2006 CHEVROLET COBALT oil additives

Service............................................................5-3
Accessories and Modications..........................5-3
California Proposition 65 Warning.....................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....................................5-6
California Fuel...............................................5-6
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-7
Filling the Tank..............................................5-8
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.....................5-10
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-10
Hood Release..............................................5-11
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-12
Engine Oil...................................................5-15
Engine Oil Life System..................................5-20
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-21
Automatic Transaxle Fluid..............................5-23
Manual Transaxle Fluid..................................5-23
Hydraulic Clutch...........................................5-23
Engine Coolant.............................................5-24
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap..................5-29
Engine Overheating.......................................5-29Cooling System............................................5-31
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-37
Brakes........................................................5-38
Battery........................................................5-41
Jump Starting...............................................5-42
Headlamp Aiming...........................................5-46
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-49
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-49
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker,
and Parking Lamps....................................5-50
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL).........5-51
Taillamps and Turn Signal Lamps (Coupe).......5-52
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and
Back-up Lamps (Sedan).............................5-53
Back-Up Lamps (Coupe)................................5-54
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-55
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-55
Tires..............................................................5-56
Tire Sidewall Labeling...................................5-58
Tire Terminology and Denitions.....................5-60
Ination - Tire Pressure.................................5-63
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-65
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-66
Buying New Tires.........................................5-66
Different Size Tires and Wheels......................5-68
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

Notice:If you use oils that do not have the
GM4718M Standard designation, you can cause
engine damage not covered by your warranty.
SAE 5W-30
As shown in the viscosity chart, SAE 5W-30 is best
for your vehicle.
These numbers on an oil container show its
viscosity, or thickness. Do not use other viscosity
oils such as SAE 20W-50.
Oils meeting these
requirements should
also have the starburst
symbol on the container.
This symbol indicates
that the oil has been
certied by the American
Petroleum Institute (API).You should look for this on the oil container, and
useonlythose oils that are identied as meeting
GM Standard GM4718M and have the starburst
symbol on the front of the oil container.
Your vehicle’s engine is lled at the factory with a
synthetic oil which meets all requirements for your
vehicle.
Substitute Engine Oil: When adding oil to maintain
engine oil level, oil meeting GM Standard GM4718M
may not be available. You can add substitute oil
designated SAE 5W-30 with the starburst symbol at all
temperatures. Substitute oil not meeting GM Standard
GM4718M should not be used for an oil change.
Engine Oil Additives
Do not add anything to your oil. The recommended oils
with the starburst symbol that meet GM standards
are all you will need for good performance and engine
protection.
5-19

What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half clean, drinkable water and
one-half DEX-COOL®coolant which will not damage
aluminum parts. If you use this coolant mixture, you do
not need to add anything else.
{CAUTION:
Adding only plain water to your cooling
system can be dangerous. Plain water, or
some other liquid such as alcohol, can boil
before the proper coolant mixture will. Your
vehicle’s coolant warning system is set for the
proper coolant mixture. With plain water or the
wrong mixture, your engine could get too hot
but you would not get the overheat warning.
Your engine could catch re and you or others
could be burned. Use a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
®coolant.
Notice:If you use an improper coolant mixture,
your engine could overheat and be badly damaged.
The repair cost would not be covered by your
warranty. Too much water in the mixture can freeze
and crack the engine, radiator, heater core, and
other parts.If you have to add coolant more than four times a year,
have your dealer check your cooling system.
Notice:If you use extra inhibitors and/or additives
in your vehicle’s cooling system, you could damage
your vehicle. Use only the proper mixture of the
engine coolant listed in this manual for the cooling
system. SeeRecommended Fluids and Lubricants on
page 6-12for more information.
Checking Coolant
The coolant surge tank is located in the engine
compartment on the driver’s side of the vehicle.
5-25