PONTIAC BONNEVILLE 2003 Owners Manual

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
P tiac Warranty booklet for details.
Poorly maintained and improperly used
Overloading your tires can cause
tires are dangerous.
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.
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.
CAUTION: (Continued)
Overinflated tires are more likely be
cut, punctured or broken by a sudden impact
- such as when you hit a pothole.
Keep tires at the recommended pressure.
If your tread is badly worn, or if your tires
have been damaged, replace them. See
”Inflation
- Tire Pressure” in this section
for inflation pressure adjustment for higher
speed driving.
Worn, old tires can cause accidents.
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).
If you’ll be driving at high speeds (e.g., speeds
of
100 mph (160 km/h) or higher), where it is legal,
set the cold inflation pressure to the maximum
inflation pressure shown on the tire sidewall, or
to
35 psi (244 kPa), whichever is lower.
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See the example below. When you end this high-speed
driving, return to the cold inflation pressure shown on
the Tire-Loading Information label.
Example:
You’ll find maximum load and inflation pressure molded
on the tire’s sidewall, in small letters near the rim
flange. It will read something like this: Maximum load
690
kg (1521 Ibs) @ 300 kPa (44 psi) Max. Press.
For this example, you would set the inflation pressure
for high-speed driving at
35 psi (244 kPa).
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:
Too much flexing
Too much heat
Tire overloading
Bad wear
Bad handling
Bad fuel economy
If your tires have too much air (overinflation), you
can get the following:
Unusual wear
Bad handling
Rough ride
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 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 keenin9 out dirt and
moisture.
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Check Tire Pressure System
The check tire pressure system can alert you to a large
change in the pressure of one tire. The system won’t
alert you before you drive that a tire is low or flat.
You must begin driving before the system will work
properly.
The CHECK TIRE PRESSURE message will appear on
the Driver Information Center (DIC) or the system
monitor TIRE PRESS light will come on
if pressure
difference (low pressure) is detected in one tire.
The check tire pressure system may not alert you
if:
more than one tire is low,
the vehicle is moving faster than 65 mph (105 km/h),
the system is not yet calibrated,
the compact spare tire is installed,
the tire treadwear is uneven,
tire chains are being used, or
the vehicle is being driven on a rough or
frozen road. If
the anti-lock brake system warning light comes on,
the check tire pressure system may not be working
properly. See your dealer for service. Also, see
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light on page 3-43.
The check tire pressure system detects differences
in tire rotation speeds that are caused by changes in tire
pressure. The system can alert you about a low
tire
- but it doesn’t replace normal tire maintenance.
See
Tires on page 5-62.
When the CHECK TIRE PRESSURE message appears
on the Driver Information Center (DIC) or the systems
monitor TIRE PRESS light comes on, you should
stop as soon as you can and check all your tires for
damage. If a tire is flat, see
If a Tire Goes Flat on
page
5-72. Also check the tire pressure in all four tires
as soon as you can. See
Inflation -- Tire Pressure
on page
5-62.
Any time you adjust a tire’s pressure or have one or more
tires repaired or replaced, you’ll need to reset (calibrate)
the check tire pressure system. You’ll also need to reset
the system whenever you rotate the tires, buy new tires
and install or remove the compact spare.
Don’t reset the check tire pressure system without first
correcting the cause of the problem and checking
and adjusting the pressure in all four tires.
If you reset
the system when the tire pressures are incorrect,
the check tire pressure system will not work properly
and may not alert you when a tire is low
or high.
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To reset (calibrate) the system with a Driver Information
Center (DIC):
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Turn the ignition switch to ON.
Using the MODE and SELECT buttons, change the The system Completes
the calibration process during
DIC to display TIRE PRESSURE. driving. Calibration time
can take
45 to 90 minutes, ..,
Press and hold the RESET button for about five
seconds.
The display should change to read TIRE
PRESSURE RESET. If TIRE PRESSURE RESET
does not appear on the display after about five
seconds, see your dealer for service.
When you release the button after seeing the TIRE
PRESSURE RESET message, the display will
change to read TIRE PRESSURE NORMAL.
1.
2.
4. Release the TIRE PRESS RESET button and the
system should reset. The TIRE PRESS light will
go out.
To reset (calibrate) the system with a systems monitor:
n 3.
Turn the ignition switch to ON.
Press and hold the TIRE PRESS RESET button for
about five seconds.
should begin to flash.
If the TIRE PRESS light
does not begin to flash after about five seconds, see
your dealer for service.
TIL- TI~T nnr-nn I:-.LL -- LL- -..-.I.--- I I le I 1nc r ncaa II~I 11 VI I 11 IC ayatcl I 13 I I IUI IILUI
depending on your driving habits. After the system has
been calibrated, the system will alert the driver that
a tire is low, up to a maximum speed of
65 mph
(1 05 km/h).
Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 6,000 to 8,000 miles
(10 000 to 13 000 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 Is Time
for New Tires on page 5-67 and Wheel Replacement
on page 5-69 for more information.
Tne purpose
oi reguiar rorarion is io acnieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The first rotation
is the most important. See “Part A: Scheduled
Maintenance Services,” in Section
6, for scheduled
rotation intervals.
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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.
Reset the check tire pressure system. See
Check Tire
Pressure System on page
5-64.
Make certain that all wheel nuts are properly tightened.
See “Wheel Nut Torque” under
Capacities and
Specifications on page
5- 100.
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.
5-66

When It Is 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:
You can see the indicators at three or more places
YOU can see cord or tabric snowing tnrougn tne
around the tire.
tire’s rubber.
The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged
deep enough to show cord or fabric.
The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
b 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.
5-67

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.
5-68
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
ui ireai ar~d iis aLiiiiy iu dissip& i-ledf vvi-Iei-1 t&&
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

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 vehicle.
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 on page 5-73 for more
information.
Used Replacement Wheels
Using the wrong replacement wheels, wheel
bolts or wheel nuts on your vehicle can be
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.
~ dangerous. It could affect the braking and Putting a us
wheel o ~OL licle is
dangerous. You can’t know how it’s been used
or how far it’s been driven.
It could fail
suddenly and cause a crash. If you have to
replace a wheel, use a new GM original
equipment wheel.
I
5-70

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.
5-7 1