PONTIAC BONNEVILLE 1995 Owners Manual

What to Add
When you do need brake fluid, use only DOT-3 brake
fluid
-- such as Delco Supreme 11 @ (GM Part
No.1052535). Use new brake fluid from a sealed
container only, and always clean
the brake fluid
reservoir cap before removing it.
I NOTICE:
~ 0 Don’t let someone put in the wrong kind of
’ fluid. For example, just a few drops of
mineral-based oil, such as engine oil, in
your brake system can damage brake
system parts
so badly that they’ll have to be
replaced.
Brake fluid can damage paint, so be careful
not to spill brake fluid on your vehicle.
If
you do, wash it off immediately. See
“Appearance Care” in the Index.
Brake Wear
Your Pontiac has front disc brakes and rear drum brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make
a high-pitched warning sound when the brake pads are
worn and new pads are needed.
The sound may come
and
go or be heard all the time your vehicle is moving
(except when you are pushing
on the brake pedal
firmly).
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NOTICE:
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads
could result in costly
brake repair.
b
Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong with
your brakes.
Your rear drum brakes don’t have wear indicators, but if
you ever hear a rear brake rubbing noise, have the rear
brake linings inspected. Also, the rear brake drums
should be removed and inspected each time the tires are
removed for rotation or changing. When you have the
front brakes replaced, have the rear brakes inspected,
too.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or if there is a rapid increase in pedal
travel. This
could be a sign of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you apply the brakes moderately, with or
without the vehicle moving, your brakes adjust for wear.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a modern vehicle is complex. Its
many parts have to be
of top quality and work well
together if the vehicle is to have really good braking.
Vehicles we design and test have top-quality GM brake
parts in them,
as your Pontiac does when it is new.
When you replace parts of your braking system
-- for
example, when your brake linings wear down and you
have to have new ones put in
-- be sure you get new
genuine GM replacement parts.
If you don’t, your
brakes may no longer work properly.
For example, if
someone puts in brake linings that are wrong for your
vehicle, the balance between your front and rear brakes
can change
-- for the worse. The braking performance
you’ve come to expect can change in many other ways
if
someone puts in the wrong replacement brake parts.
Battery
Every new Pontiac has a Delco Freedom@ battery. You
never have to add water to one of these. When it’s time
for a new battery, we recommend
a Delco Freedom@
battery. Get one
that has the replacement number shown
on the original battery’s label.
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Vehicle Storage
If you’re not going to drive your vehicle for 25 days or
more, take
off the black, negative (-) cable from the
battery. This will help keep your battery from running
down.
Contact your dealer to learn how to prepare your vehicle
for longer storage periods.
Jump Starting: For instructions, see “Jump Starting” in
the Index.
Halogen Bulbs
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For the type of bulb, see “Replacement Bulbs” in the
Index.
I. Remove the two screws from the top of the
2. kift the entire headlamp housing and tilt it forward.
headlamp housing.
3. Twist
the bulb assembly 1/6 turn and pull out the
bulb assembly.
4. Unclip the bulb assembly from the wiring harness
5. Reverse steps 1-3 to replace the bulb assembly and
and
replace the bulb assembly.
headlamp housing.
Taillamp Bulb Replacement
For the type of bulb, see “Replacement Bu1b.s” in the
Index.
1. In the trunk, remove the two plastic nuts holding the
2. Pull the carpet away from the rear corner of the
carpeting
in place.
trunk.
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Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
3. Rotate the bulb housing 1/23 turn and remove it.
4. To remove the bulb, push in and rotate it
counterclockwise.
5. Replace the bulb.
6. Reverse the steps to reassemble the taillamp.
Fog Lamp Bulb Replacement
Tf you have fog lamps, changing your fog lamp bulbs
requires proper aiming equipment. See your Pontiac
dealer if you have any questions. Replacement blades
come
in different types and are
removed in different ways. Here’s how to remove the
type
with a release clip:
1. Pull the windshield wiper arm away from the
!. Lift the release clip with a screwdriver and pull the
3. Push the new wiper blade securely on the wiper arm.
windshield.
blade assembly
off the wiper arm.
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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.
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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 a mile.
NOTICE:
Don’t let anyone tell you that un’derinflation or
overinflation is all right. It’s not. If your tires
don’t
have enough air (underinflation] you can
get:
0 Too much flexing ’ i . ’:+?,,%
Too much heat
Tire overloading
Bad wear
Bad handling
Bad fuel economy.
. . . .> .’“’
NOTICE: (Continued)
NOTICE: (Continued)
If’ your tires have too much air (overinflation),
you can get:
Unusual wear
Bad handling
0 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 Pa).
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.
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Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be inspected every 6,000 to 8,000 miles
(10 000 to 13 000 km) for any signs of unusual wear. If
unusual wear is present, 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.
I 1 1 - I
When rotating your tires, always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here. Don’t include
the compact spare tire in your tire
rotation.
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.
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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
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.
The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut 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 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.
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Treadwear
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.) 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 1/2) 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.
Traction - A, B, 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.
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