Fluid SATURN ASTRA 2008 Owners Manual

Windshield Washer
{CAUTION
In freezing weather, do not use
your washer until the windshield
is warmed. Otherwise the
washer uid can form ice on
the windshield, blocking your
vision.
Pull the windshield wiper lever
toward you to spray washer uid
on the windshield. The wipers will
run for a few cycles to clear the
windshield. For more wash cycles,
pull the lever forward and hold.
Rear Window Wiper/
Washer
For vehicles with the rear wiper/
washer feature, it is turned on by
moving the windshield wiper lever.To turn the rear wiper on or off,
push the windshield wiper lever.
To turn on the rear washer, hold the
windshield wiper lever toward the
front of the vehicle to spray the rear
window.
The rear wiper turns on
automatically when the windshield
wiper is turned on and the shift lever
is in REVERSE (R).
The rear window washer uses the
same uid bottle as the windshield
washer. However, the rear window
washer will run out of uid before the
windshield washer. If washer uid
sprays onto the windshield but not
the rear window, check the uid
level. SeeWindshield Washer
Fluid on page 9-20.
For information on replacing the
rear wiper blades, seeWindshield
Wiper Blade Replacement on
page 9-21.
Accessory Power
Outlet(s)
The 12-volt accessory power outlets
can be used to connect electrical
equipment, such as a cellular phone.
There may be a accessory power
outlet located inside the console
below the climate controls.
Notice:Leaving electrical
equipment on for extended
periods will drain the battery.
Always turn off electrical
equipment when not in use and
do not plug in equipment that
exceeds the maximum 20 ampere
rating.
Certain electrical accessories may
not be compatible with the accessory
power outlet and could result in
blown vehicle or adapter fuses.
If there is a problem, see your
dealer/retailer for additional
information on the accessory
power outlet.
4-10 Instruments and Controls
ProCarManuals.com

Brakelight switch check
This message displays when the
brake lamp does not come on
when the brake is applied. Have
your vehicle serviced by your
dealer/retailer immediately.
Coolant level check
This message displays when the
engine coolant level is low. Have
the cooling system serviced by your
dealer/retailer as soon as possible.
SeeEngine Coolant on page 9-12.
Remote Control Battery
check
This message displays if the
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter battery is low. Replace
the battery in the transmitter.
See “Battery Replacement” under
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation on page 2-4.
Safeguard check
This message displays when there
is a problem with the theft-deterrent
system. Have the system serviced
by your dealer/retailer immediately.
Washer Fluid Level
(Base Level) or Washing
Water Level (Uplevel)
This message displays when the
vehicle’s windshield washer uid is
low. When the washer uid level is
low, the rear window washer system
is deactivated. Fill the windshield
washer uid reservoir to the proper
level as soon as possible. See
Windshield Washer Fluid on
page 9-20.
OnStar®System
OnStar uses several innovative
technologies and live advisors to
provide you with a wide range of
safety, security, information, and
convenience services. If your airbags
deploy, the system is designed to
make an automatic call to OnStar
Emergency advisors who can
request emergency services be
sent to your location. If you lock your
keys in the vehicle, call OnStar at
1-888-4-ONSTAR and they can send
a signal to unlock your doors. If you
need roadside assistance, press the
OnStar button and they can contact
Roadside Service for you.
4-38 Instruments and Controls
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Before Leaving on a
Long Trip
To prepare your vehicle for a long
trip, consider having it serviced by
your dealer/retailer before departing.
Things to check on your own
include:
Windshield Washer Fluid:
Reservoir full? Windows
clean — inside and outside?
Wiper Blades:In good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:All
levels checked?
Lamps:Do they all work and are
lenses clean?
Tires:Are treads good? Are tires
inated to recommended
pressure?
Weather and Maps:Safe to
travel? Have up-to-date maps?
Highway Hypnosis
Always be alert and pay attention
to your surroundings while driving.
If you become tired or sleepy, nd
a safe place to park your vehicle
and rest.
Other driving tips include:
Keep the vehicle well ventilated.
Keep interior temperature cool.
Keep your eyes moving — scan
the road ahead and to the sides.
Check the rearview mirror and
vehicle instruments often.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on at or rolling terrain. Tips for
driving in these conditions include:
Keep the vehicle serviced
and in good shape.
Check all uid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
Going down steep or long hills,
shift to a lower gear.
{CAUTION
If you do not shift down, the
brakes could get so hot that
they would not work well. You
would then have poor braking
or even none going down a hill.
You could crash. Shift down to
let the engine assist the brakes
on a steep downhill slope.
