PONTIAC BONNEVILLE 1994 Owners Manual

Your Driving and the Road
A B
Weight of the Trailer
Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an
important weight to measure because
it
affects the total capacity weight of your
vehicle. The capacity weight includes the
curb weight of the vehicle, any cargo
you
may carry in it, and the people who will
be riding in the vehicle. And if you will
tow a trailer,
you must subtract the
tongue load from your vehicle’s capacity
weight because your vehicle will be
carrying that weight, too. See “Loading
Your Vehicle” in the Index for more
information about your vehicle’s
maximum load capacity. If
you’re using a “dead-weight” hitch, thc
trailer tongue
(A) should weigh 10% of
the total loaded trailer weight
(B). If you
have a “weight-distributing” hitch, the
trailer tongue
(A) should weigh 12% of
the total loaded trailer weight
(B).
After you’ve loaded your trailer, weigh
the trailer and then the tongue, separately,
to see if the weights are proper. If they
aren’t,
you may be able to get them right
simply by moving some items around in
the trailer.
Total Weight on Your
Vehicle’s Tires
Be sure your vehicle’s tires are inflated to
the limit for cold tires. You’ll find these
numbers on the Certification label at the rear edge of the driver’s door or see
“Loading Your Vehicle” in the Index.
Then be sure
you don’t go over the GVW
limit for your vehicle.
Hitches
It’s important to have the correct hitch
equipment. Crosswinds, large trucks
going by, and rough roads are a few
reasons why you’ll need the right hitch. Here are some rules to follow:
0 Will you have to make any holes in
the body of your vehicle when
you
install a trailer hitch? If you do, then
be sure to seal the holes iater when
you remove the hitch. If
you don’t
seal them, deadly carbon monoxide (CO) from your exhaust can get into
your vehicle (see “Carbon Monoxide” in the Index).
Dirt and water can, too.
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The bumpers on yaur vehicfe are not
intended for hitches.
Do not attach
rental hitches or other bumper-type
hitches to them. Use
only a
frame-mounted hitch that does not
attach to the bumper.
Safety Chains
You should always attach chains- between
your vehicle and your trailer. Cross the
safety chains under the tongue of.the
trailer
so that the tongue will not drop to
the road
if it becomes separated from the
hitch. Instructions about safety chains
may be provided by the hitch
manufacturer or by the trailer
manufacturer. Follow the manufacturer’s
recommendation for attaching safety
chains. Always leave just enough slack
so
you can turn with your rig. And, never
allow safety chains to drag
on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
Does your trailer have its own brakes? Be
sure to read and follow the instructions
for the trailer brakes
so you’ll be able to
install, adjust and maintain them properly.
Because you have anti-lock brakes, do not
try to tap into your vehicle’s brake
system. If you do both brakes systems
won’t work well, or at all.
Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount
of experience. Before setting out for the
open road, you’ll want to get to know
your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel
of handling and braking with the added
weight of the trailer. And always keep in
mind that the vehicle
you are driving is
now a good deal longer and not nearly
so
responsive as your vehicle is by itself. Before you
start, check the trailer hitch
and platform, safety chains, electrical
Eonnector, lights, tires and mirror
adjustment.
If the trailer has electric
brakes, start your vehicle and trailer
moving and then apply ‘the trailer brake
controller by hand to be sure the brakes
are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionakky to be
sure that the load is secure, and that the
lights and any trailer brakes are still
working.
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Your Driving and the Road
Driving with a Trailer
(CONT.)
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the
vehicle ahead as you would when driving
your vehicle without a trailer. This can
help you avoid situations that require
heavy braking and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up
ahead when you’re towing a trailer. And,
because you’re a good deal longer, you’ll
need to
go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return to
your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel
with one hand. Then, to move the trailer
to the left, just move that hand to the left.
To move the trailer to the right, move
your hand to the right. Always back up
slowly and,
if possible, have someone
guide you.
Making Turns
When you’re turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal. Do this
so your
trailer won’t strike soft shoulders, curbs,
road signs, trees, or other objects. Avoid
jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well
in
advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has
to have a different turn signal flasher and
extra wiring. The green arrows on your
instrument panel will flash whenever you
signal a turn or lane change. Properly
hooked up, the trailer lights will also
flash, telling other drivers you’re about to
turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green arrows
on your instrument panel will flash for
turns even if the bulbs on the trailer are
burned out. Thus, you may think drivers
behind you are seeing your signal when
they are not. It’s important to check
occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs
are still working. Your
vehicle has bulb warning lights.
When you plug trailer lights into your
vehicle’s lighting system, its bulb warning
lights may not let
you know if one of your
lights goes out.
So, when you have trailer
lights plugged
in, be sure to check your
vehicle and trailer lights from time
to time
to be sure they’re all working. Once you
disconnect the trailer lights, the bulb
warning lights again can tell you if one
of
your vehicle lights is out.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear
before you start down a long or steep
downgrade. If you don’t shift down, you
might have to use your brakes
so much
that they would get hot and no longer
work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down to “D”
(Drive) and reduce your speed to around
45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the
possibility
of engine and transaxle
overheating.
Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle,
with a trailer attached, on a hill. If
something goes wrong, your rig could
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Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle,
with a trailer attached, on a hill.
If
something goes wrong, your rig could
start to move. People can be injured, and
both your vehicle and the trailer can be
damaged.
But if you ever have to park your rig on a
hill, here’s how to do it:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Apply your regular brakes, but don’t
shift into
“P” (Park) yet.
Have someone place chocks under the
trailer wheels.
When the wheel chocks are in place,
release the regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
Reapply the regular brakes. Then
apply your parking brake, and then shift to
“F”’ (Park).
Release the regular brakes.
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking
on a Hill
1.
2.
3.
4.
Apply your regular brakes and hold
the pedal down while you:
0 Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
0 Release the parking brake.
Let up on the brake pedal.
Drive slowly until the trailer is clear
of the chocks.
Stop and have someone pick up and
store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often
when you’re pulling a trailer.
See the
Maintenance Schedule for more
on this.
Things that are especially important in
trailer operation are automatic transaxle
fluid (don’t overfill), engine oil, belt(s),
cooling system, and brake adjustment,
Each
of these is covered in this manual,
and the Index will help you find them
quickly. If you’re trailering, it’s a good
idea to review these sections before. you
start your trip.
Check periodically to
see that all hitch
nuts and bolts are tight.
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Notes
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Here you'^^ find what to do about
some problems that can occur on the
road .
Problems on the
Part. 5
Hazard Warning Flashers ............................................
TowingYourPontiac ...............................................
EngineOverheating ................................................
Air Inflator System .................................................
If a Tire Goes Flat .................................................
ChangingaFlatTire ................................................
CompactSpare ....................................................
If You're Stuck: In Sand. Mud. Ice or Snow .... ......................
Jump Starting .....................................................
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Problems on the Road
Hazard Warning
Flashers
Your hazard warning flashers let you
warn others. They also let police know
you have a problem. Your front and rear
turn signal lights will flash on and off. ’ress
the button
in to make your front and
ear turn signal lights flash on and off.
Lour hazard warning flashers work no
natter what position your key is
in, and
:ven
if the key isn’t in.
To turn off the flashers, pull out on the
:ollar. When the hazard warning flashers
ire on, your
turn signals won’t work.
Other Warning Devices
:f you carry reflective triangles, you can
set one
up at the side of the road about
300 feet ( 100 m) behind your vehicle.
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Jump Starting
If your battery has run down, you may
want to use another vehicle and some
jumper cables to
start your Pontiac. But
please follow the steps below
to do it
safely.
~~ ~ ~
NOTICE:
Remember that ignoring these steps
could result in costly damage to
your vehicle that wouldn’t be
covered by your warranty.
Trying to start your Pontiac
by
pushing or pulling it won’t work,
and it could damage your vehicle.
To Jump Start Your
Pontiac:
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have
a 12-volt battery with a negative
ground system.
NOTICE:
If the other system isn’t a 12-volt
system with a negative ground, both
vehicles can be damaged.
2. Get the vehicles close enough. so the
jumper cables can reach, but,
be sure
the vehicles aren’t touching each
other. If they are, it could cause a
ground connection you don’t want.
You wouldn’t be
able to start your
Pontiac, and
the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
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Problems on the Road
To Jump Start Your
Pontiac: (CONK)
You could be injured if the vehicles
roll. Set the parking brake firmly
on each vehicle. Put an automatic
transaxle
in “P” (Park) or a manual
transaxle
in “N” (Neutral).
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles.
Turn
off all lights that aren’t needed,
and radios. This will avoid sparks and
help save both batteries. And
it could
save your radio!
NOTICE:
~ ~~ ~~
If you leave your radio on, it could be
badly damaged. The repairs wouldn’t
be covered by your warranty.
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries.
5. Find the positive (+) and negative (-)
terminals on each battery.
Check that
the jumper cables don’t
have loose or missing insulation. If
they do, you could get a shock. The
vehicles could be damaged, too.
Before you connect the cables, here
are some basic things you should
know. Positive
(+) will go to positive
(+) and negative (-) will go to negative
(-) or a metal engine part. Don’t
connect
(+) to (-) or you’ll get a short
that would damage the battery and maybe other parts, too.
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6. Connect the red positive (+) cable to
the positive (+) terminal of the vehicle
with the dead battery. Use a remote
positive
(+) terminal if the vehicle has
one.
There may be a red plastic cover over
the positive cable end; remove
it
before attaching the jumper cable.
7. Don’t let the other end touch metal.
Connect it to the positive
(+) terminal
of the good battery. Use a remote
positive
(+) terminal if the vehicle has
one.
8. Now connect the black negative (-)
cable to the good battery’s negative
(-) terminal.
Don’t let the other end touch anything
until the next step. The other end of
the negative cable doesn’t go to the
dead battery. It goes to a heavy
unpainted metal part
on the engine of
the vehicle with
the dead battery.
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