1993 PONTIAC GRAND-AM Owners Manual

Service & Appearance Care
Power Steering Fluid
How to Check Power Steering Fluid:
Unscrew the cap and wipe the dipstick
with a clean rag. Replace the cap and
completely tighten
it. Then remove the
cap again and look at the fluid level
on
the dipstick.
When the engine compartment is hot,
the level should be at the
H (Hot)
mark.
the level should be at the
C (Cold)
mark.
When the engine compartment is cool,
What to Add:
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to
determine what kind
of fluid to use. See
the
Index under Fluids & Lubricants.
Windshield Washer Fluid
To Add:
Open the cap labeled WASHER FLUID
ONLY.
Add washer fluid until the bottle is full.
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Brake Master Cylinder
Your brake master cylinder is here. It is
filled with DOT-3 brake fluid.
There are only two reasons why the
brake fluid level in your master cylinder
might go down. The first is that the
brake fluid goes down to an acceptable
level during normal brake lining wear.
When new linings are put in, the fluid
level goes back up. The other reason
is that fluid is leaking
out
of the brake system. If it is, you
should have your brake system fixed,
since a leak means that sooner or later
your brakes won’t work well, or won’t
work at all.
So, it isn’t a good idea to “top off’ your
brake fluid. Adding brake fluid won’t
correct a leak.
If you add fluid when
your linings are worn, then you’ll have
too much fluid when you get new brake
linings. You should add (or remove)
brake fluid, as necessary,
only when
work is done on the brake hydraulic
system.
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Service fS Appearance Care
Brake Master Cylinder (CONI)
I If you have too much brake
fluid, it can spill
on the
engine. The fluid will burn
if the
engine
is hot enough. You or
others could be burned, and your
vehicle could
be damaged. Add
brake fluid only when work is
done on the brake hydraulic
system.
When your brake fluid falls to a low
level, your brake warning light will
come on. See the
Index under Brake
System Warning Light.
What to Add:
When you do need brake fluid, use only
DOT-3 brake fluid-such as Delco
Supreme
ll@ (GM Part No. 1052535).
Use new brake fluid from a sealed
container only.
I DOT-5 silicone brake fluid can
;'Don't let someone put in the
:> 1 I :, !wrong i kind of fluid. For
example, just a few drops of
I , mineral-based oil, such as engine
-.?,'oil, in your brake system can
damage brake system parts
so
damage your vehicle. Don't use it.
". ,
I : '
" 1. , badly that they
; -qeplaced. %>, , .
Brake fluid can damage paint, so
be careful not to spill brake fluid
on your vehicle.
-
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a modern vehicle
is complex. Its many parts have to be of
top quality and work well together
if the
vehicle is to have really good braking.
Vehicles we design and test have top-
quality
GM brake parts in them, as your
Pontiac does when
it is new. When you
replace parts of your bralung system-
for example, when your brake linings
wear down and you have to have new
ones put in-be sure you get new
genuine
GM replacement parts. If you
don't, your brakes may no longer work
properly. For example,
if someone puts
in brake linings that are wrong for your
vehicle, the balance between your front
and rear brakes can change, for the
worse. The braking performance you've
come to expect can change
in many
other ways
if someone puts in the wrong
replacement brake parts.
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Battery
Every new Pontiac has a Delco
Freedom@ battery.
You never have to
add water to one of these. When it’s
time for a new battery,
we recommend a
Delco Freedom@ battery. Get one that
has the catalog number shown
on the
original battery’s label.
Jump
Starting
For jump starting instructions, see the
Index under Jump Starting.
Vehicle Storage
If you’re not going to drive your vehicle
for 25 days or more, take off the black
negative
(-) cable from the battery.
This will help keep your battery from
running down.
I
A
Batteries have acid that can
burn you and gas that can
explode.
You can be badly hurt if
you aren’t careful. See the Index
under Jump Starting for tips on
working around a battery without
getting hurt.
Contact your dealer to learn how to
prepare your vehicle for longer storage
periods.
Yalogen Bulbs
A Halogen bulbs have
burst if you drop or scratch the
bulb.
You or others could be
injured. Take special care when
handling and disposing of halogen
bulbs.
L pressurized gas inside and can
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Service & Appearance Care
Headlight Bulb Replacement
For the type of bulb, see the Index under
Replacement Bulbs.
1. On the driver’s side only, unscrew the
butterfly fastener. Then lift the plate.
228
Both Sides:
2. Twist the bulb assembly counter-
clockwise
)/6 turn and pull out the
bulb assembly.
3. Unclip the bulb assembly from the wiring harness.
4. Reverse steps 1-3 to replace the bulb ,
assembly and headlight housing. I
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raillight Bulb Replacement
For the type of bulb, see the Index under
Replacement Bulbs.
1. Pull back the trunk trim.
2. Carefully push one end of the plastic
taillight brace in while pulling the
brace toward the front of the vehicle.
3. Gently wiggle the bulb out of the
4. Replace the bulb.
5. Reverse the steps to reassemble the
socket.
taillight.
Fog Light Bulb Replacement
Don’t change your fog light bulbs unless
you have the proper aiming equipment.
See your Pontiac dealer if you have any
further questions.
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Service & Appearance Care
Windshield Wiper Blade
Replacement
Replacement blades come in different
types and are removed in different ways.
Here’s how to remove the type with a
release clip:
1 . Pull the windshield wiper arm away
2. Lift the release clip with a
from the windshield.
screwdriver and pull the blade
assembly off the wiper arm.
the wiper arm.
3. Push the new wiper blade securely on
Loading bur Vehicle
Two labels on your vehicle show how
much weight it may properly carry. The
Tire-Loading Information label found on
the rear edge of the driver’s door tells
you the proper size, speed rating and recommended inflation pressures for the
tires on your vehicle. It also gives
you
important information about the number
of people that can be in your vehicle and
the total weight that you can carry. This
weight is called the Vehicle Capacity
Weight and includes the weight of all
occupants, cargo, and all nonfactory- installed options. The other label is the Certification
sticker, also on the rear edge of the
driver’s door. It
tells you the gross
weight capacity of your vehicle, called
the GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating). The GVWR includes the
weight of the vehicle, all occupants, fuel
and cargo. Never exceed the GVWR for
your vehicle, or the Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for either the front or
rear axle.
And, if you do have a heavy load, you
should spread it out. Don’t carry more
than
132 lbs. (60 kg) in your trunk.
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IIC
A
Do not load your vehicle any
heavier
than the GVWR or the
maximum
front and rear CiAWRs.
If you do, parts on your vehicle
can
break, or it can change the way
your vehicle handles. These could
cause you to lose control. Also,
overloading
can shorten the life of
your vehicle.
I Your warranty does not cover parts 1
I
or component
overloading.
If you put things inside your vehicle-
like suitcases, tools, packages,
or
anything else-they will go as fast as the
vehicle goes.
If you have to stop or turn
quickly, or if there is a crash, they’ll
keep going.
A
CAUTION
Things you put inside your I
vehicle can strike and injure
people in a sudden stop or turn, or
in a crash.
0 Put things in the tnuik of your
vehicle. In a trunk, put them as
far forward as you can.
* Try tu spread the weight evenly.
Never stack heavier things, like
suitcases, inside the vehicle so
that some of them are above the
tops
of the seats.
When you carry something
inside
the vehicle, secure it
whenever
you can.
Don’t leave a seat folded down
unless you
need to. 1:
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