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10-2 Vehicle Care
Different Size Tires andWheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-61
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-62
Wheel Alignment and
Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-63
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-64
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-64
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . 10-65
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-67
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . 10-73
Jump Starting
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-74
Towing
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . 10-78
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-78
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-82
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-86
General Information
For service and parts needs, visit
your dealer/retailer. You will receive
genuine Saturn parts and
Saturn-trained and supported
service people.
Genuine Saturn parts have one of
these marks.
California Proposition
65 Warning
Most motor vehicles, including this
one, contain and/or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects or
other reproductive harm. Engine
exhaust, many parts and systems,
many fluids, and some component
wear by-products contain and/or
emit these chemicals.
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10-4 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own
Service Work
{WARNING
You can be injured and the
vehicle could be damaged if you
try to do service work on a vehicle
without knowing enough about it.
.Be sure you have sufficient
knowledge, experience,
the proper replacement
parts, and tools before
attempting any vehicle
maintenance task.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.Be sure to use the proper
nuts, bolts, and other
fasteners. English and metric
fasteners can be easily
confused. If the wrong
fasteners are used, parts
can later break or fall off.
You could be hurt.
If doing some of your own service
work, use the proper service
manual. It tells you much more
about how to service the vehicle
than this manual can. To order the
proper service manual, see Service
Publications Ordering Information
on
page 13‑12. This vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to do your own
service work, see
Airbag System
Check on page 3‑41.
Keep a record with all parts receipts
and list the mileage and the date
of any service work performed.
See Maintenance Records
on
page 11‑10.
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Vehicle Care 10-11
After changing the engine oil, reset
the system:
1. Press the DIC vehicleinformation button to display OIL
LIFE REMAINING on the DIC.
See Driver Information Center
(DIC)
on page 5‑25and Engine
Oil Messages on page 5‑33.
2. Press the DIC Set/Reset button for during 5 seconds to reset the
oil life at 100%.
Be careful not to reset the oil life
display accidentally at any time
other than after the oil is
changed. It cannot be reset
accurately until the next oil
change. The oil life system can also be reset
as follows:
1. Turn the ignition key to ON/RUN
with the engine off.
2. Fully press and release the accelerator pedal three times
within five seconds.
If the change engine oil light is
not on, the system is reset.
If the change engine oil light
comes on again and stays on for
30 seconds at the next ignition
cycle, it did not reset. The system
needs to be reset again.
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.
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Page 279 of 398

