2004 Pontiac Grand PRIX Owners Manual

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4-15 Off-Road Recovery You may ﬁnd that your right wheels have dropped off the edge of a road onto the shoulder while you’re driving. If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the pavement, recovery should be fairly easy. Ease off the accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the way, steer so that your vehicle straddles the edge of the pavement. You can turn the steering wheel up to one-quarter turn until the right front tire contacts the pavement edge. Then turn your steering wheel to go straight down the roadway. 4-16 Passing The driver of a vehicle about to pass another on a two-lane highway waits for just the right moment, accelerates, moves around the vehicle ahead, then goes back into the right lane again. A simple maneuver? Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle on a two-lane highway is a potentially dangerous move, since the passing vehicle occupies the same lane as oncoming traffic for several seconds. A miscalculation, an error in judgment, or a brief surrender to frustration or anger can suddenly put the passing driver face to face with the worst of all traffic accidents — the head-on collision. So here are some tips for passing: • “Drive ahead.” Look down the road, to the sides and to crossroads for situations that might affect your passing patterns. If you have any doubt whatsoever about making a successful pass, wait for a better time. • Watch for traffic signs, pavement markings and lines. If you can see a sign up ahead that might indicate a turn or an intersection, delay your pass. A broken center line usually indicates it’s all right to pass (providing the road ahead is clear). Never cross a solid line on your side of the lane or a double solid line, even if the road seems empty of approaching traffic. • Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to pass while you’re awaiting an opportunity. For one thing, following too closely reduces your area of vision, especially if you’re following a larger vehicle. Also, you won’t have adequate space if the vehicle ahead suddenly slows or stops. Keep back a reasonable distance. • When it looks like a chance to pass is coming up, start to accelerate but stay in the right lane and don’t get too close. Time your move so you will be increasing speed as the time comes to move into the other lane. If the way is clear to pass, you will have a “running start” that more than makes up for the distance you would lose by dropping back. And if something happens to cause you to cancel your pass, you need only slow down and drop back again and wait for another opportunity. • If other vehicles are lined up to pass a slow vehicle, wait your turn. But take care that someone isn’t trying to pass you as you pull out to pass the slow vehicle. Remember to glance over your shoulder and check the blind spot. • Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder, and start your left lane change signal before moving out of the right lane to pass. When you are far enough ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front in your inside mirror, activate your right lane change signal and move back into the right lane. (Remember that your right outside mirror is convex. The vehicle you just passed may seem to be farther away from you than it really is.) • Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time on two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the next vehicle. • Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly. Even though the brake lamps are not ﬂashing, it may be slowing down or starting to turn. • If you’re being passed, make it easy for the following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you can ease a little to the right. 4-17 Loss of Control Let’s review what driving experts say about what happens when the three control systems (brakes, steering and acceleration) don’t have enough friction where the tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked. In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying to steer and constantly seek an escape route or area of less danger. Skidding In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable care suited to existing conditions, and by not “overdriving” those conditions. But skids are always possible. The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle’s three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels aren’t rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too much speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and lose cornering force. And in the acceleration skid, too much throttle causes the driving wheels to spin. A cornering skid is best handled by easing your foot off the accelerator pedal. If you do not have the Enhanced Traction System or the Traction Control System, or if the system is off, then an acceleration skid is also best handled by easing your foot off the accelerator pedal. 4-18 If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want the vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough, your vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for a second skid if it occurs. Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice, gravel or other material is on the road. For safety, you’ll want to slow down and adjust your driving to these conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and vehicle control more limited. While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration or braking (including engine braking by shifting to a lower gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires to slide. You may not realize the surface is slippery until your vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning clues — such as enough water, ice or packed snow on the road to make a “mirrored surface” — and slow down when you have any doubt. If you have the anti-lock braking system, remember: It helps avoid only the braking skid. If you do not have anti-lock, then in a braking skid (where the wheels are no longer rolling), release enough pressure on the brakes to get the wheels rolling again. This restores steering control. Push the brake pedal down steadily when you have to stop suddenly. As long as the wheels are rolling, you will have steering control. Driving at Night Night driving is more dangerous than day driving. One reason is that some drivers are likely to be impaired — by alcohol or drugs, with night vision problems, or by fatigue. Here are some tips on night driving. • Drive defensively. • Don’t drink and drive. • Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the glare from headlamps behind you. • Since you can’t see as well, you may need to slow down and keep more space between you and other vehicles. • Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your headlamps can light up only so much road ahead. • In remote areas, watch for animals. • If you’re tired, pull off the road in a safe place and rest. No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But as we get older these differences