2000 GMC SONOMA fuel

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Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your vehicle. This section begins with service and fuel information,
and then it shows how to check important fluid and lubricant levels. There is also technical information about your
vehicle, and a part devoted to its appearance care.
6
-2 Service
6
-3 Fuel (Gasoline)
6
-5 Fuel E-85 (85% Ethanol)
6
-6 Fuels in Foreign Countries
6
-7 Filling Your Tank
6
-9 Filling a Portable Fuel Container
6
-10 Checking Things Under the Hood
6
-13 Engine Oil
6
-18 Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
6
-19 Automatic Transmission Fluid
6
-23 Manual Transmission Fluid
6
-24 Hydraulic Clutch
6
-24 Rear Axle
6
-25 Four-Wheel Drive
6
-27 Engine Coolant
6
-30 Radiator Pressure Cap
6
-30 Power Steering Fluid
6
-31 Windshield Washer Fluid6
-32 Brakes
6
-36 Battery
6
-37 Bulb Replacement
6
-43 Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
6
-45 Tires
6
-53 Appearance Care
6
-54 Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
6
-56 Care of Safety Belts
6
-57 Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle
6
-60 GM Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials Chart
6
-61 Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
6
-61 Service Parts Identification Label
6
-62 Electrical System
6
-67 Replacement Bulbs
6
-67 Capacities and Specifications
6
-69 Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts

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CAUTION:
You can be injured and your vehicle could be
damaged if you try to do service work on a
vehicle without knowing enough about it.

Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, the proper replacement parts
and tools before you attempt any vehicle
maintenance task.

Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts and
other fasteners. ªEnglishº and ªmetricº
fasteners can be easily confused. If you use
the wrong fasteners, parts can later break
or fall off. You could be hurt.
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 dealer before adding equipment to the outside of
your vehicle.
Fuel (Gasoline)
The 8th digit of your vehicle identification number
(VIN) shows the code letter for your engine. You will
find the VIN at the top left of your instrument panel.
(See ªVehicle Identification Numberº in the Index.)
If you have the 2200 L4 (Code 5) engine, you may use
either regular unleaded gasoline or ethanol fuel up to
85% (E
-85); also see ªFuel (85% Ethanol/E-85)º
following. If you have the 2200 L4 (Code 4) engine or
the 4.3L V6 engine, use only regular unleaded gasoline.
Use regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or
higher. It is recommended that the gasoline meet
specifications which have been developed by the
American Automobile Manufacturers Association
(AAMA) and endorsed by the Canadian Motor Vehicle
Manufacturers Association for better vehicle
performance and engine protection. Gasolines meeting
the AAMA specification could provide improved
driveability and emission control system performance
compared to other gasolines.

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Be sure the posted octane is at least 87. If the octane is
less than 87, you may get a heavy knocking noise when
you drive. If it's bad enough, it can damage your engine.
If you're using fuel rated at 87 octane or higher and you
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 emission control
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. (See ªMalfunction
Indicator Lampº in the Index.) 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.Some gasolines that are not reformulated for low
emissions may contain an octane
-enhancing additive
called methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT); ask your service station operator whether or not
the 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
contribute to clean air. General Motors recommends that
you use these gasolines, particularly if they comply with
the specifications described earlier.

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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.
Fuel E-85 (85% Ethanol)
The 8th digit of your vehicle identification number
(VIN) shows the code letter for your engine. You will
find the VIN at the top left of your instrument panel.
(See ªVehicle Identification Numberº in the Index.)
If you have the 2200 L4 (Code 5) engine, you may
use either regular unleaded gasoline or ethanol fuel
up to 85% (E
-85); also see ªFuel (Gasoline)º listed
previously. If you have the 2200 L4 (Code 4) engine
or the 4.3L V6 engine use only regular gasoline.
Only vehicles with the 2200 L4 (Code 5) engine may
use 85% ethanol fuel (E
-85).Most service stations will not have an 85% ethanol fuel
(E
-85) pump available. Those stations that do have E-85
should have a label indicating minimum ethanol content.
Do not use the fuel if the minimum ethanol content is
greater than 85%. Your vehicle may not operate
properly if the ethanol content is greater than 85%.
At a minimum, E
-85 should meet ASTM
D 5798 specifications.
To insure quick starts in the wintertime, the E
-85 fuel
must be formulated properly for your climate according
to ASTM specification D 5798. If you have trouble
starting on E
-85, it may be because your E-85 fuel
is not properly formulated for your climate. If this
happens, switching to gasoline or adding gasoline to
your fuel tank may improve starting. Mixing gasoline
and E
-85 in your fuel tank will not cause any
problems with your vehicle. For good starting and
heater efficiency below 32
F (0
C), the fuel mix
in the fuel tank should contain a maximum of
50% ethanol.

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E-85 has less energy per gallon than gasoline, so you'll
need to refill your fuel tank more often when using E
-85
than when you're using gasoline. Use regular gasoline
when pulling a trailer. For payload capacity with ethanol
fuel see ªLoading Your Vehicleº in the Index.
NOTICE:
Some additives are not compatible with E-85 fuel
and may harm your fuel system. Damage caused
by additives may not be covered by your new
vehicle warranty. Don't use additives
with E
-85 fuel.
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
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario L1H 8P7

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Filling Your Tank
CAUTION:
Fuel vapor is highly flammable. It burns
violently, and that can cause very bad injuries.
Don't smoke if you're near fuel or refueling your
vehicle. Keep sparks, flames and smoking
materials away from fuel.
The fuel cap is behind a hinged door on the driver's side
of your vehicle.

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To remove the cap, turn it slowly to the left
(counterclockwise). The cap has a spring in it; if you let
go of the cap too soon, it will spring back to the right.
CAUTION:
If you get fuel on yourself and then something
ignites it, you could be badly burned. Fuel can
spray out on you if you open the fuel filler cap too
quickly. This spray can happen if your tank is
nearly full, and is more likely in hot weather.
Open the fuel filler cap slowly and wait for any
ªhissº noise to stop. Then unscrew the cap
all the way.
Be careful not to spill fuel. Clean fuel from painted
surfaces as soon as possible. See ªCleaning the Outside
of Your Vehicleº in the Index.

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When you put the cap back on, turn it to the right
(clockwise) until you hear a clicking sound. Make sure
you fully install the cap. The diagnostic system can
determine if the fuel cap has been left off or improperly
installed. This would allow fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere. See ªMalfunction Indicator Lampº in
the Index.
NOTICE:
If you need a new cap, be sure to get the right
type. Your dealer can get one for you. If you get
the wrong type, it may not fit properly. This may
cause your malfunction indicator lamp to light
and your fuel tank and emissions system may be
damaged. See ªMalfunction Indicator Lampº in
the Index.
Filling a Portable Fuel Container
CAUTION:
Never fill a portable fuel container while it is in
your vehicle. Static electricity discharge from the
container can ignite the gasoline vapor. You can
be badly burned and your vehicle damaged if this
occurs. To help avoid injury to you and others:

Dispense gasoline only into
approved containers.

Do not fill a container while it is inside a
vehicle, in a vehicle's trunk, pickup bed or
on any surface other than the ground.

Bring the fill nozzle in contact with the
inside of the fill opening before operating
the nozzle. Contact should be maintained
until the filling is complete.

Don't smoke while pumping gasoline.