Service & Appearance Care
Engine Oil (CONTI
Just fill it enough to put the level
somewhere
in the proper operating
range. Push the dipstick
all the way
back
in when you’re through.
2.3L Quad OHC and Quad 4: Adding
Engine Oil
3300 V6: Adding Engine 011
What Kind of Oil to Use
Look for Three Things:
SG
“SG” must be on the oil container,
either by itself or combined with other
quality designations, such as “SG/CC,” “SG/CD,”
“SF, SG, CC,”
etc. These letters show American
Petroleum Institute
(API) levels of
quality.
mm. 210
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...
Service & Appearance Care
Air Cleaner (CONI)
3300 V6: Air Filter Replacement
1. Unscrew the two wing nuts, then
slide
the cover forward and up.
216
2. Remove the air cleaner.
3. Be sure to install the air cleaner filter
and replace the cover.
Automatic Tmnsax/e Fluid
When to Check and Change:
A good time to check your automatic
transaxle fluid level is when the engine
oil is changed. Refer
to the Maintenance
Schedule to determine when to change
your fluid. See the
Index under
Scheduled Maintenance Services.
How to Check:
Because this operation can be a little
difficult, you may choose to have this
done at a Pontiac 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.
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Service & Appearance Care
Automatic Transaxle Fluid (CONT.)
How To Add Fluid:
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to
determine what kind of transaxle fluid to
use. See the
Index under Fluids &
Lubricants.
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.
It doesn’t take much fluid, generally less
than a pint. Don’t overfill. We
recommend you use only fluid
labeled DEXRON@-IIE, because fluids
with that label are made especially for
your automatic transaxle. Damage caused by fluid other than
DEXRON@-IIE is not covered by your
new vehicle warranty.
After adding fluid, recheck the fluid
level as described under
How tu Check.
When the correct fluid level is obtained,
push the dipstick back in all the way.
Manual Transaxle Fluid
When to Check:
A good time to have it checked is when
the engine oil is changed. However, the
fluid in your manual transaxle doesn’t
require changing.
How to Check:
Because this operation can be a little
difficult, you may choose to have this
done at a Pontiac 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.
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Service fS Appearance Care
Brake Master Cylinder (CONI)
I 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.
When your brake fluid falls to a low
level, your brake warning light will
come on. See the
Index under Brake
System Warning Light.
What to Add:
When you do need brake fluid, use only
DOT-3 brake fluid-such as Delco
Supreme
ll@ (GM Part No. 1052535).
Use new brake fluid from a sealed
container only.
I DOT-5 silicone brake fluid can
;'Don't let someone put in the
:> 1 I :, !wrong i kind of fluid. For
example, just a few drops of
I , mineral-based oil, such as engine
-.?,'oil, in your brake system can
damage brake system parts
so
damage your vehicle. Don't use it.
". ,
I : '
" 1. , badly that they
; -qeplaced. %>, , .
Brake fluid can damage paint, so
be careful not to spill brake fluid
on your vehicle.
-
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a modern vehicle
is complex. Its many parts have to be of
top quality and work well together
if the
vehicle is to have really good braking.
Vehicles we design and test have top-
quality
GM brake parts in them, as your
Pontiac does when
it is new. When you
replace parts of your bralung system-
for example, when your brake linings
wear down and you have to have new
ones put in-be sure you get new
genuine
GM replacement parts. If you
don't, your brakes may no longer work
properly. For example,
if someone puts
in brake linings that are wrong for your
vehicle, the balance between your front
and rear brakes can change, for the
worse. The braking performance you've
come to expect can change
in many
other ways
if someone puts in the wrong
replacement brake parts.
m.. 226
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3 IMPORTANT
KEEP ENGINE OIL
AT THE PROPER
LEVEL AND CHANGE AS
RECOMMENDED
This part covers the maintenance
required for your Pontiac
. Your
vehicle needs these services to
retain its safety. dependability and
emission control performance
.
Section
Part 7
Maintenance Schedule
Have you purchased the
GM Protection Plan?
The Plan supplements your new vehicle warranties
.
See your Pontiac dealer for details .
Introduction
A Word About Maintenance ............................ 260
Your Vehicle and the Environment
......................... 260
How This Part is Organized ............................... 261
Using Your Maintenance Schedules
........................ 262
Selecting the Right Schedule
.............................. 262
Schedule1
............................................ 264
ScheduleII
......................................... 266
Explanation
of Scheduled Maintenance Services . . ... 268
A . Scheduled Maintenance Services
B . Owner Checks & Services
AtEachFuelFill ....................................... 271
At Least Once a Month
.................................. 271
At Least Once a Year
.................................... 272
C . Periodic Maintenance Inspections ........................... 275
D . Recommended Fluids & Lubricants ......................... 276
E . MaintenanceRecord ...................................... 278
259
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ITEM
NO. SERVICE
5 Engine Accessory Drive Belt Inspection*-
Inspect the belt. for cracks, fraying, wear and
proper tension. Replace
as needed.
6 Cooling System Service*-Drain, flush and refill
the system with new or approved recycled coolant
conforming to
GM Specification 1825M. Keep
coolant at the proper mixture as specified. See the
Index under Coolant. This provides proper freeze
protection, corrosion inhibitor level and engine
operating temperature.
