
Filling a Portable Fuel Container
{WARNING:
Never fill a portable fuel container while it is in the
vehicle. Static electricity discharge from the
container can ignite the fuel vapor. You can be
badly burned and the vehicle damaged if this
occurs. To help avoid injury to you and others:
•Dispense fuel only into approved containers.
•Do not fill a container while it is inside a
vehicle, in a vehicle’s trunk, pickup bed, or onany surface other than the ground.
•Bring the fill nozzle in contact with the inside
of the fill opening before operating the nozzle.Contact should be maintained until the fillingis complete.
•Do not smoke while pumping fuel.
•Do not use a cellular phone while
pumping fuel.
Checking Things Under
the Hood
{WARNING:
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.
{WARNING:
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts and
start a fire. These include liquids like fuel, oil,
coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer and other
fluids, 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.
6-10

A.Underhood Fuse Block on page 6-101.
B. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. SeeJump Starting onpage 6-36.
C. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “AddingWasher Fluid” underWindshield Washer Fluidon page 6-31.
D. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap.SeeEngine Coolant on page 6-23.
E. Remote Negative (!) Terminal. SeeJump Startingon page 6-36.
F.Power Steering Fluid on page 6-30.
G. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine Oil”underEngine Oil on page 6-13.
H. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil”underEngine Oil on page 6-13.
I. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid”underBrakes on page 6-32.
J. Automatic Transmission Fluid Cap and Dipstick(Out of View). SeeAutomatic Transmission Fluid onpage 6-19.
K.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on page 6-17.
Engine Oil
Checking Engine Oil
It is a good idea to check the engine oil level at eachfuel fill. In order to get an accurate reading, the oil mustbe warm and the vehicle must be on level ground.
The engine oil dipstick handle is a yellow loop. SeeEngine Compartment Overview on page 6-12forthe location of the engine oil dipstick.
1. Turn off the engine and give the oil several minutesto drain back into the oil pan. If this is not done, theoil dipstick might not show the actual level.
2. Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towelor cloth, then push it back in all the way. Remove itagain, keeping the tip down, and check the level.
6-13

Engine Oil Additives / Engine Oil
Flushes
Do not add anything to the oil. The recommended oilswith the starburst symbol that meet GM standards are allthat is needed for good performance and engineprotection.
Engine oil system flushes are not recommended andcould cause engine damage not covered by the vehiclewarranty.
Engine Oil Life System
When to Change Engine Oil
This vehicle has a computer system that indicates whento change the engine oil and filter. This is based onengine revolutions and engine temperature, and not onmileage. Based on driving conditions, the mileage atwhich an oil change is indicated can vary considerably.For the oil life system to work properly, the systemmust be reset every time the oil is changed.
When the system has calculated that oil life has beendiminished, it indicates that an oil change is necessary.A CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON message in theDriver Information Center (DIC) comes on. Change theoil as soon as possible within the next 600 miles(1 000 km). It is possible that, if driving under the bestconditions, the oil life system might not indicate thatan oil change is necessary for over a year. However, theengine oil and filter must be changed at least once ayear and at this time the system must be reset.Your dealer/retailer has trained people who will performthis work using genuine parts and reset the system.It is also important to check the oil regularly and keep itat the proper level.
If the system is ever reset accidentally, the oil must bechanged at 3,000 miles (5 000 km) since the last oilchange. Remember to reset the oil life system wheneverthe oil is changed.
6-16

{WARNING:
Operating the engine with the air cleaner/filter off
can cause you or others to be burned. The air
cleaner not only cleans the air; it helps to stop
flames if the engine backfires. If it is not there and
the engine backfires, you could be burned. Do not
drive with it off, and be careful working on the
engine with the air cleaner/filter off.
Notice:If the air cleaner/filter is off, a backfire cancause a damaging engine fire. And, dirt caneasily get into the engine, which will damage it.Always have the air cleaner/filter in place when youare driving.
Automatic Transmission Fluid
When to Check and Change Automatic
Transmission Fluid
A good time to check the automatic transmission fluidlevel is when the engine oil is changed.
Change the fluid and filter at the intervals listed inScheduled Maintenance on page 7-3, and be sure touse the transmission fluid listed inRecommended Fluidsand Lubricants on page 7-8.
6-19

Checking Coolant
The vehicle must be on a level surface when checkingthe coolant level.
Check to see if coolant is visible in the coolant recoverytank. If the coolant inside the coolant recovery tank isboiling, do not do anything else until it cools down.If coolant is visible but the coolant level is not ator above the FULL COLD mark, add a 50/50 mixture ofclean, drinkable water and DEX-COOL®coolant atthe coolant recovery tank, but be sure the coolingsystem is cool before this is done. SeeEngine Coolanton page 6-23for more information.
How to Add Coolant to the Surge Tank
{WARNING:
You can be burned if you spill coolant on hot
engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol and
it will burn if the engine parts are hot enough. Do
not spill coolant on a hot engine.
Notice:This vehicle has a specific coolant fillprocedure. Failure to follow this procedure couldcause the engine to overheat and be severelydamaged.
{WARNING:
An electric engine cooling fan under the hood can
start up even when the engine is not running and
can cause injury. Keep hands, clothing, and tools
away from any underhood electric fan.
6-25

