maintenance SATURN ASTRA 2008 User Guide

Automatic Transmission
Fluid
It is not necessary to check
the transmission uid level.
A transmission 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.
Change the uid and lter at the
intervals listed in the Maintenance
Schedule. See “Additional
Required Services” in Service
and Maintenance. Be sure to use
the transmission uid listed in
“Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants” in Service and
Maintenance.
Notice:Use of the incorrect
automatic transmission uid
may damage your vehicle,
and the damages may not becovered by your warranty.
See “Recommended Fluids
and Lubricants” in the Limited
Warranty, Maintenance and Owner
Assistance Information manual.
Manual Transmission
Fluid
It is not necessary to check the
manual transmission uid level.
A transmission uid leak is the only
reason for uid loss. If a leak
occurs, take the vehicle to the
dealer/retailer service department
and have it repaired as soon
as possible. You may also have
your uid level checked by
your dealer/retailer when you have
your oil changed. See “Part D:
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants” in Service and
Maintenance for the proper uid
to use.
Hydraulic Clutch
The hydraulic clutch linkage in
your vehicle is self-adjusting.
This system does not have its own
reservoir. It receives uid from
the brake master cylinder reservoir.
SeeBrakes on page 9-22for more
information.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in your vehicle
is lled with DEX-COOL®engine
coolant. This coolant is designed to
remain in your vehicle for ve years
or 150,000 miles (240 000 km),
whichever occurs rst, if you add
only DEX-COOL
®extended 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, see
Engine Overheating on page 9-15.
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A 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable
water and DEX-COOL®coolant will:
Give freezing protection down
to−34°F (−37°C).
Give boiling protection up to
265°F (129°C).
Protect against rust and
corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine
temperature.
Let the warning lights and gages
work as they should.
Notice:Using coolant other than
DEX-COOL
®can cause premature
engine, heater core, or radiator
corrosion. In addition, the engine
coolant may require changing
sooner, at the rst maintenance
service after each 30,000 miles
(50 000 km) or 24 months,
whichever occurs rst. Any
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Always
use DEX-COOL
®(silicate-free)
coolant in the vehicle.
What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half clean,
drinkable water and one-half
DEX-COOL
®coolant which will not
damage aluminum parts. If you
use this coolant mixture, you do not
need to add anything else.
{CAUTION
Adding only plain water to
the cooling system can be
dangerous. Plain water, or
some other liquid such as
alcohol, can boil before the
proper coolant mixture will.
The vehicle’s coolant warning
system is set for the proper
coolant mixture. With plain
water or the wrong mixture,
the engine could get too hot
but would not get the overheat
warning. The engine could
catch re and you or others
could be burned. Use a 50/50
mixture of clean, drinkable
water and DEX-COOL
®coolant.Notice:If an improper coolant
mixture is used, the engine could
overheat and be badly damaged.
The repair cost would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Too much water in the mixture
can freeze and crack the engine,
radiator, heater core, and
other parts.
Notice:If you use extra
inhibitors and/or additives in
your vehicle’s cooling system,
you could damage your vehicle.
Use only the proper mixture of
the engine coolant listed in
this manual for the cooling
system. See Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants in the
Maintenance and Limited
Warranty and Owner Assistance
Information manual.
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Windshield Wiper Blade
Replacement
Front Windshield Wiper
Windshield wiper blades should be
inspected for wear or cracking.
See “Maintenance Replacement
Parts” in the Limited Warranty,
Maintenance and owner Assistance
Information manual for the proper
type and length.
Raise the wiper arm, tilt the wiper
blade at a 90° angle to the
wiper arm, and remove to the side.
1. Turn the ignition off.
2. With the key in the ignition and
key in the LOCK position, press
the wiper lever down. Release
the wiper lever when the wipers
are in the vertical position.3. Raise the wiper arm away from
the windshield.
4. Turn the wiper blade at a 90°
angle to the wiper arm and
remove the blade to the side.
5. Install the new wiper blade.
6. Lower the wiper arm on to the
windshield.
Rear Windshield Wiper
1. Lift the wiper arm straight up.
2. Push the wiper blade straight out
of the wiper arm to remove.
3. Install the new wiper blade.
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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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Required Services” in the Limited
Warranty, Maintenance and
Owner Assistance Information
manual. Use new brake uid
from a sealed container only.
