2005 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE Owners Manual

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
The 8th digit of your vehicle identication number (VIN)
shows the code letter or number that identies your
engine. You will nd the VIN at the top left of the
instrument panel. SeeVehicle Identication Number
(VIN) on page 5-110.
Gasoline Octane
If your vehicle has the 3.8L V6 engine, 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.
If your vehicle has the 4.6L V8 engine, use regular
unleaded gasoline with a posted octane of 87 or higher.
However, for best performance, you may wish to use
middle grade or premium unleaded gasoline. 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.
5-5

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. SeeMalfunction Indicator Lamp on
page 3-48. 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.
Additives
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the United States
are now required to contain additives that will help
prevent engine and fuel system deposits from forming,
allowing your emission control system to work
properly. In most cases, you should not have to add
anything to your fuel. However, some gasolines contain
only the minimum amount of additive required to
meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations.
General Motors recommends that you buy gasolines
that are advertised to help keep fuel injectors and intake
valves clean. If your vehicle experiences problems
due to dirty injectors or valves, try a different brand of
gasoline. Also, your GM dealer has additives that
will help correct and prevent most deposit-related
problems.
Gasolines containing oxygenates, such as ethers and
ethanol, and reformulated gasolines may be available in
your area to contribute to clean air. General Motors
recommends that you use these gasolines, particularly if
they comply with the specications described earlier.
5-6

Notice:Your vehicle was not designed for fuel that
contains methanol. Do not use fuel containing
methanol. It can corrode metal parts in your fuel
system and also damage the plastic and rubber
parts. That damage would not be covered under
your warranty.
Some gasolines that are not reformulated for low
emissions may contain an octane-enhancing additive
called methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT); ask the attendant where you buy gasoline
whether the fuel contains MMT. General Motors does
not recommend the use of such gasolines. Fuels
containing MMT can reduce the life of spark plugs and
the performance of the emission control system may
be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp may turn on.
If this occurs, return to your authorized GM dealer
for service.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.
5-7

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.
The tethered fuel cap is located behind a hinged fuel
door on the driver’s side of the vehicle.
To remove the fuel cap, turn it slowly to the left
(counterclockwise). The fuel cap has a spring in it; if the
cap is released too soon, it will spring back to the right.
While refueling, hang the tethered fuel cap on the
hook on the inside of the fuel door.
5-8

{CAUTION:
If you spill fuel and then something ignites it,
you could be badly burned. Fuel can spray out
on you if you open the fuel cap too quickly.
This spray can happen if your tank is nearly
full, and is more likely in hot weather. Open
the fuel cap slowly and wait for any hiss noise
to stop. Then unscrew the cap all the way.
Be careful not to spill fuel. Do not top off or overll the
tank and wait a few seconds after you have nished
pumping before removing the nozzle. Clean fuel
from painted surfaces as soon as possible.
SeeWashing Your Vehicle on page 5-105.
When replacing the fuel cap, turn it to the right
(clockwise) until it clicks. Make sure the cap is fully
installed. The diagnostic system can determine if the
fuel cap has been left off or improperly installed.
This would allow fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere.
SeeMalfunction Indicator Lamp on page 3-48.If your vehicle has the optional Driver Information
Center (DIC), the CHECK GAS CAP message will be
displayed if the fuel cap is not properly reinstalled.{CAUTION:
If a re starts while you are refueling, do not
remove the nozzle. Shut off the ow of fuel by
shutting off the pump or by notifying the
station attendant. Leave the area immediately.
Notice:If you need a new fuel cap, be sure to get
the right type. Your dealer can get one for you.
If you get the wrong type, it may not t properly.
This may cause your malfunction indicator lamp to
light and may damage your fuel tank and emissions
system. SeeMalfunction Indicator Lamp on
page 3-48.
5-9

Filling a Portable Fuel Container
{CAUTION:
Never ll a portable fuel container while it is in
your vehicle. Static electricity discharge from
the container can ignite the gasoline vapor.
You can be badly burned and your vehicle
damaged if this occurs. To help avoid injury to
you and others:
Dispense gasoline only into approved
containers.
Do not ll a container while it is inside a
vehicle, in a vehicle’s trunk, pickup bed or
on any surface other than the ground.
Bring the ll nozzle in contact with the
inside of the ll opening before operating
the nozzle. Contact should be maintained
until the lling is complete.
Do not smoke while pumping gasoline.
Checking Things Under
the Hood
{CAUTION:
An electric fan under the hood can start up
and injure you even when the engine is not
running. Keep hands, clothing and tools away
from any underhood electric fan.
{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.
5-10

Hood Release
To open the hood, do the following:
1. Pull the hood release
handle inside the
vehicle. It is located
next to the parking
brake pedal near
the oor.
2. Then go to the front of the vehicle and push up on
the secondary hood release.
3. Lift the hood.
Before closing the hood, be sure all the ller caps are
on properly. Then pull the hood down and close it rmly.
5-11

Engine Compartment Overview
When you open the hood on the 3.8L V6 engine, here is what you will see:
5-12