2004 CHEVROLET SSR 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...............................................5-5
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-6
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...................................................5-13
Engine Cover...............................................5-18
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-19
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-20
Engine Coolant.............................................5-23
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap..................5-26
Engine Overheating.......................................5-26
Cooling System............................................5-28
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-31
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-31Brakes........................................................5-33
Battery........................................................5-36
Jump Starting...............................................5-37
Rear Axle.......................................................5-43
Headlamp Aiming...........................................5-43
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-43
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-44
Headlamps..................................................5-44
Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker
and Parking Lamps....................................5-45
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL).........5-47
Taillamps.....................................................5-47
Back-Up Lamps............................................5-48
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-48
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-49
Tires..............................................................5-51
Ination - Tire Pressure.................................5-58
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-59
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-60
Buying New Tires.........................................5-60
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-61
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-63
Wheel Replacement......................................5-63
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 on
the lower left side
of the instrument
panel.
5-10

A. Remote Positive Terminal. SeeJump Starting on
page 5-37for more information.
B. Coolant Surge Tank. SeeEngine Coolant on
page 5-23for more information.
C. Engine Oil Dipstick. SeeEngine Oil on page 5-13for
more information.
D. Engine Oil Fill Cap. SeeEngine Oil on page 5-13for
more information.
E. Automatic Transmission Fluid Dipstick. See
Automatic Transmission Fluid on page 5-20for more
information.
F. Engine Cover. SeeEngine Cover on page 5-18for
more information.
G. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-19for more information.
H. Remote Negative Terminal. SeeJump Starting
on page 5-37for more information.
I. Power Steering Reservoir. SeePower Steering Fluid
on page 5-31for more information.
J. Brake Master Cylinder. SeeBrakes on page 5-33for
more information.
K. Underhood Fuse Block Cover. SeeFuses and
Circuit Breakers on page 5-84for more information.
L. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. SeeWindshield
Washer Fluid on page 5-31for more information.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 Automatic Transmission
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 under “How to Check” earlier.
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 or if you need to add coolant to
your radiator, 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.
5-23

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 6-13.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 5-74.
5-34

Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL)...........5-47
Certication/Tire Label.....................................4-36
Chains, Tires..................................................5-65
Change Trans (Transmission) Fluid....................3-49
Charging System Light....................................3-29
Check
Engine Light...............................................3-32
Gages Warning Light...................................3-39
Check Engine Light.........................................3-32
Check Oil Level..............................................3-49
Checking Brake Fluid......................................5-34
Checking Coolant............................................5-25
Checking Engine Oil........................................5-13
Checking the Automatic Transmission
Fluid Level.................................................5-21
Checking Things Under the Hood......................5-10
Chemical Paint Spotting...................................5-80
Child Restraints
Child Restraint Systems...............................1-27
Infants and Young Children...........................1-24
Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for
Children (LATCH System)..........................1-32
Older Children.............................................1-21
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for the
LATCH System........................................1-34Child Restraints (cont.)
Securing a Child Restraint in the
Passenger Seat Position...........................1-37
Top Strap...................................................1-30
Top Strap Anchor Location............................1-32
Cigarette Lighter.............................................3-18
Cleaning
Inside of Your Vehicle..................................5-74
Outside of Your Vehicle................................5-77
Underbody Maintenance...............................5-80
Weatherstrips..............................................5-77
Cleaning Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels.....5-79
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses.......................5-78
Cleaning Fabric/Carpet....................................5-74
Cleaning Glass Surfaces..................................5-76
Cleaning Interior Plastic Components.................5-76
Cleaning Leather............................................5-76
Cleaning the Top of the Instrument Panel...........5-76
Cleaning the Windshield and Wiper Blades.........5-79
Cleaning Tires................................................5-80
Cleaning Vinyl................................................5-76
Climate Control System...................................3-19
Outlet Adjustment........................................3-22
Content Theft-Deferrent....................................2-11
3