flat tire PONTIAC BONNEVILLE 2002 Owners Manual

2-59
The cigarette lighter is located next to the storage tray.
To use a lighter, just push the center in all the way and
let it go. When it is ready, the center will pop back out
by itself. Pull out the entire unit to use it.
NOTICE:
Don't hold a cigarette lighter in with your hand
while it is heating. If you do, it won't be able to
back away from the heating element when it's
ready. That can make it overheat, damaging the
lighter and the heating element.
The cigarette lighter will only operate when the ignition
key is in ON and for 10 minutes after turning the
ignition OFF. If you would like the lighter to operate
regardless of ignition position, and for extended periods
of time, see ªEngine Compartment Fuse Blockº in the
Index or see your dealer.
Sun Visors
To block out glare, you can swing down the visors. You
can also remove them from the center mount and swing
them to the side, while the auxiliary sunshade remains to
block glare from the front.
Visor Vanity Mirror
Open the cover to expose the vanity mirror.
If your vehicle has the optional lighted vanity mirrors,
the lamps come on when you open the cover.
Air Inflator System (Option)
Some vehicles have an air inflator located in the trunk
for use in maintaining proper air pressure for the tires.

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Fuel Range: Press the SELECT button until the display
shows FUEL RANGE. The fuel range will calculate the
remaining distance you can drive without refueling. This
calculation is based on the average fuel economy for the
last 25 miles (40.25 km) driven, and the fuel remaining
in the fuel tank. If the fuel range drops below 40 miles
(64.4 km), the display will show FUEL RANGE LOW.
The RESET button does not function in this mode.
Fuel Used: Press the SELECT button until the display
shows FUEL USED. The value indicates how much fuel
has been used since the last reset. Don't confuse fuel
used with the amount of fuel in your tank. To learn how
much fuel will be used from a specific starting point,
press the RESET button for five seconds while the fuel
used is displayed on the DIC.
Battery Volts: On vehicles with a supercharged engine,
press the SELECT button until the display shows
BATTERY VOLTS. If the voltage is normal the display
will show BATTERY ## VOLTS. If the voltage drops
below 10.5 volts for 30 seconds, the battery volts
display will show BATTERY LOW. If the voltage is
above 16.2 volts for 30 seconds, the battery volts display
will show BATTERY HIGH. If the display shows the
high or low message, you need to have your battery
and/or electrical system checked.GM Oil Life System
: Press the SELECT button until
OIL LIFE appears in the display. The OIL LIFE
NORMAL display will show an estimate of the oil's
remaining useful life. When the oil life index is less than
10%, an ENGINE OIL CHANGE SOON message will
be displayed and the oil life display will show OIL LIFE
CHANGE. When you have the oil changed according to
the maintenance schedule, you will have to reset the Oil
Life System. To reset the Oil Life System, see ªOil Life
Systemº in the Index. Also, see ªEngine Oil, When to
Changeº and ªMaintenance Scheduleº in the Index.
Tire Pressure Status: Press the SELECT button until
TIRE PRESSURE appears in the display. TIRE
PRESSURE NORMAL is displayed when the Check
Tire Pressure System believes your vehicle's tire
pressures are normal. If a potential problem is detected,
the display will show CHECK TIRE PRESSURE and
the tire pressure status will show TIRE PRESSURE
LOW. If you see the CHECK TIRE PRESSURE
message, you should stop as soon as you can and check
all your tires for damage. (If a tire is flat, see ªIf a Tire
Goes Flatº in the Index.) Also check the tire pressure in
all four tires as soon as you can. See ªInflation
-- Tire
Pressureº and ªCheck Tire Pressure Systemº in
the Index.

2-100
STABILITY SYSTEM ACTIVE - 55: You may see
the STABILITY SYSTEM ACTIVE message on the
Driver Information Center. It means that an advanced,
computer
-controlled system has come on to help your
vehicle continue to go in the direction in which you're
steering. This stability enhancement system activates
when the computer senses that your vehicle is just
starting to spin, as it might if you hit a patch of ice or
other slippery spot on the road. When the system is on,
you may hear a noise or feel a vibration in the brake
pedal. This is normal.
When the STABILITY SYSTEM ACTIVE message is
on, you should continue to steer in the direction you
want to go. The system is designed to help you in bad
weather or other difficult driving situations by making
the most of whatever road conditions will permit. If the
STABILITY SYSTEM ACTIVE message comes on,
you'll know that something has caused your vehicle to
start to spin, so you should consider slowing down.
Tire Pressure Status
- 144: If you see the CHECK
TIRE PRESSURE message, you should stop as soon as
you can and check all your tires for damage. (If a tire is
flat, see ªIf a Tire Goes Flatº in the Index.) Also check
the tire pressure in all four tires as soon as you can. See
ªInflation
- Tire Pressureº and ªCheck Tire Pressure
Systemº in the Index.
Electronic Compass
If your vehicle has a DIC,
it also is equipped with an
electronic compass. As with
all compasses, this unit
senses the earth's magnetic
field to show the direction
the vehicle is pointing.
The earth's magnetic field is not always the same
direction as true north as we know it. So, you must enter
a zone number to tell the compass the difference
between magnetic and actual north. This tells the
compass where in the country you are driving.
The compass remembers your zone, so you only have to
change it if you drive to a new zone on the map. The
compass adjusts only a small amount for each zone, so
you may not notice a difference if you drive from one
zone to the next one, until you cross several zones.

