1993 PONTIAC GRAND-PRIX ESP

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.
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.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then
apply your parking brake, and then
shift to
P (Park).
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 choclts.
Maintenance When Trailer 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
overfill), engine oil, belts, cooling
system, and brake adjustment. Each
of
these is covered in this manual, and the
Index 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.
IBI ...
ProCarManuals.com

Problems on the Road
.I.
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out”
while you’re driving, especially if
you
maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out
of a tire, it’s much more likely to
leak out slowly. But if you should ever
have
a “blowout,” here are a few tips
about what to expect
and what to do:
If
a front tire fails, the flat tire will
create a drag that pulls the vehicle
toward that side. Take your foot
off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering
wheel firmly. Steer to maintain lane
position, then gently brake to a stop
well out of the traffic lane.
2010
A rear blowout, particularly cm a curve,
acts
much like a skid and may require
the same correction
you’d use in a skid.
In any rear blowout, remove pur bot
from the accelerator pedal. G,et the
vehicle under control by steering the
way
you want the vehicle to go. It may
be very bumpy and noisy, but you can
still steer, Gently brake to a stop, well
off the road if possible.
If your tire goes flat, the next se’ction
shows how
to use your jacking
equipment to change a flat tire safely.
Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and
wheel damage by driving slowly to a
level place. Turn
on your hazard
warning flashers.
A Changing a tire can cause an
injury. The vehicle can
slip off
the jack and roll over you or other
people.
You and they could be badly
injured.
Find a level place to change
your tire. To help prevent the
vehicle from moving: I
I (Continued)
ProCarManuals.com

...
Service 4S Appearance Care
Gasolines for Cleaner Air
Your use of gasoline with detergent
additives will help prevent deposits
from forming in your engine and fuel
system. That helps keep your engine in
tune and your emission control system
working properly. It’s good for your
vehicle, and you’ll be doing your part
for cleaner air.
Many gasolines are now blended with
materials called oxygenates. General
Motors recommends that you use
gasolines with these blending materials,
such
as MTBE and ethanol. By doing
so, you can help clean the air, especially
in those parts of the country that have
high carbon monoxide levels.
214
In addition, some gasoline suppliers are
now producing reformulated gasolines.
These gasolines are specially designed
to reduce vehicle emissions. General
Motors recommends that
you use
reformulated gasoline. By doing
so, you
can help clean the air, especially in
those parts
of the country that have
high ozone levels.
You should ask your service station
operators
if their gasolines contain
detergents and oxygenates, and
if they
have been reformulated to reduce
vehicle emissions.
Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another
country outside the
U.S. or Canada,
unleaded fuel may be hard to find.
Do
not use leaded gasoline. If you use even
one tankful, your emission controls
won’t work well or at all. With
continuous use, spark plugs can get
fouled, the exhaust system can corrode,
and your engine oil can deteriorate
quickly. Your vehicle’s oxygen sensor
will be damaged. All of that means
costly repairs that wouldn’t be covered
by your warranty.
ProCarManuals.com

Service & Appearance Care
Automatic Transaxle Fluid (CONT.)
Wait at least 30 minutes before
checking the transaxle fluid level
if you
have been driving:
When outside temperatures are above
90°F (32°C).
At high speed for quite a while.
In heavy traffic-especially in hot
While pulling a trailer.
To get the right reading, the fluid
should be at normal operating
temperature, which is
180°F to 200°F
(82°C to 93°C).
Get the vehicle warmed up by driving
about
15 miles (24 la) when outside
temperatures are above
50°F (10°C). If
it's colder than
50°F ( 10°C), you may
have to drive longer.
weather.
To Check the Fluid Level:
Park
your vehicle on a level place.
Place the shift lever in P (Park) with
With your foot on the brake pedal,
the
parking brake applied.
move the shift lever through each gear
range, pausing for about three
seconds in each range. Then, position
the shift lever in
P (Park).
Let the engine run at idle for three to
five minutes.
Then, Without Shutting Off the
Engine,
Follow These Steps:
1. Pull out the dipstick and wipe it with
a clean rag or paper towel.
2. Push it back in all the way, wait three
seconds and then pull it back out
again.
3. Check both sides of the dipstick, and
read the lower level. The fluid level
must be in the cross-hatched area.
4. If the fluid level is where it should be,
push the dipstick back in all the way.
ProCarManuals.com

