1994 PONTIAC GRAND-AM Owners Manual

Problems on the Road
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.
..
locking Your Vehicle to Get it Out:
‘irst, turn your steering wheel left and
ight. That will clear the area around your
ront wheels. Then shift back and forth
letween REVERSE (R) and a forward
ear (or with a manual transaxle, between
IRST
(1) or SECOND (2) and
.EVERSE
(R)), spinning the wheels as
ttle as possible. Release
the accelerator
edal while you shift, and press lightly
on
le accelerator pedal when the transaxle is
1 gear. If that doesn’t get you out after a
:w tries, you may need to be towed out.
F you do need to be towed out, see
Towing Your Pontiac”
in the Index.
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Part 6
Service & Appearance Care
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Service & Appearance Care
Service
Your Pontiac 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 the marks above.
Doing Your Own Service
Work
If you want to do some of your own
service work, you’ll want to get the
proper Pontiac Service Manual. It tells
you much more about how
to service your
Pontiac than this manual can.
To order the
proper service manual, see “Service Publications’’
in the Index.
Your vehicle has an air bag system.
Before attempting to do your own service
work, see “Servicing Your Air
Bag-Equipped Pontiac”
in the Index.
You should keep a record with all parts
receipts and list the mileage and the date
of any service work you perform. See
“Maintenance Record”
in the Index.
NOTICE:
If you try to do your own service
work without knowing enough
about
it, your vehicle could he
damaged.
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I Fuel
!.3L Quad OHC and Quad 4 Engines
Codes
3 and D) and 3.1L V6 Engine
Code
M):
’he 8th digit of your Vehicle
dentification Number (VIN) shows the
:ode letter for your engine. You will find
he VIN at the top left of your instrument
)anel. (See “Vehicle Identification
Vumber”
in the Index.)
Use regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87
octane or higher. It should meet
specifications ASTM D4814 in the
U.S.
and CGSB 3.5-92 in Canada. These fuels
should have the proper additives,
so you
should not have to add anything
to the
fuel.
In the U.S. and Canada, it’s easy to be
sure you get
the right kind of gasoline
(unleaded). You’ll see “UNLEADED’
right on the pump. And only unleaded
nozzles will fit into your vehicle’s filler
neck.
Be sure the posted octane is at least 87. If
the octane is less than
87, you may get a
heavy knocking noise when you drive.
If
it’s bad enough,-it can damage your
engine.
If you’re using fuel rated at 87 octane or
higher and
you still hear heavy knoclung,
your engine needs service. But don’t
worry
if you hear a little pinging noise
when you’re accelerating or driving up a
hill. That’s normal, and you don’t have to
buy a higher octane fuel
to get rid of
pinging. It’s the heavy, constant knock
that means you have a problem.
What about gasoline with blending
materials that contain oxygen
(oxygenates), such as MTBE or alcohol?
MTBE is “methyl tertiary-butyl ether.’’
Fuel that
is no more’than 15% MTBE is
fine for your vehicle.
Ethanol is ethyl or grain alcohol.
Properly-blended fuel that is no more
than
10% ethanol is fine for your vehicle.
Methanol is methyl or wood alcohol.
NOTICE:
Fuel that is more than 5% methanol
is bad for your vehicle. Don’t
use it.
It can corrode metal. parts in yohs
fuel system and also, damage plastic
and rubber parts. That damage
wouldn’t be covered under your
warranty. And even at
5% or less,
there must be “cosolvents” and
corrosion preventers in
this fuel to
help avoid these problems.
171 ...
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Service & Appearance Care
Fuel
2.3L High Output Quad 4 Engine
(Code A):
The 8th digit of your Vehicle
Identification Number (VIN) shows the
code letter for your engine. You will find
the VIN at the top left of your instrument
panel. (See “Vehicle Identification
Number” in the Index.)
Use premium unleaded gasoline rated at
91 octane
or higher. You may use middle
grade or regular unleaded gasolines, but
your vehicle may not accelerate as well.
The gasoline you use should meet
specifications ASTM D4814 in the
U.S.
and CGSB 3.5-92 in Canada. These fuels
should have the proper additives,
so you
should not have to add anything to the
fuel.
