traction control PONTIAC BONNEVILLE 2003 User Guide

Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer but
it will take much more effort.
Magnetic Speed Variable Assist
Steering
Your vehicle may have this optional steering system
that continuously adjusts the effort you feel when
steering at all vehicle speeds.
It provides ease when
parking, yet a firm, solid feel at highway speeds.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It’s important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on
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Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to
the same laws of physics when driving on curves.
The traction of the tires against the road surface makes
it possible for the vehicle to change its path when
you turn the front wheels; If there’s no traction, inertia
will keep the vehicle going in the same direction. If
you’ve ever tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you’ll
understand this.
The traction you can get in a curve depends on the
condition of your tires and the road surface, the
angle at which the curve is banked, and your speed.
While you’re in a curve, speed is the one factor you can
control.
Suppose you’re steering through a sharp curve.
Then you suddenly accelerate. Both control
systems
- steering and acceleration - have to do
their work where the tires meet the road. Adding
the sudden acceleration can demand too much of those
places. You can lose control. See
Traction Control
System (TCS) on page 4-9.
What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on
the accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way you
want it to go, and slow down.
If you have Stabilitrak@, you may see the STABILITY
SYSTEM ACTIVE message on the Driver Information
Center. See “Stability System Active Message”
Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should
adjust your speed. Of course, the posted speeds
are based on good weather and road conditions. Under
less favorable conditions you’ll want to go slower.
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Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions, and by not
“overdriving” those conditions. But skids are always
possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle’s
three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels
aren’t rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too
much speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip
and lose cornering force. And in the acceleration
skid, too much throttle causes the driving wheels
to spin.
A cornering skid is best handled by easing your foot off
the accelerator pedal.
If you have the traction control system, remember: It
helps avoid only the acceleration skid.
If you do not have
traction control, or
if the system is off, then an
acceleration skid is also best handled by easing your
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If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want
the vehicle
to go. If you start steering quickly enough,
your vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready
for a second skid
if it occurs.
If you have Stabilitrak@, you may see the STABILITY
SYSTEM ACTIVE message on the Driver Information
Center. See “Stability System Active Message”
under
DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-60.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel or other material is on the road. For safety, you’ll
want to slow down and adjust your driving
to these
conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration
or braking (including engine braking by shifting to a
lower gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires
to slide. You may not realize the surface is slippery
until your vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues
- such as enough water, ice or packed snow
on the road to make a “mirrored surface”
- and slow
down when you have any doubt.
Fiemember: Any anii-iock brake sysiem (AESj neips
avoid only the braking skid.
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Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where your tires meet
the road probably have good traction.
However,
if there is snow or ice between your tires and
the road, you can have a very slippery situation.
You’ll have a lot less traction or “grip” and will need
to
be very careful.
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What’s the worst time for this? “Wet ice.” Very cold
snow or ice can be slick and hard to drive on. But wet
ice can be even more trouble because it may offer
the least traction of all. You can get wet ice when it’s
about freezing
(32°F; OT) and freezing rain begins
to fall. Try to avoid driving
on wet ice until salt and sand
crews can get there.
Whatever the condition
- smooth ice, packed, blowing
or loose snow
- drive with caution.
If you have traction control, keep the system on. It will
improve your ability to accelerate when driving on a
slippery road. Even though your vehicle has a traction
control system you’ll want to slow down and adjust your
driving to the road conditions. See
Traction Control
System
(TCS) on page 4-9.
If you don’t have a traction control system, accelerate
gently. Try not to break the gentle traction. If you
accelerate too fast, the drive wheels will spin and polish
the surface under the tires even more.
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Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels.
If your vehicle
has traction control, you should turn the system
off.
See Traction Control System (TCS) on page 4-9. Then
shift back and forth between REVERSE (R) and a
forward gear, spinning the wheels as little as possible.
Release the accelerator pedal while you shift, and press
lightly on the accelerator pedal when the transaxle is
in gear. By slowly spinning your wheels in the forward
and reverse directions, you will cause a rocking
motion that may free your vehicle. If that doesn’t get
you out after a few tries, you may need to be towed out.
if you do need to be towed out, see “Towing Your
Vehicle” following.
4-31

Mixing tires couh :ause 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
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.
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Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable on the
tire sidewall between tread shoulder and maximum
section width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
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 (1.5) 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 - AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A,
B, and C. Those grades 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 straight-ahead braking
traction tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction characteristics.
Temperature - A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance to the generation
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
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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.
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.
5-69

