Service............................................................5-3
Accessories and Modi®cations..........................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 Speci®cations....................................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 Transmission Fluid.........................5-19
Manual Transmission Fluid.............................5-21
Hydraulic Clutch...........................................5-22
Engine Coolant.............................................5-23
Radiator Pressure Cap..................................5-26
Engine Overheating.......................................5-26Cooling System............................................5-29
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-33
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-34
Brakes........................................................5-35
Battery........................................................5-38
Jump Starting...............................................5-39
Headlamp Aiming...........................................5-44
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-46
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-46
Headlamps..................................................5-46
Front Turn Signal and Parking Lamps..............5-48
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and
Back-up Lamps.........................................5-49
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-50
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-51
Tires..............................................................5-52
Tire Sidewall Labeling...................................5-54
Tire Terminology and De®nitions.....................5-56
In¯ation - Tire Pressure.................................5-59
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-62
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-63
Buying New Tires.........................................5-64
Different Size Tires and Wheels......................5-65
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-66
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-67
Wheel Replacement......................................5-67
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1
2006 - Pontiac GTO Owner Manual
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle
Things you might add to the outside of your vehicle can
affect the air¯ow 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
Use of the recommended fuel is an important part of the
proper maintenance of your vehicle.
Gasoline Octane
Use premium unleaded gasoline with a posted octane
rating of 91 or higher. You may also use regular unleaded
gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher, but your vehicle's
acceleration may be slightly reduced, and you may notice
a slight audible knocking noise, commonly referred to as
spark knock. If the octane is less than 87, you may notice
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. If
you are using gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher and
you hear heavy knocking, your engine needs service.
Gasoline Speci®cations
At a minimum, gasoline should meet ASTM speci®cation
D 4814 in the United States or CAN/CGSB-3.5 in
Canada. Some gasolines may contain an
octane-enhancing additive called methylcyclopentadienyl
manganese tricarbonyl (MMT). General Motors
recommends against the use of gasolines containing
MMT. See
Additives on page 5-6for additional
information.
5-5
2006 - Pontiac GTO Owner Manual
California Fuel
If your vehicle is certi®ed to meet California Emissions
Standards, it is designed to operate on fuels that
meet California speci®cations. See the underhood
emission control label. If this fuel is not available
in states adopting California emissions standards, your
vehicle will operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting
federal speci®cations, but emission control system
performance may be affected. The malfunction indicator
lamp may turn on and your vehicle may fail a
smog-check test. See
Malfunction Indicator Lamp on
page 3-28. 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.
To help keep fuel injectors and intake valves clean,
or if your vehicle experiences problems due to
dirty injectors or valves, look for gasoline that is
advertised as TOP TIER Detergent 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. General Motors recommends that you use
these gasolines if they comply with the speci®cations
described earlier. However, E85 (85% ethanol)
and other fuels containing more than 10% ethanol must
not be used in vehicles that were not designed for
those fuels.
5-6
2006 - Pontiac GTO Owner Manual
A
Accessories and Modi®cations............................ 5-3
Accessory Power Outlet(s)...............................3-17
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle.......................................................1-52
Additives, Fuel................................................. 5-6
Add-On Electrical Equipment............................5-85
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine.................................5-18
Air Conditioning..............................................3-19
Airbag
Readiness Light..........................................3-25
Airbag Sensing and Diagnostic Module (SDM)...... 7-9
Airbag System................................................1-46
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle...................................................1-52
How Does an Airbag Restrain?......................1-50
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle..........1-52
What Makes an Airbag In¯ate?......................1-50
What Will You See After an Airbag In¯ates?....1-50
When Should an Airbag In¯ate?....................1-49
Where Are the Airbags?...............................1-48
Antenna, Backglass.........................................3-58
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)........................... 4-7
Anti-Lock Brake, System Warning Light..............3-27
Appearance Care
Aluminum Wheels........................................5-81
Care of Safety Belts....................................5-79
Chemical Paint Spotting...............................5-83
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses....................5-80Appearance Care (cont.)
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle................5-76
Fabric/Carpet..............................................5-78
Finish Care.................................................5-80
Finish Damage............................................5-82
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other Plastic
Surfaces.................................................5-79
Leather......................................................5-78
Sheet Metal Damage...................................5-82
Tires..........................................................5-82
Underbody Maintenance...............................5-83
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials................5-84
Washing Your Vehicle...................................5-80
Weatherstrips..............................................5-80
Windshield and Wiper Blades........................5-81
Ashtray(s)......................................................3-18
Audio System(s).............................................3-44
Audio Steering Wheel Controls......................3-56
Backglass Antenna......................................3-58
Care of Your CD Player...............................3-57
Care of Your CDs........................................3-57
Radio with Six-Disc CD................................3-46
Setting the Time..........................................3-45
Theft-Deterrent Feature................................3-55
Understanding Radio Reception.....................3-57
Automatic Headlamp System............................3-14
Automatic Transmission
Fluid..........................................................5-19
Operation...................................................2-19
1
2006 - Pontiac GTO Owner Manual
F
Filter
Engine Air Cleaner......................................5-18
Finish Damage...............................................5-82
Flashers, Hazard Warning.................................. 3-6
Flash-to-Pass................................................... 3-9
Flat Tire........................................................5-68
Flat Tire, Changing.........................................5-69
Flat Tire, Storing.............................................5-75
Fluid
Automatic Transmission................................5-19
Manual Transmission....................................5-21
Power Steering...........................................5-33
Windshield Washer......................................5-34
Fog Lamp Light..............................................3-31
Fog Lamps....................................................3-15
Front Reading Lamps......................................3-16
Front Storage Area.........................................2-30
Fuel............................................................... 5-5
Additives...................................................... 5-6
California Fuel.............................................. 5-6
Filling a Portable Fuel Container....................5-10Fuel (cont.)
Filling Your Tank........................................... 5-8
Fuels in Foreign Countries.............................. 5-7
Gage.........................................................3-32
Gasoline Octane........................................... 5-5
Gasoline Speci®cations.................................. 5-5
Fuses
Engine Compartment Fuse Block...................5-88
Fuses and Circuit Breakers...........................5-86
Instrument Panel Fuse Block.........................5-86
G
Gage
Engine Coolant Temperature.........................3-28
Fuel..........................................................3-32
Speedometer..............................................3-24
Tachometer.................................................3-24
Gasoline
Octane........................................................ 5-5
Speci®cations............................................... 5-5
Glove Box.....................................................2-30
GM Mobility Reimbursement Program.................. 7-5
5
2006 - Pontiac GTO Owner Manual