maintenance SATURN RELAY 2006 User Guide

But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, do the
following:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but do not shift into
PARK (P).
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer
wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your
parking brake, and shift into PARK (P).
5. Release the regular brakes.
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you do the following:
Start your engine.
Shift into a gear.
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 uid, engine oil, belts,
cooling system, and brake system. Each of these is
covered in this manual, and the Index will help you nd
them quickly. If you are trailering, it is a good idea to
review these sections before you start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Trailer Wiring Harness
Your vehicle may have a trailer wiring harness package
located in the glove box. It can be connected from
the rear of your vehicle to your trailer. Contact your
dealer for more information.
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Buying New Tires.........................................5-62
Different Size Tires and Wheels......................5-63
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-64
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-65
Wheel Replacement......................................5-65
Tire Chains..................................................5-67
Accessory Inator.........................................5-68
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-70
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................5-71
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools................5-72
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire................................................5-75
Secondary Latch System...............................5-81
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools............5-83
Compact Spare Tire......................................5-87
Appearance Care............................................5-88
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.................5-88
Fabric/Carpet...............................................5-89
Leather.......................................................5-90
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other Plastic
Surfaces..................................................5-90
Care of Safety Belts......................................5-91
Weatherstrips...............................................5-91
Washing Your Vehicle...................................5-91Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses.....................5-91
Finish Care..................................................5-92
Windshield, Backglass, and Wiper Blades.........5-92
Aluminum Wheels.........................................5-93
Tires...........................................................5-93
Sheet Metal Damage.....................................5-94
Finish Damage.............................................5-94
Underbody Maintenance................................5-94
Chemical Paint Spotting.................................5-94
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials..................5-95
Vehicle Identication......................................5-96
Vehicle Identication Number (VIN).................5-96
Service Parts Identication Label.....................5-96
Electrical System............................................5-96
Add-On Electrical Equipment..........................5-96
Headlamp Wiring..........................................5-97
Windshield Wiper Fuses................................5-97
Power Windows and Other Power Options.......5-97
Fuses and Circuit Breakers............................5-97
Instrument Panel Fuse Block..........................5-98
Underhood Fuse Block................................5-100
Capacities and Specications........................5-103
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
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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.
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 7-12.
Your vehicle has an airbag system. Before attempting to
do your own service work, seeServicing Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on page 1-78.You should keep a record with all parts receipts and list
the mileage and the date of any service work you
perform. SeeMaintenance Record on page 6-14.
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle
Things you might add to the outside of your vehicle can
affect the airow around it. This may cause wind
noise and affect windshield washer performance. Check
with your retailer before adding equipment to the
outside of your vehicle.
Fuel
Use of the recommended fuel is an important part of the
proper maintenance of your vehicle.
Gasoline Octane
Use regular unleaded gasoline with a posted octane
rating of 87 or higher. If the octane rating is less than 87,
you may notice an audible knocking noise when you
drive, commonly referred to as spark knock. If this
occurs, use a gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher as
soon as possible. If you are using gasoline rated at
87 octane or higher and you hear heavy knocking, your
engine needs service.
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Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
SeeEngine Compartment Overview on page 5-12for
the location of the engine air cleaner/lter.
When to Inspect the Engine
Air Cleaner/Filter
Inspect the air cleaner/lter at the MaintenanceII
intervals and replace it at the rst oil change after each
50,000 mile (83 000 km) interval. SeeScheduled
Maintenance on page 6-4for more information. If you
are driving in dusty/dirty conditions, inspect the lter
at each engine oil change.
How to Inspect the Engine
Air Cleaner/Filter
To inspect the air cleaner/lter, remove the lter from
the vehicle and lightly shake the lter to release
loose dust and dirt. If the lter remains caked with dirt,
a new lter is required.
To inspect or replace the air cleaner/lter, do the
following:
1. Remove the two clamps on the duct.
2. Remove the duct.
3. Unlatch the two hooks on top of the engine air
cleaner/lter housing.
4. Inspect or replace the engine air cleaner/lter.
5. Align the tabs located on the bottom of the panel
with the slots at the bottom of the housing.
6. Latch the hooks to secure the panel in place. If the
panel moves easily, check that the tabs are seated
correctly in the slots.
7. Put the duct back on and reinstall the clamps.
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How to Add Automatic Transaxle Fluid
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine
what kind of transaxle uid to use. SeeRecommended
Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-11.
If the uid level is low, add only enough of the proper
uid to bring the level into the cross-hatched area on the
dipstick.
1. Pull out the dipstick.
2. Using a long-neck funnel, add enough uid at the
dipstick hole to bring it to the proper level.
It does not take much uid, generally less than
one pint (0.5 L). Do not overll.
Notice:Use of the incorrect automatic transaxle
uid may damage your vehicle, and the damages
may not be covered by your warranty. Always
use the automatic transaxle uid listed in
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-11.
3. After adding uid, recheck the uid level as
described under “How to Check Automatic
Transaxle Fluid,” earlier in this section.
