2001 Oldsmobile Alero battery

5-7
10. Attach the cable at least 18 inches (45 cm) away
from the dead battery, but not near engine parts that
move. The electrical connection is just as good
there, but the chance of sparks getting back to the
battery is much less.
11. Start the vehicle with the good battery and run the
engine for a while.
12. Try to start the vehicle with the dead battery.
If it won't start after a few tries, it probably
needs service.Jumper Cable Removal
A. Heavy, Unpainted Metal Engine Part
B. Good Battery
C. Dead Battery

5-8
To disconnect the jumper cables from both vehicles, do
the following:
1. Disconnect the black negative (
-) cable from the
heavy, unpainted metal engine part on the vehicle
that had the dead battery.
2. Disconnect the black negative (
-) cable from
the negative (
-) terminal on the vehicle with
good battery.
3. Disconnect the red positive (+) cable from the
vehicle with the good battery.
4. Disconnect the red positive (+) cable from the
other vehicle.
Towing Your Vehicle
Consult your dealer or a professional towing service if
you need to have your vehicle towed. See ªRoadside
Assistanceº and ªRecreational Vehicle Towingº in
the Index.
Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage and a low
coolant warning light on your vehicle's instrument
panel. See ªEngine Coolant Temperature Gageº and
ªLow Coolant Warning Lightº in the Index.

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
-19 Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
6
-20 Automatic Transaxle Fluid
6
-21 Manual Transaxle Fluid
6
-21 Hydraulic Clutch
6
-22 Engine Coolant
6
-25 Power Steering Fluid
6
-26 Windshield Washer Fluid
6
-27 Brakes6
-31 Battery
6
-32 Bulb Replacement
6
-36 Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
6
-37 Tires
6
-47 Appearance Care
6
-47 Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
6
-50 Care of Safety Belts
6
-51 Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle
6
-53 Finish Damage
6
-54 GM Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials
6
-55 Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
6
-56 Electrical System
6
-61 Replacement Bulbs
6
-62 Capacities and Specifications
6
-63 Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts

6-11 Engine Compartment Overview
When you open the hood on the 2.4L L4 engine, you'll see the following:
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

6-12
When you open the hood on the 3400 V6 engine, you'll see the following:
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

6-31 Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a vehicle is complex. Its many
parts have to be of top quality and work well together if
the vehicle is to have really good braking. Your vehicle
was designed and tested with top
-quality GM brake
parts. When you replace parts of your braking
system
-- for example, when your brake linings wear
down and you have to have new ones put in
-- be sure
you get new approved GM replacement parts. If you
don't, your brakes may no longer work properly. For
example, if someone puts in brake linings that are wrong
for your vehicle, the balance between your front and
rear brakes can change
-- for the worse. The braking
performance you've come to expect can change in many
other ways if someone puts in the wrong replacement
brake parts.
Battery
Your new vehicle comes with a maintenance free
ACDelco
battery. When it's time for a new battery, get
one that has the replacement number shown on the
original battery's label. We recommend an ACDelco
battery. See ªEngine Compartment Overviewº in the
Index for battery location.
WARNING: Battery posts, terminals and related
accessories contain lead and lead compounds, chemicals
known to the State of California to cause cancer and
reproductive harm. Wash hands after handling.

6-32 Vehicle Storage
If you're not going to drive your vehicle for 25 days or more,
remove the black, negative (
-) cable from the battery.
This will help keep your battery from running down.
CAUTION:
Batteries have acid that can burn you and gas
that can explode. You can be badly hurt if you
aren't careful. See ªJump Startingº in the Index
for tips on working around a battery without
getting hurt.
Contact your dealer to learn how to prepare your vehicle
for longer storage periods.
Also, for your audio system, see ªTheft
-Deterrent
Featureº in the Index.
Bulb Replacement
The following procedures tell you how to replace your
bulbs. For the type of bulb to use, see ªReplacement
Bulbsº in the Index. For any bulbs not listed in this
section, contact your service department.
Halogen Bulbs
CAUTION:
Halogen bulbs have pressurized gas inside and
can burst if you drop or scratch the bulb. You or
others could be injured. Be sure to read and
follow the instructions on the bulb package.
Headlamps
1. Lift up on the two retaining clips which secure the
headlamp assembly.

6-40
Any time you adjust a tire's pressure, rotate your tires,
have one or more tires repaired or replaced, or when any
work is done on your vehicle where tires are removed
you'll need to reset (calibrate) the tire pressure monitor
system. You'll also need to reset the system whenever
you buy new tires and whenever the vehicle's battery
has been disconnected.
To reset (calibrate) the system:
1. Turn the ignition switch to ON (engine not running).
2. Press and release the RESET button located inside
of the driver's side instrument panel fuse block.
The CHANGE OIL light will begin to flash.
3. Press and release the RESET button again.
The CHANGE OIL light will go off, and the
LOW TIRE PRESSURE light will start flashing.
4. When the LOW TIRE PRESSURE light is flashing,
press and hold the RESET button until the
chime sounds.
If the LOW TIRE PRESSURE light doesn't go off,
repeat the procedure. If the LOW TIRE PRESSURE
light still remains on, see your dealer for service.
The system completes the calibration process
during driving.The system normally takes 15 to 20 minutes of driving in
each of three speed ranges to ªlearnº tire pressures. The
speed ranges are 15 to 40 mph (25 to 65 km/h), 40 to
65 mph (65 to 105 km/h) and above 65 mph (105 km/h).
When learning is complete, the system will alert you after
2
-8 minutes if a tire is 12 psi (83 kPa) different from the
other three tires. Detection thresholds may be higher and
detection times may be longer on rough roads, curves and
at high speeds. The system is not capable of detection at
speeds greater than 75 mph (120 km/h).
Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 6,000 to 8,000 miles
(10 000 to 13 000 km). Any time you notice unusual
wear, rotate your tires as soon as possible and check
wheel alignment. Also check for damaged tires or
wheels. See ªWhen It's Time for New Tiresº and
ªWheel Replacementº later in this section for
more information.
The purpose of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The first
rotation is the most important. See ªScheduled
Maintenance Servicesº in the Index for scheduled
rotation intervals.