2006 Chevrolet SSR Owners Manual

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• Know the best way to get to where you are going. Get a city map and plan your trip into an unknown part of the city just as you would for a cross-country trip. • Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross most large cities. You will save time and energy. See Freeway Driving on page 4-20. • Treat a green light as a warning signal. A traffic light is there because the corner is busy enough to need it. When a light turns green, and just before you start to move, check both ways for vehicles that have not cleared the intersection or may be running the red light. One of the biggest problems with city streets is the amount of traffic on them. You will want to watch out for what the other drivers are doing and pay attention to traffic signals. 4-19 Freeway Driving Mile for mile, freeways — also called thruways, parkways, expressways, turnpikes, or superhighways — are the safest of all roads. But they have their own special rules. The most important advice on freeway driving is: Keep up with traffic and keep to the right. Drive at the same speed most of the other drivers are driving. Too-fast or too-slow driving breaks a smooth traffic ﬂow. Treat the left lane on a freeway as a passing lane. 4-20 At the entrance, there is usually a ramp that leads to the freeway. If you have a clear view of the freeway as you drive along the entrance ramp, you should begin to check traffic. Try to determine where you expect to blend with the ﬂow. Try to merge into the gap at close to the prevailing speed. Switch on your turn signal, check your mirrors, and glance over your shoulder as often as necessary. Try to blend smoothly with the traffic ﬂow. Once you are on the freeway, adjust your speed to the posted limit or to the prevailing rate if it is slower. Stay in the right lane unless you want to pass. Before changing lanes, check your mirrors. Then use your turn signal. Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly over your shoulder to make sure there is not another vehicle in your blind spot. Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you allow a reasonable following distance. Expect to move slightly slower at night. When you want to leave the freeway, move to the proper lane well in advance. If you miss your exit, do not, under any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive on to the next exit. The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply. The exit speed is usually posted. Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not to your sense of motion. After driving for any distance at higher speeds, you may tend to think you are going slower than you actually are. Before Leaving on a Long Trip Make sure you are ready. Try to be well rested. If you must start when you are not fresh — such as after a day’s work — do not plan to make too many miles that ﬁrst part of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes you can easily drive in. Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it serviced and maintained, it is ready to go. If it needs service, have it done before starting out. Of course, you will ﬁnd experienced and able service experts in GM dealerships all across North America. They will be ready and willing to help if you need it. Here are some things you can check before a trip: • Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full? Are all windows clean inside and outside? • Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape? • Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked all levels? • Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean? • Tires: They are vitally important to a safe, trouble-free trip. Is the tread good enough for long-distance driving? Are the tires all inﬂated to the recommended pressure? • Weather Forecasts: What is the weather outlook along your route? Should you delay your trip a short time to avoid a major storm system? • Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps? Highway Hypnosis Is there actually such a condition as highway hypnosis? Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel? Call it highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or whatever. There is something about an easy stretch of road with the same scenery, along with the hum of the tires on the road, the drone of the engine, and the rush of the wind against the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Do not let it happen to you! If it does, your vehicle can leave the road in less than a second, and you could crash and be injured. What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be aware that it can happen. Then here are some tips: • Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a comfortably cool interior. • Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and to the sides. Check your mirrors and your instruments frequently. • If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service, or parking area and take a nap, get some exercise, or both. For safety, treat drowsiness on the highway as an emergency. 4-21 If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you are planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make your trips safer and more enjoyable. • Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all ﬂuid levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system, and transmission. These parts can work hard on mountain roads. {CAUTION: If you do not shift down, your brakes could get so hot that they would not work well. You would then have poor braking or even none going down a hill. You could crash. Shift down to let your engine assist your brakes on a steep downhill slope. Hill and Mountain Roads Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from driving in ﬂat or rolling terrain. 4-22 {CAUTION: Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with the ignition off is dangerous. Your brakes will have to do all the work of slowing down. They could get so hot that they would not work well. You would then have poor braking or even none going down a hill. You could crash. Always have your engine running and your vehicle in gear when you go downhill. • Know how to go down hills. The most important thing to know is this: let your engine do some of the slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you go down a steep or long hill. • Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down to a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your engine and transmission, and you can climb the hill better. • Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane roads in hills or mountains. Do not swing wide or cut across the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let you stay in your own lane. • As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There 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. 4-23 Winter Driving 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. Driving on Snow or Ice Most of the time, those places where the tires meet the road probably have good traction. However, if there is snow or ice between the 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. 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. Also see Tires on page 5-51. 4-24 Whatever the condition — smooth ice, packed, blowing, or loose snow — drive with caution. Accelerate gently. Try not to break the fragile traction. If you accelerate too fast, the drive wheels will spin and polish the surface under the tires even more. Your Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) improves your vehicle’s stability when you make a hard stop on a slippery road. Even though you have ABS, you will want to begin stopping sooner than you would on dry pavement. See Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) on page 4-7. • 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 cannot reach, such as 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. 