2002 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE maintenance

6-2
Service
Your dealer knows your vehicle best and wants you to
be happy with it. We hope you'll go to your dealer for
all your service needs. You'll get genuine GM parts and
GM
-trained and supported service people.
We hope you'll want to keep your GM vehicle all GM.
Genuine GM parts have one of these marks:
Doing Your Own Service Work
If you want to do some of your own service work, you'll
want to use the proper service manual. It tells you much
more about how to service your vehicle than this manual
can. To order the proper service manual, see ªService
and Owner Publicationsº in the Index.
Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting to
do your own service work, see ªServicing Your Air
Bag
-Equipped Vehicleº in the Index.
You should keep a record with all parts receipts and list
the mileage and the date of any service work you
perform. See ªMaintenance Recordº in the Index.

6-3
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
The 8th digit of your vehicle identification number
(VIN) shows the code letter or number that identifies
your engine. You will find the VIN at the top left of the
instrument panel. See ªVehicle Identification Numberº
in the Index.
Gasoline Octane
If your vehicle has the 3800 V6 engine (VIN Code K),
use regular unleaded gasoline with a posted octane of 87
or higher. If the octane is less than 87, you may get a
heavy knocking noise when you drive. If it is bad
enough, it can damage your engine. A little pinging
noise when you accelerate or drive uphill is considered
normal. This does not indicate a problem exists or that
a higher
-octane fuel is necessary.
If your vehicle has the 3800 Supercharged V6 engine
(VIN Code1), use only premium unleaded gasoline with
a posted octane of 91 or higher. In an emergency, you
may be able to use a lower octane
-- as low as 87 -- if
heavy knocking does not occur. Refill your tank with
premium fuel as soon as possible. If you are using
91 octane or higher
-octane fuel and you hear heavy
knocking, your engine needs service.

6-15
SAE 10W-30 is best for your vehicle. However, you can
use SAE 5W
-30 if it's going to be colder than 60F
(16C) before your next oil change. When it's very cold,
you should use SAE 5W
-30. These numbers on an oil
container show its viscosity, or thickness. Do not use
other viscosity oils, such as SAE 20W
-50.
NOTICE:
Use only engine oil with the American Petroleum
Institute Certified For Gasoline Engines
starburst symbol. Failure to use the
recommended oil can result in engine damage not
covered by your warranty.
GM Goodwrench oil meets all the requirements for
your vehicle.
If you are in an area where the temperature falls below
-20F (-29C), consider using either an SAE 5W-30
synthetic oil or an SAE 0W
-30 oil. Both will provide
easier cold starting and better protection for your engine
at extremely low temperatures.
Engine Oil Additives
Don't add anything to your oil. The recommended oils
with the starburst symbol are all you will need for good
performance and engine protection.
When to Change Engine Oil (Vehicles
Without the GM Oil Life System)
If any one of these is true for you, use the short trip/city
maintenance schedule:

Most trips are less than 5 miles (8 km). This is
particularly important when outside temperatures are
below freezing.

Most trips include extensive idling (such as frequent
driving in stop
-and-go traffic).

You frequently tow a trailer or use a carrier on top of
your vehicle.

The vehicle is used for delivery service, police, taxi
or other commercial application.
Driving under these conditions causes engine oil to
break down sooner. If any one of these is true for your
vehicle, then you need to change your oil and filter
every 3,000 miles (5 000 km) or 3 months
-- whichever
occurs first.

6-16
If none of them is true, use the long trip/highway
maintenance schedule. Change the oil and filter every
7,500 miles (12 500 km) or 12 months
-- whichever
occurs first. Driving a vehicle with a fully warmed
engine under highway conditions will cause engine oil
to break down slower.
When to Change Engine Oil (Vehicles With
the GM Oil Life System
Option)
If so equipped, your vehicle has a computer system that
lets you know when to change the engine oil and filter.
This is based on engine revolutions and engine
temperature, and not on mileage. Based on driving
conditions, the mileage at which an oil change will be
indicated can vary considerably. For the oil life system
to work properly, you must reset the system every time
the oil is changed.
When the system has calculated that oil life has been
diminished, it will indicate that an oil change is
necessary. An ENGINE OIL CHANGE SOON message
will come on. Change your oil as soon as possible
within the next two times you stop for fuel. It is possible
that, if you are driving under the best conditions, the oil
life system may not indicate that an oil change is
necessary for over a year. However, your engine oil and
filter must be changed at least once a year and at thistime the system must be reset. It is also important to
check your oil regularly and keep it at the proper level.
If the system is ever reset accidentally, you must change
your oil at 3,000 miles (5 000 km) since your last oil
change. Remember to reset the oil life system whenever
the oil is changed.
How to Reset the Oil Life System (Option)
The GM Oil Life System
calculates when to change
your engine oil and filter based on vehicle use. Anytime
your oil is changed, reset the system so it can calculate
when the next oil change is required. If a situation
occurs where you change your oil prior to an ENGINE
OIL CHANGE SOON message being turned on, reset
the system.
Always reset the engine oil life to 100% after every oil
change. It will not reset itself. To reset the Oil Life
System, do the following:
1. Display OIL LIFE on the DIC.
2. Press and hold the RESET button for more than five
seconds. The oil life will change to 100%.

