2003 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX checking oil

Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
Service ............................................................ 5.3
Doing Your
Owr? Service Work ......................... 5-4
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 Your Tank
............................................ 5-7
Filling a Portable Fuel Container
....................... 5-9
Checking Things Under the Hood .................... 5-10
Hood Release
.............................................. 5-10
Engine Compartment Overview
....................... 5-12
Engine Oil
................................................... 5-18
Supercharger Oil
.......................................... 5-24
Engine Air CleanedFilter
................................ 5-25
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
.............................. 5-27
Engine Coolant
............................................. 5-30
Radiator Pressure Cap
.................................. 5-33
Cooling System
........................................... -5-36
Power Steering Fluid
..................................... 5-46
Windshield Washer Fluid
................................ 5-48
Engine Overheating
....................................... 5-33 Brakes
........................................................ 5.49
Battery
........................................................ 5.52
Jump Starting
............................................... 5-53
Bulb Replacement .......................................... 5-60
Halogen Bulbs
.............................................. 5-60
Headlamps
.................................................. 5-60
Front Turn Signal and Sidemarker Lamps
........ 5-62
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL)
......... 5-63
Taillamps, Sidemarker and Back-up Lamps
...... 5-64
Replacement Bulbs
....................................... 5-66
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement .............. 5-67
Tires ............................................................. -5-68
Inflation
-- Tire Pressure ................................ 5-68
Tire Inspection and Rotation
........................... 5-69
When It
Is Time for New Tires ....................... 5-70
Buying New Tires
......................................... 5-71
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
.......................... 5-72
Wheel Replacement
...................................... 5-73
Headlamp Aiming ........................................... 5-59
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
.................. 5-73
Tire Chains
.................................................. 5-75
If a Tire Goes Flat ........................................ 5-76
Changing a Flat Tire
..................................... 5-76
Compact Spare Tire
...................................... 5-87
5- 1

Checking Things Under
the
Hood
Ar. Jectric fan unl,.' 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.
Hood Release
To open the hood do the following:
Things that burn can get on ..__ -.. 3"'- 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.
1. Pull the handle located
inside the vehicle near
the parking brake.
5-1 0

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

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

Backglass Antenna .......................................... 3-59
Backing Up .................................................... 4-41
Battery .......................................................... 5-52
Battery Replacement ......................................... 2-6
Battery Run-Down Protection ............................ 3-1 5
Before Leaving on a Long Trip ......................... 4-24
Body Lubrication Service .......................... 6-10
Brake
Parking
...................................................... 2-27
System Inspection ....................................... 6-1 4
System Warning Light .................................. 3-28
Brake Fluid .................................................... 5-49
Brake Wear ................................................... 5-51
Brakes .......................................................... 5-49
Braking ........................................................... 4-6
Break-In, New Vehicle ..................................... 2-19
Bulb Replacement ........................................... 5-60
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) ........ 5-63
Front Turn Signal and Sidemarker Lamps ....... 5-62
Halogen Bulbs ............................................ 5-60
Headlamp Aiming ........................................ 5-59
Headlamps ................................................. 5-60
Replacement Bulbs ...................................... 5-66
Taillamps, Sidemarker and Back-up Lamps ..... 5-64
Buying New Tires ........................................... 5-71
Braking in Emergencies ..................................... 4-9
C
California Fuel .................................................. 5-6
Canada ........................................................... 7-4
Canadian Owners ................................................ ii
Canadian Roadside Assistance ........................... 7-6
Capacities and Specifications .......................... 5-1 02
Carbon Monoxide ................... 4-27, 4-37, 2-1 1, 2-31
Care of
Safety Belts ................................................ 5-91
Care of the HUD ............................................ 3-17
Care of Your
Cassette Tape Player
................................... 3-58
CD Player .................................................. 3-59
Cassette Tape Messages ................................. 3-47
Cassette Tape Player Service ............................. 6-9
Center Console Storage Area ........................... 2-40
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) ........... 5-63
Center Passenger Position, Safety Belts ............. 1-21
Chains, Tires .................................................. 5-75
Check
Checking Coolant
............................................ 5-31
Checking Things Under the Hood ...................... 5-10
Checking Your Restraint Systems ...................... 1-58
CDS .......................................................... 3-59
CD Adapter Kits ............................................. 3-48
Charging System Light .................................... 3-27
Engine Light ............................................... 3-32
Checking Engine Oil ........................................ 5-18
Chemical Paint Spotting ................................... 5-94
2

Fuel (cont.)
Gasoline Specifications
................
Low Warning Light ........ , ....
System Inspection .............
Functions ......................................
Fuses
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
....
Windshield Wiper ..............
.........
..........
..........
...........
........
...... 5-5
..... 3-37
..... 6-13
..... 3-39
..... 5-97
..... 5-97
G
Gage
Engine Coolant Temperature
......................... 3-31
Fuel
.......................................................... 3-37
Speedometer
.............................................. 3-25
Tachometer
................................................. 3-25
Garage Door Opener Compartment
................... 2-40
Gasoline Octane
........................................................ 5-5
Specifications ............................................... 5-5
Glass Surfaces
............................................... 5-90
Glove Box ..................................................... 2-40
GM Mobility Program for Persons with
Disabilities
................................... .. 7-5
Hazard Warning Flashers
................................... 3-3
Head Restraints
............................................... 1-6 Headlamp
Aiming
....................................................... 5-59
Headlamp Wiring
............................................ 5-97
Headlamps
.................................................... 5-60
Bulb Replacement
....................................... 5-60
Front Turn Signal and Sidemarker Lamps
....... 5-62
Halogen Bulbs
............................................ 5-60
Head-Up Display (HUD)
................................... 3-15
Heated Seats
................................................... 1-4
Highway Hypnosis
........................................... 4-25
Hill and Mountain Roads
.................................. 4-25
Hitches
.......................................................... 4-40
Hood Checking Things Under
................................ 5-10
Release
..................................................... 5-10
Horn
............................................................... 3-4
How to Add Coolant
to the Coolant
Recovery Tank
............................................ 5-38
How to Add Coolant
to the Radiator .................. 5-41
How to Add Fluid
............................................ 5-29
How to Check
........................................ 5-27, 5-69
How to Check and Add Oil
............................... 5-25
How to Check Power Steering Fluid .................. 5-47
How to Use This Manual ...................................... ii
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly ................... 1-12
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
.................... 3-6
Hydroplaning
.................................................. 4-20
6