fuel additives CHEVROLET VENTURE 2003 1.G Owners Manual

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............................................5-4
Gasoline Speci®cations....................................5-5
California Fuel...............................................5-5
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-6
Filling Your Tank............................................5-7
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.......................5-9
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-10
Hood Release..............................................5-10
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-12
Engine Oil...................................................5-13
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-18
Automatic Transaxle Fluid..............................5-20
Engine Coolant.............................................5-23
Radiator Pressure Cap..................................5-26
Engine Overheating.......................................5-26
Cooling System............................................5-29
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-37
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-38
Brakes........................................................5-40Battery........................................................5-43
Jump Starting...............................................5-44
All-Wheel Drive..............................................5-50
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-52
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-52
Headlamps..................................................5-52
Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker and
Parking Lamps..........................................5-54
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and
Back-up Lamps.........................................5-56
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-57
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-58
Tires..............................................................5-60
In¯ation - Tire Pressure.................................5-61
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-62
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-63
Buying New Tires.........................................5-64
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-65
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-66
Wheel Replacement......................................5-66
Tire Chains..................................................5-67
Accessory In¯ator.........................................5-68
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-70
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................5-71
Compact Spare Tire......................................5-86
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

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. You should not have to add anything to your
fuel. Gasolines containing oxygenates, such as
ethers and ethanol, and reformulated gasolines may be
available in your area to contribute to clean air.
General Motors recommends that you use these
gasolines, particularly if they comply with the
speci®cations described earlier.
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.
Some gasolines that are not reformulated for
low emissions may contain an octane-enhancing
additive called methylcyclopentadienyl manganesetricarbonyl (MMT); ask the attendant where you buy
gasoline whether the fuel contains MMT. General Motors
does not recommend the use of such gasolines.
Fuels containing MMT can reduce the life of spark plugs
and the performance of the emission control system
may be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp
may turn on. If this occurs, return to your authorized GM
dealer for service.
Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another country outside the
United States or Canada, the proper fuel may 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.
5-6

As in the chart shown previously, SAE 5W-30 is the
only viscosity grade recommended for your vehicle. You
should look for and use only oils which have the API
Starburst symbol and which are also identi®ed as
SAE 5W-30. If you cannot ®nd such SAE 5W-30 oils,
you can use an SAE 10W-30 oil which has the API
Starburst symbol, if it's going to be 0ÉF (-18ÉC)
or above. Do not use other viscosity grade oils, such as
SAE 10W-40 or SAE 20W-50 under any conditions.
Notice:Use only engine oil with the American
Petroleum Institute Certi®ed For Gasoline Engines
starburst symbol. Failure to use the recommended
oil can result in engine damage not covered by
your warranty.
GM Goodwrench
žoil meets all the requirements for
your vehicle.
If you are in an area of extreme cold, where the
temperature falls below-20ÉF (-29ÉC), it is
recommended that you use either an SAE 5W-30
synthetic oil or an SAE 0W-30 oil. Both will provide
easier cold starting and better protection for your engine
at extremely low temperatures.
Engine Oil Additives
Don't add anything to your oil. The recommended oils
with the starburst symbol are all you will need for
good performance and engine protection.
When to Change Engine Oil
(GM Oil Life System)
Your vehicle has a computer system that lets you know
when to change the engine oil and ®lter. This is
based on engine revolutions and engine temperature,
and not on mileage. Based on driving conditions,
the mileage at which an oil change will be indicated can
vary considerably. For the oil life system to work
properly, you must reset the system every time the oil is
changed.
When the system has calculated that oil life has been
diminished, it will indicate that an oil change is
necessary. A change engine oil message will come on.
Change your oil as soon as possible within the next
two times you stop for fuel. It is possible that, if you are
driving under the best conditions, the oil life system
may not indicate that an oil change is necessary for over
a year. However, your engine oil and ®lter must be
changed at least once a year and at this time the system
must be reset. Your dealer has GM-trained service
people who will perform this work using genuine GM
parts and reset the system. It is also important to check
your oil regularly and keep it at the proper level.
If the system is ever reset accidentally, you must change
your oil at 3,000 miles (5 000 km) since your last oil
change. Remember to reset the oil life system whenever
the oil is changed.
5-17

