Page 279 of 410
How to Check
The proper fluid should be added if the level does not
reach the bottom of the diaphragm when it‘s in place in
the reservoir. See the instructions on the reservoir cap.
Rear Axle
When to Check and Change Lubricant
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine how
often
to check the lubricant and when to change it. See
“Scheduled Maintenance Services?’
in the Index.
How to Check Lubricant
If the level is below the bottom of the filler plug hole,
you’ll need to add some lubricant. Add enough lubricant
to raise the level to the bottom
of the filler plug hole.
What to Use
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of lubricant to use. See ”Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants“
in the Index.
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Front Axle
When to Check and Change Lubricant
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine how
often to check the lubricant and when to change it. See
“Scheduled Maintenance Services” in the Index.
How to Check Lubricant
If the level is below the bottom of the filler plug hole,
you’ll need to add same lubricant.
If the differential is at operating temperature (warm),
add enough lubricant to raise the level to the bottom af
the filler plug hole.
If the differential is cold, add enough lubricant to raise
the level to 1/2 inch (12 mm) beluw the filler plug hole.
What to Use
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind
of lubricant to use. See “Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants”
in the Index.
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Page 290 of 410

Brake Wear
Your vehicle has front disc brakes and rear drum brakes.
If you have the all-wheel drive option, your vehicle has
four-wheel disc brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make
a
high-pitched warning sound when the brake pads are worn
and new pads are needed.
The sound may come and go or
be heard all the time your vehicle is moving (except when
you are pushing on the brake pedal firmly).
I A CAUTION: I
The brake wear warning sound means that soon
your brakes won't
work well. That could lead to
an accident. When you hear the brake wear
warning
sound, have your vehicle serviced.
NOTICE:
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads
could result in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong
with
your brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect
brake
pads for wear and evenly torque wheel nuts in the
proper sequence to
GM specifications.
Your rear
drum brakes don't have wear indicators,
but
if you ever hear a rear brake rubbing noise: have
the rear brake linings inspected. Also, the rear brake
drums should be removed and inspected each time the
tires are removed
for rotation or changing. When you
have the front brake pads replaced. have the rear brakes
inspected, too.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
See
"Brake System Inspection" in Section 7 of this manual
under
Part C "Periodic Maintenance Inspections."
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Page 299 of 410
B C
A. Claw in Notch
B. Correct Installation
C. Incorrect Installation
6. Put the blade assembly pivot in the wiper arm hook.
Pull up
until the pivot locking tab locks in the
hook slot.
7. Carefully lower the wiper arm and blade assembly
onto the windshield.
Backglass Wiper Blade Replacement
See "Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement" in this
section for instructions
on how to change the backglass
wiper blade. The backglass wiper blade
will not lock in
a vertical position like the windshield wiper blade. so
care should be used when pulling it away from
the vehicle.
Tires
Y~LI~ new vehicle comes with high-quality tires made by
a leading tire nnanufacturer.
If you ever have questions
about your tire warranty and where to obtain service, see
your warranty booklet for details.
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Page 301 of 410

I NOTICE: (Continued) I
If your tires have too much air (overinflation),
you
can get the following:
0 Unusual wear
0 Bad handling
0 Rough ride
Needless damage from road hazards.
When to Check
Check your tires once a month or n101-e. Also. check the
tire pressure
of the spare tire.
I! you have a compact spare tire. it should be at 60 psi
(420
k Pa).
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure. You can't tell
if your tires are properly inflated
simply
by looking at thcm. Radial tires may look
properly inflated even when they're underintlatecl.
Be sure to put the valve caps back on the valve stems.
They help prevent leaks
by keeping out dirt and moisture.
Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires s11o111d be rotated every 6,000 to 8,000 miles
( IO 000 to 13 000 km). Any time you notice unusual
we;^. rotate your tires as soon as possible and check
wheel alignment.
Also check for damaged tires or
wheels. See "When 1t.s Time for New Tires" and
"Wheel Replacement" later
in this section for
more information.
Thc purpose
of' reg~~lar rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear
fur all tires on the vehicle. The first
rotation
is thu most important. See "Schecluled
Maintenance Services"
in the Index for scheduled
rotation intervals.
r --
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Page 303 of 410