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The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
The exit speed is usually posted.
Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not
to your sense of motion. After driving for any distance
at higher speeds, you may tend to think you are going
slower than you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you're ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must start when you're not fresh
-- such as after a day's
work
-- don't plan to make too many miles that first part
of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes you
can easily drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it's ready to go. If it needs
service, have it done before starting out. Of course,
you'll find experienced and able service experts in
Pontiac dealerships all across North America. They'll be
ready and willing to help if you need it.Here are some things you can check before a trip:

Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full?
Are all windows clean inside and outside?

Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?

Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked
all levels?

Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?

Tires: They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip. Is the tread good enough for
long
-distance driving? Are the tires all inflated to the
recommended pressure?

Weather Forecasts: What's the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay your trip a short
time to avoid a major storm system?

Maps: Do you have up
-to-date maps?

4-24
Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as ªhighway
hypnosisº? Or is it just plain falling asleep at the
wheel? Call it highway hypnosis, lack of awareness,
or whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch of road with
the same scenery, along with the hum of the tires on the
road, the drone of the engine, and the rush of the wind
against the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Don't let
it happen to you! If it does, your vehicle can leave the
road in less than a second, and you could crash and
be injured.
What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be
aware that it can happen.
Then here are some tips:

Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a
comfortably cool interior.

Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and to
the sides. Check your rearview mirrors and your
instruments frequently.

If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service
or parking area and take a nap, get some exercise, or
both. For safety, treat drowsiness on the highway as
an emergency.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in flat or rolling terrain.

4-32
Loading Your Vehicle
Two labels on your vehicle show how much weight it
may properly carry. The Tire
-Loading Information label
found on the rear edge of the driver's door tells you the
proper size, speed rating and recommended inflation
pressures for the tires on your vehicle. It also gives you
important information about the number of people that
can be in your vehicle and the total weight that you can
carry. This weight is called the Vehicle Capacity Weight
and includes the weight of all occupants, cargo and all
nonfactory
-installed options.
The other label is the Certification label, found on the
rear edge of the driver's door. It tells you the gross
weight capacity of your vehicle, called the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). The GVWR includes
the weight of the vehicle, all occupants, fuel and cargo.
Never exceed the GVWR for your vehicle, or the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for either the front or
rear axle.
And if you do have a heavy load, you should spread
it out. Don't carry more than 176 lbs. (80 kg) in
your trunk.

4-36 Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important
weight to measure because it affects the total or gross
weight of your vehicle. The Gross Vehicle Weight
(GVW) includes the curb weight of the vehicle, any
cargo you may carry in it, and the people who will be
riding in the vehicle. And if you tow a trailer, you must
add the tongue load to the GVW because your vehicle
will be carrying that weight, too. See ªLoading Your
Vehicleº in the Index for more information about your
vehicle's maximum load capacity.
If you're using a weight-carrying hitch or a
weight
-distributing hitch, the trailer tongue (A)
should weigh 10
-15 percent of the total loaded
trailer weight (B).
After you've loaded your trailer, weigh the trailer and
then the tongue, separately, to see if the weights are
proper. If they aren't, you may be able to get them right
simply by moving some items around in the trailer.
Total Weight on Your Vehicle's Tires
Be sure your vehicle's tires are inflated to the upper
limit for cold tires. You'll find these numbers on the
Tire±Loading Information label at the rear edge of the
driver's door or see ªLoading Your Vehicleº in the
Index. Then be sure you don't go over the GVW
limit for your vehicle, including the weight of the
trailer tongue.

5-
5-1
Section 5 Problems on the Road
Here you'll find what to do about some problems that can occur on the road.
5
-2 Hazard Warning Flashers
5
-2 Other Warning Devices
5
-3 Jump Starting
5
-9 Towing Your Vehicle
5
-9 Engine Overheating5
-12 Cooling System
5
-20 If a Tire Goes Flat
5
-21 Changing a Flat Tire
5
-31 Compact Spare Tire
5
-32 If You're Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow

5-20
12. 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 arrow on the pressure cap lines up
like this.If a Tire Goes Flat
It's unusual for a tire to ªblow outº 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 ªblowout,º 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, and 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 any 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. Gently
brake to a stop
-- well off the road if possible.
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change a flat tire safely.

5-21
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.
CAUTION:
Changing a tire can cause an injury. The vehicle
can slip off the jack and roll over you or other
people. You and they could be badly injured.
Find a level place to change your tire. To help
prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put the shift lever in PARK (P).
3. Turn off the engine.
To be even more certain the vehicle won't move,
you can put blocks at the front and rear of the
tire farthest away from the one being changed.
That would be the tire on the other side of the
vehicle, at the opposite end.
The following steps will tell you how to use the jack and
change a tire.