2003 CHEVROLET TRAIL BLAZER oil additives

Service............................................................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-3
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle..............................................5-4
Fuel................................................................5-4
Gasoline Octane............................................5-4
Gasoline Speci®cations....................................5-5
California Fuel...............................................5-5
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-6
Filling Your Tank............................................5-7
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.......................5-9
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-10
Hood Release..............................................5-10
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-12
Engine Oil...................................................5-16
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-20
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-22
Engine Coolant.............................................5-24
Radiator Pressure Cap..................................5-26
Engine Overheating.......................................5-27
Cooling System............................................5-29
Engine Fan Noise.........................................5-35Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-36
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-37
Brakes........................................................5-38
Battery........................................................5-41
Jump Starting...............................................5-42
Rear Axle.......................................................5-47
Four-Wheel Drive............................................5-48
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-50
Taillamps and Turn Signal Lamps...................5-50
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-51
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-51
Tires..............................................................5-54
In¯ation - Tire Pressure.................................5-54
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-55
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-57
Buying New Tires.........................................5-58
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-59
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-60
Wheel Replacement......................................5-61
Tire Chains..................................................5-62
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-63
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................5-64
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

Additives
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the United States
are now required to contain additives that will help
prevent engine and fuel system deposits from forming,
allowing your emission control system to work
properly. You should not have to add anything to your
fuel. Gasolines containing oxygenates, such as
ethers and ethanol, and reformulated gasolines may be
available in your area to contribute to clean air.
General Motors recommends that you use these
gasolines, particularly if they comply with the
speci®cations described earlier.
Notice:Your vehicle was not designed for fuel that
contains methanol. Do not use fuel containing
methanol. It can corrode metal parts in your fuel
system and also damage the plastic and rubber
parts. That damage would not be covered under
your warranty.Some gasolines that are not reformulated for low
emissions may contain an octane-enhancing additive
called methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT); ask the attendant where you buy gasoline
whether the fuel contains MMT. General Motors does
not recommend the use of such gasolines. Fuels
containing MMT can reduce the life of spark plugs and
the performance of the emission control system may
be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp may turn on.
If this occurs, return to your authorized GM dealer for
service.
Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another country outside the
United States or Canada, the proper fuel may be hard
to ®nd. Never use leaded gasoline or any other fuel
not recommended in the previous text on fuel. Costly
repairs caused by use of improper fuel would not
be covered by your warranty.
To check the fuel availability, ask an auto club, or
contact a major oil company that does business in the
country where you will be driving.
5-6

As in the chart shown previously, SAE 5W-30 is the
only viscosity grade recommended for your vehicle. You
should look for and use only oils which have the API
Starburst symbol and which are also identi®ed as
SAE 5W-30. If you cannot ®nd such SAE 5W-30 oils,
you can use an SAE 10W-30 oil which has the API
Starburst symbol, if it's going to be 0ÉF (-18ÉC)
or above. Do not use other viscosity grade oils, such as
SAE 10W-40 or SAE 20W-50 under any conditions.
Notice:Use only engine oil with the American
Petroleum Institute Certi®ed For Gasoline Engines
starburst symbol. Failure to use the recommended
oil can result in engine damage not covered by
your warranty.
GM Goodwrench
žoil meets all the requirements for
your vehicle.
If you are in an area of extreme cold, where the
temperature falls below-20ÉF (-29ÉC), it is
recommended that you use 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
(GM Oil Life System)
Your vehicle has a computer system that lets you know
when to change the engine oil and ®lter. 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. A CHANGE ENG OIL light 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
®lter must be changed at least once a year and at
this time 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.
5-19

What to Use
Use a mixture of one-halfclean, drinkable waterand
one-half DEX-COOLžcoolant. If you use this coolant
mixture, you don't need to add anything else.
{CAUTION:
Adding only plain water to your cooling
system can be dangerous. Plain water, or
some other liquid such as alcohol, can boil
before the proper coolant mixture will. Your
vehicle's coolant warning system is set for the
proper coolant mixture. With plain water or the
wrong mixture, your engine could get too hot
but you would not get the overheat warning.
Your engine could catch ®re and you or others
could be burned. Use a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
žcoolant.
Notice:If you use an improper coolant mixture,
your engine could overheat and be badly damaged.
The repair cost wouldn't be covered by your
warranty. Too much water in the mixture can freeze
and crack the engine, radiator, heater core and
other parts.If you have to add coolant more than four times a year,
have your dealer check your cooling system.
Notice:If you use the proper coolant, you don't
have to add extra inhibitors or additives which claim
to improve the system. These can be harmful.
Checking Coolant
The engine coolant
recovery tank is in the
engine compartment
on the passenger's side of
the vehicle. See
Engine
Compartment Overview on
page 5-12
for more
information on location.
The vehicle must be on a level surface. When your
engine is cold, the coolant level should be at FULL
COLD, or a little higher.
5-25