Vehicle Care 10-13
To inspect or replace the engine air
cleaner/filter, do the following:
1. Remove the clamp on the airduct hose.
2. Disconnect the hose.
3. Remove the four bolts on the side of the air cleaner assembly.
4. Turn the cover upward to disengage the cover hinges. 5. Remove the air cleaner cover
assembly and air filter element.
6. Inspect or replace the air filter element.
If the air filter element is dirty,
you should replace it. If it is only
dusty, it may be cleaned by
blowing compressed air through
it from the clean side.
Make sure you are away from
the engine compartment when
cleaning the air filter with
compressed air.
Wipe all dust from inside of the
housing and inspect the air
cleaner and air outlet duct for
cracks, cuts and deterioration.
The air outlet duct must be
replaced if damaged.
7. Reverse Steps 1 through 5 to reinstall the engine air cleaner/
filter cover and air duct hose.
{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, dirt can easily get into the
engine, which could damage it.
Always have the air cleaner/filter
in place when you are driving.
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10-14 Vehicle Care
Cooling System
When it is safe to lift the hood:
2.4L L4 Engine shown, 3.5L V6 and3.6L V6 Engines similar
A. Electric Engine Fan
B. Coolant Surge Tank
C. Pressure Cap
{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.
If the coolant inside the coolant
surge tank is hot, do not do anything
else until it cools down. The vehicle
should be parked on a level surface.
The coolant level should be
between the MIN and MAX lines.
If it is not, you may have a leak at
the radiator hoses, heater hoses,
radiator, water pump, or somewhere
else in the cooling system.
{WARNING
Heater and radiator hoses, and
other engine parts, can be very
hot. Do not touch them. If you do,
you can be burned.
Do not run the engine if there is a
leak. If you run the engine, it
could lose all coolant. That could
cause an engine fire, and you
could be burned. Get any leak
fixed before you drive the vehicle.
If there seems to be no leak, with
the engine on, check to see if the
electric engine cooling fan is
running. If the engine is
overheating, the fan should be
running. If it is not, your vehicle
needs service. Turn off the engine.
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Vehicle Care 10-15
Notice:Engine damage from
running the engine without
coolant is not covered by the
warranty.
Notice: Using coolant other than
DEX-COOL
®can cause premature
engine, heater core, or radiator
corrosion. In addition, the
engine coolant could require
changing sooner, at 50 000 km
(30,000 miles) or 24 months,
whichever occurs first.
Any repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Always use DEX-COOL
®
(silicate-free) coolant in the
vehicle.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in your vehicle
is filled with DEX-COOL®engine
coolant. This coolant is designed to
remain in your vehicle for five years
or 240 000 km (150,000 miles),
whichever occurs first, if you add
only DEX-COOL
®extended life
coolant.
The following explains your cooling
system and how to add coolant
when it is low. If you have a problem
with engine overheating, see Engine
Overheating on page 10‑20.
A 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable
water and DEX-COOL
®coolant will:
.Give freezing protection down
to −37°C (−34°F).
.Give boiling protection up to
129°C (265°F).
.Protect against rust and
corrosion.
.Help keep the proper engine
temperature.
.Let the warning lights and gages
work as they should.
Notice: Using coolant other than
DEX‐COOL
®can cause premature
engine, heater core, or radiator
corrosion. In addition, the engine
coolant may require changing
sooner, at the first maintenance
service after each 30,000 miles
(50 000 km) or 24 months,
whichever occurs first. Any
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Always use
DEX‐COOL
®(silicate‐free) coolant
in the vehicle.
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Page 282 of 398

10-16 Vehicle Care
What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half clean,
drinkable water and one-half
DEX-COOL
®coolant which will not
damage aluminum parts. If you use
this coolant mixture, you do not
need to add anything else.
{WARNING
Adding only plain water to the
cooling system can be
dangerous. Plain water, or some
other liquid such as alcohol, can
boil before the proper coolant
mixture will. The vehicle's coolant
warning system is set for the
proper coolant mixture. With plain
water or the wrong mixture, the
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
engine could get too hot but you
would not get the overheat
warning. The engine could catch
fire and you or others could be
burned. Use a 50/50 mixture of
clean, drinkable water and
DEX-COOL
®coolant.
Notice: If an improper coolant
mixture is used, the engine could
overheat and be badly damaged.
The repair cost would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Too much water in the mixture
can freeze and crack the
engine, radiator, heater core,
and other parts. If you have to add coolant more
than four times a year, have your
dealer/retailer check your cooling
system.
Notice:
If extra inhibitors and/or
additives are used in the vehicle's
cooling system, the vehicle
could be damaged. Use only the
proper mixture of the engine
coolant listed in this manual
for the cooling system.
See Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants
on page 11‑7for
more information.
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Page 283 of 398

Vehicle Care 10-17
Checking Coolant
The surge tank is located on the
driver side of the engine
compartment. SeeEngine
Compartment Overview
on
page 10‑6for more information
on location.
{WARNING
Turning the surge tank pressure
cap when the engine and radiator
are hot can allow steam and
scalding liquids to blow out and
burn you badly. Never turn the
surge tank pressure cap —even
a little —when the engine and
radiator are hot.
The vehicle must be on a level
surface. When your engine is cold,
the coolant level should be between
the MIN and MAX lines. Adding Coolant
If you need more coolant, add the
proper DEX-COOL®coolant mixture
at the surge tank, but only when the
engine is cool. See below for
instructions on “How to Add Coolant
to the Coolant 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.
When replacing the pressure cap,
make sure it is hand-tight and
fully seated.
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