fuel SATURN VUE 2009 Owner's Guide

Adding Equipment to the
Outside of the Vehicle
Things added to the outside of the
vehicle can affect the airow
around it. This can cause wind
noise and can affect fuel economy
and windshield washer performance.
Check with your dealer/retailer
before adding equipment to
the outside of the vehicle.
Fuel
Use of the recommended fuel
is an important part of the proper
maintenance of this vehicle. To help
keep the engine clean and maintain
optimum vehicle performance, we
recommend the use of gasoline
advertised as TOP TIER Detergent
Gasoline.
The 8th digit of the Vehicle
Identication Number (VIN) shows
the code letter or number that
identies the vehicle’s engine.
The VIN is at the top left of the
instrument panel. SeeVehicle
Identification Number (VIN) on
page 5-79.
Gasoline Octane
If the vehicle has the 2.4L L4 engine
(VIN Code P) or the 3.5L V6 engine
(VIN Code N), use regular unleaded
gasoline with a posted octane rating
of 87 or higher. If the octane rating is
less than 87, you might 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, the engine
needs service.
If the vehicle has the 3.6L V6 engine
(VIN Code 7), use regular unleaded
gasoline with a posted octane
rating of 87 or higher. For best
performance or trailer towing, you
could choose to use middle grade
89 octane unleaded gasoline.
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If the octane rating is less than 87,
you might 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, the engine needs service.
Gasoline Specications
At a minimum, gasoline should
meet ASTM specication D 4814
in the United States or CAN/
CGSB-3.5 or 3.511 in Canada.
Some gasolines contain an
octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese
tricarbonyl (MMT). We recommend
against the use of gasolines
containing MMT. SeeAdditives on
page 5-6for additional information.
California Fuel
If the vehicle is certied to meet
California Emissions Standards, it is
designed to operate on fuels that
meet California specications. See
the underhood emission control
label. If this fuel is not available in
states adopting California emissions
standards, the vehicle will operate
satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal
specications, but emission control
system performance might be
affected. The malfunction indicator
lamp could turn on and the vehicle
might fail a smog-check test. See
Malfunction Indicator Lamp on
page 3-35. If this occurs, return to
your authorized dealer/retailer for
diagnosis. If it is determined that the
condition is caused by the type of
fuel used, repairs might not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Additives
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines
in the United States are now required
to contain additives that help prevent
engine and fuel system deposits
from forming, allowing the emission
control system to work properly.
In most cases, you should not
have to add anything to the fuel.
However, some gasolines contain
only the minimum amount of additive
required to meet U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency regulations. To
help keep fuel injectors and intake
valves clean, or if the vehicle
experiences problems due to dirty
injectors or valves, look for gasoline
that is advertised as TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline.
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For customers who do not use TOP
TIER Detergent Gasoline regularly,
one bottle of GM Fuel System
Treatment PLUS, added to the fuel
tank at every engine oil change,
can help clean deposits from fuel
injectors and intake valves. GM Fuel
System Treatment PLUS is the only
gasoline additive recommended by
General Motors.
Also, your dealer/retailer has
additives that will help correct and
prevent most deposit-related
problems.
Gasolines containing oxygenates,
such as ethers and ethanol, and
reformulated gasolines might
be available in your area. We
recommend that you use these
gasolines, if they comply with the
specications described earlier.However, E85 (85% ethanol) and
other fuels containing more than
10% ethanol must not be used in
vehicles that were not designed for
those fuels.
Notice:This vehicle was not
designed for fuel that contains
methanol. Do not use fuel
containing methanol. It can
corrode metal parts in the fuel
system and also damage plastic
and rubber parts. That damage
would not be covered under
the vehicle warranty.
Some gasolines that are
not reformulated for low
emissions can contain an
octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese
tricarbonyl (MMT); ask the
attendant where you buy gasoline
whether the fuel contains MMT.We recommend against the use of
such gasolines. Fuels containing
MMT can reduce the life of spark
plugs and the performance of the
emission control system could be
affected. The malfunction indicator
lamp might turn on. If this occurs,
return to your dealer/retailer for
service.
