PONTIAC PONTIAC 1997 Owners Manual
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5. Remove the bulb from the socket.
6. Place the new bulb into the socket.
7. Turn the bulb socket 114 turn clockwise to replace it.
8. Carefully replace the headlamp assembly into the
vehicle. Be careful to avoid scratching or chipping
the paint
on the vehicle while replacing.
9. Replace the two bolts on the top of the
headlamp assembly.
10. Close the hood.
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp
1. Open the trunk.
2. Reach through the access opening in the trunk and
remove the slotted vent by squeezing the ends and
pulling down.
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3. Remove the bulb by turning it 1/4 turn
4. Place the new bulb into the bulb socket.
5. Turn the bulb 1/4 turn clockwise to replace, Replace
counterclockwise.
the vent you removed earlier.
6. Close the trunk,
Taillamps
1. Unhook the convenience net (if equipped)
and remove.
2. Unscrew the lower convenience net hook attachment.
3. Pull the trunk trim carpeting back from the rear of
the trunk.
4. Remove the upper trunk trim hook and the two
plastic wing nuts
from the taillamp.
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5. Carefully remove the taillamp assembly. Be
careful to avoid scratching or chipping the paint
on the vehicle.
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7. Remove the bulb.
8. Place the new bulb into the socket.
9. Turn the lamp socket 1/4 turn clockwise to
replace it.
to avoid scratching or chipping the vehicle paint.
10. Carefully replace the taillamp assembly. Be careful
11. Reverse Steps 1 through 4.
12. Close the rear compartment.
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
1. Pull the windshield wiper arm away from
the windshield.
2. Lift the release clip with a screwdriver and pull the
blade
off the wiper arm.
3, Push the new wiper blade securely onto the
wiper arm.
For wiper blade replacement length and type, see
“Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts” in the Index.
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Tires
Your new Pontiac comes with high-quality tires
made by
a leading tire manufacturer. If you ever have
questions about your tire warranty and where to obtain
service, see your Pontiac Warranty booklet for details.
E
Poorly maintained and improperly used tires are
dangerous.
Overloading your
tires can cause overheating
as a result of too much friction. You could
have
an airout and a serious accident. See
“Loading Your Vehicle” in the Index.
Underinflated tires pose the same danger as
overloaded tires. The resulting accident
could cause serious injury. Check all tires
frequently to maintain the recommended
pressure. Tire pressure should be checked
when your tires are cold.
CAUTION: (Continued)
0 Overinflated tires are more likely to be cut,
punctured or broken by a sudden impact
--
such as when you hit a pothole. Keep tires
at the recommended pressure.
Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If your
tread is badly worn,
or if your tires have
been damaged, replace them.
Inflation -- Tire Pressure
The Tire-Loading Information label, which is on the
rear edge of the driver’s door shows the correct inflation
pressures for your tires when they’re cold. “Cold”
means your vehicle has been sitting for at least three
hours or driven
no more than 1 mile (1.6 km).
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I NOTICE:
Don't let anyone tell you that underinflation or
overinflation is all right. It's not.
If your tires
don't have enough air (underinflation), you can
get the following:
0 Too much flexing
0 Too much heat
0 Tire overloading
0 Bad wear
Bad handling
Bad fuel economy.
If your tires have too much air (overinflation),
you can get the following:
Unusual wear
Bad handling
Rough ride
Needless damage from road hazards. When
to Check
Check your tires once a month
or more.
Don't forget your compact spare tire. It should
be at
60 psi (420 kPa).
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure. You can't tell if your tires
are properly inflated
simply
by looking at them, Radial tires may look
properly inflated even when they're underinflated.
Be sure to put the valve caps back on the valve stems.
They help prevent leaks
by keeping out dirt and moisture.
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Check Tire Pressure System (If Equipped)
The check tire pressure system can alert you to a large
change in the pressure in one tire. The system won’t
alert you before you drive that a tire is low or flat. Each
time you start your Pontiac, you must drive
10 to 20
miles (15 to 30 km) before the system will work
properly.
After you’ve driven
10 to 20 miles (15 to 30 km), the
CHECK TIRE PRESS light will come on if the pressure
in o’ne
tire becomes at least 10 psi (69 kPa) higher or
lower than the other three tires. The check tire pressure
system won’t alert you if the pressure in more than
one tire is low or high, or if the system is not
calibrated properly.
If the anti-lock brake system warning light comes on
with the
CHECK TIRE PRESS light, the check tire
pressure system isn’t working. See your dealer for
service. (Also, see “Anti-Lock Brake System Warning
Light” in
the Index.)
