
Boost Gage (Option) Head-Up Display (Option) 
fXjST 
Vehicles  equipped  with the supercharged  engine  have 
this  boost  gage  that  indicates  vacuum  during  light 
to 
moderate  throttle  and  boost  under  heavier  throttle. The 
gage  displays  the air pressure  level in psi  going  into the 
engine’s  combustion  chamber. 
The  gage  is automatically  centered  at zero  psi  every 
time  the  engine  is started.  Actual  vacuum  or  boost 
is 
displayed from this zero  point.  Changes  in ambient 
pressure,  such  as  driving  in mountains 
and changing 
weather,  will  slightly  change  the  zero  reading. 
If the  HUD  image is too bright, or too high in 
your  field of view, it may  take you more  time to 
see  things you need  to  see  when  it’s  dark  outside. 
Be sure to  keep  the HUD image  dim  and  placed 
low in your field of view. 
If you  have  the  optional  Head-Up  Display (HUD), you 
can  see  some 
of the  driver  information  also  available  on 
your  instrument  panel  cluster.  The  information 
may be 
displayed  in English  or  metric  units  and  appears  as a 
reflection  on  the  windshield.  The 
HUD shows: 
0 Speedometer  reading 
0 Turn  signal  indicators 
0 High-beam  indicator  symbol 
CHECK GAGES  message  (for  low  oil  pressure, high 
coolant  temperature,  low  oil level and  low  fuel) 
Low fuel  warning  symbol 
2-74  

What Kind of Engine  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. 
i A 
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  GRADE  ENGINE OILS 
FOR BEST  FUEL  ECONOMY AND COLD STARTIN& SELECT THE LOWEST 
SA€ VISCOSITY  GRADE OIL FOR THE EXPECTED  TEMPERATURE RAWGE. 
HOT 
WEATHER 7 
"F 
t 100 - 
+80- 
+60- 
t40- 
t 20 - 
0- 
7 
"C 
t3a 
t 
27 
t 16 
+I 
-1 
- 18 
cou) 
WEATHER 
WOK 
FOR THIS 
SYMBOL 
DO NOT USE SM 2QW-50 OR ANY OTHER GRADE OIL NOTRECaYlENMD 
6-15  

As shown in the  chart, SAE 1OW-30 is best  for  your 
vehicle.  However, 
you can  use SAE 5W-30 if it's  going 
to  be  colder 
than 60 "F (1 6" C)  before your next oil 
change. When it's very cold, you should  use SAE 
5W-30. These  numbers on an oil container show its 
viscosity, 
or thickness. Do not  use  other  viscosity  oils, 
such  as 
SAE 20W-50. 
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. 
If you  are in an  area  where  the  temperature  falls  below 
-20°F (-29"C), consider  using  either an SAE 5W-30 
synthetic  oil  or an SAE OW-30 oil. Both  will  provide 
easier  cold  starting 
and better  protection  for  your  engine 
at  extremely  low  temperatures. 
Engine  Oil  Additives 
Don't  add  anything to your  oil.  Your  dealer  is ready  to 
advise  if  you 
think something  should  be  added. 
When to Change Engine Oil 
If  any  one of these is true  for  you,  use  the  short  tripkity 
maintenance  schedule: 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Most  tsips  are  less  than 5 to 10 miles (8 to 16 lun). 
This is  particularly  important  when  outside 
temperatures  are  below  freezing. 
Most 
trips include  extensive  idling  (such  as  fiequent 
driving 
in stop-and-go traffic). 
Most trips are through dusty areas. 
You  frequently  tow  a  trailer  or  use  a  carrier  on  top  of 
your  vehicle. 
The  vehicle 
is used for delivery  service,  police, taxi 
or  other  commercial  application. 
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. 
6-16  