A
Accessory In¯ator...........................................5-68
Accessory Power Outlets.................................3-24
Adding Washer Fluid.......................................5-39
Additional Program Information........................... 7-9
Additives, Fuel................................................. 5-6
Add-On Electrical Equipment............................5-96
Adjusting the Bucket Seats...............................1-16
Adjusting the Captain's Chairs
(Second Row).............................................1-22
Adjusting the Speakers
(Balance/Fade)....................3-64, 3-67, 3-74, 3-84
Adjusting the Split Bench Seats
(Second Row)............................................... 1-9
Air Bag Systems.............................................1-93
How Does an Air Bag Restrain?....................1-99
Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle.......1-102
What Makes an Air Bag In¯ate?....................1-99
What Will You See After an Air
Bag In¯ates?.........................................1-100
When Should an Air Bag In¯ate?...................1-98
Where Are the Air Bags?..............................1-96
Air Bag .........................................................3-40
Readiness Light..........................................3-40
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine.................................5-18
All-Wheel Drive Disable Warning Message..........3-57
All-Wheel Drive......................................5-50, 5-86
All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) System.........................4-10AM-FM Radio.................................................3-62
AM .............................................................3-104
Antenna, Fixed Mast......................................3-105
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)............................ 4-6
Anti-Lock Brake, System Warning Light..............3-42
Appearance Care............................................5-87
Care of Safety Belts and Built-in Child
Restraint Harness.....................................5-90
Chemical Paint Spotting...............................5-93
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle................5-87
Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle..............5-90
Finish Damage............................................5-93
Sheet Metal Damage...................................5-93
Underbody Maintenance...............................5-93
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials................5-94
Weatherstrips..............................................5-90
Arming and Disarming the Content
Theft-Deterrent System.................................2-68
Arming Con®rmation........................................2-28
Arming with the Power Lock Switch...................2-27
Arming with the Remote Keyless Entry
Transmitter.................................................2-28
Arming with Your Key......................................2-28
Audio Speakers..............................................3-94
Audio System(s).............................................3-61
AM-FM Radio.............................................3-62
Care of Your Cassette Tape Player...............3-104
Care of Your CD and DVD Player................3-105
Care of Your CDs and DVDs.......................3-105
1

Folding or Reclining the Seatbacks . . . 1-10, 1-17, 1-22
Folding the Seatback.......................................1-26
Following Distance..........................................4-41
Footnotes........................................................ 6-5
Front Reading Lamps......................................3-19
Front Seat Storage Net....................................2-54
Fuel............................................................... 5-4
Additives...................................................... 5-6
California Fuel.............................................. 5-5
Filling a Portable Fuel Container..................... 5-9
Filling Your Tank........................................... 5-7
Fuels in Foreign Countries.............................. 5-6
Gage.........................................................3-48
Gasoline Octane........................................... 5-4
Gasoline Speci®cations.................................. 5-5
Low Warning Message.................................3-57
System Inspection.......................................6-16
Fuses...........................................................5-96
Fuses and Circuit Breakers...........................5-96
Windshield Wiper.........................................5-96
G
Gage............................................................3-44
Engine Coolant Temperature.........................3-44
Fuel..........................................................3-48
Speedometer..............................................3-38
Tachometer.................................................3-39Garage Door Opener Compartment...................2-53
Garage Door Opener.......................................2-47
Gasoline......................................................... 5-4
Octane........................................................ 5-4
Speci®cations............................................... 5-5
Gate Operator and Canadian Programming........2-50
Glove Box.....................................................2-51
GM Mobility Program for Persons with
Disabilities.................................................... 7-5
H
Hatch Ajar Warning Message............................3-56
Hazard Warning Flashers................................... 3-6
Head Restraints............................................... 1-6
Headlamp Wiring............................................5-96
Headlamps....................................................5-52
Bulb Replacement.......................................5-52
Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker and
Parking Lamps.........................................5-54
Halogen Bulbs............................................5-52
Headphones...................................................3-93
Highway Hypnosis...........................................4-23
Hill and Mountain Roads..................................4-24
Hitches..........................................................4-39
HomeLink Transmitter, Programming..................2-48
HomeLink
žTransmitter....................................2-47
7