increase. A 50-year-old driver may require at least twice as much light to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old. 4-19 What you do in the daytime can also affect your night vision. For example, if you spend the day in bright sunshine you are wise to wear sunglasses. Your eyes will have less trouble adjusting to night. But if you’re driving, don’t wear sunglasses at night. They may cut down on glare from headlamps, but they also make a lot of things invisible. You can be temporarily blinded by approaching headlamps. It can take a second or two, or even several seconds, for your eyes to readjust to the dark. When you are faced with severe glare (as from a driver who doesn’t lower the high beams, or a vehicle with misaimed headlamps), slow down a little. Avoid staring directly into the approaching headlamps. Keep your windshield and all the glass on your vehicle clean — inside and out. Glare at night is made much worse by dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the glass can build up a ﬁlm caused by dust. Dirty glass makes lights dazzle and ﬂash more than clean glass would, making the pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly. Remember that your headlamps light up far less of a roadway when you are in a turn or curve. Keep your eyes moving; that way, it’s easier to pick out dimly lighted objects. Just as your headlamps should be checked regularly for proper aim, so should your eyes be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from night blindness — the inability to see in dim light — and aren’t even aware of it. 4-20 Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet road, you can’t stop, accelerate or turn as well because your tire-to-road traction isn’t as good as on dry roads. And, if your tires don’t have much tread left, you’ll get even less traction. It’s always wise to go slower and be cautious if rain starts to fall while you are driving. The surface may get wet suddenly when your reﬂexes are tuned for driving on dry pavement. The heavier the rain, the harder it is to see. Even if your windshield wiper blades are in good shape, a heavy rain can make it harder to see road signs and traffic signals, pavement markings, the edge of the road and even people walking. It’s wise to keep your windshield wiping equipment in good shape and keep your windshield washer tank ﬁlled with washer ﬂuid. Replace your windshield wiper inserts when they show signs of streaking or missing areas on the windshield, or when strips of rubber start to separate from the inserts. Driving too fast through large water puddles or even going through some car washes can cause problems, too. The water may affect your brakes. Try to avoid puddles. But if you can’t, try to slow down before you hit them. {CAUTION: Wet brakes can cause accidents. They won’t work as well in a quick stop and may cause pulling to one side. You could lose control of the vehicle. After driving through a large puddle of water or a car wash, apply your brake pedal lightly until your brakes work normally. 4-21 Hydroplaning Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can build up under your tires that they can actually ride on the water. This can happen if the road is wet enough and you’re going fast enough. When your vehicle is hydroplaning, it has little or no contact with the road. Hydroplaning doesn’t happen often. But it can if your tires do not have much tread or if the pressure in one or more is low. It can happen if a lot of water is standing on the road. If you can see reﬂections from trees, telephone poles or other vehicles, and raindrops “dimple” the water’s surface, there could be hydroplaning. Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds. There just isn’t a hard and fast rule about hydroplaning. The best advice is to slow down when it is raining. Driving Through Deep Standing Water Notice: If you drive too quickly through deep puddles or standing water, water can come in through your engine’s air intake and badly damage your engine. Never drive through water that is slightly lower than the underbody of your vehicle. If you can’t avoid deep puddles or standing water, drive through them very slowly. Driving Through Flowing Water {CAUTION: Flowing or rushing water creates strong forces. If you try to drive through ﬂowing water, as you might at a low water crossing, your vehicle can be carried away. As little as six inches of ﬂowing water can carry away a smaller vehicle. If this happens, you and other vehicle occupants could drown. Don’t ignore police warning signs, and otherwise be very cautious about trying to drive through ﬂowing water. Some Other Rainy Weather Tips • Besides slowing down, allow some extra following distance. And be especially careful when you pass another vehicle. Allow yourself more clear room ahead, and be prepared to have your view restricted by road spray. • Have good tires with proper tread depth. See Tires on page5-68. 4-22 City Driving Here are ways to increase your safety in city driving: • 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’ll save time and energy. See the next part, “Freeway Driving.” • 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’ll want to watch out for what the other drivers are doing and pay attention to traffic signals. 4-23 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. 4-24 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. 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’s 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 isn’t 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’re ready. Try to be well rested. If you must start when you’re not fresh — such as after a day’s work — don’t 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’s ready to go. If it needs service, have it done before starting out. Of course, you’ll ﬁnd experienced and able service experts in GM dealerships all across North America. They’ll be ready and willing to help if you need it. Here are some things you can check before a trip: • WindshieldWasherFluid: Is the reservoir full? Are all windows clean inside and outside? • WiperBlades: Are they in good shape? • Fuel,EngineOil,OtherFluids: 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? • WeatherForecasts: What’s 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? 4-25 Hill and Mountain Roads Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from driving in ﬂat or rolling terrain. 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. Don’t let it happen to you! If it does, your vehicle can leave the road in lessthanasecond, 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 rearview 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. 4-26 If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you’re 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 transaxle. These parts can work hard on mountain roads. • 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. {CAUTION: If you don’t shift down, your brakes could get so hot that they wouldn’t 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. {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 wouldn’t 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 uphill. You may want to shift down to a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your engine and transaxle, and you can climb the hill better. • Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane roads in hills or mountains. Don’t 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. 