fuel additives CHEVROLET EQUINOX 2007 1.G Owners Manual

Service........................................................ 333
Accessories and Modications................... 333
California Proposition 65 Warning.............. 334
Doing Your Own Service Work.................. 334
Adding Equipment to the Outside
of Your Vehicle...................................... 335
Fuel............................................................. 335
Gasoline Octane........................................ 335
Gasoline Specications.............................. 335
California Fuel........................................... 336
Additives................................................... 336
Fuels in Foreign Countries........................ 337
Filling the Tank......................................... 337
Filling a Portable Fuel Container............... 339
Checking Things Under the Hood.............. 340
Hood Release........................................... 340
Engine Compartment Overview.................. 342
Engine Oil................................................. 344
Engine Oil Life System.............................. 347
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter............................ 349
Automatic Transaxle Fluid......................... 352
Engine Coolant.......................................... 352
Engine Overheating................................... 355Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode..................................... 357
Cooling System......................................... 358
Windshield Washer Fluid........................... 364
Brakes...................................................... 365
Battery...................................................... 368
Jump Starting............................................ 368
All-Wheel Drive........................................... 374
Bulb Replacement....................................... 375
Halogen Bulbs........................................... 376
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal,
Sidemarker, and Parking Lamps............. 376
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps
and Back-up Lamps............................... 378
License Plate Lamp................................... 380
Replacement Bulbs................................... 380
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement....... 380
Tires............................................................ 382
Tire Sidewall Labeling............................... 383
Tire Terminology and Denitions............... 387
Ination - Tire Pressure............................. 390
Tire Pressure Monitor System................... 391
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
331

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 dealer 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.
To help keep your engine clean and maintain
optimum vehicle performance, GM recommends
the use of gasoline advertised as TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline.
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.
Gasoline Specications
At a minimum, gasoline should meet ASTM
specication D 4814 in the United States or
CAN/CGSB-3.5 in Canada. Some gasolines may
contain an octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT). General Motors recommends against the
use of gasolines containing MMT. SeeAdditives
on page 336for additional information.
335

California Fuel
If your 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, your vehicle will operate
satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal
specications, but emission control system
performance may be affected. The malfunction
indicator lamp may turn on and your vehicle may
fail a smog-check test. SeeMalfunction Indicator
Lamp on page 183. If this occurs, return to
your authorized GM dealer for diagnosis. If it is
determined that the condition is caused by the type
of fuel used, repairs may not be covered by
your warranty.
Additives
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the United
States are now required to contain additives that
will help prevent engine and fuel system deposits
from forming, allowing your emission control system
to work properly.In most cases, you should not have to add anything
to your 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 your vehicle experiences problems due to dirty
injectors or valves, look for gasoline that is
advertised as TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline. Also,
your dealer has additives that will help correct and
prevent most deposit-related problems.
Gasolines containing oxygenates, such as ethers
and ethanol, and reformulated gasolines may
be available in your area. General Motors
recommends 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:Your vehicle was not designed for
fuel that contains methanol. Do not use
fuel containing methanol. It can corrode metal
parts in your fuel system and also damage
the plastic and rubber parts. That damage
would not be covered under your warranty.
336

A
Accessories and Modications..................... 333
Accessory Power Outlet(s).......................... 164
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle....................................................... 89
Additives, Fuel............................................ 336
Add-On Electrical Equipment....................... 428
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine............................. 349
Air Conditioning........................................... 165
Airbag
Passenger Status Indicator....................... 175
Readiness Light....................................... 174
Airbag Sensing and Diagnostic Module
(SDM)...................................................... 469
Airbag System............................................... 72
Adding Equipment to Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle......................... 89
How Does an Airbag Restrain?.................. 80
Passenger Sensing System....................... 82
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle..... 88
What Makes an Airbag Inate?.................. 79
What Will You See After an Airbag
Inates?................................................. 80Airbag System (cont.)
When Should an Airbag Inate?................. 78
Where Are the Airbags?............................. 75
All-Wheel Drive........................................... 374
All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) System.................... 293
All-Wheel-Drive Service Light....................... 189
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS).................... 289
Anti-Lock Brake, System Warning Light....... 180
Appearance Care
Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels........ 424
Care of Safety Belts................................ 421
Chemical Paint Spotting........................... 426
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses.............. 422
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.......... 417
Fabric/Carpet........................................... 418
Finish Care.............................................. 422
Finish Damage......................................... 425
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other
Plastic Surfaces.................................... 421
Leather.................................................... 420
Sheet Metal Damage............................... 425
Tires........................................................ 425
Underbody Maintenance........................... 425
477

Engine (cont.)
Coolant Temperature Gage...................... 182
Coolant Temperature Warning Light.......... 181
Drive Belt Routing.................................... 450
Engine Compartment Overview................ 342
Exhaust................................................... 127
Oil ........................................................... 344
Oil Life System........................................ 347
Overheated Protection Operating Mode.... 357
Overheating............................................. 355
Reduced Power Light............................... 188
Starting.................................................... 116
Entry Lighting.............................................. 161
Event Data Recorders (EDR)...................... 469
Extender, Safety Belt..................................... 42
F
Filter
Engine Air Cleaner................................... 349
Finish Damage............................................ 425
Flashers, Hazard Warning........................... 150
Flash-to-Pass.............................................. 153
Flat Tire...................................................... 404Flat Tire, Changing...................................... 404
Flat Tire, Storing......................................... 414
Fluid
Automatic Transaxle................................. 352
Windshield Washer.................................. 364
Fog Lamp Light........................................... 188
Fog Lamps.................................................. 160
Folding Rear Seat......................................... 17
Folding Seatback, Passenger........................ 14
Fuel............................................................ 335
Additives.................................................. 336
California Fuel.......................................... 336
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.............. 339
Filling Your Tank...................................... 337
Fuels in Foreign Countries....................... 337
Gage....................................................... 191
Gasoline Octane...................................... 335
Gasoline Specications............................ 335
Low Warning Light................................... 192
Fuses
Engine Compartment Fuse Block............. 431
Fuses and Circuit Breakers...................... 429
Instrument Panel Fuse Block................... 429
Windshield Wiper..................................... 429
482