PONTIAC GRAND AM 1998 Owners Manual

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 lamps will flash on and off.
Move the switch to the right
:o make your front and rear
iurn signal lamps flash on
and off.
Your hazard warning flashers work no matter what
position your key is in, and even if the key isn't in.
To turn off the flashers, move the switch to the left.
When the hazard warning flashers are on, your turn signals won't work.
Other Warning Devices
If you carry reflective triangles, you can set one up at
the side
of the road about 300 feet (100 m) behind
your vehicle.
5-2

Jump Starting
If your battery has run down, you may want to use
another vehicle
and some jumper cables to start your
vehicle.
But please follow the steps below to do it safely.
Batteries can hurt you. They can be dangerous
because:
0 They contain acid that can burn you.
0 They contain gas that can explode or ignite.
They contain enough electricity to
If you don’t follow these steps exactly, some or all
of these things can hurt you.
burn you.
NOTICE:
Ignoring these steps could result in costly damage
to your vehicle that wouldn’t be covered
by
your warranty.
nying
to start your vehicle by pushing or pulling
it won’t work, and it could damage your vehicle.
5-3

i . Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with a negative ground system.
I 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 vehicle, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
To avoid the
possibility
of the vehicles rolling, set the parking
brake firmly
on both vehicles involved in the jump
start procedure.
Put an automatic transaxle in
PARK (P) or a manual transaxle in NEUTRAL (N)
before setting the parking brake.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter.
Turn off all lamps that aren’t needed as well
as radios. This will avoid sparks and help save both
batteries.
In addition, it could save your radio!
I NOTICE:
If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
A CAUTION:
An electric fan can start up even when the engine
is not running and can injure you. Keep hands,
clothing and tools away from any underhood
electric fan.
1
5-4

4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries. Find
the positive
(+) and negative (-) terminals on
each battery.
A CAUTION:
5. 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 a metal
engine part.
Using a match near
a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing this,
and
some have been blinded. Use a flashlight if
you need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough
water. You don’t
need to add
water to the AC Delco Freedom@
battery
installed in every new GM vehicle. But
if a battery has ffler caps, be sure the right
amount
of fluid is there. If it is low, add water to
take care of that
first. If you don’t, explosive gas
could be present.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn you.
Don’t get it
on you. If you accidentally get it in
your eyes
or on your skin, flush the place with
water and get medical help immediately. Don’t connect positive
(+) to negative (-) or
you’ll
get a short that would damage the battery and maybe
other parts,
too.
- 1’
Fans or other moving engine parts can injure you
badly. Keep your hands away from moving parts
once the engine is running.
5-5

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.
L
7.
8.
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.
Now connect the
black negative (-) cable
to the
good battery's
negative
(-) terminal.
5-6

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.
9. Attach the cable at least 18 inches (45 cm) away
from the dead battery, but not near engine parts that
move. The electrical connection is just as good
there, but the chance
of sparks getting back to the
battery
is much less.
the engine for a while.
10. Now start the vehicle with the good battery and run
11. Try to start the vehicle with the dead battery.
If it won’t start after a
few tries, it probably
needs service.
12. Remove the cables in reverse order to prevent
electrical shorting. Take care that they don’t touch
each other or
any other metal.
A. Heavy Metal Engine Part
B. Good Battery
C. Dead Battery
5-7

Towing Your Vehicle
Try to have a Pontiac dealer or a professional towing
service tow your vehicle. They can provide the right
equipment
and know-how to tow your vehicle without
damage. See “Roadside Assistance” in
the Index.
If your vehicle has been changed or modified since it
was factory
new by adding aftermarket items like fog
lamps, aero skirting, or special tires and wheels, these
instructions and illustrations may not
be correct.
Before you do anything,
turn on the hazard
warning flashers.
When you call, tell the towing service:
0 That your vehicle cannot be towed from the front or
rear with sling-type equipment, as described later
in
this section.
0 That your vehicle has front-wheel drive.
The make, model and year of your vehicle.
Whether you can still move the shift lever.
If there was an accident, what was damaged.
When the towing service arrives, let
the tow operator
know that
this manual contains detailed towing
instructions and illustrations.
The operator may want to
see them.
5-8

To help avoid injury to you or others:
0 Never let passengers ride in a vehicle that is
Never tow faster than safe or posted speeds.
Never tow with damaged parts not
fully secured.
Never get under your vehicle after it has
been lifted
by the tow truck.
Always secure the vehicle on each side with
separate safety chains when towing it.
Never use J-hooks. Use T-hooks instead.
being towed.
When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition
off. The steering wheel should be clamped in a
straight-ahead position, with
a clamping device
designed for towing service.
Do not use the vehicle’s
steering column lock for this. The transaxle should be
in
NEUTRAL (N) and the parking brake released.
The ignition key must be OFF to keep the automatic
door locks from locking during towing. Don’t have your vehicle towed on the
front wheels,
unless you must.
If the vehicle must be towed on the
front wheels, see speed and distance restrictions later
in
this section, farther than 50 miles (80 km) your transaxle
will be damaged.
If these limits must be exceeded, then
the front wheels have to be supported on a dolly.
A vehicle can fall from a car carrier if it isn’t
adequately secured.
This can cause a collision,
serious personal injury and vehicle damage. The
vehicle should be tightly secured with chains
or
steel cables before it is transported.
Don’t use substitutes (ropes, leather straps,
canvas webbing, etc.) that can be cut
by sharp
edges underneath the towed vehicle. Always use
T-hooks inserted in the T-hook
slots. Never use
J-hooks. They will damage drivetrain and
suspension components.
5-9

Front Towing
Before hooking up to a tow truck, be sure to read
all the information in “Towing Your Vehicle” earlier in
this section.
NOTICE:
Do not tow with sling-type equipment or
fascidfog light damage
will occur. Use wheel-lift
or carcarrier equipment. Additional ramping
may be required for carcarrier equipment.
NOTICE:
Towing a vehicle over rough surfaces could
damage a vehicle. Damage can occur from
vehicle to ground or vehicle to wheel-lift
equipment. To help avoid damage,
install a
towing dolly and raise the vehicle until adequate
clearance
is obtained between the ground and/or
wheel-lift equipment.
Do not attach winch cables or J-hooks to
suspension components when using carcarrier
equipment. Always
use T-hooks inserted in
the T-hook slots.
5-10

Attach T-hook chains
into the slots in the
bottom
of the floor pan,
just behind the front
wheels on both sides.
Attach a separate safety chain around the
outboard end
of each
lower control arm.
I\ - 1 I
Rear Towing
Tow Limits -- 55 mph (88 kmh), 500 Miles (800 km)
Before hooking up to a tow truck, be sure to read all the
information in “Towing Your Vehicle” earlier in this
section. Also be sure to use the proper hook-up for your
particular vehicle.
NOTE: The ignition key must be OFF to keep the
automatic door locks
from locking during tow.
5-11