2003 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX check oil

Engine Oil
If the LOW OIL LEVEL
light appears on the
instrument cluster, it
means you need to
check your engine oil
level right away.
LOW OIL
LEVEL
For more information, see Low Oil Level Light on
page
3-36.
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.
You should check your engine oil level regularly;
this is an added reminder.
3100 V6 Engine
3800 V6 or 3800 V6
Supercharged Engine
The engine oil dipstick handle is the yellow loop located
near the front of the engine. See Engine Comparfment
Overview on page
5-12 for more information on location.
5-1 8

Turn off the engine and give the oil several minutes to
drain back into the oil pan. If you don’t, the oil
dipstick might not show the actual level.
Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel or
cloth, then push it back in all the way. Remove it again,
keeping the tip down, and check the level.
3100 V6 Engine 3800
V6 or 3800 V6 Supercharged Engine
When to Add Engine Oil
If the oil is at or below the bottom hatchmark, then you’ll
need
to add at least one quart of oil. But you must
use the right kind. This part explains what kind
of oil to
use. For engine oil crankcase capacity, see Capacities
and Specifications on page 5- 102.
Nofice: Don’t add too much oil. If your engine has
so much oil that the oil level gets above the
cross-hatched area that shows the proper operating range, your engine could be damaged.
5-1 9

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 SOON 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
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.
How to Reset the GM Oil Life System
The GM Oil Life SystemTM calculates when to change
your engine oil and filter based on vehicle use. Anytime
your oil is changed, reset the system
so it can calculate
when the next oil change is required.
If a situation occurs
where you change your oil prior to a CHANGE
OIL SOON
light being turned on, reset the system.
To reset the GM Oil Life SystemTM after the oil has
been changed, use one of the following two procedures:
Using the Driver Information Center (DIC)
1.
2.
3.
With the ignition key in RUN but the engine off, fully
push and release the accelerator pedal slowly three
times within five seconds.
If the CHANGE OIL SOON light flashes, the system
is resetting.
Turn the key to OFF after the light stops flashing,
then start the vehicle.
If the CHANGE OIL SOON light comes back on, the
engine oil life monitor has not reset. Repeat the
procedure.
Using the Trip Computer (If Equipped)
1. Press the MODE button until the light appears lit
2. Press and hold the RESET button for three seconds.
next to
OIL LIFE.
The
oil life percentage should change to 100%.
5-23

What to Do with Used Oil
Used engine oil contains certain elements that may be
unhealthy for your skin and could even cause cancer.
Don't let used oil stay on your skin for very long. Clean
your skin and nails with soap and water, or a good
hand cleaner. Wash or properly dispose of clothing or
rags containing used engine oil. See the manufacturer's
warnings about the use and disposal of oil products.
Used oil can be a threat to the environment. If you
change your own oil, be sure to drain all the oil from the
filter before disposal. Never dispose of oil by putting it
in the trash, pouring it on the ground, into sewers, or into
streams or bodies of water. Instead, recycle it by
taking
it to a place that collects used oil. If you have a
problem properly disposing of your used oil, ask
your dealer, a service station or a local recycling
center for help.
Supercharger Oil
Unless you are technically
qualified and have the
proper tools, you should let
your dealer or a qualified
service center perform
this maintenance.
When to Check
Check oil level every 30,000 miles (50 000 km) or every
36 months, whichever occurs first.
What Kind of Oil to Use
Use only the recommended supercharger oil. See Part
D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-15.
5-24

How to Check and Add Oil
Park the vehicle on a level surface. Check oil only when
the engine is cold. Allow the engine to cool two to
three hours after running.
I
If you remove the supercharger oil fill plug
while the engine
is hot, pressure may cause
hot oil to blow out of the oil fill hole. You may
be burned. Do not remove the plug until the
engine
cools.
1. Clean the area around the oil fill plug before
removing it.
2. Remove the oil
fill plug.
3. The oil level is correct when it just reaches the
bottom of the threads of the inspection hole.
4. Replace the oil plug with the O-ring in place.
Tighten to
88 Ib-in (10 Nom ).
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
The engine air cleanedfilter is located in the engine
compartment on the driver’s side of the vehicle.
See Engine Compartment Oven/iew on page 5-12 for
more information on location.
To check or replace the engine air cleanedfilter do the
following:
1. Loosen the two clips on the top of the engine air
cleaner/filter housing and lift the filter cover tabs
out of the housing.
2. Push the filter cover housing toward the engine.
5-25

