2006 BUICK RAINIER maintenance schedule

Brakes
Brake Fluid
Your brake master cylinder
reservoir is lled with
DOT-3 brake uid. See
Engine Compartment
Overview on page 5-12
for the location of the
reservoir.
There are only two reasons why the brake uid level
in the reservoir might go down. The rst is that the brake
uid goes down to an acceptable level during normal
brake lining wear. When new linings are put in, the
uid level goes back up. The other reason is that uid
is leaking out of the brake system. If it is, you should
have your brake system xed, 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 uid.
Adding brake uid will not correct a leak. If you add
uid when your linings are worn, then you will have
too much uid when you get new brake linings.
You should add or remove brake uid, 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. See “Checking Brake Fluid”
in this section.
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when
to check your brake uid. SeeScheduled Maintenance
on page 6-4.
5-36

Windshield Replacement
Your vehicle is equipped with an acoustic windshield.
If you ever have to have your windshield replaced
be sure to get an acoustic windshield so you will
continue to have the benets an acoustic windshield
can provide.
Windshield Wiper Blade
Replacement
Windshield wiper blades should be inspected for wear
or cracking. SeeScheduled Maintenance on page 6-4.
Allowing the wiper blade arm to touch the windshield
when no wiper blade is installed could damage the
windshield. Any damage that occurs would not
be covered by your warranty. Do not allow the wiper
blade arm to touch the windshield.
1. To remove the old wiper blades, lift the wiper
arm until it locks into a vertical position.A. Blade Assembly
B. Arm Assembly
C. Locking TabD. Blade Pivot
E. Hook Slot
F. Arm Hook
2. Press down on the blade assembly pivot locking
tab. Pull down on the blade assembly to release it
from the wiper arm hook.
3. Remove the insert from the blade assembly. The
insert has two notches at one end that are locked
by the bottom claws of the blade assembly. At the
notched end, pull the insert from the blade assembly.
5-50

Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 5,000 to 8,000 miles
(8 000 to 13 000 km).
Any time you notice unusual wear, rotate your tires
as soon as possible and check wheel alignment. Also
check for damaged tires or wheels. SeeWhen It Is Time
for New Tires on page 5-61andWheel Replacement
on page 5-66for more information.
Make sure the spare tire is stored securely. Push, pull,
and then try to rotate or turn the tire. If it moves, use the
wheel wrench to tighten the cable. For information on
storing or removing the spare tire, seeChanging a Flat
Tire on page 5-70.
The purpose of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The rst rotation
is the most important. SeeScheduled Maintenance
on page 6-4.When rotating your tires, always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear ination pressures as shown on the Tire and
Loading Information label. SeeLoading Your Vehicle on
page 4-45, for an example of the label and its location
on your vehicle. Make certain that all wheel nuts
are properly tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque” under
Capacities and Specications on page 5-105.
5-60

Maintenance Schedule......................................6-2
Introduction...................................................6-2
Maintenance Requirements..............................6-2
Your Vehicle and the Environment....................6-2
Using the Maintenance Schedule......................6-2
Scheduled Maintenance...................................6-4
Additional Required Services............................6-6
Maintenance Footnotes...................................6-7Owner Checks and Services............................6-9
At Each Fuel Fill............................................6-9
At Least Once a Month...................................6-9
At Least Once a Year...................................6-10
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants...............6-12
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts..........6-14
Maintenance Record.....................................6-15
Section 6 Maintenance Schedule
6-1

Maintenance Schedule
Introduction
Important: Keep engine oil at the proper level and
change as recommended.
Have you purchased the GM Protection Plan? The Plan
supplements your new vehicle warranties. See your
Warranty and Owner Assistance booklet or your dealer
for details.
Maintenance Requirements
Notice:Maintenance intervals, checks, inspections,
replacement parts, and recommended uids and
lubricants as prescribed in this manual are necessary
to keep your vehicle in good working condition.
Any damage caused by failure to follow scheduled
maintenance may not be covered by warranty.
Your Vehicle and the Environment
Proper vehicle maintenance not only helps to keep
your vehicle in good working condition, but also helps
the environment. All recommended maintenance is
important. Improper vehicle maintenance can even
affect the quality of the air we breathe. Improper uid
levels or the wrong tire ination can increase the level
of emissions from your vehicle. To help protect our
environment, and to keep your vehicle in good condition,
be sure to maintain your vehicle properly.
Using the Maintenance Schedule
We at General Motors want to help you keep your
vehicle in good working condition. But we do not know
exactly how you will drive it. You may drive very
short distances only a few times a week. Or you may
drive long distances all the time in very hot, dusty
weather. You may use your vehicle in making deliveries.
Or you may drive it to work, to do errands, or in many
other ways.
Because of all the different ways people use their
vehicles, maintenance needs vary. You may need more
frequent checks and replacements. So please read
the following and note how you drive. If you have any
questions on how to keep your vehicle in good condition,
see your GM Goodwrench
®dealer.
6-2

