tow PONTIAC FIREBIRD 1996 Owner's Manual

Towing a Trailer
Things you put inside your vehicle can strike
and injure people in a sudden stop or turn, or
in
a crash.
0 Put things in the rear area of your vehicle.
0 Never stack heavier things, like suitcases,
Try to spread the weight evenly.
inside the vehicle
so that some of them are
above the tops of the seats.
0 Don't leave an unsecured child restraint in
your vehicle.
When you cdrry something inside the
vehicle, secure it whenever you can.
0 Don't leave a seat folded down unless you
need to.
If you don't use the correct equipment 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
9- or even at all. You
and your passengers could be seriously injured.
Pull a trailer only
if you have followed all the
steps in this section. Ask your Pontiac dealer for
advice and information about towing a trailer
with your vehicle.
NOTICE:
Pulling a trailer improperly can damage your
vehicle and result in costly repairs not covered
by
your warranty. To pull a trailer correctly, follow
the advice in this part, and see your Pontiac
dealer
for important information about towing a
trailer with your vehicle.
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Your car can tow a trailer if it is equipped with proper
trailer towing equipment.
To identify what the vehicle
trailering capacity
is for your vehicle, you should read
the infrwmakion in “Weight of the Tr~ler” 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, important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many of these are important for your safety and that
of
your passengers. So please read this section carehlly
before you pull a trailer.
Load-pulling components such as the engine,
transmission, rear axle, 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.
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If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here,are some important points:
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There are many different laws, including speed limit
restrictions, having to do with trailering. Make sure
your rig will
be legal, not only where you live but
also where you’ll be driving.
A good source for this
information can be state or provincial police.
Consider using
a sway control. You can ask a hitch
dealer about sway
controls.
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first 1,000 miles
(1 600 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your eng-k,
axle or 0ther.part.s could be damaged.
Then, during the first
500 miles (800 km) that you
tow a trailer, don’t drive ov’er 50 mph (80 km/h) and
don’t make starts
at full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts of your vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.
Obey speed limit restrictions when towing a trailer.
Don’t drive faster than the maximum posted speed
for trailers (or no more than
55 mph (90 km/h)) to
save wear on your vehicle’s parts.
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Weight of the Trailer T0ngu.e
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important
weight to measure because
it affects,the total capacity
weight
of your vehicle. The capacity weight includes the
curb weight of the vehicle, any cargo’ you may carry in
it, and the people who will be riding in the
vehcle. And
if you will tow
a trailer, you must subtract the tongue
load from your vehicle’s capacity weight because your
vehicle will be carrying that weight, too. See “Loading
Your Vehicle” in the Index for more information about
your vehicle’s maximum load capacity.
-
A B
If you’re using a weight-carrying hitch, the trailer
tongue
(A) should weigh 10%. of the total loaded trailer
weight
(B). If you have a weight-distributing hitch, the
trailer tongue (A)-should weigh 12% 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
recommended pressure for cold tires. You’ll find these
numbers
on the Certification label at the rear edge of the
driver’s door
‘or see “Loading Your Vehicle” in the
Index. Then be sure you don’t
go over the GVW
limit for your vehicle, including the weight of the
trailer tongue.
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Driving with a m +er
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 adjustment. If the trailer has
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.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the
load is secure, and that the lamps
and any trailer brakes
are still working.
FoIlowing Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you
would when driving your vehicle without a trailer. This
can help you avoid situations that require heavy braking
and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when
you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re a good deal
longer,
you’ll need to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before
you can return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then, to move the trailer to the left, just move that hand
to the left. To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly and,
if
possible, have someone guide you.
Making Turns
NOTICE:
Making very sharp turns while trailering could
cause the trailer to come
in contact with the
vehicle.
Your vehicle coul’d be damaged. Avoid
making very
sharp turns while trailering.
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns than
normal. Do this so your trailer won’t strike soft shoulders,
curbs, road signs, trees or other objects. Avoid jerky or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well in advance.
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Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle may need a
different ‘turn signal flasher and/or extra wiring. Check
with your Pontiac dealer.
The arrows
on your instrument panel will flash
whenever you signal a turn or lane change. Properly
hooked up, the trailer lamps will also flash, telling other
drivers you’re about to turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on your instrument
panel will flash for turns even if the bulbs on the trailer
are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers behind you
are seeing your signal when they are not. It’s important
to check occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs are
still working.
1 ’ 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 and reduce your
speed to around
45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the
possibility
of engine and transmission overheating.
