
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 4. After  you’ve  used  the  coolant  heater,  be sure to 
store  the cord  as it  was  before 
to keep  it  away 
from  moving  engine parts. If  you  don’t, 
it could 
be  damaged. 
How  long  should  you  keep the  coolant  heater  plugged 
in? The answer  depends 
on the  outside  temperature,  the 
kind 
of oil you have,  and so.me other  things.  Instead  of 
trying  to list  everything  here,  we  ask that 
you contact 
your 
GM dealer in the  area  where you’ll be  parking  your 
vehicle.  The dealer  can  give you the  best  advice  for  that 
particular  area. 
Automatic  Transmission  Operation 
. -- 
P RNDD 21 
There  are  several  different  positions  for your  shift  lever. 
If your  vehicle  is  equipped  with  an automatic 
transmission,  it  features  an  electronic shift  position 
indicator  within  the  instrument  cluster.  This  display 
must  be  powered  anytime 
the shift  lever is capable of 
being  moved out of the PARK (P) position.  This means 
that 
if your  key  is  in  the OFF position,  but  not  locked, 
there  will  be  a small  current  drain  on  your  battery  which 
could  discharge  your  battery  over a period 
of time.  If 
you need  to  leave your  key  in  the  ignition in the OFF 
position  for  an  extended  period,  it  is  recommended  that 
you disconnect the battery  cable from  the  battery to 
prevent  discharging  your  battery. 
PARK (P): This locks  your  rear  wheels.  It’s  the  best 
position 
to use  when  you  start  your  engine because  your 
vehicle  can’t move  easily. 
2-14   

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 
dealers 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: 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Windshield Washer Fluid: Is  the  reservoir  full? 
Are  all  windows  clean  inside and outside? 
Wiper Blades: Are  they in good  shape? 
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked 
all  levels? 
Lamps: Are  they  all  working?  Are the lenses  clean? 
Tires: They are  vitally  important  to  a safe, 
trouble-free  trip. 
Is the  tread  good  enough for 
long-distance  driving? Are  the  tires  all  inflated  to the 
recommended pressure? 
Weather Forecasts: What’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? 
4-34   

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine How to Add Coolant to the 
Coolant Recovery Tank 
If  you haven’t  found  a  problem yet, but  the  coolant  level 
isn’t  at 
ADD, add  a 50/50 mixture  of clean water 
(preferably  distilled)  and DEX-COOL TM (orange-colored, 
silicate-free)  antifreeze  at  the  coolant  recovery  tank.  (See 
“Engine  Coolant”  in  the  Index  for  more  information.) 
k!, CAUTICJ: 
Adding  only  plain.  water  to  your  cooling  system 
can  be  dangerous.  Plain  water, or some  other 
liquid  like  alcohol, can boil  before  the  proper 
coolant  mix  will. Your  vehicle’s  coolant  warning 
system 
is set  for  the  proper  coolant  mix. With 
plain  water  or  the  wrong  mix, 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 5W50 mix of clean 
water  and 
DEX-COOL TM antifreeze. 
I 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  mix.   

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 
LlH 8P7   

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine What Kind of Oil to Use 
Oils recommended for  your  vehicle can be  identified  by 
looking  for 
the “Starburst” symbol. This  symbol 
indicates  that  the  oil  has  been  certified by the  American 
Petroleum  Institute  (API). 
Do not  use  any  oil  which 
does  not  carry  this  Starburst symbol. 
If you  change your own oil, be sure  you use oil that  has 
the  Starburst  symbol on the  front of the  oil  container.  If 
you  have  your  oil  changed  for you,  be  sure the  oil  put 
into  your  engine is  American  Petroleum  Institute 
certified for  gasoline engines. 
You  should  also use  the  proper  viscosity  oil  for your 
vehicle,  as  shown  in  the following chart: 
RECOMMENDED SAE  VISCOSITY 6RADE ENGINE OILS 
FOR BEST FULL ECONOMY  AND  COLD  STARTING,  SELECT THE LOWEST 
SAE  VISCOSITY  GRADE  OIL FOR  THE  EXPECTED  TEMPERATURE  RANGE. 
HOT 
WEATHER , 
“F 
t. 100 - 
+ sa 
+ 60 . 
+40. 
+ 20 
0. 
“C 
e 38 
t 27 
t 16 
t4 
-7 
- 18 
WOK 
FOR MIS 
SYMBOL 
SA€ 3w-30 PREFERRED 
COLD 
WEATHER 
DO NOT  USE  SAE 2OW-50 OR ANY OTHER GRADE OIL NOT  RECOMMENDED 
6-12   

