How to Reset the CHANGE ENGINE OIL
Message
The GM Oil Life System 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 ENGINE OIL message in the Driver
Information Center (DIC) being turned on, reset
the system.
After the oil has been changed, the CHANGE ENGINE
OIL message must be reset. To reset the message,
do the following:
1. Turn the key to the ON position without starting the
engine.
2. Press the INFO button on the Driver Information
Center (DIC) until ENGINE OIL LIFE is displayed.
3. Press and hold the INFO RESET button until 100%
ENGINE OIL LIFE is displayed. This resets the oil
life indicator.
4. Turn the key to OFF.
If the CHANGE ENGINE OIL message comes back on
when you start your vehicle, the engine oil life system
has not reset. Repeat the procedure.The percentage of oil life remaining may be checked at
any time by pressing the INFO button until ENGINE
OIL LIFE is displayed on the DIC. For more information
on the oil life indicator, seeOil Life Indicator on
page 3-74.
What to Do with Used Oil
Used engine oil contains certain elements that may be
unhealthy for your skin and could even cause cancer.
Do not 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.
5-17
A 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX-COOL®coolant will:
•Give freezing protection down to−34° F (−37° C).
•Give boiling protection up to 265° F (129° C).
•Protect against rust and corrosion.
•Help keep the proper engine temperature.
•Let the warning lights and gages work as they
should.
Notice:Using coolant other than DEX-COOL
®may
cause premature engine, heater core or radiator
corrosion. In addition, the engine coolant may
require changing sooner, at 30,000 miles (50 000 km)
or 24 months, whichever occurs first. Any repairs
would not be covered by your warranty. Always use
DEX-COOL
®(silicate-free) coolant in your vehicle.
What to Use
Use a mixture of one-halfclean, drinkable waterand
one-half DEX-COOL®coolant which will not damage
aluminum parts. If you use this coolant mixture, you do
not need to add anything else.
{CAUTION:
Adding only plain water to your cooling
system can be dangerous. Plain water, or
some other liquid such as alcohol, can boil
before the proper coolant mixture will. Your
vehicle’s coolant warning system is set for the
proper coolant mixture. With plain water or the
wrong mixture, your engine could get too hot
but you would not get the overheat warning.
Your engine could catch fire and you or others
could be burned. Use a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
®coolant.
Notice:If you use an improper coolant mixture,
your engine could overheat and be badly damaged.
The repair cost would not be covered by your
warranty. Too much water in the mixture can freeze
and crack the engine, radiator, heater core and
other parts.
If you have to add coolant more than four times a year,
have your dealer check your cooling system.
Notice:If you use the proper coolant, you do not
have to add extra inhibitors or additives which claim
to improve the system. These can be harmful.
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Adding Coolant
If you need more coolant, add the proper DEX-COOL®
coolant mixtureat the surge tank, but only when the
engine is cool.
{CAUTION:
You can be burned if you spill coolant on hot
engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol,
and it will burn if the engine parts are hot
enough. Do not spill coolant on a hot engine.
When replacing the pressure cap, make sure it is
hand-tight.
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap
Notice:If the pressure cap is not tightly installed,
coolant loss and possible engine damage may
occur. Be sure the cap is properly and tightly
secured.
Engine Overheating
You will find an ENGINE COOLANT HOT, IDLE
ENGINE message or an ENGINE OVERHEATED,
STOP ENGINE message displayed in the Driver
Information Center (DIC). You will also hear a chime.
There is also an engine temperature warning light and/or
gage on the instrument panel cluster. SeeEngine
Coolant Temperature Warning Light on page 3-45and
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage on page 3-45.
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode
If an overheated engine condition exists and the
message ENGINE OVERHEATED, STOP ENGINE is
displayed, an overheat protection mode which alternates
firing groups of cylinders helps prevent engine damage.