4. When the correct uid level is obtained, push the
dipstick back in all the way.
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, seeEngine Overheating on
page 5-26.
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 messages and gages work as they
should.
Notice:Using coolant other than DEX-COOL
®may
cause premature engine, heater core, or radiator
corrosion. In addition, the engine coolant may
require changing sooner, at the rst maintenance
service after each 25,000 miles (41 500 km) or
24 months, whichever occurs rst. Any repairs would
not be covered by your warranty. Always use
DEX-COOL
®(silicate-free) coolant in your vehicle.
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Battery
Your vehicle has a maintenance free battery. When it is
time for a new battery, get one that has the replacement
number shown on the original battery’s label. We
recommend an ACDelco
®replacement battery.
Warning:Battery posts, terminals, and related
accessories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California to cause
cancer and reproductive harm. Wash hands after
handling.
Vehicle Storage
If you are not going to drive your vehicle for 25 days or
more, remove the black, negative (−) cable from the
battery. This will help keep your battery from
running down.
{CAUTION:
Batteries have acid that can burn you and gas
that can explode. You can be badly hurt if you
are not careful. SeeJump Starting on
page 5-40for tips on working around a battery
without getting hurt.
Jump Starting
If your vehicle’s battery has run down, you may want to
use another vehicle and some jumper cables to start
your vehicle. Be sure to use the following steps to do it
safely.
On vehicles equipped with the optional power sliding
door, a low-voltage battery or replacing a battery
may cause the system to become inoperative. See
Power Sliding Door (PSD) on page 2-17for more
information.
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All-Wheel Drive
If you have an all-wheel-drive vehicle, be sure to
perform the lubricant checks described in this section.
All-wheel-drive vehicles have two additional systems that
need lubrication.
Transfer Case (Power Transfer Unit)
When to Check Lubricant
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine how
often to check the lubricant. SeeScheduled
Maintenance on page 6-4.
How to Check Lubricant
To get an accurate reading, the vehicle should be on a
level surface.
If the level is below the bottom of the ller plug hole,
located on the transfer case, you will need to add some
lubricant. Add enough lubricant to raise the level to
the bottom of the ller plug hole.
What to Use
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of lubricant to use. SeeRecommended Fluids
and Lubricants on page 6-11.
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Carrier Assembly-Differential
(Rear Drive Module)
When to Check and Change Lubricant
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine how
often to check the lubricant and when to change it. See
Scheduled Maintenance on page 6-4.
How to Check Lubricant
To get an accurate reading, the vehicle should be on a
level surface.If the level is below the bottom of the ller plug hole,
located on the differential, you will need to add
some lubricant. Add enough lubricant to raise the level
to the bottom of the ller plug hole. A uid loss could
indicate a problem; check and have it repaired, if
needed.
What to Use
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of lubricant to use. SeeRecommended Fluids
and Lubricants on page 6-11.
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Windshield Wiper Blade
Replacement
Windshield wiper blades should be inspected for wear
and cracking. SeeScheduled Maintenance on page 6-4
for more information.
Replacement blades come in different types and are
removed in different ways. For proper type and length,
seeNormal Maintenance Replacement Parts on
page 6-13.
To replace the windshield wiper blade assembly do the
following:
1. Lift the wiper arm and turn the blade until it is
facing away from the windshield.
2. Squeeze the tabs (B) on each side of the wiper
blade assembly to remove the wiper arm (A)
from the blade (C).
Allowing the wiper blade arm to touch the windshield
when no wiper blade is installed could damage
the windshield. Any damage that occurs would not
be covered by your warranty. Do not allow the
wiper blade arm to touch the windshield.
3. Push the new wiper blade securely on the wiper
arm until you hear the tabs on each side of the
wiper blade assembly click into place.
To replace the rear wiper blade, follow the steps listed
above.
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How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure. You cannot tell if your tires are properly inated
simply by looking at them. Radial tires may look properly
inated even when they are under-inated. Check the
tire’s ination pressure when the tires are cold. Cold
means your vehicle has been sitting for at least
three hours or driven no more than 1 mile (1.6 km).
Remove the valve cap from the tire valve stem. Press
the tire gage rmly onto the valve to get a pressure
measurement. If the cold tire ination pressure matches
the recommended pressure on the Tire and Loading
Information label, no further adjustment is necessary. If
the ination pressure is low, add air until you reach
the recommended amount.
If you overll the tire, release air by pushing on the
metal stem in the center of the tire valve. Re-check the
tire pressure with the tire gage.
Be sure to put the valve caps back on the valve stems.
They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt and
moisture.
Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 5,000 to 8,000 miles
(8 000 to 13 000 km).
Any time you notice unusual wear, rotate your tires as
soon as possible and check wheel alignment. Also
check for damaged tires or wheels. SeeWhen It Is Time
for New Tires on page 5-61andWheel Replacement
on page 5-65for more information.
The purpose of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The rst rotation
is the most important. SeeScheduled Maintenance
on page 6-4.
When rotating your tires, always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
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