brake PONTIAC BONNEVILLE 2003 Owner's Guide

The heavier the rain, the harder it is to see. Even if your
windshield wiper blades are in good shape, a heavy
rain can make it harder to see road signs and
traffic signals, pavement markings, the edge
of the roaa
and even people walking.
It’s wise to keep your windshield wiping equipment in
good shape and keep your windshield washer tank filled
with washer fluid. Replace your windshield wiper
inserts when they show signs of streaking or missing
areas on the windshield, or when strips of rubber start to
separate from the inserts. Driving too fast through large
water puddles or even
going through some car washes can cause problems,
too. The water may affect your brakes. Try to avoid
puddles. But if you can’t, try to slow down before
you hit them.
Wet brakes can cause accidents. They won’t
work as well in a quick stop and may cause
pulling to one side. You could lose control of
the vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle
of water
or a car wash, apply your brake pedal lightly
until your brakes work normally.
4-1 8

Hill and Mountain Roads
-
If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you’re
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable.
0 Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system
and transaxle. These parts can work hard on
mountain roads.
Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some of
the slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long hill.
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving
in flat or rolling terrain.
If you don’t shift down, your brakes could get
so hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would
then have poor braking or even none going down
a hill. You could crash. Shift down to let
your engine assist your brakes on a steep downhill slope.
4-24

Coast ..., nhill i.. .UEL . . ._ .L (N) or with -..?
ignition off is dangerous. Your brakes will have
to do all the work
of slowing down. They could
get
so hot that they wouldn’t work well. You
would then have poor braking or even none going down a hill. You could crash. Always
have your engine running and your vehicle in
gear when you go downhill.
Know how to go uphill. Drive in the highest gear
possible.
Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane
roads in hills or mountains. Don’t swing wide or
cut across the center of the road. Drive at speeds
that let you stay in your own lane.
could be something in your lane, like a stalled car
or
an accident.
You may see highway signs on mountains that
warn of special problems. Examples are long
grades, passing or no-passing zones, a falling rocks
area or winding roads. Be alert to these and take
appropriate action.
0 As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There
4-25

Your anti-lock brakes improve your vehicle’s stability
when you make a hard stop on a slippery road.
Even though you have the anti-lock braking system,
you’ll want to begin stopping sooner than you would on
dry pavement. See
Braking on page 4-6.
Allow greater following distance on any
slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine
until you hit a spot that’s covered with ice. On
an otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear in
shaded areas where the sun can’t reach: around
clumps of trees, behind buildings
or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface of a curve or an overpass
may remain icy when the surrounding roads
are clear.
If you see a patch of ice ahead of you,
brake before you are on it. Try not to brake
while you’re actually on the ice, and avoid sudden
steering maneuvers.
If You’re Caught in a Blizzard
.. ..
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in a
serious situation. You should probably stay with your
vehicle unless you know for sure that you are near help
and you can hike through the snow. Here are some
things to do to summon help and keep yourself and your
passengers safe:
Turn on your hazard flashers.
Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that
you’ve been stopped by the snow.

Dinghy Towing
Nofice: Towing your vehicle with all four wheels on
the ground will damage drivetrain components.
Your vehicle was not designed to be towed with all four
wheels on the ground.
If your vehicle must be towed,
you should use a dolly. See “Dolly Towing” that follows
for more information.
Dolly Towing
Your vehicle can be towed using a dolly. To tow your
vehicle using a dolly, follow these steps:
1. Put the front wheels on the dolly.
2. Put the vehicle in PARK (P).
3. Set the parking brake and then remove the key.
4. Clamp the steering wheel in a straight-ahead
5. Release the parking brake.
position.
4-33

Automatic Level Control
This feature keeps the rear of your vehicle level as the
load changes. It is automatic
- you do not need to
adjust anything.
Towing a Trailer
If you don’t use orr ~ - t equiprr It and
drive properly, you can lose control when you
pull a trailer. For example, if the trailer
is too
heavy, the brakes may not work well
-- or even
at all. You and your passengers could be
seriously injured. You may also damage your
vehicle; the resulting repairs would not be covered by your warranty. Pull a trailer only if
you have followed all the steps in this section.
Ask your dealer for advice and information
about towing a trailer with your vehicle. Your
vehicle can tow a trailer
if it is equipped with the
proper trailer towing equipment. To identify what
the vehicle trailering capacity is for your vehicle, you
should read the information in “Weight of the Trailer” that
appears later in this section. But trailering is different
than just driving your vehicle by itself. Trailering means
changes in handling, durability and fuel economy.
Successful, safe trailering takes correct equipment, and
it has to be used properly.
That’s the reason for this part. In it are many time-tested,
iq3Ortant trailering tips and safety rules. Many of
these are important for your safety and that
of your
passengers. So please read this section carefully before
you pull a trailer.
Load-pulling components such as the engine, transaxle,
wheel assemblies and tires are forced to work harder
against the drag of the added weight. The engine
is required to operate at relatively higher speeds and
under greater loads, generating extra heat. What’s more,
the trailer adds considerably to wind resistance,
increasing the pulling requirements.
4-36

