9-6 SATURN ASTRA 2008 User Guide

Power Steering Fluid
When to Check Power
Steering Fluid
It is not necessary to check the
power steering uid level. A power
steering uid leak is the only
reason for uid loss. If a leak
occurs, take your vehicle to the
dealer/retailer service department
and have it repaired as soon
as possible.
Windshield Washer Fluid
What to Use
When you need 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.
Adding Washer Fluid
Open the cap with the washer
symbol on it. Add washer uid
until the tank is full. SeeEngine
Compartment Overview on page 9-6
for reservoir location.Notice:
When using concentrated
washer uid, follow the
manufacturer’s instructions for
adding water.
Do not 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 does not clean as
well as washer uid.
Fill the washer uid tank only
three-quarters full when it is
very cold. This allows for uid
expansion if freezing occurs,
which could damage the tank if
it is completely full.
Do not use engine coolant
(antifreeze) in your windshield
washer. It can damage the
vehicle’s windshield washer
system and paint.
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Brakes
Brake Fluid
The brake master cylinder and, on
manual transmission vehicles,
the clutch hydraulic system use the
same reservoir. The reservoir is
lled with DOT-4 brake uid.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview
on page 9-6for 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
or clutch hydraulic system. If it is,have the brake or clutch hydraulic
system xed, since a leak means
that sooner or later the brakes
or clutch will not work well.
It is not a good idea to top off the
brake uid. Adding brake uid
will not correct a leak. If uid is
added when the linings are worn,
there will be too much uid
when new brake linings are
installed. Add or remove brake uid,
as necessary, only when work is
done on the brake or clutch
hydraulic system.
{CAUTION
If your vehicle has 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 and/or
clutch hydraulic system.Refer to “Scheduled Maintenance”
in the Limited Warranty,
Maintenance and Owner Assistance
Information manual to determine
when to check the brake uid.
Checking Brake Fluid
The brake uid can be checked
without taking off the cap by looking
at the brake uid reservoir.
The uid level should be above
MIN. If it is not, have your brake
hydraulic system checked to see
if there is a leak. After work is done
on the brake hydraulic system,
make sure the level is above the
MIN but not over the MAX mark.
What to Add
When you do need brake uid,
use only DOT-4 brake uid.
It is recommended that you ush
the brake hydraulic system and
rell it with new DOT-4 uid
at a regular maintenance service
every two years. See “Additional
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Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a 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. Your vehicle
was designed and tested with
top-quality brake parts. When you
replace parts of the braking
system — for example, when the
brake linings wear down and
you need new ones put in — be
sure you get new approved
replacement parts. If you do not,
the brakes might not work properly.
For example, if someone puts in
brake linings that are wrong for
your vehicle, the balance between
the front and rear brakes can
change — for the worse. The
braking performance you have
come to expect can change in many
other ways if someone puts in the
wrong replacement brake parts.
Battery
Your vehicle has a maintenance
free battery. When it is time
for a new battery, see your
dealer/retailer for one that has the
replacement number shown on
the original battery’s label.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview
on page 9-6for battery location.
Warning:Battery posts, terminals,
and related accessories contain
lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and
reproductive harm. Wash hands
after handling.
Vehicle Storage
{CAUTION
Batteries have acid that can
burn you and gas that can
explode. You can be badly hurt
if you are not careful. SeeJump
Starting on page 9-68for tips
on working around a battery
without getting hurt.
Infrequent Usage: If you drive your
vehicle infrequently, remove the
black, negative (−) cable from
the battery. This will help keep the
battery from running down.
Extended Storage: For extended
storage of your vehicle, remove the
black, negative (−) cable from
the battery or use a battery trickle
charger. This will help maintain
the charge of the battery over an
extended period of time.
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Windshield Wiper Fuses
The windshield wiper motor is
protected by a circuit breaker and a
fuse. If the motor overheats due
to heavy snow, etc., the wiper
will stop until the motor cools.
If the overload is caused by some
electrical problem, have it xed.
Power Windows and
Other Power Options
Circuit breakers in the fuse block
protect the power windows and
other power accessories. When the
current load is too heavy, the
circuit breaker opens and closes,
protecting the circuit until the
problem is xed or goes away.
Fuses
The wiring circuits in your vehicle
are protected from short circuits by a
combination of fuses and circuit
breakers. This greatly reduces the
chance of damage caused by
electrical problems.
Look at the silver-colored band
inside the fuse. If the band is broken
or melted, replace the fuse. Be sure
to replace a bad fuse with a new one
of the identical size and rating.
There are two fuse blocks in
your vehicle: one in the engine
compartment and one in the trunk.
There is a fuse puller located
on the rear compartment fuse block.
