1993 PONTIAC GRAND-AM wheel

Your Driving and the Road
Leaving the Freeway (CONT.)
extra time and flash your brake lights (in
addition to your turn signal) as extra
warning that you are about to slow
down and exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes
quite sharply. The exit speed is usually
posted. Reduce your speed according to
your speedometer, not to your sense of
motion. After driving for any distance at
higher speeds, you may tend to think
you are going slower than you actually
are. For example,
40 mph (65 km/h)
might seem like only
20 mph (32 km/h).
Obviously, this could lead to serious
trouble
on a ramp designed for 20 mph
(32 km/h)!
150
Driving a Long Distance
Although most long trips today are
made on freeways, there are still many
made on regular highways.
Long-distance driving on freeways and
regular highways is the same in some
ways. The trip has to be planned and the
vehicle prepared, you drive at higher-
than-city speeds, and there are longer
turns behind the wheel. You’ll enjoy
your trip more if you and your vehicle
are in good shape. Here are some tips
for a successful long trip.
Before Leaving on a Long nip
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well
rested.
If you must start when you’re not
fresh-such as after a
day’s work-don’t
plan to make too many miles that first
part of the journey. Wear comfortable
clothing and shoes you can easily drive
in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If
you keep it serviced and maintained, it’s
ready to go. If it needs service, have it
done before starting out. Of course,
you’ll find experienced and able service
experts in Pontiac dealerships all across
North America. They’ll be ready and willing to help if you need it.
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Here are some things you can check
before a trip:
Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the
reservoir full? Are all windows clean
inside and outside?
shape?
Have you checked all levels?
lenses clean?
safe, trouble-free trip.
Is the tread
good enough for long-distance
driving? Are the tires all inflated to
the recommended pressure?
weather outlook along your route? Should you delay your trip a short
time to avoid a major storm system?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:
Lights: Are they all working? Are the
Tires: They are vitally important to a
Weather Forecasts: What’s the
On the Road
Unless you are the only driver, it is
good to share the driving task with
others. Limit
turns behind the wheel to
about
100 miles (160 km) or two hours
at a sitting. Then, either change drivers
or stop for some refreshment like coffee,
tea or
soft drinks and some. limbering
up. But do stop and move around. Eat
lightly along the way. Heavier meals
tend to make some people sleepy.
On two-lane highways or undivided
multilane highways that do not have
controlled access, you’ll want to watch
for some situations not usually found on
freeways. Examples are: stop signs and
signals, shopping centers with direct
access to the highway, no passing zones
and school zones, vehicles turning left
and right off the road, pedestrians,
cyclists, parked vehicles, and even
animals.
Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as
“highway hypnosis”? Or is it just plain
falling asleep at the wheel?
Call it
highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or
whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch
of road with the same scenery, along
with the hum of the tires on the road,
the drone of the engine, and the rush
of
the wind against the vehicle that can
make you sleepy. Don’t let it happen
to
you! If it does, your vehicle can leave
the road
in less than a second, and you
could crash and be injured.
What can you do about highway
hypnosis? First, be aware that it can
happen.
Then here are some tips:
Make sure your vehicle is well
ventilated, with a comfortably cool
interior.
151 ...
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Your Driving and the Road
parking on Hills
Hills and mountains mean spectacular
scenery. But please be careful where you
stop if you decide to look at the view or
take pictures. Look for pull-offs or
parking areas provided for scenic
viewing.
Another part
of this manual tells how to
use your parking brake (see the
Index
under Parking Brake). But on a
mountain or steep hill, you can do one
more thing. You can turn your front
wheels to keep your vehicle from rolling
downhill or out into traffic.
Here's how:
Parking Downhill
Turn your wheels to the right.
You don't have to jam your tires against
the curb, if there is
a curb. A gentle
contact is all you need.
Parking Uphill
If there is a curb, turn your wheels to
the left if the curb is at the right side of
your vehicle.
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If you’re going uphill on a one-way
uphill,
turn the wheels to the right.
street and you’re parking on the left
If there is no curb when you’re parking
uphill on the left side
of a one-way right.
If there is no curb when you’re parking
side, your wheels should point to the
street, your wheels should
be turned to
the left:
Toque Lock (AUTOMATN: rtunsAxLq
If you are parking on a hill and you
don’t shift your transaxle into
P (Park)
properly, the weight of the vehicle may
put too much force on the parking pawl
in the transaxle. You may find it difficult
to pull the shift lever out
of P (Park).
This is called “torque lock,” To prevent
torque lock, always be sure
to shift into
P (Park) properly before you leave the
driver’s seat. To find out how, see the
Index under Shifting Into P (Park).
