2003 PONTIAC GRAND AM oil

Here are some things you can check before a trip:
Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the resewior full? Are
all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked
all levels?
Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
Tires: They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip.
Is the tread good enough for
long-distance driving? Are the tires all inflated to the
recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts: What’s the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay your trip a
short time
to avoid a major storm system?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as “highway
hypnosis”? Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel?
Call it highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or
whatever. There
is something about an easy stretch
of road with
the same scenery, along with the hum of the tires on the
road, the drone of the engine, and the rush of the
wind against the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Don’t
let
it happen to you! If it does, your vehicle can leave
the road in
less than a second, and you could crash and
be injured.
What can you
do about highway hypnosis? First, be
aware that it can happen.
Then here are some tips:
Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a
comfortably cool interior.
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and
to the sides. Check your rearview mirrors and your
instruments frequently.
service or parking area and take a nap, get some
exercise, or both. For safety, treat drowsiness
on the highway as an emergency.
If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest,
4-24

When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on
a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
0 start your engine,
0 shift into a gear, and
0 release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the
chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transaxle fluid (don’t overfill), engine
oil, drive belt, cooling system and brake system.
Each of these
is covered in this manual, and the
Index will help you find them quickly.
If you’re trailering,
it’s a good idea
to review this information before you
start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer Towing
Your cooling system may temporarily overheat during
severe operating conditions. See
Engine Overheating on
page 5-26.
4-43

Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
Service ............................................................ 5.3
Doing Your Own Service Work
......................... 5.3
Adding Equipment to the Outside of Your
Vehicle
...................................................... 5.4
Fuel ................................................................ 5.5
Gasoline Octane
............................................ 5.5
Gasoline Specifications
.................................... 5.5
California Fuel
............................................... 5-6
Additives
....................................................... 5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries
............................... 5-7
Filling
a Portable Fuel Container ..................... -5-9
Filling Your Tank
............................................ 5-7
Checking Things Under the Hood
.................................................... 5-10
Hood Release
.............................................. 5-10
Engine Compartment Overview
....................... 5-12
Engine Oil
................................................... 5.15
Engine Air CleanedFilter
................................ 5-21
Manual Transaxle Fluid
.................................. 5-22
Hydraulic Clutch
........................................... 5-23
Engine Coolant
............................................. 5-23
Engine Overheating
....................................... 5-26
Cooling System
............................................ 5-29
Power Steering Fiuia
~1-36
I~~ULWIII~LIW I 1ulIaUAlG I lulu J-LL An ntnmntie Trnnr.r-.vln Cln #;PI r on ..............................
- -- ....................................
Windshield Washer Fluid ................................ 5-37
Brakes
........................................................ 5.39
Battery
........................................................ 5.42
Jump Starting
............................................... 5-43
Bulb Replacement .......................................... 5.49
Halogen Bulbs
.............................................. 5.49
Headlamps
.................................................. 5.49
Front Turn Signal and Parking Lamps
.............. 5-50
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL)
......... 5.50
Taillamps, Turn Signal, and Stoplamps
............ 5.51
Replacement Bulbs
....................................... 5.51
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.............. 5.52
Tires
.............................................................. 5.53
Inflation
.. Tire Pressure ................................ 5-54
Tire Inspection and Rotation
........................... 5-55
When It
Is Time for New Tires ....................... 5-56
Buying New Tires
......................................... 5-56
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
......................... 5-57
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
.................. 5-59
Wheel Replacement
...................................... 5-59
Tire Chains
.................................................. 5-60
If a Tire Goes Flat ........................................ 5-61
Changing
a Flat Tire ..................................... 5-62
Compact Spare Tire
...................................... 5-71
5-
1

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.
Filling Your Tank
1
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.
your vehicle. Keep sparks, flames and smoking
materials away from fuel.
Don’t sm&p If yop’rp npzr fee! e!. !.ef&]ng 1
5-7

Checking Things Under
the Hood
Hood Release
To open the hood, do the following:
1. Pull the handle located
under the instrument
panel on the drivier's side
of the vehicle.
L% CAUTION:
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.
Things that burn can get on hot engine 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.
I
5-1 0

A. Engine Coolant Surge Tank
B. Engine Oil Dipstick
C. Engine
Oil Fill Cap
D. Brake Fluid Reservoir
E. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir F. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block
G. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
H. Battery
I. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir
5-1 3

When you open the hood on the 3400 V6 engine, you’ll see the following:
A. Engine Coolant Surge Tank
E. Brake Fluid Reservoir
B. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir F. Engine Air CleanedFilter
C. Engine Oil Fill Cap G. Battery
D. Engine Oil Dipstick H. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir
5-1 4

Engine Oil
LOW
Ole
3400 V6 Engine Only
If the LOW OIL light
appears on the instrument
cluster, it means you
need to check your engine
oil level right away.
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.
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.
2.2L L4 ECOTEC Engine
5-1 5