2000 PONTIAC GRAND AM engine

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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
6
-5 Fuels in Foreign Countries
6
-5 Filling Your Tank
6
-7 Filling a Portable Fuel Container
6
-8 Checking Things Under the Hood
6
-12 Engine Oil
6
-18 Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
6
-19 Automatic Transaxle Fluid
6
-19 Manual Transaxle Fluid
6
-20 Engine Coolant
6
-24 Power Steering Fluid
6
-25 Windshield Washer Fluid
6
-26 Brakes6
-29 Battery
6
-30 Bulb Replacement
6
-34 Tires
6
-42 Appearance Care
6
-42 Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
6
-44 Care of Safety Belts
6
-45 Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle
6
-48 Finish Damage
6
-49 GM Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials
6
-50 Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
6
-51 Electrical System
6
-56 Replacement Bulbs
6
-57 Capacities and Specifications
6
-58 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
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.
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.

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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 Pontiac 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 Pontiac 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.
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.

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Checking Things Under the Hood
CAUTION:
An electric fan under the hood can start up and
injure you even when the engine is not running.
Keep hands, clothing and tools away from any
underhood electric fan.
CAUTION:
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts and
start a fire. These include liquids like gasoline,
oil, coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer and
other fluids, and plastic or rubber. You or others
could be burned. Be careful not to drop or spill
things that will burn onto a hot engine.
Hood Release
The following sections tell you how to check fluids,
lubricants and important parts under the hood.
To open the hood, first
pull the handle inside
the vehicle.

6-10 2.4L L4 (CODE T) Engine
When you open the hood, you'll see:
A. Engine Coolant Surge Tank
B. Engine Oil Fill Cap
C. Engine Oil DipstickD. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
E. Brake Fluid Reservoir
F. Engine Air Cleaner/FilterG. Battery
H. Windshield Washer
Fluid Reservoir

6-11 3400 V6 (CODE E) Engine
When you open the hood, you'll see:
A. Engine Coolant Surge Tank
B. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
C. Engine Oil Fill CapD. Engine Oil Dipstick
E. Brake Fluid Reservoir
F. Engine Air Cleaner/FilterG. Battery
H. Windshield Washer
Fluid Reservoir

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Engine Oil
3400 V6 Engine Only
If the LOW OIL light appears on the instrument panel, it
means you need to check your engine oil level right
away. For more information, see LOW OIL light in
the Index.
You should check your engine oil level regularly; this is
an added reminder.
Checking Engine Oil
It's a good idea to check your engine oil every time you
get fuel. In order to get an accurate reading, the oil must
be warm and the vehicle must be on level ground.
2.4L L4 Engine

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3400 V6 Engine
The engine oil dipstick handle is yellow. The dipstick on
the 2.4L L4 engine is located at the rear of the engine.
The dipstick on the 3400 V6 engine is located on the
front of the engine, behind the fan.Turn off the engine and give the oil several minutes to
drain back into the oil pan. If you don't, the oil dipstick
might not show the actual level.
Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel or
cloth, then push it back in all the way. Remove it again,
keeping the tip down, and check the level.
3400 V6 Engine Shown
2.4L L4 Engine Similar