4-27 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 trunk. 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’ll have a lot less traction or “grip” and will need to be very careful. What’s 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’s 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. If you have traction control or enhanced traction, keep the system on. It will improve your ability to accelerate when driving on a slippery road. Even though your vehicle has a traction control system you’ll want to slow down and adjust your driving to the road conditions. See TractionControlSystem(TCS)onpage4-10. If you don’t have a traction control or enhanced traction system, 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. Unless you have the anti-lock braking system, you’ll want to brake very gently, too. (If you do have anti-lock, see Brakingonpage4-6. This system improves your vehicle’s stability when you make a hard stop on a slippery road.) Whether you have the anti-lock braking system or not, you’ll want to begin stopping sooner than you would on dry pavement. Without anti-lock brakes, 4-29 if you feel your vehicle begin to slide, let up on the brakes a little. Push the brake pedal down steadily to get the most traction you can. Remember, unless you have anti-lock, if you brake so hard that your wheels stop rolling, you’ll just slide. Brake so your wheels always keep rolling and you can still steer. • Whatever your braking system, allow greater following distance on any slippery road. • Watch for slippery spots. The road might be ﬁne until you hit a spot that’s covered with ice. On an otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear in shaded areas where the sun can’t 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’re actually on the ice, and avoid sudden steering maneuvers. 4-30 If You’re 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’ve been stopped by the snow. • 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’t 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 doesn’t collect there. Open a window just a little on the side of the vehicle that’s away from the wind. This will help keep CO out. 4-31 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 don’t want to spin your wheels too fast. The method known as “rocking” can help you get out when you’re 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 transaxle or other parts of the vehicle can overheat. That could cause an engine compartment ﬁre or other damage. When you’re stuck, spin the wheels as little as possible. Don’t spin the wheels above 35 mph (55 km/h) as shown on the speedometer. 4-32 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 transaxle back and forth, you can destroy your transaxle. See “Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out.” For information about using tire chains on your vehicle, see Tire Chains on page5-77. 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 your vehicle has traction control, you should turn the system off. See TractionControlSystem(TCS)onpage4-10. 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 transaxle 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 doesn’t 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” following. Towing Towing Your Vehicle Consult your dealer or a professional towing service if you need to have your disabled vehicle towed. See RoadsideAssistanceProgramonpage7-6. If you want to tow your vehicle behind another vehicle for recreational purposes (such as behind a motorhome), see “Recreational Vehicle Towing” following. 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”). With the proper preparation and equipment, many vehicles can be towed in these ways. See “Dinghy Towing” and “Dolly Towing,” following. 4-33 Here are some important things to consider before you do recreational vehicle towing: • What’s the towing capacity of the towing vehicle? Be sure you read the tow vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations. • How far will you tow? Some vehicles have restrictions on how far and how long they can tow. • Do you have the proper towing equipment? See your dealer or trailering professional for additional advice and equipment recommendations. • Is your vehicle ready to be towed? Just as you would prepare your vehicle for a long trip, you’ll want to make sure your vehicle is prepared to be towed. See BeforeLeavingonaLongTripon page4-25. Dinghy Towing Notice: Towing your vehicle with all four wheels on the ground will damage drivetrain components. Your vehicle was not designed to be towed with all four wheels on the ground. If your vehicle must be towed, you should use a dolly. See “Dolly Towing” following for more information. 4-34 Dolly Towing Your vehicle can be towed using a dolly. To tow your vehicle using a dolly, follow these steps: 1. Put the front wheels on the dolly. 2. Put the vehicle in PARK (P). 3. Set the parking brake and then remove the key. 4. Clamp the steering wheel in a straight-ahead position. 5. Release the parking brake. Loading Your Vehicle Two labels on your vehicle show how much weight it may properly carry. The Tire-Loading Information label is on the inside of the trunk lid. The label tells you the proper size, speed rating and recommended inﬂation pressures for the tires on your vehicle. It also gives you important information about the number of people that can be in your vehicle and the total weight you can carry. This weight is called the vehicle capacity weight and includes the weigh of all occupants, cargo and all non-factory installed options. 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. 4-35 If you do have a heavy load, spread it out. Don’t carry more than 167 lbs (75 kg) in your trunk. {CAUTION: 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 trunk of your vehicle. In a trunk, put them as far forward as you can. 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. • Don’t leave an unsecured child restraint in your vehicle. • When you carry something inside the vehicle, secure it whenever you can. • Don’t leave a seat folded down unless you need to. {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: Your warranty does not cover parts or components that fail because of overloading. 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’ll keep going. 4-36 Towing a Trailer {CAUTION: If you don’t 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. You may also damage your vehicle; the resulting repairs would not be covered by your warranty. 