4-25 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. 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. • Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you. If you do not have 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. 4-26 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 cannot 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. 4-27 If Your Vehicle is 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 more information about using tire chains on your vehicle, see Tire Chains on page 5-66. Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will clear the area around your front wheels. If you have traction control, you should turn the system off. See Traction Control System (TCS) (Automatic Transmission) on page 4-9. Then shift back and forth between REVERSE (R) and a forward gear, or with a manual transmission, between FIRST (1) or SECOND (2) and REVERSE (R), 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 Towing Your Vehicle on page 4-35. 4-28 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/Tire label. {CAUTION: Do not load your vehicle any heavier than the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), or either the maximum front or rear Gross Axle Weight Rating (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 Label Example A vehicle speciﬁc Tire and Loading Information label is attached to the B-pillar of your vehicle. With the driver’s door open, you will ﬁnd the label attached to the door frame, below the door latch. This label shows the number of occupant seating positions (A), and the maximum vehicle capacity weight (B) in kilograms and pounds. The Tire and Loading Information label also shows the size of the original equipment tires (C) and the recommended cold tire inﬂation pressures (D). For more information on tires and inﬂation see Tires on page 5-51 and Inﬂation - Tire Pressure on page 5-57. 4-29 There is also important loading information on the vehicle Certiﬁcation/Tire 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/Tire Label” later in this section. Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit 1. Locate the statement “The combined weight of occupants and cargo should never exceed XXX kg or XXX lbs” on your vehicle’s 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 kg or XXX lbs. 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. If your vehicle can tow a trailer, see Towing a Trailer on page 4-35 for important information on towing a trailer, towing safety rules, and trailering tips. 4-30 Example 1 Example 2 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) 4-31 Certiﬁcation/Tire Label Example 3 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. 4-32 A vehicle speciﬁc Certiﬁcation/Tire label is attached to the rear edge of the driver’s door. The label shows the size of your original tires and the inﬂation pressures needed to obtain the gross weight capacity of your vehicle. This is called the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). The GVWR includes the weight of the vehicle, all occupants, fuel, cargo, and trailer tongue weight, if pulling a trailer. The Certiﬁcation/Tire label also tells you the maximum weights for the front and rear axles, called Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). To ﬁnd out the actual loads on your rear axle, you need to go to a weigh station and weigh your vehicle. Your dealer can help you with this. Be sure to spread out your load equally on both sides of the centerline. Never exceed the GVWR for your vehicle, or the GAWR for the front and rear axle. And, if you do have a heavy load, you should spread it out, and load toward the front of the pickup box. {CAUTION: In the case of a sudden stop or collision, things carried in the bed of your truck could shift forward and come into the passenger area, injuring you and others. If you put things in the bed of your truck, you should make sure they are properly secured. {CAUTION: Do not load your vehicle any heavier than the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), or either the maximum front or rear Gross Axle Weight Rating (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. Using heavier suspension components to get added durability might not change your weight ratings. Ask your dealer to help you load your vehicle the correct way. Notice: Overloading your vehicle may cause damage. Repairs would not be covered by your warranty. Do not overload your vehicle. 4-33 Add-On Equipment When you carry removable items, you may need to put a limit on how many people you carry inside your vehicle. Be sure to weigh your vehicle before you buy and install the new equipment. Notice: Overloading your vehicle may cause damage. Repairs would not be covered by your warranty. Do not overload your vehicle. Remember not to exceed the Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) of the rear axle. See Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-29. Truck-Camper Loading Information Your vehicle was neither designed nor intended to carry a slide-in type camper. Notice: Adding a slide-in camper or similar equipment to your vehicle can damage it, and the repairs would not be covered by your warranty. Do not install a slide-in camper or similar equipment on 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. {CAUTION: Things you put inside your vehicle can strike and injure people in a sudden stop or turn, or in a crash. (cid:127) Put things in the rear area of your vehicle. Try to spread the weight evenly. (cid:127) Never stack heavier things, like suitcases, above the tops of the seats inside the vehicle or in the cargo area when the convertible top is lowered. If you carry tall objects in the cargo area, secure them properly and have the convertible top fastened in the raised position. (cid:127) Do not leave an unsecured child restraint in your vehicle. (cid:127) When you carry something inside the vehicle, secure it whenever you can. 4-34 (cid:127) Towing Towing Your Vehicle Consult your dealer or a professional towing service if you need to have your disabled vehicle towed. See Roadside Assistance Program on page 7-6. For information about recreational vehicle towing, see the following entry. 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”). Notice: four wheels on the ground, the transmission could be damaged. The repairs would not be covered by your warranty. Do not tow your vehicle with two or all four wheels on the ground. Your vehicle was not designed to be towed with any of its wheels on the ground. If your vehicle must be towed, it should be placed on a platform trailer. If you tow your vehicle with two or all Towing a Trailer {CAUTION: If you do not use the correct equipment and drive properly, you can lose control when you pull a trailer. For example, if the trailer is too heavy, the brakes may not work well — or even at all. You and your passengers could be seriously injured. Pull a trailer only if you have followed all the steps in this section. Ask your dealer for advice and information about towing a trailer with your vehicle. Notice: Pulling a trailer improperly can damage your vehicle and result in costly repairs that would not be covered by your warranty. Always follow the instructions in this section and check with your dealer for more information about towing a trailer with your vehicle. To identify the trailering capacity of your vehicle, you should read the information in “Weight of the Trailer” that appears later in this section. 