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6-59
Foreign materials such as calcium chloride and other
salts, ice melting agents, road oil and tar, tree sap, bird
droppings, chemicals from industrial chimneys, etc., can
damage your vehicle's finish if they remain on painted
surfaces. Wash the vehicle as soon as possible.
If necessary, use non
-abrasive cleaners that are marked
safe for painted surfaces to remove foreign matter.
Exterior painted surfaces are subject to aging, weather
and chemical fallout that can take their toll over a period
of years. You can help to keep the paint finish looking
new by keeping your vehicle garaged or covered
whenever possible.
Cleaning Your Convertible Top
Your convertible top should be cleaned often. If you use
an automatic car wash, use one with water jets and
hanging cloths. High pressure car washes may cause
water to enter your vehicle.
When you hand wash the top, do it in partial shade.
Use a mild soap, lukewarm water and a soft sponge.
A chamois or cloth may leave lint on the top, and a
brush can chafe the threads in the top fabric. Don't use
detergents, harsh cleaners, solvents or bleaching agents.Wet the entire vehicle and wash the top evenly to avoid
spots or rings. Let the soap remain on the fabric for a
few minutes. When the top is really dirty, use a mild
foam
-type cleaner. Your dealer has Convertible Top
Cleaner (GM Part No. 12378520) and Water Repellent
(GM Part No. 12378519). Thoroughly rinse the entire
vehicle, then let the top dry in direct sunlight.
To protect the convertible top:
After you wash the vehicle, make sure the top is
completely dry before you lower it.
Don't get any cleaner on the vehicle's painted finish;
it could leave streaks.
If you decide to go through an automatic car wash,
ask the manager if the equipment could damage
your top.
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6-60
Cleaning Aluminum or
Chrome
-Plated Wheels (If Equipped)
Keep your wheels clean using a soft clean cloth with
mild soap and water. Rinse with clean water. After
rinsing thoroughly, dry with a soft clean towel. A wax
may then be applied.
The surface of these wheels is similar to the painted
surface of your vehicle. Don't use strong soaps,
chemicals, abrasive polishes, abrasive cleaners, cleaners
with acid or abrasive cleaning brushes on them because
you could damage the surface. Do not use chrome polish
on aluminum wheels.
Use chrome polish only on chrome
-plated wheels, but
avoid any painted surface of the wheel, and buff off
immediately after application.
Don't take your vehicle through an automatic car wash
that has silicon carbide tire cleaning brushes. These
brushes can also damage the surface of these wheels.
Cleaning Tires
To clean your tires, use a stiff brush with a tire cleaner.
NOTICE:
When applying a tire dressing always take care to
wipe off any overspray or splash from all painted
surfaces on the body or wheels of the vehicle.
Petroleum
-based products may damage the paint
finish and tires.
Sheet Metal Damage
If your vehicle is damaged and requires sheet metal
repair or replacement, make sure the body repair shop
applies anti
-corrosion material to the parts repaired or
replaced to restore corrosion protection.
Original manufacturer replacement parts will provide
the corrosion protection while maintaining the warranty.
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6-61
Finish Damage
Any stone chips, fractures or deep scratches in the finish
should be repaired right away. Bare metal will corrode
quickly and may develop into a major repair expense.
Minor chips and scratches can be repaired with touch
-up
materials available from your dealer or other service
outlets. Larger areas of finish damage can be corrected
in your dealer's body and paint shop.
Underbody Maintenance
Chemicals used for ice and snow removal and dust
control can collect on the underbody. If these are not
removed, accelerated corrosion (rust) can occur on
the underbody parts such as fuel lines, frame, floor
pan and exhaust system even though they have
corrosion protection.
At least every spring, flush these materials from the
underbody with plain water. Clean any areas where mud
and other debris can collect. Dirt packed in closed areas
of the frame should be loosened before being flushed.
Your dealer or an underbody car washing system can
do this for you.