8-26 Driving and Operating
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Vehicle Service
and Care
Service
Service...............................9-2
Accessories and
Modications.....................9-3
California Proposition 65
Warning............................9-3
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements.....9-3
Doing Your Own
Service Work....................9-4
Adding Equipment to the
Outside of the Vehicle......9-4
Owner Checks
Owner Checks....................9-5
Hood Release.....................9-5
Engine Compartment
Overview...........................9-6
Engine Oil..........................9-7
Engine Oil Life System.......9-9
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. . . .9-11
Automatic Transmission
Fluid................................9-12
Manual Transmission
Fluid................................9-12
Hydraulic Clutch................9-12
Engine Coolant.................9-12
Pressure Cap....................9-15
Engine Overheating...........9-15
Cooling System.................9-16
Power Steering Fluid.........9-20
Windshield Washer Fluid. . . .9-20
Windshield Wiper Blade
Replacement...................9-21
Brakes..............................9-22
Battery..............................9-25
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming..............9-26
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement.............9-28
Halogen Bulbs..................9-28
Front Turn Signal Lamps. . .9-28
Taillamps
(Five-Door Hatchback).....9-29
Taillamps
(Three-Door Hatchback). . .9-30
License Plate Lamp..........9-32
Replacement Bulbs...........9-33
Electrical System
Add-On Electrical
Equipment.......................9-33
Headlamp Wiring..............9-33
Windshield Wiper Fuses. . . .9-34
Power Windows and
Other Power Options.......9-34
Fuses...............................9-34
Engine Compartment
Fuse Block......................9-34
Rear Compartment
Fuse Block......................9-36
Tires
Tires.................................9-38
Winter Tires......................9-39
Tire Sidewall Labeling.......9-40
Tire Terminology and
Denitions.......................9-43
Ination - Tire Pressure. . . .9-46
High-Speed Operation.......9-47
Tire Pressure Monitor
System............................9-48
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation........................9-50
Tire Inspection and
Rotation..........................9-51
When It Is Time for
New Tires.......................9-53
Vehicle Service and Care 9-1
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A.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 9-11.
B. Engine Oil Fill Cap.Engine Oil
on page 9-7.
C. Brake Fluid Reservoir.Brakes
on page 9-22.
D. Coolant Reservoir.Cooling
System on page 9-16.
E. Coolant Reservoir Pressure Cap.
Pressure Cap on page 9-15.
F.Engine Compartment Fuse Block
on page 9-34.
G.Battery on page 9-25.
H.Windshield Washer Fluid on
page 9-20.
I. Engine Oil Dipstick.Engine Oil
on page 9-7.Engine Oil
If the low oil level light appears on
the instrument cluster, check
the engine oil level right away.
SeeLow Oil Level Light on
page 4-23. You should check the
engine oil level regularly; this is just
a reminder.
Checking Engine Oil
It is a good idea to check the
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. SeeEngine
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 you do not
do this, the oil dipstick might not
show the actual level.
2. Pull 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 Service and Care 9-7
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Automatic Transmission
Fluid
It is not necessary to check
the transmission uid level.
A transmission uid leak is the only
reason for uid loss. If a leak
occurs, take your vehicle to the
dealer/retailer service department
and have it repaired as soon
as possible.
Change the uid and lter at the
intervals listed in the Maintenance
Schedule. See “Additional
Required Services” in Service
and Maintenance. Be sure to use
the transmission uid listed in
“Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants” in Service and
Maintenance.
Notice:Use of the incorrect
automatic transmission uid
may damage your vehicle,
and the damages may not becovered by your warranty.
See “Recommended Fluids
and Lubricants” in the Limited
Warranty, Maintenance and Owner
Assistance Information manual.
Manual Transmission
Fluid
It is not necessary to check the
manual transmission uid level.
A transmission uid leak is the only
reason for uid loss. If a leak
occurs, take the vehicle to the
dealer/retailer service department
and have it repaired as soon
as possible. You may also have
your uid level checked by
your dealer/retailer when you have
your oil changed. See “Part D:
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants” in Service and
Maintenance for the proper uid
to use.
Hydraulic Clutch
The hydraulic clutch linkage in
your vehicle is self-adjusting.
This system does not have its own
reservoir. It receives uid from
the brake master cylinder reservoir.
SeeBrakes on page 9-22for more
information.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in your vehicle
is lled with DEX-COOL®engine
coolant. This coolant is designed to
remain in your vehicle for ve years
or 150,000 miles (240 000 km),
whichever occurs rst, 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 9-15.
9-12 Vehicle Service and Care
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A 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable
water and DEX-COOL®coolant will:
Give freezing protection down
to−34°F (−37°C).
Give boiling protection up to
265°F (129°C).
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 rst maintenance
service after each 30,000 miles
(50 000 km) or 24 months,
whichever occurs rst. Any
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Always
use DEX-COOL
®(silicate-free)
coolant in the vehicle.
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.
{CAUTION
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 engine could get too hot
but would not get the overheat
warning. The engine could
catch re 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.
Notice:If you use extra
inhibitors and/or additives in
your vehicle’s cooling system,
you could damage your vehicle.
Use only the proper mixture of
the engine coolant listed in
this manual for the cooling
system. See Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants in the
Maintenance and Limited
Warranty and Owner Assistance
Information manual.
