Page 249 of 392
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your
vehicle. This section begins with service and fuel
information, and then
it shows how to check important
fluid and lubricant levels. There is also technical
information about your vehicle, and
a part devoted to its
appearance care.
Service
Your GM 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:
6-1
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Doing Your Own Service W(
If you want to do some of your own service work, you’ll
want to get
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
and Owner 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 Vehicle” 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.
A 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, and the proper replacement
parts and tools before you attempt any
vehicle maintenance task.
Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts and
other fasteners. “English” and 44metric”
fasteners can be easily confused. If you use
the wrong fasteners, parts can later break
or
fall off. You could be hurt.
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Page 251 of 392

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Fuel
Use regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or
higher. At a minimum, it should meet specifications
ASTM
D4814 in the United States and CGSB 3.5-M93
in Canada. Improved gasoline specifications have been
developed by the American Automobile Manufacturers
Association (AAMA) for better vehicle performance
and engine protection. Gasolines meeting the AAMA
specification could provide improved driveability and
emission control system protection compared to
other gasolines.
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 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.
If your vehicle is certified to meet California Emission
Standards (indicated
on the underhood tune-up label), it
is designed to operate og fuels that meet California
specifications. If such fuels are
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 on
your instrument panel may
turn on and/or your vehicle
may fail a smog-check test. If this occurs, return to your
authorized GM dealer for diagnosis to determine
the
cause of failure. In the event it is determined that the
cause of the condition is the type of fuels used, repairs
‘may
not be covered by your warranty.
In Canada, some gasolines contain an octane enhancing
additive called MMT. If
you see such fuels, your
emission control system performance may deteriorate
and the malfunction indicator lamp
on your instrument
panel may turn on.
If this happens, return to your
authorized GM dealer for service.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine To .provide cleaner air, all gasolines are now required to
contain additives that will help prevent deposits from
forming in your engine and fuel system, allowing your
emission control system
to function properly. Therefore,
you should not have
to add anything to the fuel. In
addition, gasolines containing oxygenates, such as ethers
and ethanol, and reformulated gasolines may be
available in your area to help clean the air. General
Motors recommends that
you use these gasolines if they
comply with
the specifications described earlier.
NOTICE:
~~~ ~
Your vehicle was not designed for fuel that
contains methanol. 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.
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 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
Page 253 of 392
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Filling Your Tank The fuel cap is behind a hinged door on the driver’s side
of your vehicle.
To take off the cap, turn it slowly to the left
(counterclockwise).
JTION:
-
Gasoline vapor is highly flammable. It burns
violently, and that can cause very bad injuries.
Don’t smoke if you’re near gasoline or refueling
your vehicle. Keep sparks, flames and smoking
materials away from gasoline.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If you get gasoline on yourself and then
something ignites it, you could be badly burned.
Gasoline can spray out on you if you open the
fuel filler cap too quickly. This spray can happen
if your tank is nearly full, and is more likely in
hot weather. Open the fuel filler cap slowly and
wait for any “hiss” noise to stop. Then unscrew
the cap all the
way.
Be careful not to spill gasoline. Clean gasoline from
painted surfaces as soon as possible. See “Cleaning the
Outside
of Your Vehicle” in the Index. When you put the
cap back on, turn
it to the right until
you hear at least 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
“Malfunction Indicator Lamp”
in the Index.
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.
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Page 255 of 392
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Checking Things Under the Hood
To open the hood, first pull
the handle inside the vehicle
on the lower driver's side of
the instrument panel.
Then go to the front of the vehicle and release the
secondary hood release. Lift the hood, release
the hood
prop from its retainer and
put the hood prop into the slot
in the hood. You may
have a
lnnl~ that cn'qes *n when you lift the hood.
.. .: '_* , . . .I.
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts and
start a fire. These include liquids like gasoline,
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.
6-7
Page 256 of 392
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When you lift the hood, you'll see these items:
A. Transmission Dipstick
B. Engine Oil Fill
C. Brake Master Cylinder
D. Coolant Recovery Tank
E. Engine Oil Dipstick F.
Power Steering Reservoir
G. Battery
H. Air Cleaner
I. Windshield Washer Fluid
6-8