2003 PONTIAC GRAND AM octane

If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
Reducing vehicle speed.
Avoiding hard accelerations.
Avoiding steep uphill grades.
If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being h%uled as soon as it
is possible.
If the light stops flashing and remains on steady, see “If
the Light
Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to flash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
Turn the key
off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart
the engine.
If the light remains on steady, see “If
the Light Is On Steady” following. If the light is still
flashing, follow the previous steps, and drive the vehicle
to your dealer or qualified service center for service.
If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. See
Filling Your Tank on page 5-7. The
diagnostic system can determine
if the fuel cap has
been left
off or improperly installed. A loose or missing
fuel cap will allow fuel
to evaporate into the atmosphere.
A few driving trips with the cap properly installed
should turn the light
off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If
so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out. A few driving trips should turn the light
off.
Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If
so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel. See
Gasoline Octane on page 5-5. Poor fuel quality will
cause your engine not
to run as efficiently as designed.
You may notice this as stalling after start-up, stalling
when you put the vehicle into gear, misfiring, hesitation
on acceleration or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may go away once the engine is warmed up.)
This will be detected by the system and cause the
light
to turn on.
3-32

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

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.
Canada Only
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 lndicator 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.
Nofice: 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.
5-6

Part A: Scheduled Maintenance
Services
This part contains engine oil scheduled maintenance
which explains the engine oil life system and how
it indicates when to change the engine oil and filter.
Also, listed are scheduled maintenance services which
are to be performed at the mileage intervals specified.
Using Your Maintenance Schedule
We at General Motors want to keep your vehicle in good
working condition. But we don’t know exactly how
you’ll drive it. You may drive short distances only a few
times a week. Or you may drive long distances all
the time in very hot, dusty weather. You may use your
vehicle in making deliveries. Or you may drive it to
work, to do errands or in many other ways.
Because of the different ways people use their vehicles,
maintenance needs may vary. You may need more
frequent checks and replacements. So please read the
following and note how you drive. If you have
questions on how
to keep your vehicle in good condition,
see your dealer. This part tells
you the maintenance services you should
have done and when you should schedule them.
When you go to your dealer for your service needs,
you’ll know that GM-trained and supported service
people will perform the work using genuine GM parts.
The proper fluids and lubricants to use are listed in
Part
D. Make sure whoever services your vehicle uses
these.
All parts should be replaced and all necessary
repairs done before you or anyone else drives the
vehicle.
This schedule is for vehicles that:
carry passengers and cargo within recommended
limits. You will find these on your vehicle’s
Tire-Loading Information label. See
Loading Your
Vehicle on page 4-35.
are driven on reasonable road surfaces within legal
driving limits.
use the recommended fuel. See Gasoline Octane
on page 5-5.
6 -4

Engine (cont.) Exhaust
..................................................... 2-33
Oil
............................................................. 5-15
Overheating
................................................ 5-26
Starting
...................................................... 2-1 9
Engine Compartment Fuse Block ...................... 5-84
Engine Coolant Level Check
.............................. 6-9
Engine Cooling When Trailer Towing
.................. 4-43
Engine Oil Additives
........................................ 5-19
Engine Oil Level Check
..................................... 6-9
Engine Oil Scheduled Maintenance
..................... 6-5
Enhanced Traction System Active Light
................................................ 3-29
Warning Light
............................................. 3-28
Enhanced Traction System (ETS)
........................ 4-9
Entry/Exit Lighting
........................................... 3-1 6
Express-Down Window
.................................... 2-1 6
Extender, Safety Belt
....................................... 1-31
Exterior Lamps
............................................... 3-13
F
r-L-:- /r ...... rdulwualpct LI-IL r 7n .................................................
Filter Engine Air Cleaner
...................................... 5-21
Finding a PTY Station
(RDS, XMTM and DAB)
......................... 3.48. 3-59
Finding a Station
............................ 3.40, 3.45. 3-57
Finish Care
.................................................... 5-76
Finish Damage ............................................... 5-77 Fixed Mast Antenna
........................................ 3-72
Flash-to-Pass
................................................... 3-8
Flat Tire
........................................................ 5-61
Flat Tire, Changing
......................................... 5-62
FI
u id
Automatic Transaxle ..................................... 5-22
Manual Transaxle
........................................ 5-22
Power Steering
........................................... 5-36
Windshield Washer
...................................... 5-37
FM Stereo
..................................................... 3-70
Fog Lamps
.................................................... 3-15
Folding the Seatback
........................................ 1-8
Following Distance
.......................................... 4-41
Footnotes
........................................................ 6-5
Fuel
............................................................... 5-5
Additives
...................................................... 5-6
California Fuel
.............................................. 5-6
Filling a Portable Fuel Container
..................... 5-9
Filling Your Tank
........................................... 5-7
Fuels in Foreign Countries
.............................. 5-7
Gasoline Octane
........................................... 5-5
Gasoline Specifications
.................................. 5-5
System Inspection
....................................... 6-13
Fuses and Circuit Breakers ........................... 5-81
Windshield Wiper ......................................... 5-81
Gage
......................................................... 3-37
Fuses 5

G
Gage Engine Coolant Temperature
......................... 3-30
Fuel
.......................................................... 3-37
Speedometer
.............................................. 3-24
Tachometer
................................................. 3-24
Octane
........................................................ 5-5
Specifications ............................................... 5-5
Glass Surfaces ............................................... 5-74
Glove Box
..................................................... 2-37
GM Mobility Program for Persons with
Disabilities
.................................................... 7-5
Gasoline
H
Hazard
Warning Flashers .......................
Head Restraints ...................................
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer ........
Headlamps ..........................................
Bulb Replacement .............................
Halogen Bulbs ..................................
Headlamps Off in Park (P) .....................
Headlamps On Reminder .......................
Highway Hypnosis .................................
Hill and Mountain Roads ........................
Hitches ................................................
Hood Front
Turn Signal and Parking Lamps
...
........... 3-4
........... 1-5
........... 3-7
......... 5-49
......... 5-49
......... 5-50
......... 5-49
......... 3-15
........... 3-7
......... 4-24
......... 4-25
......... 4-39 Hood
(cont.)
Checking Things Under
................................ 5-10
Release ..................................................... 5-10
Horn
............................................................... 3-5
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Surge Tank
................................................. 5-31
How
to Check ................................................ 5-54
How to Check and Add Fluid
............................ 5-23
How to Check Power Steering Fluid
.................. 5-37
How
to Use This Manual ...................................... ii
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly ................... 1-14
Hydraulic Clutch
............................................. 5-23
Hydraulic Clutch System Check
........................ 6-10
Hydroplaning .................................................. 4-20
I
If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine .......... 5-28
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine ............... 5-27
If the Light Is Flashing ..................................... 3-32
If the Light Is On Steady ................................. 3-32
If You Are Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow ....... 4-31
If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer ..................... 4-37
If You’re Caught in a Blizzard ........................... 4-29
Ignition Positions
............................................. 2-18
Ignition Transaxle Lock Check
.......................... 6-12
Indicators
....................................................... 3-22
Inflation
-- Tire Pressure .................................. 5-54
Infants
and Young Children, Restraints
............... 1-34
6