1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX warning

Engine Oil Additives
Don’t add anything to your oil. Your dealer is ready to advise
if you think something should be added.
How to Reset the CHANGE OIL SOON Light
When to Change Engine Oil
Your vehicle has an Oil Life Monitor. This feature
will let you know when to change your oil and
filter
-- usually between 3,000 miles (5 000 km) and
7,500 miles (12 500 km) since your last oil change.
Under severe conditions, the indicator may come
on
before 3,000 miles (5 000 km). Never drive your vehicle
more than
7,500 miles (12 500 km) or 12 months
(whichever occurs first) without an oil change.
The system won’t detect dust in the oil. So, if you
drive in a dusty area, be sure to change your oil every
3,000 miles (5 000 km) or sooner. Remember to reset
the Oil Life Monitor when the oil has been changed. For
more information, see “CHANGE
OIL SOON Light” in
the Index.
To reset your CHANGE OIL SOON light after an oil
change, turn
the key to ON, without the engine running
and pump the accelerator three times within five seconds.
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.
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How to Add Fluid
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of transaxle fluid to use. See “Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants” in the Index.
If the fluid level is low, add only enough of the proper
fluid to bring the level into the cross-hatched area on
the dipstick.
1. Pull out the dipstick.
2. Using a long-neck funnel, add enough fluid at the
dipstick hole to bring it to the proper level.
It doesn’t take much fluid, generally less
than one
pint
(0.5 L). Don’t ovefill.
LOTICE:
We recommend you use only fluid labeled
DEXRON@-111, because fluid with that label
is
made especially for your automatic transaxle.
Damage caused
by fluid other than DEXRON-III
is not covered by your new vehicle warranty.
3. After adding fluid, recheck the fluid level as described
4. When the correct fluid level is obtained, push the
under “How to Check” earlier in this section.
dipstick back in
all the way.
Engine Coolant
The cooling s stem in your vehicle is filled with
DEX-COOL 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
or if you need to add coolant to your
radiator, see “Engine Overheating” in the Index.
A 50/50 mixture of water and DEX-COOL’
coolant will:
0 Give freezing protection down to -34°F (-37°C).
Give boiling protection up to 265 OF (129°C).
J
e Protect against rust and corrosion.
e Help keep the proper engine temperature.
0 Let the warning lights and gages work as
they should.
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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.
What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half clean water (preferably
distilled) and one-half
DEX-COOL’ coolant which
won’t damage aluminum parts. If you use this mixture,
you don’t need
to add anything else.
L
I
A CAUTIONI
I
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 mixture will. Your vehicle’s coolant
warning system
is set for the proper coolant
mixture. With plain water or the wrong mixture,
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
50150 mixture of clean water and
DEX-COOL@ coolant.
6-27

So, it isn’t a good idea to “top off’ your brake fluid.
Adding brake fluid
won’t correct a leak. If you add fluid
when your linings are worn, then you’ll have too much
fluid
when you get new brake linings. You should add
(or remove) brake fluid,
as necessary, only when work is
done
on the brake hydraulic system.
b -
A CAUTION:
If you have too much brake fluid, it can spill on
the engine. The
fluid will burn if the engine is
hot enough. You or others could be burned, and
your vehicle could be damaged. Add brake
fluid
only when work is done on the brake
hydraulic system.
When your brake fluid falls to
a low level, your brake
warning light will come
on. See “Brake System Warning
Light”
in the Index.
What to Add
When you do need brake fluid, use only
DOT-3 brake
fluid
-- such as Delco Supreme ll@ (GM Part
No. 12377967). Use new brake fluid from a sealed
container only.
Always clean the brake fluid reservoir cap and the area
around the cap before removing it. This will help keep
dirt from entering the reservoir.
I
A CAUTIOP’
With the wrong kind of fluid in your brake
system, your brakes may not work well, or they
may not even work
at all. This could cause a
crash. Always use the proper brake fluid.
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NOTICE:
0
0
Using the wrong fluid can badly damage
brake system parts. For example, just a few
drops
of mineral-based oil, such as engine
oil, in your brake system can damage brake
system parts
so badly that they’ll have to be
replaced. Don’t let someone put in the
wrong kind
of fluid.
If you spill brake fluid on your vehicle’s
painted surfaces, the paint finish can be
damaged. Be careful not to spill brake fluid
on your vehicle.
If you do, wash it off
immediately. See “Appearance Care’’ in
the Index.
Brake Wear
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).
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.
I NOTICE:
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads
could result in costly brake repair.
6-35

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
grades, they must also conform to Federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) standards.
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 graded
100. The relative performance of tires
depends 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 climate.
'haction -- A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are A, B,
and C, and they represent the tire's ability to stop on
wet pavement as measured under controlled conditions on specified government test surfaces of asphalt
and concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned to this tire is based
on braking (straight ahead) traction tests and does not
include cornering (turning) traction.
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Temperature -- A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and Cy
representing the tire’s resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on
a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire failure.
The grade C corresponds to a level of performance
which
all passenger car tires must meet under the
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades
B and A represent higher levels of performance on the
laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by law.
Warning: The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that
is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately
or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced
carefully at the factory to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance. Scheduled wheel alignment and wheel balancing are
not needed. However, if you notice unusual tire wear or
your vehicle pulling one way or the other, the alignment
may need to be reset.
If you notice your vehicle
vibrating when driving on a
smooth road, your wheels
may need to be rebalanced.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked, or badly rusted
or corroded. If wheel nuts keep coming loose, the wheel,
wheel bolts
and wheel nuts should be replaced. If the
wheel leaks
air, replace it (except some aluminum
wheels, which can sometimes be repaired). See your
dealer
if any of these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind
of wheel you need.
Each new wheel should have the same load-canying
capacity, diameter, width, offset
and be mounted the
same way as
the one it replaces.
If you need to replace any of your wheels, wheel bolts
or wheel nuts, replace them only with
new GM original
equipment parts.
This way, you will be sure to have
the
right wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts for your
Pontiac model.
6-50

.~
NOTICE: (Continued)
Use another type of traction device only if its
manufacturer recommends it for
use on your vehicle
and tire
size combination and road conditions.
Follow that manufacturer’s
instructions. To help
avoid damage to your vehicle, drive slowly, readjust
or remove the device if it’s contacting your vehicle,
and don’t spin
your wheels.
If you do find traction devices that will fit, install
them on the front tires.
If you have other tires, use tire chains only where
legal and only when you
must. Use only SAE
Class “S” type chains that are the proper size for
your
tires. Install them on the front tires and
tighten them
as tightly as possible with the ends
securely fastened. Drive slowly and follow the chain
manufacturer’s instructions.
If you can hear the
chains contacting your vehicle, stop and retighten
them.
If the contact continues, slow down until it
stops. Driving too fast or spinning the wheels with
chains on will damage your vehicle.
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:
a Gasoline
0 Benzene
0 Naphtha
0 Carbon Tetrachloride
0 Acetone
0 Paint Thinner
0 Turpentine
0 Lacquer Thinner
Nail Polish Remover
They can all be hazardous
-- some more
than others -- and they can all damage your vehicle, too.
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