PONTIAC BONNEVILLE 1993 Owners Manual

Your Driving and the Road
Maintenance When Tmiler 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, belts, 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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Here you’ll find out what to do
about
some problems that can occur
on the road .
Part 5
Problems on the Road
........................................... Hazard Warning Flashers 192
Jumpstarting
.................................................... 193
Towing Your Pontiac
197
Engine Overheating 202
If a Tire Goes Flat 208
Changing a Flat Tire 210
Compactspare
................................................... 217
..............................................
...............................................
................................................
...............................................
If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow .......................... 218
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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. Press the button
in to make your front
and rear turn signal lights 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, pull out on the
collar.
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,
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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 here to do
it
safely.
Batteries can hurt you. They
- L be dangernus because:
* ' :y contain acid that an burn
0 They contain gas that can
They contain enough electricity
If you don't follow these steps
pyactly, some or all of these things
YQU.
explode or ignite.
to burn you.
Ignoring these steps could result in
costly damage to your vehicle that
To Jump Start Your Pontiac:
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have
a 12-volt battery with a negative
charge system.
I I
If the
other system isn't a 12-volt
system with a negative ground,
both vehicles can be damaged.
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Problems on the Road
Jump Starting (CONT:)
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.
L You could be injured if the
~ Jehicles roll. Set the parking
brake
firmly on each vehicle. Put
an automatic transaxle in P (Park)
or a manual transaxle in N (Neut] . -.
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!
I I I
4. Open the hoods and locate the
batteries.
If you leave your radio on, it could
be badly damaged. The repairs
wouldn't be covered by your
warranty.
CAUTlON
An electric fan can start up I I
I even when the engine is not
running and can injure you. Keep
hands, clothing and tools away
from any underhood electric fan.
Find the positive
(+) and negative
(-) terminals on each battery.
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, Using a match near a battery
- b 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 batteries have enough
water. You don’t need to add water
to the Delco Freedom@ battery installed in every new
GM vehicle.
But if a battery
has filler 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.
5. Check that the jumper cables don’t
have loose or missin.g insulation.
If
they do, you could get a shock. The
vehicles could be damaged, too.
Before you connect the cables, here are
some 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. Fans
or other moving engine
running.
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Problems on the Road
Jump Starting (CONI)
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.
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.
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.
10. Now start the vehicle with the good
battery and
run the engine for a
while.
11. Try to start the vehicle with the
dead battery.
If it won’t start after a
few tries, it probably needs service.
m.. 196
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1 2. Remove the cables in reverse order
to prevent electrical shorting. Take
care that they don't touch each other
or any other metal.
Towing Your Pontiac
Try to have a GM dealer or a
professional towing service tow your
Pontiac. The usual towing equipment is:
(A) Sling-type tow truck
(B) Wheel-lift tow truck
(C) Car carrier
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:
That your vehicle can only be towed
with certain equipment, as described
later in this section.
drive. vehicle.
lever. damaged.
That your vehicle has fi-ont-wheel
The make, model, and year of your
Whether you can still move the shift
If there was an accident, what was
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.
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Problems on the Road
I Towing Your Pontiac (CONI:)
To help avoid injury to you or
Ithers:
Never let passengers ride in a
vehicle that is being towed.
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 use separate safety chains
on each side when towing a vehicle.
Never use “J” hooks. Use T-
hooks instead.
198
When your vehicle is being towed, have
the ignition key 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
and the parking brake released.
Don’t have your vehicle towed
on the
front wheels, unless you must.
If the
vehicle must be towed on the front
wheels, don’t go more than
35 mph
(56 km/h) or farther than 50 miles
(80 km) or your transaxle will be
damaged. If these limits must be
exceeded, then the front wheels have to
be supported on a dolly.
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Towing from the Front-
Vehicle Hook-up (EXCEPT SSE & SSEI’)
Before hoolung up to a tow truck, be
sure
to read all the information on
Towing Your Pontiac earlier in this
section.
1. Attach T-hook chains into the bottom
slots in the cradle behind the front
wheels, on both sides.
2. Across sling chains, position a 4x4
wood beam against bottom of
radiator support behind the front
bumper.
I x6019 I
3. Attach a separate safety chain around
the outboard end
of each control
arm.
.r
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