fluid PONTIAC GRAND PRIX 2004 User Guide

A. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. (SeeWindshield
Washer Fluid on page 5-43.)
B. Remote Positive (+) Battery Terminal. (See
Jump
Starting on page 5-49.)
C. Battery. (See
Battery on page 5-48.)
D. Underhood Fuse Block. (See
Fuses and Circuit
Breakers on page 5-99.)
E. Radiator Pressure Cap. (See
Cooling System on
page 5-32.)
F. Engine Coolant Recovery Tank. (See ªChecking
Coolantº under
Cooling System on page 5-32.)
G. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir (low in engine
compartment). (See
Power Steering Fluid on
page 5-42.)
H. Supercharger Oil Fill Location. (See
Supercharger
Oil on page 5-21.)I. Electric Cooling Fan. (See
Cooling System on
page 5-32.)
J. Engine Oil Dipstick. (See
Engine Oil on page 5-16.)
K. Engine Oil Fill Cap. (See
Engine Oil on page 5-16.)
L. Engine Coolant Bleed Valve. (See ªHow to Add
Coolant to the Radiatorº under
Cooling System on
page 5-32.)
M. Automatic Transaxle Fluid Dipstick. (See
Automatic
Transaxle Fluid on page 5-24.)
N. Brake Master Cylinder. (See ªBrake Fluidº under
Brakes on page 5-45.)
O. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. (See
Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-22.)
5-15

What to Do with Used Oil
Used engine oil contains certain elements that may be
unhealthy for your skin and could even cause cancer.
Don't let used oil stay on your skin for very long. Clean
your skin and nails with soap and water, or a good
hand cleaner. Wash or properly dispose of clothing or
rags containing used engine oil. See the manufacturer's
warnings about the use and disposal of oil products.
Used oil can be a threat to the environment. If you
change your own oil, be sure to drain all the oil from
the ®lter before disposal. Never dispose of oil by putting
it in the trash, pouring it on the ground, into sewers,
or into streams or bodies of water. Instead, recycle it by
taking it to a place that collects used oil. If you have
a problem properly disposing of your used oil, ask your
dealer, a service station or a local recycling center
for help.
Supercharger Oil
Unless you are technically
quali®ed and have the
proper tools, you should let
your dealer or a quali®ed
service center perform
this maintenance.
See
Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-12for
the Supercharger Oil ®ll location.
When to Check
Check oil level every 30,000 miles (50 000 km) or every
36 months, whichever occurs ®rst.
What Kind of Oil to Use
Use only the recommended supercharger oil. SeePart D:
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-16.
5-21

Automatic Transaxle Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transaxle ¯uid
level is when the engine oil is changed.
Change both the ¯uid and ®lter 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
regularly reaches 90ÉF (32ÉC) or higher.
·In hilly or mountainous terrain.
·When doing frequent trailer towing.
·Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery
service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, change the ¯uid and ®lter at
100,000 miles (166 000 km).
See
Part A: Scheduled Maintenance Services on
page 6-4.
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 ¯uid can damage
your transaxle. Too much can mean that some of the
¯uid could come out and fall on hot engine or
exhaust system parts, starting a ®re. Too little ¯uid
could cause the transaxle to overheat. Be sure
to get an accurate reading if you check your
transaxle ¯uid.
Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the transaxle
¯uid level if you have been driving:
·When outside temperatures are above 90ÉF (32ÉC).
·At high speed for quite a while.
·In heavy traffic ± especially in hot weather.
·While pulling a trailer.
5-24

To get the right reading, the ¯uid should be at normal
operating temperature, which is 180ÉF to 200ÉF
(82ÉC to 93ÉC).
Get the vehicle warmed up by driving about 15 miles
(24 km) when outside temperatures are above 50ÉF
(10ÉC). If it's colder than 50ÉF (10ÉC), you may have to
drive longer.
Checking the Fluid Level
Prepare your vehicle as follows:
·Park your vehicle on a level place. Keep the engine
running.
·With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever
in PARK (P).
·With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift
lever through each gear range, pausing for about
three seconds in each range. Then, position the shift
lever in PARK (P).
·Let the engine run at idle for three to ®ve minutes.Then, without shutting off the engine, follow these steps:
The transaxle ¯uid dipstick
handle is the red loop
located near the rear of
the engine. See
Engine
Compartment Overview on
page 5-12
for more
information on location.
1. Pull out the dipstick and wipe it with a clean rag or
paper towel.
2. Push it back in all the way, wait three seconds and
then pull it back out again.
5-25

