Noob 2006 Grand Prix Questions

[codyjoe]

I've got a 2006 Grand Prix (Base model) here and I've got some questions about the features.

1.) Does this mode come equipped with a washer fluid level indicator as it's virtually impossible for me to determine the level as the tank itself is completely blocked from view.

2.) From what I saw, the car said it was "Non-ABS: 4 Wheel ABS" which makes no sense to me. As it states theres no ABS and then states how it has 4 wheel ABS, very confusing to me. The other reason I ask is that I want to know if this thing has a tire pressure gauge as that feature would be extremely useful.

3.) How often should I have the oil and the oil/air filters changed in this car? The 3,000 mile adage was set a long time ago and I highly doubt that a 2006 engine should adhere to the same standards as a a car from the 60's.

[DirtDog]

Hey man I'm assuming u have a 3 button dic. For ur first question it has a washer fluid level sensor so when it gets low it'll tell u.

2nd. It most likely has abs. How familiar are u with how everything behind the tire looks?

3rd. For oil I do every 3000 miles but a lot do 5000. It depends on type of oil. How many miles is on the car. And oil filter change every time u change ur oil. As for air filters I would yearly personally but that's me

[codyjoe]

I've worked lightly behind a tire but not much, I'm assuming there's something I should look for to determine if it has ABS? Along with that, if I determine it has ABS, does that mean the car will display a warning if I have low tire pressure?

The car has 131,300 miles as well.

[DirtDog]

On the ABS if it has them there will be a connector behind the rotor with two wires running into the hub
And low tire pressure it should but I've never owned a base model

[codyjoe]

Unfortunately I'm not skilled enough to actually check for those wires you're talking about. Honestly, I'm quite surprised there are no other ways to tell if the car has ABS.

[goldgp]

In a suitable area, slam on the brakes.If the pedal pulses,you got it and its working...srsly

[codyjoe]

I just realized I could turn the key and see if the ABS indication light turns on-on the dash.

[codyjoe]

I got something new you guys can hopefully answer as well.

Just about every time I start the car, and I mean IMMEDIATELY after starting it (first 2 seconds), you can feel a slight dip in the RPM's and every so often the car will just shut off. I simply just turn the key again and we're good to go. Any idea what this means/why it's happening?

[nos4blood70]

My car did that. The combination of a new fuel filter, a bottle of injector cleaner, and new spark plugs did away with the issue.

[Fivefingerdeathpunch]

Clean the MAF and throttle body.

[Kilroy]

I was bored, so I spent a bunch of time searching around the web, and I discovered that the base model 2006 came with "Electronic brakeforce distribution", which is " an automobile brake technology that automatically varies the amount of force applied to each of a vehicle's brakes, based on road conditions, speed, loading, etc. Always coupled with anti-lock braking systems,". So, it would seem that ABS would be a standard feature, and therefore your vehicle "should" have it. if you do the brake test suggest by a previous poster, and your wheel just lock up, then I would say that your ABS is somehow disabled. However, I do agree that the two only ways to really be sure, is do the brake test, and if the wheels lock up, then check your hubs for the wire like another suggested. The wire would be a guarantee that you do indeed have ABS.

[codyjoe]

Well I guess I'll have to slam on these new brakes of mine sometime to truly determine if I have the ABS or not. I'm hoping the car is equipped with the feature as it would give me warning each time my tire pressure gets low.

Also, I'm not sure if this makes a difference, but my car was imported from Canada after an auction to it doesn't have the same brake warning light as the American version. I also noticed that when I turn the key, an ABS light doesn't appear in the dash so I guess I'll have to go with another way of determining whether I truly have ABS or not.