So Fix it

The Jeep Grand Cherokee grille is attached to the its reinforcement at the front of the vehicle, making it more rigid and increasing its durability. The grille is constructed from plastic and can crack or break with an impact, necessitating replacement of the grille itself. Replacement grilles can be purchased at your local dealership. You might be able to obtain a good used part from a salvage yard, however, and save yourself a significant amount of money.

Instructions

1

Open the hood of your Grand Cherokee and locate the two bolts on the top of the radiator support that secure the grille to its reinforcement and radiator support.

2

Remove the two upper mounting bolts from the grille with a 10-millimeter socket and ratchet. Set the bolts aside.

3

Locate the retaining screws on the front of the grille. There are three screws inside the vertical slats of the grille.

4

Remove the retaining screws from the front of the grille with a Phillips screwdriver and remove the grille from the front of the Jeep.

If you plan to remove the oil seal in the rear axle housing of your Jeep Grand Cherokee, it helps to have a seal puller. Rental pullers are available at many auto parts stores and will help prevent damage to the pinion shaft. The oil seal is in the housing where the pinion shaft passes through the differential and keeps the oil from running out of your axle. Replacement seals are available from Jeep or most auto parts stores.

Instructions

1

Raise the rear of your Jeep with a jack and support the truck with a set of jack stands under the rear axle. Locate the pinion yoke, where the axle and driveshaft meet. Place an alignment mark on the yoke and the driveshaft with a paint pen for use later.

2

Remove the four 10-millimeter bolts from the pinion yoke with a wrench, then separate the drive shaft from the yoke. Caully set the drive shaft aside.

3

Locate the pinion nut in the center of the pinion yoke. Install a large socket and breaker bar on the nut and rotate it counterclockwise. Remove the nut and washer from the shaft.

4

Remove the pinion yoke from the shaft with a yoke puller. If you do not have a puller, you can rent one from many auto parts stores. If you cannot find a puller, heating the yoke with an oxyacetylene torch will allow it to swell and come loose. Caully slide it off the shaft.

5

Place an oil drain pan under the pinion shaft to catch any oil that might seep from the differential when you remove the seal.

6

Place the seal puller over the shaft and engage the arms with the inside edge of the seal. Turn the puller counterclockwise with a socket and ratchet, pulling the seal from the bore.

A catalytic converter is an exhaust component that was put on all production cars since 1974. The job of a catalytic converter on a Pontiac Grand Prix is to burn up any left over gas that went through the engine and was left unburned. The catalytic converter uses a chemical reaction to change the unburned engine gases to less toxic gases, like carbon dioxide and water vapor. This helps cut down on the pollutants emitted, from the Grand Prix, into the atmosphere.

General Location

Because the catalytic converter is an exhaust component, it is located in the exhaust system on the underside of the Grand Prix. On the Grand Prix, the exhaust system attaches to the engine block and to the underside of the car using brackets, and then exists out the rear of the vehicle with dual exhaust tips. The converter looks like a small muffler, or rectangular box, around the middle of the exhaust pipe. The primary components of the converter are usually made out of stainless steel.

Location on the Exhaust

The catalytic converter is located between the exhaust manifold and the muffler. The exhaust manifold is a pipe that moves the engine gasses from the engines combustion chamber into the exhaust system. The muffler is a large chamber located near the end of your exhaust system that reduces the noise energy of the exhaust gasses as they exit the exhaust system.

Why Its on the Car

Toxic gasses are released when the engine in the Grand Prix runs. These gasses could cause depletion of the ozone, as well as illness or damage to the environment, if they were released without being broken down into less harmful gasses. Because the government put emission restrictions into place to slow the buildup of pollution, all cars were equipped with catalytic converters after 1974. This has cut down on the pollution being released by automobiles significantly since the government required all cars to have the converter.

Why Its in the Exhaust System

The exhaust system on the Grand Prix, just like every other car, is used to move gas from the engine out to the surrounding air. The converter is located after the exhaust manifold so that it can take the toxic engine gasses and convert them into less toxic ones before the exhaust moves into the muffler and eventually exist the rear of the Grand Prix. Without the catalytic converter within the exhaust system, exhausted toxic gases from the engine would be released into the atmosphere, causing toxic buildup.

