2010 PONTIAC VIBE automatic transmission fluid

Vehicle Care
General InformationGeneral Information..............
.9-2
California Proposition 65 Warning ........................
.9-2
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements ........9-3
Accessories and Modifications ......................
.9-3
Vehicle ChecksDoing Your Own
Service Work .....................
.9-4
Hood ..................................
.9-5
Engine Compartment Overview ...........................
.9-6
Engine Oil ...........................
.9-9
Automatic Transmission Fluid ...............................
.9-12
Manual Transmission Fluid . . . .9-14
Hydraulic Clutch .................
.9-15
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter .......9-16
Cooling System ..................
.9-19
Engine Coolant ..................
.9-19Engine Overheating
.............9-23
Power Steering Fluid ............9-24
Washer Fluid .....................
.9-24
Brakes ..............................
.9-26
Brake Fluid ........................
.9-27
Battery ..............................
.9-28
All-Wheel Drive ..................
.9-29
Starter Switch Check ............9-30
Wiper Blade Replacement .....9-30
Headlamp AimingHeadlamp Aiming...............
.9-32
Bulb ReplacementBulb Replacement ..............
.9-33
Halogen Bulbs ...................
.9-33
Headlamps and Parking Lamps .............................
.9-33
Taillamps ...........................
.9-35
License Plate Lamp .............9-36
Replacement Bulbs .............
.9-37
Electrical SystemElectrical System Overload . . . .9-37
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . .9-38
Engine Compartment Fuse Block ..............................
.9-38
Instrument Panel Fuse Block ..............................
.9-41
Wheels and TiresTires.................................
.9-43
Tire Sidewall Labeling ..........9-44
Tire Designations ................
.9-46
Tire Terminology and Definitions ........................
.9-46
Tire Pressure .....................
.9-49
Tire Pressure Monitor System ............................
.9-50
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation .........................
.9-52
Tire Inspection ...................
.9-54
Tire Rotation ......................
.9-55
When It Is Time for New Tires ...............................
.9-56
Buying New Tires ...............
.9-56
Different Size Tires and Wheels ............................
.9-58
Uniform Tire Quality Grading ...........................
.9-58
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance ...........................
.9-60
Wheel Replacement .............9-60
Tire Chains ........................
.9-61
If a Tire Goes Flat ..............
.9-62
Tire Changing ....................
.9-63
Compact Spare Tire .............9-68
Vehicle Care 9-1

A. Engine Oil Dipstick. See″Checking Engine Oil ″under
Engine Oil on page 9-9 .
B. Engine Coolant on page 9-19 .
C. Washer Fluid on page 9-24 .
D. Coolant Recovery Tank. See Engine Coolant on
page 9-19.
E. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine Oil” under Engine
Oil on page 9-9.
F. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 9-16. G.
Brakes on page 9-26 and
Hydraulic Clutch on page 9-15
(If Equipped).
H. Engine Compartment Fuse Block.
I. Battery on page 9-28 .
J. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. See Jump Starting.
K. Automatic Transmission Fluid Dipstick. See ″Checking the
Fluid Level″ underAutomatic
Transmission Fluid on page 9-12
(If Equipped) (Out of View).
Vehicle Care 9-7

A. Engine Oil Dipstick. See“Checking Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil on page 9-9 .
B. Engine Coolant on page 9-19 .
C. Washer Fluid on page 9-24 .
D. Coolant Recovery Tank. See Engine Coolant on
page 9-19.
E. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine Oil” under Engine
Oil on page 9-9.
F. Brakes on page 9-26 and
Hydraulic Clutch on page 9-15
(If Equipped). G.
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 9-16.
H. Engine Compartment Fuse Block.
I. Battery on page 9-28 .
J. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. See Jump Starting.
K. Automatic Transmission Fluid Dipstick. See ″Checking the
Fluid Level″ underAutomatic
Transmission Fluid on page 9-12
(If Equipped) (Out of View).Engine Oil
Checking Engine Oil
It is a good idea to check the
engine oil level at each fuel fill.
In order to get an accurate reading,
the oil must be warm and the
vehicle must be on level ground.
The engine oil dipstick handle
is a yellow loop. See Engine
Compartment Overview on page 9-6
for the location of the engine oil
dipstick.
1. Turn off the engine and give the oil several minutes to drain back
into the oil pan. If this is not done,
the oil dipstick might not show the
actual level.
2. Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel or cloth,
then push it back in all the way.
Remove it again, keeping the tip
down, and check the level.
Vehicle Care 9-9