4-35 Trailering is different than just driving your vehicle by itself. Trailering means changes in handling, acceleration, braking, durability and fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering takes correct equipment, and it has to be used properly. That’s the reason for this part. In it are many time-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules. Many of these are important for your safety and that of your passengers. So please read this section carefully before you pull a trailer. If You Decide To Pull A Trailer If you do, here are some important points: • There are many different laws, including speed limit restrictions, having to do with trailering. Make sure your rig will be legal, not only where you live but also where you’ll be driving. A good source for this information can be state or provincial police. • Don’t tow a trailer at all during the ﬁrst 500 miles (800 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine, axle or other parts could be damaged. • Then, during the ﬁrst 500 miles (800 km) that you tow a trailer, don’t drive over 50 mph (80 km/h) and don’t make starts at full throttle. This helps your engine and other parts of your vehicle wear in at the heavier loads. • If you have an automatic transmission, you can tow in DRIVE (D). You may want to shift the transmission to THIRD (3) or, if necessary, a lower gear if the transmission shifts too often under heavy loads and/or hilly conditions. If you have a manual transmission and you are towing a trailer, it is better not to use the highest gear. Three important considerations have to do with weight: • Weight of the trailer • Weight of the trailer tongue • Weight on your vehicle’s tires 4-36 Weight of the Trailer How heavy can a trailer safely be? It depends on how you plan to use your rig. For example, speed, altitude, road grades, outside temperature and how much your vehicle is used to pull a trailer are all important. It can also depend on any special equipment that you have on your vehicle, and the amount of tongue weight the vehicle can carry. See “Weight of the Trailer Tongue” later in this section for more information. Maximum trailer weight is calculated assuming only the driver is in the tow vehicle and it has all the required trailering equipment. The weight of additional optional equipment, passengers and cargo in the tow vehicle must be subtracted from the maximum trailer weight. Your vehicle is a two-wheel drive vehicle. The axle ratio is 3.73, the maximum trailer weight is 2,500 lbs (1 134 kg) and the Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) is 8,000 lbs (3 629 kg). The Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) is the total allowable weight of the completely loaded vehicle and trailer including any passengers, cargo, equipment and conversions. The GCWR for your vehicle should not be exceeded. You can ask your dealer for trailering information or advice, or you can write us at the address listed in your Warranty and Owner Assistance Information Booklet. In Canada, write to: General Motors of Canada Limited Customer Communication Centre, 163-005 1908 Colonel Sam Drive Oshawa, Ontario L1H 8P7 4-37 Weight of the Trailer Tongue The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important weight to measure because it affects the total gross weight of your vehicle. The Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) includes the curb weight of the vehicle, any cargo you may carry in it, and the people who will be riding in the vehicle. If you have a lot of options, equipment, passengers or cargo in your vehicle, it will reduce the tongue weight your vehicle can carry, which will also reduce the trailer weight your vehicle can tow. And if you will tow a trailer, you must add the tongue load to the GVW because your vehicle will be carrying that weight, too. See Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-29 for more information about your vehicle’s maximum load capacity. 4-38 The trailer tongue weight (A) should be 10 percent to 15 percent of the total loaded trailer weight (B), up to a maximum of 250 lbs (113 kg) with the equipped hitch. Do not exceed the maximum allowable tongue weight for your vehicle. Only use the equipped crossmember/receiver that is included with your vehicle. After you’ve loaded your trailer, weigh the trailer and then the tongue, separately to see if the weights are proper. If they aren’t, you may be able to get them right simply by moving some items around in the trailer. Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires Be sure your vehicle’s tires are inﬂated to the upper limit for cold tires. You’ll ﬁnd these numbers on the Certiﬁcation label at the rear edge of the driver’s door. See Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-29. Then be sure you don’t go over the GVW limit for your vehicle, including the weight of the trailer tongue. Hitches Your vehicle is compatible only with the following optional trailering hitch. To order this hitch, see your dealer. A. Centering Device B. Handwheel C. Lock D. Ball Rod E. Ball (purchased separately) F. Chain Loop 4-39 Installing the Ball Rod To install the ball rod do the following: 1. Remove the cover of the housing located behind the license plate area by pushing in the tabs and pulling downward. 4-40 2. Be sure the unit is unlocked before pretensioning. Unlock using the key. Then pretension the ball rod by pulling out the handwheel and turning it counterclockwise. When the ball is pretensioned, it means: • The red area of the handwheel should be opposite the white marking on the ball rod. • The key cannot be withdrawn. • The ball rod can only be installed in this position. If the key is inserted and the lock is open, tighten the handwheel slightly and turn clockwise as far as the stop. Insert the ball rod as far into the housing as it will go. When this happens, you will hear the lock engage. Removing the Ball Rod To remove the ball rod do the following: 1. Open the lock cover on the handwheel and unlock with the key. 4-41 3. Check that the ball rod is tight by doing the following: • Close the lock, withdraw the key, and install the lock cover securely. • The green area on the handwheel should be opposite the white dot on the ball rod. • Move the hitch back and forth to ensure it is properly secured. If you cannot complete all of the above checks, repeat the assembly procedure. 2. Hold the ball rod tight with one hand, tighten the handwheel slightly and turn it clockwise as far as it will go. 3. Pull the ball rod down and off. Store the ball rod for future use. 4. Reinstall the housing cover. Safety Chains You should always attach chains between your vehicle and your trailer. Cross the safety chains under the tongue of the trailer to help prevent the tongue from contacting the road if it becomes separated from the hitch. Instructions about safety chains may be provided by the hitch manufacturer or by the trailer manufacturer. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendation for attaching safety chains and do not attach them to the bumper. Always leave just enough slack so you can turn with your rig. Never allow safety chains to drag on the ground. 