check engine OLDSMOBILE AURORA 2003 Owner's Guide

Checking Coolant
Turning the surge tank pressure cap when the
engine and radiator are hot can allow steam
and scalding liquids
to blow out and burn you
badly. Never turn the surge tank pressure
cap
- even a little - when the engine and
radiator are hot.
I I
~ The vehicle must be on a level surface. When your
engine is cold, the coolant level should be at the cold
level mark.
The engine coolant surge tank is located in the engine
compartment on the passenger’s side of the vehicle,
near the windshield. See
Engine Compartment Overview
on page
5-74 for more information on location.
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If 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.
A low coolant level should be indicated by a LOW
ENGINE COOLANT message on the Driver Information
Center.
If it is, 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. Heater
and radiator hoses, and other engine
parts, can be very hot. Don’t touch them.
If you
do, you can be burned.
Don’t run the engine if there is a leak. If you
run the engine,
it could lose all coolant. That
could cause an engine fire, and you could be
burned. Get any leak fixed before you drive the
vehicle.
If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check
to see
if the electric engine cooling fans are running.
If the engine is overheating, both fans should be
running.
If they aren’t, your vehicle needs service.
Notice: Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn’t covered by your warranty.
See “Overheated Engine Protection Operating
Mode’’ in the Index for information on driving to a
safe place
in an emergency.
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Notice: When adding coolant, it is important that
you use only
DEX-COOL@ (silicate-free) coolant.
If coolant other than DEX-COOL is added to
the system, premature engine, heater core or radiator corrosion may result. In addition, the engine
coolant will require change sooner
- at 30,000 miles
(50 000 km) or 24 months, whichever occurs first.
Damage caused by the use of coolant other
than DEX-COOL@
is not covered by your new vehicle
warranty.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Surge Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, check to see if
coolant is visible in the surge tank. If coolant is visible
but the coolant level isn’t at or above the
FULL COLD fill
mark line (4.5 inches (1 1 cm) from the top of the filler
neck), add a
50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX-COOL@ coolant at the coolant surge tank, but be
sure the cooling system, including the coolant surge tank
Coolant on page 5-24 for more information.
If no coolant is visible in the surge tank, add coolant as
follows:
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Steam and scalding Ii ids from a hot cooling
system can blow out and burn you badly. They
are under pressure, and
if you turn the coolant
surge tank pressure cap -- even a little -- they
can come out at high speed. Never
turn the
cap when the cooling system, including the
coolant surge tank pressure cap, is hot. Wait
for the cooling system and coolant surge tank
pressure cap to cool if you ever have to turn
the pressure cap.
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Power Steering Fluid
The power steering fluid
reservoir is near the center
of the engine compartment
on the passenger’s side
of the vehicle. See
Engine
Compartment Overview
on page 5-14 for more
information
on location. I
When to Check Power Steering Fluid
It is not necessary to regularly check power steering fluid
unless you suspect there is a leak in the system or
you hear an unusual noise. A fluid
loss in this system
and repaired. See
Engine Compartment Overview
on page 5-74 for reservoir location.
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How to Check Power Steering Fluid
Turn the key off, let the engine compartment cool down,
wipe the cap and the top of the reservoir clean, then
unscrew the cap and wipe the dipstick with a clean rag.
Replace the cap and completely tighten it. Then
remove the cap again and look at the fluid !eve!
on the
dipstick.
The level should be at the
FULL COLD mark. If
necessary, add only enough fluid to bring the level up to
the mark.
What to Use
To determine what kind of fluid to use, see Part D:
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-15.
Always use the proper fluid. Failure to use the proper
fluid can cause leaks and damage hoses and seals.
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Using a match near a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing
this, and some have been blinded. Use a
flashlight if you need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough water.
You
don’t need to add water to the ACDelco@
battery installed
in your new vehicle. But if a
battery has filler caps, be sure the right
amount of fluid is there. If
it is low, add water
to take care of that first. If you don’t, explosive
gas could be present.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn you.
Don’t get
it on you. If you accidentally get it in
your eyes or on your skin, flush the place with
water and get medical help immediately. Fans or other moving engine parts
can injure
you badly. Keep your hands away from moving
parts once the engine
is running.
6. Check that the jumper cables don’t have loose or
missing insulation.
If they do, you could get a
shock. The vehicles could be damaged too.
Before you connect the cables, here are some
basic things you should know. Positive
(+) will go
to positive
(+) or to a remote positive (+) terminal if
the vehicle has one. Negative (-) will go to a
heavy, unpainted metal engine part or to a remote
negative
(-) terminal if the vehicle has one.
Don’t connect positive
(+) to negative (-) or you’ll
get
a short that would damage the battery and
maybe other parts too. And don’t connect the
negative
(-) cable to the negative (-) terminal on
the dead battery because this can cause sparks.
