2007 PONTIAC TORRENT service

If you put things inside your vehicle — like
suitcases, tools, packages, or anything else — they
will go as fast as the vehicle goes. If you have to
stop or turn quickly, or if there is a crash, they will
keep going.
{CAUTION:
Things you put inside your vehicle can
strike and injure people in a sudden stop
or turn, or in a crash.
Put things in the cargo area of your
vehicle. Try to spread the weight
evenly.
Never stack heavier things, like
suitcases, inside the vehicle so that
some of them are above the tops of
the seats.
Do not leave an unsecured child
restraint in your vehicle.
When you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure it whenever you can.
Do not leave a seat folded down
unless you need to.
Towing
Towing Your Vehicle
Consult your dealer or a professional towing
service if you need to have your disabled vehicle
towed. SeeRoadside Assistance Program on
page 462.
If you want to tow your vehicle behind another
vehicle for recreational purposes (such as behind
a motorhome), see “Recreational Vehicle
Towing” following.
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means towing your
vehicle behind another vehicle – such as behind a
motorhome. The two most common types of
recreational vehicle towing are known as “dinghy
towing” (towing your vehicle with all four wheels
on the ground) and “dolly towing” (towing
your vehicle with two wheels on the ground and
two wheels up on a device known as a “dolly”).
With the proper preparation and equipment, many
vehicles can be towed in these ways. See
“Dinghy Towing” and “Dolly Towing,” following.
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3. When the wheel chocks are in place,
release the regular brakes until the chocks
absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your
parking brake, and then shift to PARK (P).
5. Release the regular brakes.
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal
down while you do the following:
Start your engine.
Shift into a gear.
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of
the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and
store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when
you are pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance
Schedule for more on this. Things that are
especially important in trailer operation are
automatic transaxle uid, engine oil, belts, cooling
system and brake system. Each of these is
covered in this manual, and the Index will help
you nd them quickly. If you are trailering, it is a
good idea to review these sections before you
start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and
bolts are tight.
335

Service........................................................ 339
Accessories and Modications................... 339
California Proposition 65 Warning.............. 340
Doing Your Own Service Work.................. 340
Adding Equipment to the Outside of Your
Vehicle................................................... 341
Fuel............................................................. 341
Gasoline Octane........................................ 341
Gasoline Specications.............................. 341
California Fuel........................................... 342
Additives................................................... 342
Fuels in Foreign Countries........................ 343
Filling the Tank......................................... 343
Filling a Portable Fuel Container............... 345
Checking Things Under the Hood.............. 346
Hood Release........................................... 347
Engine Compartment Overview.................. 348
Engine Oil................................................. 349
Engine Oil Life System.............................. 352
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter............................ 354
Automatic Transaxle Fluid......................... 357
Engine Coolant.......................................... 357
Engine Overheating................................... 360Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode..................................... 362
Cooling System......................................... 362
Windshield Washer Fluid........................... 368
Brakes...................................................... 369
Battery...................................................... 372
Jump Starting............................................ 373
All-Wheel Drive........................................... 378
Bulb Replacement....................................... 380
Halogen Bulbs........................................... 380
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal,
Sidemarker, and Parking Lamps............. 381
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and
Back-up Lamps...................................... 382
License Plate Lamp................................... 383
Replacement Bulbs................................... 384
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement....... 384
Tires............................................................ 386
Tire Sidewall Labeling............................... 387
Tire Terminology and Denitions............... 390
Ination - Tire Pressure............................. 393
Tire Pressure Monitor System................... 395
Tire Inspection and Rotation...................... 399
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
337