SeeRear Compartment Fuse
Block on page 9-36. It can be used
to easily remove fuses from the
fuse block.
Engine Compartment
Fuse Block
The engine compartment fuse block
is located in the front left side of
the engine compartment.Engine
Compartment Overview on
page 9-6.
To open the fuse block cover,
insert a tool into the latch and turn.
Pull up on the cover to remove.
Notice:Spilling liquid on any
electrical components on
your vehicle may damage it.
Always keep the covers on any
electrical component.
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(D) Tire Identication Number
(TIN):The letters and numbers
following DOT (Department
of Transportation) code is the
Tire Identication Number (TIN).
The TIN shows the manufacturer
and plant code, tire size, and
date the tire was manufactured.
The TIN is molded onto both
sides of the tire, although only
one side may have the date
of manufacture.
(E) Tire Ply Material
:The type
of cord and number of plies in the
sidewall and under the tread.
(F) Uniform Tire Quality
Grading (UTQG)
:Tire
manufacturers are required to
grade tires based on three
performance factors: treadwear,
traction, and temperature
resistance. For more information
seeUniform Tire Quality
Grading on page 9-56.(G) Maximum Cold Ination
Load Limit
:Maximum load
that can be carried and the
maximum pressure needed to
support that load.
(A) Tire Ply Material
:The type
of cord and number of plies in the
sidewall and under the tread.(B) Temporary Use Only
:The compact spare tire or
temporary use tire has a tread
life of approximately 3,000 miles
(5 000 km) and should not be
driven at speeds over 50 mph
(80 km/h). The compact
spare tire is for emergency use
when a regular road tire has
lost air and gone at. If your
vehicle has a compact spare tire.
SeeCompact Spare Tire on
page 9-67andIf a Tire
Goes Flat on page 9-60.
(C) Tire Identication
Number (TIN)
:The letters and
numbers following the DOT
(Department of Transportation)
code is the Tire Identication
Number (TIN). The TIN shows
the manufacturer and plant code,
tire size, and date the tire was
manufactured. The TIN is
molded onto both sides of the
tire, although only one side may
have the date of manufacture.
Compact Spare Tire Example
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Ination - Tire Pressure
Tires need the correct amount
of air pressure to operate
effectively.
Notice:Do not let anyone tell
you that under-ination or
over-ination is all right. It is
not. If your tires do not have
enough air (under-ination),
you can get the following:
Too much exing
Too much heat
Tire overloading
Premature or irregular wear
Poor handling
Reduced fuel economy
If your tires have too much air
(over-ination), you can get
the following:
Unusual wear
Poor handling
Rough ride
Needless damage from
road hazardsA vehicle specic Tire and
Loading Information label is
attached to your vehicle.
This label shows your vehicle’s
original equipment tires and
the correct ination pressures for
your tires when they are cold.
The recommended cold tire
ination pressure, shown on the
label, is the minimum amount
of air pressure needed to
support your vehicle’s maximum
load carrying capacity.
For additional information
regarding how much weight your
vehicle can carry, and an
example of the Tire and Loading
Information label, seeLoading
the Vehicle on page 8-30.
How you load your vehicle
affects vehicle handling and
ride comfort. Never load
your vehicle with more weight
than it was designed to carry.When to Check
Check your tires once a month
or more. Do not forget to
check the compact spare tire, it
should be at 60 psi (420 kPa).
For additional information
regarding the compact spare
tire, seeCompact Spare Tire on
page 9-67.
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type
gage to check tire pressure.
You cannot tell if your tires are
properly inated simply by
looking at them. Radial tires may
look properly inated even
when they are under-inated.
Check the tire’s ination
pressure when the tires are
cold. Cold means your vehicle
has been sitting for at least
three hours or driven no more
than 1 mile (1.6 km).
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Use this pattern when rotating
the vehicle tires. Do not include
the compact spare tire in the
tire rotation.
{CAUTION
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or
on the parts to which it is
fastened, can make wheel
bolts become loose after
time. The wheel could come
off and cause a crash. When
you change a wheel, remove
any rust or dirt from places
where the wheel attaches to
the vehicle using a scraper
or wire brush.
Installing wheels with a good
metal-to-metal contact at
the mounting surfaces is
necessary to prevent wheel
bolts from becoming loose.To prevent corrosion or rust
build-up, lightly coat the wheel
hub center and the cone-shaped
surface of each wheel bolt
with wheel bearing grease,
after a wheel change.
SeeChanging a Flat Tire on
page 9-60for information
on installing the tire and wheel
assembly. Also see “Wheel
Bolt Torque” underCapacities
and Specifications on page 10-2.
Adjust the front and rear tires to
the recommended cold tire
ination pressure shown on the
Tire and Loading Information
label. SeeInflation - Tire
Pressure on page 9-46and
Loading the Vehicle on
page 8-30.
