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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 retailer 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 the engine clean and maintain optimum
vehicle performance, Saturn 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 might 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, the 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). Saturn recommends against the use
of gasolines containing MMT. SeeAdditives on
page 256for additional information.
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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. SeeMalfunction Indicator
Lamp on page 172. If this occurs, return to
your authorized Saturn retailer 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 retailer has additives that will help correct
and prevent most deposit-related problems.
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Page 258 of 406
Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another country outside
the United States or Canada, the proper fuel might
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. Do not use
cellular phones. 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. Do not re-enter the
vehicle while pumping fuel. Keep children
away from the fuel pump; never let
children pump fuel.
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Page 262 of 406
Checking Things Under
the Hood
{CAUTION:
An electric fan under the hood can start up
and injure you even when the engine is not
running. Keep hands, clothing, and tools
away from any underhood electric fan.
{CAUTION:
Things that burn can get on hot engine
parts and start a re. These include
liquids like fuel, oil, coolant, brake uid,
windshield washer and other uids, and
plastic or rubber. You or others could be
burned. Be careful not to drop or spill
things that will burn onto a hot engine.
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Page 264 of 406
Engine Compartment Overview
When you open the hood, this is what you see:
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A. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 270.
B. Cooling Fans. SeeCooling System on
page 278.
C. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 265.
D. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine
Oil” underEngine Oil on page 265.
E. Engine Coolant Surge Tank. SeeEngine
Coolant on page 272.
F. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See″Brake
Fluid″underBrakes on page 284.
G. Battery. SeeBattery on page 287
H. Engine Compartment Fuse Block. SeeEngine
Compartment Fuse Block on page 346.
I. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See
“Adding Washer Fluid” underWindshield
Washer Fluid on page 282.Engine Oil
Checking Engine Oil
It is a good idea to check the 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.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview on page 264
for 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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When to Add Engine Oil
If the oil is below the cross-hatched area at the tip
of the dipstick, you need to add at least one
quart/liter of oil. But you must use the right kind.
This section explains what kind of oil to use.
For engine oil crankcase capacity, seeCapacities
and Speci cations on page 351.
Notice:Do not add too much oil. If the engine
has so much oil that the oil level gets above
the upper mark that shows the proper
operating range, the engine could be damaged.SeeEngine
Compartment Overview
on page 264for the
location of the engine oil
ll cap.
Be sure to add enough oil to put the level
somewhere in the proper operating range. Push
the dipstick all the way back in when you are
through.
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Page 267 of 406
What Kind of Engine Oil to Use
Look for three things:
GM6094M
Your vehicle’s engine requires oil meeting GM
Standard GM6094M. Look for and use only
an oil that meets GM Standard GM6094M.
SAE 5W-30
As shown in the viscosity chart, SAE 5W-30 is
best for your vehicle.These numbers on an oil container show its
viscosity, or thickness. Do not use other
viscosity oils such as SAE 20W-50.
Oils meeting these
requirements should
have the starburst
symbol on the
container. This
symbol indicates that
the oil has been
certi ed by the
American Petroleum
Institute (API).
Look for this information on the oil container, and
use only those oils that are identi ed as meeting
GM Standard GM6094M and have the starburst
symbol on the front of the oil container.
Notice:Use only engine oil identi ed as
meeting GM Standard GM6094M and showing
the American Petroleum Institute Certi ed
For Gasoline Engines starburst symbol. Failure
to use the recommended oil can result in
engine damage not covered by your warranty.
GM Goodwrench
®oil meets all the requirements
for your vehicle.
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