1993 PONTIAC GRAND-AM Owners Manual

Notes
m.. 168
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Here you’ll find what to do about
some problems that can occur on
the road.
Problems on the Road
Hazard Warning Flashers .......................................... .170
Jumpstarting
.................................................... 17 1
TowingYourPontiac .............................................. 175
Engine Overheating
.............................................. .179
If a Tire Goes Flat ............................................... -185
Changing a Flat Tire
............................................. .186
CompactSpare
................................................... 192
If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow ........ ............ .193
169 ...
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Problems 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 lights will flash
on and off.
170
Move the switch to the right to make
your front and rear turn signal lights 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.
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Jump Statting
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 here to do it
safely.
Batteries can hurt you. They
. They contain acid that can burn
They contain gas that can
They contain enough electricity
If you don’t follow these steps
exactly, some
or all of these things
can hurt you.
- can be dangerous because:
you
*
explode or ignite.
to bum
you.
Ignoring these steps could 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.
To Jump Start Your Pontiac:
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have
a 12-volt battery with
a negative
ground system.
If the other system isn’t a 12-volt
system
with a negative ground,
both vehicles can be damaged.
I
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Jump Starting (CONTJ
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.
I; vehicles roll. Set the parking
brake
firmly on each vehicle. Put
an automatic transaxle in
P (Park)
or a manual transaxle in
N (Neutral). I I
3. Turn off the ignition on both
vehicles. Turn
off all lights that aren’t
needed, and radios.
This will avoid
sparks and help save both batteries.
And it could save your radio!
. 8. r ~
I If you leave your radio on, it could
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries.
An electric fan can start up
e engine is not
running and can injure you. Keep
hands, clothing and tools away
from any underhood electric fan.
Find the positive (+) and negative
(-) terminals on each battery,
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A
1 I water. 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
You don’t need to add water to the
Delco Freedom@ battery installed
in every new GM vehicle. But if a
battery has fdler 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.
1
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 things you should know. Positive
(+) will go to positive (+) and negative
(-) will go to negative (-) or a metal
engine part.
Don’t connect
(+) to (-) or you’ll get a
short that would damage the battery and
maybe other parts, too. Fans
or other moving engine
parts can injure you badly.
Keep your hands away from
moving parts once the engines are
running.
173 =
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Problems on the Road
Jump Starting (CONI)
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.
I74
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.
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.
1 0. Now start the vehicle with the good
battery and run the engine for a
while.
11. Try to start the vehicle with the dead battery.
If it won’t
start after a few tries, it
probably needs service.
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12. Remove the cables in reverse order
to prevent electrical shorting. Take
care that they don't touch each other
or any other metal.
lowing %ur Pontiac
Try to have a GM dealer or a
professional towing service tow your
Pontiac. The usual towing equipment is:
(A) Sling-type tow truck
(B) Wheel-lift tow truck
(C) Car carrier
If your vehicle has been changed or
modified since it was hctory-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
fram the front or rear with sling-type
equipment, as described later
in this
section.
drive. vehicle.
lever. damaged.
That your vehicle has front-wheel
The make, model, and year of your
Whether you can still move the shift
If there was an accident, what was
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.
175 I..
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