PONTIAC BONNEVILLE 1993 Owners Manual

Service & Appearance Care
Tires
We don’t make tires. Your new vehicle comes with high quality tires made by a
leading tire manufacturer. These tires are warranted by the tire manufacturers and
their warranties
are delivered with every new Pontiac. If your spare tire is a
different brand than your road tires, you will have a tire warranty folder from each
of these manufacturers.
I CAUTION ~~~~ ~~
Poorly maintained and improperly used tires are dangerous.
I friction. You could have an &-out and a serious accident.. See the I&
A Overloading your tires can cause werhe;atiqg as a result of too much
under Lading .bur F.’ehick.
Underinflated tires pose the same danger as werlioaded tires. The resulfing
accident could cause serious injury. Check all tires fr\equently to maintain
the recommended pressure. Tire pressure should be checked when the tires
are cold.
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.
* Overinflated tires are more likely to be cut, punctured, or broken by
lnflation-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 a mile.
... 250
ProCarManuals.com

Don't let anyone tell you that , 1 ,~ ,%$:
underinflation or overinflation
all right. It's not.
If your tires don't ;1
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. Simply looking at
the tires will not tell you the pressure,
especially if
you have radial tires-
which may look properly inflated even if
they're underinflated.
If your tires have valve caps, be sure to
put them back on. They help prevent
leaks by keeping out dirt and moisture.
Tire lnspection and Rotation
To make your tires last longer, have
them inspected and rotated at the
mileages recommended in your Mainte-
nance Schedule. See the
Index under
Scheduled Maintenance Services.
Use this rotation pattern.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust
the front and rear inflation pressure as
shown on the Tire-Loading Information
label. Make certain that all wheel nuts
are properly tightened. See the
Index
under Wheel Nut Torque.
ProCarManuals.com

Service & Appearance Care
Tire Inspection and Rotation
(CONT)
r st or dirt on a wheel, or on
tne parts to which it is
stened, can
make the wheel nuts
“dome loose
after a time. The
wheel could come
off and cause an
.. - cident . 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 ’ -kr, if you need to, to get all the
,,Adder
changing a Flat Ere.
st or dirt off. See the Index
I
... 252
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
2/32 inch (1.6 mm) or
less of tread remaining.
You need a new tire if
You can see the indicators at three
You can see cord or fabric showing
The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut
places around the
tire.
through the tire’s rubber.
or snagged deep enough
to show cord
or fabric.
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.
Buying 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 same 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 a
“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.
ProCarManuals.com

I CAUTION
A
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. 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
limited use on your vehicle.
rn Uniform Tire Quality
Grading
The following information relates to the
system developed by the United States
National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration which grades tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature
performance. (This applies only to
vehicles sold in the United States.)
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative
rating based on the wear rate
of the tire
when tested under controlled conditions
on a specified government test course.
For example, a tire graded
150 would
wear one and a half
(1%) times as well
on the government course as a tire
graded
100. The relative performance of
tires depends upon the actual conditions
of their use, however, and may depart
significantly from the norm due to
variations in driving habits, service
practices and differences
in road
characteristics and climate.
253
ProCarManuals.com

Service & Appearance Care
Traction-A, 5, C
The traction grades, from highest to
lowest are: A,
B, and C. They represent
the tire’s ability to stop on wet pavement
as measured under controlled conditions
on specified government test surfaces
of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C
may have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned
to this tire is based on braking (straight-
ahead) traction tests and does not
include cornering (turning) traction.
254
Temperature-A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the
highest),
B, and C, representing the
tire’s resistance to the generation
of heat
and its ability to dissipate heat when
tested under controlled conditions on a
specified indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause
the material of the tire to degenerate and
reduce tire life, and excessive
temperature can lead to sudden tire
failure. The grade
C corresponds to a
level of performance which all
passenger car tires must meet under the
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades B and A represent
higher levels of performance on the
laboratory test wheel than
the minimum
required by law.
Warning: The temperature grade for
this tire is established for a tire that is
properly inflated and not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately
or in
combination, can cause heat buildup
and possible tire failure.
Those grades are molded
on the
sidewalls
of passenger car tires.
While the tires available as standard or
optional equipment on General Motors
vehicles may vary with respect to these
grades, all such tires meet General
Motors performance standards and have
been approved for use
on General
Motors vehicles. All passenger type
(P Metric) tires must conform to Federal
safety requirements in addition to these
grades.
ProCarManuals.com

Wheel Alignment and
Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were
iligned and balanced carefully at the
'actory to give you the longest tire life
md best overall performance.
:n most cases, you will not need to have
jour wheels aligned again. However, if
jou notice unusual tire wear or your
iehicle pulling one way or the other, the
dignment may need to be reset. If you
lotice your vehicle vibrating when
hiving on a smooth road, your wheels
nay need to be rebalanced.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked
or badly rusted.
If wheel nuts keep
coming loose, the wheel, wheel bolts,
and wheel nuts should be replaced.
If
the wheel leaks air out, replace it
(except some aluminum wheels, which
can sometimes be repaired). See your
Pontiac dealer if any of these conditions
exist.
Your dealer will know what kind of
wheel you need.
Each new wheel should have the same
load carrying capacity, diameter, width,
offset, and be mounted the same way as
the one it replaces. If you need to replace any
of your wheels,
wheel bolts, or wheel nuts, replace them
only with
new GM original equipment
parts. This way, you will be sure
you
have the right wheel, wheel bolts, and
wheel nuts for your Pontiac model.
A
Using the wrong replacement
wheels, wheel bolts,
or wheel
nuts on your vehicle can be
dangerous. It could affect the
braking and handling
of your
vehicle, make your tires lose air
and make you lose control. You
could have a collision in which you
or others could be injured. Always
use the correct wheel, wheel bolts,
and wheel nuts for replacement.
ProCarManuals.com

