check oil PONTIAC GRAND AM 2005 Owners Manual

Low Coolant Warning Light
This light comes on briefly
when you turn your
ignition on.
If this light comes on and stays on and you hear a
chime, the coolant level in your vehicle is low.
SeeEngine Coolant on page 5-22. If the light is on
along with an overheat warning, you may have a serious
overheating problem. SeeEngine Coolant Temperature
Gage on page 3-29.
Notice:Lack of proper engine oil maintenance may
damage the engine. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. Always follow the
maintenance schedule in this manual for changing
engine oil.
SeeEngine Overheating on page 5-24for information
on what to do.
Your vehicle should be serviced as soon as possible.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
Service Engine Soon Light in the
United States or Check Engine Light in
Canada
Your vehicle is equipped with a computer which
monitors operation of the fuel, ignition, and emission
control systems.
United StatesCanada
3-30

Oil Pressure Light
If you have low engine oil
pressure, this light will stay
on after you start your
engine, or come on
and you will hear a chime
when you are driving.
This indicates that your engine is not receiving enough
oil. The engine could be low on oil, or could have
some other oil problem. Have it fixed immediately.
This light will come on briefly when you turn on
the ignition as a check to show you it is working. If it
does not come on with the ignition on, you may have a
problem with the bulb. Have it fixed right away.
{CAUTION:
Do not keep driving if the oil pressure is low. If
you do, your engine can become so hot that it
catches re. You or others could be burned.
Check your oil as soon as possible and have
your vehicle serviced.Notice:Lack of proper engine oil maintenance may
damage the engine. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. Always follow the
maintenance schedule in this manual for changing
engine oil.
Change Engine Oil Light
The CHANGE OIL light
should come on briefly as
a bulb check when you
start the engine. If the light
doesn’t come on, have it
serviced.
If the CHANGE OIL light comes on and stays on after
you start the engine, have the oil changed.
To reset the CHANGE OIL light, seeEngine Oil on
page 5-15.
3-34

The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
The exit speed is usually posted. Reduce your speed
according to your speedometer, not to your sense
of motion. After driving for any distance at higher
speeds, you may tend to think you are going slower
than you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you are ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must start when you are not fresh — such as after
a day’s work — do not plan to make too many miles that
first part of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing
and shoes you can easily drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it is ready to go. If it needs
service, have it done before starting out. Of course, you
will find experienced and able service experts in GM
dealerships all across North America. They will be ready
and willing to help if you need it.Here are some things you can check before a trip:
•Windshield Washer Fluid:Is the reservoir full? Are
all windows clean inside and outside?
•Wiper Blades:Are they in good shape?
•Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:Have you checked
all levels?
•Lamps:Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
•Tires:They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip. Is the tread good enough for
long-distance driving? Are the tires all inflated to the
recommended pressure?
•Weather Forecasts:What is the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay your trip a
short time to avoid a major storm system?
•Maps:Do you have up-to-date maps?
4-22

When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
•start your engine,
•shift into a gear, and
•release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the
chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you are
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transaxle fluid (do not overfill),
engine oil, drive belt, cooling system and brake system.
Each of these is covered in this manual, and the Index
will help you find them quickly. If you are trailering, it is a
good idea to review this information before you start
your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer Towing
Your cooling system may temporarily overheat during
severe operating conditions. SeeEngine Overheating on
page 5-24.
4-44

