PONTIAC BONNEVILLE 1994 Owners Manual

Problems on the Road
How to Add Coolant to the
Radiator:
1. You can remove the radiator pressure
cap when the cooling system,
including the radiator pressure cap and
upper radiator hose, is no longer hot.
Turn the pressure cap slowly to the
left until
it first stops. (Don’t press
down while turning the pressure cap.)
If
you hear a hiss, wait for that to stop.
A hiss means there is still some
pressure left.
. . . 180
2. Then keep turning the pressure cap,
but now push down as you turn it.
Remove the pressure cap. 3. Fill the radiator with the proper mix,
up to the base
of the filler neck.
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4. Then fill the coolant recovery tank to
the
“FULL COLD” mark.
5. Put the cap back on the coolant
recovery tank, but leave the radiator
pressure cap
off.
6. Start the engine and let it run until you
can feel the upper radiator hose
getting hot. Watch out for the engine
fan.
7. By this time the coolant level inside
the radiator filler neck may be €ower.
If the level is lower, add more
of the
proper mix through the filler neck
until the level reaches the base of the
filler neck.
181 ...
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Problems on the Road
How to Add Coolant to the
Radiator:
(CONT.)
8. Then replace the pressure cap. At any
time during this procedure
if coolant
begins
to flow out of the filler neck,
reinstall the pressure cap. Be sure the
arrows
on the pressure cap line up like
this.
. . . 182
Air Inflator System
Some vehicles have an air inflator for use
in bringing tires up to the proper pressure.
The air inflator is located
in the trunk.
The “ON” switch will work even with the
ignition off.
The air inflator comes with a
kit that
includes a 20-foot hose and an air
pressure gage, as well as instructions and
special adapters for inflating things like
an air mattress or basketball.
If a Tire Goes FZat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” while
you’re driving, especially
if you maintain
your tires properly. If air goes out of a
tire, it’s much more likely to leak out
slowly.
But if you should ever have a
“blowout,” here are a few tips about what
to expect and what to
do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create
a drag that pulls the vehicle toward that
side. Take your foot
off the accelerator
pedal and grip
the steering wheel firmly.
Steer
to maintain lane position, then
gently brake
to a stop well out of the
traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve,
acts much like a skid and may require the
same correction you’d use
in a skid. In
my rear blowout, remove your foot from
the accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle
under control by steering the way you
want the vehicle
to go. It may be very
bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer.
Sently brake to a stop, well off the road
if
possible.
[fa tire goes flat, the next section shows
low
to use your jacking equipment to
:hange a flat tire safely.
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Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and
wheel damage by driving slowly to a level
place.
Turn on your hazard warning
flashers.
..
The following steps will tell you how to
use the jack and change
a tire.
Please read all twenty steps in
this section
before beginning to change your tire(s).
The equipment you’ll need
is in the trunk.
183. ..
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Problems on the Road
I
Changing a Flat Tire
(CONI)
1. Turn the center retainer bolt on the spare tire cover counterclockwise to
remove
it, then lift the tire cover.
2. Remove the spare tire from the trunk.
. . . 184
#. Open the jack storage cover by
twisting the
knob 1/4 turn
counterclockwise.
4. Remove the jack and wheel wrench.
5. Next, remove the wheel or nut cap
covers for your particular vehicle.
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5a. If you have steel wheels with full
plastic wheel covers, loosen each nut
cap using the wheel wrench.
Note: Nut caps are captured
in the
cover and will not remove completely.
5b. If you have aluminum wheels with
metal nut caps remove them. 5c. If you have aluminum wheels in
which the center cover hides the
wheel nuts, remove the center cover
by using the flat end
of the wrench to
pry
it off. Do not drop the cover or lay
it face down, as it could become
scratched or damaged.
Do not use a hammer or mallet on this
type
of cover.
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Problems on the Road
4
6.
Changing a Flat Tire
(CONT.)
Attach the wheel wrench to the jack,
and rotate the wrench clockwise to
raise the jack head a few inches.
7. Near each wheel well is a notch in the
frame into which to put the jack head.
The front notch is
10 inches back fron
the front wheel well. The rear notch iy
8 inches forward from the rear wheel
well.
The wheel wrench has these
8 and 10
inch distances stamped on the handle.
Use the wheel wrench to measure to
the notch by flipping the socket into
the handle, then measure from the
socket end of
the wrench.
I. Position the jack and raise the jack
head
until it fits firmly on the ridge in
the vehicle’s frame nearest the flat
tire.
Do not raise the vehicle yet. Put
the compact spare tire near you.
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9. If your wheel has the special locking
lug nut, use the special adapter
supplied with your vehicle to remove
the locking wheel nut
by turning
counterclockwise. 1O.Use
the wheel wrench to loosen the
wheel nuts, but don't remove them.
- .. .
11 .Raise the vehicle by rotating tbe
wheel wrench clockwise
on thejack
shaft. Raise the vehicle far enough off
the ground
so there is enough mom
for the spare tire to fit.
. .5 $I' .
8. ':C. -.% :i .
, .*.
187.
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Problems on the Road
1
Changing a Flat Tire
(CONT.)
NOTICE:
Raising your vehicle with the jack
inlproperly positioned will damage
the vehicle or may allow the vehicle
to fdl off the jack. Be sure to fit the
jack lift head into the proper
location before raising your vehicle.
12. Remove all the wheel nuts and take
off the flat tire.
13. Remove any corrosion from the wheel
bolts, mounting surfaces and spare wheel.
14. Place the spare wheel on the
mounting surface.
I
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15. Replace the wheel nuts with the
rounded end of the nuts toward the
wheel. Make sure each wheel stud
is
centered in each wheel hole while
tightening the nuts. Tighten each nut
by hand until the wheel is held flat
against the hub.
16. Lower the vehicle by rotating the
wheel wrench counterclockwise on
the jack. Lower the jack completely. 17. In a criss-cross sequence, tighten the
wheel nuts firmly.
189 ...
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