2006 PONTIAC GTO octane

If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. See
Filling the Tank on page 5-8. The
diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap has
been left off or improperly installed. A loose or missing
fuel cap will allow fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere.
A few driving trips with the cap properly installed
should turn the light off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out. A few driving trips should turn the light off.
Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel. See
Gasoline Octane on page 5-5. Poor fuel quality will
cause your engine not to run as efficiently as designed.
You may notice this as stalling after start-up, stalling
when you put the vehicle into gear, mis®ring, hesitation
on acceleration, or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may go away once the engine is warmed up.)
This will be detected by the system and cause the
light to turn on.If you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the fuel brand you use. It will require at least
one full tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn off,
your dealer can check the vehicle. Your dealer has
the proper test equipment and diagnostic tools to ®x any
mechanical or electrical problems that may have
developed.
Emissions Inspection and Maintenance
Programs
Some state/provincial and local governments have or
may begin programs to inspect the emission control
equipment on your vehicle. Failure to pass this
inspection could prevent you from getting a vehicle
registration.
Here are some things you need to know to help your
vehicle pass an inspection:
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the check
engine light is on or not working properly.
3-30
2006 - Pontiac GTO Owner Manual

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

Notice:Your vehicle was not designed for fuel that
contains methanol. Do not use fuel containing
methanol. It can corrode metal parts in your fuel
system and also damage the plastic and rubber
parts. That damage would not be covered under
your warranty.
Some gasolines that are not reformulated for low
emissions may contain an octane-enhancing additive
called methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT); ask the attendant where you buy gasoline
whether the fuel contains MMT. General Motors
recommends against the use of such gasolines. Fuels
containing MMT can reduce the life of spark plugs
and the performance of the emission control system may
be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp may turn
on. If this occurs, return to your authorized GM dealer for
service.Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another country outside the
United States or Canada, the proper fuel may be hard
to ®nd. Never use leaded gasoline or any other fuel
not recommended in the previous text on fuel. Costly
repairs caused by use of improper fuel would not
be covered by your warranty.
To check the fuel availability, ask an auto club, or
contact a major oil company that does business in the
country where you will be driving.
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2006 - Pontiac GTO Owner Manual

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. See
Loading Your Vehicle
on page 4-29.
·are driven on reasonable road surfaces within legal
driving limits.
·use the recommended fuel. SeeGasoline Octane
on page 5-5
.
The services in
Scheduled Maintenance on page 6-4should 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
ždealer to have a
quali®ed technician do the work.Some maintenance services can be complex. So,
unless you are technically quali®ed and have the
necessary equipment, you should have your GM
Goodwrench
ždealer do these jobs.
When you go to your GM Goodwrench
ždealer 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.
Owner Checks and Services on page 6-8tells 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 in
Recommended 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.
6-3
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