If YOU are towing a trailer and you have an automatic
transmission with Overdrive, you may prefer to drive in
THIRD (D) instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (0)
(or, as you need to, a lower gear). Or, if you have a
manual transmission with
FJFTH (5) (or SIXTH (6)) gear
and you are towing a trailer, it’s better not to use FIFTH
(5) (or SIXTH) (6) gear. Just drive in FOURTH (4) (drive
in
FIFTH (5) if you have a six-speed manual transmission)
or,
as you need to, a lower gear.
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 wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load..
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4. Reapply the regular brakes, Then apply your parking
brake, and then shift to
PARK (P), or REVERSE (R)
for a manual transmission.
5. Release the regular brakes.
PARK (P) yet, or into gear for a manual transmission.
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.. ' When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a €Till
' ' 1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while
you:
Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
0 Release 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.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you're
pul1ing.a trailer. See
the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation
are automatic: transmission fluid (don't
overfill), engine oil, axle lubricant, belts,
cooling system
and brake adjustment. Each
of these is covered in this
manual, and the Index will heip you find them quickly.
If you're trailering, it's a good idea to review these
sections befcn-e
you start yam trip.
Check;periodically
to see that all hitch nuts and bolts .
are tight.
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Towing Your Vehicle
Try to have a Pontiac dealer or a professional towing
service tow your Firebird.
If your vehicle has been changed or modified since it
was factory-new by adding aftermarket items like
fog
lamps, aero skirting, or special tires and wheels, these
instructions may not be correct.
Before you do anything, turn on the hazard
warning flashers.
When you call, tell the towing service:
That your vehicle cannot be towed from the front or
That you vehicle has rea-wheel drive.
0 The make, model and year of your vehicle!
rear
with sling-type equipment.
0 Whether you can still move the shift lever.
0 If there was an accident, what was damaged.
When the towing service arrives, let the tow operator
know that this manual contains detailed towing
instructions and illustrations. The operator may want
to see them.
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To help avoid injury to you OF others:
0 Never let passengers ride in a vehicle that is
0 Never tow faster than safe or posted speeds.
0 Never tow with damaged parts not fully
secured.
0 Never get under your vehicle after it has
been lifted
by the tow truck.
0 Always secure the vehicle on each side with
separate safety
chains when tswhg it.
0 Never use J-hooks. Use T-hooks instead.
being towed.
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A CAUTION:
A vehicle can fall from a car carrier if it isn’t
adequately secured. This can cause
a collision,
serious personal injury and vehicle damage. The
vehicle should be tightly secured with chains or
steel cables before it
is transported.
Don’t use substitutes (ropes, leather straps,
canvas webbing, etc.) that can be cut by sharp
edgeswderneath the towed vehicle. Always use
T-hooks inserted in the T-hook slots. Never use
J-hooks. They will damage drivetrain and
suspension components.
When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition
key turned #to the
OFF position. The steering wheel
should be clamped in a straight-ahead position, with
a clamping device designed for towing service. Do not
use the vehicle’s steering column lock
for this. The
transmission should be in
NEUTRAL (N) and the
parking brake released.
Don’t have your vehicle towed on the drive wheels
unless you must. If the
vehicle must be towed on the
drive wheels, be sure to follow the speed and distance
restrictions later in this section
or your transmission will
be damaged. If these limits must be exceeded, then the
drive wheels have to be supported on a dolly.
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Front Towing
Tow Limits -- 35 mph (55 kh), 50 miles (80 km)
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NOTICE:
Do not tow with sling-type equipment or
fascidfog light damage will occur.
Use wheel lift or car carrier equipment.
Additional ramping may be required
for car
carrier equipment.
Use safety chains and wheel straps.
.(.
Attach T-hook chains to slots in frame, rearward of front
wheels on both sides.
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NOTICE:
Do not attach winch cables or J-hooks to
suspension components when using car carrier
equipment. Always use T-hooks inserted in the
T-hook slots.
Attach a separate safety chain around outboard end of
each lower control arm.
NOTICE:
Take care not to damage the brake pipes and
hoses
or the ABS sensor and wiring.
NOTICE: 1
Towing a vehicle over rough surfaces could
damage
a vehicle. Damage can occur from
vehicle-to-ground or
vehicle-to-wheel-lift-equipment contact.
To help
avoid damage, install
a towing dolly and raise
vehicle until adequate clearance
is obtained
between the ground and/or wheel-lift equipment.
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