jump start PONTIAC BONNEVILLE 1997 Owners Manual

Section 5 Problems on the Road
Here you’ll find what to do about some problems that can occur on the road.
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5-3
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5-8
5-16 Hazard Warning
Flashers
Other Warning Devices
Jump Starting
Towing Your Vehicle
Engine Overheating 5-18
Cooling System
5-26 Changing a Flat Tire
5-38 Compact Spare Tire
5-39 If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow
5-26 If a Tire Goes Flat
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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.
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 below to do
it safely.
Batteries can hurt you. They can be
dangerous because:
They contain acid that can burn you.
They contain gas that can explode or ignite.
They contain enough electricity to burn you.
If you don’t follow these steps exactly, some or all
of these things can hurt
you.
NOTICE:
Remember that ignoring these steps could result
in costly damage
to your vehicle that wouldn’t be
covered by your warranty.
Trying
to start your Pontiac by pushing or
pulling it won’t work, and it could damage
your vehicle.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with
a negative ground system.
NOTICE:
If the other system isn’t a 12-volt system with a
negative ground, both vehicles can be damaged.
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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
NOTICE:
connection you don’t want. You wouldn’t be able to
start
yo8ur Pontiac, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
To avoid the possibility of the vehicles rolling, set
If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
the parking brake firmly on both vehicles involved in
the jump start procedure. Put an automatic transaxle 4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries.
in
PARK (P) before setting the parking brake.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter. Turn off all lamps that aren’t needed as well
as radios, This will avoid sparks and help save both
batteries. In addition,
it could save your radio!
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An electric fan can start up even when the engine
is not running and can injure you. Keep hands,
clo’thing and tools away from any underhood
electric fan,
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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, with or without the
vehicle moving, your brakes adjust for wear.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a mo’dern 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.
Your vehicle was designed and tested with top-quality
GM brake parts. 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 approved
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.
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.
Batteries have acid that can burn you and gas
that can explode. You can be badly hurt if
you
aren’t careful. See “Jump Starting” in the Index
for tips on working around a battery without
getting hurt.
Contact your dealer to learn how to prepare your vehicle
for longer storage periods.
Also, for your audio system, see “Theft-Deterrent
Feature”
in the Index.
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