4-42 Trailer Brakes If your trailer weighs more than 1,000 lbs (450 kg) loaded, then it needs its own brakes — and they must be adequate. Be sure to read and follow the instructions for the trailer brakes so you’ll be able to install, adjust and maintain them properly. Your trailer’s brake system can tap into the vehicle’s hydraulic brake system only if: • The trailer parts can withstand 3,000 psi (20 650 kPa) of pressure. • The trailer’s brake system will use less than 0.02 cubic inch (0.3 cc) of ﬂuid from your vehicle’s master cylinder. Otherwise, both braking systems won’t work well. You could even lose your brakes. If everything checks out this far, then make the brake ﬂuid tap at the port on the master cylinder that sends ﬂuid to the rear brakes. But don’t use copper tubing for this. If you do, it will bend and ﬁnally break off. Use steel brake tubing. Driving with a Trailer Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience. Before setting out for the open road, you’ll want to get to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel of handling and braking with the added weight of the trailer. And always keep in mind that the vehicle you are driving is now a good deal longer and not nearly as responsive as your vehicle is by itself. Before you start, check all trailer hitch, parts and attachments, safety chains, electrical connector, lamps, tires and mirror adjustment. If the trailer has electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and then apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be sure the brakes are working. This lets you check your electrical connection at the same time. During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the load is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer brakes are still working. 4-43 Following Distance Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you would when driving your vehicle without a trailer. This can help you avoid situations that require heavy braking and sudden turns. Passing You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re a good deal longer, you’ll need to go much farther beyond the passed vehicle before you can return to your lane. Backing Up Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand. Then, to move the trailer to the left, just move that hand to the left. To move the trailer to the right, move your hand to the right. Always back up slowly and, if possible, have someone guide you. Making Turns Notice: Making very sharp turns while trailering could cause the trailer to come in contact with the vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid making very sharp turns while trailering. When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns than normal. Do this so your trailer won’t strike soft shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees or other objects. Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well in advance. Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have extra wiring and a heavy-duty turn signal ﬂasher (included in the optional trailering package). The arrows on your instrument panel will ﬂash whenever you signal a turn or lane change. Properly hooked up, the trailer lamps will also ﬂash, telling other drivers you’re about to turn, change lanes or stop. When towing a trailer, the arrows on your instrument panel will ﬂash for turns even if the bulbs on the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers behind you are seeing your signal when they are not. It’s important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs are still working. 4-44 Driving On Grades Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start down a long or steep downgrade. If you don’t shift down, you might have to use your brakes so much that they would get hot and no longer work well. If you have an automatic transmission, you can tow in DRIVE (D). You may want to shift the transmission to THIRD (3) or, if necessary, a lower gear if the transmission shifts too often under heavy loads or hilly conditions. If you have a manual transmission and you are towing a trailer, it is better not to use SIXTH (6) gear. Just drive in FIFTH (5) gear (or, as you need to, a lower gear). When towing at high altitude on steep uphill grades, consider the following: Engine coolant will boil at a lower temperature than at normal altitudes. If you turn your engine off immediately after towing at high altitude on steep uphill grades, your vehicle may show signs similar to engine overheating. To avoid this, let the engine run while parked, preferably on level ground, with the automatic transmission in PARK (P) for a few minutes before turning the engine off. For manual transmissions, let the engine run while parked, preferably on level ground, with the transmission out of gear and the parking brake applied, for a few minutes before turning the engine off. If you do get the overheat warning, see Engine Overheating on page 5-27. Parking on Hills {CAUTION: You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer attached, on a hill. If something goes wrong, your rig could start to move. People can be injured, and both your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged. But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s how to do it: 1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into PARK (P) yet for an automatic transmission, or into gear for a manual transmission. Turn your wheels into the curb if facing downhill or into traffic if facing uphill. 2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels. 3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load. 4. Release the regular brakes. 4-45 When You Are Ready to Leave After Parking on a Hill 1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down while you: • Start your engine. • Shift into a gear. • Release the parking brake. 2. Let up on the brake pedal. 3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks. 4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks. Maintenance When Trailer Towing Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re pulling a trailer. See Scheduled Maintenance on page 6-4 for more information. Things that are especially important in trailer operation are automatic transmission ﬂuid (don’t overﬁll), engine oil, axle lubricant, belt, cooling system and brake system. Each of these is covered in this manual. If you’re trailering, it’s a good idea to review these sections before you start your trip. Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts are tight. 4-46 Trailer Wiring Harness The trailer wiring is a four-wire harness assembly. The wires are blunted and taped to the wiring harness. The harness and wiring are stored under the vehicle on the driver’s side. The harness has no connector and should be wired by a qualiﬁed electrical technician. The technician can use the following color code chart when connecting the wiring harness to your trailer. • Black: Ground wire. • Yellow: Left turn lamps. • Dark Green: Right turn lamps. • Brown: Parking lamps. Securely attach the harness to the trailer, then tape or strap it to your vehicle’s frame rail. Be sure you leave it loose enough so the wiring doesn’t bend or break, but not so loose that it drags on the ground. Store the harness in its original place. Wrap the harness together and tie it neatly so it won’t be damaged. Trailer Recommendations You must subtract your hitch load from the Cargo Weight Rating (CWR) for your vehicle. The CWR is the maximum weight of the load your vehicle can carry. The CWR does not include the weight of the people inside, but you can ﬁgure about 150 lbs (68 kg) for each seating position. The total cargo load must not be more than the vehicle’s CWR. Make sure to weigh your vehicle with your trailer attached, so that you won’t go over the GVWR or the GAWR. You’ll get the best performance if you spread out the weight of your load the right way, and if you choose the correct hitch and trailer brakes. For more information, see Towing a Trailer on page 4-35 earlier in this section. 