PONTIAC GRAND-AM 1993 Owners Manual

Service & Appearance Care
Manual Transaxle Fluid (CONI)
How to Add Fluid:
Here’s how to add fluid. Refer to the
Maintenance Schedule to determine
what kind
of fluid to use. See the Index
under Fluids & Lubricants.
1. Remove the dipstick by flipping the
handle up and then pulling the
dipstick out.
2. Add fluid at the dipstick hole.
Add
only enough fluid to bring the
fluid level up to the
FULL mark on
the dipstick.
3. Push the dipstick back in all the way;
then flip the handle down to lock the
dipstick in place.
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Hydraulic Clutch
(MANUAL TRANSAXLE)
The hydraulic clutch in your vehicle is
self-adjusting.
When to Check and What to Use:
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to
determine how often you should check
the fluid level in your clutch master cylinder reservoir and what to add. See
the
Index under Fluids & Lubricants.
How to Check:
The proper fluid should be added if the
level is at or below the
STEP mark on
the reservoir cap. See the instructions on
the reservoir cap.
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Engine Coolant
The following explains your cooling system and how to add coolant when it
is low. If you have a problem with
engine overheating, see the
Index under
Engine Overheating.
The proper coolant for your Pontiac
will:
Give freezing protection down to
Give boiling protection up to 262°F
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine
-34°F (-37°C).
(128°C).
temperature.
Let the warning
should. lights work as they
What to Use:
Use
a mixture of one-half clean water
(preferably distilled) and one-half
antifreeze that meets
“GM Specification
1825-M,” which won’t damage
aluminum parts. You can
also use a
recycled coolant conforming to GM
Specification 1825-M with a complete
coolant flush and refill. If you use this
mixture, you don’t need to add anything
else.
CAUTION I
A Adding only plain water ta
L pur cooling system can be
dangerous. Plain water, or some
other liquid like alcohol, can boil
bebe the proper coolant mix will.
system is set for the proper coolant
mix. With plain water or the
wrong mix, your engine could get
too hot but you wouldn’t get the
overheat warning, Your engine
could catch fire and you or others
could be burned. Use a 50/50 mix
of clean water and a proper
antifreeze.
Your v&hicle’s coolant warning
221 .
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Service & Appearance Care
I Engine Coolant (CONI)
If you use an improper coolant
mix, your engine could overheat
and be badly damaged. The reDair
cost wouldn’t be covered by
yo
warranty. Too much water in the
mix can freeze and crack the
engine, radiator, heater
c ; and
other parts.
Adding Coolant
To Check Coolant:
When your engine is cold, the coolant
level should be at
FULL COLD, or a
little higher.
3
To Add Coolant:
If you need more coolant, add the
proper
mix at the surge tank, but only
when the engine is cool.
II
Turning the surge tank
L pressure cap when the engine
and radiator are hot can allow
sbeam and scalding liquids to blow
out and burn you badly. Never turn
the surge tank pressure capieven
a little-when the engine and I
radiator are hot.
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1 CAUTION
A -'-u can be burned if you spill
A Luolant on hot engine parts.
Loolant contains ethylene glycol,
and it will burn if the engine parts
are hot enough. Don't spill coolant
on a hot engine.
Surge Tank Pressure Cap
When you replace your surge tank
pressure cap, a
GM cap is
recommended.
Thermostat
Engine coolant temperature is controlled
by a thermostat
in the engine coolant
system. The thermostat stops the
flow of
coolant through the radiator until the
coolant reaches a preset temperature.
When you replace your thermostat, an
AC@ thermostat is recommended.
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Service & Appearance Care
Power Steering Fluid
How to Check Power Steering Fluid:
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 level
on
the dipstick.
When the engine compartment is hot,
the level should be at the
H (Hot)
mark.
the level should be at the
C (Cold)
mark.
When the engine compartment is cool,
What to Add:
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to
determine what kind
of fluid to use. See
the
Index under Fluids & Lubricants.
Windshield Washer Fluid
To Add:
Open the cap labeled WASHER FLUID
ONLY.
Add washer fluid until the bottle is full.
mmm 224
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Brake Master Cylinder
Your brake master cylinder is here. It is
filled with DOT-3 brake fluid.
There are only two reasons why the
brake fluid level in your master cylinder
might go down. The first is that the
brake fluid goes down to an acceptable
level during normal brake lining wear.
