radiator cap GMC SONOMA 2004 Owner's 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 Specifications....................................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 Transmission Fluid.........................5-19
Engine Coolant.............................................5-23
Radiator Pressure Cap..................................5-26
Engine Overheating.......................................5-26
Cooling System............................................5-28
Engine Fan Noise.........................................5-35
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-35Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-36
Brakes........................................................5-37
Battery........................................................5-40
Jump Starting...............................................5-41
Rear Axle.......................................................5-46
Four-Wheel Drive............................................5-46
Front Axle......................................................5-47
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-48
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-48
Headlamps..................................................5-49
One-Piece Front Turn Signal Lamps................5-51
Two-Piece Front Turn Signal Lamps................5-51
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL).........5-52
Taillamps.....................................................5-53
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-54
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-54
Tires..............................................................5-57
Inflation - Tire Pressure.................................5-67
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-68
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-69
Buying New Tires.........................................5-70
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-71
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-72
Wheel Replacement......................................5-72
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

Checking Coolant
The coolant recovery tank is located in the engine
compartment near the passenger side of the vehicle.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview on page 5-12
for more information on location.
The vehicle must be on a level surface. When your
engine is cold, the coolant level should be at ADD, or a
little higher. When your engine is warm, the level
should be up to FULL HOT, or a little higher.
Adding Coolant
If you need more coolant, add the proper DEX-COOL®
coolant mixtureat the coolant recovery tank.
{CAUTION:
Turning the radiator pressure cap when the
engine and radiator are hot can allow steam
and scalding liquids to blow out and burn you
badly. With the coolant recovery tank, you will
almost never have to add coolant at the
radiator. Never turn the radiator pressure
cap — even a little — when the engine and
radiator are hot.
Add coolant mixture at the recovery tank, but be careful
not to spill it.
{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.
Occasionally check the coolant level in the radiator. For
information on how to add coolant to the radiator,
seeCooling System on page 5-28.
5-25

Radiator Pressure Cap
Notice:If the pressure cap is not tightly installed,
coolant loss and possible engine damage may
occur. Be sure the cap is properly and tightly
secured.
Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage on your
vehicle’s instrument panel. SeeEngine Coolant
Temperature Gage on page 3-28.
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
{CAUTION:
Steam from an overheated engine can burn
you badly, even if you just open the hood. Stay
away from the engine if you see or hear steam
coming from it. Just turn it off and get
everyone away from the vehicle until it cools
down. Wait until there is no sign of steam or
coolant before you open the hood.
If you keep driving when your engine is
overheated, the liquids in it can catch re. You
or others could be badly burned. Stop your
engine if it overheats, and get out of the
vehicle until the engine is cool.
Notice:If your engine catches re because you
keep driving with no coolant, your vehicle can
be badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
5-26

Cooling System
When you decide it’s safe to lift the hood, here’s what
you’ll see:
A. Coolant Recovery Tank
B. Radiator Pressure Cap
C. Engine Cooling FanIf the coolant inside the coolant recovery tank is boiling,
don’t do anything else until it cools down. The vehicle
should be parked on a level surface.
5-28

When the engine is cold, the coolant level should be at
least up to the ADD mark. If it isn’t, you may have a
leak at the pressure cap or in the radiator hoses, heater
hoses, radiator, water pump or somewhere else in
the cooling system.
{CAUTION:
Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
parts, can be very hot. Do not touch them. If
you do, you can be burned.
Do not run the engine if there is a leak. If you
run the engine, it could lose all coolant. That
could cause an engine re, and you could be
burned. Get any leak xed before you drive the
vehicle.If there seems to be no leak, start the engine again.
The engine cooling fan speed should increase when idle
speed is doubled by pushing the accelerator pedal
down. If it doesn’t, your vehicle needs service. Turn off
the engine.
Notice:Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant is not covered by your warranty.
Notice:Using coolant other than DEX-COOL
®may
cause premature engine, heater core or radiator
corrosion. In addition, the engine coolant may
require changing sooner, at 30,000 miles (50 000 km)
or 24 months, whichever occurs rst. Any repairs
would not be covered by your warranty. Always use
DEX-COOL
®(silicate-free) coolant in your vehicle.
5-29