See “Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants” in the Limited Warranty,
Maintenance and Owner Assistance
Information manual.
Always clean the brake uid
reservoir cap and the area
around the cap before removing it.
This helps keep dirt from entering
the reservoir.
{CAUTION
With the wrong kind of uid in
the brake hydraulic system,
the brakes might not work well.
This could cause a crash.
Always use the proper brake
uid.Notice:
Using the wrong uid can
badly damage brake
hydraulic system parts.
For example, just a few drops
of mineral-based oil, such
as engine oil, in the brake
hydraulic system can
damage brake hydraulic
system parts so badly that
they will have to be replaced.
Do not 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.
SeeExterior Cleaning on
page 9-75.
Brake Wear
Your vehicle has disc brakes.
Notice:Continuing to drive
with worn-out brake pads could
result in costly brake repair.
Front disc brake pads have built-in
brake pad wear indicators that
make a high-pitched warning sound
when the brake pads are worn
and new pads are needed.
The sound can come and go or be
heard all the time your vehicle is
moving, except when you are
pushing on the brake pedal rmly.
{CAUTION
The brake wear warning sound
means that soon the brakes will
not work well. That could lead
to an accident. When you hear
the brake wear warning sound,
have your vehicle serviced.
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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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Fuses Usage
16Front Passenger Seat
Detection Sensor
17Tire Pressure
Monitoring
System (TPMS)/
Rain Sensor/Inside
Rearview Mirror
18 Interior Lights
21 Outside Mirror Heating
22 Sunroof
23 Rear Power Window
24Diagnostic Link
Connector
29Accessory Power
Outlet (APO)
34 Sunroof
38 Door Locks
39 Seat Heating Driver
40Seat Heating Front
PassengerTires
Your new vehicle comes with
high-quality tires made by
a leading tire manufacturer.
If you ever have questions about
the tire warranty and where to
obtain service, see the “Limited
Warranty, Maintenance and
Owner Assistance Information”
manual for details.
{CAUTION
Poorly maintained and
improperly used tires are
dangerous.
Overloading your tires can
cause overheating as a
result of too much exing.
You could have an air-out
and a serious accident.
SeeLoading the Vehicle
on page 8-30.
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
Underinated tires pose
the same danger as
overloaded tires.
The resulting accident
could cause serious
injury. Check all tires
frequently to maintain the
recommended pressure.
Tire pressure should be
checked when your tires
are cold. SeeInflation - Tire
Pressure on page 9-46.
Overinated tires are more
likely to be cut, punctured,
or broken by a sudden
impact — such as when
you hit a pothole. Keep
tires at the recommended
pressure.
(Continued)
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When high-speed driving ends,
return the tire pressure to the
recommended cold ination
pressure shown on the Tire and
Loading Information label. See
Loading the Vehicle on page 8-30.
Tire pressure should be checked
and correctly set when the tires are
cold. SeeInflation - Tire Pressure
on page 9-46.
Tire Pressure Monitor
System
The Tire Pressure Monitor System
(TPMS) uses radio and sensor
technology to check tire pressure
levels. The TPMS sensors monitor
the air pressure in your vehicle’s tires
and transmit tire pressure readings to
a receiver located in the vehicle.
Each tire, including the spare
(if provided), should be checked
monthly when cold and inated to
the ination pressure recommended
by the vehicle manufacturer on
the vehicle placard or tire inationpressure label. (If your vehicle has
tires of a different size than
the size indicated on the vehicle
placard or tire ination pressure
label, you should determine the
proper tire ination pressure
for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your
vehicle has been equipped with
a tire pressure monitoring system
(TPMS) that illuminates a low
tire pressure telltale when one or
more of your tires is signicantly
under-inated.
Accordingly, when the low tire
pressure telltale illuminates, you
should stop and check your tires
as soon as possible, and inate them
to the proper pressure. Driving on
a signicantly under-inated tire
causes the tire to overheat and can
lead to tire failure. Under-ination
also reduces fuel efficiency and tire
tread life, and may affect the
vehicle’s handling and stopping
ability.Please note that the TPMS is
not a substitute for proper tire
maintenance, and it is the driver’s
responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if under-ination has
not reached the level to trigger
illumination of the TPMS low tire
pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped
with a TPMS malfunction indicator to
indicate when the system is not
operating properly. The TPMS
malfunction indicator is combined
with the low tire pressure telltale.
