2006 PONTIAC SOLSTICE 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...................................................5-13
Engine Oil Life System..................................5-16
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-18
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-19
Manual Transmission Fluid.............................5-20
Hydraulic Clutch...........................................5-20
Engine Coolant.............................................5-20
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap..................5-23
Engine Overheating.......................................5-23
Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode . . .5-25Cooling System............................................5-26
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-30
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-31
Brakes........................................................5-32
Battery........................................................5-34
Jump Starting...............................................5-35
Rear Axle.......................................................5-39
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-40
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-40
Headlamps..................................................5-41
Front Turn Signal, Parking and Fog Lamps......5-41
Taillamps, Turn Signal, and Stoplamps............5-42
Back-Up Lamps............................................5-42
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-43
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-43
Tires..............................................................5-44
Tire Sidewall Labelling...................................5-46
Tire Terminology and Denitions.....................5-47
Ination - Tire Pressure.................................5-50
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-51
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-52
Buying New Tires.........................................5-53
Different Size Tires and Wheels......................5-54
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-55
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-56
Wheel Replacement......................................5-56
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

If you are in an area of extreme cold, where the
temperature falls below−20°F (−29°C), it is
recommended that you use either an SAE 5W-30
synthetic oil or an SAE 0W-30 oil. Both will provide
easier cold starting and better protection for your engine
at extremely low temperatures.
Engine Oil Additives
Do not add anything to your oil. The recommended oils
with the starburst symbol that meet GM Standard
GM6094M are all you will need for good performance
and engine protection.
When to Change Engine Oil (Vehicles
Without a Driver Information Center)
If your vehicle does not have a Driver Information
Center (DIC), change the engine oil and lter at the
intervals specied in the maintenance schedule. See
Scheduled Maintenance on page 6-4.
If your vehicle has a Driver Information Center, it has
the Engine Oil Life System. SeeEngine Oil Life System
on page 5-16for information on when to change your
engine oil.
Engine Oil Life System
When to Change Engine Oil (Vehicles
With Driver Information Center)
If your vehicle has a Driver Information Center (DIC), it
has the Engine Oil Life System, a computer system
that lets you know when to change the engine oil and
lter. This is based on engine revolutions and engine
temperature, and not on mileage. Based on driving
conditions, the mileage at which an oil change will be
indicated can vary considerably. For the oil life system to
work properly, you must reset the system every time
the oil is changed.
When the system has calculated that oil life has been
diminished, it will indicate that an oil change is
necessary. A CHANGE OIL SOON message will come
on. SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-38.
Change the oil as soon as possible within the next
600 miles (1 000 km). It is possible that, if you
are driving under the best conditions, the oil life system
may not indicate that an oil change is necessary for
over a year. However, the engine oil and lter must be
changed at least once a year and at this time the
system must be reset. Your dealer has GM-trained
service people who will perform this work using genuine
GM parts and reset the system. It is also important to
check your oil regularly and keep it at the proper level.
5-16