
A. Engine Compartment Fuse Block. SeeEngine
Compartment Fuse Block on page 5-88.
B. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See ªAdding
Washer Fluidº under
Windshield Washer Fluid
on page 5-34.
C. Battery. See
Battery on page 5-37.
D. Radiator Pressure Cap (Out of View). See
Radiator
Pressure Cap on page 5-26.
E. Engine Oil Dipstick. See ªChecking Engine Oilº
under
Engine Oil on page 5-13.
F. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See ªWhen to Add Engine Oilº
under
Engine Oil on page 5-13.
G. Automatic Transmission Dipstick (If Equipped). See
ªChecking the Fluid Levelº under
Automatic
Transmission Fluid on page 5-19.
H. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. See
Power Steering
Fluid on page 5-33.
I. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See ªBrake Fluidº under
Brakes on page 5-35.
J. Hydraulic Clutch Fluid Reservoir (If Equipped). See
Hydraulic Clutch on page 5-22.
K. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. See
Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-18.
L. Engine Coolant Over¯ow Reservoir. See
Engine
Coolant on page 5-23.
Engine Oil
If the Service Engine Oil message appears on the trip
computer display, it means you need to check your
engine oil level right away. For more information, see
Trip Computer on page 3-33. You should check
your engine oil level regularly; this is an added reminder.
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.
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Brake Adjustment
Every time you make a moderate brake stop, your disc
brakes adjust for wear. If you rarely make a moderate
or heavier stop, then your brakes might not adjust
correctly. If you drive in that way, then Ð very
carefully Ð make a few moderate brake stops about
every 1,000 miles (1 600 km), so your brakes will
adjust properly.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a vehicle is complex. Its many
parts have to be of top quality and work well together if
the vehicle is to have really good braking. Your
vehicle was designed and tested with top-quality GM
brake parts. When you replace parts of your braking
system Ð for example, when your brake linings
wear down and you need new ones put in Ð be sure
you get new approved GM replacement parts. If you do
not, your brakes may no longer work properly. For
example, if someone puts in brake linings that are wrong
for your vehicle, the balance between your front and
rear brakes can change Ð for the worse. The braking
performance you have come to expect can change
in many other ways if someone puts in the wrong
replacement brake parts.
Battery
Your vehicle has a maintenance free battery. When it is
time for a new battery, get one that has the replacement
number shown on the original battery's label. We
recommend an ACDelco
žreplacement battery.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview on page 5-12for
battery location.
Warning:Battery posts, terminals, and related
accessories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California to cause
cancer and reproductive harm. Wash hands after
handling.
Vehicle Storage
If you are not going to drive your vehicle for 25 days
or more, remove the black, negative (-) cable from
the battery. This will help keep your battery from
running down.
{CAUTION:
Batteries have acid that can burn you and gas
that can explode. You can be badly hurt if you
are not careful. See
Jump Starting on
page 5-38
for tips on working around a battery
without getting hurt.
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2006 - Pontiac GTO Owner Manual

Jump Starting
If your battery has run down, you may want to use
another vehicle and some jumper cables to start your
vehicle. Be sure to use the following steps to do it safely.
{CAUTION:
Batteries can hurt you. They can be dangerous
because:
·They contain acid that can burn you.
·They contain gas that can explode
or ignite.
·They contain enough electricity to
burn you.
If you do not follow these steps exactly, some
or all of these things can hurt you.
Notice:Ignoring these steps could result in costly
damage to your vehicle that would not be covered
by your warranty.
Trying to start your vehicle by pushing or pulling it
will not work, and it could damage your vehicle.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with a negative ground system. Remove
any battery covers.
Notice:If the other vehicle's system is not a 12-volt
system with a negative ground, both vehicles can
be damaged. Only use vehicles with 12-volt systems
with negative grounds to jump start your vehicle.
2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles are not touching
each other. If they are, it could cause a ground
connection you do not want. You would not be able
to start your vehicle, and the bad grounding
could damage the electrical systems.
To avoid the possibility of the vehicles rolling, set
the parking brake ®rmly on both vehicles involved in
the jump start procedure. Put an automatic
transmission in PARK (P) or a manual transmission
in NEUTRAL before setting the parking brake.
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2006 - Pontiac GTO Owner Manual