When the system detects a
malfunction, the telltale will ash for
approximately one minute and then
remain continuously illuminated.
This sequence will continue upon
subsequent vehicle start-ups as long
as the malfunction exists.
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Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation
The Tire Pressure Monitor System
(TPMS) is designed to warn the
driver when a low tire pressure
condition exists. TPMS sensors are
mounted onto each tire and
wheel assembly, excluding the
spare tire. The TPMS sensors
monitor the air pressure in the
vehicle’s tires and transmit tire
pressure readings to a receiver
located in the vehicle.
When a low tire pressure condition
is detected, the TPMS illuminates
the low tire pressure warning
light located in the instrument
panel cluster.The low tire pressure warning light
comes on at each ignition cycle
until the tires are inated to
the correct ination pressure.
The low tire pressure warning light
may come on in cool weather
when the vehicle is rst started, and
then turn off as you start to drive.
This could be an early indicator that
the air pressure in the tire(s) are
getting low and need to be inated
to the proper pressure.
You must begin driving before the
TPMS system is operational.
TPMS sensors need to be installed
onto the full-size tire and wheel
assemblies, and the tires adjusted
to the manufacturers’ recommended
tire pressure amount.
A Tire and Load Information label is
attached to the vehicle, and shows
the size of the vehicle’s original
equipment tires and the correct
ination pressure for the tires when
they are cold. SeeLoading the
Vehicle on page 8-30, for anexample of the Tire and Load
Information label and its location on
the vehicle. Also seeInflation - Tire
Pressure on page 9-46.
The vehicle’s TPMS can warn you
about a low tire pressure condition
but it does not replace normal tire
maintenance. SeeTire Inspection
and Rotation on page 9-51andTires
on page 9-38.
Notice:Liquid tire sealants
could damage the Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS) sensors.
Sensor damage caused by
using a tire sealant is not covered
by your warranty. Do not use
liquid tire sealants.
Each TPMS sensor has a unique
identication code. Any time
you replace one or more of the
TPMS sensors or rotate the
vehicle’s tires, the identication
codes are automatically learned by
the TPMS. This occurs within a
few moments of driving the vehicle
over 19 mph (31 km/h).
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TPMS Malfunction Light
The TPMS will not function properly
if one or more of the TPMS
sensors are missing or inoperable.
When the system detects a
malfunction, the low tire warning
light ashes for about one minute
and then stays on for the remainder
of the ignition cycle. Some of the
conditions that can cause the
malfunction light to come on are:
One of the road tires has been
replaced with the spare tire. The
spare tire does not have a TPMS
sensor. The TPMS malfunction
light and DIC message should go
off once you re-install the road tire
containing the TPMS sensor.
One or more TPMS sensors are
missing or damaged. The TPMS
malfunction light should go off
after the TPMS sensors are
installed and the vehicle is
driven for a few moments over
19 mph (31 km/h). See your
dealer/retailer for service.
Replacement tires or wheels do
not match the vehicle’s original
equipment tires or wheels. Tires
and wheels other than those
recommended for the vehicle
could prevent the TPMS from
functioning properly. SeeBuying
New Tires on page 9-54.
Operating electronic devices or
being near facilities using radio
wave frequencies similar to the
TPMS could cause the TPMS
sensors to malfunction.
If the TPMS is not functioning it
cannot detect or signal a low tire
condition. See your dealer/retailer
for service if the TPMS malfunction
light comes on and stays on.
Tire Inspection and
Rotation
Inspect tires regularly for signs of
wear or damage. Also inspect the
spare tire. For more information
on tire inspection, seeWhen It Is
Time for New Tires on page 9-53.
Rotating vehicle tires helps them
to wear evenly and keeps the
vehicle performing like it did
when tires were new.
Rotate the tires and check
wheel alignment approximately
every 5,000 to 8,000 miles
(8 000 to 13 000 km) or when
unusual tire wear is noted.
See “Scheduled Maintenance”
in the Index of the “Limited
Warranty, Maintenance
and Owner Assistance
Information” manual for more
information. Also check the
wheels for damage, seeWheel
Replacement on page 9-58
for more information.
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