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. Your vehicle can tow a trailer if it is equipped with the proper trailer towing equipment. To identify what the vehicle trailering capacity is for your vehicle, you should read the information in “Weight of the Trailer” that appears later in this section. But trailering is different than just driving your vehicle by itself. Trailering means changes in handling, 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. Load-pulling components such as the engine, transaxle, wheel assemblies and tires are forced to work harder against the drag of the added weight. The engine is required to operate at relatively higher speeds and under greater loads, generating extra heat. What’s more, the trailer adds considerably to wind resistance, increasing the pulling requirements. 4-37 Weight of the Trailer How heavy can a trailer safely be? It should never weigh more than 1000 lbs (454 kg). But even that can be too heavy. 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. And, it can also depend on any special equipment that you have on your vehicle. You can ask your dealer for our trailering information or advice, or you can write us at: Pontiac-GMC Customer Assistance Center P.O. Box 33172 Detroit, MI 48232-5172 In Canada, write to: General Motors of Canada Limited Customer Communication Centre, 163-005 1908 Colonel Sam Drive Oshawa, Ontario L1H 8P7 If You Do 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. • Consider using a sway control. You can ask a hitch dealer about sway controls. • Don’t tow a trailer at all during the ﬁrst 1,000 miles (1 600 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. • Obey speed limit restrictions when towing a trailer. Don’t drive faster than the maximum posted speed for trailers, or no more than 55 mph (90 km/h), to save wear on your vehicle’s parts. Three important considerations have to do with weight: • the weight of the trailer, • the weight of the trailer tongue • and the total weight on your vehicle’s tires. 4-38 Weight of the Trailer Tongue The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important weight to measure because it affects the total or 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. And if you tow a trailer, you must add the tongue load to the GVW because your vehicle will be carrying that weight, too. See LoadingYourVehicle on page4-35 for more information about your vehicle’s maximum load capacity. If you’re using a weight-carrying hitch or a weight-distributing hitch, the trailer tongue (A) should weigh 10 to 15 percent of the total loaded trailer weight (B). 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 Tire Loading Information label, found on the inside of the trunk lid, or see LoadingYourVehicleonpage4-35. Then be sure you don’t go over the GVW limit for your vehicle, including the weight of the trailer tongue. 4-39 Hitches It’s important to have the correct hitch equipment. Crosswinds, large trucks going by and rough roads are a few reasons why you’ll need the right hitch. Here are some rules to follow: • The rear bumper on your vehicle is not intended for hitches. Do not attach rental hitches or other bumper-type hitches to it. Use only a frame-mounted hitch that does not attach to the bumper. • Will you have to make any holes in the body of your vehicle when you install a trailer hitch? If you do, then be sure to seal the holes later when you remove the hitch. If you don’t seal them, deadly carbon monoxide (CO) from your exhaust can get into your vehicle. See EngineExhaust on page2-31. Dirt and water can, too. Safety Chains You should always attach chains between your vehicle and your trailer. Cross the safety chains under the tongue of the trailer so that the tongue will not drop to 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. And, never allow safety chains to drag on the ground. Trailer Brakes Because you have anti-lock brakes, do not try to tap into your vehicle’s brake system. If you do, both brake systems won’t work well, or at all. 4-40 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 the trailer hitch and platform (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. 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. 4-41 Your vehicle has bulb warning lights. When you plug a trailer lighting system into your vehicle’s lighting system, its bulb warning lights may not let you know if one of your lamps goes out. So, when you have a trailer lighting system plugged in, be sure to check your vehicle and trailer lamps from time to time to be sure they’re all working. Once you disconnect the trailer lamps, the bulb warning lights again can tell you if one of your vehicle lamps is out. 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. On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your speed to around 45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the possibility of engine and transaxle overheating. If you have overdrive, you may have to drive in THIRD (3) instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D). 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 may need a different turn signal ﬂasher and/or extra wiring. Check with your dealer. 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. 4-42 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, and • 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. 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. 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. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking brake, and then shift to PARK (P). 5. Release the regular brakes. 4-43 Engine Cooling When Trailer Towing Your cooling system may temporarily overheat during severe operating conditions. See EngineOverheating on page5-29. Maintenance When Trailer Towing Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re pulling a trailer. See PartA:ScheduledMaintenance Servicesonpage6-4for more information. Things that are especially important in trailer operation are automatic transaxle ﬂuid (don’t overﬁll), engine oil, drive belts, cooling system and brake system. Each of these is covered in this manual, and the Index will help you ﬁnd them quickly. If you’re trailering, it’s a good idea to review this information before you start your trip. Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts are tight. 