automatic transmission BUICK RAINIER 2004 User Guide

Service............................................................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-3
Adding Equipment to the Outside
of Your Vehicle...........................................5-4
Fuel................................................................5-4
Gasoline Octane............................................5-5
Gasoline Specications....................................5-5
California Fuel...............................................5-6
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-7
Filling Your Tank............................................5-8
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.....................5-11
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-12
Hood Release..............................................5-12
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-14
Engine Oil...................................................5-18
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-23
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-24
Engine Coolant.............................................5-27
Radiator Pressure Cap..................................5-29
Engine Overheating.......................................5-29
Cooling System............................................5-32
Engine Fan Noise.........................................5-38
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-39
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-40Brakes........................................................5-41
Battery........................................................5-44
Jump Starting...............................................5-45
All-Wheel Drive..............................................5-51
Rear Axle.......................................................5-51
Front Axle......................................................5-53
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-54
Headlamps..................................................5-54
Taillamps and Turn Signal Lamps...................5-54
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-55
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-56
Tires..............................................................5-59
Ination - Tire Pressure.................................5-67
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-68
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-70
Buying New Tires.........................................5-71
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-72
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-73
Wheel Replacement......................................5-74
Tire Chains..................................................5-75
Accessory Inator.........................................5-76
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-78
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................5-79
Spare Tire...................................................5-92
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

A. Coolant Recovery Tank.
SeeEngine Coolant on page 5-27.
B. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter.
SeeEngine Air Cleaner/Filter
on page 5-23.
C. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir.
SeeWindshield Washer Fluid
on page 5-40.
D. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir.
SeePower Steering Fluid
on page 5-39.
E. Automatic Transmission Dipstick.
SeeAutomatic Transmission Fluid
on page 5-24.
F. Engine Oil Dipstick.
SeeEngine Oil on page 5-18.G. Radiator Pressure Cap.
SeeRadiator Pressure Cap
on page 5-29.
H. Engine Oil Fill Cap.
SeeEngine Oil on page 5-18.
I. Remote Negative (–) TerminalMarked GND.
SeeJump Starting on page 5-45.
J. Brake Master Cylinder.
SeeBrakes on page 5-41.
K. Battery.
SeeBattery on page 5-44.
L. Engine Compartment Fuse Block.
See “Engine Compartment Fuse Block” under
Fuses and Circuit Breakers on page 5-103.
5-15

A. Coolant Recovery Tank.
SeeEngine Coolant on page 5-27.
B. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter.
SeeEngine Air Cleaner/Filter
on page 5-23.
C. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir.
SeeWindshield Washer Fluid
on page 5-40.
D. Engine Oil Dipstick.
SeeEngine Oil on page 5-18.
E. Automatic Transmission Dipstick.
SeeAutomatic Transmission Fluid
on page 5-24.
F. Engine Oil Fill Cap.
SeeEngine Oil on page 5-18.G. Radiator Pressure Cap.
SeeRadiator Pressure Cap
on page 5-29.
H. Remote Negative (-) Terminal Marked GND.
SeeJump Starting on page 5-45.
I. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir.
SeePower Steering Fluid on page 5-39.
J. Brake Master Cylinder.
SeeBrakes on page 5-41.
K. Engine Compartment Fuse Block.
See “Engine Compartment Fuse block” under
Fuses and Circuit Breakers on page 5-103.
L. Battery.
SeeBattery on page 5-44.
5-17

How to Inspect
To inspect the air cleaner/lter, remove the lter from
the vehicle and lightly shake lter to release loose dust
and dirt. If the lter remains caked with dirt, a new
lter is required.
To inspect or replace the lter, do the following:
1. Remove the screws on the engine cleaner/lter and
lift off the cover.
2. Remove the air cleaner/lter from the housing. Care
should be taken to dislodge as little dirt as possible.
3. Install the new engine air cleaner/lter.
4. Reinstall the cover and tighten the screws.
{CAUTION:
Operating the engine with the air cleaner/lter
off can cause you or others to be burned. The
air cleaner not only cleans the air, it helps to
stop ame if the engine backres. If it is not
there and the engine backres, you could be
burned. Do not drive with it off, and be careful
working on the engine with the air
cleaner/lter off.Notice:If the air cleaner/lter is off, a backre
can cause a damaging engine re. And, dirt
can easily get into your engine, which will damage
it. Always have the air cleaner/lter in place
when you are driving.
Automatic Transmission Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transmission uid
level is when the engine oil is changed.
Change both the uid and lter every 50,000 miles
(83 000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or
more of these conditions:
In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
regularly reaches 90°F (32°C) or higher.
In hilly or mountainous terrain.
When doing frequent trailer towing.
Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery
service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, change the uid and lter every
100,000 miles (166 000 km).
5-24

