maintenance PONTIAC SOLSTICE 2007 Owners Manual

Service and Appearance Care
.................. 233
Service
................................................. 235
Fuel
...................................................... 237
Checking Things Under the Hood
......... 242
Rear Axle
............................................. 279
Bulb Replacement
................................ 280
Windshield Wiper Blade
Replacement
..................................... 283
Tires
..................................................... 284
Appearance Care
.................................. 314
Vehicle Identication
............................. 325Electrical System
.................................. 326
Capacities and Specications
................ 332
Maintenance Schedule
.............................. 333
Maintenance Schedule
.......................... 334
Customer Assistance Information
............. 361
Customer Assistance and
Information
........................................ 362
Reporting Safety Defects
...................... 379
Index
.......................................................... 383
2

Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle
Airbags affect how your vehicle should be
serviced. There are parts of the airbag system
in several places around your vehicle. You do not
want the system to inate while someone is
working on your vehicle. Your dealer and the
service manual have information about servicing
your vehicle and the airbag system. To purchase
a service manual, seeService Publications
Ordering Information on page 380.
{CAUTION:
For up to 10 seconds, after the ignition is
turned off and the battery is disconnected,
an airbag can still inate during improper
service. You can be injured if you are
close to an airbag when it inates. Avoid
yellow connectors. They are probably part
of the airbag system. Be sure to follow
proper service procedures, and make sure
the person performing work for you is
qualied to do so.
The airbag system does not need regular
maintenance.
54

Restraint System Check
Checking the Restraint Systems
Now and then, 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. SeeCare of Safety Belts on page 317
for more information.
Torn or frayed safety belts may not protect you in
a crash. They can rip apart under impact forces.
If a belt is torn or frayed, get a new one right away.Also look for any opened or broken airbag covers,
and have them repaired or replaced. The airbag
system does not need regular maintenance.
Notice:If you damage the covering for the
driver’s or the right front passenger’s airbag,
the airbag may not work properly. You may
have to replace the airbag module in the
steering wheel or both the airbag module
and the instrument panel for the right front
passenger’s airbag. Do not open or break the
airbag coverings.
56

Notice:If you keep driving your vehicle with
this light on, after awhile, your emission
controls may not work as well, your fuel
economy may not be as good, and your engine
may not run as smoothly. This could lead to
costly repairs that may not be covered by your
warranty.
Notice:Modications made to the engine,
transmission, exhaust, intake, or fuel system
of your vehicle or the replacement of the
original tires with other than those of the same
Tire Performance Criteria (TPC) can affect
your vehicle’s emission controls and may
cause this light to come on. Modications to
these systems could lead to costly repairs not
covered by your warranty. This may also
result in a failure to pass a required Emission
Inspection/Maintenance test. SeeAccessories
and Modifications on page 235.This light should come on, as a check to show
you it is working, when the ignition is on and the
engine is not running. If the light does not
come on, have it repaired. This light will also
come on during a malfunction in one of two ways:
Light Flashing— A misre condition has
been detected. A misre increases vehicle
emissions and may damage the emission
control system on your vehicle. Diagnosis and
service may be required.
Light On Steady— An emission control
system malfunction has been detected on your
vehicle. Diagnosis and service may be
required.
139

Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel.
SeeGasoline Octane on page 237. Poor fuel
quality will cause your engine not to run as
efficiently as designed. You may notice this as
stalling after start-up, stalling when you put
the vehicle into gear, misring, hesitation on
acceleration, or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may go away once the engine is
warmed up.) This will be detected by the system
and cause the light to turn on.
If you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the fuel brand you use. It will require at
least one full tank of the proper fuel to turn the
light off.
If none of the above steps have made the light
turn off, your dealer can check the vehicle.
Your dealer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to x any mechanical or electrical
problems that may have developed.Emissions Inspection and Maintenance
Programs
Some state/provincial and local governments have
or may begin programs to inspect the emission
control equipment on your vehicle. Failure to pass
this inspection could prevent you from getting a
vehicle registration.
Here are some things you need to know to help
your vehicle pass an inspection:
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the
check engine light is on or not working properly.
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if
the OBD (on-board diagnostic) system determines
that critical emission control systems have not
been completely diagnosed by the system.
The vehicle would be considered not ready for
inspection. This can happen if you have recently
replaced your battery or if your battery has
run down. The diagnostic system is designed to
evaluate critical emission control systems
during normal driving. This may take several days
of routine driving. If you have done this and
your vehicle still does not pass the inspection for
lack of OBD system readiness, your dealer
can prepare the vehicle for inspection.
141

Oil Pressure Light
If you have a low engine
oil pressure problem,
this light will stay on after
you start your engine, or
come on 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 xed immediately.
The oil light could also come on in three other
situations:
When the ignition is on but the engine is not
running, the light will come on as a test to
show you it is working, but the light will go out
when you turn the ignition to START. If it
does not come on with the ignition on,
you may have a problem with the fuse or bulb.
Have it xed right away.
If you are idling at a stop sign, the light may
blink on and then off.
If you make a hard stop, the light may come
on for a moment. This is normal.
{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.
142

