1993 PONTIAC GRAND-AM tow

Your Driving and the Road
If bu Do Decide to Pull a nailer
(COrvT)
You can ask your dealer for our
trailering information or advice, or
you can write us at:
Pontiac Customer Services
One Pontiac Plaza Pontiac, Michigan
48340-2952
General Motors of Canada Limited
Customer Assistance Center 1908 Colonel
Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario, L1H 8P7
Department
In Canada, write to:
162
Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The
tongue load (A) of any trailer is
an
important weight to measure
because it affects the total capacity
weight
of your vehicle. The capacity
weight includes the curb weight of the
vehicle, any cargo you may carry in it,
and the people who will be riding
in
the vehicle. And if you will tow a
trailer, you must subtract the tongue
load from your vehicle’s capacity
weight because your vehicle will be carrying that weight, too. See the
Index under Loading Your Vehicle for
more information about your vehicle’s
maximum load capacity. The trailer tongue
(A) should weigh 10 %
of the total loaded trailer weight (B).
After you’ve loaded your trailer, weigh
the trailer and then the 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 limit for cold tires. You will find
these numbers on the Certification
label at the rear edge of the driver’s
door
(or see the Index under Ere
Loading). Then be sure you don’t go
over the
GVW limit for your vehicle.
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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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Your Driving and the Road
Driving with a mailer (CONT.)
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then
apply your parking brake, and then shift to
P (Park), or R (Reverse) for a
manual transaxle.
5. Release the regular brakes.
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a
Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold
the pedal down while you:
Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear
4. Stop and have someone pick up and
of the chocks.
store the chocks.
Maintenance When Tmiler Towing
Your vehicle will need service more
often when you’re pulling a trailer. See
the Maintenance Schedule for more on
this. Things that are especially important in trailer operation are
automatic transaxle fluid (don’t overfiil),
engine oil, belts, cooling system, and
brake adjustment. Each
of these is
covered
in this manual, and the Ida
will help you find them quickly. If
you’re trailering, it’s a good idea to
review these sections before you
start
your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch
nuts and bolts are tight.
m.. 166
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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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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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Problems on the Road
Towing Your Pontiac (CONT.:)
A others:
To help avoid injury to you or
0 Never let passengers ride in a
vehicle that is being towed.
Never tow faster than safe or
0 Never tow with damaged parts I
posted speeds.
0 Always use separate safety
chains on each side when towing
a vehicle.
hooks instead.
9 Never use “J” hooks. Use T-
... 176
When your vehicle is being towed, have
the ignition key off. The steering wheel
should be clamped
in a straight-ahead
position, with a clamping device designed for towing service.
Do not use the
vehicle’s steering column lock for this.
The transaxle should be
in N (Neutral)
and the parking brake released.
The ignition key must be in the
Off
position to prevent the automatic door
locks from locking during towing.
--
not fully secured. Don’t have your vehicle towed on the
Never get under your vehicle after front wheels, unless you must. If the
it has been lifted by the tow truck. vehicle must be towed on the front
wheels, don’t go more than
35 mph
(56 km/h) or farther than 50 miles
(80 km) or your transaxle will be
damaged. If these limits must be
exceeded, then the front wheels have to
be supported
on a dolly.
‘I
I‘
W
I A vehicle can fall from a car
b carrier if it isn’t properly
secured. This can cause a
collision, serious personal injury
I and vehicle damage. The vehicle
should be tightly secured with
chains or steel cables before it is
transported.
Don’t use substitutes (ropes, leather straps, canvas webbing,
etc.) that can be cut by sharp edges
underneath the towed vehicle.
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X6085
bwing from the Front-
@hide Hook-Up
;efore hooking up to a tow truck, be
.re to read all the information in
?wing Your Pontiac earlier in this
xtion. Attach a separate safety
chain around
the outboard end of each lower control
arm.
177 ...
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