flat tire PONTIAC BONNEVILLE 2003 Owners Manual

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 batterv
and/or electrical system checked.
GM Oil Life SystemTM: 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
IO%, an ENGINE 0iL CHANGE SOON message wiii
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
“When to Change Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil on
page
5- 15.
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 If a
Tire Goes Flat on page
5-72.) Also check the tire
pressure in all four tires as soon as you can. See
lnflation -- Tire Pressure on page 5-62 and Check Tire
Pressure System on page
5-64.
3-59

SERVICE STABILITY SYSTEM - 54: If you ever see
the SERVICE STABILITY SYSTEM message,
it
means there may be a problem with your stability
enhancement system.
If you see this message, try to
reset the system (stop; turn
off the engine; then start the
engine again).
If the SERVICE STABILITY SYSTEM
message still comes on, it means there is a problem.
You should see your dealer for service. Reduce
your speed and drive accordingly.
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 cmtinue 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
STABiLiiY SYSTEM ACTIVE message comes on, you’!!
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
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 -- lire Pressure on page 5-62 and Check
Tire Pressure System
on page 5-64.
Driver Identifier DIC Display
This feature allows two different drivers to store and
recall their own preferred display mode. The
personalization settings displayed
on the DIC are
determined by the transmitter used to enter the vehicle.
After the uniock button
on a remote keyless entry
transmitter (if equipped) is pressed and the ignition is
in
ON, the DIC will display the identified driver. The
settings can also be changed by briefly pressing one of
the MEMORY buttons located on the driver’s door.
The DIC is used to program information for DRIVER
#I
UNKNOWN DRIVER if they are neither DRIVER #I nor
DRIVER
#2.
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3-61

Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable following distance.
Expect to move slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the
proper lane well in advance.
If you miss your exit, do
not, under any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive
on to the next exit.
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. Of
course, you’ll find experienced and able service
experts in 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:
a
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.
Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservior 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?
4-22

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

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.
THIS VEHICLE CONFORMS
VEHICLE
SAFETY BUMPER
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.
4-34

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
Loading Your Vehicle
on page 4-34 for more information about your
vehicle’s maximum load capacity.
A B
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
Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-34.
Then be sure you don’t go over the GVW limit for
your vehicle, including the weight of the trailer tongue.
Hitches
It’s important to have the correct hitch equipment.
Crosswinds, large trucks going by and rough roads are
a few reasons why you’ll need the right hitch. Here
are some rules to follow:
The rear bumper on your vehicle is not intended for
hitches.
Do not attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches to it.
Use only a
frame-mounted hitch that does not attach to the
bumper.
4-38

Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement ............. 5-61
Tires .............................................................. 5.62
Inflation
.. Tire Pressure ................................ 5.62
Check Tire Pressure System
.......................... 5.64
Tire Inspection and Rotation
........................... 5.65
When It
Is Time for New Tires ....................... 5-67
Buying New Tires
........................................ 5-67
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
.......................... 5.68
Wheel Replacement
...................................... 5.69
Tire Chains
.................................................. 5-71
Accessory Inflator
......................................... 5.72
If a Tire Goes Flat ........................................ 5.72
Changing a Flat Tire
..................................... 5.73
Compact Spare Tire
..................................... 5-81
Appearance Care ............................................ 5.82
Wheel
Alignment and Tire Balance
.................. 5-69
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
................. 5-82
Care of Safety Belts
...................................... 5-85
Weatherstrips ............................................... 5.85
Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle .............. 5-85
Sheet Metal Damage
..................................... 5.87
Finish Damage
............................................. 5.87
Underbody Maintenance
................... ...... 5.87
Chemical Paint Spotting
................................. 5.88
Vehicle Identification ..................................... 5-90
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
...... ., ...... 5-90
Service Parts Identification Label
........ ...... 5-90
Electrical System ............................... ...... 5-91
Add-on Electrical Equipment
................ , ...... 5-91
Headlamp Wiring
.......................................... 5-91
Windshield Wiper Fuses
................................ 5-91
Power Windows and Other Power Options
....... 5-91
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
............................ 5-92
Removing the Rear Seat Cushion
................... 5-95
Capacities and Specifications ........................ 5-100
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts ......... 5-101
GM Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials .......... 5.88
5-2

Headlamp Aiming
Your vehicle has a visual optical headlamp aiming
system equipped with horizontal aim indicators. The aim
has been preset at the factory and should need no
further adjustment. This is true even though your
horizontal aim indicators may not fall exactly on
the
“0” (zero) marks on their scales.
If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the headlamp
aim may be affected. Aim adjustment to the
low beam
may be necessary
if it is difficult to see lane markers
(for horizontal aim), or
if oncoming drivers flash
their high beams at you (for vertical aim).
If you believe
your headlamps need to be re-aimed, we recommend
that you take your vehicle to your dealer for service.
However, it is possible for you to re-aim your headlamps
as described in the following procedure.
Notice: To make sure your headlamps are aimed
properly, read all the instructions before beginning.
Failure
to follow these instructions could cause
damage to headlamp parts.
The vehicle should be properly prepared as follows:
The vehicle should be placed so the headlamps are
25 ft. (7.6 m) from a light colored wall or other flat
surface.
The vehicle must have all four tires on a perfectly
level surface which is level all the way to the wall
or other flat surface.
The vehicle should be placed so it is perpendicular
to the wall or other flat surface.
5-52

0 The vehicle should not have any snow, ice or mud
attached to it.
* The vehicle should be fully assembled and all other
work stopped while headlamp aiming is being done.
0 The vehicle should be normally loaded with a
full tank of fuel and one person or
160 Ibs. (75 kg)
on the driver’s seat.
Tires should be properly inflated.
Headlamp aiming is done with the vehicle low beam
lamps. The high beam lamps will be correctly aimed
if
the low beam lamps are aimed properly. The
headlamp aiming devices are under the hood near
the headlamps.
If you believe your headlamps need horizontal (lefthight)
adjustment, follow the horizontal aiming procedure.
If you believe your headlamps need only vertical
procedure.
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Adjustment screws can be turned with an E8 Torx@
socket or
Ti 5 Torx@ screwdriver.
5-53

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.
5-62