2008 CHEVROLET EXPRESS PASSANGER maintenance

Tire Inspection and Rotation
We recommend that you regularly inspect your
vehicle’s tires, including the spare tire, for signs of
wear or damage. SeeWhen It Is Time for New
Tires on page 5-73for more information.
Tires should be rotated every 5,000 to 8,000 miles
(8 000 to 13 000 km). SeeScheduled Maintenance
on page 6-4.
The purpose of a regular tire rotation is to achieve
a uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. This
will ensure that your vehicle continues to perform
most like it did when the tires were new.
Any time you notice unusual wear, rotate the tires
as soon as possible and check wheel alignment.
Also check for damaged tires or wheels. See
When It Is Time for New Tires on page 5-73and
Wheel Replacement on page 5-78.
If your vehicle has dual rear wheels, also seeDual
Tire Operation on page 5-65.If your vehicle has single rear wheels, always use
the correct rotation patterns shown here when
rotating your vehicle’s tires. Do not include
the spare tire in the tire rotation, if the spare
tire/wheel assembly does not match your vehicle’s
road tires and wheels in size and type.
Single Rear Wheels
5-71

When It Is Time for New Tires
Various factors, such as maintenance, temperatures,
driving speeds, vehicle loading, and road conditions,
influence when you need new tires.
One way to tell when it is
time for new tires is to
check the treadwear
indicators, which appear
when your tires have
only 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) or
less of tread remaining.
Some commercial
truck tires may not have
treadwear indicators.You need new tires if any of the following statements
are true:•You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
•You can see cord or fabric showing through the
tire’s rubber.
•The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut, or snagged
deep enough to show cord or fabric.
•The tire has a bump, bulge, or split.
•The tire has a puncture, cut, or other damage that
cannot be repaired well because of the size or
location of the damage.
The rubber in tires degrades over time, even if they are
not being used. This is also true for the spare tire, if
your vehicle has one. Multiple conditions affect how fast
this aging takes place, including temperatures, loading
conditions, and inflation pressure maintenance. With
proper care and maintenance tires will typically wear out
before they degrade due to age. If you are unsure
about the need to replace your tires as they get older,
consult the tire manufacturer for more information.
5-73

If a Tire Goes Flat
It is unusual for a tire to blowout while you are driving,
especially if you maintain your vehicle’s tires properly.
If air goes out of a tire, it is much more likely to leak out
slowly. But if you should ever have a blowout, here
are a few tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire creates a drag that pulls
the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, and then gently brake to
a stop well out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you would
use in a skid. In any rear blowout remove your foot from
the accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control
by steering the way you want the vehicle to go. It may
be very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake to a stop, well off the road if possible.{CAUTION:
Lifting a vehicle and getting under it to do
maintenance or repairs is dangerous without
the appropriate safety equipment and training.
The jack provided with your vehicle is
designed only for changing a at tire. If it is
used for anything else, you or others could be
badly injured or killed if the vehicle slips off
the jack. Use the jack provided with your
vehicle only for changing a at tire.
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to use the
jacking equipment to change a flat tire safely.
5-81

Finish Damage
Any stone chips, fractures or deep scratches in the
finish should be repaired right away. Bare metal
will corrode quickly and may develop into major repair
expense.
Minor chips and scratches can be repaired with touch-up
materials available from your dealer/retailer. Larger
areas of finish damage can be corrected in your
dealer’s/retailer’s body and paint shop.
Underbody Maintenance
Chemicals used for ice and snow removal and dust
control can collect on the underbody. If these are not
removed, corrosion and rust can develop on the
underbody parts such as fuel lines, frame, floor pan,
and exhaust system even though they have corrosion
protection.At least every spring, flush these materials from the
underbody with plain water. Clean any areas where mud
and debris can collect. Dirt packed in close areas of
the frame should be loosened before being flushed.
Your dealer/retailer or an underbody car washing system
can do this for you.
Chemical Paint Spotting
Some weather and atmospheric conditions can create a
chemical fallout. Airborne pollutants can fall upon and
attack painted surfaces on the vehicle. This damage can
take two forms: blotchy, ring-shaped discolorations,
and small, irregular dark spots etched into the
paint surface.
Although no defect in the paint job causes this, we will
repair, at no charge to the owner, the surfaces of
new vehicles damaged by this fallout condition within
12 months or 12,000 miles (20 000 km) of purchase,
whichever occurs first.
5-106

Maintenance Schedule......................................6-2
Introduction...................................................6-2
Maintenance Requirements..............................6-2
Your Vehicle and the Environment....................6-2
Using the Maintenance Schedule......................6-3
Scheduled Maintenance...................................6-4
Additional Required Services
(Gasoline Engine).......................................6-6
Maintenance Footnotes (Gasoline Engine)..........6-8
Owner Checks and Services............................6-9At the First 100, 1,000 and 6,000 Miles
(160, 1 600 and 10 000 km).......................6-10
At Each Fuel Fill..........................................6-10
At Least Once a Month.................................6-10
At Least Once a Year...................................6-11
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants...............6-13
Maintenance Replacement Parts.....................6-15
Engine Drive Belt Routing..............................6-16
Maintenance Record.....................................6-17
Section 6 Maintenance Schedule
6-1

