2003 CHEVROLET SSR checking oil

Service............................................................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside
of Your Vehicle...........................................5-5
Fuel................................................................5-5
Gasoline Octane............................................5-5
Gasoline Specications....................................5-6
California Fuel...............................................5-6
Additives.......................................................5-7
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-7
Filling the Tank..............................................5-8
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.....................5-10
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-10
Hood Release..............................................5-11
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-12
Engine Oil...................................................5-14
Engine Cover...............................................5-19
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-20
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-21
Engine Coolant.............................................5-24
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap..................5-26
Engine Overheating.......................................5-27
Cooling System............................................5-28
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-31
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-32Brakes........................................................5-33
Battery........................................................5-36
Jump Starting...............................................5-36
Rear Axle.......................................................5-42
Headlamp Aiming...........................................5-42
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-43
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-43
Headlamps..................................................5-43
Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker and
Parking Lamps..........................................5-44
Taillamps.....................................................5-46
Back-Up Lamps............................................5-47
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-48
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-48
Tires..............................................................5-51
Ination - Tire Pressure.................................5-56
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-57
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-58
Buying New Tires.........................................5-59
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-60
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-61
Wheel Replacement......................................5-62
Tire Chains..................................................5-64
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-65
Tire Inator Kit.............................................5-66
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

Filling a Portable Fuel Container
{CAUTION:
Never ll 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 ll 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 ll nozzle in contact with the
inside of the ll opening before operating
the nozzle. Contact should be maintained
until the lling is complete.
Do not smoke while pumping gasoline.
Checking Things Under
the Hood
{CAUTION:
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts
and start a re. These include liquids like fuel,
oil, coolant, brake uid, windshield washer
and other uids, 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.
5-10

Engine Oil
Checking Engine Oil
It’s a good idea to check your engine oil every time you
get fuel. In order to get an accurate reading, the oil
must be warm and the vehicle must be on level ground.
The engine oil dipstick
handle is a yellow ring
located in the engine
compartment toward the
passenger’s side of
the vehicle. SeeEngine
Compartment Overview
on page 5-12for more
information on location.Turn off the engine and give the oil several minutes
to drain back into the oil pan. If you don’t, the oil dipstick
might not show the actual level.
Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel or
cloth, then push it back in all the way. Remove it again,
keeping the tip down, and check the level.
5-14

How to Add Automatic Transmission
Fluid
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine
what kind of transmission uid to use. See
Part D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
on page 6-15.
Add uid only after checking the transmission uid while
it is hot. (A cold check is used only as a reference.)
If the uid level is low, add only enough of the proper
uid to bring the level up to the HOT area for a hot
check. It doesn’t take much uid, generally less
than one pint (0.5 L). Don’t overll.
Notice:We recommend you use only uid labeled
DEXRON
®-III, because uid with that label is
made especially for your automatic transmission.
Damage caused by uid other than DEXRON
®-III is
not covered by your new vehicle warranty.
After adding uid, recheck the uid level as
described under “How to Check” earlier.
When the correct uid level is obtained, push the
dipstick back in all the way; then ip the handle
down to lock the dipstick in place.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in your vehicle is lled 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 rst, 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, seeEngine Overheating on page 5-27.
A 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX-COOL
®coolant will:
Give freezing protection down to−34°F (−37°C).
Give boiling protection up to 265°F (129°C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine temperature.
Let the warning lights and gages work as they
should.
5-24

Checking Brake Fluid
You can check the brake uid without taking off the cap.
Just look at the brake uid
reservoir. The uid level
should be above MIN.
If it is not, have your brake
system checked to see
if there is a leak.
After work is done on the brake hydraulic system,
make sure the level is above the MIN but not over
the MAX mark.
What to Add
When you do need brake uid, use only DOT-3 brake
uid. Use new brake uid from a sealed container
only. SeePart D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
on page 6-15.Always clean the brake uid 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 of uid 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 uid.
Notice:
Using the wrong uid 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 will have to be replaced. Do not
let someone put in the wrong kind of uid.
If you spill brake uid on your vehicle’s painted
surfaces, the paint nish can be damaged. Be
careful not to spill brake uid on your vehicle. If
you do, wash it off immediately. SeeAppearance
Care on page 5-72.
5-34

Certication/Tire Label.....................................4-35
Chains, Tire...................................................5-64
Change Trans (Transmission) Fluid....................3-46
Charging System Light....................................3-27
Check
Engine Light...............................................3-30
Gages Warning Light...................................3-36
Check Engine Light.........................................3-30
Check Oil Level..............................................3-46
Checking Brake Fluid......................................5-34
Checking Coolant............................................5-26
Checking Engine Oil........................................5-14
Checking the Automatic Transmission
Fluid Level.................................................5-23
Checking Things Under the Hood......................5-10
Chemical Paint Spotting...................................5-78
Child Restraints
Child Restraint Systems...............................1-25
Infants and Young Children...........................1-22
Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for
Children (LATCH System)..........................1-31
Older Children.............................................1-20
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for the
LATCH System........................................1-33Child Restraints (cont.)
Securing a Child Restraint in the Passenger
Seat Position...........................................1-36
Top Strap...................................................1-29
Top Strap Anchor Location............................1-31
Cigarette Lighter.............................................3-17
Cleaning
Inside of Your Vehicle..................................5-73
Outside of Your Vehicle................................5-75
Underbody Maintenance...............................5-78
Weatherstrips..............................................5-75
Cleaning Aluminum Wheels..............................5-77
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses.......................5-76
Cleaning Fabric/Carpet....................................5-73
Cleaning Glass Surfaces..................................5-75
Cleaning Interior Plastic Components.................5-75
Cleaning Leather............................................5-74
Cleaning the Top of the Instrument Panel...........5-75
Cleaning the Windshield and Wiper Blades.........5-77
Cleaning Tires................................................5-78
Cleaning Vinyl................................................5-74
Climate Control System...................................3-18
Outlet Adjustment........................................3-21
Content Theft-Deterrent....................................2-12
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