If none  of them  is true,  use  the long  triphighway 
maintenance  schedule.  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. 
What  to Do with Used Oil 
Did  you  know  that  used  engine  oil  contains  certain 
elements  that  may  be  unhealthy  for your 
skin and  could 
even  cause  cancer?  Don’t  let  used  oil  stay  on  your  skin 
for  very  long.  Clean  your 
skin and  nails  with  soap  and 
water,  or  a 
good hand  cleaner.  Wash  or  properly  throw 
away  clothing  or  rags  containing  used  engine  oil.  (See 
the  manufacturer’s  warnings  about  the  use  and 
disposal 
of oil products.) 
Used oil can  be  a  real  threat  to the  environment. If you 
change  your  own  oil,  be  sure  to  drain  all  free-flowing  oil 
from 
the filter  before  disposal.  Don’t ever dispose of oil 
by  putting  it  in  the trash,  pouring  it on  the  ground,  into 
sewers,  or  into  streams  or bodies  of  water.  Instead, 
recycle 
it by  taking it to  a  place  that  collects  used oil. If 
you  have  a  problem  properly  disposing  of  your  used  oil, 
ask  your  dealer,  a  service  station  or  a  local  recycling 
center  for 
help. 
Air Cleaner 
The  air  cleaner  and  filter  are  on  the driver’s  side  of the 
engine  compartment. 
1. Remove  the  screws  on  the air  cleaner  housing  cover. 
6-17  

How to Check and Add Oil 
Check  oil  only  when the engine  is  cold.  Allow  the 
engine 
to cool two  to  three  hours  after  running. 
If you  remove  the  supercharger oil €ill plug  while 
the  engine 
is hot,  pressure  may  cause  hot oil to 
blow  out 
of the oil fill hole. You may  be  burned. 
Do not  remove  the  plug  until  the  engine  cools. 
1. Clean  the  area  around  the  oil fill plug  before 
2. Remove  the  oil fill plug  using a 3/16 inch 
3. The oil  level  is  correct  when  it just  reaches  the 
bottom of the  threads of the  inspection  hole. 
4. Replace the oil plug  with  the O-ring  in place. 
Torque  to 
88 lb-in (10 N-m). 
removing  it. 
Allen  wrench. 
Automatic  Transaxle Fluid 
When to Check and  Change 
A good  time  to check  your  automatic  transaxle  fluid 
level  is  when the engine  oil 
is changed. 
Change  both  the  fluid  and  filter every 
50,000 miles 
(83 000 km) if the  vehicle  is mainly  driven  under  one 
or  more  of these  conditions: 
0 In heavy  city  traflic where  the outside  temperature 
regularly  reaches 
90°F (32°C) or  higher. 
In hilly  or mountainous  terrain. 
0 When  doing  frequent  trailer  towing. 
Uses  such  as  found  in  taxi,  police  or delivery  service. 
If you  do not  use  your  vehicle  under  any  of these 
conditions,  the  fluid  and  filter do not  require  changing. 
See  “Scheduled  Maintenance  Services”  in the  Index. 
How to Check 
Because this operation can be a little difficult,  you  may 
choose  to  have 
this done  at your  Pontiac  dealership 
Service  Department. 
If you  do it yourself, be sure to follow  all the instructions 
here,  or you  could  get 
a false  reading  on  the  dipstick. 
6-20  

Engine  Coolant 
The  cooling s stem  in  your  vehicle  is  filled  with 
DEX-COOL 
8 engine  coolant.  This  coolant  is  designed 
to  remain  in your  vehicle  for 
5 years  or 150,000 miles 
(240 000 km) whichever  occurs  first,  if  you  add  only 
DEX-COOL’  extended life coolant. 
The  following  explains  your  cooling  system  and 
how  to add  coolant  when  it  is low.  If  you  have  a 
problem  with  engine  overheating, 
see “Engine 
Overheating” 
in the  Index. 
A 50/50 mixture  of water  and  DEX-COOL@ 
coolant  will: 
Give  freezing  protection  down  to -34°F (-37°C). 
0 Give boiling  protection up to 265 “F (129°C). 
0 Protect  against  rust and corrosion. 
Help  keep  the proper  engine  temperature. 
Let  the  warning  lights and gages  work as 
they  should. 
NOTICE: 
When  adding  coolant,  it is  important that  you 
use only DEX-COOL@ (silicate-free)  coolant. 
If coolant other than  DEX-COOL  is  added  to 
the  system,  premature  engine, heater core or 
radiator  corrosion  may  result.  In addition,  the 
engine  coolant 
will require  change sooner -- at 
30,000 miles (50 000 km) or 24 months, 
whichever  occurs  first.  Damage  caused  by  the 
use  of coolant  other  than DEX-COOL@ 
is not 
covered  by  your new  vehicle  warranty. 
6-23  

