1993 PONTIAC GRAND-PRIX Owners Manual

§ervice & Appearance Care
.a.
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Tire Inspection and Rotation
To make your tires last longer, have
them inspected and rotated at the
mileages recommended in the
Maintenance Schedule. See the
Index
under Scheduled Maintenance
Services.
Use this rotation pattern.
If you don't have P245/50ZR16 size
tires, use the rotation pattern shown
above for your size tires.
256
If you have P245/510ZR16 size tires,
they must roll
in a certain 'direction for
the best overall performance. The
direction is shown
by an arrow on both
sidewalls. Because these tirles are
directional, they should be rotated
as
shown in the example above. These
tires should only be moved
from front
to rear and rear to front
on the same
side
of the vehicle.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust
the front and rear inflation pressure as
shown
on the Tire-Loading Information
label. Make certain that
all wheel nuts
are properly tightened. See the Index
under Wheel Nut Torque.
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on
ri the parts to which it is
fastened, can make 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
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. (See
the
Index under Changing a Flat
Tire.)
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When It’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.
or snagged deep enough to show cord
or fabric.
The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
The tire has a puncture, cut, or other
damage that can’t
be repaired well
because
of the size or location of the
damage.
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 tires.
‘1 Mixing tires could cause you
A to lose control while driving.
If you mix tires
of different sizes or
types (radial and bias-belted tires),
the vehicle may not handle
properly, and you could have a
crash. Be sure to use the same size
and type tires on all wheels. It’s all
right to drive with your compact
spare, though. It was developed for
limited use on vour vehicle.
r
257 =a
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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.
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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
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Service 4S Appearance Care
Used Replacement Wheels Tire Chains
Using the wrong replacement I
1‘ I wheels, wheel bolts, or wheel
nuts on your vehicle can be
dangerous. It could affect the
braking md handling of you
vehicle, make your tires lose air and
make you lose control. You could
have a collision in which yau or
others could be injured. Always use
the correct wheel, wheel bolts, and
wheel nuts for replacement.
The wrong wheel can also cause
problems with bearing
life, brake
cooling, speedometer/odometer
calibration, headlight
aim, bumper
height, vehicle ground clearanr
and tire or tire chain clearancc
he body and chassis.
Putting a used wheel on your
1 b vehicle is dangerous, You
can’t how how it’s beerl used or
how rnany miles 8s been driven. It
could fail suddenly and muse an
accident. If you have to replace a
wheel use a new GM original
equipment wheel. I
If your Pontiac has P215/60R16,
P225/60R16 or P245/50ZR16 size
tires, don’t use tire chains; they
can damage your vehicle.
If you have other tires,
use
chains only when you must. I
only SAE Class “S” type chains
that are the proper size for your
tires. Install them on the front til
and tighten them as tightly as
possible with the ends securely
fastened. Drive slowly and
fnlh
the chain manufacturer’s
instructions. If you can hear
t
chains contacting your vehicle,
stop and retighten them.
If the
contact continues, slow
down until
it stops. Driving too fast with
chains on will damage your
vehicle.
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Appearance Care
Cleaning products can be hazardous. Some are. toxic. Others can burst
1’ into flame if you strike a match or get them on a hot part of the vehicle.
Some are dangerous
if you breathe their fumes in a closed space. When you use
anything in a container to clean your Pontiac, be sure to follow the
instructions. And always open your doors or windows when you’re cleaning
the inside.
Never use these to clean your vehicle:
* Gasoline * Carbon Tetrachloride 0 Turpentine
0- Benzene * Acetone . * Lacquer Thinner
a Naphtha Paint Thinner 0 Nail Polish Remover
They can
all be hazardous-some more than others-hd they can all damage
your vehicle, too.
P
Don’t use any of these unless this
manual says you can.
In many
uses, they will damage your vehicle:
Laundr ;oap
Blea -
Reducing Agen
L‘
261 ...
I
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Service & Appearance Care
Cleaning the Inside of Your
Pontiac
Use a vacuum cleaner often to get rid of
dust and loose dirt. Wipe vinyl with a
clean, damp cloth.
Your Pontiac dealer has
two GM
cleaners-a solvent-type spot lifter and
a foam-type powdered cleaner. They
will clean normal spots and stains very
well.
Here are some cleaning tips:
Always read the instructions on the
cleaner label.
Clean up stains as soon as you can-
before they set.
Use a clean cloth or sponge, and
change to a clean area often. A
soft
brush may be used if stains are
stubborn.
Use solvent-type cleaners in a well-
ventilated area only. If you use them,
don’t saturate the stained area.
If a ring forms after spot cleaning,
clean the entire area immediately or it
will set.
Using Foam-Type Cleaner on
Fabrrc
9 Vacuum and brush the area to remove
Always clean a whole trim panel or
any loose dirt.
section. Mask surrounding trim along
stitch or welt lines.
Mix Multi-Purpose Powdered Cleaner
following the directions on the
container label.
Use suds only and apply with a clean
sponge.
Don’t saturate the material.
Don’t rub it roughly.
As soon as you’ve cleaned the section,
use a sponge to remove the suds.
Rinse the section with a clean, wet
sponge.
Wipe off what’s left with a slightly
damp paper towel or cloth.
Then dry it immediately with an air
hose, a hair dryer or a heat lamp.
Wipe with a clean cloth.
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Using Solvent-Type Cleaner on
Fabric
First, see if you have to use solvent-type
cleaner at all. Some spots and stains
will clean
off better with just water and
mild soap.
If you need to use it, then:
Gently scrape excess soil from the
trim material with a clean, dull knife
or scraper. Use very little cleaner,
light pressure and clean cloths
(preferably cheesecloth). Cleaning
should start at the outside of the
stain, “feathering” toward the center.
Keep changing to a clean section
of
the cloth.
When you clean a stain from fabric,
immediately dry the area with an air
hose, hair dryer,
or heat lamp to help
prevent a cleaning ring. (See the
previous
NOTICE.)
Special Cleaning Problems
Greasy or Oily Stains: Like grease,
oil, butter, margarine, shoe polish,
coffee with cream, chewing gum,
cosmetic creams, vegetable oils, wax
crayon, tar and asphalt.
Carefully scrape off excess stain.
Then follow the solvent-type
Shoe polish, wax crayon, tar and
instructions
above.
asphalt will stain if left on a vehicle
seat fabric. They should be removed
as
soon as possible. Be careful,
because the cleaner will dissolve them
and may cause them to bleed.
Non-Greasy Stains: Like catsup,
coffee (black), egg, fruit, fruit juice,
milk,
soft drinks, wine, vomit, urine
and blood.
Carefully scrape off excess stain, then
sponge the soiled area with cool water.
If a stain remains, follow the foam-
type instructions above.
If an odor lingers after cleaning vomit
or urine, treat the area with a water/
baking soda solution:
1 teaspoon
(5 ml) of baking soda to 1 cup
(250 ml) of lukewarm water.
solvent-type cleaner.
Finally, if needed, clean lightly with
Combination Stains: Like candy, ice
cream, mayonnaise, chili sauce and
unknown stains.
Carefully scrape off excess stain, then
clean with cool water and allow to
dY.
solvent-type cleaner.
If a stain remains, clean it with
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