2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE checking oil

Service............................................................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside
of Your Vehicle...........................................5-5
Fuel................................................................5-5
Gasoline Octane............................................5-5
Gasoline Specications....................................5-5
California Fuel...............................................5-6
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-7
Filling Your Tank............................................5-7
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...................................................5-16
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-21
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-23
Engine Coolant.............................................5-26
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap..................5-29
Engine Overheating.......................................5-29
Cooling System............................................5-33Engine Fan Noise.........................................5-40
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-41
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-42
Brakes........................................................5-43
Battery........................................................5-47
Jump Starting...............................................5-48
Rear Axle.......................................................5-55
Four-Wheel Drive............................................5-56
Front Axle......................................................5-57
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-58
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-58
Headlamps..................................................5-58
Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker and
Parking Lamps..........................................5-62
Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker and
Daytime Running Lamps.............................5-63
Daytime Running Lamps................................5-65
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL).........5-65
Taillamps.....................................................5-65
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-66
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-67
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
To open the hood, do the following:
1. Pull the handle located
inside the vehicle to
the lower left of
the steering wheel.
5-10

Engine Oil
If the CHECK OIL LEVEL light appears on the
instrument cluster, it means you need to check your
engine oil level right away.
For more information, see “CHECK OIL LEVEL” under
DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-65.
You should check your engine oil level regularly; this is
an added reminder.
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 5-12for
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.
When to Add Engine Oil
If the oil is at or below the cross-hatched area at the tip
of the dipstick, then you will need to add at least one
quart of oil. But you must use the right kind. This section
explains what kind of oil to use. For engine oil
crankcase capacity, seeCapacities and Specications
on page 5-128.8.1L Engine
All Other Engines
5-16

How to Add Fluid
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of transmission uid to use. SeeRecommended
Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-13.
Add uid only after checking the transmission uid while
it is hot. (A cold check is used only as a reference.)
If the uid level is low, add only enough of the proper
uid to bring the level up to the HOT area for a hot
check. It doesn’t take much uid, generally less than
one pint (0.5 L).Don’t overll.
Notice:We recommend you use only uid labeled
DEXRON
®-III, because uid with that label is
made especially for your automatic transmission.
Damage caused by uid other than DEXRON
®-III is
not covered by your new vehicle warranty.
After adding uid, recheck the uid level as
described underHow to Check.
When the correct uid level is obtained, push the
dipstick back in all the way; then ip the handle
down to lock the dipstick in place.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in your vehicle is lled with
DEX-COOL®engine coolant. This coolant is designed
to remain in your vehicle for 5 years or 150,000 miles
(240 000 km), whichever occurs rst, if you add
only DEX-COOL
®extended life coolant.
The following explains your cooling system and how to
add coolant when it is low. If you have a problem
with engine overheating, seeEngine Overheating on
page 5-29.
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 rst. Any repairs
would not be covered by your warranty. Always use
DEX-COOL
®(silicate-free) coolant in your vehicle.
5-26

C
California Fuel.................................................. 5-6
Canada – Customer Assistance.......................... 7-5
Canadian Owners................................................ ii
Canadian Roadside Assistance........................... 7-8
Capacities and Specications..........................5-128
Carbon Monoxide...........2-14, 2-23, 2-47, 4-44, 4-68
Care of
Safety Belts..............................................5-114
Your CD and DVD Player...........................3-116
Your CDs and DVDs..................................3-116
Cargo Area, All-Weather..................................2-78
Cargo Area Floor Drains..................................2-82
Cargo Cover Panels........................................2-67
Cargo Lamps.................................................3-19
Cargo Panel Storage System............................2-70
Cargo Tie Downs............................................2-77
CD Messages........................................3-85, 3-99
Center Console Storage Area...........................2-66
Center Front Passenger Position, Safety Belts....1-23
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL)...........5-65
Center Instrument Panel Fuse Block................5-122
Center Overhead Console................................2-65
Chains, Tire...................................................5-88CHANGE ENGINE OIL....................................3-65
Charging System Light....................................3-40
Check Engine Light.........................................3-47
CHECK OIL LEVEL.........................................3-66
CHECK TIRE PRESSURE...............................3-72
CHECK WASHER FLUID.................................3-68
Checking Brake Fluid......................................5-44
Checking Coolant............................................5-28
Checking Engine Oil........................................5-16
Checking Things Under the Hood......................5-10
Chemical Paint Spotting.................................5-117
Child Restraints
Child Restraint Systems...............................1-36
Infants and Young Children...........................1-32
Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for
Children (LATCH System)..........................1-42
Older Children.............................................1-30
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for the
LATCH System........................................1-44
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Seat
Position..................................................1-44
Securing a Child Restraint in the Center Front
Seat Position...........................................1-46
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front
Seat Position...........................................1-47
3