oil level BUICK RAINIER 2004 User Guide

How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant level
isn’t at the FULL COLD mark, add a 50/50 mixture of
clean, drinkable waterand DEX-COOL
®engine coolant
at the coolant recovery tank. SeeEngine Coolant on
page 5-27for more information.
{CAUTION:
Adding only plain water to your cooling
system can be dangerous. Plain water, or
some other liquid such as alcohol, can boil
before the proper coolant mixture will. Your
vehicle’s coolant warning system is set for the
proper coolant mixture. With plain water or the
wrong mixture, your engine could get too hot
but you would not get the overheat warning.
Your 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:In cold weather, water can freeze and crack
the engine, radiator, heater core and other parts.
Use the recommended coolant and the proper
coolant mixture.
{CAUTION:
You can be burned if you spill coolant on hot
engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol
and it will burn if the engine parts are hot
enough. Do not spill coolant on a hot engine.
5-34

Checking Brake Fluid
You can check the brake uid without taking off the cap.
Just look at the brake uid
reservoir. The uid level
should be above MIN.
If it is not, have your brake
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-3 brake
uid. Use new brake uid from a sealed container
only. SeeRecommended Fluids and Lubricants
on page 6-12.Always clean the brake uid reservoir cap and the
area around the cap before removing it. This will
help keep dirt from entering the reservoir.
{CAUTION:
With the wrong kind of uid in your brake
system, your brakes may not work well, or they
may not even work at all. This could cause a
crash. Always use the proper brake uid.
Notice:
Using the wrong uid can badly damage brake
system parts. For example, just a few drops of
mineral-based oil, such as engine oil, in your
brake system can damage brake 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.
SeeAppearance Care on page 5-92.
5-42

Capacities and Specications
Engine VIN Code Transmission Spark Plug Gap
“VORTEC™ ” 4200 L6 S M30 0.042 inches (1.07 mm)
“VORTEC™ ” 5300 V8 P M30 0.040 inches (1.01 mm)
ApplicationL6 Engine V8 Engine
English Metric English Metric
Wheel Nut Torque 100 lb ft 140Y100 lb ft 140Y
Cooling System 13.9 quarts 13.1 L 15.3 quarts 14.5 L
Air Conditioning Refrigerant R/134a 1.9 lbs. 0.85 kg 1.9 lbs. 0.85 kg
Engine Oil with Filter 7.0 quarts 6.6 L 6.0 quarts 5.7 L
Transmission
(Drain and Rell)5.0 quarts 4.7 L 5.0 quarts 4.7 L
Differential Fluid
Rear 3.6 pints 1.7 L 4.3 pints 2.0 L
Front 1.7 pints 0.8 L 1.7 pints 0.8 L
Fuel Tank 22.0 gallons 83.3 L 22.0 gallons 83.3 L
All capacities are approximate. When adding, be sure to ll to the appropriate level, as recommended in this manual.
Recheck the uid level after lling.
5-113

Maintenance Schedule
Introduction
Important: Keep engine oil at the proper level and
change as recommended.
Have you purchased the GM Protection Plan?
The Plan supplements your new vehicle warranties.
See your Warranty and Owner Assistance booklet
or your dealer for details.
Maintenance Requirements
Notice:Maintenance intervals, checks, inspections,
replacement parts and recommended uids and
lubricants as prescribed in this manual are necessary
to keep your vehicle in good working condition.
Any damage caused by failure to follow scheduled
maintenance may not be covered by warranty.
Your Vehicle and the Environment
Proper vehicle maintenance not only helps to keep
your vehicle in good working condition, but also helps
the environment. All recommended maintenance is
important. Improper vehicle maintenance can even
affect the quality of the air we breathe. Improper uid
levels or the wrong tire ination can increase the level
of emissions from your vehicle. To help protect our
environment, and to keep your vehicle in good condition,
be sure to maintain your vehicle properly.
6-2

Scheduled Maintenance
Service MaintenanceIMaintenanceII
Change engine oil and lter. Reset oil life system. SeeEngine Oil on
page 5-18.An Emission Control Service.••
Visually check for any leaks or damage.See footnote (j).••
Inspect engine air cleaner lter. If necessary, replace lter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-23.An Emission Control Service. See footnote †.••
Rotate tires and check ination pressures and wear. SeeTires on page 5-59.••
Inspect brake system.See footnote (a).••
Check engine coolant and windshield washer uid levels and add uid
as needed.••
Perform any needed additional services. See “Additional Required Services”
in this section.••
Inspect suspension and steering components.See footnote (b).•
Inspect engine cooling system.See footnote (c).•
Inspect wiper blades.See footnote (d).•
Inspect restraint system components.See footnote (e).•
Lubricate body components.See footnote (f).•
Check transmission uid level and add uid as needed.•
6-5