In the U.S. and Canada, it’s easy to be
sure you get the right kind of gasoline
(unleaded). You’ll see “UNLEADED’
right on the pump. And only unleaded
nozzles will fit into your vehicle’s filler
neck.
Be sure the posted octane for premium is
at least 91 (at least 89 for middle grade
and
87 for regular). If the octane is less
than
87, you may get a heavy knocking
noise when you drive. If it’s bad enough,
it can damage your engine.
If you’re using fuel rated at 91 octane or
higher and you still hear heavy knocking,
your engine needs service. But don’t
worry
if you hear a little pinging noise
when you’re accelerating or driving up a
hill. That’s normal and you don’t have to
buy a higher octane fuel to get rid of
pinging. It’s the heavy, constant knock
that means you have a problem.
What about gasoline with blending
materials that contain oxygen
(oxygenates), such as MTBE or alcohol?
MTBE is “methyl tertiary-butyl ether.’’
Fuel that
is no more than 15% MTBE is
Fine for your vehicle.
Ethanol is ethyl or grain alcohol.
Properly-blended fuel that is no more
than
10% ethanol is fine for your vehicle.
Methanol is methyl or wood alcohol.
NOTICE:
Fuel that is more than 5% methanol
is bad for your vehicle. Don’t use it.
It can corrode metal parts in your
fuel system and also damage plastic
and rubber parts. That damage
wouldn’t be covered under your
warranty. And even at
5% or less,
there must be “cosolvents” and
corrosion preventers in this fuel
to
help avoid these problems.
. . 172
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Gasolines for Cleaner Air
Your use of gasoline with deposit control
additives will help prevent deposits from
forming in your engine and fuel system.
That helps keep your engine in tune and
your emission control system working
properly. It’s good for your vehicle, and
you’ll be doing your part for cleaner air.
Many gasolines are now blended with
oxygenates. General Motors recommends
that you use gasolines with these blending
materials, such as MTBE and ethanol. By
doing
so, you can help clean the air,
especially in those parts of the country
that have high carbon monoxide levels.
[n addition, some gasoline suppliers are
now producing reformulated gasolines.
These gasolines are specially designed to
reduce vehicle emissions. General Motors
recommends that you use reformulated
gasoline. By doing
so, you can help clean
the air, especially in those parts of the
zountry that have high ozone levels.
You should ask your service station
lperators
if their gasolines contain deposit
zontrol additives and oxygenates, and if
:hey have been reformulated to reduce
fehicle emissions.
Fuels in Foreign
Countries
If you plan on driving in another country
outside the
U.S. or Canada, unleaded fuel
may be hard to find. Do not use leaded
gasoline. If you use even one tankful,
your emission controls won’t work well
or at all. With continuous use, spark plugs
can get fouled, the exhaust system can
corrode, and your engine oil can
deteriorate quickly. Your vehicle’s oxygen
sensor will be damaged. All of that means
costly repairs that wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
To check on fuel availability, ask an auto
club, or contact a major oil company that
does business in the country where you’ll
be driving.
You can also write us at the following
address for advice. Just tell
us where
you’re going and give your Vehicle
Identification Number
(VIN).
General Motors Overseas Distribution
Corporation,
North American Export Sales (NAES)
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario
L 1 H 8P7
173...
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Service & Appearance Care
N Remote Fuel Filler
Door Release
The remote fuel filler door release can
help keep your fuel
tank from being
siphoned. Always be sure the fuel door
is
closed and latched after refueling.
To open the fuel door (on the right rear
quarter panel),
pull the fuel access handle
on the floor by the driver's seat.
rn Filling Your Tank
The cap is behind a hinged door on the
right side of your vehicle. To take
off the
cap, turn it slowly to the left
(counterclockwise).
While refueling, hang the cap inside the
fuel
door.
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Be careful not to spill gasoline. Clean
gasoline from painted surfaces as soon as
possible. See “Cleaning the Outside of
Your Pontiac”
In the Index.
When you put the cap back on, turn it to
the right
until you hear at least three
clicks.
NOTICE:
If you need a new 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 or have proper
venting, and your fuel
tank and
emissions system might be
damaged.
Checking Things
Under the Hood
The following sections tell you how to
check fluids, lubricants and important
parts underhood.
Hood Release
To open the hood, first pull the handle
inside the vehicle.
Then go to the front of the vehicle and
press the secondary hood release handle
to the right.
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