2009 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE fuel additives

Service and
Appearance Care
ServiceService................................5-3
Accessories and
Modications.......................5-3
California Proposition 65
Warning.............................5-4
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements........5-4
Doing Your Own
Service Work......................5-4
Adding Equipment to the
Outside of the Vehicle...........5-4
FuelFuel....................................5-5
Gasoline Octane...................5-5
Gasoline Specications..........5-5
California Fuel......................5-5
Additives..............................5-5
Fuels in Foreign Countries......5-6
Filling the Tank.....................5-7
Filling a Portable Fuel
Container...........................5-8
Checking Things Under
the Hood
Checking Things Under
the Hood............................5-9
Hood Release.......................5-9
Engine Compartment
Overview..........................5-10
Engine Oil..........................5-11
Engine Oil Life System.........5-13
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter.......5-15
Automatic Transmission
Fluid................................5-16
Cooling System...................5-17
Engine Coolant...................5-17
Engine Overheating.............5-22
Overheated
Engine Protection
Operating Mode.................5-23
Power Steering Fluid............5-24
Windshield Washer Fluid......5-24
Brakes...............................5-25
Battery...............................5-28
Jump Starting.....................5-29
Headlamp AimingHeadlamp Aiming................5-33
Bulb ReplacementBulb Replacement...............5-33
Halogen Bulbs....................5-33
Taillamps, Turn Signal,
Stoplamps and
Sidemarker Lamps.............5-33
Replacement Bulbs..............5-34
Windshield Wiper Blade
Replacement
Windshield Wiper Blade
Replacement.....................5-35
TiresTires..................................5-36
Tire Sidewall Labeling..........5-37
Tire Terminology and
Denitions.........................5-39
Ination - Tire Pressure........5-42
Tire Pressure Monitor
System.............................5-43
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation..........................5-45
Tire Inspection and
Rotation............................5-48
When It Is Time for New
Tires................................5-50
Buying New Tires................5-50
Service and Appearance Care 5-1

Fuel
Use of the recommended fuel
is an important part of the proper
maintenance of this vehicle. To help
keep the engine clean and maintain
optimum vehicle performance, we
recommend 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 Specications
At a minimum, gasoline should
meet ASTM specication D 4814
in the United States or CAN/
CGSB-3.5 or 3.511 in Canada.
Some gasolines contain an
octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese
tricarbonyl (MMT). We recommend
against the use of gasolines
containing MMT. SeeAdditives on
page 5-5for additional information.
California Fuel
If the vehicle is certied to meet
California Emissions Standards,
it is designed to operate on fuels
that meet California specications.
See the underhood emission control
label. If this fuel is not available in
states adopting California emissions
standards, the vehicle will operate
satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal
specications, but emission control
system performance might be
affected. The malfunction indicator
lamp could turn on and the vehiclemight fail a smog-check test. See
Malfunction Indicator Lamp on
page 3-39. If this occurs, return to
your authorized dealer/retailer for
diagnosis. If it is determined that the
condition is caused by the type of
fuel used, repairs might not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Additives
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines
in the United States are now required
to contain additives that help prevent
engine and fuel system deposits
from forming, allowing the emission
control system to work properly.
In most cases, you should not have
to add anything to the 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 the vehicle
experiences problems due to dirty
injectors or valves, look for gasoline
that is advertised as TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline.
Service and Appearance Care 5-5

For customers who do not use TOP
TIER Detergent Gasoline regularly,
one bottle of GM Fuel System
Treatment PLUS, added to the fuel
tank at every engine oil change,
can help clean deposits from fuel
injectors and intake valves. GM Fuel
System Treatment PLUS is the only
gasoline additive recommended by
General Motors.
Also, your dealer/retailer has
additives that will help correct and
prevent most deposit-related
problems.
Gasolines containing oxygenates,
such as ethers and ethanol, and
reformulated gasolines might
be available in your area. We
recommend that you use these
gasolines, if they comply with the
specications described earlier.
However, E85 (85% ethanol) and
other fuels containing more than
10% ethanol must not be used in
vehicles that were not designed for
those fuels.Notice:This vehicle was not
designed for fuel that contains
methanol. Do not use fuel
containing methanol. It can
corrode metal parts in the fuel
system and also damage plastic
and rubber parts. That damage
would not be covered under
the vehicle warranty.
Some gasolines that are
not reformulated for low
emissions can contain an
octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese
tricarbonyl (MMT); ask the attendant
where you buy gasoline whether the
fuel contains MMT. We recommend
against the use of such gasolines.
Fuels containing MMT can reduce
the life of spark plugs and the
performance of the emission control
system could be affected. The
malfunction indicator lamp might turn
on. If this occurs, return to your
dealer/retailer for service.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 the vehicle 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.
5-6 Service and Appearance Care

