fuel additives CHEVROLET EQUINOX 2008 1.G Owners Manual

Service............................................................5-3
Accessories and Modications..........................5-3
California Proposition 65 Warning.....................5-3
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements.....5-4
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside of Your
Vehicle......................................................5-5
Fuel................................................................5-5
Gasoline Octane............................................5-5
Gasoline Specications....................................5-6
California Fuel...............................................5-6
Additives.......................................................5-7
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-7
Filling the Tank..............................................5-8
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.....................5-10
Checking Things Under
the Hood....................................................5-10
Hood Release..............................................5-11
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-12
Engine Oil...................................................5-15
Engine Oil Life System..................................5-18
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-19Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-21
Engine Coolant.............................................5-22
Engine Overheating.......................................5-24
Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode . . .5-26
Cooling System............................................5-26
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-31
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-32
Brakes........................................................5-33
Battery........................................................5-35
Jump Starting...............................................5-36
All-Wheel Drive..............................................5-42
Headlamp Aiming...........................................5-44
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-44
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-44
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker,
and Parking Lamps....................................5-45
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and
Back-up Lamps.........................................5-48
License Plate Lamp......................................5-49
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-50
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-50
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

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 5-7for
additional information.
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 might be affected.
The malfunction indicator lamp could turn on and your
vehicle might fail a smog-check test. SeeMalfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 3-34. 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 your warranty.
5-6

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 your vehicle experiences
problems due to dirty injectors or valves, look for gasoline
that is advertised as TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline. 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:Your 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 your
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.
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
your 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.
5-7

A
Accessories and Modications............................ 5-3
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle.......................................................1-70
Additives, Fuel................................................. 5-7
Add-On Electrical Equipment...........................5-100
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine.................................5-19
Air Conditioning..............................................3-19
Airbag
Passenger Status Indicator...........................3-28
Readiness Light..........................................3-27
Airbag System................................................1-56
What Will You See After an Airbag Inates?....1-64
When Should an Airbag Inate?....................1-61
Where Are the Airbags?...............................1-59
Airbag Systems
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle...................................................1-70
How Does an Airbag Restrain?......................1-63
Passenger Sensing System...........................1-65
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle..........1-70
What Makes an Airbag Inate?......................1-63
All-Wheel Drive...............................................5-42
All-Wheel Drive Disabled Light..........................3-40
All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) System........................... 4-8
All-Wheel-Drive Service Light............................3-39Antilock Brake System (ABS)............................. 4-5
Antilock Brake, System Warning Light................3-32
Appearance Care
Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels..............5-96
Care of Safety Belts....................................5-93
Chemical Paint Spotting...............................5-97
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses....................5-94
Fabric/Carpet..............................................5-90
Finish Care.................................................5-95
Finish Damage............................................5-97
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other Plastic
Surfaces.................................................5-93
Interior Cleaning..........................................5-89
Leather......................................................5-92
Sheet Metal Damage...................................5-97
Tires..........................................................5-97
Underbody Maintenance...............................5-97
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials................5-98
Washing Your Vehicle...................................5-94
Weatherstrips..............................................5-93
Windshield and Wiper Blades........................5-95
Appointments, Scheduling Service....................... 7-9
Ashtray.........................................................3-18
Audio System.................................................3-64
Audio Steering Wheel Controls....................3-108
Navigation/Radio System, see Navigation
Manual...................................................3-98
1

Engine
Air Cleaner/Filter.........................................5-19
Change Engine Oil Light...............................3-38
Check and Service Engine Soon Light............3-34
Coolant......................................................5-22
Coolant Heater............................................2-23
Coolant Temperature Gage...........................3-33
Coolant Temperature Warning Light................3-33
Drive Belt Routing.......................................6-15
Engine Compartment Overview......................5-12
Exhaust.....................................................2-35
Oil .............................................................5-15
Oil Life System...........................................5-18
Overheated Protection Operating Mode...........5-26
Overheating................................................5-24
Reduced Power Light...................................3-39
Running While Parked..................................2-36
Starting......................................................2-22
Entry Lighting.................................................3-16
Event Data Recorders.....................................7-17
Extender, Safety Belt.......................................1-30
F
Filter
Engine Air Cleaner......................................5-19
Finish Damage...............................................5-97Flashers, Hazard Warning.................................. 3-6
Flash-to-Pass................................................... 3-8
Flat Tire........................................................5-75
Flat Tire, Changing.........................................5-76
Flat Tire, Storing.............................................5-86
Fluid.............................................................5-21
Power Steering...........................................5-31
Windshield Washer......................................5-32
Fog Lamp
Fog ...........................................................3-15
Fog Lamp Light..............................................3-38
Folding Rear Seat...........................................1-10
Folding Seatback, Passenger............................. 1-8
Fuel............................................................... 5-5
Additives...................................................... 5-7
California Fuel.............................................. 5-6
Filling a Portable Fuel Container....................5-10
Filling the Tank............................................. 5-8
Fuels in Foreign Countries.............................. 5-7
Gage.........................................................3-41
Gasoline Octane........................................... 5-5
Gasoline Specications.................................. 5-6
Low Warning Light.......................................3-42
Fuses
Engine Compartment Fuse Block.................5-103
Fuses and Circuit Breakers.........................5-100
Instrument Panel Fuse Block.......................5-101
Windshield Wiper.......................................5-100
5