Fuel. Pontiac Montana 2005

Adding Equipment to the Outside of

Your Vehicle

Things you might add to the outside of your vehicle can affect the airflow around it. This may cause wind noise and affect windshield washer performance.

Check with your dealer 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.

Gasoline Octane

Use regular unleaded gasoline with a posted octane of 87 or higher. If the octane is less than 87, you may get a heavy knocking noise when you drive. If this occurs, use a gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher as soon as possible. Otherwise, you might damage your engine. A little pinging noise when you accelerate or drive uphill is considered normal. This does not indicate a problem exists or that a higher-octane fuel is necessary. If you are using 87 octane or higher-octane fuel and hear heavy knocking, your engine needs service.

Gasoline Specifications

It is recommended that gasoline meet specifications which were developed by automobile manufacturers around the world and contained in the

World-Wide Fuel Charter which is available from the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers at www.autoalliance.org/fuel_charter.htm. Gasoline meeting these specifications could provide improved driveability and emission control system performance compared to other gasoline.

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California Fuel

If your vehicle is certified to meet California Emission

Standards (see the underhood emission control label), it is designed to operate on fuels that meet California specifications. If this fuel is not available in states adopting California emissions standards, your vehicle will operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal specifications, but emission control system performance may be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp may turn on and your vehicle may fail a smog-check test. See

Malfunction Indicator Lamp on page 3-41. If this

occurs, return to your authorized GM dealer for diagnosis. If it is determined that the condition is caused by the type of fuel used, repairs may not be covered by your warranty.

Additives

To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the United States are now required to contain additives that will help prevent engine and fuel system deposits from forming, allowing your emission control system to work properly. You should not have to add anything to your fuel. However, some gasolines contain only the minimum amount of additive required to meet

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations.

General Motors recommends that you buy gasolines that are advertised to help keep fuel injectors and intake valves clean. If your vehicle experiences problems due to dirty injectors or valves, try a different brand of gasoline.

Gasolines containing oxygenates, such as ethers and ethanol, and reformulated gasolines may be available in your area to contribute to clean air. General Motors recommends that you use these gasolines, particularly if they comply with the specifications described earlier.

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Notice: Your vehicle was not designed for fuel that contains methanol. Do not use fuel containing methanol. It can corrode metal parts in your fuel system and also damage the plastic and rubber parts. That damage would not be covered under your warranty.

Some gasolines that are not reformulated for low emissions may contain an octane-enhancing additive called methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT); ask the attendant where you buy gasoline whether the fuel contains MMT. General

Motors does not recommend the use of such gasolines.

Fuels containing MMT can reduce the life of spark plugs and the performance of the emission control system may be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp may turn on. If this occurs, return to your authorized

GM dealer for service.

Fuels in Foreign Countries

If you plan on driving in another country outside the

United States or Canada, the proper fuel may be hard to find. Never use leaded gasoline or any other fuel not recommended in the previous text on fuel. Costly repairs caused by use of improper fuel would not be covered by your warranty.

To check the fuel availability, ask an auto club, or contact a major oil company that does business in the country where you will be driving.

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Filling Your Tank

{ CAUTION:

Fuel vapor burns violently and a fuel fire can cause bad injuries. To help avoid injuries to you and others, read and follow all the instructions on the pump island. Turn off your engine when you are refueling. Do not smoke if you are near fuel or refueling your vehicle.

Keep sparks, flames and smoking materials away from fuel. Do not leave the fuel pump unattended when refueling your vehicle — this is against the law in some places. Keep children away from the fuel pump; never let children pump fuel.

The tethered fuel cap is located behind a hinged fuel door on the driver’s side of the vehicle.

When the fuel door is opened on a vehicle with dual sliding doors, the driver’s side sliding door will only open partway.

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While refueling, let the fuel cap hang by the tether.

{ CAUTION:

If you spill fuel and then something ignites it, you could be badly burned. Fuel can spray out on you if you open the fuel cap too quickly.

This spray can happen if your tank is nearly full, and is more likely in hot weather. Open the fuel cap slowly and wait for any hiss noise to stop. Then unscrew the cap all the way.

Be careful not to spill fuel. Do not top off or overfill the tank and wait a few seconds after you have finished pumping before removing the nozzle. Clean fuel from painted surfaces as soon as possible. See

Washing Your Vehicle on page 5-86.

When replacing the fuel cap, turn it to the right

(clockwise) until it clicks. Make sure the cap is fully installed. The diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap has been left off or improperly installed. This would allow fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere. See

Malfunction Indicator Lamp on page 3-41.

{ CAUTION:

If a fire starts while you are refueling, do not remove the nozzle. Shut off the flow of fuel by shutting off the pump or by notifying the station attendant. Leave the area immediately.

Notice: If you need a new fuel cap, be sure to get the right type. Your dealer can get one for you.

If you get the wrong type, it may not fit properly.

This may cause your malfunction indicator lamp to light and may damage your fuel tank and emissions system. See

Malfunction Indicator Lamp on

page 3-41.

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