When you are ready to drive, move the
shift lever out
of P (Park) before you
release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need
to have another vehicle push yours a
little uphill to take some
of the pressure
from the transaxle, so you can pull the
shift lever out of P (Park).
c
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Whatever the condition-smooth ice,
packed, blowing or loose snow-drive with caution. Accelerate gently. Try not
to break the fragile traction. If you
accelerate too fast, the drive wheels will spin and polish the surface under the
tires even more.
Your anti-lock brakes improve your
ability
to make a hard stop on a slippery
road. Even though you have the anti-
lock braking system, you’ll want to
begin stopping sooner than you would on dry pavement. See the
Idex under
1 Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS).
Allow greater following distance on
any slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road
might be fine until you hit a spot that’s
covered with ice. On an otherwise
clear road, ice patches may appear in
shaded areas where the
sun can’t
reach: around clumps of trees, behind
buildings, or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface of a curve or
an overpass may remain icy when the
surrounding roads are clear. If you see
a patch
of ice ahead of you, brake
before you are on it.
Try not to brake
while you’re actually on the ice, and
avoid sudden steering maneuvers.
If You’re Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you
could be in a serious situation.
You
should probably stay with your vehicle
unless you know for sure that you are
near help and you can hike through the
snow. Here are some
things to do to
summon help and keep yourself and
your passengers safe:
Turn on your hazard flashers.
Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert
police that you’ve been stopped by the
snow.
157
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Your Driving and the Road
Towing a mailer (CONTJ
Pulling a trailer improperly can :i+-a .,, >
damage your vehicle and result inf. i,$i
costly repairs not covered by you$.<; .:
warranty. To pull a trailer correct&$; ’:
follow the advice in this section. ,,
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Do not tow a trailer if your vehicle is
equipped with the
2.3L OHC or Quad
4 Engine (Code 3 or D).
Your vehicle can tow a trailer if it is
equipped with the
2.3L High Output
Quad
4 (Code A) or 3300 V6 (Code N)
engine and proper trailer towing
equipment. To identify what the vehicle
trailering capacity is for your vehicle,
you should read the information
in
Weight of the Trailer that appears later in
this section. But trailering is different
than just driving your vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in handling,
durability, and fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering
takes correct equipment,
and it has to be used properly. That’s the reason for this section.
In it
are many time-tested, important
trailering tips and safety rules. Many
of
these are important for your safety and
that of your passengers.
So please read
this section carefully before you pull a
trailer.
Load-pulling components such as the
engine, transaxle, wheel assemblies, and
tires are forced to work harder against
the drag
of the added weight. The engine
is required to operate at relatively higher
speeds and under greater loads, generating
extra heat. What’s more, the trailer adds
considerably to wind resistance,
increasing the pulling requirements.
... 160
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Your Driving and the Road
Driving with a lbiler
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 now a good deal longer and
not nearly
so responsive as your vehicle
is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch
and platform, safety chains, electrical
connector, lights, tires and mirror
adjustment.
If the trailer has electric
brakes, start your vehicle and trailer
moving and then apply the trailer brake
controller by
hand to be sure the brakes
are working.
This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
164
During your trip, check occasionally to
be sure that the load is secure, and that
the lights and any trailer brakes are still
working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the
vehicle ahead as you would when
driving your vehicle without a trailer.
This can help you avoid situations that
require heavy braking and sudden
turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up
ahead when you’re towing a trailer.
And, because you’re a good deal longer,
you’ll need to go much farther beyond
the passed vehicle before you can return
to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel
with one hand. Then, to move the trailer
to the left, just move that hand to the
left.
To move the trailer to the right,
move your hand to the right. Always
back up slowly and,
if possible, have
someone guide you.
Making Turns
When you’re turning with a trailer,
make wider turns than normal.
Do this
so your trailer won’t strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees, or
other objects. Avoid jerky
or sudden
maneuvers. Signal well in advance.
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Turn Signals When Towing a ’Railer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has
to have a different turn signal flasher
and extra wiring. The green arrows on
your instrument panel will flash
whenever you signal a
turn or lane
change. Properly hooked up, the trailer
lights will also flash, telling other drivers you’re about to turn, change
lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green arrows
on your instrument panel will flash for
turns even if the bulbs on the trailer are
burned out. Thus, you may think drivers
behind you are seeing your signal when
they are not. It’s important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs
are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear
before you start down a long or steep
downgrade. If you don’t shift down, you
might have to use your brakes
so much
that they would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, use the highest
gear possible. If you cannot maintain
posted speeds, driving at a lower speed
may help avoid overheating your engine
and transaxle.
If you have a manual transaxle with
fifth
gear, it’s better not to use fifth gear. Just
drive in fourth gear (or, as you need to,
a lower gear).
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. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t
shift into
P (Park) yet, or into gear
for a manual transaxle.
2. Have someone place chocks under
the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place,
release the regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
165 DDD
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