When new linings are put in, the fluid
level goes back up. The other reason
is that fluid is leaking
out
of the brake system. If it is, you
should have your brake system fixed,
since a leak means that sooner or later
your brakes won’t work well, or won’t
work at all.
So, it isn’t a good idea to “top off’ your
brake fluid. Adding brake fluid won’t
correct a leak.
If you add fluid when
your linings are worn, then you’ll have
too much fluid when you get new brake
linings. You should add (or remove)
brake fluid, as necessary,
only when
work is done on the brake hydraulic
system.
225 ...
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Service fS Appearance Care
Brake Master Cylinder (CONI)
I If you have too much brake
fluid, it can spill
on the
engine. The fluid will burn
if the
engine
is hot enough. You or
others could be burned, and your
vehicle could
be damaged. Add
brake fluid only when work is
done on the brake hydraulic
system.
When your brake fluid falls to a low
level, your brake warning light will
come on. See the
Index under Brake
System Warning Light.
What to Add:
When you do need brake fluid, use only
DOT-3 brake fluid-such as Delco
Supreme
ll@ (GM Part No. 1052535).
Use new brake fluid from a sealed
container only.
I DOT-5 silicone brake fluid can
;'Don't let someone put in the
:> 1 I :, !wrong i kind of fluid. For
example, just a few drops of
I , mineral-based oil, such as engine
-.?,'oil, in your brake system can
damage brake system parts
so
damage your vehicle. Don't use it.
". ,
I : '
" 1. , badly that they
; -qeplaced. %>, , .
Brake fluid can damage paint, so
be careful not to spill brake fluid
on your vehicle.
-
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a modern vehicle
is complex. Its many parts have to be of
top quality and work well together
if the
vehicle is to have really good braking.
Vehicles we design and test have top-
quality
GM brake parts in them, as your
Pontiac does when
it is new. When you
replace parts of your bralung system-
for example, when your brake linings
wear down and you have to have new
ones put in-be sure you get new
genuine
GM replacement parts. If you
don't, your brakes may no longer work
properly. For example,
if someone puts
in brake linings that are wrong for your
vehicle, the balance between your front
and rear brakes can change, for the
worse. The braking performance you've
come to expect can change
in many
other ways
if someone puts in the wrong
replacement brake parts.
m.. 226
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Battery
Every new Pontiac has a Delco
Freedom@ battery.
You never have to
add water to one of these. When it’s
time for a new battery,
we recommend a
Delco Freedom@ battery. Get one that
has the catalog number shown
on the
original battery’s label.
Jump
Starting
For jump starting instructions, see the
Index under Jump Starting.
Vehicle Storage
If you’re not going to drive your vehicle
for 25 days or more, take off the black
negative
(-) cable from the battery.
This will help keep your battery from
running down.
I
A
Batteries have acid that can
burn you and gas that can
explode.
You can be badly hurt if
you aren’t careful. See the Index
under Jump Starting for tips on
working around a battery without
getting hurt.
Contact your dealer to learn how to
prepare your vehicle for longer storage
periods.
Yalogen Bulbs
A Halogen bulbs have
burst if you drop or scratch the
bulb.
You or others could be
injured. Take special care when
handling and disposing of halogen
bulbs.
L pressurized gas inside and can
227
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Service & Appearance Care
Headlight Bulb Replacement
For the type of bulb, see the Index under
Replacement Bulbs.
1. On the driver’s side only, unscrew the
butterfly fastener. Then lift the plate.
228
Both Sides:
2. Twist the bulb assembly counter-
clockwise
)/6 turn and pull out the
bulb assembly.
3. Unclip the bulb assembly from the wiring harness.
4. Reverse steps 1-3 to replace the bulb ,
assembly and headlight housing. I
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raillight Bulb Replacement
For the type of bulb, see the Index under
Replacement Bulbs.
1. Pull back the trunk trim.
2. Carefully push one end of the plastic
taillight brace in while pulling the
brace toward the front of the vehicle.
3. Gently wiggle the bulb out of the
4. Replace the bulb.
5. Reverse the steps to reassemble the
socket.
taillight.
Fog Light Bulb Replacement
Don’t change your fog light bulbs unless
you have the proper aiming equipment.
See your Pontiac dealer if you have any
further questions.
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