You can remove the passenger airbags from your Pontiac Grand Am. These days, airbags are considered to be essential safety features of a car. Airbags are designed to prevent head injuries during a crash, but sometimes airbags may actually cause injury, especially in children and frail people. For this reason some people may want to disengage the passenger airbags. Disengaging the airbags is a fairly easy procedure but be cautious to prevent accidental deployment.

Instructions

1

Remove the battery cables from both sides of the Grand Ams battery using a socket wrench set. Wait for 30 minutes to let the electricity drain out. This is a very important step to prevent accidental deployment of the airbags.

2

Read the Grand Ams owners manual to find the exact location of the airbag fuse. Open the fuse panel cover located on the drivers side dashboard remove the fuse pullers. Pull out the appropriate fuse.

3

Open the glove box and remove the straps that hold it open. Remove the glove box from the dash by locating the screws and unscrewing it. This will allow you to access the passenger airbag. Very caully unbolt the airbag with the socket wrench and unhook the power cable that is connected to the back of the airbag. Make sure your body and face are out of the way of the airbag at all times while you do this in case of accidental deployment. Remove the airbag from the compartment.

4

Put the glove box back in and screw the screws back in place. Reattach the straps. Put the airbag fuse back in place and close up the fuse panel cover. Reconnect the cables to the battery.

Some car alarms are more sensitive than others. If somebody is walking by the car and nudges it, the car could go into frenzy. Car alarms are also annoying when trying to make repairs to the cars. If you want to disable the alarm on your Pontiac Grand Prix, you can easily turn it off by accessing the alarm transmitter. This is located under the steering wheel. By engaging the valet switch, the alarm automatically disables.

Instructions

1

Open the Grand Prix and put your key in the ignition. Turn the ignition until you have turned on the cars electrical system, but not the engine.

2

Pry off the dashboard panels around your ignition cylinder with your fingers or a flat-head screwdriver.

3

Locate the alarm transmitter in the ignition cylinder. This is a small black box.

4

Locate the "Valet Switch" and turn it off. This switch will be labeled. When you turn it "Off" the LED light on the transmitter will go off.

5

Replace the dashboard panels around the ignition cylinder.

Replacing the headlights on the Suzuki Grand Vitara may be required if the lights have damage or if they are extremely discolored or cloudy. Replacement headlights are available from the Suzuki dealer network and through some specialty parts stores. Used headlights can often be found in salvage yards at a much lower price, but check them over to make sure they are not damaged or discolored as well.

Instructions

1

Open the hood of your Grand Vitara, then locate the screws in the perimeter of the grill from the front. Remove them with a Phillips screwdriver and lift the grill off the car.

2

Locate the electrical connector on the back of the headlight assembly and disconnect it by pulling it straight away from the back of the headlight assembly. You will need to depress the locking tab on the connector before you can remove it.

3

Locate the screw in the radiator support above the headlight assembly. Remove it with a Phillips screwdriver. Move to the front of the light and remove the two screws at the bottom of the headlight assembly with your Phillips screwdriver, then pull the headlight assembly straight out. Disconnect any wires that are still attached.

4

Position the new headlight in the front of your Suzuki and install the three retaining screws. Tighten them with a Phillps screwdriver. Connect the electrical connector to the rear of the headlight assembly, pushing it in until the locking tab engages. Repeat the process on the opposite side of the truck.

5

Position the grill in place on the front of the vehicle and install the retaining screws. Tighten the screws with a Phillips screwdriver. Close the hood.

Is one of the taillights out on your 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee? Removing either of the two taillight assemblies on your Grand Cherokee will allow you access to the corresponding taillight bulb so that you can replace it when necessary. The Grand Cherokee uses a dual-filament bulb, part number 3057, for the taillight/brake light combination. The bulbs are very common and therefore easy to find. Most auto parts stores and retail stores, and even some convenience stores/gas stations, will have them in stock.