6-18
To check or replace the engine air cleaner/filter do
the following:
1. Loosen the two clips on top of the engine air
cleaner/filter housing and lift the filter cover tabs out
of the housing.
2. Push the housing cover toward the engine,
compressing the hose.
3. Pull out the filter. Check or replace the engine
air cleaner/filter.
4. To reinstall the housing cover, make sure the filter
cover tabs position through the slots in the housing.
A notch on the sides of the filter cover will indicate
the correct engagement.
5. Fasten the two clips on the top of the housing when
you are finished.
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when to
replace the air filter.
See ªScheduled Maintenance Servicesº in the Index.
CAUTION:
Operating the engine with the air cleaner/filter
off can cause you or others to be burned. The air
cleaner not only cleans the air, it stops flame if
the engine backfires. If it isn't there, and the
engine backfires, you could be burned. Don't
drive with it off, and be careful working on the
engine with the air cleaner/filter off.
NOTICE:
If the air cleaner/filter is off, a backfire can
cause a damaging engine fire. And, dirt can easily
get into your engine, which will damage it.
Always have the air cleaner/filter in place when
you're driving.

6-19
Passenger Compartment Air Filter
(If Equipped)
The passenger compartment air filter removes certain
particles from the air, including pollen and dust
particles. Reductions in airflow, which may occur more
often in dusty areas, indicate that the filter may need to
be replaced early.
The filter should be replaced as part of the routine
scheduled maintenance. See ªMaintenance Scheduleº in
the Index for more information.
The passenger compartment
air filter is located on the
passenger side of the
vehicle at the base of the
windshield and can be
accessed through a
removable panel under the
hood of the vehicle.To check or replace the air filter, do the following:
1. With the hood open, unlatch and remove the
access panel.
2. To remove the filter, press on the spring tab on
the side of the filter housing and pull the filter out
of the housing.
3. To install the new filter, press on the spring tab and
insert the filter into the housing. The filter should be
fully inserted into the upper and lower grooves and
locked into place by the spring tab.
4. Reinstall the air filter access panel at the base of
the windshield.

6-20
Supercharger Oil
Unless you are technically
qualified and have the
proper tools, you should let
your dealer or a qualified
service center perform
this maintenance.
When to Check
Check oil level every 30,000 miles (50 000 km) or every
36 months, whichever occurs first.
What Kind of Oil to Use
Use only the recommended supercharger oil. See
ªRecommended Fluids and Lubricantsº in the Index.
How to Check and Add Oil
Park the vehicle on a level surface. Check oil only when
the engine is cold. Allow the engine to cool two to three
hours after running.
CAUTION:
If you remove the supercharger oil fill plug while
the engine is hot, pressure may cause hot oil to
blow out of the oil fill hole. You may be burned.
Do not remove the plug until the engine cools.
1. Clean the area around the oil fill plug before
removing it.
2. Remove the oil fill plug.
3. The oil level is correct when it just reaches the
bottom of the threads of the inspection hole.
4. Replace the oil plug with the O
-ring in place.
Tighten to 88 lb
-in (10 N´m).

6-21
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transaxle fluid
level is when the engine oil is changed.
Change both the fluid and filter every 50,000 miles
(83 000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or
more of these conditions:

In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
regularly reaches 90F (32C) or higher.

In hilly or mountainous terrain.

When doing frequent trailer towing.

Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any
of these conditions, change the fluid and filter
at 100,000 miles (166 000 km).
See ªScheduled Maintenance Servicesº in the Index.
How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you
may choose to have this done at the dealership
service department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the
instructions here, or you could get a false reading
on the dipstick.
NOTICE:
Too much or too little fluid can damage your
transaxle. Too much can mean that some of the
fluid could come out and fall on hot engine parts
or exhaust system parts, starting a fire. Too little
fluid could cause the transaxle to overheat. Be
sure to get an accurate reading if you check your
transaxle fluid.