3.1 L V6: Checking Automatic Transaxle Fluid
Twin Dual Cam 3.4L V6: Checking
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
How to Add Transaxle Fluid:
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to
determine what kind of transaxle fluid
to use. See the
Index under Fluids G
Lubricants.
If the fluid level is low, add only enough
of the proper fluid to bring the fluid
level into the cross-hatched area on the
dipstick. It doesn't take much fluid,
generally less than a pint
(0.5L). Don't
overfill. We recommend you use only
fluid labeled DEXRONQ-IIE, because
fluids with that label are made
especially for your automatic transaxle.
Damage caused by fluid other than
DEXRONB-IIE is not covered by your
new vehicle warranty.
After adding fluid, recheck the
fluid
level as described under How to Check.
When the correct fluid level is obtained,
push the dipstick back in all the
way.
3.1 L V6 Adding Automatic Transaxle
Fluid
Twin Dual Cam 3.4L V6: Adding
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
U
ProCarManuals.com

Inflation-Tire Pressure
The Tire-Loading Information label
which is on the inside of the trunk lid
shows the correct inflation pressures for
your tires, when they’re cold. “Cold”
means your vehicle has been sitting for
at least three hours or driven
no more
than a mile. Don’t let anyone
tell you th
underinflation
or overinflati
all right. It’s not.
If your tires d
have enough air (underinflation
Too much heat
If your tires have too much air
When to Check:
Check your tires once a month or more.
Don’t forget your compact spare tire. It
should be at
60 psi (420 ItPa).
How to Check:
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to
check tire pressure. Simply loolting at
the tires will not tell you the pressure,
especially if you have radial tires-
which may
look properly inflated even if
they’re underinflated.
If your tires have valve caps, be sure to
put them back on. They help prevent
leaks by keeping out dirt
and moisture.
ProCarManuals.com

Service &.Appearance Care
Grading
The following information relates to the
system developed by the United States
National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration which grades tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature
performance. (This applies only to
vehicles sold in the United States.)
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative
rating based on the wear rate of the tire
when tested under controlled
conditions
on a specified government
test course. For example, a tire graded
150 would wear one and a half (1%)
times as well on the government course
as a tire graded
100. The relative
performance
of tires depends upon the actual conditions
of their use, however,
and may depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving habits,
service practices and differences in road
characteristics and climate.
Traction-A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to
lowest are:
A, B, and C. They represent
the tire’s ability to stop on
wet
pavement as measured under controlled
conditions
on specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and concrete.
A tire
marked
C may have poor traction
performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned
to this tire is based on braking (straight-
ahead) traction tests and does not
include cornering (turning) traction.
Temperature-A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the
highest),
€3, and C, representing the
tire’s resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high
temperature can cause the material of
the tire to degenerate and reduce tire
life, and excessive temperature can lead
to sudden tire failure. The grade
C
corresponds to a level of performance
which all passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard
No. 109. Grades B and A
represent higher levels of performance
on the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.
ProCarManuals.com

Warning: The temperature grade for
this tire is established
for a tire that is
properly inflated and not overloaded.
Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or
in combination, can cause heat buildup
and possible tire failure.
Those grades are molded
on the
sidewalls of passenger car tires.
While the tires available as standard or
optional equipment
on General Motors
vehicles may vary with respect to these
grades, all such tires meet General
Motors performance standards and have
been approved for use on General
Motors vehicles.
All passenger type
(P Metric) tires must conform to
Federal safety requirements in addition
to these grades.
Wheel AIignrnenf and
Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned
and balanced carefully at the factory to
give you the longest tire life and best
overall performance.
In most cases, you will not need to have
your wheels aligned again. However, if
you notice unusual tire wear or your
vehicle pulling one way
or the other, the
alignment may need to be reset. If
you
notice your vehicle vibrating when
driving
on a smooth road, your wheels
may need to be rebalanced.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked
or badly rusted.
If wheel nuts keep
coming loose, the wheel, wheel bolts,
and wheel nuts should be replaced. If
the wheel leaks air out, replace it
(except some aluminum wheels, which
can sometimes be repaired). See your
Pontiac dealer if any
of these conditions
exist.
Your dealer will how the kind
~f wheel
you need.
Each new wheel should
have the same
load carrying capacity, diameter, width,
offset, and be mounted the same way as
the one it replaces.
If
you need to replace any of your
wheels, wheel bolts, or wheel nuts,
replace them only with
new GM original
equipment parts. This
way, you will be
sure
to have the right wheel, wheel
bolts, and wheel nuts
for your Pontiac
model.
259
ProCarManuals.com