05-00-89-072C

File in Section:
Bulletin No.:
Service Bulletin
Date:
00 - General Information
05-00-89-072C
December, 2013
INFORMATION
Subject:
Fuel and Oil Additives - Facts and Myths/Maximizing Fuel Economy
Models:
2014 and Prior GM Passenger Cars and Trucks
Attention: Please direct this bulletin to the Service Manager, the Service Consultants and the
Sales Staff. A copy of this bulletin is encouraged to be given to your customer as it is
written with the consumer in mind. You may also post this bulletin in your customer
lounge or waiting area.
This bulletin has been revised to add model years. Please discard Corporate Bulletin
Number 05-00-89-072B.
A Statement About Fuel Economy
As gasoline prices have increased, the consumer has
shifted priorities to become increasingly concerned with
fuel consumption. GM is presently proud to offer over
30 cars in the U.S. with EPA highway estimates of at
least 30 mpg. In Canada, vehicles are rated for fuel
consumption in liters per 100 kilometers. GM offers
over 20 vehicles in Canada that consume less than
7.0 L/100 km on the highway. The information below
contains reasonable and prudent advice for your
dealership and the consumer to get the most from
every gallon or liter of gas.
The information below is presented in two easy to
understand sections:
– What Not To Do: Engine and Fuel Additives,
Alternate Fuels, and “Miracle” Products
– What to Do: Maximizing Fuel Economy/
Minimizing Costs
Note: Additional Information about ways to maximize
fuel economy, driving more efficiently and detailed test
information can be found on the web at
www.fueleconomy.gov.
WHAT NOT TO DO: Engine and Fuel
Additives, Alternate Fuels, and
“Miracle” Products
Various unproven products with claims to improve
vehicle fuel economy have been reported ranging from
magnets that align molecules to chemical combustion
improvers.
Most products claiming to provide benefits are based
on unsubstantiated claims. Those that do present
“scientific” results generally either have too little
supporting data to be conclusive, have not conducted
Copyright 2013 General Motors LLC. All Rights Reserved.
experiments in a controlled fashion, or cannot be
substantiated by anyone else but the product's
manufacturer.
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission summarizes
results for products tested by the federal government at
www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/autos/
aut10.shtm. A review of the list shows that the majority
did not work, and for those that showed some effect,
the benefit was too small to be cost effective.
Harmful Ideas That May Damage Your Vehicle and
Increase Emissions
One more recent poor idea to improve fuel economy
that should not be attempted is to blend either kerosene
or diesel fuel into gasoline. Why? Both kerosene and
diesel fuel are distillate fuels meant for use in
compression ignition engines, not spark ignition
engines. They have very low octane and since they are
heavier (higher density) than gasoline, they will cause
heavy engine deposits and degradation of engine oil.
Notice: Never put Kerosene or Diesel Fuel in your
Gasoline Engine vehicle. This may result in
inconsistent performance and permanent damage to
your vehicle that is not covered by your New Vehicle
Warranty.
Chemicals that are normally used as solvents also
should not be used. These include acetone, ketones,
and methanol. These solvents can be incompatible with
your vehicles rubber or sealing components, and may
dissolve the vehicle’s paint finish. In the case of
methanol, corrosion of metal parts in the fuel system
also may occur.
Notice: Never use acetone, ketones, or methanol
additives in your vehicle. Some of these solvents may
damage or corrode your fuel system. They are also
very damaging to the painted surfaces of the vehicle if
spilled.
Page 2
December, 2013
Damage to vehicle components that result from
non-approved or aftermarket additives and devices are
not covered under the terms of the New Vehicle
Warranty. The only fuel additive currently approved by
GM is GM Fuel System Treatment Plus, P/N 88861262
(12 oz) or 88861013 (20 oz) (in Canada,
P/N 88861012).
WHAT TO DO: Maximizing Fuel
Economy/Minimizing Costs
The best fuel economy possible is the direct result of
proper maintenance and good driving habits. Listed
below are GM's recommendations to achieve the best
mileage possible. The first group are things to consider
for your vehicle, while the second are tips relating to
your driving habits.
Vehicle Considerations:
•
Tire Pressure - One of the major contributors to
poor fuel economy are under inflated tires. Tires
low on pressure create drag that the vehicle’s
powertrain must overcome, wasting dollars in fuel.
Always keep your tires inflated to the proper
pressure as shown on the vehicle placard. This
not only serves to increase gas mileage but cuts
down on tire wear, further decreasing your costs
per mile.
• Air Filter - A vehicle that has a dirty air filter can’t
efficiently draw air into the engine. This restriction
forces the engine to expend energy to “breathe”
wasting fuel in the process. Change
recommendations are found in your vehicle
Owner’s Manual.
• Proper Viscosity DEXOS Rated Oil – Always
use the proper viscosity oil in your engine. Oil that
has a higher than required viscosity will create
more drag on the internal components of the
engine, causing more work for it, especially when
cold. Each Owner’s Manual contains information
on the proper type of oil for your vehicle. For
current and recent vehicles look for the DEXOS
indicator on the bottle. Older vehicles Owners
Manuals indicate to look for the starburst symbol.
