2004 BUICK RAINIER checking oil

Service............................................................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-3
Adding Equipment to the Outside
of Your Vehicle...........................................5-4
Fuel................................................................5-4
Gasoline Octane............................................5-5
Gasoline Specications....................................5-5
California Fuel...............................................5-6
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-7
Filling Your Tank............................................5-8
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.....................5-11
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-12
Hood Release..............................................5-12
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-14
Engine Oil...................................................5-18
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-23
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-24
Engine Coolant.............................................5-27
Radiator Pressure Cap..................................5-29
Engine Overheating.......................................5-29
Cooling System............................................5-32
Engine Fan Noise.........................................5-38
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-39
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-40Brakes........................................................5-41
Battery........................................................5-44
Jump Starting...............................................5-45
All-Wheel Drive..............................................5-51
Rear Axle.......................................................5-51
Front Axle......................................................5-53
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-54
Headlamps..................................................5-54
Taillamps and Turn Signal Lamps...................5-54
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-55
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-56
Tires..............................................................5-59
Ination - Tire Pressure.................................5-67
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-68
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-70
Buying New Tires.........................................5-71
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-72
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-73
Wheel Replacement......................................5-74
Tire Chains..................................................5-75
Accessory Inator.........................................5-76
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-78
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................5-79
Spare Tire...................................................5-92
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

Checking Things Under
the Hood
{CAUTION:
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts
and start a re. These include liquids like fuel,
oil, coolant, brake uid, windshield washer and
other uids, 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.
Hood Release
1. To open the hood,
rst pull the handle
located inside the
vehicle on the lower
driver’s side of
the instrument panel.
5-12

Engine Oil
Checking Engine Oil
It is 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.
The engine oil dipstick handle is a yellow loop. See
Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-14for
the location of the engine oil dipstick.
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.L6 Engine
V8 Engine
5-18

Checking Brake Fluid
You can check the brake uid without taking off the cap.
Just look at the brake uid
reservoir. The uid level
should be above MIN.
If it is not, have your brake
system checked to see
if there is a leak.
After work is done on the brake hydraulic system,
make sure the level is above the MIN but not over
the MAX mark.
What to Add
When you do need brake uid, use only DOT-3 brake
uid. Use new brake uid from a sealed container
only. SeeRecommended Fluids and Lubricants
on page 6-12.Always clean the brake uid reservoir cap and the
area around the cap before removing it. This will
help keep dirt from entering the reservoir.
{CAUTION:
With the wrong kind of uid 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 uid.
Notice:
Using the wrong uid 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 will have to be replaced. Do not
let someone put in the wrong kind of uid.
If you spill brake uid on your vehicle’s painted
surfaces, the paint nish can be damaged.
Be careful not to spill brake uid on your
vehicle. If you do, wash it off immediately.
SeeAppearance Care on page 5-92.
5-42

C
California Fuel.................................................. 5-6
Canada – Customer Assistance.......................... 7-5
Canadian Owners................................................ ii
Canadian Roadside Assistance........................... 7-8
Capacities and Specications..........................5-113
Carbon Monoxide...................4-40, 4-53, 2-14, 2-29
Care of
Safety Belts................................................5-96
Your Cassette Tape Player..........................3-114
Your CD and DVD Player...........................3-116
Your CDs and DVDs..................................3-115
Cargo Cover..................................................2-44
Cargo Tie Downs............................................2-44
Cassette Tape Messages.................................3-80
CD Adapter Kits.............................................3-80
CD Messages................................3-68, 3-83, 3-98
Chains, Tires..................................................5-75
Charging System Light....................................3-31
Check
Engine Light...............................................3-35
Gages Warning Light...................................3-41
Check Engine Light.........................................3-35
CHECK WASHER FLUID.................................3-54
Checking Brake Fluid......................................5-42
Checking Coolant............................................5-28Checking Engine Oil........................................5-18
Checking Things Under the Hood......................5-12
Checking Your Restraint Systems......................1-55
Chemical Paint Spotting...................................5-99
Child Restraints
Child Restraint Systems...............................1-32
Infants and Young Children...........................1-28
Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for
Children (LATCH System)..........................1-38
Older Children.............................................1-26
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for
the LATCH System...................................1-40
Securing a Child Restraint in
a Rear Outside Seat Position.....................1-40
Securing a Child Restraint in
the Center Seat Position...........................1-42
Securing a Child Restraint in
the Right Front Seat Position.....................1-43
Top Strap...................................................1-36
Top Strap Anchor Location............................1-37
Where to Put the Restraint...........................1-35
Chime Level Adjustment.................................3-116
Cigarette Lighter.............................................3-19
Cleaning
Inside of Your Vehicle..................................5-93
Outside of Your Vehicle................................5-96
3