Then, without shutting off the engine, follow these steps:
The automatic
transmission dipstick
handle with the
transmission and lock
symbol is located in the
engine compartment
on the passenger’s
side of the vehicle.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview on page 5-14for
more information on location.
1. Flip the handle up and then pull out the dipstick
and wipe it with a clean rag or paper towel.
2. Push it back in all the way, wait three seconds and
then pull it back out again. Check both sides of the
dipstick, and read the lower level.3. If the uid level is in the acceptable range, push
the dipstick back in all the way; then ip the
handle down to lock the dipstick in place.
How to Add Fluid
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of transmission uid to use. SeeRecommended
Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-12.
Add uid only after checking the transmission uid while
it is hot. (A cold check is used only as a reference.)
If the uid level is low, add only enough of the proper
uid to bring the level up to the HOT area for a hot
check. It doesn’t take much uid, generally less than
one pint (0.5 L).Don’t overll.
Notice:We recommend you use only uid labeled
DEXRON
®-III, because uid with that label is
made especially for your automatic transmission.
Damage caused by uid other than DEXRON
®-III
is not covered by your new vehicle warranty.
After adding uid, recheck the uid level as
described under “How to Check″.
When the correct uid level is obtained, push the
dipstick back in all the way; then ip the handle
down to lock the dipstick in place.
5-26

1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with a negative ground system.
Notice:If the other vehicle’s system is not a 12-volt
system with a negative ground, both vehicles can
be damaged. Only use vehicles with 12-volt systems
with negative grounds to jump start your vehicle.
2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles aren’t touching
each other. If they are, it could cause a ground
connection you don’t want. You wouldn’t be able to
start your vehicle, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
To avoid the possibility of the vehicles rolling, set
the parking brake rmly on both vehicles involved in
the jump start procedure. Put an automatic
transmission in PARK (P) or a manual transmission
in NEUTRAL before setting the parking brake.
If you have a four- wheel-drive vehicle, be sure the
transfer case is not in NEUTRAL.
Notice:If you leave your radio or other accessories
on during the jump starting procedure, they could
be damaged. The repairs would not be covered
by your warranty. Always turn off your radio and
other accessories when jump starting your vehicle.3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter or accessory power outlets (if equipped).
Turn off the radio and all lamps that aren’t needed.
This will avoid sparks and help to save both
batteries. And it could save your radio!
4. Open both hoods and locate the batteries. Find the
positive (+) and negative (−) terminals on each
battery. Your vehicle has a remote negative (−) jump
starting terminal. You should always use this
remote terminal instead of the terminal on the
battery. The remote negative (−) terminal is located
on the front engine lift bracket on vehicles with
the L6 engine or the engine accessory drive bracket
for vehicles with the V8 engine and is marked
GND. SeeEngine Compartment Overview
on page 5-14for more information on location.
5-46

(A) Light Truck (LT-Metric) Tire:The United States
version of a metric tire sizing system. The letter “LT” as
the rst two characters in the tire size means a light
truck tire engineered to standards set by the U. S.
Tire and Rim Association.
(B) Tire Width:The three-digit number indicates the
tire section width in millimeters from sidewall to sidewall.
(C) Aspect Ratio:A two-digit number that indicates
the tire height-to-width measurements. For example,
if the tire size aspect ratio is “75,” as shown in item “C”
of the illustration, it would mean that the tire’s sidewall
is 75% as high as it is wide.(D) Construction Code:A letter code is used to
indicate the type of ply construction in the tire. The letter
“R” means radial ply construction; the letter “D” means
diagonal or bias ply construction; and the letter “B”
means belted-bias ply construction.
(E) Rim Diameter:Diameter of the wheel in inches.
(F) Service Description:The service description
indicates the load range and speed rating of a tire. The
load index can range from 1 to 279. Speed ratings
range from “A” to “Z”. The light truck tire size example
above shows dual or single tire congurations.Tire Terminology and Denitions
Air Pressure:The amount of air inside the tire pressing
outward on each square inch of the tire. Air pressure
is expressed in pounds per square inch (psi) or
kilopascal (kPa).
Accessory Weight:This means the combined weight
of optional accessories. Some examples of optional
accessories are, automatic transmission, power steering,
power brakes, power windows, power seats, and air
conditioning.
Aspect Ratio:The relationship of a tire’s height to
its width. Light Truck (LT-Metric) Tire
5-64