4-47 ✍ NOTES 4-48 Section 5 Service and Appearance Care Service ............................................................5-3 Accessories and Modiﬁcations ..........................5-3 California Proposition 65 Warning .....................5-3 Doing Your Own Service Work .........................5-4 Adding Equipment to the Outside of Your Vehicle ..............................................5-5 Fuel ................................................................5-5 Gasoline Octane ............................................5-5 Gasoline Speciﬁcations ....................................5-6 California Fuel ...............................................5-6 Additives .......................................................5-6 Fuels in Foreign Countries ...............................5-7 Filling the Tank ..............................................5-8 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 Oil Life System ..................................5-16 Engine Cover ...............................................5-18 Engine Air Cleaner/Filter ................................5-18 Automatic Transmission Fluid .........................5-20 Manual Transmission Fluid .............................5-22 Hydraulic Clutch ...........................................5-23 Engine Coolant .............................................5-24 Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap ..................5-27 Engine Overheating .......................................5-27 Cooling System ............................................5-29 Power Steering Fluid .....................................5-31 Windshield Washer Fluid ................................5-31 Brakes ........................................................5-32 Battery ........................................................5-36 Jump Starting ...............................................5-37 Rear Axle .......................................................5-42 Headlamp Aiming ...........................................5-43 Bulb Replacement ..........................................5-43 Halogen Bulbs ..............................................5-44 Headlamps ..................................................5-44 Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker and Parking Lamps ..........................................5-45 Taillamps, Turn Signal, and Stoplamps ............5-47 Back-Up Lamps ............................................5-48 Replacement Bulbs .......................................5-48 Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement ..............5-49 Tires ..............................................................5-51 Tire Sidewall Labeling ...................................5-52 Tire Terminology and Deﬁnitions .....................5-54 Inﬂation - Tire Pressure .................................5-57 Tire Inspection and Rotation ...........................5-59 When It Is Time for New Tires .......................5-59 Buying New Tires .........................................5-60 5-1 Section 5 Service and Appearance Care Different Size Tires and Wheels ......................5-62 Uniform Tire Quality Grading ..........................5-62 Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance ..................5-63 Wheel Replacement ......................................5-64 Tire Chains ..................................................5-66 If a Tire Goes Flat ........................................5-67 Tire Inﬂator Kit .............................................5-68 Appearance Care ............................................5-76 Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle .................5-76 Fabric/Carpet ...............................................5-78 Leather .......................................................5-78 Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other Plastic Surfaces ........................................5-79 Care of Safety Belts ......................................5-79 Weatherstrips ...............................................5-79 Washing Your Vehicle ...................................5-80 Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses .....................5-80 Finish Care ..................................................5-80 Windshield and Wiper Blades .........................5-81 Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels ................5-82 Tires ...........................................................5-82 Sheet Metal Damage .....................................5-83 Finish Damage .............................................5-83 Underbody Maintenance ................................5-83 Chemical Paint Spotting .................................5-83 Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials ..................5-84 Vehicle Identiﬁcation ......................................5-85 Vehicle Identiﬁcation Number (VIN) .................5-85 Service Parts Identiﬁcation Label .....................5-85 Electrical System ............................................5-86 Add-On Electrical Equipment ..........................5-86 Headlamps ..................................................5-86 Windshield Wiper Fuses ................................5-86 Power Windows and Other Power Options .......5-86 Fuses and Circuit Breakers ............................5-86 Floor Console Fuse Block ..............................5-87 Engine Compartment Fuse Block ....................5-90 Relay Center ................................................5-92 Capacities and Speciﬁcations ..........................5-95 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: Accessories and Modiﬁcations When you add non-GM accessories to your vehicle they can affect your vehicle’s performance and safety, including such things as, braking, stability, ride and handling, emissions systems, aerodynamics, durability, and electronic systems like antilock brakes, traction control and stability control. Some of these accessories may even cause malfunction or damage not covered by warranty. GM Accessories are designed to complement and function with other systems on your vehicle. Your GM dealer can accessorize your vehicle using genuine GM Accessories. When you go to your GM dealer and ask for GM Accessories, you will know that GM-trained and supported service technicians will perform the work using genuine GM Accessories. California Proposition 65 Warning Most motor vehicles, including this one, contain and/or emit chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. Engine exhaust, many parts and systems (including some inside the vehicle), many ﬂuids, and some component wear by-products contain and/or emit these chemicals. 5-3 Doing Your Own Service Work {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. (cid:127) Be sure you have sufficient knowledge, experience, the proper replacement parts, and tools before you attempt any vehicle maintenance task. (cid:127) 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. 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 Publications Ordering Information on page 7-14. Your vehicle has an airbag system. Before attempting to do your own service work, see Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on page 1-51. You should keep a record with all parts receipts and list the mileage and the date of any service work you perform. See Maintenance Record on page 6-15. 5-4 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 rating of 91 or higher. You may also use regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher, but your vehicle’s acceleration may be slightly reduced, and you may notice a slight audible knocking noise, commonly referred to as spark knock. If the octane is less than 87, you may notice 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. If you are using gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher and you hear heavy knocking, your engine needs service. 