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine As shown in the  chart, SAE 5W-30 is best  for your 
vehicle.  However,  you  can use 
SAE 1OW-30 if it’s  going 
to  be 
0°F (- 18°C)  or above.  These numbers  on an oil 
container show  its viscosity,  or thickness. 
Do not  use 
other  viscosity  oils, such  as 
SAE 20W-50. 7 
NOTICE: 
Use only engine  oil with  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. 
Engine Oil  Additives 
Don’t  add  anything to your oil. Your GM dealer is  ready 
to advise 
if you  think something should be  added. 
When te Change  Engine Oil 
See if any one  of these is true  for you: 
e 
e 
e 
8 
e 
Most  trips are less than 5 to 10 miles (8 to 16 km). 
This is particularly important  when outside 
temperatures are below freezing. 
Most  trips include extensive idling  (such  as frequent 
driving  in stop-and-go  traffic). 
You  operate  your vehicle  in dusty  areas or off-road 
frequently. 
You  frequently  tow a trailer. 
The vehicle  is used  for delivery  service, police,  taxi 
or  other  commercial application. I 
Driving  under these conditions causes engine  oil  to 
break  down  sooner. 
If any  one  of these  is true  for your 
vehicle,  then  you  need  to change your oil and  filter 
every  3,000  miles 
(5 000 km) or 3 months -- whichever 
occurs  first. 
If  none  of them is true, change the  oil and  filter  every 
7,500 miles (12 500 km) or 12 months -- whichever 
occurs first. Driving a  vehicle  with a fully warmed 
engine  under highway conditions causes engine  oil to 
break  down  slower. 
6-13   

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine How to Add Fluid 
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule  to determine  what 
kind 
of transmission fluid to  use. See “Recommended 
Fluids  and Lubricants”  in the Index. 
Add  fluid only after checking  the transmission fluid 
HOT. (A COLD check is  used  only  as a reference.)  If 
the  fluid  level  is  low,  add  only  enough of the  proper 
fluid to bring 
the level  up to the HOT area  for  a  hot 
check. It doesn’t take  much fluid, generally less  than a 
pint. 
Don’t over-ZZ. We  recommend  you  use  only  fluid 
labeled  DEXRON@-111,  because fluid with  that  label 
is 
made especially  for your  automatic transmission. 
Damage  caused by fluid  other  than DEXRON@-I11  is 
not  covered  by your  new  vehicle  warranty. 
After  adding  fluid, recheck  the fluid level  as 
described  under “How to  Check.” 
When the correct fluid level is obtained,  push the 
dipstick  back 
in all the  way;  then  flip the  handle 
down  to 
lock the  dipstick in place. 
Manual  Transmission Fluid 
When to Check 
A good time to have  it  checked  is  when  the  engine oil is 
changed.  However,  the  fluid in  your  manual 
transmission  doesn’t  require changing. 
How to Check 
Because this operation can  be a little difficult,  you 
may  choose to 
have this done  at  your GM dealer’s 
Service  Department. 
If you do it yourself,  be sure to follow  all the 
instructions  here, or you  could  get a  false  reading. 
I NOTICE: 
Too much  or  too  little  fluid  can  damage  your 
transmission. 
Too much  can  mean  that  some  of 
the  fluid  could  come  out  and  fall on hot  engine 
parts  or  exhaust  system  parts,  starting  a  fire.  Be 
sure  to get  an  accurate  reading  if  you  check  your 
transmission  fluid.   

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Appearance  Care  Materials  Chart 
1051515  32 oz. (0.946 L) Optikleen  Windshield  washer  solvent  and  antifreeze 
1052870  16 
oz. (0.473 L) Wash  and  Wax Concentrate  Exterior wash ' 
I 1052918** I 8 oz. (0.237 L) I hmor  All"'' Protector 7 Protects  vinyl,  leather  and  rubber 
1052929 
16 oz. (0.473 L) Wheel  Cleaner  Spray  on  wheel  cleaner 
1052930 
8 oz. (0.237  L)  Capture  Dry  Spot  Remover  Attracts  and  absorbs  soils 
12345002""  16 
oz. (0.473  L) .- Armor  All TM Cleaner  Cleans  vinyl,  leather  and  rubber 
See  your  General Motors  Parts  Department  for  these products, 
* Not  recommended for pigskin  suede leather. 
See  "Fluids  and  Lubricants''  in  the Index. 
' **Not recommended  for  use  on  instrument  panel  vinyl. 
12345725 
12 
oz. (0.354 L) Silicone Tire  Shine  Shines  tires 
6-60