ECON (Economy)
Press the information button until ECON is
displayed. This mode shows how many miles per
gallon (mpg) or liters per 100 kilometers (L/100 km)
your vehicle is getting based on current and
past driving conditions.
Press and hold the reset button while ECON is
displayed to reset the average fuel economy.
Average fuel economy will then be calculated
starting from that point. If the average fuel economy
is not reset, it will be continually updated each time
you drive.
AV (Average) SPEED
Press the information button until AV SPEED is
displayed. This mode shows the vehicle’s average
speed in miles per hour (mph) or kilometers per
hour (km/h).
Press and hold the reset button while AV SPEED
is displayed to reset the average vehicle speed.
OIL LIFE
Press the information button until OIL LIFE is
displayed. The engine oil life system shows
an estimate of the oil’s remaining useful life. It will
show 100% when the system is reset after an
oil change. It will alert you to change your oil on a
schedule consistent with your driving conditions.
In addition to the engine oil life system monitoring
the oil life, additional maintenance is
recommended in the Maintenance Schedule in
this manual. SeeEngine Oil on page 247and
Part A: Scheduled Maintenance Services on
page 336.
Always reset the engine oil life system after an oil
change. See “How to Reset the Engine Oil Life
System” underEngine Oil Life System on
page 252.
COOLANT
Press the information button until COOLANT is
displayed. This mode shows the temperature
of the engine coolant in either degrees
Fahrenheit (°F) or degrees Celsius (°C).
147

BOOST (Turbo Only)
If your vehicle has this feature, press the
information button until BOOST is displayed. This
mode shows a graphic that indicates the amount
of boost the engine is receiving in either
pounds per square inch (psi) or kilopascals (kPa).
DIC Warnings and Messages
These messages appear if there is a problem
detected in one of your vehicle’s systems.
A message will clear when the vehicle’s condition
is no longer present. To acknowledge a message
and clear it from the display, press and hold
any of the DIC buttons. If the condition is still
present, the warning message will come back on
the next time the vehicle is turned off and back
on. With most messages, a warning chime sounds
when the message displays. Your vehicle may
have other warning messages.
AUTO (Automatic) LIGHTS OFF
This message displays if the automatic headlamp
system is disabled with the headlamp switch.
AUTO (Automatic) LIGHTS ON
This message displays if the automatic headlamp
system is enabled with the headlamp switch.
BRAKE FLUID
This message displays to inform the driver that the
brake uid level is low while the ignition is on.
The brake system warning light on the instrument
panel cluster also comes on. SeeBrake System
Warning Light on page 134for more information.
Have the brake system serviced by your dealer
as soon as possible.
CHANGE OIL SOON
This message displays when the life of the engine
oil has expired and it should be changed.
When you acknowledge the CHANGE OIL SOON
message by clearing it from the display, you
still must reset the engine oil life system
separately. SeeEngine Oil Life System on
page 252andPart A: Scheduled Maintenance
Services on page 336for more information.
148

Ination - Tire Pressure............................. 292
Tire Inspection and Rotation...................... 293
When It Is Time for New Tires.................. 295
Buying New Tires...................................... 296
Different Size Tires and Wheels................ 297
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..................... 298
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance............ 299
Wheel Replacement.................................. 299
Tire Chains............................................... 302
If a Tire Goes Flat.................................... 302
Tire Inator Kit.......................................... 303
Appearance Care........................................ 314
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.......... 314
Fabric/Carpet............................................. 315
Leather...................................................... 316
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other
Plastic Surfaces..................................... 317
Care of Safety Belts.................................. 317
Weatherstrips............................................ 317
Washing Your Vehicle............................... 318
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses................ 318
Finish Care............................................... 319Windshield and Wiper Blades.................... 320
Convertible Top......................................... 320
Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels......... 321
Tires......................................................... 322
Sheet Metal Damage................................. 322
Finish Damage.......................................... 322
Underbody Maintenance............................ 323
Chemical Paint Spotting............................ 323
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials............ 324
Vehicle Identication.................................. 325
Vehicle Identication Number (VIN)........... 325
Service Parts Identication Label............... 325
Electrical System........................................ 326
Add-On Electrical Equipment..................... 326
Headlamp Wiring....................................... 326
Power Windows and Other
Power Options....................................... 326
Fuses and Circuit Breakers....................... 326
Floor Console Fuse Block......................... 327
Underhood Fuse Block.............................. 329
Capacities and Specications.................... 332
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
234

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 (including some inside the vehicle), many
uids, and some component wear by-products
contain and/or emit these chemicals.
Doing Your Own Service Work
{CAUTION:
You can be injured and your 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 you attempt
any vehicle maintenance task.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)

Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts,
and other fasteners. English and metric
fasteners can be easily confused. If you
use the wrong fasteners, parts can later
break or fall off. You could be hurt.
If you want to do some of your own service work,
you will want to use the proper service manual.
It tells you much more about how to service
your vehicle than this manual can. To order the
proper service manual, seeService Publications
Ordering Information on page 380.
Your vehicle has an airbag system. Before
attempting to do your own service work, see
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
on page 54.
You should keep a record with all parts receipts
and list the mileage and the date of any service
work you perform. SeePart E: Maintenance
Record on page 357.
236