Maintenance Schedule
Introduction
This maintenance section applies to vehicles with a
gasoline engine. If your vehicle has a diesel engine,
see the maintenance schedule section in the
DURAMAX
®Diesel manual.
Important: Keep engine oil at the proper level and
change as recommended.
Have you purchased the GM Protection Plan? The Plan
supplements your new vehicle warranties. See your
Warranty and Owner Assistance booklet or your
dealer/retailer for details.
Maintenance Requirements
Notice:Maintenance intervals, checks, inspections,
replacement parts, and recommended uids and
lubricants as prescribed in this manual are
necessary to keep your vehicle in good working
condition. Any damage caused by failure to follow
scheduled maintenance might not be covered
by warranty.
Your Vehicle and the Environment
Proper vehicle maintenance not only helps to keep your
vehicle in good working condition, but also helps the
environment. All recommended maintenance is
important. Improper vehicle maintenance can even affect
the quality of the air we breathe. Improper fluid levels or
the wrong tire inflation can increase the level of emissions
from your vehicle. To help protect our environment, and
to keep your vehicle in good condition, be sure to
maintain your vehicle properly.
6-2

Using the Maintenance Schedule
We want to help you keep your vehicle in good working
condition. But we do not know exactly how you will
drive it. You might drive very short distances only a few
times a week. Or you might drive long distances all the
time in very hot, dusty weather. You might use your
vehicle in making deliveries. Or you might drive it to work,
to do errands, or in many other ways.
Because of all the different ways people use their
vehicles, maintenance needs vary. You might need more
frequent checks and replacements. So please read the
following and note how you drive. If you have any
questions on how to keep your vehicle in good condition,
see your dealer/retailer.
This schedule is for vehicles that:
•carry passengers and cargo within recommended
limits. You will find these limits on the Tire and
Loading Information label. SeeLoading Your
Vehicle on page 4-20.
•are driven on reasonable road surfaces within legal
driving limits.
•use the recommended fuel. SeeGasoline Octane
on page 5-6.The services inScheduled Maintenance on page 6-4
should be performed when indicated. SeeAdditional
Required Services (Gasoline Engine) on page 6-6and
Maintenance Footnotes (Gasoline Engine) on page 6-8
for 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 dealer/retailer to have a qualied
technician do the work. SeeDoing Your Own
Service Work on page 5-4.
Some maintenance services can be complex. So,
unless you are technically qualified and have the
necessary equipment, you should have your
dealer/retailer do these jobs.
6-3

When you go to your dealer/retailer for your service
needs, you will know that trained and supported service
technicians will perform the work using genuine parts.
If you want to purchase service information, seeService
Publications Ordering Information on page 7-15.
Owner Checks and Services on page 6-9tells 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, fluids, and lubricants to
use are listed inRecommended Fluids and Lubricants
on page 6-13andMaintenance Replacement Parts
on page 6-15. 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
parts from your dealer/retailer.
Scheduled Maintenance
This maintenance section applies to vehicles with a
gasoline engine. If your vehicle has a diesel engine, see
the maintenance schedule section in the DURAMAX
®
Diesel manual.
When the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON message
comes on, it means that service is required for your
vehicle. Have your vehicle serviced 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 engine oil
life system may not indicate that vehicle service isnecessary for over a year. However, your engine oil and
filter must be changed at least once a year and at this
time the system must be reset. Your dealer/retailer has
trained service technicians who will perform this work
using genuine parts and reset the system.
If the engine oil life system is ever reset accidentally,
you must service your vehicle within 3,000 miles
(5 000 km) since your last service. Remember to reset
the oil life system whenever the oil is changed. See
Engine Oil Life System on page 5-18for information on
the Engine Oil Life System and resetting the system.
When the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON message
appears, certain services, checks, and inspections are
required. Required services are described in the
following for “MaintenanceI” and “MaintenanceII.”
Generally, it is recommended that your first service be
MaintenanceI, your second service be MaintenanceII,
and that you alternate MaintenanceIand MaintenanceII
thereafter. However, in some cases, MaintenanceII
may be required more often.
MaintenanceI— Use MaintenanceIif the CHANGE
ENGINE OIL SOON message comes on within
10 months since the vehicle was purchased or
MaintenanceIIwas performed.
MaintenanceII— Use MaintenanceIIif the previous
service performed was MaintenanceI. Always use
MaintenanceIIwhenever the message comes on
10 months or more since the last service or if the
message has not come on at all for one year.
6-4