Owner Checks and Services
These owner checks and services should be performed
at the intervals specied to help ensure the safety,
dependability and emission control performance of your
vehicle. Your GM Goodwrench dealer can assist you
with these checks and services.
Be sure any necessary repairs are completed at once.
Whenever any uids or lubricants are added to your
vehicle, make sure they are the proper ones, as shown
inRecommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-12.
At Each Fuel Fill
It is important to perform these underhood checks
at each fuel ll.
Engine Oil Level Check
Check the engine oil level and add the proper oil if
necessary. SeeEngine Oil on page 5-18for further
details.
Notice:It is important to check your oil regularly
and keep it at the proper level. Failure to keep your
engine oil at the proper level can cause damage
to your engine not covered by your warranty.
Engine Coolant Level Check
Check the engine coolant level and add DEX-COOL®
coolant mixture if necessary. SeeEngine Coolant
on page 5-27for further details.
Windshield Washer Fluid Level Check
Check the windshield washer uid level in the windshield
washer tank and add the proper uid if necessary.
At Least Once a Month
Tire Ination Check
Visually inspect your tires and make sure tires are
inated to the correct pressures. Do not forget to check
your spare tire. SeeTires on page 5-59for further
details. Check to make sure the spare tire is stored
securely. Push, pull and then try to rotate or turn
the spare tire. If it moves, tighten it. SeeChanging a
Flat Tire on page 5-79.
6-9

C
California Fuel.................................................. 5-6
Canada – Customer Assistance.......................... 7-5
Canadian Owners................................................ ii
Canadian Roadside Assistance........................... 7-8
Capacities and Specications..........................5-113
Carbon Monoxide...................4-40, 4-53, 2-14, 2-29
Care of
Safety Belts................................................5-96
Your Cassette Tape Player..........................3-114
Your CD and DVD Player...........................3-116
Your CDs and DVDs..................................3-115
Cargo Cover..................................................2-44
Cargo Tie Downs............................................2-44
Cassette Tape Messages.................................3-80
CD Adapter Kits.............................................3-80
CD Messages................................3-68, 3-83, 3-98
Chains, Tires..................................................5-75
Charging System Light....................................3-31
Check
Engine Light...............................................3-35
Gages Warning Light...................................3-41
Check Engine Light.........................................3-35
CHECK WASHER FLUID.................................3-54
Checking Brake Fluid......................................5-42
Checking Coolant............................................5-28Checking Engine Oil........................................5-18
Checking Things Under the Hood......................5-12
Checking Your Restraint Systems......................1-55
Chemical Paint Spotting...................................5-99
Child Restraints
Child Restraint Systems...............................1-32
Infants and Young Children...........................1-28
Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for
Children (LATCH System)..........................1-38
Older Children.............................................1-26
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for
the LATCH System...................................1-40
Securing a Child Restraint in
a Rear Outside Seat Position.....................1-40
Securing a Child Restraint in
the Center Seat Position...........................1-42
Securing a Child Restraint in
the Right Front Seat Position.....................1-43
Top Strap...................................................1-36
Top Strap Anchor Location............................1-37
Where to Put the Restraint...........................1-35
Chime Level Adjustment.................................3-116
Cigarette Lighter.............................................3-19
Cleaning
Inside of Your Vehicle..................................5-93
Outside of Your Vehicle................................5-96
3

Finding a Station............................3-59, 3-70, 3-86
Finish Care....................................................5-97
Finish Damage...............................................5-99
Fixed Mast Antenna.......................................3-116
Flash-to-Pass................................................... 3-9
Flat Tire........................................................5-78
Flat Tire, Changing.........................................5-79
Fluid
Automatic Transmission................................5-24
Power Steering...........................................5-39
Windshield Washer......................................5-40
FM Stereo....................................................3-114
Fog Lamps....................................................3-16
Following Distance..........................................4-60
Front Axle......................................................5-53
Front Storage Area.........................................2-41
Fuel............................................................... 5-4
Additives...................................................... 5-6
California Fuel.............................................. 5-6
Filling a Portable Fuel Container....................5-11
Filling Your Tank........................................... 5-8
Fuels in Foreign Countries.............................. 5-7
Gage.........................................................3-42
Gasoline Octane........................................... 5-5
Gasoline Specications.................................. 5-5
Low Warning Light.......................................3-42Fuel Information..............................................3-45
FUEL LEVEL LOW.........................................3-54
Fuses
Fuses and Circuit Breakers.........................5-103
Windshield Wiper.......................................5-102
G
Gage
Check Gages Warning Light..........................3-41
Engine Coolant Temperature.........................3-34
Fuel..........................................................3-42
Oil Pressure...............................................3-38
Speedometer..............................................3-29
Tachometer.................................................3-29
Voltmeter Gage...........................................3-32
Garage Door Opener.......................................2-36
Gasoline
Octane........................................................ 5-5
Specications............................................... 5-5
Gate Ajar Light...............................................3-41
Gate Operator and Canadian Programming........2-39
Getting Familiar with Off-Road Driving................4-18
Glove Box.....................................................2-40
GM Mobility Program for Persons
with Disabilities............................................. 7-6
7