When It Is Time for New Tires.................. 401
Buying New Tires...................................... 401
Different Size Tires and Wheels................ 403
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..................... 403
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance............ 405
Wheel Replacement.................................. 405
Tire Chains............................................... 406
If a Tire Goes Flat.................................... 407
Changing a Flat Tire................................. 408
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools.......... 409
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire............................................. 411
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools...... 418
Compact Spare Tire.................................. 420
Appearance Care........................................ 420
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.......... 420
Fabric/Carpet............................................. 422
Leather...................................................... 423
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other Plastic
Surfaces................................................ 424
Care of Safety Belts.................................. 424
Weatherstrips............................................ 425Washing Your Vehicle............................... 425
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses................ 425
Finish Care............................................... 425
Windshield and Wiper Blades.................... 426
Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels......... 426
Tires......................................................... 427
Sheet Metal Damage................................. 427
Finish Damage.......................................... 428
Underbody Maintenance............................ 428
Chemical Paint Spotting............................ 428
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials............ 429
Vehicle Identication.................................. 430
Vehicle Identication Number (VIN)........... 430
Service Parts Identication Label............... 430
Electrical System........................................ 431
Add-On Electrical Equipment..................... 431
Windshield Wiper Fuses............................ 431
Fuses and Circuit Breakers....................... 431
Instrument Panel Fuse Block..................... 432
Engine Compartment Fuse Block............... 434
Capacities and Specications.................... 436
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
338

Service
Your dealer knows your vehicle best and wants
you to be happy with it. We hope you will go
to your dealer for all your service needs. You will
get genuine GM parts and GM-trained and
supported service people.
We hope you will want to keep your GM vehicle all
GM. Genuine GM parts have one of these marks:
Accessories and Modications
When you add non-GM accessories to your vehicle
they can affect your vehicle’s performance and
safety, including such things as, airbags, braking,
stability, ride and handling, emissions systems,
aerodynamics, durability, and electronic systems
like anti-lock brakes, traction control and
stability control. Some of these accessories may
even cause malfunction or damage not covered by
warranty.
GM Accessories are designed to complement and
function with other systems on your vehicle.
Your GM dealer can accessorize your vehicle
using genuine GM Accessories. When you go to
your GM dealer and ask for GM Accessories,
you will know that GM-trained and supported
service technicians will perform the work using
genuine GM Accessories.
339

California Proposition 65 Warning
Most motor vehicles, including this one, contain
and/or emit chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm. Engine exhaust, many parts and
systems (including some inside the vehicle), many
uids, and some component wear by-products
contain and/or emit these chemicals.
Doing Your Own Service Work
{CAUTION:
You can be injured and your vehicle could
be damaged if you try to do service work
on a vehicle without knowing enough
about it.
Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, the proper replacement
parts, and tools before you attempt any
vehicle maintenance task.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)

Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts,
and other fasteners. English and
metric fasteners can be easily
confused. If you use the wrong
fasteners, parts can later break or fall
off. You could be hurt.
If you want to do some of your own service work,
you will want to use the proper service manual.
It tells you much more about how to service your
vehicle than this manual can. To order the
proper service manual, seeService Publications
Ordering Information on page 474.
Your vehicle has an airbag system. Before
attempting to do your own service work, see
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on
page 88.
You should keep a record with all parts receipts
and list the mileage and the date of any service
work you perform. SeeMaintenance Record
on page 452.
340

Adding Equipment to the Outside
of Your Vehicle
Things you might add to the outside of your
vehicle can affect the airow 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.
To help keep your engine clean and maintain
optimum vehicle performance, GM recommends
the use of gasoline advertised as TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline.
Gasoline Octane
Use regular unleaded gasoline with a posted
octane rating of 87 or higher. If the octane rating
is less than 87, you may notice an audible
knocking noise when you drive, commonly referred
to as spark knock. If this occurs, use a gasoline
rated at 87 octane or higher as soon as possible. If
you are using gasoline rated at 87 octane or
higher and you hear heavy knocking, your engine
needs service.
Gasoline Specications
At a minimum, gasoline should meet ASTM
specication 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. SeeAdditives
on page 342for additional information.
341

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 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.
Filling the Tank
{CAUTION:
Fuel vapor burns violently and a fuel re
can cause bad injuries. To help avoid
injuries to you and others, read and follow
all the instructions on the pump island.
Turn off your engine when you are
refueling. Do not smoke if you are near
fuel or refueling your vehicle. Keep
sparks, ames, and smoking materials
away from fuel. Do not leave the fuel
pump unattended when refueling your
vehicle. This is against the law in some
places. Keep children away from the fuel
pump; never let children pump fuel.
343