Additional Required Services
The following services should be performed at the rst maintenance service (IorII) after the indicated miles (kilometers)
shown for each item.
Additional Required Services
Service and Miles (Kilometers)25,000
(41 500)50,000
(83 000)75,000
(125 000)100,000
(166 000)125,000
(207 500)150,000
(240 000)
Inspect fuel system for damage
or leaks.••••••
Inspect exhaust system for loose
or damaged components.••••••
Replace fuel lter.An Emission
Control Service. See footnote †.••••••
Replace engine air cleaner lter.
SeeEngine Air Cleaner/Filter
on page 5-23.An Emission
Control Service.••••••
Change automatic transmission
uid and lter (severe service).
See footnote (h).•••
Change automatic transmission
uid and lter (normal service).•
Automatic transfer case only: Change
transfer case uid.See footnote (g).•••
6-6

(c)Visually inspect hoses and have them replaced if they
are cracked, swollen or deteriorated. Inspect all pipes,
ttings and clamps; replace with genuine GM parts as
needed. To help ensure proper operation, a pressure test
of the cooling system and pressure cap and cleaning the
outside of the radiator and air conditioning condenser is
recommended at least once a year.
(d)Visually inspect wiper blades for wear or cracking.
Replace blade inserts that appear worn or damaged
or that streak or miss areas of the windshield.
(e)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. Have any torn or frayed safety belts
replaced. Also look for any opened or broken air bag
coverings, and have them repaired or replaced. (The air
bag system does not need regular maintenance.)
(f)Lubricate all key lock cylinders, hood latch assembly,
secondary latch, pivots, spring anchor, release pawl,
rear compartment hinges, outer liftgate handle pivot
points, rear door detent link, roller mechanism,
liftgate handle pivot points, latch bolt, fuel door hinge,
cargo door hinge, locks and folding seat hardware.More frequent lubrication may be required when
exposed to a corrosive environment. Applying silicone
grease on weatherstrips with a clean cloth will make
them last longer, seal better and not stick or squeak.
(g)Add uid as needed. A uid loss could indicate
a problem; repair as needed. Check vent hose at
transfer case for kinks and proper installation.
(h)Change automatic transmission uid and lter if the
vehicle is mainly driven under one or more of these
conditions:
In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
regularly reaches 90°F (32°C) or higher.
In hilly or mountainous terrain.
When doing frequent trailer towing.
Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery
service.
(i)Drain, ush and rell cooling system. See Engine
Coolant on page 5-27for what to use. Inspect hoses.
Clean radiator, condenser, pressure cap and ller neck.
Pressure test the cooling system and pressure cap.
(j)A uid loss in any vehicle system could indicate a
problem. Have the system inspected and repaired and
the uid level checked. Add uid if needed.
6-8

At Least Once a Year
Starter Switch Check
{CAUTION:
When you are doing this inspection, the
vehicle could move suddenly. If the vehicle
moves, you or others could be injured.
1. Before you start, be sure you have enough room
around the vehicle.
2. Firmly apply both the parking brake and the regular
brake. SeeParking Brake on page 2-26if necessary.
Do not use the accelerator pedal, and be ready to
turn off the engine immediately if it starts.
3. Try to start the engine in each gear. The starter
should work only in PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N).
If the starter works in any other position, contact
your GM Goodwrench dealer for service.
Automatic Transmission Shift Lock
Control System Check
{CAUTION:
When you are doing this inspection, the
vehicle could move suddenly. If the vehicle
moves, you or others could be injured.
1. Before you start, be sure you have enough room
around the vehicle. It should be parked on a level
surface.
2. Firmly apply the parking brake. SeeParking Brake
on page 2-26if necessary.
Be ready to apply the regular brake immediately
if the vehicle begins to move.
3. With the engine off, turn the key to the RUN position,
but do not start the engine. Without applying the
regular brake, try to move the shift lever out of
PARK (P) with normal effort. If the shift lever moves
out of PARK (P), contact your GM Goodwrench
dealer for service.
6-10