
Windshield Wiper Lever
The lever on the right side of the steering column
operates the windshield wipers.
7(Mist):Pull the lever down and release it for
a single wiping cycle. The lever will return to its
original position. For more cycles, hold the
lever down before releasing it.
9(Off):Put the lever in this position to turn off
the wipers.
&(Delay):Put the lever in this position to set a
delay between wipes. Turn the end of the lever
to set the length of the delay.
6(Low Speed):Put the lever in this position
for slow, steady wiping cycles.
1(High Speed):Put the lever in this position
for rapid wiping cycles.
Be sure to clear ice and snow from the wiper
blades before using them. If they are frozen to the
windshield, gently loosen or thaw them. If the
blades do become damaged, install new blades or
blade inserts.
Heavy snow or ice can overload the wiper motor.
A circuit breaker will stop the motor until it
cools down. Clear away snow or ice to prevent
an overload.
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Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble.
On a wet road, you cannot stop, accelerate, or turn
as well because your tire-to-road traction is not
as good as on dry roads.And, if your tires do not have much tread left, you
will get even less traction. It is always wise to
go slower and be cautious if rain starts to fall while
you are driving. The surface may get wet
suddenly when your re exes are tuned for driving
on dry pavement.
The heavier the rain, the harder it is to see. Even
if your windshield wiper blades are in good
shape, a heavy rain can make it harder to see
road signs and traffic signals, pavement markings,
the edge of the road, and even people walking.
It is wise to keep your windshield wiping equipment
in good shape and keep your windshield washer
uid reservoir lled with washer uid. Replace your
windshield wiper inserts when they show signs
of streaking or missing areas on the windshield, or
when strips of rubber start to separate from the
inserts.
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Once you are moving on the freeway, make
certain you allow a reasonable following distance.
Expect to move slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the
proper lane well in advance. If you miss your
exit, do not, under any circumstances, stop and
back up. Drive on to the next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite
sharply. The exit speed is usually posted. Reduce
your speed according to your speedometer, not
to your sense of motion. After driving for any
distance at higher speeds, you may tend to think
you are going slower than you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you are ready. Try to be well rested.
If you must start when you are not fresh — such as
after a day’s work — do not plan to make too
many miles that rst part of the journey. Wear
comfortable clothing and shoes you can easily
drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it is ready to go. If it
needs service, have it done before starting out.Of course, you will nd experienced and able
service experts at Saturn retailers all across the
United States and Canada. They will be ready and
willing to help if you need it.
Here are some things you can check before a trip:
Windshield Washer Fluid:Is the reservoir
full? Are all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades:Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:Have you
checked all levels?
Lamps:Are they all working? Are the lenses
clean?
Tires:They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip. Is the tread good enough
for long-distance driving? Are the tires
all in ated to the recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts:What is the weather
outlook along your route? Should you
delay your trip a short time to avoid a major
storm system?
Maps:Do you have up-to-date maps?
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Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement....... 327
Tires............................................................ 328
Winter Tires (Red Line)............................. 329
Tire Sidewall Labeling............................... 330
Tire Terminology and De nitions............... 334
In ation - Tire Pressure............................. 337
High-Speed Operation............................... 338
Tire Inspection and Rotation...................... 339
When It Is Time for New Tires.................. 341
Buying New Tires...................................... 341
Different Size Tires and Wheels................ 343
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..................... 344
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance............ 346
Wheel Replacement.................................. 346
Tire Chains............................................... 348
If a Tire Goes Flat.................................... 349
Changing a Flat Tire................................. 350
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools.......... 351
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing
the Spare Tire....................................... 356
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools...... 362
Compact Spare Tire.................................. 365Appearance Care........................................ 366
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.......... 366
Fabric/Carpet............................................. 367
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other
Plastic Surfaces..................................... 368
Care of Safety Belts.................................. 369
Weatherstrips............................................ 369
Washing Your Vehicle............................... 369
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses................ 370
Finish Care............................................... 370
Windshield and Wiper Blades.................... 370
Aluminum Wheels...................................... 371
Tires......................................................... 372
Sheet Metal Damage................................. 372
Finish Damage.......................................... 372
Underbody Maintenance............................ 372
Chemical Paint Spotting............................ 373
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials............ 373
Vehicle Identi cation.................................. 374
Vehicle Identi cation Number (VIN)........... 374
Service Parts Identi cation Label............... 374
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
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Windshield Wiper Blade
Replacement
Windshield wiper blades should be inspected for
wear and cracking. SeeScheduled Maintenance
on page 391for more information.