4-44 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 ...............................5-7 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 ...................................................5-16 Supercharger Oil ..........................................5-21 Engine Air Cleaner/Filter ................................5-22 Automatic Transaxle Fluid ..............................5-24 Engine Coolant .............................................5-26 Radiator Pressure Cap ..................................5-29 Engine Overheating .......................................5-29 Cooling System ............................................5-32 Power Steering Fluid .....................................5-42 Windshield Washer Fluid ................................5-43 Brakes ........................................................5-45 Battery ........................................................5-48 Jump Starting ...............................................5-49 Headlamp Aiming ...........................................5-56 Bulb Replacement ..........................................5-59 Halogen Bulbs ..............................................5-59 Headlamps and Sidemarker Lamps .................5-60 Front Turn Signal, Parking and Fog Lamps ...............................................5-62 Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) .........5-64 Taillamps, Turn Signal, and Stoplamps ............5-64 Back-Up Lamps ............................................5-65 Replacement Bulbs .......................................5-66 Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement ..............5-67 Tires ..............................................................5-68 Inﬂation -- Tire Pressure ................................5-69 Tire Pressure Monitor System .........................5-70 Tire Inspection and Rotation ...........................5-71 When It Is Time for New Tires .......................5-72 Buying New Tires .........................................5-73 Uniform Tire Quality Grading ..........................5-74 Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance ..................5-75 Wheel Replacement ......................................5-75 Tire Chains ..................................................5-77 5-1 Section 5 Service and Appearance Care If a Tire Goes Flat ........................................5-78 Changing a Flat Tire .....................................5-78 Compact Spare Tire ......................................5-89 Appearance Care ............................................5-90 Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle .................5-90 Care of Safety Belts ......................................5-93 Weatherstrips ...............................................5-93 Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle ..............5-93 Sheet Metal Damage .....................................5-95 Finish Damage .............................................5-95 Underbody Maintenance ................................5-96 Chemical Paint Spotting .................................5-96 GM Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials ...........5-96 Vehicle Identiﬁcation ......................................5-98 Vehicle Identiﬁcation Number (VIN) .................5-98 Service Parts Identiﬁcation Label .....................5-98 Electrical System ............................................5-99 Add-On Electrical Equipment ..........................5-99 Headlamp Wiring ..........................................5-99 Windshield Wiper Fuses ................................5-99 Power Windows and Other Power Options .......5-99 Fuses and Circuit Breakers ............................5-99 Capacities and Speciﬁcations ........................5-104 Capacities and Speciﬁcations ........................5-104 Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts .........5-105 Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts .........5-105 5-2 Service Your dealer knows your vehicle best and wants you to be happy with it. We hope you’ll go to your dealer for all your service needs. You’ll get genuine GM parts and GM-trained and supported service people. We hope you’ll 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’ll 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 page7-10. Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting to do your own service work, see ServicingYourAir Bag-Equipped Vehicle on page1-56. You should keep a record with all parts receipts and list the mileage and the date of any service work you perform. See PartE:MaintenanceRecordonpage6-17. {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 The 8th digit of your vehicle identiﬁcation number (VIN) shows the code letter or number that identiﬁes your engine. You will ﬁnd the VIN at the top left of the instrument panel. See VehicleIdentiﬁcationNumber (VIN) on page5-98. Gasoline Octane If your vehicle has the 3800 V6 engine (VIN Code 2), use regular unleaded gasoline with a posted octane of 87 or higher. If the octane is less than 87, you may get a heavy knocking noise when you drive. If it is bad enough, it can damage your engine. A little pinging noise when you accelerate or drive uphill is considered normal. This does not indicate a problem exists or that a higher-octane fuel is necessary. If your vehicle has the 3800 Supercharged V6 engine (VIN Code 4), 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 it is bad enough, it can 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 MalfunctionIndicatorLamponpage3-40 ) 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 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. Don’t use fuel containing methanol. It can corrode metal parts in your fuel system and also damage the plastic and rubber parts. That damage wouldn’t 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 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. 5-6 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 wouldn’t 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’ll be driving. 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. Don’t smoke if you’re near fuel or refueling your vehicle. Keep sparks, ﬂames and smoking materials away from fuel. Don’t 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. Turn the vehicle off before refueling. 5-7 The fuel cap is located behind a hinged door on the driver’s side of the vehicle. 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. While refueling, let the fuel cap hang by the tether below the fuel ﬁll opening. 5-8 Be careful not to spill fuel. Don’t top off or overﬁll your tank, and wait a few seconds after you have ﬁnished pumping before you remove the nozzle. Clean fuel from painted surfaces as soon as possible. See Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle on page5-93. When you put the fuel cap back on, turn it to the right (clockwise) until you hear three “clicks.” 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 MalfunctionIndicatorLamp on page3-40. {CAUTION: If a ﬁre starts while you’re refueling, don’t remove the nozzle. Shut off the ﬂow of fuel by shutting off the pump or by notifying the station attendant. Leave the area immediately. 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. 5-9 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. • 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. • Don’t 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. 5-10 Hood Release To open the hood, do the following: 1. Pull the hood release handle located inside the vehicle near the parking brake pedal. 2. Go to the front of the vehicle and release the secondary hood latch, located near the center front of the engine compartment, by moving it to the right. 3. Lift 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 3800 V6 Engine When you open the hood on a vehicle equipped with the 3800 V6 engine, you’ll see: 5-12 3800 V6 Engine A. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. (See Windshield Washer Fluid on page5-43.) B. Remote Positive (+) Battery Terminal. (See Jump Starting on page5-49.) C. Battery. (See Battery on page5-48). D. Underhood Fuse Block. (See FusesandCircuit Breakers on page5-99.) E. Radiator Pressure Cap. (See CoolingSystemon page5-32). F. Engine Coolant Recovery Tank. (See “Checking Coolant” under CoolingSystemonpage5-32.) G. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir (low in engine compartment). (See Power Steering Fluid on page5-42.) H. Electric Cooling Fan. (See CoolingSystemon page5-32.) I. Engine Oil Dipstick. (See EngineOilonpage5-16.) J. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See EngineOilonpage5-16. K. Automatic Transaxle Fluid Dipstick. (See Automatic Transaxle Fluid on page5-24.) L. Engine Coolant Bleed Valve. (See “How to Add Coolant to the Radiator” under CoolingSystemon page5-32.) M. Brake Master Cylinder. (See “Brake Fluid” under Brakes on page5-45.) N. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. (See EngineAir Cleaner/Filter on page5-22.) 5-13 3800 V6 Supercharged Engine When you open the hood on a vehicle equipped with the 3800 V6 Supercharged engine, you’ll see: 3800 V6 Supercharged Engine 5-14 A. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. (See Windshield Washer Fluid on page5-43.) B. Remote Positive (+) Battery Terminal. (See Jump Starting on page5-49.) C. Battery. (See Battery on page5-48.) D. Underhood Fuse Block. (See FusesandCircuit Breakers on page5-99.) E. Radiator Pressure Cap. (See CoolingSystemon page5-32.) F. Engine Coolant Recovery Tank. (See “Checking Coolant” under CoolingSystemonpage5-32.) G. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir (low in engine compartment). (See Power Steering Fluid on page5-42.) H. Supercharger Oil Fill Location. (See Supercharger Oil on page5-21.) I. Electric Cooling Fan. (See CoolingSystemon page5-32.) J. Engine Oil Dipstick. (See EngineOilonpage5-16.) K. Engine Oil Fill Cap. (See EngineOilonpage5-16.) L. Engine Coolant Bleed Valve. (See “How to Add Coolant to the Radiator” under CoolingSystemon page5-32.) M. Automatic Transaxle Fluid Dipstick. (See Automatic Transaxle Fluid on page5-24.) N. Brake Master Cylinder. (See “Brake Fluid” under Brakes on page5-45.) O. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. (See EngineAir Cleaner/Filter on page5-22.) 5-15 Engine Oil If this symbol, along with the LOW OIL LEVEL message appears on the Driver Information Center (DIC), it means you need to check your engine oil level right away. For more information, see “LOW OIL LEVEL” under DIC Warnings and Messages on page3-65. You should check your engine oil level regularly; this is an added reminder. Checking Engine Oil It’s 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. 5-16 When to Add Engine Oil If the oil is at or below the cross-hatched area at the tip of the dipstick, then you’ll 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 CapacitiesandSpeciﬁcations on page5-104. Notice: Don’t add too much oil. If your engine has so much oil that the oil level gets above the cross-hatched area 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 in the cross-hatched area. Push the dipstick all the way back in when you’re through. 5-17 What Kind of Engine Oil to Use Look for two things: • GM6094M Your vehicle’s engine requires oil meeting GM Standard GM6094M. You should look for and use only an oil that meets GM Standard GM6094M. • SAE 5W-30 As shown in the viscosity chart, SAE 5W-30 is best for your vehicle. However, if it’s going to be 0°F (-18°C) or above and SAE 5W-30 is not available, you may use SAE 10W-30. These numbers on an oil container show its viscosity, or thickness. Do not use other viscosity oils such as SAE 20W-50. 5-18 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 information on the oil container, and use only those oils that are identiﬁed as meeting GM Standard GM6094M and have the starburst symbol on the front of the oil container. Notice: Use only engine oil identiﬁed as meeting GM Standard GM6094M and showing the American Petroleum Institute Certiﬁed For Gasoline Engines starburst symbol. Failure to use the recommended oil can result in engine damage not covered by your warranty. GM Goodwrench® oil meets all the requirements for your vehicle. If you are in an area of extreme cold, where the temperature falls below - 20°F (- 29°C), it is recommended that you use either an SAE 5W-30 synthetic oil or an SAE 0W-30 oil. Both will provide easier cold starting and better protection for your engine at extremely low temperatures. Engine Oil Additives Don’t add anything to your oil. The recommended oils with the starburst symbol that meet GM Standard GM6094M are all you will need for good performance and engine protection. 5-19 How to Reset the GM Oil Life System 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 SOON message appearing on the DIC, reset the system. To reset the GM Oil Life System, after the oil has been changed, use the following procedure: 1. Press the options button on the DIC until ENGINE OIL MONITOR appears on the DIC screen. 2. Press the set/reset button to reset the system. The next screen indicates that the engine oil monitor system has been reset. If the vehicle is equipped with the trip computer DIC, when the gage button is pressed and the OIL LIFE REMAINING mode appears, it should read 100 percent OIL LIFE REMAINING. 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 SOON light 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. 5-20 What to Do with Used Oil Used engine oil contains certain elements that may be unhealthy for your skin and could even cause cancer. Don’t 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. Supercharger Oil Unless you are technically qualiﬁed and have the proper tools, you should let your dealer or a qualiﬁed service center perform this maintenance. See EngineCompartmentOverviewonpage5-12 for the Supercharger Oil ﬁll location. When to Check Check oil level every 30,000 miles (50 000 km) or every 36 months, whichever occurs ﬁrst. What Kind of Oil to Use Use only the recommended supercharger oil. See PartD: RecommendedFluidsandLubricantsonpage6-16. 5-21 How to Check and Add Oil Park the vehicle on a level surface. Check oil only when the engine is cold. Allow the engine to cool two to three hours after running. {CAUTION: If you remove the supercharger oil ﬁll plug while the engine is hot, pressure may cause hot oil to blow out of the oil ﬁll hole. You may be burned. Do not remove the plug until the engine cools. 1. Clean the area around the oil ﬁll plug before removing it. 2. Remove the oil ﬁll plug. 3. The oil level is correct when it just reaches the bottom of the threads of the inspection hole. 4. Replace the oil plug with the O-ring in place. Tighten to 88 lb-in (10 Y). Engine Air Cleaner/Filter The engine air cleaner/ﬁlter is located in the engine compartment on the driver’s side of the vehicle. See EngineCompartmentOverviewonpage5-12 for more information on location. When to Inspect the Engine Air Cleaner/Filter Inspect the air cleaner/ﬁlter every 15,000 miles (25,000 km) and replace every 30,000 miles (50,000 km). 