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Section 6 Maintenance Schedule
~~~ ~~
Maintenance Schedule ...................................... 6.2 At Least Once a Year ................................... 6.10
Introduction
................................................... 6.2 Part C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections ......... 6.13
Your Vehicle and the Environment
.................... 6-2 Steering, Suspension and Front Drive Axle
Maintenance Requirements
.............................. 6.2 Boot and Seal Inspection ............................ 6.13
How This Section is Organized
......................... 6.3
Exhaust System Inspection ............................ 6.13
Part A: Scheduled Maintenance Services ........... 6.4
Using Your Maintenance Schedule
, 6.4 Fuel System Inspection
6.13
Scheduled Maintenance Engine Cooling System Inspection
6.14
...................... ...... 6.5
Part
B: Owner Checks and Services 6-9 Throttle
System Inspection 6.14
At Each Fuel Fill
............................................ 6.9 Brake System Inspection 6.14
At Least Twice a Year
................................... 6.10 Part E: Maintenance Record ........................... 6.16
.................................. .......... ...... ...................
............................. ................. ................................
At Least Once a Month ................................... 6.9 Part D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants .... 6-15
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Maintenance Schedule
Introduction
IMPORTANT:
KEEP ENGINE OIL
AT THE PROPER
LEVEL AND CHANGE AS'.
RECOMMENDED
.
Have you purchased the GM Protection Plan? The Plan
supplements your new vehicle warranties. See your
Warranty and Owner Assistance booklet or your dealer
for details.
Your Vehicle and the Environment
Proper vehicle maintenance not only helps to keep your
vehicle in good working condition, but also helps the
environment.
All recommended maintenance procedures
are important. Improper vehicle maintenance can
even affect the quality of the air we breathe. Improper
fluid levels or the wrong tire inflation can increase
the level of emissions from your vehicle.
To help protect
our environment, and to keep your vehicle in good
condition, please maintain your vehicle properly.
Maintenance Requirements
Maintenance intervals, checks, inspections and
recommended fluids and lubricants as prescribed in this
manual are necessary to keep your vehicle in good
working condition. Any damage caused
by failure
to follow recommended maintenance may not be
covered by warranty.
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Part A: Scheduled Maintenance
Services
This part contains engine oil scheduled maintenance
which explains the engine oil life system and how
it indicates when to change the engine oil and filter.
Also, listed are scheduled maintenance services which
are to be performed at the mileage intervals specified.
Using Your Maintenance Schedule
We at General Motors want to keep your vehicle in good
working condition. But we don’t know exactly how
you’ll drive it. You may drive short distances only a few
times a week. Or you may drive long distances all
the time in very hot, dusty weather. You may use your
vehicle in making deliveries. Or you may drive it to
work, to do errands or in many other ways.
Because of the different ways people use their vehicles,
maintenance needs may vary. You may need more
frequent checks and replacements.
So please read the
following and note how you drive. If you have
questions on how to keep your vehicle in good condition,
see your dealer. This part tells
you the maintenance services you should
have done and when you should schedule them.
When you go to your dealer for your service needs,
you’ll know that GM-trained and supported service
people will perform the work using genuine GM parts.
The proper fluids and lubricants to use are listed in
Part
D. Make sure whoever services your vehicle uses
these.
All parts should be replaced and all necessary
repairs done before you or anyone else drives the
vehicle.
This schedule is for vehicles that:
carry passengers and cargo within recommended
limits. You will find these on your vehicle’s
Tire-Loading Information label. See
Loading Your
Vehicle on page 4-34.
are driven on reasonable road surfaces within legal
driving limits.
use the recommended fuel. See Gasoline Octane
on page
5-5.
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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.
See
Part 5: Owner Checks and Services on page 6-9
and Part C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections on
page
6- 13.
Footnotes
t 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
periormea at tne inuicateti intervais anti tne
maintenance be recorded.
@ Whenever the tires are rotated, the Check Tire
Pressure System must be reset.
+A good ti.me to check your brakes is duri.ng tire
rotation. See Brake System Inspection on page 6-14.
Engine Oil Scheduled Maintenance
Change engine oil and filter as indicated by the GM
Oil Life SystemTM (or every 12 months, whichever
occurs first). Reset the system.
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 light 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
must be reset. 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. See
Engine Oil on
page
5-15 for information on resetting the system.
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Part B: Owner Checks and Services
Listed in this part are owner checks and services
which should be performed at the intervals specified to
help ensure the safety, dependability and emission
control performance of your vehicle.
Be sure any necessary repairs are completed at once.
Whenever any fluids or lubricants are added to your
vehicle, make sure they are the proper ones, as shown
in Part
D.
At Each Fuel Fill
It is important for you or a service station attendant to
perform these underhood checks at each fuel fill.
Engine Oil Level Check
Check the engine oil level and add the proper oil if
necessary. See Engine Oil on page 5-15 for further
details.
Engine Coolant Level Check
Check the engine coolant level and add DEX-COOL@
coolant mixture if necessary. See Engine Coolant
on page
5-24 for further details.
Windshield Washer Fluid Level Check
Check the windshield washer fluid level in the windshield
washer tank and add the proper fluid
if necessary.
See
Windshield Washer Fluid on page 5-38 for further
details.
At Least Once a Month
Tire Inflation Check
Make sure tries are inflated to the correct pressures.
Don't forget to check your spare tire. See
Tires on
page
5-60 for further details.
Cassette Tape Player Service
c;eai-l c-&sei;e idPt: Ciearri1-,y S;-,"&j st: du,
every 50 hours of tape play. See Audio Systern(s)
on page
3-59 for further details.
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