Will you have to make any holes in the body of
your vehicle when you install a trailer hitch?
If
you do, then be sure to seal the holes later when
you remove the hitch.
If you don’t seal them, deadly
carbon monoxide (CO) from your exhaust can get
into your vehicle. See
Engine Exhaust on
page 2-36. Dirt and water can also enter the
vehicle.
Safety Chains
You should always attach chains between your vehicle
and your trailer. Cross the safety chains under the
tongue of the trailer
so that the tongue will not drop to
the road
if it becomes separated from the hitch.
Instructions about safety chains may be provided by the
hitch manufacturer or by the trailer manufacturer.
Follow the manufacturer’s recommendation for attaching
safety chains and do not attach them to the bumper.
Always leave just enough slack
so you can turn
with your rig. And, never allow safety chains to drag on
the ground.
Trailer Brakes
Does your trailer have its own brakes? Be sure to read
and follow the instructions for the trailer brakes
so
you’ll be able to install, adjust and maintain them
properly. Because you have
anti-lock brakes, do not try to tap
into your vehicles brake system.
If you do, both
brake systems won’t work well, or at all.
Trailer Wiring Harness
All of the electrical circuits required for your trailer
lighting system can be accessed at the driver’s side rear
lamp connector. This connector is located under the
carpet on the rear corner of your trunk compartment.
Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience.
Before setting out for the open road, you’ll want to get
to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel of
handling and braking with the added weight of the trailer.
And always keep in mind that the vehicle you are
driving is now a good deal longer and not nearly as
responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps, tires and mirror aajustment.
ii tne rraiier nas
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and
then apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be
sure the brakes are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
Oiiriiig your trip, check occasicfially tc be sure that the
load is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer
brakes are still working.
4-39

Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade. If you don’t shift
down, you might have to use your brakes
so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down to
THIRD (3) and
reduce your speed to around 45 mph
(70 km/h) to
reduce the possibility
of the engine and transaxle
overheating.
Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a
trailer attached, on a hill.
If something goes
wrong, your rig could start
to move. People
can be injured, and both your vehicle and the
trailer can be damaged.
But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how to
do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer
PARK (P) yet.
wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your
parking brake, and then shift to PARK (P).
5. Release the regular brakes.
When YQU Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
* start your engine,
shift into a gear, and
0 reiease the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the
chocks.
4-41

Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transaxle fluid (don’t overfill),
engine oil, drive belt, cooling system and brake system.
Each of these is covered in this manual, and the
Index will help you find them quickly.
If you’re trailering,
it’s a good idea to review this information before you
start your trip.
Engine Cooling When Trailer Towing
Your cooling system may temporarily overheat during
severe operating conditions. See
Engine Overheating on
page 5-29.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
4-42

Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
Service ........................................................ 5.3
Doing Your Own Service Work
......................... 5.3
Adding Equipment to the Outside
of Your
Vehicle
...................................................... 5.4
Fuel ................................................................ 5.5
Gasoline Octane
............................................ 5.5
Gasoline Specifications
.................................... 5.6
California Fuel
............................................... 5.6
Additives
....................................................... 5.6
Fuels in Foreign Countries
............................ 5.7
Filling Your Tank
........................... .......... 5.8
Filling
a Portable Fuel Container ..... .... 5.11
the Hood ............................. .... 5.12
Hood Release
.............................. ........ 5.13
Engine Compartment Overview ...................... -5-1 4
Checking Things Under
Engine Oil ................................................... 5.15
Supercharger Oil .......................................... 5.21
Engine Air Cleaner/t-llter
................................ 5-22
Automatic Transaxle Fluid .............................. 5.23
Engine Coolant
............................................. 5.26
Radiator Pressure Cap
.................................. 5.29
Engine Overheating
....................................... 5.29
Cooling System
............................................ 5.32
Power Steering Fluid
..................................... 5.40
Windshield Washer Fluid
................................ 5.40
Brakes
........................................................ 5.42
Battery
........................................................ 5-44
Jump Starting
............................................... 5-46
Headlamp Aiming .......................... ...... 5.52
Bulb Replacement .................................. -5-56
Halogen Bulbs
.............................................. 5.56
Headlamps
.................................................. 5.56
Front Turn Signal and Parking Lamps
.............. 5-57
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and
Back-up Lamps
......................................... 5-59
fiepiacement
Euibs 3.w - ^^ .......................................
5- I