When the coolant in the coolant recovery tank is at the
ADD mark, start your vehicle.
If the overheat warning continues, there’s one more
thing you can try. You can add the proper mixture
directly to the radiator, but be sure the cooling system is
cool before you do it.
{CAUTION:
Steam and scalding liquids from a hot cooling
system can blow out and burn you badly. They
are under pressure, and if you turn the radiator
pressure cap — even a little — they can come
out at high speed. Never turn the cap when the
cooling system, including the radiator pressure
cap, is hot. Wait for the cooling system and
radiator pressure cap to cool if you ever have
to turn the pressure cap.
5-31

How to Add Coolant to the Radiator
1. You can remove the radiator pressure cap when
the cooling system, including the radiator pressure
cap and upper radiator hose, is no longer hot.
Turn the pressure cap slowly counterclockwise until
it first stops. (Don’t press down while turning the
pressure cap.)
If you hear a hiss, wait for that to stop. A hiss
means there is still some pressure left.2. Then keep turning the pressure cap, but now push
down as you turn it. Remove the pressure cap.
5-32

3. Fill the radiator with the proper DEX-COOL®
coolant mixture, up to the base of the filler
neck. SeeEngine Coolant on page 5-23for more
information about the proper coolant mixture.4. Then fill the coolant recovery tank to ADD mark.
5. Put the cap back on the coolant recovery tank, but
leave the radiator pressure cap off.
5-33

6. Start the engine and let it run until you can feel the
upper radiator hose getting hot. Watch out for the
engine cooling fan.
7. By this time, the coolant level inside the radiator
filler neck may be lower. If the level is lower, add
more of the proper DEX-COOL
®coolant mixture
through the filler neck until the level reaches
the base of the filler neck.8. Then replace the pressure cap. At any time during
this procedure if coolant begins to flow out of the
filler neck, reinstall the pressure cap. Be sure
the arrow on the pressure cap lines up like this.
5-34

99,000 Miles (165 000 km)
❑Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months,
whichever occurs first).An Emission Control Service.
❑Lubricate chassis components (or every 3 months,
whichever occurs first).(See footnote #.)
❑Check rear/front axle fluid level and add fluid as
needed. Check constant velocity joints and axle seals
for leaking.(See footnote **.)
100,000 Miles (166 000 km)
❑Inspect spark plug wires.An Emission Control
Service.
❑Replace spark plugs.An Emission Control Service.
❑If you have not used your vehicle under severe
service conditions listed previously and, therefore,
have not changed your automatic transmission fluid,
change both the fluid and filter.
❑Inspect Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) valve.
An Emission Control Service.
150,000 Miles (240 000 km)
❑Drain, flush and refill cooling system (or every
60 months since last service, whichever occurs first).
SeeEngine Coolant on page 5-23for what to use.
Inspect hoses. Clean radiator, condenser, pressure
cap and neck. Pressure test cooling system and
pressure cap.An Emission Control Service.
❑Inspect engine accessory drive belt.An Emission
Control Service.
Long Trip/Highway Scheduled
Maintenance
The services shown in this schedule up to 100,000 miles
(166 000 km) should be repeated after 100,000 miles
(166 000 km) at the same intervals for the life of
this vehicle. The services shown at 150,000 miles
(240 000 km) should be repeated at the same interval
after 150,000 miles (240 000 km) for the life of this
vehicle.
SeePart B: Owner Checks and Services on page 6-25
andPart C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections on
page 6-30.
Footnotes
†The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or the
California Air Resources Board has determined that the
failure to perform this maintenance item will not nullify
the emission warranty or limit recall liability prior to
the completion of the vehicle’s useful life. We, however,
urge that all recommended maintenance services be
performed at the indicated intervals and the
maintenance be recorded.
#Lubricate the front suspension, ball joints, steering
linkage, parking brake cable guides, propshaft splines,
universal joints, constant velocity joint and brake
pedal springs.
6-17