2003 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX engine

When to Check Power Steering Fluid
It is not necessary to regularly check power steering fluid
unless you suspect there is a leak in the system or
you hear an unusual noise. A fluid loss in this system
couid indicate a problem. Have the system inspected
and repaired. See Engine Compartment Overview
on page
5-12 for reservoir location.
How to Check Power Steering Fluid
Turn the key off , let the engine compartment cool down,
wipe the cap and the top of the reservoir clean, then
unscrew the cap and wipe the dipstick with a clean rag.
Replace the cap and completely tighten it. Then remove
the cap again and look at the fluid level on the dipstick.
The level should be at the
C (3100 V6 engine)
or
COLD (3800 V6 and
3800 V6 Supercharged
engines) mark.
If
necessary, add only
enough fluid to bring the
level up to the mark.
3800 V6 or 3800 V6 Supercharged Engine
When the engine compartment is hot, the level should
be at the
H (3100 V6 engine) or HOT (3800 V6 and
3800 V6 Supercharged engines) mark.
If the fluid is at
the ADD mark, you should add fluid.
What to Use
To determine what kind of fluid to use, see Part D:
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-15.
Always use the proper fluid. Failure to use the proper
fluid can cause leaks and damage hoses and seals.
3100 V6 Engine
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Windshield Washer Fluid
What to Use
When you need windshield washer fluid, be sure to read
the manufacturer’s instructions before use.
If you will be
operating your vehicle in an area where the temperature
may fall below freezing, use a fluid that has sufficient
protection against freezing. See
Engine Compartment
Overview on page 5-72 for reservoir location.
Adding Washer Fluid
The windshield washer fluid reservoir is located n the
engine compartment on the passenger’s side of the
vehicle near the diagonal cross brace.
Open the cap with the
washer symbol on it.
Add washer fluid until the
tank is full.
Notice:
e
e
e
a
When using concentrated washer fluid, follow
the manufacturer’s instructions for adding
water.
Don’t mix water with ready-to-use washer fluid.
Water can cause the solution to freeze and
damage your washer fluid tank and other parts
of the washer system.
Also, water doesn’t
clean as well as washer fluid.
Fill your washer fluid tank only three-quarters
full when it’s very cold. This allows for
expansion if freezing occurs, which could damage the tank if
it is completely full.
Don’t use engine coolant (antifreeze) in your
windshield washer.
It can damage your
washer system and paint.
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Brakes
Brake Fluid
I
A L
r DOT3
7
L
normal brake lining wear. When new linings are put in,
the fluid level goes back up. The other reason
is
that fluid is leaking out of the brake system. If it is, you
should have your brake system fixed, since a leak
means that sooner
or later your brakes won’t work well,
or won’t work at all.
So, it isn’t a good idea to “top off’ your brake fluid.
Adding brake fluid won’t correct a leak. If you add fluid
when your linings are worn, then you’ll have too
much fluid when you get new brake linings. You should
add (or remove) brake fluid, as necessary, only when
work is done on the brake hydraulic system.
Your brake master cylinder reservoir is on the driver’s
side of the engine compartment. It is filled with
DOT-3 brake fluid. See Engine Compartment Overview
on page 5- 12.
There are only two reasons why the brake fluid level in
the reservoir might go down. The first is that the
brake fluid goes down
to an acceptable level during
If you have too much brake fluid, it can spill on
the engine. The fluid
will burn if the engine is
hot enough. You
or others could be burned,
and your vehicle could be damaged. Add brake
fluid only when work is done on the brake
hydraulic system.
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United States
~~
Canada
When your brake fluid falls to a low level, your brake
warning light will come on. See Brake System Warning
Light on page
3-28.
What to Add
When you do need brake fluid, use only DOT-3 brake
fluid. Use new brake fluid from a sealed container
only. See Part D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
on page
6- 15.
Always clean the brake fluid reservoir cap and the area
around the cap before removing it. This will help
keep
dirt from entering the reservoir.
r
With the wrong kind of fluid 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 fluid.
Notice:
Using the wrong fluid 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’ll have to be replaced.
Don’t let someone put in the wrong kind of fluid.
