traction control PONTIAC GRAND AM 2003 User Guide

A cornering skid is best handled by easing your foot off
the accelerator pedal.
If you have the Enhanced Traction System, remember:
It helps to avoid only the acceleration skid.
If you do
not have the Enhanced Traction System, or
if the system
is
off, then an acceleration skid is also best handled
by easing your foot
off the accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts
to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want
the vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough,
your vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready
for a second skid
if it occurs.
Of course, traction
is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel or other material is on the road. For safety, you’ll
want to slow down and adjust your driving to these
conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited. While driving on a surface
with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration
or braking (including engine braking by shifting to a
lower gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires
to slide. You may not realize the surface is slippery
until your vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues
- such as enough water, ice or packed snow
on the road to make a “mirrored surface”
- and slow
down when you have any doubt.
If you have the anti-lock braking system, remember: It
helps avoid only the braking skid. If you do not have
anti-lock, then in a braking skid (where the wheels are
no longer rolling), release enough pressure
on the
brakes to get the wheels rolling again. This restores
steering control. Push the brake pedal down steadily
when you have to stop suddenly. As long as the wheels
are rolling, you will have steering control.
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Mixing tires could cause you to lose control
while driving.
If you mix tires of different sizes
or
types (radial and bias-belted tires), the
vehicle may not handle properly, and you
could have a crash. Using tires of different
sizes may also cause damage
to your vehicle.
Be sure to use the same size and type tires on
all wheels. It’s all right to drive with your
compact spare, though.
It was developed for
use on your vehicle.
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If you use bias-ply tires on your vehicle, the
wheel rim flanges could develop cracks after
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many miles of driving. A tire and/or wheel
could fail suddenly, causing a crash. Use only radial-ply tires with the wheels on your vehicle.
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Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable on the
tire sidewall between tread shoulder and maximum
section width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, which grades tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature performance. (This
applies only
to vehicles sold in the United States.)
The grades are molded on the sidewalls of most
passenger car tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading
system does
not apply to deep tread, winter-type
snow tires, space-saver or temporary use spare tires,
tires with nominal rim diameters of
10 to 12 inches
(25 to 30 cm), or to some limited-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary with respect
to these
grades, they must also conform
to federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) standards.
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Treadwear Temperature - A, B, C
The
treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified government test course.
For example, a tire graded
150 would wear one and
a half
(1.5) times as well on the government course as
a tire graded 100. The relative performance of tires
depends upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart significantly from the norm
due
to variations in driving habits, service practices and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction - AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A,
B, and C. Those grades represent the tire’s ability
to stop on wet pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance. Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on straight-ahead braking
traction tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction characteristics. The
temperature grades are
A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance to the generation
of heat and its ability
to dissipate heat when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high temperature can
cause the material of the tire
to degenerate and
reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade
C corresponds to a
level of performance which all passenger car tires must
meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance
on the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.
Warning: The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
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Used Replacement Wheels Tire Chains
Putting a used wheel on your vehicle is
dangerous. You can’t know how it’s been used or
how far it’s been driven. It could fail
suddenly and cause a crash.
If you have to
replace a wheel, use a new
GM original
equipment wheel.
If your vehicle has P225/50R16 size tires, don’t
use tire chains, there’s not enough clearance.
Tire chains used on a vehicle without the proper amount of clearance can cause damage
to the brakes, suspension or other vehicle
parts. The area damaged by the tire chains
could cause
you to lose control of your vehicle
and you or others may be injured in
a crash.
Use another type of traction device only
if its
manufacturer recommends it for use on your
vehicle and tire
size combination and road
conditions. Follow that manufacturer’s instructions.
To help avoid damage to your
vehicle, drive slowly, readjust or remove the device if it’s contacting your vehicle, and don’t
spin your wheels.
If you do find traction devices that will fit,
install them on the front tires.
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Tires (cont.) Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
................. 5-59
Wheel Replacement
..................................... 5-59
When It
Is Time for New Tires ...................... 5-56
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
.................... 2-23
Top
of the Instrument Panel ............................. 5-74
Top Strap
...................................................... 1-42
Top Strap Anchor Location
............................... 1-43
Torque Lock
................................................... 2-31
Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires
.................. 4-39
Towing Recreational Vehicle
..................................... 4-32
Towing a Trailer
.......................................... 4-37
Your Vehicle
............................................... 4-32
Traction Enhanced Traction System Active Light
........... 3-29
Enhanced Traction System Warning Light
........ 3-28
Enhanced Traction
System (ETS)
.................... 4-9
Trailer Brakes
................................................. 4-40
Transaxle Fluid, Automatic
........................................... 5-22
Fluid, Manual
.............................................. 5-22
Transaxle Operation, Manual
............................ 2-27
Transmission
Up-Shift Light
.............................................. 3-26
Transmission, Transaxle, Transfer Case Unit
Repair Manual
.............................................. 7-9
Transportation Options
...................................... 7-7
Trap-Resistant Trunk Kit
.. I .. .. jj jj I .. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I ~ I 2-1 4
Tr2.ns2x!E! Gperstls!?, ,*.ntc!X!tic ......................... L 9-24
Trip Odometer ................................................ 3-24
Trunk
............................................................ 2-12
Turn and Lane-Change Signals
.......................... 3-6
Turn SignaVMultifunction Lever
........................... 3-6
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
.................. 4-41
Trunk
Lamp
................................................... 3-17
U
Underbody Flushing Service ............................. 6-12
Understanding Radio Reception
........................ 3-70
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
............................ 5-57
United States
................................................... 7-4
Up-Shift Light
................................................. 3-26
Used Replacement Wheels
.............................. 5-60
Using Cleaner on Fabric
.................................. 5-73
v
Vehicle Control
.................................................
Damage Warnings ..................................
Loaang .................................................
Parking Your ..........................................
Service Soon Light .................................
Symbols ................................................
Number (VIN) ........................................
Service Parts Identification Label ..............
Vehicle Storage .........................................
Vehicle Identification
....... 4-6
......... iv
..... 4-33
..... 2-32
..... 3-36
......... iv
..... 5-80
..... 5-80
.=i = 5-43
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