Notice:If you leave your radio or other accessories
on during the jump starting procedure, they could
be damaged. The repairs would not be covered
by your warranty. Always turn off your radio and
other accessories when jump starting your vehicle.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter. Turn off the radio and all lamps that are
not needed. This will avoid sparks and help save
both batteries. And it could save the radio!
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries. Find the
positive (+) and negative (-) terminal locations on
each vehicle. See
Engine Compartment Overview
on page 5-12for more information on location.
{CAUTION:
An electric fan can start up even when the
engine is not running and can injure you. Keep
hands, clothing and tools away from any
underhood electric fan.
{CAUTION:
Using a match near a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing
this, and some have been blinded. Use a
¯ashlight if you need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough water. You do
not need to add water to the battery installed
in your new vehicle. But if a battery has ®ller
caps, be sure the right amount of ¯uid is there.
If it is low, add water to take care of that ®rst.
If you don't, explosive gas could be present.
Battery ¯uid contains acid that can burn you.
Do not get it on you. If you accidentally get it
in your eyes or on your skin, ¯ush the place
with water and get medical help immediately.
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2006 - Pontiac GTO Owner Manual

{CAUTION:
Fans or other moving engine parts can injure
you badly. Keep your hands away from moving
parts once the engine is running.
5. Check that the jumper cables do not have loose or
missing insulation. If they do, you could get a
shock. The vehicles could be damaged too.
Before you connect the cables, here are some
basic things you should know. Positive (+) will go to
positive (+) or to a remote positive (+) terminal if
the vehicle has one. Negative (-) will go to a heavy,
unpainted metal engine part or to a remote
negative (-) terminal if the vehicle has one.Do not connect positive (+) to negative (-)oryou
will get a short that would damage the battery
and maybe other parts too. And do not connect the
negative (-) cable to the negative (-) terminal on
the dead battery because this can cause sparks.
6. Connect the red positive (+) cable to the positive (+)
terminal of the dead battery. Use a remote
positive (+) terminal if the vehicle has one.
7. Do not let the other end touch metal. Connect it to
the positive (+) terminal of the good battery. Use a
remote positive (+) terminal if the vehicle has one.
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2006 - Pontiac GTO Owner Manual

8. Now connect the black negative (-) cable to the
negative (-) terminal of the good battery. Use a
remote negative (-) terminal if the vehicle has one.
Do not let the other end touch anything until the
next step. The other end of the negative (-) cable
does notgo to the dead battery. It goes to a
heavy, unpainted metal engine part or to a remote
negative (-) terminal on the vehicle with the
dead battery.9. Connect the other end of the negative (-) cable at
least 18 inches (45 cm) away from the dead battery,
but not near engine parts that move. The electrical
connection is just as good there, and the chance
of sparks getting back to the battery is much less.
10. Now start the vehicle with the good battery and run
the engine for a while.
Notice:If the jumper cables are removed too
quickly after starting the vehicle with the dead
battery, a momentary spike in voltage may occur,
damaging electrical components. The repairs would
not be covered by your warranty. Always allow
both vehicles involved in the jump start procedure
to run for at least one minute after starting the
vehicle with the dead battery, before removing the
jumper cables.
11. Try to start the vehicle that had the dead battery. If
it will not start after a few tries, it probably needs
service. If the vehicle does start, be sure to
allow both vehicles to run for at least one minute
before removing the jumper cables.
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2006 - Pontiac GTO Owner Manual

Notice:If the jumper cables are connected or
removed in the wrong order, electrical shorting may
occur and damage the vehicle. The repairs would
not be covered by your warranty. Always connect
and remove the jumper cables in the correct
order, making sure that the cables do not touch
each other or other metal.
A. Heavy, Unpainted Metal Engine Part
B. Good Battery
C. Dead BatteryTo disconnect the jumper cables from both vehicles,
do the following:
1. Disconnect the black negative (-) cable from the
vehicle that had the dead battery.
2. Disconnect the black negative (-) cable from the
vehicle with the good battery.
3. Disconnect the red positive (+) cable from the
vehicle with the good battery.
4. Disconnect the red positive (+) cable from the other
vehicle.
5. Replace any battery covers.
Jumper Cable Removal
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2006 - Pontiac GTO Owner Manual

2. Remove the ®ve screws in the radiator cover.
3. Unclip and remove the radiator cover.
A hole is provided in the air intake duct so that the
bulbs can be accessed for replacement.
After following the procedure to replace the bulbs, clip
the radiator cover to the radiator fan shroud and reinstall
the ®ve screws.
Passenger's Side
To replace the passenger's side headlamp bulbs, ®rst
do the following:
1. Open the hood. See
Hood Release on page 5-11for more information.
2. Disconnectthe battery clamp.
3. Remove the battery retaining plate and slide the
battery out of the way toward the rear of the vehicle.
4. Disconnect the battery terminals. If your vehicle is
equipped with a larger battery, it must be completely
removed from the vehicle.
After following the procedure to replace the bulbs,
reinstall and reconnect the battery.
1. Access the bulbs by following the previous
instructions for either the driver's side or
passenger's side of the vehicle.
2. Turn the dust caps
counterclockwise and
remove from the rear of
the headlamp
assembly to gain
access to the bulb.
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2006 - Pontiac GTO Owner Manual