maintenance SATURN AURA 2007 User Guide

California Proposition 65 Warning
Most motor vehicles, including this one, contain
and/or emit chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and birth defects or
other reproductive harm. Engine exhaust,
many parts and systems (including some inside
the vehicle), many uids, and some component
wear by-products contain and/or emit these
chemicals.
Doing Your Own Service Work
{CAUTION:
Never try to do your own service on
hybrid components. You can be injured
and your vehicle can be damaged if you
try to do your own service work. Service
and repair of these hybrid components
should only be performed by a
Saturn-trained service technician with the
proper knowledge and tools.
{CAUTION:
You can be injured and your vehicle could
be damaged if you try to do service work
on a vehicle without knowing enough
about it.
Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, the proper replacement
parts, and tools before you attempt any
vehicle maintenance task.
Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts,
and other fasteners. English and metric
fasteners can be easily confused. If you
use the wrong fasteners, parts can later
break or fall off. You could be hurt.
254
ProCarManuals.com

Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle
Things you might add to the outside of your
vehicle can affect the airow around it. This may
cause wind noise and affect windshield washer
performance. Check with your retailer before
adding equipment to the outside of your vehicle.
Fuel
Use of the recommended fuel is an important part
of the proper maintenance of your vehicle. To
help keep the engine clean and maintain optimum
vehicle performance, Saturn recommends the
use of gasoline advertised as TOP TIER Detergent
Gasoline.
Gasoline Octane
Use regular unleaded gasoline with a posted
octane rating of 87 or higher. If the octane rating
is less than 87, you might notice an audible
knocking noise when you drive, commonly referred
to as spark knock. If this occurs, use a gasoline
rated at 87 octane or higher as soon as possible. If
you are using gasoline rated at 87 octane or
higher and you hear heavy knocking, the engine
needs service.
Gasoline Specications
At a minimum, gasoline should meet ASTM
specication D 4814 in the United States or
CAN/CGSB-3.5 in Canada. Some gasolines may
contain an octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT). Saturn recommends against the use
of gasolines containing MMT. SeeAdditives on
page 256for additional information.
255
ProCarManuals.com

Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
SeeEngine Compartment Overview on page 264
for the location of the engine air cleaner/lter.
When to Inspect the Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter
Inspect the air cleaner/lter at the MaintenanceII
intervals and replace it at the rst oil change
after each 50,000 mile (83 000 km) interval. See
Scheduled Maintenance on page 356for more
information. If you are driving in dusty/dirty
conditions, inspect the lter at each engine oil
change.
How to Inspect the Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter
To inspect the air cleaner/lter, remove the lter
from the vehicle and lightly shake the lter to
release loose dust and dirt. If the lter remains
caked with dirt, a new lter is required.To inspect or replace the engine air cleaner/lter,
do the following:
1. Remove the spring clamps that hold the
cover on.
2. Lift off the cover.
270
ProCarManuals.com

Automatic Transaxle Fluid
It is not necessary to check the transaxle uid
level. A transaxle uid leak is the only reason for
uid loss. If a leak occurs, take your vehicle to
the retailer service department and have it repaired
as soon as possible.
Change the uid at the intervals listed inAdditional
Required Services on page 359, and be sure to
use the transaxle uid listed inRecommended
Fluids and Lubricants on page 365.
Notice:Use of the incorrect automatic
transaxle uid may damage your vehicle, and
the damages may not be covered by your
warranty. Always use the automatic transaxle
uid listed inRecommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 365.
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, seeEngine
Overheating on page 275.
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
®
may 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 your warranty. Always use
DEX-COOL
®(silicate-free) coolant in your
vehicle.
272
ProCarManuals.com

