2009 PONTIAC SOLSTICE fuel

Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet weather driving tips
include:
Allow extra following distance.
Pass with caution.
Keep windshield wiping equipment in good shape.
Keep the windshield washer uid reservoir lled.
Have good tires with proper tread depth. SeeTires
on page 5-47.
Turn off cruise control.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
To prepare your vehicle for a long trip, consider having
it serviced by your dealer/retailer before departing.
Things to check on your own include:
Windshield Washer Fluid:Reservoir full? Windows
clean — inside and outside?
Wiper Blades:In good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:All levels checked?
Lamps:Do they all work and are lenses clean?
Tires:Are treads good? Are tires inated to
recommended pressure?
Weather and Maps:Safe to travel?
Have up-to-date maps?
Highway Hypnosis
Always be alert and pay attention to your surroundings
while driving. If you become tired or sleepy, nd a
safe place to park your vehicle and rest.
Other driving tips include:
Keep the vehicle well ventilated.
Keep interior temperature cool.
Keep your eyes moving — scan the road ahead
and to the sides.
Check the rearview mirror and vehicle instruments
often.
4-15

Blizzard Conditions
Being stuck in snow can be in a serious situation. Stay
with the vehicle unless there is help nearby. If possible,
use theRoadside Assistance Program on page 7-6.To
get help and keep everyone in the vehicle safe:
Turn on theHazard Warning Flashers on page 3-5.
Tie a red cloth to an outside mirror.
{CAUTION:
Snow can trap engine exhaust under the vehicle.
This may cause exhaust gases to get inside.
Engine exhaust contains carbon monoxide (CO)
which cannot be seen or smelled. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death.
If the vehicle is stuck in the snow:
Clear away snow from around the base of
your vehicle, especially any that is blocking
the exhaust pipe.
Check again from time to time to be sure
snow does not collect there.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)

Open a window about two inches (5 cm) on
the side of the vehicle that is away from the
wind to bring in fresh air.
Fully open the air outlets on or under the
instrument panel.
Adjust the Climate Control system to a setting
that circulates the air inside the vehicle and
set the fan speed to the highest setting. See
Climate Control System in the Index.
For more information about carbon monoxide, see
Engine Exhaust on page 2-27.
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle.
This can cause deadly CO (carbon monoxide) gas
to get inside. CO could overcome you and kill you.
You cannot see it or smell it, so you might not
know it is in your vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base of your vehicle, especially any
that is blocking the exhaust.
Run the engine for short periods only as needed to
keep warm, but be careful.
To save fuel, run the engine for only short periods as
needed to warm the vehicle and then shut the engine off
and close the window most of the way to save heat.
4-18

Repeat this until help arrives but only when you feel
really uncomfortable from the cold. Moving about
to keep warm also helps.
If it takes some time for help to arrive, now and then
when you run the engine, push the accelerator
pedal slightly so the engine runs faster than the idle
speed. This keeps the battery charged to restart
the vehicle and to signal for help with the headlamps.
Do this as little as possible to save fuel.
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow
Slowly and cautiously spin the wheels to free the
vehicle when stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow. See
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out on page 4-20.
If the vehicle has a traction system, it can often help to
free a stuck vehicle. Refer to the vehicle’s traction
system in the Index. If stuck too severely for the traction
system to free the vehicle, turn the traction system off
and use the rocking method.
{CAUTION:
If you let your vehicle’s tires spin at high speed,
they can explode, and you or others could be
injured. The vehicle can overheat, causing an
engine compartment re or other damage. Spin
the wheels as little as possible and avoid going
above 35 mph (55 km/h) as shown on the
speedometer.
For information about using tire chains on the vehicle,
seeTire Chains on page 5-70.
4-19

Refer to your vehicle’s Tire and Loading
Information label for specic information about
your vehicle’s capacity weight and seating
positions. The combined weight of the driver,
passengers, and cargo should never exceed your
vehicle’s capacity weight.
Certication Label
A vehicle specic Certication label is attached to
the rear edge of the driver’s door or the vehicle’s
center pillar (B-pillar) below the driver’s door latch.It tells you the gross weight capacity of your
vehicle, called the Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating (GVWR). The GVWR includes the weight
of the vehicle, all occupants, fuel and cargo. Never
exceed the GVWR for your vehicle, or the
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for either the
front or rear axle.
{CAUTION:
Do not load the vehicle any heavier than the
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), or
either the maximum front or rear Gross Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR). If you do, parts on
the vehicle can break, and it can change the
way your vehicle handles. These could cause
you to lose control and crash. Also,
overloading can shorten the life of the
vehicle.
Notice
:Overloading your vehicle may cause
damage. Repairs would not be covered by your
warranty. Do not overload your vehicle.
4-24

Service............................................................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......................................................5-5
Fuel................................................................5-5
Gasoline Octane............................................5-5
Gasoline Specications....................................5-5
California Fuel...............................................5-6
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-7
Filling the Tank..............................................5-8
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.....................5-10
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-10
Hood Release..............................................5-11
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-12
Engine Oil...................................................5-15
Engine Oil Life System..................................5-19
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-21
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-22
Manual Transmission Fluid.............................5-23
Hydraulic Clutch...........................................5-23
Cooling System............................................5-23
Engine Coolant.............................................5-25Engine Overheating.......................................5-29
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-30
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-31
Brakes........................................................5-32
Battery........................................................5-35
Jump Starting...............................................5-36
Rear Axle.......................................................5-40
Headlamp Aiming...........................................5-41
Bulb Replacement
..........................................5-42
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-42
Headlamps..................................................5-42
Front Turn Signal, Parking and Fog Lamps......5-43
Taillamps, Turn Signal, and Stoplamps
(Base Level).............................................5-43
Taillamps, Turn Signal, and Stoplamps
(Removable Hardtop).................................5-44
Back-Up Lamps............................................5-44
License Plate Lamp......................................5-45
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-45
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-46
Tires..............................................................5-47
Winter Tires.................................................5-48
Tire Sidewall Labeling...................................5-49
Tire Terminology and Denitions.....................5-50
Ination - Tire Pressure.................................5-53
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

This vehicle has an airbag system. Before attempting to
do your own service work, seeServicing Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on page 1-46.
Keep a record with all parts receipts and list the mileage
and the date of any service work performed. See
Maintenance Record on page 6-16.
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
the Vehicle
Things added to the outside of the vehicle can affect the
airow around it. This can cause wind noise and can
affect fuel economy and windshield washer performance.
Check with your dealer/retailer before adding equipment
to the outside of the vehicle.
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 premium unleaded gasoline with a posted octane
rating of 91 or higher. You can also use regular
unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher, but the
vehicle’s acceleration could be slightly reduced, and
you might notice a slight audible knocking noise,
commonly referred to as spark knock. If the octane is
less than 87, you might notice a heavy knocking
noise when you drive. If this occurs, use a gasoline
rated at 87 octane or higher as soon as possible.
Otherwise, you could damage the engine. 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 5-6for
additional information.
5-5

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 vehicle might fail a smog-check
test. SeeMalfunction Indicator Lamp on page 3-29.
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.
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.
5-6

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.
5-7