Problems on the Road
F"
'hanging a Flat Tire (CONT.)
f A Rust or dirt on the wheel, or
L on the parts to which it is
fastened, can make the wheel nuts
become loose after a time, The
wheel could come off and cause an
accident. When you change a
wheel, remove any rust or dirt
from the places where the wheel
attaches to the vehicle. In an
emergency, you can use a cloth or
a paper towel to do this; but be
sure to use a scraper or wire brush
later, if you need to, to get all the
rust or dirt off.
9. Remove any rust or dirt from the
wheel bolts, mounting surfaces or
spare wheel.
mounting surface.
10. Place the spare on the wheel
Never use oil or grease on
e b studs or nuts. If you do, the
nuts might come loose. Your wheel
could fall off, causing a serious
accident.
I
1 1. Replace the wheel nuts with the
rounded end of the nuts toward the
wheel. Tighten each
nut by hand
until the wheel is held against the
hub
..I 190
ProCarManuals.com
I
Engine Oil Additives
Don't add anything to your oil. Your
Pontiac dealer is ready to advise
if you
think something should be added.
When to Change Engine Oil
See if any one of these is true for you:
Most trips are less than 4 miles (6 km).
It's below freezing outside and most
trips are less than
10 miles (16 km).
The engine is at low speed most of the
time
(as in door-to-door delivery, or in
stop-and-go traffic).
You tow a trailer often.
Most trips are through dusty places.
If any one of these is true for your
vehicle, then you need to change your
oil and fdter every 3,000 miles
(5 0oO km) or 3 months-whichever
comes first. (See the
Index under Check
Oil Light.)
If none of them is true, change the oil
every
7,500 miles (12 500 km) or 12
months-whichever comes first. Change
the filter at the first oil change and at
every other
oil change after that.
Engine Block Heater
An engine block heater can be a big
help if you have to park outside
in very
cold weather,
0" F (-18°C) or colder. If
your vehicle has this option, see the
Index under Engine Block Heater.
213 I..
ProCarManuals.com
...
Service & Appearance Care
Air Cleaner (CONI)
3300 V6: Air Filter Replacement
1. Unscrew the two wing nuts, then
slide
the cover forward and up.
216
2. Remove the air cleaner.
3. Be sure to install the air cleaner filter
and replace the cover.
Automatic Tmnsax/e Fluid
When to Check and Change:
A good time to check your automatic
transaxle fluid level is when the engine
oil is changed. Refer
to the Maintenance
Schedule to determine when to change
your fluid. See the
Index under
Scheduled Maintenance Services.
How to Check:
Because this operation can be a little
difficult, you may choose to have this
done at a 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.
ProCarManuals.com
Service & Appearance Care
Automatic Transaxle Fluid (CONT.)
How To Add Fluid:
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to
determine what kind of transaxle fluid to
use. See the
Index under Fluids &
Lubricants.
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.
It doesn’t take much fluid, generally less
than a pint. Don’t overfill. We
recommend you use only fluid
labeled DEXRON@-IIE, because fluids
with that label are made especially for
your automatic transaxle. Damage caused by fluid other than
DEXRON@-IIE is not covered by your
new vehicle warranty.
After adding fluid, recheck the fluid
level as described under
How tu Check.
When the correct fluid level is obtained,
push the dipstick back in all the way.
Manual Transaxle Fluid
When to Check:
A good time to have it checked is when
the engine oil is changed. However, the
fluid in your manual transaxle doesn’t
require changing.
How to Check:
Because this operation can be a little
difficult, you may choose to have this
done at a 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.
m.. 218
ProCarManuals.com
Service & Appearance Care
Tire Inspection and Rotation
(CONT)
1 Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on
- b the. parts to which it is
htened, ean fnake wheel nuts I
become loose after a time, The
wheel could come off and cause an I accident. When you change a
wheel, remove any rust or dirt
from plks where the wheel
When lt’s Time for New Tires
One way to tell when it’s time for new
tires is to check the treadwear
indicators, which will appear when your
tires have only
2/32 inch (1.6 mm) or
less of tread remaining.
You need a new tire if:
You can see the indicators at three
You can see cord or fabric showing
The tread or sidewall is cracked. cut.
places around the tire.
through the tire’s rubber.
attaches to the vehicle. ~n an 7 -
emergency, you can use a cloth or I I or snagged deep enough to show cord
a ppr towel ta do this; but be or fabric.
sure t.a use a scraper or wire brush The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
later, if you need to, to get all the The tire has a puncture, cut, or other
rust or dirt off, (See the Index damage that can’t be repaired well
undkr hgiing a 2?i?af Ere.) because of the size or location of the
I damage.
... 234
Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires
you need, look at the Tire-Loading
Information label.
The tires installed on your vehicle when
it was new had a Tire Performance
Criteria Specification (TPC 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 service
on your vehicle.
If your tires have an all-
season tread design, the TPC number
will be followed by a
“MS” (for mud
and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with those
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
I tires.
ProCarManuals.com
time you file your complaint to the time
a decision is rendered (or
47 days if you
did not first contact your dealer or
Pontiac).
We encourage
you to use this program
before or instead of resorting
to the
courts. We believe it offers advantages
over courts
in most jurisdictions because
it is fast, free of charge, and informal
(lawyers are not usually present,
although you may retain one at your
expense if you choose). Arbitrators
make decisions based on the principles
of fairness and equity, and are not
required to duplicate the functions of
courts by strictly applying state or
federal law.