In this mode, you will notice a loss in power and
engine performance. This operating mode allows your
vehicle to be driven to a safe place in an emergency;
you may drive up to 50 miles (80 km). Driving extended
miles (km) and/or towing a trailer in the overheat
protection mode should be avoided.
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If No Steam Is Coming From Your
Engine
An overheat warning, along with a low coolant message,
can indicate a serious problem. SeeDIC Warnings
and Messages on page 3-55.
If you get an engine overheat warning with no low
coolant message, but see or hear no steam, the problem
may not be too serious. Sometimes the engine can
get a little too hot when you:
•Climb a long hill on a hot day.
•Stop after high-speed driving.
•Idle for long periods in traffic.
•Tow a trailer.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or so:
1. In heavy traffic, let the engine idle in NEUTRAL (N)
while stopped. If it safe to do so, pull of the road,
shift to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) and let the
engine idle.
2. Set the temperature control to the highest heat
setting and open the windows, as necessary.If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can
drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about 10 minutes.
If the warning does not come back on, you can drive
normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there is still no sign of steam, idle the engine for three
minutes while you are parked. If you still have the
warning,turn off the engine and get everyone out of the
vehicleuntil it cools down. Also, see “Overheated
Engine Protection Operating Mode” listed previously in
this section.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
5-28
{CAUTION:
Adding only plain water to your cooling
system can be dangerous. Plain water, or
some other liquid such as alcohol, can boil
before the proper coolant mixture will. Your
vehicle’s coolant warning system is set for the
proper coolant mixture. With plain water or the
wrong mixture, your engine could get too hot
but you would not get the overheat warning.
Your engine could catch fire and you or others
could be burned. Use a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
®coolant.Notice:In cold weather, water can freeze and crack
the engine, radiator, heater core and other parts.
Use the recommended coolant and the proper
coolant mixture.
{CAUTION:
You can be burned if you spill coolant on hot
engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol
and it will burn if the engine parts are hot
enough. Do not spill coolant on a hot engine.
5-33
Brakes
Brake Fluid
Your brake master cylinder reservoir is filled with DOT-3
brake fluid. SeeEngine Compartment Overview on
page 5-12for the location of the reservoir.
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
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 will not work
well, or will not work at all.
So, it is not a good idea to “top off” your brake fluid.
Adding brake fluid will not correct a leak. If you add fluid
when your linings are worn, then you will 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.
{CAUTION:
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.
If the ignition is in ON and the brake fluid is low, the
CHECK BRAKE FLUID message will be displayed in the
DIC. SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-55.
5-38
Brake Wear
Your vehicle has four-wheel disc brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make
a high-pitched warning sound when the brake pads
are worn and new pads are needed. The sound
may come and go or be heard all the time your vehicle
is moving (except when you are pushing on the
brake pedal firmly).
{CAUTION:
The brake wear warning sound means that
soon your brakes will not work well. That
could lead to an accident. When you hear the
brake wear warning sound, have your vehicle
serviced.
Notice:Continuing to drive with worn-out brake
pads could result in costly brake repair.Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong with
your brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect
brake pads for wear and evenly tighten wheel nuts in
the proper sequence to GM torque specifications.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you apply the brakes, with or without the
vehicle moving, your brakes adjust for wear.
5-40
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 replacement parts. If you do not,
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 have 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 is time for a new battery, get
one that has the replacement number shown on the
original battery’s label. We recommend an
ACDelco
®battery.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.
The battery is located under the rear seat cushion. To
access the battery, see “Removing the Rear Seat
Cushion”. You do not need to access the battery to jump
start your vehicle. SeeJump Starting on page 5-43.
{CAUTION:
A battery that is not properly vented can let
sulfuric acid fumes into the area under the rear
seat cushion. These fumes can damage your
rear seat safety belt systems. You may not be
able to see this damage, and the safety belts
might not provide the protection needed in a
crash. If a replacement battery is ever needed,
it must be vented in the same manner as the
original battery. Always make sure that the
vent hose is properly reattached before
reinstalling the seat cushion.
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