Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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
GM dealer before adding equipment to the outside
of your vehicle.
Fuel
Use regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or
higher.
At a minimum, it should meet specifications
ASTM
D48 14 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 ga~)l i nes.
Be SCII-~ the pos~cl octane is at least 87. If the octane is
less than 87. you ma, gct a heavy knocking noise when
YOLI driirc. If’ it‘ hac1 crlough. 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 on 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.
6-3
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Some gasolines that are not reformulated for low
emissions contain an octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT);
ask your service station operator whether or not his fuel
contains MMT. General Motors does not recommend the
use of such gasolines.
If fuels containing MMT are used,
spark plug life may be reduced and your emission
control system performance may be affected. The
malfunction indicator lamp
on your instrument panel
may turn on.
If this occurs, return to your authorized
GM dealer for service.
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the United States
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.
I 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 fuei
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 (VTN).
General Motors International Product Center
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa. Ontario
L 1 H 8P7
6-4
