2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX checking oil

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....................................5-5
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...................................................5-13
Engine Oil Life System..................................5-16
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-18
Automatic Transaxle Fluid..............................5-21
Engine Coolant.............................................5-21
Engine Overheating.......................................5-24Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode........................................5-26
Cooling System............................................5-26
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-31
Brakes........................................................5-32
Battery........................................................5-34
Jump Starting...............................................5-35
All-Wheel Drive..............................................5-39
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-41
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-41
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker,
and Parking Lamps....................................5-42
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and
Back-up Lamps.........................................5-44
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-45
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-45
Tires..............................................................5-47
Tire Sidewall Labeling...................................5-48
Tire Terminology and Denitions.....................5-50
Ination - Tire Pressure.................................5-53
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-54
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-55
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

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

A. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-18.
B. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-13.
C. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-13.
D. Brake Fluid Reservoir. SeeBrakes on page 5-32.
E. Engine Compartment Fuse Block. SeeFuses
and Circuit Breakers on page 5-84.
F. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. SeeJump Starting on
page 5-35.
G. Engine Coolant Surge Tank. SeeEngine Coolant on
page 5-21.
H. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. SeeWindshield
Washer Fluid on page 5-31.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.
5-13