2005 CHEVROLET EPICA brake fluid

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 Specifications....................................5-6
California Fuel...............................................5-6
Additives.......................................................5-7
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-7
Filling Your Tank............................................5-8
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.....................5-10
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-11
Hood Release..............................................5-11
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-12
Engine Oil...................................................5-13
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-17
Automatic Transaxle Fluid..............................5-19
Engine Coolant.............................................5-19
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap..................5-22Engine Overheating.......................................5-22
Cooling System............................................5-24
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-29
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-30
Brakes........................................................5-31
Battery........................................................5-34
Jump Starting...............................................5-35
Headlamp Aiming...........................................5-39
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-39
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-39
Headlamps..................................................5-40
Front Turn Signal Lamps...............................5-41
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL).........5-42
Parking Lamps.............................................5-43
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and
Back-up Lamps.........................................5-44
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-44
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-45
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

A. Engine Coolant Surge Tank. SeeCooling System on
page 5-24.
B. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. SeePower Steering
Fluid on page 5-29.
C. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding
Washer Fluid” underWindshield Washer Fluid
on page 5-30.
D. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-13.
E. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-13.
F. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid” under
Brakes on page 5-31.
G. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-17.
H. Battery. SeeBattery on page 5-34.
I. Engine Compartment Fuse Block. SeeEngine
Compartment Fuse Block on page 5-79.Engine Oil
If the oil pressure light
appears on the instrument
cluster, it means you
need to check your engine
oil level right away.
For more information, seeOil Pressure Light on
page 3-44.
You should check your engine oil level regularly; this is
an added reminder.
5-13

Brakes
Brake Fluid
Your master cylinder
reservoir is filled with
DOT-3 brake fluid. See
Engine Compartment
Overview on page 5-12
for 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 uid, it can spill on
the engine. The uid will burn if the engine is
hot enough. You or others could be burned,
and your vehicle could be damaged. Add brake
uid only when work is done on the brake
hydraulic system.
When your brake fluid falls to a low level, your brake
warning light will come on. SeeBrake System Warning
Light on page 3-36.
5-31

What to Add
When you do need brake fluid, use only DOT-3 brake
fluid. Use new brake fluid from a sealed container
only. SeePart D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
on page 6-25.
Always clean the brake fluid 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 5-68.
5-32

Maintenance Schedule......................................6-2
Introduction...................................................6-2
Maintenance Requirements..............................6-2
Your Vehicle and the Environment....................6-2
How This Section is Organized.........................6-3
Part A: Scheduled Maintenance Services...........6-4
Using Your Maintenance Schedule....................6-4
Selecting the Right Schedule...........................6-5
Short Trip/City Scheduled Maintenance..............6-7
Long Trip/Highway Scheduled Maintenance......6-14
Part B: Owner Checks and Services................6-19
At Each Fuel Fill..........................................6-19At Least Once a Month.................................6-19
At Least Twice a Year...................................6-20
At Least Once a Year...................................6-20
Part C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections.........6-23
Steering, Suspension and Front Drive Axle
Boot and Seal Inspection............................6-23
Exhaust System Inspection............................6-23
Fuel System Inspection..................................6-23
Engine Cooling System Inspection...................6-23
Throttle System Inspection.............................6-24
Brake System Inspection................................6-24
Part D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants. . . .6-25
Part E: Maintenance Record...........................6-27
Section 6 Maintenance Schedule
6-1

