2000 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX engine coolant

6-
6-1
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
-6 Filling Your Tank
6
-8 Filling a Portable Fuel Container
6
-8 Checking Things Under the Hood
6
-13 Engine Oil
6
-20 Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
6
-21 Supercharger Oil
6
-22 Automatic Transaxle Fluid
6
-26 Engine Coolant
6
-29 Radiator Pressure Cap
6
-29 Power Steering Fluid
6
-31 Windshield Washer Fluid
6
-32 Brakes
6
-35 Battery
6
-36 Bulb Replacement
6
-44 Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement6
-45 Tires
6
-53 Appearance Care
6
-53 Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
6
-55 Care of Safety Belts
6
-57 Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle
6
-58 Cleaning Aluminum Wheels (If Equipped)
6
-58 Cleaning Tires
6
-59 Sheet Metal Damage
6
-59 Finish Damage
6
-59 Underbody Maintenance
6
-59 Chemical Paint Spotting
6
-60 GM Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials
6
-61 Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
6
-61 Service Parts Identification Label
6
-62 Electrical System
6
-68 Replacement Bulbs
6
-68 Capacities and Specifications
6
-69 Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts

6-8
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.
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.

6-10
When you open the hood of the 3100 V6 engine, you'll see:
A. Windshield Washer Fluid
B. Battery
C. Radiator Fill Cap
D. Engine Coolant ReservoirE. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
F. Engine Oil Fill Cap
G. Engine Oil DipstickH. Automatic Transaxle
Fluid Dipstick
I. Brake Fluid Reservoir
J. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter

6-11
When you open the hood of the 3800 V6 engine, you'll see:
A. Windshield Washer Fluid
B. Battery
C. Radiator Fill Cap
D. Engine Coolant ReservoirE. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
(low in engine compartment)
F. Engine Oil Fill Cap
G. Engine Oil DipstickH. Automatic Transaxle
Fluid Dipstick
I. Brake Fluid Reservoir
J. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter

6-12
When you open the hood of the 3800 V6 Supercharged engine, you'll see:
A. Windshield Washer Fluid
B. Battery
C. Radiator Fill Cap
D. Engine Coolant ReservoirE. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
(low in engine compartment)
F. Engine Oil Fill Cap
G. Engine Oil DipstickH. Automatic Transaxle
Fluid Dipstick
I. Brake Fluid Reservoir
J. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter

6-26
Engine Coolant
The cooling system 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 ªEngine Overheatingº in the Index.
A 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX
-COOL
coolant will:

Give freezing protection down to
-34F (-37C).

Give boiling protection up to 265F (129C).

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.

6-27 What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half clean, drinkable water and
one
-half DEX-COOL
coolant which won't damage
aluminum parts. If you use this coolant mixture, you
don't need to add anything else.
CAUTION:
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 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water
and DEX
-COOL
coolant.
NOTICE:
If you use an improper coolant mixture, your
engine could overheat and be badly damaged.
The repair cost wouldn't be covered by your
warranty. Too much water in the mixture can
freeze and crack the engine, radiator, heater core
and other parts.
If you have to add coolant more than four times a year,
have your dealer check your cooling system.
NOTICE:
If you use the proper coolant, you don't have to
add extra inhibitors or additives which claim to
improve the system. These can be harmful.

6-28 Checking Coolant
The vehicle must be on a level surface. When your
engine is cold, the coolant level should be at the COLD
mark or a little higher. When your engine is warm, the
level should be up to the HOT mark or a little higher.
If this LOW COOLANT
light comes on and stays on,
it means you're low on
engine coolant.
Adding Coolant
If you need more coolant, add the proper DEX
-COOL

coolant mixture at the coolant recovery tank, but be
careful not to spill it.
If the coolant recovery tank is completely empty, add coolant
to the radiator. (See ªEngine Overheatingº in the Index.)
CAUTION:
Turning the radiator pressure cap when the
engine and radiator are hot can allow steam and
scalding liquids to blow out and burn you badly.
With the coolant recovery tank, you will almost
never have to add coolant at the radiator.
Never turn the radiator pressure cap
-- even a
little
-- when the engine and radiator are hot.