What to Do with Used Oil
Used engine oil contains certain
elements that can be unhealthy for
your skin and could even cause
cancer. Do not let used oil stay on
your skin for very long. Clean your
skin and nails with soap and water,
or a good hand cleaner. Wash or
properly dispose of clothing or rags
containing used engine oil. See the
manufacturer’s warnings about the
use and disposal of oil products.
Used oil can be a threat to the
environment. If you change your own
oil, be sure to drain all the oil from the
filter before disposal. Never dispose
of oil by putting it in the trash, pouring
it on the ground, into sewers, or into
streams or bodies of water. Recycle
it by taking it to a place that collects
used oil.
Automatic Transmission
Fluid
When to Check and Change
Automatic Transmission Fluid
Check the fluid in the transmission
and differential at the intervals listed
inScheduled Maintenance on
page 10-3, and be sure to use
the transmission fluid listed in
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 10-15 .
How to Check Automatic
Transmission Fluid
This operation can be difficult, you
may choose to have this done at the
dealer/retailer service department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to
follow all the instructions here,
or you could get a false reading
on the dipstick. Wait at least 30 minutes before
checking the transmission fluid level
if you have been driving:
•When outside temperatures are
above 90°F (32°C).
•At high speed for quite a while.
•In heavy traffic — especially
in hot weather.
•While pulling a trailer.
To get the right reading, the fluid
should be at normal operating
temperature, which is 158°F to
176°F (70°C to 80°C).
Get the vehicle warmed up by
driving about 15 miles (24 km)
when outside temperatures
are above 50°F (10°C). If it is
colder than 50°F (10°C), you
may have to drive longer.
9-12 Vehicle Care

Checking the Fluid Level
Prepare your vehicle as follows:
1. Park your vehicle on a levelplace. Keep the engine running.
2. With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever in P (Park).
3. With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift lever
through each gear range,
pausing for about three seconds
in each range. Then, position
the shift lever in P (Park).
4. Let the engine run at idle for three to five minutes. Then, without shutting off the
engine, follow these steps:
The automatic transmission
dipstick has an orange handle
and is located near the front of the
engine compartment. See
Engine
Compartment Overview on page 9-6
for more information on location.
1. Release the tab and pull out the dipstick and wipe it with a clean
rag or paper towel.
2. Push it back in all the way, wait three seconds and then pull it
back out again. 3. Check both sides of the dipstick,
and read the lower level. The
fluid level must be between the
two dimples in the hot range.
4. If the fluid level is in the acceptable range, push the
dipstick back in all the way;
then press the tab down to lock
the dipstick in place. 1.8L shown
Vehicle Care 9-13

How to Add Automatic
Transmission Fluid
Refer to the Maintenance
Schedule to determine what
kind of transmission fluid to use.
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 10-15.
If the fluid level is low, add only
enough of the proper fluid to bring
the level into the area between
dimples on the dipstick.
1. Pull out the dipstick.
2. Using a long-neck funnel, add enough fluid at the dipstick
hole to bring it to the proper level.
It does not take much fluid,
generally less than one pint
(0.5 L). Do not overfill. Notice:
Too much or too
little uid can damage your
transmission. Too much can mean
that some of the uid could come
out and fall on hot engine parts or
exhaust system parts, starting a
re. Too little uid could cause the
transmission to overheat. Be sure
to get an accurate reading if you
check your transmission uid.
3. After adding fluid, recheck the fluid level as described under
“How to Check Automatic
Transmission Fluid,” earlier
in this section.
4. When the correct fluid level is obtained, push the dipstick
back in all the way; then press
the tab down to lock the dipstick
in place.
Manual Transmission
Fluid
When to Check
A good time to have your manual
transmission fluid level checked
is when the engine oil is changed.
However, the fluid in your manual
transmission does not require
changing.
How to Check
This operation can be difficult, you
may choose to have this done
at your dealer/retailer service
department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to
follow all the instructions here, or
you could get a false reading.
9-14 Vehicle Care