Replacement blades come in different types and
are removed in different ways. For proper type and
length, seeNormal Maintenance Replacement
Parts on page 404.
To replace the windshield wiper blade assembly
do the following:
1. Lift the wiper arm away from the windshield.2. Push the release lever (B) to disengage the
hook and push the wiper arm (A) out of the
blade (C).
3. Push the new wiper blade securely on the
wiper arm until you hear the release lever
click into place.
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Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses
Use only lukewarm or cold water, a soft cloth and
a car washing soap to clean exterior lamps
and lenses. Follow instructions underWashing
Your Vehicle on page 369.
Finish Care
Occasional waxing or mild polishing of your
vehicle by hand may be necessary to remove
residue from the paint nish. You can get approved
cleaning products from your Saturn retailer. See
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials on page 373.
Your vehicle has a basecoat/clearcoat paint
nish. The clearcoat gives more depth and gloss
to the colored basecoat. Always use waxes
and polishes that are non-abrasive and made for a
basecoat/clearcoat paint nish.
Notice:Machine compounding or aggressive
polishing on a basecoat/clearcoat paint
nish may damage it. Use only non-abrasive
waxes and polishes that are made for a
basecoat/clearcoat paint nish on your vehicle.Foreign materials such as calcium chloride and
other salts, ice melting agents, road oil and tar, tree
sap, bird droppings, chemicals from industrial
chimneys, etc., can damage your vehicle’s nish if
they remain on painted surfaces. Wash the vehicle
as soon as possible. If necessary, use non-abrasive
cleaners that are marked safe for painted surfaces
to remove foreign matter.
Exterior painted surfaces are subject to aging,
weather, and chemical fallout that can take their
toll over a period of years. You can help to
keep the paint nish looking new by keeping your
vehicle in a garage or covered whenever
possible.
Windshield and Wiper Blades
If the windshield is not clear after using the
windshield washer, or if the wiper blade chatters
when running, wax, sap, or other material may
be on the blade or windshield.
Clean the outside of the windshield with a glass
cleaning liquid or powder and water solution.
The windshield is clean if beads do not form when
it is rinsed with water.
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Grime from the windshield will stick to the wiper
blades and affect their performance. Clean the
blade by wiping vigorously with a cloth soaked
in full-strength windshield washer solvent.
Then rinse the blade with water.
Check the wiper blades and clean them as
necessary; replace blades that look worn.
Aluminum Wheels
Notice:Chrome wheels and other chrome trim
may be damaged if you do not wash your
vehicle after driving on roads that have been
sprayed with magnesium, calcium or sodium
chloride. These chlorides are used on roads for
conditions such as ice and dust. This damage
would not be covered by your vehicle’s
warranty. Always wash your vehicle’s chrome
with soap and water after exposure.
Notice:If you use strong soaps, chemicals,
abrasive polishes, cleaners, brushes, or
cleaners that contain acid on aluminum or
chrome-plated wheels, you could damage the
surface of the wheel(s). The repairs would
not be covered by your warranty. Use only
Saturn-approved cleaners on aluminum
or chrome-plated wheels.Keep the wheels clean using a soft clean cloth
with mild soap and water. Rinse with clean water.
After rinsing thoroughly, dry with a soft clean
towel. A wax may then be applied.
Notice:Using chrome polish on aluminum
wheels could damage the wheels. The repairs
would not be covered by your warranty.
Use chrome polish on chrome wheels only.
The surface of these wheels is similar to the
painted surface of the vehicle. Do not use strong
soaps, chemicals, abrasive polishes, abrasive
cleaners, cleaners with acid, or abrasive cleaning
brushes on them because the surface could
be damaged. Do not use chrome polish on
aluminum wheels.
Notice:If you drive your vehicle through an
automatic car wash that has silicone carbide
tire cleaning brushes, you could damage
the aluminum or chrome-plated wheels. The
repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Never drive a vehicle equipped with aluminum
or chrome-plated wheels through an
automatic car wash that uses silicone carbide
tire cleaning brushes.
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