5-5 Gasoline Speciﬁcations At a minimum, gasoline should meet ASTM speciﬁcation D 4814 in the United States or CAN/CGSB-3.5 in Canada. Some gasolines may contain an octane-enhancing additive called methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT). General Motors recommends against the use of gasolines containing MMT. See Additives on page 5-6 for additional information. California Fuel If your vehicle is certiﬁed to meet California Emissions Standards, it is designed to operate on fuels that meet California speciﬁcations. See the underhood emission control label. 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 and your vehicle may fail a smog-check test. See Malfunction Indicator Lamp on page 3-33. 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. 5-6 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. In most cases, 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. To help keep fuel injectors and intake valves clean, or if your vehicle experiences problems due to dirty injectors or valves, look for gasoline that is advertised as TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline. Also, your GM dealer has additives that will help correct and prevent most deposit-related problems. Gasolines containing oxygenates, such as ethers and ethanol, and reformulated gasolines may be available in your area. General Motors recommends that you use these gasolines if they comply with the speciﬁcations described earlier. However, E85 (85% ethanol) and other fuels containing more than 10% ethanol must not be used in vehicles that were not designed for those fuels. 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. 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 recommends against 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. 5-7 Filling the 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. 5-8 The tethered fuel cap is located behind a hinged fuel door on the driver’s side of the vehicle. To remove the fuel cap, turn it slowly counterclockwise. The fuel cap has a spring in it; if the cap is released too soon, it will spring back to the right. While refueling, let the fuel cap hang by the tether below the fuel ﬁll opening. {CAUTION: {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. Do not top off or overﬁll the tank and wait a few seconds after you have ﬁnished pumping before removing the nozzle. Clean fuel from painted surfaces as soon as possible. See Washing Your Vehicle on page 5-80. When replacing the fuel cap, turn it clockwise until it clicks. Make sure the cap is fully installed. 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 Malfunction Indicator Lamp on page 3-33. If a ﬁre starts while you are refueling, do not remove the nozzle. Shut off the ﬂow of fuel by shutting off the pump or by notifying the station attendant. Leave the area immediately. If you need a new fuel cap, be sure to get Notice: 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 on page 3-33. 5-9 Checking Things Under the Hood {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. 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: (cid:127) Dispense gasoline only into approved containers. (cid:127) 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. (cid:127) 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. (cid:127) Do not smoke while pumping gasoline. 5-10 Hood Release To open the hood, do the following: 1. Pull the handle with this symbol on it. It is located inside the vehicle on the lower left side of the instrument panel. 2. Release the secondary latch at the front of the hood. 3. After you have partially lifted the hood, gas struts will automatically take over to lift and hold the hood in the fully open position. Before closing the hood, be sure all the ﬁller caps are on properly. Then, pull the hood down to close. 5-11 Engine Compartment Overview When you open the hood, here is what you will see: 5-12 A. Remote Positive (+) Terminal (inside small red box marked “Battery +”). See Jump Starting on page 5-37. B. Coolant Surge Tank. See Engine Coolant on page 5-24. C. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil” under Engine Oil on page 5-13. D. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine Oil” under Engine Oil on page 5-13. E. Automatic Transmission Fluid Dipstick (If Equipped) (Not Shown). See Automatic Transmission Fluid on page 5-20. F. Engine Cover. See Engine Cover on page 5-18. G. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. See Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on page 5-18. H. Remote Negative (−) Terminal. See Jump Starting on page 5-37. I. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. See Power Steering Fluid on page 5-31. J. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid” under Brakes on page 5-32. K. Engine Compartment Fuse Block. See Engine Compartment Fuse Block on page 5-90. L. Clutch Master Cylinder Reservoir (If Equipped). See Hydraulic Clutch on page 5-23. M. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer Fluid” under Windshield Washer Fluid on page 5-31. Engine Oil 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 Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-12 for the location of the engine oil dipstick. 1. Turn off the engine and give the oil several minutes to drain back into the oil pan. If you do not do this, the oil dipstick might not show the actual level. 2. 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. 5-13 When to Add Engine Oil See Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-12 for the location of the engine oil ﬁll cap. If the oil is below the cross-hatched area at the tip of the dipstick, you will need to add at least one quart/liter of oil. But you must use the right kind. This section explains what kind of oil to use. For engine oil crankcase capacity, see Capacities and Speciﬁcations on page 5-95. Notice: Do not add too much oil. If the engine has so much oil that the oil level gets above the cross-hatched area that shows the proper operating range, the engine could be damaged. 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. 5-14 What Kind of Engine Oil to Use If you use oils that do not have the Notice: GM4718M Standard designation, you can cause engine damage not covered by your warranty. • SAE 5W-30 As shown in the viscosity chart, SAE 5W-30 is best for your vehicle. 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). 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. 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. 5-15 Your vehicle’s engine is ﬁlled at the factory with a Mobil 1® synthetic oil, which meets all requirements for your vehicle. 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. 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. Engine Oil Life System When to Change Engine Oil 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 engine oil light will come on. See Change Engine Oil Light on page 3-37. Change your oil as soon as possible within the next 600 miles (1 000 km). 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 Engine Oil Life System The Engine 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 engine oil light being turned on, reset the system. Always reset the engine oil life system to 100% after every oil change. It will not reset itself. To reset the change engine oil light, do the following: 1. Press the fuel information button until ENGINE OIL LIFE appears on the Driver Information Center (DIC). See DIC Controls and Displays on page 3-42 for more information. 2. Press and hold the select button. The engine oil life percentage will change to 100. 3. Turn the key to OFF. If the change engine oil light 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 Cover Your vehicle has a removable engine cover. To remove the engine cover do the following: Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 1. Unscrew the four bolts from the engine. 2. Lift off the cover. 