PONTIAC GRAND AM 1997 Owners Manual

Making Turns
I NOTICE: 1
Making very sharp turns while trailering could cause the trailer to come in contact with the vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
1
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.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
The green 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 green 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.
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, use the highest gear possible. If
you cannot maintain posted speeds, driving at a lower
speed may help avoid overheating your engine
and transaxle.
If you have a manual transaxle with FIFTH
(5) gear,
it’s better not to use FIFTH
(5) gear. Just drive in
FOURTH
(4) gear (or, as you need to, a lower gear).
4-40

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
PARK
(P) yet, or into a gear for a manual transaxle.
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.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
brake, and then shift to PARK
(P), or REVERSE (R)
for a manual transaxle.
5. Release the regular brakes.
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking
on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
0 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
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, belt, cooling system and brake adjustment.
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 these sections before you start
your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
4-41

fi NOTES
4-42

Section 5 Problems on the Road
Here you’ll find what to do about some problems that can occur on the road.
5-2 Hazard Warning Flashers
5-2 Other Warning Devices
5-3 Jump Starting
5- 8 Towing Your Vehicle
5- 14 Engine Overheating
5-22
5-23
5-33
5-34
If a Tire Goes Flat
Changing a Flat Tire
Compact Spare Tire
If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow
5-1

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 signal lamps flash on
and
off.
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.
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 rc~n 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:
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.
NOTICE:
Ignoring these steps cold result in costly damage
to your vehicle
that wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
Trying 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 negative ground system.
I NOTICE: I
If the other system isn’t a 12-volt system with a
negative ground, both vehicles can be damaged.
5-3

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 wouldn’t be able to
start your Pontiac, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems. You could be injured
if the vehicles roll. Set the parking brake firmly on
each vehicle. Put
an automatic transaxle in
PARK
(P) or a manual transaxle in NEUTRAL (N).
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.
A CAUTION:
I -i
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. Find the
positive
(+) and negative (-) terminals on each battery.
5-4

I
A CAUTION:
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.
5. 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.
A CAUTION:
Fans or other moving engine parts can injure you
badly. Keep your hands away from moving parts
once the engines are running.

6. Connect the red positive (+) cable to the positive (+)
terminal of the vehicle with the dead battery.
Use a remote positive
(+) terminal if the vehicle
has one.
. . 7. 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.
I
8. Now connect the black
negative
(-) cable to
the good 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.

9. Attach the cable at least 18 inches (45 cm) away
from the dead battery, but not near engine parts 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.
10. Now start the vehicle with the good battery and run
11. Try to start the vehicle with the dead battery.
If it won’t start after a few tries, it probably
needs service.
12. 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
5-7