3. Check both sides of the dipstick, and read the
lower level. The ¯uid level must be in the
cross-hatched area.
4. If the ¯uid level is in the acceptable range, push the
dipstick back in all the way.
How to Add Fluid
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine
what kind of transaxle ¯uid to use. SeePart D:
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-16.
If the ¯uid level is low, add only enough of the proper
¯uid to bring the level into the cross-hatched area on
the dipstick.
1. Pull out the dipstick.
2. Using a long-neck funnel, add enough ¯uid at the
dipstick hole to bring it to the proper level.
It doesn't take much ¯uid, generally less than
one pint (0.5 L). Don't over®ll.
Notice:We recommend you use only ¯uid labeled
DEXRONž-III, because ¯uid with that label is made
especially for your automatic transaxle. Damage
caused by ¯uid other than DEXRON
ž-III is not
covered by your new vehicle warranty.
3. After adding ¯uid, recheck the ¯uid level as
described under ªHow to Checkº listed previously
in this section.
4. When the correct ¯uid level is obtained, push the
dipstick back in all the way.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in your vehicle is ®lled with
DEX-COOLžengine coolant. This coolant is designed
to remain in your vehicle for 5 years or 150,000 miles
(240 000 km), whichever occurs ®rst, if you add
only DEX-COOL
žextended life coolant.
The following explains your cooling system and how to
add coolant when it is low. If you have a problem
with engine overheating or if you need to add coolant to
your radiator, see
Engine Overheating on page 5-29.
5-26

Power Steering Fluid
The power steering ¯uid reservoir is located in the
engine compartment next to the engine coolant recovery
tank. It sits low in the engine compartment. See
Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-12.
When to Check Power Steering Fluid
It is not necessary to regularly check power steering ¯uid
unless you suspect there is a leak in the system or
you hear an unusual noise. A ¯uid loss in this system
could indicate a problem. Have the system inspected
and repaired.
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 ¯uid level on the dipstick.
5-42

The ¯uid level should be between the ADD and HOT
marks when the engine is cold
When the engine compartment is hot, the level should
be at the HOT mark.
If the ¯uid is at the ADD mark when the engine is cold
or hot, you should add power steering ¯uid.
What to Use
To determine what kind of ¯uid to use, seePart D:
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-16.
Always use the proper ¯uid. Failure to use the proper
¯uid can cause leaks and damage hoses and seals.
Windshield Washer Fluid
When to Add
This symbol, along with
the LOW WASHER FLUID
message will appear in
the Driver's Information
Center (DIC) when
the windshield washer
¯uid is low.
What to Use
When you need to add windshield washer ¯uid, be sure
to read the manufacturer's instructions before use.
If you will be operating your vehicle in an area where
the temperature may fall below freezing, use a ¯uid that
has sufficient protection against freezing.
5-43

Adding Washer Fluid
The windshield washer ¯uid reservoir is located in the
engine compartment on the passenger's side of the
vehicle near the diagonal cross brace. See
Engine
Compartment Overview on page 5-12for reservoir
location.
Open the cap with the
washer symbol on it.
Add washer ¯uid until
the tank is full.
Notice:
·When using concentrated washer ¯uid, follow the
manufacturer's instructions for adding water.
·Don't mix water with ready-to-use washer ¯uid.
Water can cause the solution to freeze and
damage your washer ¯uid tank and other parts of
the washer system. Also, water doesn't clean as
well as washer ¯uid.
·Fill your washer ¯uid tank only three-quarters full
when it's very cold. This allows for expansion if
freezing occurs, which could damage the tank if
it is completely full.
·Don't use engine coolant (antifreeze) in your
windshield washer. It can damage your washer
system and paint.
5-44

Brakes
Brake Fluid
Your brake master cylinder reservoir is ®lled with DOT-3
brake ¯uid. SeeEngine Compartment Overview on
page 5-12for the location of the reservoir.
There are only two reasons why the brake ¯uid level in
the reservoir might go down. The ®rst is that the
brake ¯uid goes down to an acceptable level during
normal brake lining wear. When new linings are put in,the ¯uid level goes back up. The other reason is that
¯uid is leaking out of the brake system. If it is, you
should have your brake system ®xed, 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 ªtop offº your brake ¯uid.
Adding brake ¯uid won't correct a leak. If you add ¯uid
when your linings are worn, then you'll have too
much ¯uid when you get new brake linings. You should
add (or remove) brake ¯uid, as necessary, only when
work is done on the brake hydraulic system.
{CAUTION:
If you have too much brake ¯uid, it can spill on
the engine. The ¯uid will burn if the engine is
hot enough. You or others could be burned,
and your vehicle could be damaged. Add brake
¯uid only when work is done on the brake
hydraulic system.
5-45

When your brake ¯uid falls to a low level, your brake
warning light will come on. SeeBrake System Warning
Light on page 3-36.
What to Add
When you do need brake ¯uid, use only DOT-3 brake
¯uid. Use new brake ¯uid from a sealed container
only. See
Part D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
on page 6-16.
Always clean the brake ¯uid reservoir cap and the area
around the cap before removing it. This will help
keep dirt from entering the reservoir.
{CAUTION:
With the wrong kind of ¯uid in your brake
system, your brakes may not work well, or they
may not even work at all. This could cause a
crash. Always use the proper brake ¯uid.
Notice:
·Using the wrong ¯uid can badly damage brake
system parts. For example, just a few drops of
mineral-based oil, such as engine oil, in your
brake system can damage brake system
parts so badly that they'll have to be replaced.
Don't let someone put in the wrong kind of ¯uid.
·If you spill brake ¯uid on your vehicle's painted
surfaces, the paint ®nish can be damaged.
Be careful not to spill brake ¯uid on your
vehicle. If you do, wash it off immediately.
See ªAppearance Careº in the Index. United States
Canada
5-46