3. To reinstall the engine cover, reverse the steps. 5-18 See Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-12 for the location of the engine air cleaner/ﬁlter. When to Inspect the Engine Air Cleaner/Filter Inspect the air cleaner/ﬁlter at the Maintenance II intervals and replace it at the ﬁrst oil change after each 50,000 mile (83 000 km) interval. See Scheduled Maintenance on page 6-4 for more information. If you are driving in dusty/dirty conditions, inspect the ﬁlter at each engine oil change. 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. To inspect or replace the ﬁlter, do the following: 1. Remove the two bolts on the engine air cleaner/ﬁlter and lift off the cover. 2. Twist out the old engine air cleaner/ﬁlter. 3. Inspect or replace the ﬁlter. 4. Reinstall the 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 ﬂames 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. If the air cleaner/ﬁlter is off, a backﬁre can Notice: 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 are driving. 5-19 Automatic Transmission Fluid When to Check and Change Automatic Transmission Fluid A good time to check your automatic transmission ﬂuid level is when the engine oil is changed. Change the ﬂuid and ﬁlter at the intervals listed in Additional Required Services on page 6-6, and be sure to use the transmission ﬂuid listed in Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-12. How to Check Automatic Transmission Fluid Because this operation can be difficult, you may choose to have this done at the dealership service department. If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the instructions here, or you could get a false reading on the dipstick. Notice: Too much or too little ﬂuid can damage your transmission. Too much can mean that some of the ﬂuid could come out and fall on hot engine part or exhaust system parts, starting a ﬁre. Too little ﬂuid could cause the transmission to overheat. Be sure to get an accurate reading if you check your transmission ﬂuid. 5-20 Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the transmission ﬂuid level if you have been driving: • When outside temperatures are above 90°F (32°C). • At high speed for quite a while. • In heavy traffic — especially in hot weather. • While pulling a trailer. To get the right reading, the ﬂuid should be at normal operating temperature, which is 180°F to 200°F (82°C to 93°C). Get the vehicle warmed up by driving about 15 miles (24 km) when outside temperatures are above 50°F (10°C). If it is colder than 50°F (10°C), drive the vehicle in THIRD (3) until the engine temperature gage moves and then remains steady for 10 minutes. A cold ﬂuid check can be made after the vehicle has been sitting for eight hours or more with the engine off, but this is used only as a reference. Let the engine run at idle for ﬁve minutes if outside temperatures are 50°F (10°C) or more. If it is colder than 50°F (10°C), you may have to idle the engine longer. Should the ﬂuid level be low during this cold check, you must check the ﬂuid hot before adding ﬂuid. Checking the ﬂuid hot will give you a more accurate reading of the ﬂuid level. Checking the Automatic Transmission Fluid Level Prepare your vehicle as follows: 1. Park your vehicle on a level place. Keep the engine running. 2. With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever in PARK (P). 3. With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift lever through each gear range, pausing for about three seconds in each range. Then, position the shift lever in PARK (P). 4. Let the engine run at idle for three minutes or more. Then, without shutting off the engine, follow these steps: The automatic transmission dipstick handle will have this symbol on it. The automatic transmission dipstick is located in the rear of the engine compartment on the passenger’s side of the vehicle. See Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-12 for more information on location. 1. Flip the handle up and then pull out the dipstick and wipe it with a clean rag or paper towel. 2. Push it back in all the way, wait three seconds and then pull it back out again. 3. Check both sides of the dipstick, and read the lower level. The ﬂuid level must be in the COLD area, below the cross-hatched area, for a cold check or in the HOT or cross-hatched area for a hot check. Be sure to keep the dipstick pointed down to get an accurate reading. 4. If the ﬂuid level is in the acceptable range, push the dipstick back in all the way; then ﬂip the handle down to lock the dipstick in place. 5-21 Consistency of Readings Always check the ﬂuid level at least twice using the procedure described previously. Consistency (repeatable readings) is important to maintaining proper ﬂuid level. If inconsistent readings continue, contact your dealer. How to Add Automatic Transmission Fluid Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what kind of transmission ﬂuid to use. See Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-12. Add ﬂuid only after checking the transmission ﬂuid while it is hot. A cold check is used only as a reference. If the ﬂuid level is low, add only enough of the proper ﬂuid to bring the level up to the HOT area for a hot check. It does not take much ﬂuid, generally less than one pint (0.5 L). Do not overﬁll. Notice: Use of the incorrect automatic transmission ﬂuid may damage your vehicle, and the damages may not be covered by your warranty. Always use the automatic transmission ﬂuid listed in Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-12. • After adding ﬂuid, recheck the ﬂuid level as described under “How to Check Automatic Transmission Fluid,” earlier in this section. • When the correct ﬂuid level is obtained, push the dipstick back in all the way; then ﬂip the handle down to lock the dipstick in place. 5-22 Manual Transmission Fluid When to Check Manual Transmission Fluid A good time to have the manual transmission ﬂuid checked is when the engine oil is changed. However, the ﬂuid in your manual transmission does not require changing. How to Check Manual Transmission Fluid Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may choose to have this done at the dealership service department. If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the instructions here, or you could get a false reading. Notice: Too much or too little ﬂuid can damage your transmission. Too little ﬂuid could cause the transmission to overheat. Be sure to get an accurate reading if you check your transmission ﬂuid. Check the ﬂuid level only when your engine is off, the vehicle is parked on a level place, and the transmission is cool enough for you to rest your ﬁngers on the transmission case. Then, follow these steps: 1. Remove the ﬁller plug. 2. Check that the lubricant level is up to the bottom of the ﬁller plug hole. 3. If the ﬂuid level is good, install the plug and be sure it is fully seated. If the ﬂuid level is low, add more ﬂuid as described in the next steps. How to Add Manual Transmission Fluid Here is how to add ﬂuid. Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what kind of ﬂuid to use. See Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-12. 1. Remove the ﬁller plug. 2. Add ﬂuid at the ﬁller plug hole. Add only enough ﬂuid to bring the ﬂuid level up to the bottom of the ﬁller plug hole. 3. Install the ﬁller plug. Be sure the plug is fully seated. Hydraulic Clutch The hydraulic clutch linkage in your vehicle is self-adjusting. The master cylinder reservoir is ﬁlled with hydraulic ﬂuid. It is not necessary to regularly check the ﬂuid unless you suspect there is a leak in the system. Adding ﬂuid will not correct a leak. A ﬂuid loss in this system could indicate a problem. Have the system inspected and repaired. 