Windshield Wiper Blade
Replacement
Windshield wiper blades should be inspected for
wear or cracking. SeeScheduled Maintenance
on page 356for more information on wiper blade
inspection.
Replacement blades come in different types and
are removed in different ways. Here is how to
remove the wiper blade:
1. Pull the windshield wiper arm connector away
from the windshield.
2. Squeeze the grooved areas on each side of
the blade, and turn the blade assembly away
from the arm connector.3. Install the new blade onto the arm connector
and make sure the grooved areas are fully set
in the locked position.
For the proper type and size, seeNormal
Maintenance Replacement Parts on page 366.
297
ProCarManuals.com

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.
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated, the
system may not be able to detect or signal low
tire pressure as intended. TPMS malfunctions may
occur for a variety of reasons, including the
installation of replacement or alternate tires or
wheels on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS from
functioning properly. Always check the TPMS
malfunction telltale after replacing one or more
tires or wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the
replacement or alternate tires and wheels allow
the TPMS to continue to function properly.
When a low tire pressure condition is detected, the
TPMS illuminates the low tire pressure warning light
on the instrument panel cluster, and at the same
time the CHECK TIRE PRESS message appears
on the Driver Information Center (DIC) display.
306
ProCarManuals.com

The low tire pressure warning light on the
instrument panel cluster, and the CHECK TIRE
PRESS message displays at each ignition
cycle until the tires are inated to the correct
ination pressure. For additional information and
details about the DIC operation and displays
seeDIC Operation and Displays on page 180and
DIC Warnings and Messages on page 182.
The 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 tire pressures are getting low and
need to be inated to the proper pressure.
A Tire and Loading Information label, attached to
your vehicle, shows the size of your vehicle’s
original equipment tires and the correct ination
pressure for your vehicle’s tires when they
are cold. SeeLoading Your Vehicle on page 242,
for an example of the Tire and Loading
Information label and its location on your vehicle.
Also seeInation - Tire Pressure on page 304.Your vehicle’s TPMS system can warn you about
a low tire pressure condition but it does not
replace normal tire maintenance. SeeTire
Inspection and Rotation on page 310andTires on
page 298.
Notice:Your vehicle has a Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS). Use only the
GM-provided tire sealant. Other liquid tire
sealants may damage the tire pressure
sensors.
The TPMS will not function properly if one or more
of the TPMS sensors are missing or inoperable.
See your Saturn retailer for service if all TPMS
sensors are installed and the TPMS error message
comes on and stays on.
307
ProCarManuals.com

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 311andWheel
Replacement on page 316for 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 242, for an example of
the tire and loading information label and
its location on your vehicle.
310
ProCarManuals.com

Make certain that all wheel nuts are properly
tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque” under
Capacities and Specications.
{CAUTION:
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the parts to
which it is fastened, can make wheel nuts
become loose after a 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. In an emergency, you can use a
cloth or a paper towel to do this; but be
sure to use a scraper or wire brush later, if
you need to, to get all the rust or dirt off.
When It Is Time for New Tires
Various factors, such as maintenance,
temperatures, driving speeds, vehicle loading,
and road conditions inuence when you need
new tires.
One way to tell when it
is time for new tires is
to check the treadwear
indicators, which will
appear when your tires
have only 1/16 inch
(1.6 mm) or less of tread
remaining.
311
ProCarManuals.com

You need new tires if any of the following
statements are true:
You can see the indicators at three or more
places around the tire.
You can see cord or fabric showing through
the tire’s rubber.
The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut, or
snagged deep enough to show cord or fabric.
The tire has a bump, bulge, or split.
The tire has a puncture, cut, or other damage
that cannot be repaired well because of the
size or location of the damage.
The rubber in tires degrades over time. This is
true for the spare tire as well, even if it is not being
used. Multiple conditions affect how fast this
aging takes place, including temperatures, loading
conditions, and ination pressure maintenance.
With proper care and maintenance tires will
typically wear out before they degrade due to age.
If you are unsure about the need to replace
your tires as they get older, consult the tire
manufacturer for more information.
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 by the tire manufacturer.
If the tires have an all-season tread design,
the TPC spec number will be followed by a MS,
for mud and snow. SeeTire Sidewall Labeling on
page 299for additional information.
312
ProCarManuals.com