DEXOS rated oil is also an excellent choice for
these older vehicles. If you are in doubt, stop by
your dealer for an oil change, and any other
services required. Most current GM vehicles are
equipped with oil life monitors to further assist on
the “when” to change your oil. (Aveo/Wave/Optra/
Epica currently do not have oil life monitors).
Notice: GM Vehicles DO NOT require additional
engine oil additives. Some additives may cause harmful
effects to the internal seals and additionally void the
terms of your vehicles New Car Warranty.
• Top Tier Fuels - Some fuel manufacturers
provide gasoline advertised as TOP TIER
DETERGENT GASOLINE. These fuels are
preferable when and where available. They help to
keep your fuel injectors and intake valves free of
deposits. Clean engines provide optimal fuel
economy, performance and reduced emissions.
For a complete list of Top Tier Fuel providers,
please refer to the latest version of Corporate
Bulletin No.: 05-00-89-072C
Service Bulletin #04-06-04-047 in the US or
#05-06-04-022 in Canada. When Top Tier fuels
are not available, consider a bottle of GM Fuel
System Treatment Plus, P/N 88861262 (12 oz) or
88861013 (20 oz) (in Canada, P/N 88861012), at
oil change time, which will remove intake system
and injector deposits. GM does not recommend
any other fuel system cleaner.
Important: DO NOT confuse Top Tier Fuels with
Higher Octane (Plus/Premium Grade Fuel) commonly
sold at most all gas stations. Plus and Premium fuels
are required in some high performance GM vehicles.
However, they do not necessarily represent higher
detergency present in TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline.
Important: For additional information regarding Top
Tier fuels and availability, please refer to the latest
version of Corporate Bulletin Number 04-06-04-047 for
U.S. or 05-06-04-022 for Canada.
Notice: E85 FUELS: Only vehicles designated for use
with E85 should use E85 blended fuel. E85
compatibility is designated for vehicles that are certified
to run on up to 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline. All other
gasoline engines are designed to run on fuel that
contains no more than 10% ethanol. Use of fuel
containing greater than 10% ethanol in non-E85
designated vehicles can cause driveability issues,
service engine soon indicators as well as increased fuel
system corrosion.
• Use the Recommended Grade (Octane) Fuel
Purchasing higher than required octane fuel is a
waste of money. Using higher octane fuels in a
vehicle that only required regular unleaded fuel
will neither increase performance nor improve gas
mileage. In all cases refer to your owners manual
and ONLY use the octane rated fuel
recommended for your vehicle.
Important: In high performance GM vehicles that DO
require Premium (91 octane or higher) fuel, you MUST
use fuels of at least this octane. Use of lower octane
fuel may result in reduced performance, knocking, and/
or permanent engine damage not covered under the
terms of the New Vehicle Warranty.
• Check Engine/Service Engine Soon Light – Is
the Check Engine/SES light on? When this light is
on, the vehicles On-Board diagnostics computer
has noticed that something is wrong. GM vehicles
have many sensors that the computer uses to
both control and sense actual fuel usage. When
the computer lights the Check Engine/SES light it
has lost some ability to run efficiently. This may
result in increased fuel consumption, increased
emissions, and/or driveability concerns.
• Spark Plugs – Even though most current GM
vehicles have 160,000 km (100,000 mi) service
intervals for spark plugs, if your vehicle is at that
point in its life, have the spark plugs changed to
assure proper running and continued efficient,
trouble free operation. Refer to the applicable
Maintenance Schedule for spark plugs service
intervals on Chevrolet Aveo, Optra, Epica, Pontiac
Vibe, Wave and Saturn Astra.
Bulletin No.: 05-00-89-072C
December, 2013
Changes In Driving Habits:
•
•
Slow Down, Drive Smoothly – Avoid quick/full
throttle acceleration from a standstill in town and
high cruising speeds on the interstates. While the
optimum MPG for highway cruising speed varies
from vehicle to vehicle, faster is almost always
worse. If your vehicle is equipped with a Driver
Information Center that displays Instant Fuel
Economy, select that read out and vary your
cruising speed while on the highway. The display
will change continuously with uphill and downhill
sections but you should quickly be able to identify
on level ground the speed range that your vehicle
does the best in.
Empty Your Trunk – Avoid leaving unnecessary
items in your trunk. It takes power to move
increased weight and that means more gasoline
•
•
•
Page 3
consumption and reduced performance. While the
change may be slight, multiplied by thousands of
miles, it all adds up.
Avoid Extended Idling – There is no need to idle
your engine till it reaches operating temperature.
Idling wastes fuel.
Combine Trips – Your vehicle uses much more
fuel when the engine is cold. This is especially
true in the winter months when the engine will take
the longest to warm up. Combine errands or trips
so that the vehicle only needs to warm up once to
encompass many different stops.
www.fueleconomy.gov – The U.S. Department
of Energy website www.fueleconomy.gov is an
informative resource for more information on
driving efficiently.
GM bulletins are intended for use by professional technicians, NOT a "do-it-yourselfer". They are written to inform these
technicians of conditions that may occur on some vehicles, or to provide information that could assist in the proper
service of a vehicle. Properly trained technicians have the equipment, tools, safety instructions, and know-how to do a
job properly and safely. If a condition is described, DO NOT assume that the bulletin applies to your vehicle, or that your
vehicle will have that condition. See your GM dealer for information on whether your vehicle may benefit from the
information.
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