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Fuels in Foreign
Countries
If you plan on driving in another
country outside the United States or
Canada, the proper fuel might be
hard to nd. 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 the vehicle 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 the 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 the engine when you are
refueling. Do not smoke if you are
near fuel or refueling the vehicle.
Do not use cellular phones. Keep
sparks, ames, and smoking
materials away from fuel. Do not
leave the fuel pump unattended
when refueling the vehicle. This is
against the law in some places.
Do not re-enter the vehicle while
pumping fuel. Keep children away
from the fuel pump; never let
children pump fuel.Unlock the gas cap door by pressing
the door lock switch located on the
driver door trim.
The tethered fuel cap is located
behind a hinged fuel door on
the driver side of the vehicle.
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To remove the fuel cap, turn it slowly
counterclockwise. The fuel cap has a
spring in it; if the cap is released too
soon, it will spring back to the right.
To avoid fuel contact on the painted
surface of the vehicle when lling the
fuel tank, place the tethered cap on
the fuel ller door.
{CAUTION
Fuel can spray out on you if you
open the fuel cap too quickly. If
you spill fuel and then something
ignites it, you could be badly
burned. This spray can happen if
the tank is nearly full, and is more
likely in hot weather. Open the
fuel cap slowly and wait for any
hiss noise to stop. Then unscrew
the cap all the way.Be careful not to spill fuel. Do not top
off or overll the tank and wait a few
seconds after you have nished
pumping before removing the nozzle.
Clean fuel from painted surfaces as
soon as possible. SeeWashing Your
Vehicle on page 5-75.
When replacing the fuel cap, turn
it clockwise until it clicks. Make
sure the cap is fully installed. The
diagnostic system can determine if
the fuel cap has been left off or
improperly installed. This would
allow fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere. SeeMalfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 3-35.
{CAUTION
If a re starts while you are
refueling, do not remove the
nozzle. Shut off the ow of fuel by
shutting off the pump or by
notifying the station attendant.
Leave the area immediately.
Notice:If you need a new fuel
cap, be sure to get the right type.
Your dealer/retailer can get one for
you. If you get the wrong type, it
might not t properly. This can
cause the malfunction indicator
lamp to light and can damage the
fuel tank and emissions system.
SeeMalfunction Indicator Lamp
on page 3-35.
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Filling a Portable Fuel
Container
{CAUTION
Never ll a portable fuel container
while it is in the vehicle. Static
electricity discharge from the
container can ignite the fuel vapor.
You can be badly burned and the
vehicle damaged if this occurs. To
help avoid injury to you and others:
Dispense fuel only into
approved containers.
Do not ll a container while it
is inside a vehicle, in a
vehicle’s trunk, pickup bed, or
on any surface other than the
ground.
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
Bring the ll nozzle in contact
with the inside of the ll
opening before operating the
nozzle. Contact should be
maintained until the lling is
complete.
Do not smoke while
pumping fuel.
Do not use a cellular phone
while pumping fuel.
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.
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Engine Oil
Checking Engine Oil
It is a good idea to check the
engine oil level at each fuel ll. 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 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 this is not
done, 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.
When to Add Engine Oil
If the oil is below the MIN (minimum)
mark, add at least one quart/liter
of the recommended oil. This
section explains what kind of oil to
use. For engine oil crankcase
capacity, seeCapacities and
Specifications on page 5-86.Notice:Do not add too much
oil. If the engine has so much oil
that the oil level gets above the
upper mark that shows the proper
operating range, the engine could
be damaged.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview
on page 5-12for the location of
the engine oil ll cap.
Add enough oil to put the level
somewhere in the proper operating
range. Push the dipstick all the
way back in when through.
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The vehicle should not have any
snow, ice, or mud on it.
The vehicle should be fully
assembled and all other
work stopped while headlamp
aiming is being performed.
The vehicle should be normally
loaded with a full tank of fuel and
one person or 160 lbs (75 kg)
sitting on the driver’s seat.
Tires should be properly inated.
Headlamp aiming is done with the
vehicle’s low-beam headlamps.