When It's Time for New Tires
One way to tell when it's
time for new tires is to
check the treadwear
indicators, which will
appear
when YOLII- tires have
only 1/16 inch ( I .6 mm) or
less
of tread remaining.
You need a new tire if any of the following statements
are true:
0 You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
You can see cord or hbric showing through the
tire's rubber.
The tread or sidewall is cracked. cut or snagged deep
enough
to show cord or fabric.
The tire has a bump. bulge or split.
The tire has a puncture, cut or other damage that
can't be repaired well because of the size or location
of the darnage.
Buying New Tires
To find out what kind ;m.l size of tires you need, look at
the CertificatiodTire label.
The tires installed on your vehicle when
it was new had
a Tire Performance Criteria Specification (TPC Spec)
number
on each tire's sidewall. When you get new tires,
your vehicle
will continue to have tires that are designed
to give proper endurance, handling, speed rating,
traction. ride and other things during normal service
on
your vehicle. If your tires have an all-season tread
design, the
TPC number will be followed by an "MS"
(for mud and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with those not hktving a
TPC Spec number. make sure [hey are the same size.
load range, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted or radial) as your original tires.
c get ones with that same TPC Spec number. That way
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Page 304 of 410

Mixing tires could cause you to lose control while
driving.
If you mix tires of different sizes or types
(radial and bias-belted tires), the vehicle may not
handle properly, and you could have
a crash.
Using tires
of different sizes may also cause
damage to
your vehicle. Be sure to use the same
size and type tires
on all wheels.
It’s all right to drive with your compact spare
(if you have one). It was developed for
use on
your vehicle.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
The following information relates to the system
developed
by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, which grades tires by
treadwear. traction and temperature performance. (This
applies only to vehicles
sold in the United States.) The
grades are molded on the sidewalls of most passenger
car tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading system does not
apply to deep tread, winter-type snow tires,
space-saver or temporary use spare tires, tires with
nominal
rim diameters of 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm),
or to some limited-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary
with respect to these
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) standards.
c Urades, they rnust also conform to Federal safety
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based
on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on
a specified government test course. For
example.
a tire graded 150 would wear one and a half
( 1 1/2) times as well on the government course as a tire
upon the actual conditions of their use, however, and
may depart significantly from the norm due to variations
in driving habits, service practices and differences in
road characteristics and clilnate.
e oraded 100. The relative performance of tires depends
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Page 315 of 410

Finish Damage
Any stone chips. fractures or deep scratches in the finish
should be repaired right away. Bare
metal will corrode
quickly and may develop into
a major repair expense.
Minor chips and scratches can be repaired with touch-up
materials available from your dealer or other service
outlets. Larger areas of finish damage can
be corrected
in your dealer’s body and paint shop.
Underbody Maintenance
Chemicals used for ice and snow removal and dust conh-01
can collect on the underbody. If these xe not removed,
accelerated corrosion (rust) can oxcur
on the underbody
parts such as fuel lines, frame, floor pan and exhaust system
even though they have corrosion protection.
At least every spring, flush these materials from the
underbody
with plain water. Clean any areas where mud
and other debris
can collect. Dirt packed in closed areas
of the frame should be loosened before being flushed.
Your dealer or an underbody car washing system can do
this for you.
Chemical Paint Spotting
Some weather and atmospheric conditions can create a
chemical fallout. Airborne pollutants can fall upon and
attack painted surfaces
on your vehicle. This damage
can take two
forms: blotchy, ringlet-shaped
discolorations, and small irregular dark spots etched into
the paint surface.
Although no defect
in the paintjob causes this, CM will
repair. at no charge to the owner. the surfaces of new
vehicles damaged by this fallout condition
within
I2 months or 12,000 miles (20 000 km) of purchase.
whichever occurs
first.
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