Instructions

1

Open the lift gate at the rear of your 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee and locate the two retaining bolts on the inboard edge of the taillight assembly. Remove the two bolts with a 10mm socket and ratchet.

2

Pull the taillight straight back from the Jeeps body. Find the bulb sockets on the rear of the taillight. There are several bulb sockets there; the top one is the taillight/brake-light socket. Twist this socket counterclockwise, pull it out of the taillight, and pull the bulb out of the socket. Discard it.

3

Install a new 3057 bulb into the bulb socket, making sure it seats completely, then install the socket into the rear of the taillight and turn it clockwise to lock it in place. Position the taillight back against the body of the Jeep.

4

Install the two retaining bolts and tighten them with a 10mm socket and ratchet. Do not over-tighten them or you will crack the plastic taillight housing.

5

Close the lift gate and test the taillights by turning the headlight switch on or stepping on the brake pedal to verify that the repair was successful.

The 2003 Pontiac Grand prix uses a mechanical thermostat designed to increase the flow of radiator coolant through the engine when the temperature of the coolant surpasses 180 degrees. The thermostat prevents the engine from overheating. If the thermostat stops working, the design allows it to fail in a save position that allows fluid to flow unrestricted through the engine. This prevents overheating, but it also prevents the engine from producing enough heat to warm up the inside of the vehicle. When the thermostat breaks, replacement is the only option to correct the issue.

Instructions

1

Drain approximately 2 gallons of coolant into a clean drainage pan from the petcock located on the bottom of the radiator. You will reuse the coolant.

2

Follow the upper radiator hose from the radiator on the Grand Prix to the intake manifold, where the hose connects to the water outlet housing. The thermostat rests inside the water outlet housing.

3

Clean any debris away from the outlet housing with a towel or compressed air. It is common for leaves and other road dirt to build up around this area. A clean surface prevents any contaminants from getting into the cooling system.

4

Remove the two bolts that secure the water outlet housing to the intake manifold on the Grand Prix with a socket and ratchet. Lift the housing off the intake manifold to expose the thermostat.

5

Lift the old thermostat out of the intake manifold and shove a shop towel into the newly exposed hole.

6

Scrape the old gasket off the surface of the intake manifold with a metal scraper or small wire brush. Do the same with the bottom of the water outlet housing.

7

Remove the shop towel from the hole in the intake manifold and place the new thermostat into the hole. The end with the spring goes into the hole while the end with the pin sticks out.

8

Place a new gasket over the thermostat and place the water outlet housing on top of the gasket. Secure everything with the two bolts.

9

Open the lid on the radiator expansion tank and drain the 2 gallons of fluid back into the radiator.

Pontiac offered the 2002 Grand Prix in the SE, GT and GTP models, in both sedan and coupe forms. The engines in the Grand Prix were the 3.1-liter V-6, the 3.8-liter V-6, and the 3.8-liter, supercharged V-6. Removing the spark plug wires on any of these engine combinations is an identical process, though the smaller 3.1-liter affords more room for working under the hood. The tools for completing this project are all available at an auto-parts store and some general retailers.

Instructions

1

Stand facing the front of the engine and remove the far-left, center, and far-right spark plug wires, using a pair of pliers as close to the engine as possible. Pull on each spark plug wire with the pliers until they pop off the spark plug.

2

Stand on the passenger side of the vehicle, facing the engine. Remove the rear spark plug that is closest to you, using a pair of pliers as close to the engine as possible. Go to the drivers side of the vehicle and remove the rear spark plug wire that is closest to you, using pliers as close to the engine as possible.

3

Lift the front end of the Grand Prix using a 2-ton jack or one with greater capacity. Place two jack stands beneath both the left and right lower control arms. You can pull the car onto two vehicle ramps instead of using the jack and jack stands.

4

Lie beneath the front end of the car and slide back until you can see the rear of the engine when you are facing upward. Remove the center-rear spark plug wire by using a pair of pliers, as close to the engine as possible.