ESP PONTIAC PONTIAC 1996 User Guide

Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that
you’ve been stopped by the snow.
Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you.
If you have no blankets or extra clothing, make body
insulators
from newspapers, burlap bags, rags, floor
mats
-- anything you can wrap around yourself or
tuck under your clothing to keep
warm.
You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.
A
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/! CAUTION: -
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle.
This can cause deadly
CO (carbon monoxide) gas
to get inside.
CO could overcome you and kill
you. You can’t see it or smell it, so you might not
know
it is in your vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base
of your vehicle, especially any
that
is blocking your exhaust pipe. And check
around again from time to time to be sure snow
doesn’t collect there.
Open
a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that’s away from the wind.
This will help
keep
CO out.
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Safety Chains
You should always attach chains between your vehicle
and your
trailer. Cross the safety chains under the tongue
of the trailer so that the tongue will not drop to the road
if it becomes separated from the hitch. Instructions
about safety chains may be provided by the hitch
manufacturer
or by the trailer manufacturer. Follow the
manufacturer’s recommendition for attaching safety
chains and do not attach them to the bumper. Always
leave just enough slack’s0 you can
turn with your rig.
And, never allow safety chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
Does your trailer have its own brakes? Be me to
read and follow the instructions for the trailer brakes
so you’ll be able to install, adjust and maintain
them properly.
0
0 If your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, do not try to tap
into your vehicle’s brake system.
If you do, both
brake systems won’t work well,
or at all.
Even if your vehicle doesn’t have anti-lock brakes,
don’t tap into
your vehicle’s brake system if the
trailer’s brake system will use more than
0.02 cubic
inch
(0.3 cc) of fluid from your vehicle’s master
cylinder.
If it does, both braking systems won’t work
well.
You could even lose your brakes.
0 Will the trailer brake parts take 3,000 psi (20 650 Pa)
of pressure?
If not, the trailer brake system must not be
used with
your vehicle.
0 If everything checks out this far, then make the brake
fluid tap at the upper rear master cylinder port. But
don’t use copper tubing for this.
If you do, it will
bend and break
off. Use steel brake tubing.
Driving with a Trailer
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 ~lolw
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. I% the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and
then apply the traiEer brake controller by hand to be sure
the brakes are working.
This lets you check your
electrical connection at the Same time.
During your
hip, check occasionally to be sure that the
load
is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer brakes
are still working.
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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.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
PARK (P) yet.
Have someone place chocks under
the trailer wheels.
When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
brake,
and then shift to PARK (P).
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:
Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
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 oken 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. ’
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If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” while you’re driving,
especially if you maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out of a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out slowly.
But
if you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a few
tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create
a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot
off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly.
I
Steer to maintain lane position, and then gently brake to
a stop well out
of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you’d; use in a
skid. In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get
the vehicle under control by
steering the way you want the vehicle to
go. It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake
to a stop -- well off the road if possible.
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change a flat tire safely.
Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn
on your hazard
warning flashers.
Changing a tire can cause an injury. The vehicle
can slip off the jack and roll over you or other
people. You and they could be badly injured.
Find a level place to change your tire.
To help
prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put the shift lever in PARK (P).
3. nrn off the engine.
To be even more certain the vehicle won’t move,
you can put blocks at the front and rear of the
tire farthest away from the one being changed.
That would be the tire
on the other side of the
vehicle, at the opposite end.
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Because this operation can be a little difficult, you
may choose
to have this done at your Pontiac dealership
Service Department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the instructions
here,
or you could get a false reading on the dipstick.
Too much or too little fluid can damage your
transaxle,
Too much can mean that some of the
fluid could come out and fall on hot engine parts
or exhaust system parts, starting a fire.
Be sure to
get an accurate reading if you check your
transaxle fluid.
Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the transaxle
fluid level if you have been driving:
When outside temperatures are above 90°F (32" C).
At high speed for quite a while.
In heavy traffic -- especially in hot weather.
0 While pulling a trailer.
To get the right reading, the fluid should be at normal
operating temperature, which is
180°F to 200°F
(82°C to 93°C).
Get the vehicle warmed up by driving about
15 miles
(24 km) when outside temperatures are above 50°F
(10°C). If it's colder than 50°F (lO°C), you may have
to drive longer.
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How to Add Fluid
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of transaxle fluid to use. See “Recommended
Fluids
and Lubricants” in the Index.
If the fluid level is low, add only enough of the proper
fluid to bring the level into the cross-hatched area on
the dipstick.
1. Pull out the dipstick.
2. Using a long-neck funnel, add enough fluid at the
It doesn’t take much fluid, generally less than a pint
(0.5 L). Don’t oveflll. We recommend you use only
fluid /labeled DEXRON@-HI, because fluid with that
label
is made especially for your automatic transaxle.
Damage caused by fluid other than
DEXRON-111 is
not covered by your new vehicle warranty.
0 After adding fluid, recheck the fluid level as
0 When the correct fluid level is obtained, push the
dipstick hole to bring
it to the
proper level.
described under “How to Check.”
dipstick
back in all the way.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in your vehicle is filled with new
DEX-COOL (orange-colored, silicate-free) engine
coolant. This coolant is designed
to remain in your
vehicle for 5 years or 100,000 miles (166 000 km), ,
whichever occurs first.
The following explains your cooling system and how to
add coolant when it is low.
If you have a problem with
engine overheating or
if you need to add coolant to your
radiator, see “Engine Overheating” in the Index.
A 50/50 mixture of water and the proper coolant for
your Pontiac will:
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0
Give freezing protection down to -34°F (-37°C).
Give boiling protection up to 265 “F (129°C).
Protect against rust
and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine temperature.
Let the warning lights lights and gages work as
they should.
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Uniform Tire Quality Grading
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),
Treadwear
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
(1 1/2) 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.
I.
or to some limited-production tires. ;,*?;;x.,< .
. .'-I '.'Traction -- A, B, C
While the tires available on General Motors passenger 1
cars and light trucks may vary with respect to these The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are A, B, and
grades,, they must also conform to Federal safety
C, and they represent the tire's' ability to stop on wet
requirements and additional General Motors Tire pavement as measured under controlled conditioa
on
Peiformance Criteria (TPC) standards. 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 braking (straightahead) traction tests and does not
include cornering (turning) traction.
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Temperature -- A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing he 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
hgh 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
€3 and A represent higher levels of performance on the
laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by law.
Warning: ne 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.
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced
carefully
at the factory to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance.
In most cases, you will not need to have your wheels
aligned again. However, if you notice unusual tire wear
or your vehicle pulling one way or the other, the
alignment may-need to be reset.
If you notice your
vehicle vibrating when driving on a smooth road, your
wheels may need to be rebalanced.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel *at is bent, cracked, or badly rusted
or corroded.
If wheel nuts keep coming loose, the wheel,
wheel bolts .and wheel nuts should be replaced.
If the
wheel leaks air, replace it (except some aluminum
wheels, which
can sometimes be repaired). See your
Pontiac dealer if any
of these conditions exist.
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