If you spill brake fluid on your vehicle’s painted
surfaces, the paint finish can be damaged.
Be careful not to spill brake fluid on your
vehicle. If you do, wash
it off immediately.
See “Appearance Care” in the Index.
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Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a vehicle is complex. Its many
parts have to be of top quality and work well together
if
the vehicle is to have really good braking. Your
vehicle was designed and tested with top-quality
GM
brake parts. When you replace parts of your braking
system
- for example, when your brake linings
wear down and you need new ones put in
- be sure
you get new approved
GM replacement parts. If
you don’t, your brakes may no longer work properly.
For example,
if someone puts in brake linings that are
wrong for your vehicle, the balance between your
front and rear brakes can change
- for the worse.
The braking performance you’ve come to expect can
change in many other ways
if someone puts in the
wrong replacement brake parts.
Battery
Your new vehicle comes with a maintenance free
ACDelco@ battery. When it’s time for a new battery, get
one that has the replacement number shown on the
original battery’s label. We recommend an ACDelco@
battery. See Engine Compartment Overview on
page
5- 12 for battery location.
Warning: Battery posts, terminals and related
accessories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California to cause
cancer and reproductive harm. Wash hands after
handling.
If your battery has a very low charge or is dead, you
may not be able to remove the ignition key from
the ignition switch or shift out of Park (P). Refer to
Shifting Out of Park
(P) on page 2-30.
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Notice: If the other system isn’t a 12-volt system
with a negative ground, both vehicles can be
damaged.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with a negative ground system.
2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles aren’t touching
each other. If they are, it could cause a ground
connection you don’t want. You wouldn’t be able to
start your vehicle, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
To avoid the possibility of the vehicles rolling, set
the parking brake firmly on both vehicles involved in
the jump start procedure. Put an automatic
transaxle in PARK
(P) or a manual transaxle in
NEUTRAL before setting the parking brake.
Notice: If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter or in the accessory power outlet. Turn
off
the radio and all lamps that aren’t needed. This will
avoid sparks and help save both batteries. And it
could save your radio!
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries. Find the
positive
(+) and negative (-) terminal locations on
each vehicle. You will not need to access your
battery for jump starting. Your vehicle has
a remote
positive
(+) jump starting terminal for that purpose.
The terminal is located in the engine compartment
on the passenger’s side of the vehicle, near
the diagonal cross brace. See Engine Compartment
Ovewiew
on page 5-72 for more information on
location.
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To uncover the remote positive (+) terminal, squeeze
the sides
of the plastic cap and slide the cap off.
You should always use the remote positive (+) terminal
instead
of the positive (+) terminal on the battery.
An electric fan can start up even when
rile
engine is not running and can injure you. Keep
hands, clothing and tools away from any
underhood electric fan.
Fans or other moving engine parts can injure
you badly. Keep your hands away from moving parts once the engine
is running.
I- -jng a ma I n r a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing
this, and some have been blinded. Use a
flashlight if you need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough water. You
don’t need to add water to the ACDelco@ battery installed in your new vehicle. But if a
battery has filler caps, be sure the right
amount of fluid is there. If
it is low, add water
to take care of that first. If you don’t, explosive gas could be present.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn you.
Don’t get
it on you. If you accidentally get it in
your eyes or on your skin, flush the place with water and get medical help immediately.
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5. Check that the jumper cables don’t have loose or
missing insulation.
If they do, you could get a
shock. The vehicles could be damaged too. Don’t connect positive
(+) to
negative (-), or you’ll get a
short that would damage the battery and maybe
other parts, too. And don’t connect the negative
(-)
cable to the negative (-) terminal on the dead battery
because this can cause sparks.
Before you connect the cables, here are some basic
things you should know. Positive
(+) will go to
positive
(+) or to a remote positive (+) terminal if the
vehicle has one. Negative will go to a heavy, unpainted
metal engine part or to a remote negative
(-) terminal
if the vehicle has one.
6. Connect the red positive (+) cable to the positive (+)
terminal location on the vehicle with the dead battery.
Use a remote positive
(+) terminal if the vehicle
has one.
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