Tire Chains
If your vehicle has P235/55R17 size tires, don’t
use tire chains, there’s not enough clearance.
Tire chains used on a vehicle without the proper amount of clearance can cause damage
to the brakes, suspension or other vehicle
parts. The area damaged by the tire chains
could cause you
to lose control of your vehicle
and you or others may be injured in a crash.
Use another type of traction device only if
its
manufacturer recommends it for use on your
vehicle and tire size combination and road
conditions.
Follow that manufacturer’s
instructions.
To help avoid damage to your
vehicle, drive slowly, readjust or remove the
device if it’s contacting your vehicle, and don’t
spin your wheels.
If you do find traction devices that will
fit,
install them on the front tires.
Notice: If your vehicle has a tire size other than
P235/55R17 size tires, 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 slowiy 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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L
Lamps Exterior
...................................................... 3-1 3
Interior
....................................................... 3-1 6
Lap Belt
........................................................ 1-20
Lap-Shoulder Belt
................................... 1-12, 1-21
Child Restraints
........................................... 1-39
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for the
LATCH System
........................................ 1-41
Leather
......................................................... 5-84
Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine Running
...... 2-34
Light
Air Bag Readiness
....................................... 3-40
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning
................... 3-43
LATCH System
Leaving
Your Vehicle
....................................... 2-16
Battery Warning
.......................................... 3-41
Brake System Warning
................................. 3-42
Check Gages Warning
............................. 3-51
Check Oil Level
......................... ...... 3-50
Door Ajar
.... .............................. ...... 3-52
Low Traction Active
................. ...... 3-44
Low Washer Fluid Warning
........................... 3-51
Malfunction Indicator
.................................... 3-46
Safety Belt Reminder
................................... 3-39
Security
..................................................... 3-51 Light
(cont.)
Service Vehicle Soon
........ ~ ~ .......... ~ ~ ... 3-53
TCS Warning Light
........................... ... 3-43
Tire Pressure
................................... ... 3-46
Traction Control System (TCS) Warning
...... 3-43
Trunk Ajar
.................................................. 3-52
Loading Your Vehicle
....................................... 4-34
Lockout Protection
.......................................... 2-15
Locks Central Door Unlocking System
..................... 2-11
Delayed Locking
.......................................... 2-12
Door
.......................................................... 2-10
Leaving Your Vehicle
.................................... 2-16
Lockout Protection
....................................... 2-15
Power Door
................................................ 2-11
Programmable Automatic Door Locks
............. 2-13
Long Trip/Highway Definition
.............................. 6-6
Long TripIHighway Intervals
............................... 6-6
Long Trip/Highway Scheduled Maintenance
........ 6-13
Loss of Control
............................................... 4-14
Low Washer Fluid Warning Light ....................... 3-51
Lumbar
Manual Controls
............................................ 1-3
Power Controls
............................................. 1-4
Rear Door
Security Locks
............................. 2-15
Low Traction Active Light
................................. 3-44
8

Tilt Wheel ................. ............ 3-6
Ti re
Pressure Light
................ .................. 3-46
Tire inflation Check
......................................... 6-18
Ti res ................................... .......... 5.62. 5-87
Buying New Tires
....... ...................... 5-67
Chains
....................................................... 5-71
Changing a Flat Tire
.................................... 5-73
Check Tire Pressure System
......................... 5-64
Compact Spare Tire
..................................... 5-81
If a Tire Goes Flat ....................................... 5-72
Inflation
-- Tire Pressure ............................... 5-62
Inspection and Rotation
................................ 5-65
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
......................... 5-68
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
................. 5-69
Wheel Replacement
..................................... 5-69
When It
Is Time for New Tires ...................... 5-67
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
.................... 2-28
Top
of the Instrument Panel ............................. 5-84
Top Strap
...................................................... 1-37
Top Strap Anchor Location
............................... 1-38
Torque Lock
................................................... 2-34
Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires
.................. 4-38
Towing
Recreational Vehicle
..................................... 4-32
Towing a Trailer
.......................................... 4-36
Your Vehicle
............................................... 4-32
Control System (TCS)
.................................... 4-9
Control System Warning Light
....................... 3-43
Traction Traction
(cont.)
Low Active Light
...................................... 3-44
Trailer Brakes
................................................. 4-39
Trailer Wiring Harness
..................................... 4-39
Transaxle
Fluid. Automatic
........................................... 5-23
Transaxle Operation. Automatic
......................... 2-28
Transmission. Transaxle. Transfer Case Unit
Repair Manual
.............................................. 7-9
Transportation Options
...................................... 7-7
Trip Odometer
................................................ 3-38
Trunk
........................................................ 2-16
Trunk Ajar Light
.............................. .... 3-52
Trunk Lock Release
.................................... 2-16
Trunk Security Override
............................... 2-17
Turn and Lane-Change Signals
.......................... 3-7
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
........................... 3-7
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
.................. 4-40
Twilight Sentinel@
............................................ 3-15
U
Underbody Flushing Service ............................. 6-21
Understanding Radio Reception
........................ 3-99
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
............................ 5-68
United States
................................................... 7-3
Used Replacement Wheels
.............................. 5-70
Using Cleaner on Fabric .................................. 5-83
Using HomeLink@ ........................................... 2-45
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