5-23 When to Check and What to Use Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine how often you should check the ﬂuid level in your master cylinder reservoir and for the proper ﬂuid. See Owner Checks and Services on page 6-8 and Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-12. How to Check and Add Fluid You do not need to check the ﬂuid level unless you suspect a clutch problem. To check the ﬂuid level, take the cap off. If the ﬂuid reaches the step inside the reservoir, the ﬂuid level is correct. See Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-12 for more information on location. 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 ﬁve years or 150,000 miles (240 000 km), whichever occurs ﬁrst, if you add only DEX-COOL® extended life coolant. The following explains your cooling system and how to add coolant when it is low. If you have a problem with engine overheating or if you need to add coolant to your radiator, see Engine Overheating on page 5-27. A 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and DEX-COOL® coolant will: • Give 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 the ﬁrst maintenance service after each 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. 5-24 What to Use Use a mixture of one-half clean, drinkable water and one-half DEX-COOL® coolant which will not damage aluminum parts. If you use this coolant mixture, you do not 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. If you use an improper coolant mixture, Notice: 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: in your vehicle’s cooling system, you could damage your vehicle. Use only the proper mixture of the engine coolant listed in this manual for the cooling system. See Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-12 for more information. If you use extra inhibitors and/or additives 5-25 Checking Coolant The engine coolant surge tank is located on the passenger’s side of the vehicle at the rear of the engine compartment. See Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-12 for more information on location. 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. 5-26 Adding Coolant If you need more coolant, add the proper DEX-COOL® coolant mixture to the coolant surge tank, but be careful not to spill it. {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. {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. Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap Notice: installed, coolant loss and possible engine damage may occur. Be sure the cap is properly and tightly secured. If the pressure cap is not tightly Engine Overheating You will ﬁnd a coolant temperature gage on your vehicle’s instrument panel. See Engine Coolant Temperature Gage on page 3-32. 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. If your engine catches ﬁre because you Notice: keep driving with no coolant, your vehicle can be badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be covered by your warranty. 5-27 If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about 10 minutes. If the warning does not come back on, you can drive normally. If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your vehicle right away. If there is still no sign of steam, idle the engine for three minutes while you are parked. If you still have the warning, turn off the engine and get everyone out of the vehicle until it cools down. You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service help right away. If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine If you get an engine overheat warning 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. See “Driving on Grades” under Towing a Trailer on page 4-35. 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 is safe to do so, pull off the road, shift to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) and let the engine idle. 2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan speed and open the windows as necessary. 5-28 Cooling System When you decide it is safe to lift the hood, here is what you will see: {CAUTION: Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine parts, can be very hot. Do not touch them. If you do, you can be burned. 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, start the engine again. Notice: Engine damage from running your engine without coolant is not covered by your warranty. 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. 5-29 A. Coolant Surge Tank B. Engine Cooling Fan If the coolant inside the coolant surge tank is boiling, do not do anything else until it cools down. The vehicle should be parked on a level surface. When the engine is cold, the coolant level should be at least up to the FULL COLD mark. If it is not, 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. In cold weather, water can freeze and crack Notice: 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. When the coolant in the coolant surge tank is at the FULL COLD mark, start your vehicle. How to Add Coolant to the Coolant Surge Tank If you have not found a problem yet, but the coolant level is not at the FULL COLD mark, add a 50/50 mixture of clean drinkable water and DEX-COOL® engine coolant at the coolant recovery tank. See Engine Coolant on page 5-24 for more information. {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. 5-30 Power Steering Fluid 3. Unscrew the cap and wipe the dipstick with a clean rag. See Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-12 for reservoir location. 4. Replace the cap and completely tighten it. 5. Remove the cap again and look at the ﬂuid level on the dipstick. 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. How to Check Power Steering Fluid To check the power steering ﬂuid, do the following: 1. Turn the key off and let the engine compartment cool down. 2. Wipe the cap and the top of the reservoir clean. The level should be at the FULL 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 Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-12. 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. 5-31 Adding Washer Fluid Open the cap with the washer symbol on it. Add washer ﬂuid until the tank is full. See Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-12 for reservoir location. Notice: (cid:127) When using concentrated washer ﬂuid, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for adding water. (cid:127) Do not 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 does not clean as well as washer ﬂuid. Fill your washer ﬂuid tank only three-quarters full when it is very cold. This allows for expansion if freezing occurs, which could damage the tank if it is completely full. (cid:127) Do not use engine coolant (antifreeze) in your windshield washer. It can damage your washer system and paint. 5-32 Brakes Brake Fluid Your brake master cylinder reservoir is ﬁlled with DOT-3 brake ﬂuid. See Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-12 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. (cid:127) 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 Scheduled Maintenance on page 6-4. Checking Brake Fluid You can check the brake ﬂuid without taking off the cap. Look at the brake ﬂuid reservoir. The ﬂuid level should be above MIN. 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 above the MIN, but not over the MAX mark. 5-33 What to Add When you do need brake ﬂuid, use only DOT-3 brake ﬂuid. Use new brake ﬂuid from a sealed container only. See Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-12. 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: (cid:127) 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 Washing Your Vehicle on page 5-80. 5-34 (cid:127)

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2006 Chevrolet SSR Owners Manual