How to Inspect the Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter
To inspect the air cleaner/filter, remove thefilter from
the vehicle and lightly shake thefilter to release
loose dust and dirt. If thefilter remains“caked”with dirt,
a newfilter is required.
To inspect or replace the air cleaner/filter, do the
following:
1. Remove the two clamps on the duct.
2. Remove the duct.
3. Unlatch the two hooks on top of the engine air
cleaner/filter housing.4. Remove and replace the engine air cleaner/filter.
5. Align the tabs located on the bottom of the
panel with the slots at the bottom of the housing.
6. Latch the hooks to secure the panel in place. If the
panel moves easily, check that the tabs are seated
correctly in the slots.
7. Put the duct back on and reinstall the clamps.
{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 helps to
stopflame 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 enginefire. And, dirt can
easily get into your engine, which will damage it.
Always have the air cleaner/filter in place when
you’re driving.
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When your brakefluid falls to a low level, your brake
warning light will come on. SeeBrake System Warning
Light on page 3-38.
What to Add
When you do need brakefluid, use only DOT-3 brake
fluid. Use new brakefluid from a sealed container
only. SeePart D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
on page 6-15.
Always clean the brakefluid reservoir cap and the area
around the cap before removing it. This will help
keep dirt from entering the reservoir.
{CAUTION:
With the wrong kind offluid in your brake
system, your brakes may not work well, or
they may not even work at all. This could
cause a crash. Always use the proper brake
fluid.
Notice:
•Using the wrongfluid can badly damage brake
system parts. For example, just a few drops of
mineral-based oil, such as engine oil, in your
brake system can damage brake system
parts so badly that they’ll have to be replaced.
Don’t let someone put in the wrong kind offluid.
•If you spill brakefluid on your vehicle’s painted
surfaces, the paintfinish can be damaged. Be
careful not to spill brakefluid on your vehicle.
If you do, wash it off immediately. See
“Appearance Care”in the Index. United States
Canada
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Brake Wear
Your vehicle has four-wheel disc brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make
a high-pitched warning sound when the brake pads
are worn and new pads are needed. The sound
may come and go or be heard all the time your vehicle
is moving (except when you are pushing on the
brake pedalfirmly).
{CAUTION:
The brake wear warning sound means that
soon your brakes won’t work well. That could
lead to an accident. When you hear the brake
wear warning sound, have your vehicle
serviced.
Notice:Continuing to drive with worn-out brake
pads could result in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes arefirst applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong with
your brakes.Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect
brake pads for wear and evenly tighten wheel nuts in
the proper sequence to GM torque specifications.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
SeeBrake System Inspection on page 6-14.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you apply the brakes, with or without the
vehicle moving, your brakes adjust for wear.
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 need new ones put in–be sure
you get new approved GM replacement parts. If
you don’t, your brakes may no longer work properly.
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{CAUTION:
Batteries can hurt you. They can be dangerous
because:
•They contain acid that can burn you.
•They contain gas that can explode or
ignite.
•They contain enough electricity to
burn you.
If you don’t follow these steps exactly, some
or all of these things can hurt you.
Notice:Ignoring these steps could result in costly
damage to your vehicle that wouldn’t be covered
by your warranty.
Trying to start your vehicle by pushing or pulling it
won’t work, and it could damage your vehicle.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with a negative ground system.
Notice:If the other system isn’t a 12-volt system
with a negative ground, both vehicles can be
damaged.
2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles aren’t touching
each other. If they are, it could cause a groundconnection you don’t want. You wouldn’t be able to
start your vehicle, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
To avoid the possibility of the vehicles rolling, set
the parking brakefirmly on both vehicles involved in
the jump starting procedure. Put an automatic
transaxle in PARK (P) or a manual transaxle
in NEUTRAL before setting the parking brake.
Notice:If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter or in the accessory power outlet(s). Turn
off the radios and all lamps that aren’t needed. This
will avoid sparks and help save both batteries.
And it could save your radio!
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries. Find the
positive (+) and negative (−) terminals on each
vehicle.
You will not need to access your battery for jump
starting. Your vehicle has a remote positive (+) jump
starting terminal for that purpose. The terminal is
located under a tethered cap at the front of the
underhood fuse and relay center. SeeEngine
Compartment Overview on page 5-10for more
information on location.
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Flip the cap up to access the remote positive (+)
terminal. You should always use the remote
positive (+) terminal instead of the positive (+)
terminal on the battery.
{CAUTION:
An electric fan can start up even when the
engine is not running and can injure you. Keep
hands, clothing and tools away from any
underhood electric fan.
{CAUTION:
Using a match near a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing
this, and some have been blinded. Use a
flashlight if you need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough water. You
don’t need to add water to the ACDelco
®
battery installed in your new vehicle. But if a
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
battery hasfiller caps, be sure the right
amount offluid is there. If it is low, add water
to take care of thatfirst. If you don’t, explosive
gas could be present.
Batteryfluid contains acid that can burn you.