This schedule is for vehicles that:
carry passengers and cargo within recommended
limits. You will nd these limits on the tire and
loading information label. SeeLoading Your Vehicle
on page 4-45.
are driven on reasonable road surfaces within legal
driving limits.
are driven off-road in the recommended manner.
SeeOff-Road Driving on page 4-18.
use the recommended fuel. SeeGasoline Octane
on page 5-5.
The services inScheduled Maintenance on page 6-4
should be performed when indicated. SeeAdditional
Required Services on page 6-6andMaintenance
Footnotes on page 6-7for further information.
{CAUTION:
Performing maintenance work on a vehicle
can be dangerous. In trying to do some jobs,
you can be seriously injured. Do your own
maintenance work only if you have the
required know-how and the proper tools and
equipment for the job. If you have any doubt,
see your GM Goodwrench
®dealer to have a
qualied technician do the work. SeeDoing
Your Own Service Work on page 5-4.
Some maintenance services can be complex. So,
unless you are technically qualied and have the
necessary equipment, you should have your GM
Goodwrench
®dealer do these jobs.
When you go to your GM Goodwrench
®dealer for
your service needs, you will know that GM-trained
and supported service technicians will perform the
work using genuine GM parts.
If you want to purchase service information, see
Service Publications Ordering Information on page 7-14.
6-3

Owner Checks and Services on page 6-9tells you what
should be checked, when to check it, and what you
can easily do to help keep your vehicle in good
condition.
The proper replacement parts, uids, and lubricants to
use are listed inRecommended Fluids and Lubricants
on page 6-12andNormal Maintenance Replacement
Parts on page 6-14. When your vehicle is serviced,
make sure these are used. All parts should be replaced
and all necessary repairs done before you or anyone
else drives the vehicle. We recommend the use of
genuine GM parts.
Scheduled Maintenance
When the CHANGE ENGINE OIL DIC message comes
on, it means that service is required for your vehicle.
SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-47. Have
your vehicle serviced 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 engine oil
life system may not indicate that vehicle service
is necessary for over a year. However, the engine
oil and lter must be changed at least once a year
and at this time the system must be reset. Your GM
Goodwrench
®dealer has GM-trained service technicians
who will perform this work using genuine GM parts
and reset the system.If the engine oil life system is ever reset accidentally,
you must service your vehicle within 3,000 miles
(5 000 km) since your last service. Remember to reset
the oil life system whenever the oil is changed. See
Engine Oil Life System on page 5-18for information on
the Engine Oil Life System and resetting the system.
When the CHANGE ENGINE OIL DIC message
appears, certain services, checks, and inspections are
required. Required services are described in the
following for “MaintenanceI” and “MaintenanceII.”
Generally, it is recommended that your rst service be
MaintenanceI, your second service be MaintenanceII,
and that you alternate MaintenanceIand MaintenanceII
thereafter. However, in some cases, MaintenanceII
may be required more often.
MaintenanceI— Use MaintenanceIif the message
comes on within 10 months since the vehicle was
purchased or MaintenanceIIwas performed.
MaintenanceII— Use MaintenanceIIif the previous
service performed was MaintenanceI. Always use
MaintenanceIIwhenever the message comes on
10 months or more since the last service or if the
message has not come on at all for one year.
6-4

Scheduled Maintenance
Service MaintenanceIMaintenanceII
Change engine oil and lter. SeeEngine Oil on page 5-15. Reset oil life
system. SeeEngine Oil Life System on page 5-18.An Emission Control
Service.••
Visually check for any leaks or damage.See footnote (j).••
Inspect engine air cleaner lter. If necessary, replace lter. SeeEngine
Air Cleaner/Filter on page 5-20.See footnote (k).•
Rotate tires and check ination pressures and wear. SeeTire Inspection and
Rotation on page 5-60and “Tire Wear Inspection” inAt Least Once a Month
on page 6-9.••
Inspect brake system.See footnote (a).••
Check engine coolant and windshield washer uid levels and add uid as
needed.••
Perform any needed additional services. See “Additional Required Services”
in this section.••
Inspect suspension and steering components.See footnote (b).•
Inspect engine cooling system.See footnote (c).•
Inspect wiper blades.See footnote (d).•
Inspect restraint system components.See footnote (e).•
Lubricate body components.See footnote (f).•
Check transmission uid level and add uid as needed.See footnote (g).•
6-5