. Tire pressure should be checked when your tires are cold. CAUTION: (Continued) 5-50 A. Tire Size B. Tire Performance Criteria Speciﬁcation (TPC Spec) C. Department of Transportation (DOT) D. Tire Identiﬁcation Number (TIN) E. Tire Ply Material F. Uniform Tire Quality Grading (UTQG) G. Maximum Cold Inﬂation Load Limit (A) Tire Size: The tire size code is a combination of letters and numbers used to deﬁne a particular tire’s width, height, aspect ratio, construction type and service description. See the “Tire Size ” illustration later in this section for more detail. (B) Tire Performance Criteria Speciﬁcation (TPC Spec): Original equipment tires designed to GM’s speciﬁc tire performance criteria have a TPC speciﬁcation code molded onto the sidewall. GM’s TPC speciﬁcations meet or exceed all federal safety guidelines. (C) Department of Transportation (DOT): The Department of Transportation (DOT) code indicates that the tire is in compliance with the U.S. Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. 5-51 Tire Size Codes The following illustration shows an example of a typical passenger car tire size. A. P-Metric Tire B. Tire Width C. Aspect Ratio D. Construction Code E. Rim Diameter F. Service Description (D) Tire Identiﬁcation Number (TIN): The letters and numbers following DOT code are the Tire Identiﬁcation Number (TIN). The TIN shows the manufacturer and plant code, tire size, and date the tire was manufactured. The TIN is molded onto both sides of the tire, although only one side may have the date of manufacture. (E) Tire Ply Material: The type of cord and number of plies in the sidewall and under the tread. (F) Uniform Tire Quality Grading (UTQG): Tire manufacturers are required to grade tires based on three performance factors: treadwear, traction and temperature resistance. For more information see UniformTireQualityGradingonpage5-64. (G) Maximum Cold Inﬂation Load Limit: Maximum load that can be carried and the maximum pressure needed to support that load. For more information on recommended tire pressure see Inﬂation-TirePressure onpage5-57and LoadingYourVehicleonpage4-32. 5-52 (A) P-Metric Tire: The United States version of a metric tire sizing system. The letter “P” as the ﬁrst character in the tire size means a passenger vehicle tire engineered to standards set by the U. S. Tire and Rim Association. (B) Tire Width: The three-digit number indicates the tire section width in millimeters from sidewall to sidewall. (C) Aspect Ratio: A two-digit number that indicates the tire height-to-width measurements. For example, if the tire size aspect ratio is “70,” as shown in item “C” of the illustration, it would mean that the tire’s sidewall is 70% as high as it is wide. (D) Construction Code: A letter code is used to indicate the type of ply construction in the tire. The letter “R” means radial ply construction; the letter “D” means diagonal or bias ply construction; and the letter “B” means belted-bias ply construction. (E) Rim Diameter: Diameter of the wheel in inches. (F) Service Description: These characters represent the load range and the speed rating of a tire. The load range represents the load carrying capacity a tire is certiﬁed to carry. The load index can range from 1 to 279. The speed rating is the maximum speed a tire is certiﬁed to carry a load. Speed ratings range from “A” to “Z”. Tire Terminology and Deﬁnitions Air Pressure: The amount of air inside the tire pressing outward on each square inch of the tire. Air pressure is expressed in pounds per square inch (psi) or kilopascal (kPa). Accessory Weight: This means the combined weight of optional accessories. Some examples of optional accessories are, automatic transmission, power steering, power brakes, power windows, power seats, and air conditioning. Aspect Ratio: The relationship of a tire’s height to its width. Belt: A rubber coated layer of cords that is located between the plies and the tread. Cords may be made from steel or other reinforcing materials. Bead: The tire bead contains steel wires wrapped by steel cords that hold the tire onto the rim. Bias Ply Tire: A pneumatic tire in which the plies are laid at alternate angles less than 90 degrees to the centerline of the tread. Cold Inﬂation Pressure: The amount of air pressure in a tire, measured in pounds per square inch (psi) before a tire has built up heat from driving. See Inﬂation-TirePressureonpage5-57. 5-53 Curb Weight: This means the weight of a motor vehicle with standard and optional equipment including the maximum capacity of fuel, oil and coolant, but without passengers and cargo. DOT Markings: A code molded into the sidewall of a tire signifying that the tire is in compliance with the U.S. Department of Transportation motor vehicle safety standards. The DOT code includes the Tire Identiﬁcation Number (TIN), an alphanumeric designator which can also identify the tire manufacturer, production plant, brand and date of production. GVWR: Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, see Loading YourVehicleonpage4-32. GAWR FRT: Gross Axle Weight Rating for the front axle, see LoadingYourVehicleonpage4-32. GAWR RR: Gross Axle Weight Rating for the rear axle, see LoadingYourVehicleonpage4-32. Intended Outboard Sidewall: The side of an asymmetrical tire that must always face outward when mounted on a vehicle. Kilopascal (kPa): The metric unit for air pressure. There are 6.9 kPa’s to one psi. Light Truck (LT-Metric) Tire: A tire used on light duty trucks and some multipurpose passenger vehicles. Load Index: An assigned number ranging from 1 to 279 that corresponds to the load carrying capacity of a tire. Maximum Inﬂation Pressure: The maximum air pressure to which a cold tire may be inﬂated. The maximum air pressure is molded onto the sidewall. Maximum Load Rating: The load rating for a tire at the maximum permissible inﬂation pressure for that tire. Maximum Loaded Vehicle Weight: The sum of curb weight; accessory weight; vehicle capacity weight; and production options weight. Normal Occupant Weight: The number of occupants a vehicle is designed to seat multiplied by 150 pounds (68 kg). See LoadingYourVehicleonpage4-32. Occupant Distribution: Designated seating positions. Outward Facing Sidewall: The side of a asymmetrical tire that has a particular side that faces outward when mounted on a vehicle. The side of the tire that contains a whitewall, bears white lettering or bears manufacturer, brand and or model name molding that is higher or deeper than the same moldings on the other sidewall of the tire. 5-54 Passenger (P-Metric) Tire: A tire used on passenger cars and some light duty trucks and multipurpose vehicles. Recommended Inﬂation Pressure: Vehicle manufacturer’s recommended tire inﬂation pressure and shown on the tire placard. See Inﬂation-TirePressure onpage5-57and LoadingYourVehicleonpage4-32. Radial Ply tire: A pneumatic tire in which the ply cords that extend to the beads are laid at 90 degrees to the centerline of the tread. Rim: A metal support for a tire and upon which the tire beads are seated. Sidewall: The portion of a tire between the tread and the bead. Speed Rating: An alphanumeric code assigned to a tire indicating the maximum speed at which a tire can operate. Traction: The friction between the tire and the road surface. The amount of grip provided. Tread: The portion of a tire that comes into contact with the road. Treadwear Indicators: Narrow bands, sometimes called “wear bars,” that show across the tread of a tire when only 2/32 inch of tread remains. See WhenIt IsTimeforNewTiresonpage5-62. UTQGS: Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards, a tire information system that provides consumers with ratings for a tire’s traction, temperature and treadwear. Ratings are determined by tire manufacturers using government testing procedures. The ratings are molded into the sidewall of the tire. See UniformTireQuality Gradingonpage5-64. Vehicle Capacity Weight: The number of designated seating positions multiplied by 150 lbs. (68 kg) plus the rated cargo load. See LoadingYourVehicle onpage4-32. Vehicle Maximum Load on the Tire: Load on an individual tire due to curb weight, accessory weight,

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2004 Cadillac XLR Owners Manual