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. 5-22 To inspect or replace the engine air cleaner/ﬁlter do the following: 1. Loosen the two clips on the top of the engine air cleaner/ﬁlter housing and lift the ﬁlter cover tabs out of the housing. 2. Push the ﬁlter cover housing toward the engine. 3. Pull out the ﬁlter. 4. Check or install a new engine air cleaner/ﬁlter. See NormalMaintenanceReplacementPartson page5-105. 5. To reinstall the cover, position the tabs through the slots on the housing. A notch on the sides of the ﬁlter cover will indicate the correct engagement. Reinstall the two clips on the top of the housing when you are ﬁnished. {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 isn’t there and the engine backﬁres, you could be burned. Don’t 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. 5-23 Automatic Transaxle Fluid When to Check and Change A good time to check your automatic transaxle ﬂuid level is when the engine oil is changed. Change both the ﬂuid and ﬁlter every 50,000 miles (83 000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or more of these conditions: • In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature regularly reaches 90°F (32°C) or higher. • In hilly or mountainous terrain. • When doing frequent trailer towing. • Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery service. If you do not use your vehicle under any of these conditions, change the ﬂuid and ﬁlter at 100,000 miles (166 000 km). See PartA:ScheduledMaintenanceServiceson page6-4. How to Check 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 on the dipstick. Notice: Too much or too little ﬂuid can damage your transaxle. Too much can mean that some of the ﬂuid could come out and fall on hot engine or exhaust system parts, starting a ﬁre. Too little ﬂuid could cause the transaxle to overheat. Be sure to get an accurate reading if you check your transaxle ﬂuid. Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the transaxle 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. 5-24 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’s colder than 50°F (10°C), you may have to drive longer. Checking the Fluid Level Prepare your vehicle as follows: • Park your vehicle on a level place. Keep the engine running. • With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever in PARK (P). • 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). • Let the engine run at idle for three to ﬁve minutes. Then, without shutting off the engine, follow these steps: The transaxle ﬂuid dipstick handle is the red loop located near the rear of the engine. See Engine CompartmentOverviewon page5-12 for more information on location. 1. 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. 5-25 Notice: We recommend you use only ﬂuid labeled DEXRON®-III, because ﬂuid with that label is made especially for your automatic transaxle. Damage caused by ﬂuid other than DEXRON®-III is not covered by your new vehicle warranty. 3. After adding ﬂuid, recheck the ﬂuid level as described under “How to Check” listed previously in this section. 4. When the correct ﬂuid level is obtained, push the dipstick back in all the way. 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. 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 EngineOverheatingonpage5-29. 3. Check both sides of the dipstick, and read the lower level. The ﬂuid level must be in the cross-hatched area. If the ﬂuid level is in the acceptable range, push the dipstick back in all the way. 4. How to Add Fluid Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what kind of transaxle ﬂuid to use. See Part D: RecommendedFluidsandLubricantsonpage6-16. If the ﬂuid level is low, add only enough of the proper ﬂuid to bring the level into the cross-hatched area on the dipstick. 1. Pull out the dipstick. 2. Using a long-neck funnel, add enough ﬂuid at the dipstick hole to bring it to the proper level. It doesn’t take much ﬂuid, generally less than one pint (0.5 L). Don’t overﬁll. 5-26 A 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and DEX-COOL® engine 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: When adding coolant, it is important that you use only DEX-COOL® (silicate-free) coolant. If coolant other than DEX-COOL® is added to the system, premature engine, heater core or radiator corrosion may result. In addition, the engine coolant will require change sooner – at 30,000 miles (50,000 km) or 24 months, whichever occurs ﬁrst. Damage caused by the use of coolant other than DEX-COOL® is not covered by your new vehicle warranty. What to Use Use a mixture of one-half clean, drinkable water and one-half DEX-COOL® engine 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 wouldn’t get the overheat warning. Your engine could catch ﬁre and you or others could be burned. Use a 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and DEX-COOL® coolant. Notice: If you use an improper coolant mixture, your engine could overheat and be badly damaged. The repair cost wouldn’t 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 don’t have to add extra inhibitors or additives which claim to improve the system. These can be harmful. 5-27 Checking Coolant The coolant recovery tank is located in the engine compartment toward the rear of the engine on the passenger’s side of the vehicle. See Engine Compartment Overview on page5-12 for more information on location. The vehicle must be on a level surface when checking the coolant level. When your engine is cold, the coolant level should be at the COLD mark or a little higher. Adding Coolant This symbol, along with the LOW COOLANT LEVEL warning message will appear in the Driver Information Center (DIC) when coolant needs to be added to the coolant recovery tank. See DICControlsandDisplaysonpage3-45 for more information. If you need more coolant, add the proper DEX-COOL® coolant mixture at the coolant recovery tank, but be careful not to spill it. If the coolant recovery tank is completely empty, add coolant to the radiator. See EngineOverheatingon page5-29. When your engine is warm, the level should be up to the HOT mark or a little higher. 5-28 {CAUTION: Turning the radiator pressure cap when the engine and radiator are hot can allow steam and scalding liquids to blow out and burn you badly. With the coolant recovery tank, you will almost never have to add coolant at the radiator. Never turn the radiator 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. Don’t spill coolant on a hot engine. Occasionally check the coolant level in the radiator. For information on how to add coolant to the radiator, see Cooling System on page5-32. Radiator Pressure Cap Notice: Your radiator cap is a pressure-type cap and must be tightly installed to prevent coolant loss and possible engine damage from overheating. Be sure the arrows on the cap line up with the overﬂow tube on the radiator ﬁller neck. The radiator pressure cap is located in the front of the engine compartment on the passenger’s side, near the diagonal cross brace. See EngineCompartment Overviewonpage5-12 for more information on location. Engine Overheating You will ﬁnd a coolant temperature gage and a warning light concerning an overheated engine condition on the instrument panel cluster. See EngineCoolant TemperatureGageonpage3-39 and EngineCoolant Temperature Warning Light on page3-39. 