PONTIAC GRAND-AM 1996 Owners Manual

Section 5 Problems on the Road
Here you’ll find what to do about some problems that
can occur on the road.
Hazard Warning Flashers
Your hazard warning flashers let you warn others. They
also let police know you have a problem. Your front
and
rear turn signal lamps will flash on and off.
Move the switch to the
right to
make your
front and rear turn
Your hazard warning flashers work no matter what
position
your key is in, and even if the key isn’t in.
To turn off the flashers, move the switch to the left.
When the hazard warning flashers are on, your turn
signals won’t work.
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Other Warning Devices
If you carry reflective triangles, you can set one up at
the side
of the road about 300 feet (100 m) behind your
vehicle.
Jump Starting
If your battery has run down, you may want to use
another vehicle
and some jumper cables to start your
Pontiac. But please follow the steps below
to do it
safely.
Batteries can hurt'you. They can be dangerous
because:
0 They contain acid that can burn you.
They contain gas that can explode or ignite,
They contain enough electricity to burn
you.
If you don't follow these steps exactly, some or all
of these things can hurt you.
I NOTICE:
Ignoring these steps cold result in costly damage
to your vehicle that wouldn't be covered
by your
warranty.
"kying to start your Pontiac by pushing or
pulling it could damage your vehicle, even if you
have
a manual transaxle. And if you have an
automatic transaxle, it won't Start that way.
1. Check.the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with
a negativ'e ground system.
I NOTICE:
If the other system isn't a 12-volt system with a
negative ground, both vehicles can be damaged.
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2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles aren’t touching
each other.
If they are, it could cause a ground
connection
you don’t want. You woulddt be able to
start your Pontiac, and the bad grounding could
You could be injured if the vehicles roll. Set the
parking brake firrnly on each vehicle. Put on automatic transaxle in
PARK (P) or a manual
transaxle
in NEUTRAL (N).
1 damage the electrical systems.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette lighter.
Turn off all lamps that aren’t needed as well
as radios. This will avoid sparks and help save both
batteries. In addition,
it could save your radio!
I NOTICE:
.If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn’t be covered
by
your warranty.
An electric fan can start up even when the engine
is not running and can injure
you. Keep hands,
clothing and tools.away from any underhood electric fan.
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries.
5. Find the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals on
each battery.
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6. Check that the jumper cables don’t have loose or
missing insulation, If they do, you could get a shock.
The vehicles could be damaged,
too.
Before you connect the cables, here are some basic
things you should
know. Positive (+) will go to
positive (+) and negative (-) will go to negative (-)
or a metal engine part.
Don’t connect positive (+) to negative (-) or you’ll
get a short that would damage the battery and maybe
other
parts, too.
Using
a match
near a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing this,
and some have been blinded. Use
a flashlight if
you need more light.
~ Be sure the battery has enough water. You don’t
need to add water
to the Delco Freedom@ battery
installed in every new
GM vehicle. But if a
battery has filler caps, be sure the right amount
of fluid is there. If it is low, add water to take care
of that first. If you don’t, explosive gas could be
present.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn
you.
Don’t get it on you. If you accidentally get it in
your eyes or on your skin, flush the place with
water and get medical help immediately. Fans
or other moving engine
parts can injure you
badly. Keep your hands away from moving parts
once the engines are running.
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Use a remote positive (+) terminal if the vehicle has
one.
8. Don’t let the other end
touch metal. Connect it
to the positive
(+)
terminal of the good
battery.
Use a remote
positive
(+) terminal
if the vehicle has one.
7. Connect the red positive (+) cable to the positive (+)
terminal of the vehicle with the dead battery.
II
9. Now connect the
black negative
(-)
I cable to the good q;<2: &?:I battery’s negative (-)
terminal.
Don’t let the other end
touch anything until the next
step. The other end
of the negative cable doesn’t go to
the dead battery.
It goes to a heavy unpainted metal part
on the engine of the vehicle with the dead battery.
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10. Attach the cable at least 18 inches (45 cm) away
from the dead battery, but not near engine pasts that
move. The electrical connection is just as good
there, but the chance of sparks getting back to the
battery
is much less.
the engine for a while.
11. Now start the vehicle with the good battery and run
12. Try to start the vehicle with the dead battery.
If it won’t start after a few tries, it probably needs
service.
13. Remove the cables in reverse order to prevent
electrical shorting.
Take care that they don’t touch
each other or
any other metal.
A. Heavy Metal Engine Part
B. Good Battery
C. Dead Battery
-
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Towing Your Vehicle
Try to have a Pontiac dealer or a professional towing
service tow your Grand
Am. They can provide the right
equipment and know how to tow
your vehicle without
damage. See “Roadside Assistance”
in the Index.
If your vehicle has been changed or modified since it
was factory new by adding aftermaxket items like fog
lamps, aero skirting, or special tires and wheels, these
instructions and illustrations 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
rear with sling-type equipment, as described later in
this section.
That your vehicle has front-wheel drive.
0 The make, model and year of your vehicle.
Whether you can still move the shift lever.
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.
L
,I A CAUTION:
I To help avoid injury to you or others:
Never let passengers ride in a vehicle that is
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 towing it.
0 Never use J-hooks. Use T-hooks instead.
being towed.
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When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition key
OFF. 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 transaxle should be in
NEUTRAL (N) and the parking brake released.
The ignition key must be in the
OFF position to keep the
automatic
door locks from locking during towing.
Don't have your vehicle towed on the front wheels,
unless
you 'must. If the vehicle must be towed on the
front wheels,' (see speed and distance restrictions
later in
this section) farther than 50 miles (80 km) your
transaxle will be damaged. If these limits must be
exceeded, then
the front wheels have to be supported on
a
dolly.
r
A vehicle can fall from a car carr if it isn't
adequately secured.
This can cause a collision,
1 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
edges underneath the towed vehicle. Always use
T-hooks inserted in the T-hook slots. Never use
J-hooks. They will damage drivetrain and
suspension components.
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Front Towing
Before hooking up to a tow truck, be sure to read all the
information in “Towing Your Vehicle” earlier in this
section.
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.
NOTICE:
Towing a vehicle over rough surfaces could
damage
a vehicle. Damage can occur from vehicle
to ground or vehicle to wheel-lift equipment.
To
help avoid damage, install a towing dolly and
raise the vehicle until adequate clearance
is
obtained between the ground and/or wheel-lift
equipment.
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.
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