96 000 km (60,000 Miles)
❑Change engine oil and filter
(or every 3 months, whichever
occurs first). An Emission Control
Service.
❑ Rotate tires. See Tire Rotation
on page 9-55 for proper rotation
pattern and additional
information. (See footnote +.)
❑ Replace engine air cleaner filter
(or every 24 months, whichever
occurs first). See Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 9-16 for
more information.
❑ Check restraint system. Make
sure the safety belt reminder light
and safety belt assemblies are
working properly. Look for any
other loose or damaged safety
belt system parts. If you see
anything that might keep a safety
belt system from doing its job,
have it repaired. Have any torn
or frayed safety belts replaced.
Also see Safety System Check
on page 2-21. ❑
Replace passenger compartment
air filter.
❑ Change transfer case fluid when
doing frequent trailer towing.
❑ Change rear differential fluid when
doing frequent trailer towing.
❑ Inspect engine accessory drive
belts (or every 48 months,
whichever occurs first). Visually
inspect belt for fraying, excessive
cracks, or obvious damage.
Replace belt if necessary.
An Emission Control Service.
❑ Inspect for tappet noise and
engine vibration. Adjust valve
clearance to factory specifications
if necessary (or every 48 months,
whichever occurs first). An
Emission Control Service.
❑ Inspect fuel tank, cap, cap gasket,
and lines for damage or leaks
(or every 24 months, whichever
occurs first). Replace parts as
needed. An Emission Control
Service. (See footnote †.) ❑
Change manual transmission fluid
every 48 000 km (30,000 miles)
only if your vehicle is used to tow
a trailer.
❑ Change automatic
transmission fluid every
96 000 km (60,000 miles) if the
vehicle is mainly driven under one
or more of these conditions:
- In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature regularly
reaches 32°C (90°F) or higher.
- In hilly or mountainous terrain.
- When doing frequent trailer towing.
- Uses such as found in taxi, police, or delivery service.
If you do not use your vehicle under
any of these conditions, the uid
does not require changing.
See Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 10-15 for
the proper uid to use.
10-6 Service and Maintenance

❑Inspect engine accessory drive
belts (or every 48 months,
whichever occurs first). Visually
inspect belt for fraying, excessive
cracks, or obvious damage.
Replace belt if necessary.
An Emission Control Service.
❑ Replace spark plugs. An Emission
Control Service.
❑ Inspect for tappet noise and
engine vibration. Adjust valve
clearance to factory specifications
if necessary (or every 48 months,
whichever occurs first). An
Emission Control Service.
❑ Inspect fuel tank, cap, cap gasket,
and lines for damage or leaks
(or every 24 months, whichever
occurs first). Replace parts as
needed. An Emission Control
Service. (See footnote †.)
❑ Change manual transmission fluid
every 48 000 km (30,000 miles)
only if your vehicle is used to tow
a trailer. ❑
Change automatic transmission
fluid every 96 000 km
(60,000 miles) if the vehicle is
mainly driven under one or more
of these conditions:
- In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature regularly
reaches 32°C (90°F) or higher.
- In hilly or mountainous terrain.
- When doing frequent trailer towing.
- Uses such as found in taxi, police, or delivery service.
If you do not use your vehicle under
any of these conditions, the uid
does not require changing.
See Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 10-15 for
the proper uid to use.240 000 km (150,000 Miles)
❑ Drain, flush, and refill the
cooling system (or every
5 years, whichever occurs first).
This service can be complex; you
should have your dealer/retailer
perform this service. See Engine
Coolant on page 9-19 for what
to use. Inspect hoses. Clean
radiator, condenser, pressure
cap, and neck. Pressure test
cooling system and pressure cap.
An Emission Control Service.
10-10 Service and Maintenance