PONTIAC BONNEVILLE 1997 Owners Manual

Trunk M’ounted Taillamps and
Back-up Lamps
For bulb type, see “Replacement Bulbs” in the Index.
4. Replace the bulb and reverse the steps to install the
new
bulb assembly.
1. Push in on the center of the plastic push pin with a
pen. The push pin should eject.
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2. Pull the push pin with your fingers to remove it.
(There are four pins altogether -- two on the driver’s
side and two on the passenger’s side.)
3. Remove the five nuts that hold the assembly in place
with a 10 mm socket. Pull the carpet up and out of
the way to remove the center nut. (There
are two
nuts on the driver’s side, two on the passenger’s side
and one in the middle.)
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4. Lift up on both plastic side flaps at the same time
(driver’s side
shown) and lift the assembly out.
5. Carefully let go of the decklid and let it raise
completely.
The assembly will still be connected to
the wiring harness, but now you will have access to
the bulbs.
6. Turn the bulb assembly counterclockwise to remove it.
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7. Pull out the taillamp bulb to remove it.
i
8. If you are replacing the back-up bulb, it must be
turned and pulled out to be removed.
9. Reverse the steps to install the new bulb assembly.
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Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
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 ann away from the windshield.
2. Push down on the release clip with a screwdriver and
pull the
blade assembly off the wiper m.
3. Push the new wiper blade securely on the wiper am.
For the correct windshield wiper blade replacement
length
and type, see “Normal Maintenance Replacement
Parts” in the Index,
Tires
Your new Pontiac comes with high-quality tires
made
by a l’eading tire manufacturer. If you ever have
questions about your tire warranty and where to obtain
service,
see your Pontiac Warranty booklet for details.
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 air-out and a serious
accident. See “Loading Your Vehicle” in
the Index.
CAUTION: (Continued)
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0 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.
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.
Overinflated tires are more likely to be
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).
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
Tire overloading
Bad wear
0 Bad handling
Bad fuel economy.
If your tires have too much air (overinflation),
you can get the following:
e Unusual wear
0 Bad handling
0 Rough ride
Needless damage from road hazards.
~ ~~
~~ ~ ~ __ ~ -~
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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.
Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 6,080 to 8,000 miles
(10 000 to 13 000 h). 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
unifQm
wear .- - for .. dl tires ., on . h .. vehicle. . The first rotation
is the most important. See “Scheduled
Maintenance Services” in the Index for scheduled
rotation intervals.
m I
n
7
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
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.)
-1 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:
0 You can see the indicators at three or more places
You can see cord or fabric showing through the
0 The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep
around
the tire.
tire’s rubber. 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.
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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)
numb’er 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. Mixing tires
could cause
you to lose control w: e
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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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
grades are molded on the sidewalls
of most passenger
car tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading system
does not apply to deep tread, winter-type snow tires,
space-saver or temporary use spare tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters
of 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm),
or to some limited-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary with respect to these
grades, they must also conform to Federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) standards.
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
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, and 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 (straightahead) traction tests and does not
include cornering (turning) traction.
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