Appearance  Care 
Remember, cleaning products can  be hazardous.  Some 
are toxic.  Others  can  burst into  flame  if you  strike a 
match  or get  them  on a hot  part of the vehicle.  Some  are 
dangerous  if you  breathe  their fumes  in a closed  space. 
When  you use anything  from a container 
to clean  your 
vehicle,  be  sure to follow the manufacturer’s warnings 
and instructions. And always  open your doors  or 
windows  when you’re  cleaning the inside. 
Never use these  to clean  your vehicle: 
Gasoline 
Benzene 
0 Naphtha 
0 Carbon  Tetrachloride 
Acetone 
Paint Thinner 
Turpentine 
0 Lacquer  Thinner 
Nail Polish  Remover 
They can all be hazardous -- some more than 
others 
-- and they can all  damage your vehicle, too.  Don’t 
use any 
of these  unless this manual says you can. 
In  many uses,  these will damage  your vehicle: 
Alcohol 
Laundry  Soap 
Bleach 
0 Reducing  Agents 
Cleaning  the  Inside of Your Vehicle 
Use a vacuum  cleaner often to get  rid of dust and  loose 
dirt. Wipe vinyl, leather, plastic  and painted surfaces  with  a clean,  damp  cloth. 
Your  dealer has  two  cleaners,  Multi-Purpose  Interior 
Cleaner  and Capture  Non-Solvent 
Dry Spot and Soil 
Remover 
for cleaning  fabric and carpet. They will  clean 
normal spots and stains very well. You can get 
GM-approved  cleaning  products  from  your  dealer. 
(See 
“Appearance Care and Materials” in  the  Index.) 
Here 
are some  cleaning  tips: 
Always read the  instructions on the cleaner  label. 
Clean up stains  as soon  as you  can -- before they set. 
Carefully  scrape off any excess  stain. 
Use a  clean  cloth  or sponge,  and  change to a clean  area 
If a ring  forms  after spot  cleaning,  clean  the entire 
often. 
A 
soft brush may be used  if  stains are stubborn. 
area  immediately 
or it will set. 
6-49  

Capacities and Specifications 
The  following  approximate  capacities  are  given  in  English  and  m\
etric  conversions.  Please  refer  to  “Recommended 
Fluids  and  Lubricants”  in  the  Index  for  more  information. 
Automatic  Transaxle  (Overdrive) 
Pan Removal  and  Replacement ........... 6  quarts  (6.1 L) 
Complete  Overhaul .................. 11 quarts  (10.4 L) 
Cooling  System ........................ 13  quarts  (12.3  L) 
When  draining or replacing  torque  converter;  more  fluid may  be  needed. 
Cooling  System ................ ........ 13  quarts  (12.3 L) 
Engine  Crankcase ................... 4.5 quarts  (4.3L) 
Fuel Tank ............................ 18 gallons (68 L) 
Tire  Pressures .... >.. . See Ere-Loading  Information  label on the driver’s dool: 
Wheel  Nut  Torque ......... . 100 lb-ft 140 N-m 
R-134a Air  Conditioning .... . See  refrigerant  charge  label  under  the  hood. 
Oil 
change  with filter  change 
....... 
....... 
....... 
All capacities  are  approximate.  When  adding,  be  sure  to fill to  the  appropriate  level,  as  recommended in this  manual. 
Air  Conditioning  Refrigerants 
Not all air  conditioning  refrigerants  are  the  same. If the air conditioning  system  in  your  vehicle  needs  refrigerant,  be 
sure  the  proper  refrigerant  is  used.  If  you’re  not  sure, 
ask your  dealer. 
6-65