Spare Tire
This vehicle may have a spare tire, which, when new,was fully inflated. A spare tire may lose air over time, socheck its inflation pressure regularly. SeeInflation - TirePressure on page 6-54andLoading the Vehicle onpage 5-18for information regarding proper tire inflationand loading your vehicle. For instructions on how toremove, install or store a spare tire, seeRemoving theFlat Tire and Installing the Spare Tire on page 6-83.
After installing the spare tire on your vehicle, you shouldstop as soon as possible and make sure the spare iscorrectly inflated. Have the damaged or flat roadtire repaired or replaced as soon as you can andinstalled back onto your vehicle. This way, a spare tirewill be available in case you need it again.
Your vehicle may have a different size spare tire thanthe road tire originally installed on your vehicle.This spare tire was developed for use on your vehicle,so it is all right to drive on it.
If your vehicle has a spare tire that does not match yourvehicle’s original road tires and wheels in size andtype, do not include the spare in the tire rotation.
Appearance Care
Interior Cleaning
The vehicle’s interior will continue to look its best if it iscleaned often. Although not always visible, dust anddirt can accumulate on the upholstery. Dirt can damagecarpet, fabric, leather, and plastic surfaces. Regularvacuuming is recommended to remove particles from theupholstery. It is important to keep the upholstery frombecoming and remaining heavily soiled. Soils should beremoved as quickly as possible. The vehicle’s interiormay experience extremes of heat that could causestains to set rapidly.
Lighter colored interiors may require more frequentcleaning. Use care because newspapers and garmentsthat transfer color to home furnishings may alsotransfer color to the vehicle’s interior.
When cleaning the vehicle’s interior, only use cleanersspecifically designed for the surfaces being cleaned.Permanent damage may result from using cleaners onsurfaces for which they were not intended. Use glasscleaner only on glass. Remove any accidental over-sprayfrom other surfaces immediately. To prevent over-spray,apply cleaner directly to the cleaning cloth.
6-91

Capacities and Specifications
The following approximate capacities are given in English and metric conversions. SeeRecommended Fluids andLubricants on page 7-8for more information.
Application
Capacities
EnglishMetric
Air Conditioning Refrigerant
For the air conditioning system refrigerantcharge amount, see the refrigerant caution labellocated under the hood. See your dealer/retailerfor more information.
Cooling System12.6 qt12.0 L
Engine Oil with Filter7.5 qt7.1 L
Fuel Tank18.5 gal70.0 L
Transmission Fluid (Bottom Pan Removal)7.4 qt7.0 L
Wheel Nut Torque100 lb ft140Y
All capacities are approximate. When adding, be sure to fill to the approximate level as recommended in thismanual. Recheck fluid level after filling.
Engine Specifications
EngineVIN CodeTransmissionSpark Plug Gap
4.6L DOHC V8 EngineYAutomatic0.050 in (1.27 mm)
4.6L DOHC V8 Engine9Automatic0.050 in (1.27 mm)
6-109

Rotation of New Tires
To maintain ride, handling, and performance of thevehicle, it is important that the first rotation service fornew tires be performed when they have 8 000 to13 000 km (5,000 to 8,000 miles). SeeTire Inspectionand Rotation on page 6-62.
Scheduled Maintenance
When the Change Engine Oil Soon
Message Displays
Change engine oil and filter. SeeEngine Oil onpage 6-13.An Emission Control Service.
When the Change Engine Oil Soon message displays,service is required for the vehicle as soon as possible,within the next 1 000 km/600 miles. If driving underthe best conditions, the engine oil life system might notindicate the need for vehicle service for more than ayear. The engine oil and filter must be changed at leastonce a year and the oil life system must be reset.Your dealer/retailer has trained service technicians whowill perform this work and reset the system.
If the engine oil life system is reset accidentally, servicethe vehicle within 5 000 km/3,000 miles since the lastservice. Reset the oil life system whenever the oilis changed. SeeEngine Oil Life System on page 6-16.
When the Change Engine Oil Soon message displays,certain services, checks, and inspections are required.
Every Engine Oil Change
•Change engine oil and filter. SeeEngine Oil on
page 6-13.An Emission Control Service.
•Engine coolant level check. SeeEngine Coolant on
page 6-23.
•Windshield washer fluid level check. SeeWindshield
Washer Fluid on page 6-31.
•Tire inflation check. SeeInflation - Tire Pressure on
page 6-54.
•Tire wear inspection. SeeTire Inspection and
Rotation on page 6-62.
•Rotate tires. SeeTire Inspection and Rotation on
page 6-62.
7-3