Service & Appearance Care
Wheel Replacement (CONI:) Used Replacement Wheels
Putting a used wheel on your
vehicle is dangerous. You
I’t know how it’s been used or
how many miles
it’s been driven. It
could fail suddenly and cause an
accident.
If you have to replace a
wheel, use a
new GM original
equipment wheel.
Tire Chains
... 256
ProCarManuals.com

Appearance care
A
Cleaning products can be hazardous. Some are toxic. Others can burst
into flame if you strike a match or get them on a hot part of the vehicle.
Some are dangerous if you breathe their fumes
in a closed space. When you
use anything in a container to clean your Pontiac, be sure to follow the
instructions. And always open your doors
or windows when you're cleaning
the inside.
Never use these to clean your vehicle:
Gasoline Carbon Tetrachloride Turpentine
Benzene Acetone Lacquer Thinner
Naphtha Paint Thinner Nail Polish Remover
They can all be hazardous-some more than others-md they can all damage
your vehicle, too.
I
Don't use any of these unless this
manual says you can. In many
uses, they will damage your
vehicle:
Laundry Soap
Bleach
Reducing Agents
ProCarManuals.com

Service Appearance Care
Cleaning the inside of bur
Pontiac
Use a vacuum cleaner often to get rid of
dust and loose dirt. Wipe vinyl with a
clean, damp cloth.
Your Pontiac dealer has
two GM
cleaners-a solvent-type spot lifter and a
foam-type powdered cleaner. They will
clean normal spots and stains very well.
Here are some cleaning tips:
Always read the instructions on the
cleaner label.
Clean up stains as soon as you can-
before they set.
Use a clean cloth or sponge, and
change to a clean area often.
A soft
brush may be used if stains are
stubborn.
Use solvent-type cleaners in a well-
ventilated area only.
If you use them,
don’t saturate the stained area.
If a ring forms after spot cleaning,
clean the entire area immediately or it
will set.
Using Foam-Type Cleaner on
Fabric
Vacuum and brush the area to remove
Always clean a whole trim panel or
any loose
dirt.
section. Mask surrounding trim along
stitch or welt lines.
Mix Multi-Purpose Powdered Cleaner
following the directions on the
container label.
Use suds only and apply with a clean
sponge.
Don’t saturate the material.
Don’t rub it roughly.
As soon as you’ve cleaned the section,
use a sponge to remove the suds.
Rinse the section with a clean, wet
sponge.
Wipe off what’s left with a slightly
damp paper towel or cloth.
Then dry it immediately with an air
hose, a hair dryer or a heat lamp.
Wipe with a clean cloth.
ProCarManuals.com

Using Solvent-Type Cleaner on
Fabric
First, see if you have to use solvent-type
cleaner at all. Some spots and stains will
clean off better with just water and mild
soap.
If you need to use it, then:
Gently scrape excess soil from the
trim material with a clean, dull knife
or scraper. Use very little cleaner,
light pressure and clean cloths (preferably cheesecloth). Cleaning
should start at the outside of the stain,
“feathering” toward the center. Keep
changing to a clean section of the
cloth.
When you clean a stain from fabric,
immediately dry the area with an air
hose, hair dryer, or heat lamp to help
prevent a cleaning ring. (See the
previous
NOTICE.)
Special Cleaning Problems
Greasy or Oily Stains:
Like grease, oil, butter, margarine, shoe
polish, coffee with cream, chewing
gum, cosmetic creams, vegetable oils,
wax crayon, tar and asphalt.
Carefully scrape off excess stain.
Then follow the solvent-type
Shoe polish, wax crayon, tar and
instructions
above.
asphalt will stain if
left on a vehicle
seat fabric. They should be removed
as soon as possible. Be careful,
because the cleaner will dissolve them
and may cause them
to bleed.
Non-Greasy Stains:
Like catsup, coffee (black), egg, fruit,
fruit juice, milk, soft drinks, wine,
vomit, urine and blood.
0 Carefully scrape off excess stain, then
sponge the soiled area with cool water.
If a stain remains, follow the foam-
type instructions above.
If an odor lingers after cleaning vomit
or urine, treat
the area with a water/
baking soda solution:
1 teaspoon
(5 ml) of baking soda to 1 cup
(250 ml) of lukewarm water.
Finally, if needed, clean lightly with
solvent-type cleaner.
Combination Stains:
Like candy, ice cream, mayonnaise,
chili sauce and unknown stains.
Carefully scrape off excess stain, then
clean with cool water and allow to
dry.
If a stain remains, clean it with
solvent-type cleaner.
259
ProCarManuals.com