2003 Oldsmobile Alero fuel

Fuel
Use of the recommended fuel is an important part of the
proper maintenance of your vehicle.
Gasoline Octane
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 this
occurs, use a gasoline rated at
87 octane or higher as
soon as possible. Otherwise, you might 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 you are using 87 octane or higher-octane
fuel and hear heavy knocking, your engine needs
service.
Gasoline Specifications
It is recommended that gasoline meet specifications
which were developed by the American Automobile
Manufacturers Association and endorsed by the
Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers Association for better
vehicle performance and engine protection. Gasoline
meeting these specifications could provide improved
driveability and emission control system performance
compared to other gasoline.
In Canada, look for the
“Auto Makers’ Choice”
label on the pump.
5-5

California Fuel
If your vehicle is certified to meet California Emission
Standards (see the underhood emission control label), it
is designed to operate on fuels that meet California
specifications.
If this fuel is not available in states
adopting California emissions standards, your vehicle
will operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal
specifications, but emission control system performance
may be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp may
turn on (see
Malfunction indicator Lamp on page 3-31 )
and your vehicle may fail a smog-check test. If this
occurs, return to your authorized GM dealer for
diagnosis. If it is determined that the condition is caused
by the type of fuel used, repairs may not be covered
by your warranty.
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
specifications described earlier.
Notices Your vehicle was not designed for fuel that
contains methanol. Don’t use fuel containing
methanol. It can corrode metal parts in your fuel
system and also damage the plastic and rubber
parts. That damage wouldn’t 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 find. Never use leaded gasoline or any other fuel
not recommended in the previous text on fuel. Costly
repairs caused by use of improper fuel wouldn’t 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’ll be driving.
5-6

Filling Your Tank The tethered fuel cap is behind a hinged door on the
passenger’s side of the vehicle.
Fuel vapor is highly flammable.
It burns
violently, and that can cause very bad injuries.
Don’t smoke if you’re near fuel or refueling
your vehicle. Keep sparks, flames and smoking
materials away from fuel.
While refueling, hang the tethered fuel cap inside the
fuel door.
To remove the ftjel cap: turn it slowly to the left
(counterclockwise). The fuel cap has a spring in it;
if you let go of the cap too soon, it will spring back to
the right.
5-7

If you get fuel on yourself and then somett --g
ignites it, you could be badly burned. Fuel can
spray out on you if you open the fuel cap too
quickly. This spray can happen
if your tank is
nearly full, and
is more likely in hot weather.
Open the fuel cap slowly and wait for any “hiss” noise to stop. Then unscrew the cap all the way.
Be careful not to spill fuel. Clean fuel from painted
surfaces as soon as possible. See
Cleaning the Outside
of Your Vehicle on page 5-75.
When you put the fuel cap back on, turn it to the right
(clockwise) until you hear a clicking sound. Make
sure you fully install the cap. The diagnostic system can
determine
if the fuel cap has been left off or improperly
installed. This would allow fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere. See
Malfunction lndicator Lamp on
page
3-31.
Notice: If you need a new fuel cap, be sure to get
the
right type. Your dealer can get one for you. If you
get the wrong type,
it may not fit properly. This may
cause your malfunction indicator lamp to light and
may damage your fuel tank and emissions system.
See “Malfunction lndicator Lamp”
in the Index.
Filling a Portable Fuel Container
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Never fill 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 fill 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 fill nozzle in contact with the
inside of the fill opening before operating
the nozzle. Contact should be maintained until the filling is complete.
Don’t smoke while pumping gasoline.
5-8

Checking Things Under
the HnDd
An electric fan under the hood can start up
and injure you even when the engine
is not
running. Keep hands, clothing and tools away
from any underhood electric fan.
I-
I Thi ,s thai urn can - t on hot engir parts
and start a fire. These include
liquids like fuel,
oil, coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer and
other fluids, 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.
5-9

Engine Oil
LOW
OIL I
If the LOW OIL light
appears on the instrument
cluster, it means you
need to check your engine
oil level right away.
L
3400 V6 Engine Only
For more information, see
Low Oil Level Light on
page 3-35.
YOU should check your engine oil level regularly; this is
an added reminder.
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.
2.2L L4
ECOTEC Engine
5-1 5

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 identified as
SAE 5W-30.
If you cannot find such SAE 5W-30 oils,
you can use an SAE 1OW-30 oil which has the API
Starburst symbol,
if it’s going to be 0°F (-18°C)
or above.
Do not use other viscosity grade oils, such as
SAE 1OW-40 or SAE 20W-50 under any conditions.
Nofice: 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 of extreme cold, where the
temperature falls below -20°F (-29”C), it is
recommended that you use either an SAE 5W-30
easier cold starting and better protection for your engine
at extremely low temperatures.
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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 SystemTM)
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. A CHANGE
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 filter must be
changed at least once a year and at this time the system
regularly and keep it at the proper level.
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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
:vheneve: the ci! is changed.
5-1 9

Headlamp Aiming
Your vehicle has a headlamp system equipped with
horizontal and vertical aim indicators. The aim has been
pre-set at the factory and should need no further
adjustment. This is true even fnough your vertieai
and
horizontal aim indicators may not fall exactly on the
“0 (zero) marks on their scales.
If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the headlamp
aim may be affected. Aim adjustment may be necessary
if it is difficult to see lane markers (for horizontal
you (for vertical aim). If you believe your headlamps
need to be re-aimed,
we recommend that you take it to
your dealer for service; however, it is possible for
you to re-aim your headlamps as described in the
following procedure.
~im), nr if ~n~nmins drivers flash their hi9h beams at
Notice: To make sure your headlamps are aimed
properly, read all the instructions before beginning.
Failure to follow these instructions could cause
damage to headlamp parts.
To check the aim, the vehicle should be properly
prepared as follows:
The vehicle must have all four tires on a perfectly
level surface.
If necessary, pads may be used on an uneven
surface.
The vehicle should not have any snow, ice or mud
attached to it.
The vehicle should be fully assembled and aii other
work stopped while headlamp aiming is being done.
There should not be any cargo or loading of
the vehicle, except it should have a full tank of
fuel and one person or
160 Ibs. (75 kg) on
the driver’s seat.
Close all doors.
Tires should be properly inflated.
Rock the vehicle to stabilize the suspension.
5-47