The high-beam headlamps will be
correctly aimed if the low-beam
headlamps are aimed properly.To adjust the vertical aim, do the
following:
1. Open the hood. SeeHood
Release on page 5-11for
more information.
2. Locate the aim dot on the lens of
the low-beam headlamp.
3. Measure the distance from the
ground to the aim dot on the
low-beam headlamp. Record the
distance.4. At the wall measure from the
ground upward (A) to the
recorded distance from Step 3
and mark it.
5. Draw or tape a horizontal line (B)
on the wall the width of the
vehicle at the height of the mark
in Step 4.
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Bead:The tire bead contains
steel wires wrapped by steel
cords that hold the tire onto
the rim.
Bias Ply Tire
:A pneumatic
tire in which the plies are laid
at alternate angles less than
90 degrees to the centerline of
the tread.
Cold Tire Pressure
:The
amount of air pressure in a tire,
measured in pounds per square
inch (psi) or kilopascals (kPa)
before a tire has built up heat
from driving. SeeInflation - Tire
Pressure on page 5-49.
Curb Weight
:The weight of a
motor vehicle with standard
and optional equipment including
the maximum capacity of fuel,
oil, and coolant, but without
passengers and cargo.DOT Markings
:A code
molded into the sidewall of a
tire signifying that the tire is in
compliance with the U.S.
Department of Transportation
(DOT) motor vehicle safety
standards. The DOT code
includes the Tire Identication
Number (TIN), an alphanumeric
designator which can also
identify the tire manufacturer,
production plant, brand, and date
of production.
GVWR
:Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating. SeeLoading the Vehicle
on page 4-28.
GAWR FRT
:Gross Axle Weight
Rating for the front axle. See
Loading the Vehicle on
page 4-28.
GAWR RR
:Gross Axle Weight
Rating for the rear axle. See
Loading the Vehicle on
page 4-28.Intended Outboard Sidewall
:The side of an asymmetrical tire,
that must always face outward
when mounted on a vehicle.
Kilopascal (kPa)
:The metric
unit for air pressure.
Light Truck (LT-Metric) Tire
:A tire used on light duty trucks
and some multipurpose
passenger vehicles.
Load Index
:An assigned
number ranging from 1 to 279
that corresponds to the load
carrying capacity of a tire.
Maximum Ination Pressure
:The maximum air pressure to
which a cold tire can be inated.
The maximum air pressure is
molded onto the sidewall.
Maximum Load Rating
:The
load rating for a tire at the
maximum permissible ination
pressure for that tire.
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Vehicle Capacity Weight:The
number of designated seating
positions multiplied by 150 lbs
(68 kg) plus the rated cargo load.
SeeLoading the Vehicle on
page 4-28.
Vehicle Maximum Load on the
Tire
:Load on an individual tire
due to curb weight, accessory
weight, occupant weight, and
cargo weight.
Vehicle Placard
:A label
permanently attached to a
vehicle showing the vehicle’s
capacity weight and the original
equipment tire size and
recommended ination pressure.
See “Tire and Loading
Information Label” under
Loading the Vehicle on
page 4-28.
Ination - Tire Pressure
Tires need the correct amount
of air pressure to operate
effectively.
Notice:Do not let anyone tell
you that under-ination or
over-ination is all right. It is
not. If your tires do not have
enough air (under-ination),
you can get the following:
Too much exing
Too much heat
Tire overloading
Premature or irregular wear
Poor handling
Reduced fuel economy
If your tires have too much air
(over-ination), you can get
the following:
Unusual wear
Poor handling
Rough ride
Needless damage from road
hazardsA vehicle specic Tire and
Loading Information label is
attached to your vehicle. This
label shows your vehicle’s
original equipment tires and the
correct ination pressures for
your tires when they are cold.
The recommended cold tire
ination pressure, shown on the
label, is the minimum amount of
air pressure needed to support
your vehicle’s maximum load
carrying capacity.
For additional information
regarding how much weight
your vehicle can carry, and an
example of the Tire and Loading
Information label, seeLoading
the Vehicle on page 4-28. How
you load your vehicle affects
vehicle handling and ride
comfort. Never load your vehicle
with more weight than it was
designed to carry.
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