The check tire pressure system detects differences in tire
rotation speeds that are caused by changes in tire
pressure. It will not alert you if the pressure in more
than one tire is low or high. The system can alert you
about
a low tire -- but it doesn’t replace normal tire
maintenance. See “Tires” in
the Index. When
the CHECK
TIRE PRESS light comes on, you
should stop as soon
as you can and check all your tires for
darnage. (If a tire
is flat, see “If a Tire Goes Flat” in the
Index.) Also check the tire pressure in all four tires as soon
as you can. See “Inflation - Tire Pressure” in the Index.
The light will stay on until
you turn off the ignition
or
press the CALIBRATE
TIRE
PRESS button.
Don’t press the CALIBRATE TIRE
PRESS button
without first correcting the cause of the problem and
checking and adjusting the pressure in all four tires.
If you
press the button when the tire pressures
are incorrect, the
check tire pressure system will not work properly
and may
not alert you when a tire is low or high.
Any time you adjust a tire’s pressure or have a
tire
repaired or replaced, you’ll need to calibrate the check tire
pressure system. You’ll
also need to calibrate the system
whenever you buy new tires or have
tires repaired.
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To calibrate the system:
1. Turn the ignition switch to ON.
2. The CALIBRATE TIRE PRESS button is under the
instrument panel, to the right of the steering column.
Press and hold the button for about three seconds.
The
CHECK TIRE PRFSS light will flash three
times and go out.
If the light doesn’t go out after you
press the
CALIBRATE TIRE PRESS button, see
your dealer for service.
3. The system completes the calibration process during
driving. During the first
10 to 20 miles (15 to 30 km)
of driving, the system will not alert you if a tire is
low or high. After
20 to 80 miles (30 to 125 km), the
system will only alert
you about pressure differences
of
12 psi (85 kPa) or more. After 80 miles (125 km)
of driving, the system will alert you if a tire is 8 psi
(55 Pa) different from the other three tires.
Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 6,000 to 8,000 miles
(10 000 to 13 000 km). Any time you notice unusual
wear, rotate your tires as soon as possible and check
wheel alignment. Also check for damaged tires or
wheels. See “When
It’s Time for New Tires” and
“Wheel Replacement” later in this section for
more information. The
purpose
of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The first
rotation is the most important. See “Scheduled
Maintenance Services” in the Index for scheduled
rotation intervals.
When rotating your tires, always use
the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
Don’t include the compact spare tire in your tire rotation.
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After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear inflation pressures as shown on the Tire-Loading
Information label. Make certain that all wheel nuts
are
properly tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque” in the Index.
Rust or dirt on
a wheel, or on the parts to which
it is fastened, can make wheel nuts become loose
after
a time. The wheel could come off and cause
an accident. When you change a wheel, remove
any rust or dirt from places where the wheel
attaches to the vehicle.
In an emergency, you can
use a cloth or a paper towel to do this; but be
sure to use a scraper or wire brush later, if you
need to, to get all the rust or dirt off. (See
“Changing
a Flat Tire” in the Index.) When
It’s Time for New Tires
One way
to tell when it’s
time for new tires
is to
check the treadwear
indicators, which will
appear when your tires have
only 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) or
less of tread remaining.
You need a new tire if any of the following statements
are true:
You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
You can see cord or fabric showing through the
tire’s rubber.
0 The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep
enough to show cord or fabric.
0 The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
The tire has a puncture, cut or other damage that
can’t be repaired well because
of the size or location
of the damage.
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g New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the Tire-Loading Information label.
The tires installed on your vehicle when it was new had
a Tire Performance Criteria Specification (TPC Spec)
number on each tire’s sidewall. When
you get new tires,
get ones with that sarne TPC Spec number. That way
your vehicle will continue to have tires that are designed
to give proper endurance, handling, speed rating,
traction, ride and other things during normal service
on
your vehicle. If your tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC number will be followed by an “MS”
(for mud and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with those not having a
TPC Spec number, make sure they are the same size,
load range, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted or radial) as your original tires. Reset Tire
Inflation Monitor
(TIM).
I
Mixing tires could cause you to lose control while
driving.
If you mix tires of different sizes or types
(radial and bias-belted
tires), the vehicle may not
handle properly, and you could have
a crash.
Using tires of different sizes may also cause
damage to your vehicle.
Be sure to use the same
size and type tires
on all wheels.
It’s all right to drive with your compact spare,
though. It was developed for use on your vehicle.
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