Automatic Transaxle Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transaxle fluid
level is when the engine oil is changed.
Change both the fluid and filter every 50,000 miles
(83
000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or
more of these conditions:
In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
0 In hilly or mountainous terrain.
0 When doing frequent trailer towing.
0 Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery service.
regularly reaches
90°F (32°C)
or higher.
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, change the fluid and filter at
100,000 miles (166 000 km).
See Part
A: Scheduled Maintenance Services on
page
6-4.
How to Cheek
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may
choose to have this done at the dealership service
department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the instructions
here, or you could get a false reading on the dipstick.
Nofice: Too much or too little fluid can damage
your transaxle.
Too much can mean that some of the
fluid could come out and fall on hot engine or
exhaust system parts, starting a fire.
Too little fluid
could cause the transaxle to overheat. Be sure
to get an accurate reading
if you check your
transaxle fluid.
Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the transaxle
fluid level
if you have been driving:
When outside temperatures are above
90°F (32°C).
At high speed for quite a while.
In heavy traffic
- especially in hot weather.
While pulling a trailer.
5-27

Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses
Use only lukewarm or cold water, a soft cloth and a car
washing soap to clean exterior lamps and lenses.
Follow instructions under “Washing Your Vehicle.”
Finish Care
Occasional waxing or mild polishing of your vehicle by
hand may be necessary to remove residue from the
paint finish. You can get GM-approved cleaning products
from your dealer. See
GM Vehicle Care/Appearance
Materials on page
5-94.
Your vehicle has a “basecoat/clearcoat” paint finish.
The clearcoat gives more depth and gloss to the colored
basecoat. Always use waxes and polishes that are
non-abrasive and made for a basecoatklearcoat
paint finish.
Notice: Machine compounding or aggressive
polishing on a basecoat/clearcoat paint finish may
dull the finish or leave swirl marks.
Foreign materials such as calcium chloride and other
salts, ice melting agents, road oil and tar, tree sap, bird
droppings, chemicals from industrial chimneys, etc.,
can damage your vehicle’s finish
if they remain
on painted surfaces. Wash the vehicle as soon as possible.
If necessary, use non-abrasive cleaners that
are marked safe for painted surfaces to remove
foreign matter.
Exterior painted surfaces are subject to aging, weather
and chemical fallout that can take their toll over
a
period of years. You can help to keep the paint finish
looking new by keeping your vehicle garaged or covered
whenever possible.
Windshield and Wiper Blades
If the windshield is not clear after using the windshield
washer, or
if the wiper blade chatters when running,
wax, sap or other material may be on the blade or
windshield.
Clean the outside of the windshield with
a full-strength
glass cleaning liquid. The windshield
is clean if beads do
not form when you rinse
it with water.
Grime from the windshield will stick to the wiper blades
and affect their performance. Clean the blade by
wiping vigorously with
a cloth soaked in full-strength
windshield washer solvent. Then rinse the blade
with water.
Check the wiper blades and clean them as necessary;
replace blades that look worn.
5-92

Capacities and Specifications (cont’d)
T
Application
Engine Oil with Filter
31 00 V6 (Code J)
3800 V6 (Code K)
3800 V6 Supercharged (Code 1)
Capacities
English
4.3 quarts
4.3 quarts
4.3 quarts
Metric
4.1 L
4.1 L
4.1 L
Fuel Tank
All capacities are approximate. When adding fluid, be sure to fill to the appropriate level, as recommended in this
manual. Recheck fluid level after filling. See
Pad D: Recommended Nuids and Lubricants on page 6-75 for more
information.
I 17.2 gallons 65 L
Engine Specifications
Wheel Nut
Engine Torque
Firing Order
Spark
Plug Gap VIN Code
3100 V6 J .060 inch 100 ft Ib
191
CID (3.1L LG8) (1.52mm) 1-2-3-4-5-6
(140 Nmm )
1-6-5-4-3-2
5-1 03