2005 BUICK RAINIER check engine

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...............................................5-5
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 Oil Life System..................................5-19
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-20
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-22
Engine Coolant.............................................5-24
Radiator Pressure Cap..................................5-27
Engine Overheating.......................................5-27
Cooling System............................................5-29
Engine Fan Noise.........................................5-34
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-35
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-36Brakes........................................................5-37
Battery........................................................5-40
Jump Starting...............................................5-41
All-Wheel Drive..............................................5-46
Rear Axle.......................................................5-46
Front Axle......................................................5-47
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-48
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-48
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker,
and Parking Lamps....................................5-49
Taillamps and Turn Signal Lamps...................5-49
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-50
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-51
Tires..............................................................5-53
Tire Sidewall Labelling...................................5-54
Tire Terminology and Denitions.....................5-57
Ination - Tire Pressure.................................5-59
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-60
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-62
Buying New Tires.........................................5-62
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-63
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-64
Wheel Replacement......................................5-65
Tire Chains..................................................5-66
Accessory Inator.........................................5-67
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle
Things you might add to the outside of your vehicle can
affect the airow around it. This may cause wind
noise and affect windshield washer performance. Check
with your dealer before adding equipment to the
outside of your vehicle.
Fuel
Use of the recommended fuel is an important part of the
proper maintenance of your vehicle.
Gasoline Octane
Use regular unleaded gasoline with a posted octane of
87 or higher. If the octane is less than 87, you may get a
heavy knocking noise when you drive. If this occurs, use
a gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher as soon as
possible. Otherwise, you might damage your engine. A
little pinging noise when you accelerate or drive uphill is
considered normal. This does not indicate a problem
exists or that a higher-octane fuel is necessary. If you are
using 87 octane or higher-octane fuel and hear heavy
knocking, your engine needs service.
Gasoline Specications
It is recommended that gasoline meet specications
which were developed by automobile manufacturers
around the world and contained in the World-Wide Fuel
Charter which is available from the Alliance of Automobile
Manufacturers at www.autoalliance.org/fuel_charter.htm.
Gasoline meeting these specications could provide
improved driveability and emission control system
performance compared to other gasoline.
California Fuel
If your vehicle is certied to meet California Emission
Standards (see the underhood emission control label), it
is designed to operate on fuels that meet California
specications. If this fuel is not available in states
adopting California emissions standards, your vehicle
will operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal
specications, but emission control system performance
may be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp may
turn on and your vehicle may fail a smog-check test. See
Malfunction Indicator Lamp on page 3-35. If this
occurs, return to your authorized GM dealer for
diagnosis. If it is determined that the condition is caused
by the type of fuel used, repairs may not be covered
by your warranty.
5-5

Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another country outside the
United States or Canada, the proper fuel may be hard
to nd. Never use leaded gasoline or any other fuel
not recommended in the previous text on fuel. Costly
repairs caused by use of improper fuel would not
be covered by your warranty.
To check the fuel availability, ask an auto club, or
contact a major oil company that does business in the
country where you will be driving.
Filling Your Tank
{CAUTION:
Fuel vapor burns violently and a fuel re can
cause bad injuries. To help avoid injuries to
you and others, read and follow all the
instructions on the pump island. Turn off your
engine when you are refueling. Do not smoke
if you are near fuel or refueling your vehicle.
Keep sparks, ames and smoking materials
away from fuel. Do not leave the fuel pump
unattended when refueling your vehicle — this
is against the law in some places. Keep
children away from the fuel pump; never let
children pump fuel.
5-7

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 with this
symbol on it. It is
located inside the
vehicle under
the instrument panel
on the driver’s side.
5-10

A. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-20.
B. Engine Coolant Recovery Tank. SeeCooling System
on page 5-29.
C. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding
Washer Fluid” underWindshield Washer Fluid
on page 5-36.
D. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. SeePower Steering
Fluid on page 5-35.
E. Automatic Transmission Fluid Dipstick (Out of View).
See “Checking the Fluid Level” underAutomatic
Transmission Fluid on page 5-22.
F. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-16.G. Radiator Pressure Cap. SeeRadiator Pressure Cap
on page 5-27.
H. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-16.
I. Remote Negative (−) Terminal (Marked GND). See
Jump Starting on page 5-41.
J. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid”
underBrakes on page 5-37.
K. Battery. SeeBattery on page 5-40.
L. Engine Compartment Fuse Block. SeeEngine
Compartment Fuse Block on page 5-93.
5-13

A. Engine Coolant Recovery Tank. SeeCooling System
on page 5-29.
B. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-20.
C. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding
Washer Fluid” underWindshield Washer Fluid
on page 5-36.
D. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-16.
E. Automatic Transmission Fluid Dipstick. See
“Checking the Fluid Level” underAutomatic
Transmission Fluid on page 5-22.
F. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-16.G. Radiator Pressure Cap. SeeRadiator Pressure Cap
on page 5-27.
H. Remote Negative (−) Terminal (Marked GND). See
Jump Starting on page 5-41.
I. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. SeePower Steering
Fluid on page 5-35.
J. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid”
underBrakes on page 5-37.
K. Engine Compartment Fuse Block. SeeEngine
Compartment Fuse Block on page 5-93.
L. Battery. SeeBattery on page 5-40.
5-15

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.
1. Turn off the engine and give the oil several minutes
to drain back into the oil pan. If you do not do this,
the oil dipstick might not show the actual level.
2. 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.4.2L L6 Engine
5.3L V8 Engine
5-16

Notice:Use only engine oil identied as meeting
GM Standard GM6094M and showing the American
Petroleum Institute Certied For Gasoline Engines
starburst symbol. Failure to use the recommended
oil can result in engine damage not covered by
your warranty.
GM Goodwrench
®oil meets all the requirements for
your vehicle.
If you are in an area of extreme cold, where the
temperature falls below−20°F (−29°C), it is
recommended that you use either an SAE 5W-30
synthetic oil or an SAE 0W-30 oil. Both will provide
easier cold starting and better protection for your engine
at extremely low temperatures.
Engine Oil Additives
Do not add anything to your oil. The recommended oils
with the starburst symbol that meet GM Standard
GM6094M are all you will need for good performance
and engine protection.
Engine Oil Life System
When to Change Engine Oil
Your vehicle has a computer system that lets you know
when to change the engine oil and lter. This is based on
engine revolutions and engine temperature, and not on
mileage. Based on driving conditions, the mileage at
which an oil change will be indicated can vary
considerably. For the oil life system to work properly, you
must reset the system every time the oil is changed.
When the system has calculated that oil life has been
diminished, it will indicate that an oil change is necessary.
A change engine oil light will come on. SeeChange
Engine Oil Light on page 3-39. Change your oil as soon
as possible within the next 600 miles (1 000 km). It is
possible that, if you are driving under the best conditions,
the oil life system may not indicate that an oil change is
necessary for over a year. However, your engine oil and
lter must be changed at least once a year and at this
time the system must be reset. Your dealer has
GM-trained people who will perform this work using
genuine GM parts and reset the system. It is also
important to check your oil regularly and keep it at the
proper level.
If the system is ever reset accidentally, you must
change your oil at 3,000 miles (5 000 km) since your
last oil change. Remember to reset the oil life system
whenever the oil is changed.
5-19