tire type PONTIAC PONTIAC 1996 Owners Manual

Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder, and
start your left lane change signal before moving out
of the right lane to pass. When you are far enough
ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front in your
inside mirror, activate your right lane change signal
and move back into the right lane. (Remember that
your right outside mirror
is convex. The vehicle you
just passed may seem to be farther away from you
than it really
is.)
on two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the
next vehicle.
Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lamps are not flashing, it may
be slowing down or starting to turn.
Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time
0 If you’re being passed, make it easy for the
following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you
can ease a
little to the right.
Loss of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems (brakes, steering
and acceleration) don’t have enough friction where
the
tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked. In
any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying to
steer and constantly seek an escape route or area
ot
less danger.
Skidding
In a slud, a driver can lose control of the vehcle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by
taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions, and by not “overdriving”\

those conditions. But skids
are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your Pontiac’s
three control systems.
In the braking skid, your wheels
aren’t rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too
much speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and
lose cornering force. And in the acceleration skid, too
much throttle causes the driving wheels
to spin.
A cornering skid and an acceleration skid are 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.
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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 &e 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 Tire-Loading Information label (found
on the inside of the trunk
lid) 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.
Hitches
It’s important to have the correct hitch equipment.
Crosswinds, large trucks going by and rough roads
are a
few reasons why you’ll need the right hitch. Here are
some rules to follow:
0
0 Will you have to make any holes in the body of your
vehicle when you install a trailer hitch? If you do,
then be sure to seal the holes later when you remove
the hitch. If
you don’t seal them, deadly carbon
monoxide
(CO) from your exhaust can get into your
vehicle (see “Carbon Monoxide” in the Index). Dirt
and water can, too.
The bumpers on your vehicle are not intended for
hitches.
Do not attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches
to tlfem. Use only a
frame-mounted hitch that does not attach to
the bumper.
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Towing Your Vehicle
Try to have a Pontiac dealer or a professional towing
service tow your Grand
Prix. See “Roadside Assistance”
in the- Index.
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 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
That your vehicle has front-wheel drive.
The make, model and year of your vehicle.
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 t.
with sling type equipment.
I I
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.
Never tow with damaged parts not
fully secured.
Never get under your vehicle after it has
been lifted by the tow truck.
Always secure the vehicle on each side with
separate safety chains when towing
it.
Never use J-hooks. Use T-hooks instead.
being towed.
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Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
1. Pull the windshield wiper arm away from
the windshield.
2. Lift the release clip with a screwdriver and pull the
blade
off the wiper arm.
3. Push the new wiper blade securely onto the wiper arm.
For information on replacement blade length and type,
see “Replacement
Parts” in the Index.
Tires
We don’t make tires. Your new Pontiac comes with
high-quality tires made by
a leading tire manufac%urer.
If
you ever have questions about your tire warranty and
where to obtain service, see your Pontiac Warranty
booklet for details.
A CAUTION:
Poorly maintained and improperly used tires
are dangerous.
0 Overloading your tires can cause
overheating
as a result of too much friction.
You could have an air-out and a serious
accident. See “Loading
Your Vehicle” in
the Index.
CAUTION: (Continued)
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When to Check.
Check your tires once a month or more. ~
Don? forget your compact spare tire. It should be at
60 psi (420 @a).
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure.
You can’t tell if your tires awproperly inflated
simply
by looking at them. Radial tires may look
properly inflated even when they’re underinflated.
Be sure to put the valve caps back on the valve
stems. They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt
and moisture.
Tire Inspection and Rotation I
Tires should be inspected every 6,000 to 8,000 miles
(1.0 000 to 13 000 Ian) for any signs of unusual wear.
If unusual wear is present, rotate your tires as soon as
pos-sible and check wheel alignment.
Also check for
damaged tires or wheels. See “When It’s Time for
New
Tires” and “Wheel Replacement” later in this section for
more information. The
purpose
of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The first
rotation
is the most important. See “Scheduled
Maintenance Services” in the Index for scheduled
rotation intervals.
When rotating your tires, always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
. ,. ...
Don’t include the compact spare tire in your
tire rotation.
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Buying New Tires
To find out what lund and size of tires you need, look at
the Tire-Loading Information.labe1.
The tires installed on your vehicle w
a Tire Performance Criteria Specification ("PC Spec)
number on each .tire's sidewall. When you get
new tires,
get ones with that same
TPC Spec number. That way
your vehicle will continue to have tires that are designed
to give proper endurance, handling, speed rating,
traction, ride and other things during normal sen;ice on
your vehicle.
If your tires have an all-season tread
design, the
TPC number will be followed by an "MS" '
(for mud and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with tho'se not having a
TPC Spec number, make sure they are the same size,
load range, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted or radial) as your original tires.
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. ,( ' . ; I :* ' '.i i.!;:; i
It's all right to drive with your compact spare,
though. It was developed for use on your vehicle.
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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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Don't use any of these unless this manual says you can.
In many uses, these will damage your vehicle:
Alcohol
Laundry Soap
Bleach
If a ring forms after spot cleaning, clean the entire
area immediately or it will set.

Using Foam-Type Cleaner on Fabric
..
1. Vacuum and brush the area to remove any
loose dirt.
Reducing Agents 2. Always clean a whole trim panel or section. Mask
Cleaning the Inside of Your Pontiac
surrounding trim along stitch or welt lines.
3. Mix Multi-Purpose Powdered Cleaner following
4. Use suds only and apply with a clean sponge.
5. Don't saturate the material.
Use a vacuum cleaner often
to get
.rid of dust and loose the directions on the container label.
dirt. Wipe vinyl or leather with a clean, damp cloth.
Your Pontiac dealer has
two GM cleaners, a
solvent-type spot lifter and
a foam-type powdered
cleaner. They will clean normal spots and stains very
6. Don't rub it roughly. I , ,, ' . - ,;,: ~ .-.,<~, . ., ', 1 . ',-'.: ;,I>< ' y. +?;= :=
well. Do not use them on vinyl or leather.
Here are some cleaning tips:
to remove the suds.
Always read the'instructions on the cleaner label.' 8. Rinse the section with a clean, wet sponge.
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7. As soon as you've cleaned the section, use a sponge ,< . .. .h
Clean up stains as soon as you can -- before they set. 9. Wipe off what's left with a slightly damp paper
Use a clean cloth or sponge, and change to a
clean area often.
A soft brush may be used if stains 10. Then dry it immediately with a blow dryer.
are stubborn. towel
or cloth.
11. Wipe with
a clean cloth.
Use solvent-type cleaners in a well-ventilated area
only. If you use them, don't saturate the stained area. ." , 7 I. ... : * -4..y> .
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