fuel OLDSMOBILE AURORA 2003 Owner's Manual

California Fuel Additives
If your vehicle is certified to meet California Emission
Standards (see the underhood emission control label), it
is designed to operate on fuels that meet California
specifications. If this fuel is not available in states
adopting California emissions standards, your vehicle
will operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal
specifications, but emission control system performance
may be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp may
turn on (see
Malfunction Indicator Lamp on page 3-39 )
and your vehicle may fail a smog-check test. 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. 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
specifications described earlier.
Notice: Your vehicle was not designed for fuel that
contains methanol. Don’t use fuel containing
methanol. It can corrode metal parts in your fuel
system and also damage the plastic and rubber
parts. That damage wouldn’t be covered under your
warranty.
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Some gasolines that are not reformulated for low
emissions may contain an octane-enhancing additive
called methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(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 find. Never use leaded gasoline or any other fuel
not recommended in the previous text on fuel. Costly
repairs caused by use of improper fuel wouldn’t be
covered by your warranty.
Filling Your Tank
Fuel vapor is highly flammable. It burns
violently, and that can cause very bad injuries.
Don’t smoke
if you’re near fuel or refueling
your vehicle. Keep sparks, flames and smoking
materials away from fuel.
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contact a major oil company that does business in the
country where you’ll be driving.
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The fuel cap is located behind a hinged fuel door on
the driver’s side of the vehicle. To open the fuel door,
press the button located
on the driver’s door
trim near the trunk release
button.
The ignition does not need to be on. The remote fuel
door release will work in all transaxle positions.
The trunk release lockout switch must be in
OFF for the
fuel door
to open.
The fuel door can be opened manually in case of a
power failure. To do this, first open the trunk. The release mechanism is located on the driver’s side of the
vehicle, at the top
of the trunk compartment.
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Pull the tab toward you to
release the fuel door.
Notice: Prying on a locked fuel filler door can
damage it. Use the remote fuel door manual release
located in the trunk
in the case of a power failure.
While refueling, hang the tethered fuel cap
from the
hook on the fuel door.
To remove the fuel cap, turn it slowly to the left
(counterclockwise). The fuel cap has a spring in it;
if
you let go of the cap too soon, it will spring back to the
rinht a '3' '*.
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If you get fuel on yourself and then something
ignites
it, you could be badly burned. Fuel can
spray out on you if you open the fuel cap too quickly. This spray can happen if your tank
is
nearly full, and is more likely in hot weather.
Open the fuel cap slowly and wait for any
“hiss” noise to stop. Then unscrew the cap all
the way.
Be careful not to spill fuel. Clean fuel from painted
surfaces as soon
as possible. See Cleaning the Outside
of Your Vehicle on page 5-85. When filling the tank
do not overfill by squeezing in much more fuel after the
pump shuts
off.
When you put the fuel cap back on, turn it to the right
(clockwise) until you hear
a clicking sound. Make
sure you fully install the cap. The diagnostic system can
determine
if the fuel cap has been left off or improperly
installed. This would allow fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere. See
Malfunction Indicator Lamp on
page
3-39.
The CHECK GAS CAP DIC message will come on if the
fuel cap is not properly reinstalled.
Notice: If you need a new fuel cap, be sure to get
the right type. Your dealer can get one for you.
If you get the wrong type,
it may not fit properly.
This may cause your malfunction indicator lamp to
light and may damage your fuel tank and emissions
system. See “Malfunction Indicator Lamp” in the
Index.
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Filling a Portable Fuel *ontair -r
Never fill a portable fuel container while it is in
your vehicle. Static electricity discharge from
the container can ignite the gasoline vapor.
You can be badly burned and your vehicle
damaged if this occurs.
To help avoid injury to
you and others:
containers.
Dispense gasoline only into approved
CAUTION: (Continued)
0 not fil container wh ~ it is i _ide a
vehicle, in a vehicle’s trunk, pickup bed or on any surface other than the ground.
Bring the fill nozzle in contact with the
inside of the fill opening before operating
the nozzle. Contact should be maintained until the filling
is complete.
Don’t smoke while pumping gasoline.
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Checking Things Under
the Hood
An electric fan under the hood can start up
and injure you even when the engine is not
running. Keep hands, clothing and tools away
from any underhood electric fan.
I I
/t CAUTION:
I
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts
and start a fire. These include liquids like fuel,
oil, coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer and
other fluids, and plastic or rubber. You or
others could be burned. Be careful not to drop
or spill things that will burn onto a hot engine.
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Checking Engine Oil
It’s a good idea to check your engine oil every time you
get fuel. In order to get an accurate reading, the oil
must be warm and the vehicle must be on level ground.
The engine oil dipstick is
located near the front of
the engine compartment.
The top of the dipstick
is a round yellow loop. See
Engine Companlment
Overview on page
5-14 for
more information on
location. Turn
off the
engine and give the oil several minutes to
drain back into the oil pan. If you don’t, the oil
dipstick might not show the actual level.
Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel or
cloth, then push it back in all the way. Remove it again,
keeping the tip down, and check the level.
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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 identified as
SAE 5W-30.
If you cannot find such SAE 5W-30 oils,
you can use an SAE IOW-30 oil which has the API
Starburst symbol,
if it's going to be 0°F (-18°C)
or above. Do not use other viscosity grade oils, such as
SAE
1OW-40 or SAE 2OW-50 under any conditions.
Notice: Use only engine oil with the American
Petroleum Institute Certified For Gasoline Engines
starburst symbol. Failure to use the recommended
oil can result in engine damage not covered by
your warranty.
GM Goodwrench@ oil meets all the requirements for
your vehicle.
If you are in an area of extreme cold, where the
temperature falls below
-20°F (-29"C), it is
recommended that you use either an SAE 5W-30
synthetic oil or an SAF OW-30 nil Roth will prnvide
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
Life SystemTM) Engine Oil (GM Oil
Your
vehicle has a computer system that lets you know
when to change the engine oil and filter. 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
OIL SOON 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 filter
must be changed at least once a year and at this time
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
ei! is changed.
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Headlamp Aiming
Your vehicle has a visual optical headlamp aiming
system equipped with horizontal aim indicators. The aim
has been preset at the factory and should need no
further adjustment. This is true even though your
horizontal aim indicators may not fall exactly on the
“0 (zero) marks on their scales.
If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the headlamp
aim may be affected. Aim adjustment to the low beam
may be necessary
if it is difficult to see lane markers (for
horizontal aim),
or if oncoming drivers flash their high
beams at you (for vertical aim).
If you believe your
headlamps need to be re-aimed, we recommend that
you take your vehicle to your dealer for service.
However, it is possible for you to re-aim your headlamps
as described
in the following procedure.
Notice: To make sure your headlamps are aimed
properly, read all the instructions before beginning.
Failure to follow these instructions could cause
damage to headlamp parts.
The vehicle should be properly prepared as follows:
The vehicle should be placed so the headlamps are
25 ft. (7.6 m) from a light colored wall or other flat
surface.
The vehicle must have all four tires on a perfectly
level surface which is level all the way to the wall
or other flat surface.
The vehicle should be placed so it is perpendicular
to the wall or other flat surface.
The vehicle should not have any snow, ice or mud
attached to it.
The vehicle should be fully assembled and all other
work stopped while headlamp aiming is being done.
full tank of fuel and one person or 160
Ibs (75 kg) on
the driver’s seat.
The vehicle should be normally loaded with a
Tires should be properly inflated.
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