Don’t get it on you. If you accidentally get it in
your eyes or on your skin,flush the place with
water and get medical help immediately.
{CAUTION:
Fans or other moving engine parts can injure
you badly. Keep your hands away from moving
parts once the engine is running.
5. Check that the jumper cables don’t have loose or
missing insulation. If they do, you could get a
shock. The vehicles could be damaged too.
Before you connect the cables, here are some
basic things you should know. Positive (+) will go to
positive (+) or to a remote positive (+) terminal if
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may not come on even if the tire pressure is low, or it
may come on when the tire pressure is actually normal:
•more than one tire is low,
•only one tire is replaced with a new tire during
service,
•the vehicle is moving faster than 70 mph (113 km/h),
•the system is not yet calibrated,
•the tire treadwear is uneven,
•the compact spare tire is installed,
•tire chains are being used, or
•the vehicle is being driven on a rough or
frozen road.
If the anti-lock brake system warning light comes on,
the check tire pressure system may not be working
properly. See your dealer for service. Also, see
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light on page 3-39.
The check tire pressure system detects differences
in tire rotation speeds that are caused by changes in
tire pressure. The system can alert you about a low
tire–but it doesn’t replace normal tire maintenance.
SeeTires on page 5-48.
When the LOW TIRE PRESSURE HOLD SET TO
RESET message appears on the Driver Information
Center and the LOW TIRE PRESSURE message comes
on the message center, you should stop as soon asyou can and check all your tires for damage. If a tire is
flat, seeIf a Tire Goes Flat on page 5-58. Also check
the tire pressure in all four tires as soon as you can.
SeeInflation -- Tire Pressure on page 5-49.
Any time you adjust a tire’s pressure or have one or more
tires repaired or replaced, you’ll need to reset (calibrate)
the check tire pressure system. You’ll also need to reset
the system whenever you rotate the tires, buy new tires
and install or remove the compact spare.
Don’t reset the check tire pressure system withoutfirst
correcting the cause of the problem and checking
and adjusting the pressure in all four tires. If you reset
the system when the tire pressures are incorrect,
the check tire pressure system will not work properly
and may not alert you when a tire is low or high.
To reset the system:
1. Turn the ignition to ON with the engine off.
2. Press the MODE button until the DIC reads LOW
TIRE PRESSURE HOLD SET TO RESET.
3. Press and hold the SET button until you hear a
chime and TIRE PRESSURE RESET is displayed.
You will hear three chimes and the LOW TIRE
PRESSURE message will go off and the DIC will return
to TIRE PRESSURE NORMAL. If the LOW TIRE
PRESSURE message comes back on, the check tire
pressure system has not reset. Repeat the procedure.
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Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable on the
tire sidewall between tread shoulder and maximum
section width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, which grades tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature performance.
(This applies only to vehicles sold in the United States.)
The grades are molded on the sidewalls of most
passenger car tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading
system does not apply to deep tread, winter-type
snow tires, space-saver or temporary use spare tires,
tires with nominal rim diameters of 10 to 12 inches
(25 to 30 cm), or to some limited-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary with respect to these
grades, they must also conform to federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) standards.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and
a half (1.5) times as well on the government course asa tire graded 100. The relative performance of tires
depends upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart significantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits, service practices and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction–AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A,
B, and C. Those grades represent the tire’s ability
to stop on wet pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance. Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on straight-ahead braking
traction tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction characteristics.
Temperature–A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance to the generation
of heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high temperature can
cause the material of the tire to degenerate and
reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds to a
level of performance which all passenger car tires must
meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
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tires and tighten them as tightly as possible with the
ends securely fastened. Drive slowly and follow the
chain manufacturer’s instructions. If you can hear the
chains contacting your vehicle, stop and retighten
them. If the contact continues, slow down until it
stops. Driving too fast or spinning the wheels with
chains on will damage your vehicle.
Accessory Inflator
Your vehicle may have an accessory inflator. With it, you
can inflate things like air mattresses and basketballs, and
you can also use it to bring your tires up to the proper
pressure.
The accessory inflator is located in the rear compartment
on the driver’s side. To remove the cover, pull the tab on
the cover and pull it off.
This is the symbol on the
accessory inflator switch.There may be an accessory inflator kit stored in the
glove box. It includes a 20-foot (6 m) hose with an air
pressure gage and nozzle adapters.
{CAUTION:
Inflating something too much can make it
explode, and you or others could be injured.
Be sure to read the inflator instructions, and
inflate any object only to its recommended
pressure.
To use your accessory inflator system, do the following:
1. Turn the ignition to ACCESSORY or ON.
2. Attach the appropriate nozzle adapter, if required,
to the end of the hose that has the pressure gage.
3. Attach that end of the hose to the object you wish
to inflate.
4. Remove the protective cap covering the outlet.
5. Attach the other end of the hose to the outlet.
6. Press the accessory inflator switch. The light in the
switch will come on to show the system is working.
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