Service............................................................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside of Your
Vehicle......................................................5-5
Fuel................................................................5-5
Gasoline Octane............................................5-5
Gasoline Specifications....................................5-5
California Fuel...............................................5-5
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-7
Filling Your Tank............................................5-7
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.......................5-9
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-10
Hood Release..............................................5-10
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-12
Engine Oil...................................................5-15
Engine Oil Life System..................................5-18
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-20
Automatic Transaxle Fluid..............................5-21
Engine Coolant.............................................5-22
Engine Overheating.......................................5-24
Cooling System............................................5-26
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-31
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-32
Brakes........................................................5-33
Battery........................................................5-36
Jump Starting...............................................5-37Bulb Replacement..........................................5-42
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-42
Headlamps..................................................5-42
Front Turn Signal and Parking Lamps..............5-43
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL).........5-44
Taillamps, Turn Signal, and Stoplamps............5-44
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-45
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-45
Tires..............................................................5-46
Tire Sidewall Labelling...................................5-47
Tire Terminology and Definitions.....................5-49
Inflation - Tire Pressure.................................5-52
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-53
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-54
Buying New Tires.........................................5-55
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-56
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-57
Wheel Replacement......................................5-57
Tire Chains..................................................5-59
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-60
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................5-61
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools................5-62
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire................................................5-64
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools............5-69
Compact Spare Tire......................................5-70
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another country outside the
United States or Canada, the proper fuel may be hard
to find. 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 your 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.
Filling Your Tank
{CAUTION:
Fuel vapor burns violently and a fuel re can
cause bad injuries. To help avoid injuries to
you and others, read and follow all the
instructions on the pump island. Turn off your
engine when you are refueling. Do not smoke
if you are near fuel or refueling your vehicle.
Keep sparks, ames and smoking materials
away from fuel. Do not leave the fuel pump
unattended when refueling your vehicle — this
is against the law in some places. Keep
children away from the fuel pump; never let
children pump fuel.
5-7

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 re. These include liquids like fuel,
oil, coolant, brake uid, windshield washer and
other uids, 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.
Hood Release
To open the hood, do the following:
1. Pull the handle with
this symbol on it. It is
located under the
instrument panel on
the driver’s side of the
vehicle.
5-10

A. Engine Coolant Surge Tank. SeeCooling System on
page 5-26.
B. Ground. SeeJump Starting on page 5-37.
C. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-15.
D. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-15.
E. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid” under
Brakes on page 5-33.
F. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. SeePower Steering
Fluid on page 5-31.G. Engine Compartment Fuse Block. SeeEngine
Compartment Fuse Block on page 5-83.
H. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-20.
I. Battery. SeeBattery on page 5-36.
J. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding
Washer Fluid” underWindshield Washer Fluid
on page 5-32.
5-13

A. Engine Coolant Surge Tank. SeeCooling System on
page 5-26.
B. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. SeePower Steering
Fluid on page 5-31.
C. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-15.
D. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-15.
E. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid” under
Brakes on page 5-33.
F. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-20.
G. Battery. SeeBattery on page 5-36.
H. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding
Washer Fluid” underWindshield Washer Fluid
on page 5-32.Engine Oil
Checking Engine Oil
It is a good idea to check your engine oil every time you
get fuel. 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 5-12for
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 you do not do this,
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.
5-15

GM Goodwrench®oil meets all the requirements for
your vehicle.
If you are in an area of extreme cold, where the
temperature falls below−20°F (−29°C), it is
recommended that you use either an SAE 5W-30
synthetic oil or an SAE 0W-30 oil. Both will provide
easier cold starting and better protection for your engine
at extremely low temperatures.
Engine Oil Additives
Do not add anything to your oil. The recommended oils
with the starburst symbol that meet GM Standard
GM6094M are all you will need for good performance
and engine protection.
Engine Oil Life System
When to Change Engine Oil
Your vehicle has a computer system that lets you know
when to change the engine oil and filter. This is based on
engine revolutions and engine temperature, and not on
mileage. Based on driving conditions, the mileage at
which an oil change will be indicated can vary
considerably. For the oil life system to work properly, you
must reset the system every time the oil is changed.When the system has calculated that oil life has been
diminished, it will indicate that an oil change is necessary.
A CHANGE OIL light will come on. SeeChange Engine
Oil Light on page 3-34. Change your oil as soon as
possible within the next 600 miles (1 000 km). It is
possible that, if you are driving under the best conditions,
the oil life system may not indicate that an oil change is
necessary for over a year. However, your engine oil and
filter must be changed at least once a year and at this
time the system must be reset. Your dealer has
GM-trained service people who will perform this work
using genuine GM parts and reset the system. It is also
important to check your oil regularly and keep it at the
proper level.
If the system is ever reset accidentally, you must
change your oil at 3,000 miles (5 000 km) since your
last oil change. Remember to reset the oil life system
whenever the oil is changed.
5-18