Inspect hoses and replace if they are cracked,
swollen or deteriorated. Clean the outside of the
surge
tank and air conditioning condenser.
To help ensure proper operation, we recommend a
pressure test
of both the cooling system and the
surge
tank pressure cap.
doesn’t require changing.
7 Transaxle Service-For a manual transaxle, fluid
ITEM
NO. SERVICE
For an automatic transaxle, change both the fluid
and filter every
15,000 miles (25 OOO krn) 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
(32OC) or higher.
In hilly or mountainous terrain.
When doing frequent trailer towing. With some
models, you shouldn’t even tow a trailer. See the
Index under Towing a Trailer.
Uses such as found in taxi, police car or delivery
service.
8
9
If you do not use your vehicle under any of
these conditions, change both the fluid and filter
every 100,000 miles
(160 000 km).
Spark Plug Replacement *-Replace spark plugs
with the proper type. See the
Index under
Replacement Parts.
Spark Plug Wire Inspection (3300 V6 Code N
engine)**-Inspect for burns, cracks or other
damage. Check the boot fit at the coils and at the
spark plugs, Replace wires as needed.
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Section B: Owner Checks 6 Services
Listed below are owner checks and services which should
be performed at the intervals specified to help ensure the
safety, dependability and emission control performance of
your vehicle. Be
sure any necessary repairs are completed at once.
Whenever any fluids or lubricants are added to your
vehicle, make sure they are the proper ones, as shown in
Section
D.
At Each Fuel Fill (It is important for you or a service station attendant to perhrm these underhood checks at each fuel fill.)
CHECK
I OR SERVICE I WHAT TO DO
Engine Oil Level
I Engine Coolant Level
I
I
Windshield Washer
Fluid Level Check the
engine oil level and add the proper oil if necessary. See the
Index under Engine Oil for
further details.
Check the engine coolant level in the surge
tank and add the proper coolant mix if necessary. See
the Index under Coolant for further details.
Check the windshield washer fluid level in the windshield washer
tank and add the proper fluid
if necessary. See the
Index under Windshield Washer Fluid for further details.
At Least Once a Month
CHECK
WHAT TO DO OR SERVICE
Tire Inflation Check tire inflation: make sure they are inflated to the pressures specified on the Tire-Loading
Information label located on the rear edge of the driver's door. See the
IndRx under Eres for
further details.
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Buckling Up (see Safety Belts)
Bulb Replacement
Fog Lights
.................. 229
Headlight
.............. .228. 254
Taillight
........... .229. 254
Capacities
& Specifications ...... 251
Carbon Monoxide in Exhaust
.. .66. 67
Cassette Tape Player
Center Passenger Position
......... 28
Chains. Safety
................. 164
Chains. Tire
.............. .193. 238
Changing a Flat Tire
............ 186
Charging System Warning Light
.... 95
“Check Gauges’’ Light ........... 99
Check Oil Light ............... 94
Checking
Brake Fluid
.................. 225
Engine Coolant
............... 222
Engine Oil Level
............. 209
Hydraulic Clutch
............. 220
Power Steering Fluid
.......... 224
Safety Belt Systems
............ 40
Transaxle Fluid
Automatic
................. 216
(see Audio Systems)
Dm. 294
Manual ................... 218
Checking Things Under the Hood
.............. 204
Checks
& Services. Owner ....... 271
Chemical Paint Spotting
.......... 246
Child Restraints
................. 30
Children and Safety Belts
..... .29. 38
Cigarette Lighter
................ 85
Circuit Breakers & Fuses ......... 248
City Driving
................... 147
Cleaner, Air
.............. .214. 257
Cleaning Aluminum Wheels
............ 244
Antenna
..................... 119
Cassette Player and Tapes
....... 118
Compact Discs
............... 119
Fabric
...................... 240
Finish Damage
............... 246
Foreign Material
.............. 245
Glass
...................... 243
Inside of Your Pontiac
......... 240
Leather and Vinyl
............. 242
Outside of Your Pontiac
........ 243
Safety Belts
.................. 242
Sheet Metal Damage
.......... 245
Special Problems
............. 241
Top
of the Instrument Panel ..... 242 Underbody Maintenance
....... 246
Using Solvent Type Cleaner
..... 241
Warnings
...... .239. 240. 242. 244
Weatherstrips
................ 245
White Sidewall Tires .......... 244
Windshield and Wiper Blades
... 243
Climate Control System
.......... 102
Clock. Setting
the ............... 107
Clutch. Hydraulic Adding Fluid
........... .220. 253
Checking Fluid
............... 220
Coin Holder
.................... 84
Comfort Controls
............... 101
Air Conditioning System
....... 103
Climate Control System
........ 102
Defrosting
................... 102
Heater
...................... 102
Ventilation
............ .102. 104
Compact Disc Player
(see
Audio Systems)
Compact Spare Tire ........ .192. 304
Control of a Vehicle
............. 129
Controlled-Cycle Windshield Wipers
. . 80
Convex Outside Mirror ........... 81
Coolant
....................... 221
Checking
& Adding .. .222. 251. 253
Low Coolant Warning Light
...... 93
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