5-29 Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode This emergency operating mode allows your vehicle to be driven to a safe place in an emergency situation. If an overheated engine condition exists, an overheat protection mode which alternates ﬁring groups of cylinders helps prevent engine damage. In this mode, you will notice a signiﬁcant loss in power and engine performance. The engine coolant temperature gage will indicate an overheat condition exists. Driving extended miles (km) and/or towing a trailer in the overheat protection mode should be avoided. Notice: After driving in the overheated engine protection operating mode, to avoid engine damage, allow the engine to cool before attempting any repair. The engine oil will be severely degraded. Repair the cause of coolant loss, change the oil and reset the oil life system. See “Engine Oil” in the Index. 5-30 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 CAUTION: (Continued) CAUTION: (Continued) down. Wait until there is no sign of steam or coolant before you open the hood. If you keep driving when your engine is overheated, the liquids in it can catch ﬁre. You or others could be badly burned. Stop your engine if it overheats, and get out of the vehicle until the engine is cool. See “Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode” in the Index for information on driving to a safe place in an emergency. Notice: If your engine catches ﬁre because you keep driving with no coolant, your vehicle can be badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be covered by your warranty. See “Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode” in the Index for information on driving to a safe place in an emergency. If No Steam is Coming From Your Engine An overheat warning can indicate a serious problem. 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. 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’s 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. 5-31 Cooling System When you decide it’s safe to lift the hood, here’s what you’ll see: 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, and you have not stopped, pull over, stop, and park your vehicle right away. If there’s still no sign of steam, you can idle the engine for three minutes while you’re parked. If you still have the warning, turn off the engine and get everyone out of the vehicle until it cools down. Also, see “Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode” listed previously in this section. You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service help right away. 3800 V6 Engine 5-32 3800 V6 Supercharged A. Coolant Recovery Tank B. Electric Engine Cooling Fan C. Radiator Pressure Cap {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 recovery tank is boiling, don’t do anything else until it cools down. The vehicle should be parked on a level surface. 5-33 When the engine is cold, the coolant level should be at or above the COLD mark on the coolant recovery tank. If it isn’t, you may have a leak at the pressure cap or in the radiator hoses, heater hoses, radiator, water pump or somewhere else in the cooling system. {CAUTION: Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine parts, can be very hot. Don’t touch them. If you do, you can be burned. CAUTION: (Continued) 5-34 CAUTION: (Continued) Don’t run the engine if there is a leak. If you run the engine, it could lose all coolant. That could cause an engine ﬁre, and you could be burned. Get any leak ﬁxed before you drive the vehicle. If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check to see if the electric engine cooling fans are running. If the engine is overheating, both fans should be running. If they aren’t, your vehicle needs service. Notice: Engine damage from running your engine without coolant isn’t 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: When adding coolant, it is important that you use only DEX-COOL® (silicate-free) coolant. If coolant other than DEX-COOL® is added to the system, premature engine, heater core or radiator corrosion may result. In addition, the engine coolant will require change sooner — at 30,000 miles (50 000 km) or 24 months, whichever occurs ﬁrst. Damage caused by the use of coolant other than DEX-COOL® is not covered by your new vehicle warranty. How to Add Coolant to the Coolant Recovery Tank {CAUTION: Adding only plain water to your cooling system can be dangerous. Plain water, or some other liquid such as alcohol, can boil before the proper coolant mixture will. Your vehicle’s coolant warning system is set for the proper coolant mixture. With plain water or the wrong mixture, your engine could get too hot but you wouldn’t get the overheat warning. Your engine could catch ﬁre and you or others could be burned. Use a 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and DEX-COOL® coolant. If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant level isn’t at the COLD mark, add a 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and DEX-COOL® engine coolant at the coolant recovery tank. See EngineCoolanton page5-26 for more information. 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. Don’t spill coolant on a hot engine. 5-35 When the coolant in the coolant recovery tank is at the COLD mark, start your vehicle. If the overheat warning continues, there’s one more thing you can try. You can add the proper coolant mixture directly to the radiator, but be sure the cooling system is cool before you do it. {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 radiator pressure cap -- even a little -- they can come out at high speed. Never turn the cap when the cooling system, including the radiator pressure cap, is hot. Wait for the cooling system and radiator pressure cap to cool if you ever have to turn the pressure cap. 5-36 How to Add Coolant to the Radiator Notice: Your engine has a speciﬁc radiator ﬁll procedure. Failure to follow this procedure could cause your engine to overheat and be severely damaged. You can remove the radiator pressure cap when the cooling system, including the radiator pressure cap and upper radiator hose, is no longer hot. 1. Turn the pressure cap slowly counterclockwise until it ﬁrst stops. Don’t press down while turning the pressure cap. If you hear a hiss, wait for that to stop. A hiss means there is still some pressure left. The radiator pressure cap is located on the passenger’s side of the vehicle in the front of the engine compartment, near the battery and the diagonal cross brace. See EngineCompartmentOverviewonpage5-12 for more information on location. 5-37 3. If the vehicle has the 3800 V6 engine, remove the Series III V6 engine cover shield to access the bleed valve.

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2004 Pontiac Grand PRIX Owners Manual