PONTIAC BONNEVILLE 1998 Owners Manual

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Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
8. If you are replacing the back-up bulb, it must be
9. Reverse the steps to install the new bulb assembly. turned and pulled out to be removed.
Replacement blades come in different types and are
removed
in different ways. Here’s how to remove
the type with
a release hole:
1. Pull the windshield wiper arm away from
the windshield.
2. Insert a small screwdriver into the hole (A) and pull
the blade assembly
off the wiper arm (B).
3. Push the new wiper blade securely on the wiper arm.
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For the proper windshield wiper blade replacement length and type, see “Normal Maintenance Replacement
Parts” in the Index.
Tires
Your new vehicle comes with high-quality tires made by
a leading 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.
0 Overloading your tires can cause
overheating as a result of too much friction.
You could have an airout and a serious
accident. See “Loading Your Vehicle” in
the Index.
CAUTION: (Continued)
0
a
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.
Overinflated tires are more likely to be
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.
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).
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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
Bad handling
0 Bad fuel economy.
If your tires have too much air (overinflation),
you can get the following:
Unusual wear
Bad handling
0 Rough ride
0 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 Wa).
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.
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Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 6,000 to 8,000 miles
(10 OOO to 13 OOO km). 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
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.
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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.
A CAUTION:
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.)
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When rotating your tires, always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
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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 any of the following statements
are true:
0 You can see the indicators at three or more places
0 You can see cord or fabric showing through the tire’s
The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep
around the tire.
rubber.
enough to show cord or fabric.
0 The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
0 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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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.
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.
I a CAUTION:
If you use bias-ply tires on your vehicle, the
wheel rim flanges could develop cracks after
many miles
of driving. A tire and/or wheel could
fail suddenly, causing a crash. Use only radial-ply
tires with the wheels on your vehicle.
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
(PC) standards.
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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 (straight ahead) traction tests and does not
include cornering (turning) traction.
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.
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Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced
carefully at the factory to give you the longest tire
life
and best overall performance.
Scheduled wheel alignment and wheel balancing are
not needed. However, if you notice unusual tire wear or your vehicle pulling one way or the other, the alignment may need to be reset.
If you notice your
vehicle vibrating when driving on a smooth road, your
wheels may need to be rebalanced.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked, or badly rusted
or corroded.
If wheel nuts keep coming loose, the wheel,
wheel bolts and wheel nuts should be replaced. If the
wheel leaks air, replace it (except some aluminum
wheels, which can sometimes be repaired). See your
dealer if any
of these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the 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 to
have the right wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts for your Pontiac model.
' A CAUTION:
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.
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NOTICE:
The wrong wheel can also cause problems with
bearing life, brake cooling, speedometer or
odometer calibration, headlamp aim, bumper
height, vehicle ground clearance and tire or tire
chain clearance to the body and chassis.
See “Changing a Flat Tire” in the Index for more
information.
Used Replacement Wheels
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A CAUTION:
Putting a used wheel on your vehicle is
dangerous. You can’t know how it’s been used or
how far 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
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NOTICE:
Use tire chains only where legal and only when
you must. Use only
SAE Class “S” type chains
that are the proper size for your tires. Install
them on the front tires and tighten them as
tightly
as possible with the ends securely
fastened. Drive slowly and follow the chain
manufacturer’s instructions.
If you can hear the
chains contacting your vehicle, stop and retighten
them.
If the contact continues, slow down until it
stops. Driving too fast or spinning the wheels
with chains on will damage your vehicle.
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Appearance Care
Remember, 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 from a container
to clean your
vehicle, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s warnings
and instructions. And always open your doors or
windows when you’re cleaning the inside.
Never use these to clean your vehicle:
Gasoline
Benzene
0 Naphtha
0 Carbon Tetrachloride
Acetone
Paint Thinner
Turpentine
0 Lacquer Thinner
Nail Polish Remover
They can all be hazardous -- some more than
others
-- and they can all damage your vehicle, too. Don’t
use any
of these unless this manual says you can.
In many uses, these will damage your vehicle:
Alcohol
Laundry Soap
Bleach
0 Reducing Agents
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
Use a vacuum cleaner often to get rid of dust and loose
dirt. Wipe vinyl, leather, plastic and painted surfaces with a clean, damp cloth.
Your dealer has two cleaners, Multi-Purpose Interior
Cleaner and Capture Non-Solvent
Dry Spot and Soil
Remover
for cleaning fabric and carpet. They will clean
normal spots and stains very well. You can get
GM-approved cleaning products from your dealer.
(See
“Appearance Care and Materials” in the Index.)
Here
are some cleaning tips:
Always read the instructions on the cleaner label.
Clean up stains as soon as you can -- before they set.
Carefully scrape off any excess stain.
Use a clean cloth or sponge, and change to a clean area
If a ring forms after spot cleaning, clean the entire
often.
A
soft brush may be used if stains are stubborn.
area immediately
or it will set.
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