Selecting the Right Schedule
First you will need to decide which of the two schedules
is right for your vehicle. Here is how to decide which
schedule to follow:
Short Trip/City Denition
Follow the Short Trip/City Scheduled Maintenance if any
one of these conditions is true for your vehicle:
•Most trips are less than 5 miles (8 km). This is
particularly important when outside temperatures
are below freezing.
•Most trips include extensive idling, such as frequent
driving in stop-and-go traffic.
•If the vehicle is used for delivery service, police,
taxi or other commercial application.
One of the reasons you should follow this schedule if
you operate your vehicle under any of these conditions
is that these conditions cause engine oil to break
down sooner.
Short Trip/City Intervals
Every 3,000 Miles (5 000 km):Engine Oil and Filter
Change (or 3 months, whichever occurs first).
Every 6,000 Miles (10 000 km):Tire Rotation.
Every 15,000 Miles (25 000 km):Engine Air Cleaner
Filter Inspection. Passenger Compartment Air Filter
Replacement. Drive Belts Inspection.
Every 30,000 Miles (50 000 km):Engine Air Cleaner
Filter Replacement. Fuel Filter Replacement. Cooling
System Service. EVAP System Service. PCV System
Service. Brake Fluid Change (or 24 months, whichever
occurs first).
Every 50,000 Miles (83 000 km):Automatic Transaxle
Service (severe conditions only).
Every 60,000 Miles (100 000 km):EVAP System
Solenoid Valve Filter Replacement.
Every 100,000 Miles (166 000 km):Spark Plug
Replacement.
These intervals only summarize maintenance services.
Be sure to follow the complete scheduled maintenance
on the following pages.
6-5

Long Trip/Highway Denition
Follow this scheduled maintenanceonlyif none of the
conditions from the Short Trip/City Scheduled
Maintenance are true. Do not use this schedule if the
vehicle is used for trailer towing, driven in a dusty area
or used off paved roads. Use the Short Trip/City
schedule for these conditions.
Driving a vehicle with a fully warmed engine under
highway conditions will cause engine oil to break
down slower.
Long Trip/Highway Intervals
Every 7,500 Miles (12 500 km):Engine Oil and Filter
Change (or every 12 months, whichever occurs
first). Tire Rotation.
Every 15,000 Miles (25 000 km):Engine Air Cleaner
Filter Inspection. Passenger Compartment Air Filter
Replacement. Drive Belts Inspection.Every 30,000 Miles (50 000 km):Engine Air Cleaner
Filter Replacement. Fuel Filter Replacement. Cooling
System Service. EVAP System Service. PCV System
Service. Brake Fluid Change (or 24 months, whichever
occurs first).
Every 50,000 Miles (83 000 km):Automatic Transaxle
Service (severe conditions only).
Every 60,000 Miles (100 000 km):EVAP System
Solenoid Valve Filter Replacement.
Every 100,000 Miles (166 000 km):Spark Plug
Replacement.
These intervals only summarize maintenance services.
Be sure to follow the complete scheduled maintenance
on the following pages.
6-6

Part D: Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants
Fluids and lubricants identified below by name, part
number or specification may be obtained from your
dealer.
Usage Fluid/Lubricant
Engine OilEngine oil which meets GM
Standard GM6094M and displays
the American Petroleum Institute
Certified for Gasoline Engines
starburst symbol. GM Goodwrench
®
oil meets all the requirements for
your vehicle. To determine the
proper viscosity for your vehicle’s
engine, seeEngine Oil on
page 5-13.
Engine Coolant50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water (preferably distilled)
and good quality Ethylene
Glycol Base Coolant
(GM Part No. U.S. 12378560, in
Canada 993089) and conforming to
GM Specification 1825M or recycled
coolant conforming to GM
Specification 1825M. SeeEngine
Coolant on page 5-19.
Usage Fluid/Lubricant
Hydraulic Brake
SystemDelco Supreme 11 Brake Fluid or
equivalent DOT-3 brake fluid.
Windshield
Washer SolventGM Optikleen
®Washer Solvent.
Power Steering
SystemDEXRON
®-III Automatic
Transmission Fluid. Look for
“Approved for the H-Specification”
on the label.
Automatic
TransaxleAutomatic Transaxle Fluid ESSO
LT 71141 or TOTAL ATF H50235
(GM Part No. in Canada 89021903).
Key Lock
CylindersMulti-Purpose Lubricant, Superlube
(GM Part No. U.S. 12346241, in
Canada 10953474).
Chassis
LubricationChassis Lubricant
(GM Part No. U.S. 12377985, in
Canada 88901242) or lubricant
meeting requirements of NLGI #2,
Category LB or GC-LB.
6-25