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Buying New Tires
GM has developed and matched
specic tires for your vehicle.
The original equipment tires installed
on your vehicle, when it was new,
were designed to meet General
Motors Tire Performance Criteria
Specication (TPC Spec) system
rating. If you need replacement
tires, GM strongly recommends
that you get tires with the same
TPC Spec rating. This way,
your vehicle will continue to have
tires that are designed to give
the same performance and vehicle
safety, during normal use, as
the original tires.
GM’s exclusive TPC Spec system
considers over a dozen critical
specications that impact the
overall performance of your vehicle,
including brake system performance,
ride and handling, traction control,and tire pressure monitoring
performance. GM’s TPC Spec
number is molded onto the tire’s
sidewall near the tire size. If the tires
have an all-season tread design,
the TPC Spec number will be
followed by an MS for mud and
snow. SeeTire Sidewall Labeling on
page 9-40for additional information.
GM recommends replacing tires
in sets of four. This is because
uniform tread depth on all tires will
help keep your vehicle performing
most like it did when the tires were
new. Replacing less than a full
set of tires can affect the braking
and handling performance of
your vehicle. SeeTire Inspection
and Rotation on page 9-51for
information on proper tire rotation.{CAUTION
Mixing tires could cause you
to lose control while driving.
If you mix tires of different
sizes, brands, or types
(radial and bias-belted tires),
the vehicle may not handle
properly, and you could
have a crash. Using tires
of different sizes, brands,
or types may also cause
damage to the vehicle.
Be sure to use the correct
size, brand, and type of tires
on all wheels. It is all right
to drive with the compact
spare temporarily, as it was
developed for use on the
vehicle. SeeCompact Spare
Tire on page 9-67.
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Notice:The wrong wheel can
also cause problems with bearing
life, brake cooling, speedometer
or odometer calibration,
headlamp aim, bumper height,
vehicle ground clearance, and tire
or tire chain clearance to the
body and chassis.
SeeChanging a Flat Tire on
page 9-60for more information.
Used Replacement Wheels
{CAUTION
Putting a used wheel on the
vehicle is dangerous. You
cannot know how it has been
used or how far it has been
driven. It could fail suddenly
and cause a crash. If you have
to replace a wheel, use a new
GM original equipment wheel.
Tire Chains
{CAUTION
Do not use tire chains. There is
not enough clearance. Tire
chains used on a vehicle
without the proper amount of
clearance can cause damage to
the brakes, suspension or
other vehicle parts. The area
damaged by the tire chains
could cause you to lose control
of the vehicle and you or others
may be injured in a crash.
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
Use another type of traction
device only if its manufacturer
recommends it for use on
the vehicle and tire size
combination and road
conditions. Follow that
manufacturer’s instructions.
To help avoid damage to the
vehicle, drive slowly, readjust
or remove the device if it is
contacting the vehicle, and do
not spin the vehicle’s wheels.
If you do nd traction devices
that will t, install them on the
front tires.
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Tire Changing
If a Tire Goes Flat
It is unusual for a tire to blowout
while you are driving, especially if
you maintain your vehicle’s tires
properly. If air goes out of a tire, it is
much more likely to leak out slowly.
But if you should ever have a
blowout, here are a few tips about
what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the at tire creates
a drag that pulls the vehicle toward
that side. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip the
steering wheel rmly. Steer to
maintain lane position, and then
gently brake to a stop well out of the
traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a
curve, acts much like a skid and
may require the same correction you
would use in a skid. In any rear
blowout remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle
under control by steering theway you want the vehicle to go.
It may be very bumpy and noisy, but
you can still steer. Gently brake to
a stop, well off the road if possible.
{CAUTION
Lifting a vehicle and getting
under it to do maintenance or
repairs is dangerous without the
appropriate safety equipment
and training. The jack provided
with your vehicle is designed
only for changing a at tire. If it
is used for anything else, you or
others could be badly injured or
killed if the vehicle slips off the
jack. Use the jack provided with
your vehicle only for changing a
at tire.
If a tire goes at, the next part
shows how to use the jacking
equipment to change a at tire
safely.
Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes at, avoid further tire
and wheel damage by driving slowly
to a level place. Turn on the
hazard warning ashers.
{CAUTION
Changing a tire can be
dangerous. The vehicle can slip
off the jack and roll over or fall
on you or other people. You and
they could be badly injured or
even killed. Find a level place
to change your tire. To help
prevent the vehicle from
moving:
1. Set the parking brake
rmly.
2. Put an automatic
transmission shift lever in
P (Park), or shift a manual
transmission to 1 (First) or
R (Reverse).
(Continued)
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