A
Accessories and
Modications...................... 5-3
Accessory Power.................2-22
Accessory Power Outlets......3-17
Adding Equipment to Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle....1-58
Additional Required Services,
Scheduled Maintenance....... 6-6
Additives, Fuel...................... 5-5
Add-On Electrical
Equipment.......................5-86
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine.......5-15
Air Conditioning...................3-19
Airbag
Readiness Light................3-33
Airbag System.....................1-46
Adding Equipment to
Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle........................1-58
How Does an Airbag
Restrain?.....................1-51
Passenger Sensing
System........................1-53
Servicing Your
Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle........................1-57Airbag System (cont.)
What Makes an Airbag
Inate?........................1-51
What Will You See After
an Airbag Inates?........1-51
When Should an Airbag
Inate?........................1-49
Where Are the Airbags?.....1-48
Airbags
Passenger Status
Indicator.......................3-33
All-Wheel-Drive (AWD)
System............................. 4-7
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . 4-4
Warning Light...................3-37
Appearance Care
Aluminum or
Chrome-Plated Wheels . . . 5-83
Care of Safety Belts..........5-80
Chemical Paint Spotting.....5-84
Cleaning Exterior
Lamps/Lenses...............5-81
Fabric/Carpet...................5-79
Finish Care......................5-81
Finish Damage.................5-84
Instrument Panel, Vinyl,
and Other Plastic
Surfaces......................5-80Appearance Care (cont.)
Interior Cleaning...............5-78
Leather...........................5-80
Sheet Metal Damage........5-84
Tires...............................5-83
Underbody Maintenance....5-84
Washing Your Vehicle........5-81
Weatherstrips...................5-81
Windshield, Backglass,
and Wiper Blades..........5-82
Assistance Program,
Roadside.......................... 7-6
Audio System......................3-73
Audio Steering Wheel
Controls.....................3-125
Navigation/Radio
System, see
Navigation Manual.......3-103
Setting the Clock..............3-74
Audio System(s)..................3-75
Audio Systems
Radio Reception.............3-126
Rear Seat (RSA).............3-123
Theft-Deterrent Feature....3-125
Automatic Transmission
Fluid...............................5-16
Operation........................2-24
INDEX i-1

F
Filter
Engine Air Cleaner............5-15
Finish Damage....................5-84
Flashers, Hazard Warning....... 3-5
Flash-to-Pass........................ 3-7
Flat Tire..............................5-56
Flat Tire, Changing...............5-65
Flat Tire, Storing..................5-74
Floor Mats..........................2-54
Fluid
Automatic Transmission.....5-16
Power Steering.................5-24
Windshield Washer...........5-24
Fog Lamp
Fog ................................3-13
Fuel..................................... 5-5
Additives........................... 5-5
California Fuel................... 5-5
Economy Driving................ 4-1
Filling a Portable Fuel
Container....................... 5-8
Filling the Tank.................. 5-7
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 5-6
Gage ..............................3-43
Gasoline Octane................ 5-5
Gasoline Specications........ 5-5Fuses
Fuses and Circuit
Breakers......................5-86
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block...........................5-86
Underhood Fuse Block......5-88
Windshield Wiper..............5-86
G
Gage
Speedometer...................3-32
Tachometer......................3-32
Voltmeter Gage................3-35
Gages
Engine Coolant
Temperature.................3-38
Fuel................................3-43
Garage Door Opener............2-47
Gasoline
Octane............................. 5-5
Specications..................... 5-5
Glove Box...........................2-52
GM Mobility Reimbursement
Program............................ 7-6
H
Halogen Bulbs.....................5-33
Hazard Warning Flashers........ 3-5
Head Restraints..................... 1-2
Headlamp
Aiming ............................5-33
Headlamps
Bulb Replacement.............5-33
Daytime Running Lamps/
Automatic Headlamp
System........................3-12
Delayed..........................3-12
Exterior Lamps.................3-11
Flash-to-Pass..................... 3-7
High/Low Beam Changer..... 3-7
Heated Seats........................ 1-5
Heater................................3-19
Engine Coolant.................2-23
Height Adjuster, Driver Seat.... 1-3
High Voltage Devices and
Wiring.............................5-85
Highbeam On Light..............3-43
Highway Hypnosis................4-13
Hill and Mountain Roads.......4-13
INDEX i-5