Vehicle Service and Care 9-13
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Power Steering Fluid
When to Check Power
Steering Fluid
It is not necessary to check the
power steering uid level. A power
steering uid leak is the only
reason for uid loss. If a leak
occurs, take your vehicle to the
dealer/retailer service department
and have it repaired as soon
as possible.
Windshield Washer Fluid
What to Use
When you need windshield
washer uid, be sure to read the
manufacturer’s instructions before
use. If you will be operating
your vehicle in an area where the
temperature may fall below freezing,
use a uid that has sufficient
protection against freezing.
Adding Washer Fluid
Open the cap with the washer
symbol on it. Add washer uid
until the tank is full. SeeEngine
Compartment Overview on page 9-6
for reservoir location.Notice:
When using concentrated
washer uid, follow the
manufacturer’s instructions for
adding water.
Do not mix water with
ready-to-use washer uid.
Water can cause the solution
to freeze and damage your
washer uid tank and other
parts of the washer system.
Also, water does not clean as
well as washer uid.
Fill the washer uid tank only
three-quarters full when it is
very cold. This allows for uid
expansion if freezing occurs,
which could damage the tank if
it is completely full.
Do not use engine coolant
(antifreeze) in your windshield
washer. It can damage the
vehicle’s windshield washer
system and paint.
9-20 Vehicle Service and Care
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Brakes
Brake Fluid
The brake master cylinder and, on
manual transmission vehicles,
the clutch hydraulic system use the
same reservoir. The reservoir is
lled with DOT-4 brake uid.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview
on page 9-6for the location of
the reservoir.
There are only two reasons why the
brake uid level in the reservoir
might go down. The rst is that the
brake uid goes down to an
acceptable level during normal
brake lining wear. When new linings
are put in, the uid level goes
back up. The other reason is that
uid is leaking out of the brake
or clutch hydraulic system. If it is,have the brake or clutch hydraulic
system xed, since a leak means
that sooner or later the brakes
or clutch will not work well.
It is not a good idea to top off the
brake uid. Adding brake uid
will not correct a leak. If uid is
added when the linings are worn,
there will be too much uid
when new brake linings are
installed. Add or remove brake uid,
as necessary, only when work is
done on the brake or clutch
hydraulic system.
{CAUTION
If your vehicle has too much
brake uid, it can spill on the
engine. The uid will burn if the
engine is hot enough. You or
others could be burned, and
your vehicle could be damaged.
Add brake uid only when work
is done on the brake and/or
clutch hydraulic system.Refer to “Scheduled Maintenance”
in the Limited Warranty,
Maintenance and Owner Assistance
Information manual to determine
when to check the brake uid.
Checking Brake Fluid
The brake uid can be checked
without taking off the cap by looking
at the brake uid reservoir.
The uid level should be above
MIN. If it is not, have your brake
hydraulic system checked to see
if there is a leak. After work is done
on the brake hydraulic system,
make sure the level is above the
MIN but not over the MAX mark.
What to Add
When you do need brake uid,
use only DOT-4 brake uid.
It is recommended that you ush
the brake hydraulic system and
rell it with new DOT-4 uid
at a regular maintenance service
every two years. See “Additional
9-22 Vehicle Service and Care
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Required Services” in the Limited
Warranty, Maintenance and
Owner Assistance Information
manual. Use new brake uid
from a sealed container only.
See “Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants” in the Limited Warranty,
Maintenance and Owner Assistance
Information manual.
Always clean the brake uid
reservoir cap and the area
around the cap before removing it.
This helps keep dirt from entering
the reservoir.
{CAUTION
With the wrong kind of uid in
the brake hydraulic system,
the brakes might not work well.
This could cause a crash.
Always use the proper brake
uid.Notice:
Using the wrong uid can
badly damage brake
hydraulic system parts.
For example, just a few drops
of mineral-based oil, such
as engine oil, in the brake
hydraulic system can
damage brake hydraulic
system parts so badly that
they will have to be replaced.
Do not let someone put in
the wrong kind of uid.
If you spill brake uid on your
vehicle’s painted surfaces, the
paint nish can be damaged.
Be careful not to spill brake
uid on your vehicle. If you
do, wash it off immediately.
SeeExterior Cleaning on
page 9-75.
Brake Wear
Your vehicle has disc brakes.
Notice:Continuing to drive
with worn-out brake pads could
result in costly brake repair.
Front disc brake pads have built-in
brake pad wear indicators that
make a high-pitched warning sound
when the brake pads are worn
and new pads are needed.
The sound can come and go or be
heard all the time your vehicle is
moving, except when you are
pushing on the brake pedal rmly.
{CAUTION
The brake wear warning sound
means that soon the brakes will
not work well. That could lead
to an accident. When you hear
the brake wear warning sound,
have your vehicle serviced.
Vehicle Service and Care 9-23
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