open hood PONTIAC BONNEVILLE 2002 Owners Manual

2-29
NOTICE:
Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle. If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the way
the engine operates. Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your dealer. If you don't,
your engine might not perform properly.
Engine Coolant Heater (If Equipped)
In very cold weather, 0
F (-18
C) or colder, the engine
coolant heater can help. You'll get easier starting and
better fuel economy during engine warm
-up. Usually, the
coolant heater should be plugged in a minimum of four
hours prior to starting your vehicle. At temperatures above
32
F (0
C), use of the coolant heater is not required.
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
The engine coolant heater cord is located on
the passenger's side of the vehicle, above the
headlamp assembly.3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110
-volt AC outlet.
CAUTION:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock. Also, the wrong
kind of extension cord could overheat and cause
a fire. You could be seriously injured. Plug the
cord into a properly grounded three
-prong
11 0
-volt AC outlet. If the cord won't reach, use a
heavy
-duty three-prong extension cord rated for
at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug
and store the cord as it was before to keep it away
from moving engine parts. If you don't, it could
be damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead of
trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your dealer in the area where you'll be parking your
vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice for that
particular area.

5-4
2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles aren't touching
each other. If they are, it could cause a ground
connection you don't want. You wouldn't be able to
start your vehicle, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
To avoid the possibility of the vehicles rolling, set
the parking brake firmly on both vehicles involved in
the jump start procedure. Put an automatic transaxle
in PARK (P) or a manual transmission in NEUTRAL
before setting the parking brake.
NOTICE:
If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn't be covered by
your warranty.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter or in the accessory power outlet. Turn off the
radio and all lamps that aren't needed. This will
avoid sparks and help save both batteries. And it
could save your radio!4. Open the hood on the other vehicle and locate the
positive (+) and the negative (
-) terminal locations
on that vehicle.
Open the hood on your vehicle and find the remote
positive (+) terminal located in the engine
compartment on the passenger side of the vehicle.
See ªEngine Compartment Overviewº in the Index
for more information on location.
Access the remote
positive (+) terminal by
removing the cover.
You will not see the battery of your vehicle under the
hood. It is located under the rear passenger's seat.
You will not need to access the battery for jump
starting. The remote positive (+) terminal is for
that purpose.

5-10 If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
CAUTION:
Steam from an overheated engine can burn you
badly, even if you just open the hood. Stay away
from the engine if you see or hear steam coming
from it. Just turn it off and get everyone away
from the vehicle until it cools down. Wait until
there is no sign of steam or coolant before you
open the hood.
If you keep driving when your engine is
overheated, the liquids in it can catch fire. You or
others could be badly burned. Stop your engine if
it overheats, and get out of the vehicle until the
engine is cool.
NOTICE:
If your engine catches fire because you keep
driving with no coolant, your vehicle can be
badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.

5-11 If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
If you get an engine overheat warning but see or hear no
steam, the problem may not be too serious. Sometimes
the engine can get a little too hot when you:

Climb a long hill on a hot day.

Stop after high
-speed driving.

Idle for long periods in traffic.

Tow a trailer.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or so:
1. If your air conditioner is on, turn it off.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window as necessary.
3. If you're in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while
driving
--AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D)
or THIRD (3).If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can
drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about 10 minutes.
If the warning doesn't come back on, you can
drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there's still no sign of steam, idle the engine for
three minutes while you're parked. If you still have the
warning, turn off the engine and get everyone out of
the vehicle until it cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.

6-9
Filling a Portable Fuel Container
CAUTION:
Never fill a portable fuel container while it is in
your vehicle. Static electricity discharge from the
container can ignite the gasoline vapor. You can
be badly burned and your vehicle damaged if this
occurs. To help avoid injury to you and others:

Dispense gasoline only into
approved containers.

Do not fill a container while it is inside a
vehicle, in a vehicle's trunk, pickup bed or
on any 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 filling is complete.

Don't smoke while pumping gasoline.
Checking Things Under the Hood
CAUTION:
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.
CAUTION:
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts and
start a fire. These include liquids like gasoline,
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 Hood Release
To open the hood, do the following:
1. Pull the hood release
handle inside the
vehicle. It is located next
to the parking brake
pedal near the floor.
2. Then go to the front of the vehicle and push up on
the secondary hood release.
3. Lift the hood.
Before closing the hood, be sure all the filler caps are on
properly. Then pull the hood down and close it firmly.

6-11 Engine Compartment Overview
When you open the hood on the 3800 (L36) engine (3800 Supercharged (L67) engine similar), here's what you will see:
A. Engine Compartment Fuse Block
B. Windshield Washer
Fluid Reservoir
C. Engine Coolant Recovery TankD. Radiator Pressure Cap
E. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
F. Engine Oil Dipstick
G. Engine Oil Fill CapH. Automatic Transaxle
Fluid Dipstick
I. Brake Master Cylinder
J. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter

6-19
Passenger Compartment Air Filter
(If Equipped)
The passenger compartment air filter removes certain
particles from the air, including pollen and dust
particles. Reductions in airflow, which may occur more
often in dusty areas, indicate that the filter may need to
be replaced early.
The filter should be replaced as part of the routine
scheduled maintenance. See ªMaintenance Scheduleº in
the Index for more information.
The passenger compartment
air filter is located on the
passenger side of the
vehicle at the base of the
windshield and can be
accessed through a
removable panel under the
hood of the vehicle.To check or replace the air filter, do the following:
1. With the hood open, unlatch and remove the
access panel.
2. To remove the filter, press on the spring tab on
the side of the filter housing and pull the filter out
of the housing.
3. To install the new filter, press on the spring tab and
insert the filter into the housing. The filter should be
fully inserted into the upper and lower grooves and
locked into place by the spring tab.
4. Reinstall the air filter access panel at the base of
the windshield.

7-32 At Least Twice a Year
Restraint System Check
Make sure the safety belt reminder light and all your
belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors and anchorages 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 look for any opened or broken air bag coverings,
and have them repaired or replaced. (The air bag system
does not need regular maintenance.)
Wiper Blade Check
Inspect wiper blades for wear or cracking. Replace blade
inserts that appear worn or damaged or that streak or
miss areas of the windshield. Also see ªWiper Blades,
Cleaningº in the Index.
Weatherstrip Lubrication
Silicone grease on weatherstrips will make them last
longer, seal better, and not stick or squeak. Apply
silicone grease with a clean cloth. During very cold,
damp weather more frequent application may be
required. See ªRecommended Fluids and Lubricantsº
in the Index.Automatic Transaxle Check
Check the transaxle fluid level; add if needed. See
ªAutomatic Transaxle Fluidº in the Index. A fluid loss
may indicate a problem. Check the system and repair
if needed.
At Least Once a Year
Key Lock Cylinders Service
Lubricate the key lock cylinders with the lubricant
specified in Part D.
Body Lubrication Service
Lubricate all hinges and latches, including those for the
hood, rear compartment, glove box door, console door
and any folding seat hardware. Part D tells you what to
use. More frequent lubrication may be required when
exposed to a corrosive environment.