2004 CHEVROLET EXPRESS CARGO VAN checking oil

Service............................................................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle..............................................5-4
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............................................5-8
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...................................................5-13
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-18
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-19
Engine Coolant.............................................5-22
Radiator Pressure Cap..................................5-25
Engine Overheating.......................................5-26
Cooling System............................................5-28Engine Fan Noise.........................................5-36
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-36
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-38
Brakes........................................................5-39
Battery........................................................5-42
Jump Starting...............................................5-43
All-Wheel Drive..............................................5-48
Rear Axle.......................................................5-49
Front Axle......................................................5-50
Noise Control System.....................................5-51
Tampering with Noise Control System
Prohibited.................................................5-51
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-52
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-52
Headlamps..................................................5-52
Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker and
Parking Lamps..........................................5-54
Taillamps.....................................................5-54
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-56
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-56
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 this handle inside
the vehicle. It is located
in front of the driver’s
side door frame
near the oor.
5-10

A. Battery. SeeBattery on page 5-42.
B. Radiator Pressure Cap. SeeRadiator Pressure Cap
on page 5-25.
C. Coolant Recovery Tank. SeeCooling System on
page 5-28.
D. Transmission Fluid Dipstick. SeeAutomatic
Transmission Fluid on page 5-19.
E. Engine Oil Fill. SeeEngine Oil on page 5-13.
F. Engine Oil Dipstick. SeeEngine Oil on page 5-13.
G. Air Filter Restriction Indicator. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-18.
H. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-18.
I. Power Steering Reservoir. SeePower Steering Fluid
on page 5-36.
J. Brake Master Cylinder. SeeBrakes on page 5-39.
K. Windshield Washer Fluid. SeeWindshield Washer
Fluid on page 5-38.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 5-12for
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.
5-13

How to Add Fluid
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of transmission uid to use. SeeRecommended
Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-12.
Using a funnel, add uid down the transmission dipstick
tube 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 under “How 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 5-26.
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.
5-22

Checking Brake Fluid
Look at the brake uid
reservoir to check the level
of the brake uid. The uid
level should be above MIN.
If the level is not above this mark, 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.
5-40

Cargo Vans with a Passenger Air Bag and
without an Air Bag Off Switch........................1-40
Cassette Tape Messages.................................3-58
CD Adapter Kits.............................................3-58
CD Messages................................3-50, 3-61, 3-72
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp.........................3-16
Center Passenger Position, Safety Belts.....1-24, 1-25
Chains, Tire...................................................5-74
Charging System Light....................................3-30
Check
Engine Light...............................................3-34
Gages Warning Light...................................3-41
Check Engine Light.........................................3-34
Checking Brake Fluid......................................5-40
Checking Coolant............................................5-24
Checking Engine Oil........................................5-13
Checking Things Under the Hood......................5-10
Chemical Paint Spotting...................................5-98
Child Restraints
Child Restraint Systems...............................1-43
Infants and Young Children...........................1-36
Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for
Children (LATCH System)..........................1-53
Older Children.............................................1-34
Securing a Child Restraint Designed
for the LATCH System......................1-55, 1-56
Securing a Child Restraint in a Center
Seat Position...................................1-61, 1-62
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear
Outside Seat Position...............................1-58Child Restraints (cont.)
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right
Front Seat Position...................................1-65
Top Strap...................................................1-50
Top Strap Anchor Location............................1-51
Where to Put the Restraint...........................1-46
Chime Level Adjustment..................................3-75
Cigarette Lighter.............................................3-18
Cleaning
Inside of Your Vehicle..................................5-92
Outside of Your Vehicle................................5-95
Underbody Maintenance...............................5-98
Weatherstrips..............................................5-95
Cleaning Aluminum Wheels..............................5-97
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses.......................5-96
Cleaning Fabric/Carpet....................................5-92
Cleaning Glass Surfaces..................................5-94
Cleaning Interior Plastic Components.................5-94
Cleaning Leather............................................5-94
Cleaning the Top of the Instrument Panel...........5-94
Cleaning the Windshield and Wiper Blades.........5-97
Cleaning Tires................................................5-97
Cleaning Vinyl................................................5-94
Climate Control System...................................3-19
Outlet Adjustment........................................3-21
Rear Air Conditioning and Heating System......3-22
Rear Heating System...................................3-22
Control of a Vehicle.......................................... 4-5
3

Fuel (cont.)
Fuels in Foreign Countries.............................. 5-7
Gage.........................................................3-41
Gasoline Octane........................................... 5-5
Gasoline Specications.................................. 5-5
Fuel Regulator................................................2-22
Fuses
Fuses and Circuit Breakers.........................5-102
Windshield Wiper.......................................5-101
G
Gage
Check Gages Warning Light..........................3-41
Engine Coolant Temperature.........................3-34
Fuel..........................................................3-41
Oil Pressure...............................................3-37
Speedometer..............................................3-26
Voltmeter Gage...........................................3-30
Gasoline
Octane........................................................ 5-5
Specications............................................... 5-5
GM Mobility Program for Persons with
Disabilities.................................................... 7-6
H
Hazard Warning Flashers................................... 3-6
Headlamp High/Low Beam Changer.................... 3-9
Headlamp Wiring...........................................5-101
Headlamps....................................................5-52
Bulb Replacement.......................................5-52
Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker and
Parking Lamps.........................................5-54
Halogen Bulbs............................................5-52
Highway Hypnosis...........................................4-24
Hill and Mountain Roads..................................4-25
Hitches..........................................................4-46
Hood
Checking Things Under................................5-10
Release.....................................................5-10
Horn............................................................... 3-7
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery Tank............................................5-30
How to Add Coolant to the Radiator..................5-33
How to Check Power Steering Fluid..................5-37
How to Inspect the Engine Air Cleaner/Filter.......5-18
How to Use This Manual...................................... ii
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly...................1-15
Hydroplaning..................................................4-20
6