wheel alignment PONTIAC SOLSTICE 2006 Owners Manual

Service............................................................5-3
Accessories and Modications..........................5-3
California Proposition 65 Warning.....................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside of Your Vehicle . . .5-5
Fuel................................................................5-5
Gasoline Octane............................................5-5
Gasoline Specications....................................5-6
California Fuel...............................................5-6
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-7
Filling the Tank..............................................5-8
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.....................5-10
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-10
Hood Release..............................................5-11
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-12
Engine Oil...................................................5-13
Engine Oil Life System..................................5-16
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-18
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-19
Manual Transmission Fluid.............................5-20
Hydraulic Clutch...........................................5-20
Engine Coolant.............................................5-20
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap..................5-23
Engine Overheating.......................................5-23
Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode . . .5-25Cooling System............................................5-26
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-30
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-31
Brakes........................................................5-32
Battery........................................................5-34
Jump Starting...............................................5-35
Rear Axle.......................................................5-39
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-40
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-40
Headlamps..................................................5-41
Front Turn Signal, Parking and Fog Lamps......5-41
Taillamps, Turn Signal, and Stoplamps............5-42
Back-Up Lamps............................................5-42
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-43
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-43
Tires..............................................................5-44
Tire Sidewall Labelling...................................5-46
Tire Terminology and Denitions.....................5-47
Ination - Tire Pressure.................................5-50
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-51
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-52
Buying New Tires.........................................5-53
Different Size Tires and Wheels......................5-54
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-55
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-56
Wheel Replacement......................................5-56
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

Remove the valve cap from the tire valve stem. Press
the tire gage rmly onto the valve to get a pressure
measurement. If the cold tire ination pressure matches
the recommended pressure on the Tire and Loading
Information label, no further adjustment is necessary. If
the ination pressure is low, add air until you reach
the recommended amount.
If you overll the tire, release air by pushing on the
metal stem in the center of the tire valve. Re-check the
tire pressure with the tire gage.
Be sure to put the valve caps back on the valve stems.
They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt and
moisture.
Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 5,000 to 8,000 miles
(8 000 to 13 000 km).
Any time you notice unusual wear, rotate your tires as
soon as possible and check wheel alignment. Also
check for damaged tires or wheels. SeeWhen It Is Time
for New Tires on page 5-52andWheel Replacement
on page 5-56for more information.The purpose of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The rst rotation
is the most important. See “Scheduled Maintenance”
for additional information.
When rotating your tires, always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear ination pressures as shown on the Tire and
Loading Information label. SeeLoading Your Vehicle on
page 4-29, for an example of the tire and loading
information label and its location on your vehicle.
5-51

Temperature – A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance to the generation
of heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested
under controlled conditions on a specied indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high temperature can
cause the material of the tire to degenerate and
reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds to a
level of performance which all passenger car tires must
meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.
Warning: The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly inated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, underination, or
excessive loading, either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The tires and wheels on your vehicle were aligned
and balanced carefully at the factory to give you the
longest tire life and best overall performance.
Adjustments to wheel alignment and tire balancing will
not be necessary on a regular basis. However, if
you notice unusual tire wear or your vehicle pulling to
one side or the other, the alignment may need to
be checked. If you notice your vehicle vibrating when
driving on a smooth road, your tires and wheels
may need to be rebalanced. See your dealer for
proper diagnosis.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked, or badly rusted
or corroded. If wheel nuts keep coming loose, the
wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts should be replaced.
If the wheel leaks air, replace it (except some
aluminum wheels, which can sometimes be repaired).
See your dealer if any of these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind of wheel you need.
Each new wheel should have the same load-carrying
capacity, diameter, width, offset and be mounted
the same way as the one it replaces.
5-56

Tires (cont.)
Tire Inator Kit............................................5-60
Tire Sidewall Labelling..................................5-46
Tire Terminology and Denitions....................5-47
Uniform Tire Quality Grading.........................5-55
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance.................5-56
Wheel Replacement.....................................5-56
When It Is Time for New Tires......................5-52
Towing
Recreational Vehicle.....................................4-34
Towing a Trailer..........................................4-34
Your Vehicle...............................................4-34
Traction
Limited-Slip Rear Axle.................................... 4-9
Transmission
Fluid, Automatic...........................................5-19
Fluid, Manual..............................................5-19
Transmission Operation, Automatic....................2-20
Transmission Operation, Manual........................2-23
Trunk.............................................................. 2-9
Turn and Lane-Change Signals.......................... 3-8
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever........................... 3-7U
Understanding Radio Reception........................3-70
Uniform Tire Quality Grading............................5-55
V
Vehicle
Control........................................................ 4-5
Damage Warnings........................................... iv
Loading......................................................4-29
Parking Your...............................................2-27
Service Soon Light......................................3-34
Symbols......................................................... iv
Vehicle Data Collection and Event Data
Recorders.................................................... 7-9
Vehicle Identication
Number (VIN).............................................5-77
Service Parts Identication Label...................5-77
Vehicle Personalization
DIC ...........................................................3-40
Ventilation Adjustment......................................3-20
Visors...........................................................2-12
11

W
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators................3-20
Warnings
DIC Warnings and Messages........................3-38
Hazard Warning Flashers............................... 3-6
Other Warning Devices.................................. 3-6
Safety and Symbols......................................... iii
Vehicle Damage.............................................. iv
Wheels
Alignment and Tire Balance..........................5-56
Different Size..............................................5-54
Replacement...............................................5-56
Windows.......................................................2-11
Manual......................................................2-12
Power........................................................2-12Windshield
Wiper Blades, Cleaning................................5-73
Windshield Washer.........................................3-10
Fluid..........................................................5-30
Windshield Wiper
Blade Replacement......................................5-43
Windshield Wipers......................................... 3-9
Winter Driving................................................4-24
X
XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna System................3-71
Y
Your Vehicle and the Environment....................... 6-2
12