Chemical Paint Spotting
Some weather and atmospheric conditions can create a
chemical fallout. Airborne pollutants can fall upon and
attack painted surfaces on your vehicle. This damage
can take two forms: blotchy, ringlet
-shaped
discolorations, and small irregular dark spots etched into
the paint surface.
Although no defect in the paint job causes this,
Chevrolet will repair, at no charge to the owner, the
surfaces of new vehicles damaged by this fallout
condition within 12 months or 12,000 miles (20 000 km)
of purchase, whichever occurs first.
Page 308 of 356
6-62
GM Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials
Page 309 of 356
6-63
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
This is the legal identifier for your vehicle. It appears on
a plate in the front corner of the instrument panel, on the
driver's side. You can see it if you look through the
windshield from outside your vehicle. The VIN also
appears on the Vehicle Certification and Service Parts
labels and the certificates of title and registration.
Engine Identification
The 8th character in your VIN is the engine code. This
code will help you identify your engine, specifications
and replacement parts.
Service Parts Identification Label
You'll find this label located on the rear edge of the
driver's door. It's very helpful if you ever need to order
parts. On this label is:
your VIN,
the model designation,
paint information and
a list of all production options and
special equipment.
Be sure that this label is not removed from the vehicle.
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6-64
Electrical System
Add-On Electrical Equipment
NOTICE:
Don't add anything electrical to your vehicle
unless you check with your dealer first. Some
electrical equipment can damage your vehicle
and the damage wouldn't be covered by your
warranty. Some add
-on electrical equipment
can keep other components from working as
they should.
Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting to
add anything electrical to your vehicle, see ªServicing
Your Air Bag
-Equipped Vehicleº in the Index.
Headlamps
The headlamp wiring is protected by a circuit breaker.
An electrical overload will cause the lamps to go on and
off, or in some cases to remain off. If this happens, have
your headlamp wiring checked right away.
Windshield Wipers
The windshield wiper motor is protected by a circuit
breaker and a fuse. If the motor overheats due to heavy
snow, etc., the wiper will stop until the motor cools. If
the overload is caused by some electrical problem and
not snow or ice, etc., be sure to get it fixed.
Power Windows and Other Power Options
Circuit breakers protect the power windows and other
power accessories. When the current load is too heavy,
the circuit breaker opens and closes, protecting the
circuit until the problem is fixed or goes away.
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6-65 Fuses and Circuit Breakers
The wiring circuits in your vehicle are protected
from short circuits by a combination of fuses, circuit
breakers, and fusible thermal links in the wiring itself.
This greatly reduces the chance of fires caused by
electrical problems.
There are three fuse centers on your vehicle.
The main fuse block is located behind a cover on the
instrument panel on the driver's side of the vehicle.
The other two are located in the engine compartment on
the driver's side of the vehicle. Open the cover on either
of the boxes to expose the fuses.
Look at the silver
-colored band inside the fuse. If the
band is broken or melted, replace the fuse. Be sure you
replace a bad fuse with a new one of the correct size.
If you ever have a problem on the road and don't have a
spare fuse, you can borrow one of the correct value. Just
pick some feature of your vehicle that you can get along
without
-- like the radio or cigarette lighter -- and use
its fuse, if it is the size you need. Replace it as soon as
you can.
Page 312 of 356
6-66
Main Fuse BlockFuse Usage
STOP/HAZARD Hazard Flashers, Brake
Switch Assembly
TURN B/U Traction Control/Second
-Gear
Start Switch, Back
-Up Lamp
Switch, Turn Flasher, Daytime
Running Lamps (DRL) Module
STG
WHL CNTRLSteering Wheel Controls
RADIO ACCY Delco Monsoon Radio Amplifier,
Remote CD Player (Trunk)
TAIL LPS Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
Module, Headlamp Switch
HVAC HVAC Selector Switch, Rear
Defogger Switch/Timer
PWR ACCY Parking Lamp Relay, Hatch
Release Relay, Power Mirror
Switch, Radio, Shock Sensor,
Instrument Cluster