Driving (cont.)
In Rain and on Wet Roads...........................4-30
Winter........................................................4-38
Dual Automatic Climate Control System.............3-24
Dual Climate Control System............................3-21
DVD Player....................................................3-96
DVD ............................................................3-108
Cleaning the Video Screen..........................3-108
Distortion..................................................3-106
Rear Seat Entertainment System...................3-93
E
Electrical System............................................5-88
Add-On Equipment......................................5-88
Fuses and Circuit Breakers...........................5-89
Headlamps.................................................5-88
Power Windows and Other Power Options......5-88
Windshield Wiper Fuses...............................5-88
Emergency Release for Opening Liftgate............2-13
Emissions Inspection and Maintenance
Programs...................................................3-45
Engine..........................................................5-20
Air Cleaner/Filter.........................................5-20
Battery.......................................................5-41
Change Engine Oil Light...............................3-47
Check and Service Engine Soon Light............3-43Engine (cont.)
Compartment Overview................................5-12
Coolant Heater............................................2-21
Coolant Temperature Gage...........................3-42
Coolant......................................................5-24
Cooling System Inspection............................6-16
Exhaust.....................................................2-32
Fan Noise..................................................5-35
Oil .............................................................5-16
Overheating................................................5-27
Reduced Power Light...................................3-48
Starting......................................................2-20
Engine Compartment Fuse Block......................5-89
ENGINE COOLANT HOT/IDLE ENGINE.............3-61
Engine Coolant Level Check.............................6-11
Engine Oil Additives........................................5-19
Engine Oil Level Check...................................6-11
Engine Oil Scheduled Maintenance..................... 6-5
Entertainment System....................................3-108
Cleaning the Video Screen..........................3-108
DVD Distortion..........................................3-106
Entry Lighting.................................................3-19
Environmental Concerns..................................4-17
Erasing HomeLink
žButtons..............................2-42
Exit Lighting...................................................3-19
Express±Down Window....................................2-15
Extender, Safety Belt.......................................1-27
Exterior Lamps...............................................3-15
5

F
Filter.............................................................5-20
Engine Air Cleaner......................................5-20
Finding a PTY Station.....................3-68, 3-76, 3-85
Finding a Station............................3-66, 3-73, 3-83
Finish Care....................................................5-83
Finish Damage...............................................5-85
Fixed Mast Antenna.......................................3-108
Flash-to-Pass................................................... 3-9
Flat Tire, Changing.........................................5-64
Flat Tire........................................................5-63
Fluid.............................................................5-22
Automatic Transmission................................5-22
Power Steering...........................................5-36
Windshield Washer......................................5-37
FM ..............................................................3-106
Fog Lamps....................................................3-17
Following Distance..........................................4-57
Footnotes........................................................ 6-5
Four-Wheel Drive....................................2-24, 5-48
Front Axle......................................................5-49
Front Storage Area.........................................2-44
Fuel Information..............................................3-53
FUEL LEVEL LOW.........................................3-62
Fuel............................................................... 5-4
Additives...................................................... 5-6
California Fuel.............................................. 5-5
Filling a Portable Fuel Container..................... 5-9
Filling Your Tank........................................... 5-7
Fuels in Foreign Countries.............................. 5-6Fuel (cont.)
Gage.........................................................3-50
Gasoline Octane........................................... 5-4
Gasoline Speci®cations.................................. 5-5
Low Warning Light.......................................3-51
System Inspection.......................................6-16
Fuses...........................................................5-89
Fuses and Circuit Breakers...........................5-89
Windshield Wiper.........................................5-88
G
Gage............................................................3-49
Check Gages Warning Light..........................3-49
Engine Coolant Temperature.........................3-42
Fuel..........................................................3-50
Oil Pressure...............................................3-46
Speedometer..............................................3-37
Tachometer.................................................3-38
Voltmeter Gage...........................................3-40
Garage Door Opener.......................................2-39
Gasoline......................................................... 5-4
Octane........................................................ 5-4
Speci®cations............................................... 5-5
Gate Ajar Light...............................................3-50
Gate Operator and Canadian Programming........2-42
Getting Familiar with Off-Road Driving................4-17
Glove Box.....................................................2-43
GM Mobility Program for Persons with
Disabilities.................................................... 7-5
6