If you wish to go to court,
however, we do not require that you first
file a claim with
BBB AUTO LINE**
unless state law provides otherwise. Whatever your preference
may be,
remember that if you are unhappy with
the results of
BBB AUTO LINE, you
can still go to court because an
arbitrator’s decision is binding on
GM
but not on you, unless you accept it.
Eligibility is limited by vehicle
age/mileage and other factors. For
further information concerning the
program, call the
BBB at
1-800-955-5100. You may also call the
Pontiac Customer Assistance Center.
* This program may not be available in
all states, depending
on state law.
Canadian owners refer to
your
warranty booklet. General Motors
reserves the right to change eligibility
limitations and/or to discontinue its
participation in this program.
** Some states may require that you file
a claim with
BBB AUiV LINE before
resorting to state-operated
procedures (including court).
283
ProCarManuals.com
Proper Mixture to Use ......... 221
Safety Warnings. About
........ .179. 181. 182. 183
Temperature Gage
............. 93
Temperature Warning Light ...... 92
Thermostat
.................. 223
Corrosion Protection
............ 246
Cruise Control
.................. 70
Cup Holders
................... 83
Curves. Driving
on .............. 136
Customer Assistance Information
. . 279
Daytime Running Lights
......... 75
Defects. Safety. Reporting Dead Battery: What to Do
........ 171
Defensive Driving
.............. 126
(see
Safety Defects)
Defogger. Rear Window .......... 105
Defogging Your Windows
.... .103. 105
Door Locks
.................... 45
Door. Remote Fuel Filler
......... 203
Downshifting
.............. .62. 152
Driver Position
.................. 18
Driving
....................... 121
AtNight
.............. ... 142 City
........................ 147
Controlling a Skid
............. 141
Defensively
.................. 126
Drunken
.................... 127
Freeway
.................... 148
Highway Hypnosis
............ 151
Hill and Mountain
............ 152
In a Foreign Country
.......... 202
In Fog, Mist and Haze ......... 146
In the Rain
.................. 144
Long Distance ................ 150
Loss of Control
............... 140
On Curves ................... 136
Passing
..................... 138
Skidding
.................... 141
Through Deep Standing Water
.... 55
Winter Driving
............... 156
With a Trailer
................ 164
Driving on
Snow or Ice .......... 156
Drunken Driving
............... 127
Easy-Entry Seat
................ 11
Electrical Equipment, Adding
............. .55, 107, 248
Emergencies, Braking
........... 135 Emergencies
on the
Road ......... 169
Emergencies. Steering in
......... 137
Emergency Starting
.............. 171
Emergency Towing
.............. 175
Engine Block Heater
......... .56, 213
Engine Coolant (see
CooZant)
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning
Engine Identification
........ .52. 247
Engine Oil
.................... 209
Additives
.................... 213
Checking
& Adding ........... 209
Disposing of Used Oil
.......... 214
Energy Conserving
............ 212
Filter
.................. .213. 257
Kind of Oil to Use ............. 210
Pressure Gage
................. 95
Warning Light
................ 93
When to Change .............. 213
Engine Overheating
............. 179
Engine Specifications
............ 256
Engine. Starting
................. 52
Automatic Transaxle
........... 53
Manual Transaxle
.............. 53
2.3L Quad 4 Engine
............ 53
3300
V6 Engine ............... 54
295
Light (see Coolant)
ProCarManuals.com
Headlights ..................... 74
High-Low Beam Changer
....... -76
Instrument Panel
Intensity Control
............. 76
“On” Reminder
............... 75
Replacement Bulb
............ 228
Wiring
..................... 250
Heater (see
Comfort Controls)
Heater, Engine Block ........ .56. 213
High Beams
............... .76. 143
Highway Hypnosis
.............. 151
Hill and Mountain Roads
......... 152
Hood Release
.................. 205
Safety Warning
............... 206
Warning, Overheated
Engine
.................... 92
Horn
......................... 67
Hot Engine. Safety Warnings . .179. 206
How the Anti-Lock Brake
System Works
................ 132
Hydraulic Clutch
.......... .220. 253
Hydroplaning
.................. 145
Hills. Parking on
.......... .154. 165
Identification Number. Vehicle
.... 247
Idling Your Engine
.......... .64. 67
Ignition
Key
......................... 44
Key Release Button
............. 51
Positions
..................... 51
Illuminated Entry/Exit System
...... 46
Indicator Lights
Infant Restraint
Inflation. Tires
....... .232. 252. 304
Inside Rearview Mirror
........... 81
Inspections. Owner
.............. 271
Instrument Panel
................ 86
Instrument Panel Warning Lights .... 91
(see Warning Lights)
(see Child Restraints)
.................... J ack. Tire 187
Jump Starting
.................. 171
Key Release Button
.............. 51
Keys
.......................... 44 Lane
Change Indicator
........... 69
Lap-Shoulder Safety Belt .......... 18
Front
........................ 18
Rear ........................ 23
Use by Children
........... .27, 36
Latches. Seatback ................ 11
Lighter ........................ 85
Lights
Charging System
.............. 95
Check Gauges ................ 99
Daytime Running Lights ......... 75
Fog Lights .............. .77. 229
Headlights
.......... .74. 228. 254
Headlights Reminder
........... 75
Instrument Panel Intensity Control
. . 76
Parking ................. .74. 254
Reading
................ .77. 255
Removing
& Replacing
Bulbs
............ .228. 229. 254
Replacement Bulbs
............ 254
Shift
........................ 62
Taillights
............... .229. 254
Trunk ....................... 78
Turn Signal ............. .69. 254
Warning Lights
........... .91. 170
Lights on Reminder .............. 75
Loading Your Vehicle ............ 230
297 ’ ’
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