checking oil OLDSMOBILE AURORA 2003 Owners Manual

Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
Service ............................................................ 5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work
........................ -5-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside of Your
Vehicle
...................................................... 5-4
Fuel
................................................................ 5-5
Gasoline Octane
............................................ 5-5
Gasoline Specifications
.................................... 5-5
California Fuel
............................................... 5-6
Additives
......................................... ...... 5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries
........................... 5-7
Filling Your Tank
........................................ 5-7
Filling a Portable Fuel Container
..... . 5-11
the Hood
.................................................... 5-12
Hood Release
.............................................. 5-13
Engine Compartment Overview
....................... 5-14
Engine Oil
................................................... 5-15
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
................................ 5-21
P,L!tSrn2.tlC Tr2!ns2x!n !=!!lid ............................. .- E;-33 --
Engine Coolant ............................................. 5-24
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap
.................. 5-28
Engine Overheating
....................................... 5-28
Cooling System
............................................ 5-31
.W indshieid .Washer Fiuid 5-36
Checking Things Under
Power Steering Fluid
..................................... 5-37 ~ ................................
Brakes ........................................................ 5.39
Battery
........................................................ 5.42
Jump Starting
............................................... 5-44
Headlamp Aiming
.............................. ...... 5-50
Bulb Replacement ......................................... -5-54
Halogen Bulbs
............................................. -5-54
Headlamps
................................................. -5-55
Front Turn Signal and Parking Lamps
.......... 5-57
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and
Back-up Lamps
..................................... 5-58
Replacement Bulbs
....................................... 5-58
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.............. 5-59
Tires
.............................................................. 5-60
Inflation
-- Tire Pressure ................................ 5-60
Check Tire Pressure System
.......................... 5-62
Tire Inspection and Rotation
........................... 5-63
When It Is Time for New Tires
....................... 5-65
Buying New Tires
......................................... 5-66
UIIIIUIIII I Ilt: Uudllly uldullly d-UI
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance .................. 5-68
Wheel Replacement
...................................... 5-68
Tire Chains
................................................. -5-70
If a Tire Goes Flat ........................................ 5-70
Changing a Flat Tire
..................................... 5-71
Compact Spare Tire
5-81
I I.-:+- T. n . ._I.&. . n.-- -I:__ _. re7 ..........................
- ......................................
5- 1
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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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Automatic Transaxle Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transaxle fluid
level is when the engine oil is changed.
Change both the fluid and filter every
50,000 miles
(83
000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or
more
of these conditions:
In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
In hilly or mountainous terrain.
regularly reaches
90°F (32°C) or
higher.
When doing frequent trailer towing.
Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, change the fluid and filter at
100,000 miles
(1 66 000 km).
service.
See
Part A: Scheduled Maintenance Services on
page
6-4 for automatic transaxle fluid change intervals.
How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may
choose to have this done at the dealership service
department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the instructions
here, or you could get a false reading
on the dipstick.
Notice: Too much or too little fluid can damage
your transaxle.
Too much can mean that some of the
fluid could come out and fall on hot engine or
exhaust system parts, starting a fire.
Too little fluid
could cause the transaxle to overheat.
Be sure
to get an accurate reading
if you check your
transaxle fluid.
Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the transaxle
fluid level
if you have been driving:
When outside temperatures are above 90°F (32°C).
At high speed for quite a while.
In heavy traffic - especially in hot weather.
While pulling a trailer.
To get the right reading, the fluid should be at normal
operating temperature, which is
180°F to 200°F
(82°C to 93°C).
Get the vehicle warmed up by driving about
15 miles
(24 km) when outside temperatures are above
50°F
(10°C). If it's colder than 50°F (lO"C), you may have to
drive longer.
5-22
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Care of
Care of Your
Safety
Belts
........... ... 5-84
Cassette Tape Player
................................... 3-74
CD Player
.................................................. 3-76
Cassette Tape Messages
................................. 3-66
Cassette Tape Player Service
............................. 6-9
CD Changer, Trunk-Mounted
............................ 3-70
Chains, Tires
.................................................. 5-70
Check Engine Light
............................................... 3-39
Tire Pressure System
................................... 5-62
Check Engine Light
......................................... 3-39
Checking Coolant
............................................ 5-26
Checking Engine Oil
........................................ 5-16
Checking Things Under the Hood
...................... 5-12
Checking Your Restraint Systems
...................... 1-55
Chemical Paint Spotting
................................... 5-87
Child Restraints
Child Restraint Systems
............................... 1-34
Infants and Young Children
........................... 1-30
Lower Andlorayes arid Tup Teiilers ior
Children (LATCH System) .......................... 1-40
Older Children
............................................. 1-28
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for the
LATCH System
........................................ 1-42
Securing a Child Restraint
in a Rear Seat
Position
.............................................. 1-42
CDS
.......................................................... 3-75
Child Restraints
(cont.)
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front
Seat Position
........................................... 1-44
Top Strap
................................................... 1-38
Top Strap Anchor Location
............................ 1-39
Where to Put the Restraint
........................... 1-37
Cigarette Lighter
............................................. 3-22
Cleaning Inside of Your Vehicle
.................................. 5-82
Outside of Your Vehicle
................................ 5-85
Underbody Maintenance
............................... 5-87
Weatherstrips
.............................................. 5-84
Cleaning Exterior LampdLenses
....................... 5-85
Climate Control System
Automatic
................................................... 3-23
Climate Controls Personalization
.................... 3-29
Outlet Adjustment
........................................ 3-27
Chime
Level Adjustment
.................................. 3-76
Steering Wheel Controls
............................... 3-28
Compact Disc Errors
....................................... 3-72
Compact Disc Messages
.................................. 3-68
Compact Spare Tire
........................................ 5-81
Compass Calibration
....................................... 2-35
Compass Operation
......................................... 2-35
Compass Variance
.......................................... 2-36
Control of a Vehicle
.......................................... 4-5
Convenience Net ............................................ 2-46
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