1994 PONTIAC GRAND-AM towing

Recreational Vehicle
Towing
There may be times when you want to
tow your Pontiac behind another vehicle
for use at your destination. Be sure to use
the proper towing equipment designed for
recreational towing. Follow the instructions for the towing equipment.
-
Towing Your Pontiac from the Front
Follow these steps:
1. Put the front wheels on a dolly.
NOTICE:
Do not tow your Pontiac with the
front wheels in contact with the
ground, or
the automatic transaxle
could
be damaged.
2. Set the parking brake.
3. Turn the ignition key to OFF to unlock
the steering wheel.
See “Ignition” in
the Index.
4. Clamp the steering wheel in a
straight-ahead position, with a
clamping device designed for towing.
5. Release the parking brake.
C
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Your Driving and the Road
Towing Your Pontiac from the Front
(CONT.)
If you have a manual transaxle, you may
tow your vehicle
with all four wheels on
the ground. Follow these steps:
1.
2.
3.
Set the parking brake.
Turn the ignition key to OFF to unlocl
the steering wheel. See “Ignition”
in
the Index.
Clamp the steering wheel in a
straight-ahead position, with a
clamping device designed for towing.
. Shift your manual transaxle to
NEUTRAL (N).
. Release the parking brake.
NOTICE:
Make sure that the towing speed
does not exceed
55 mph (90 km/h),
or your Pontiac could be badly
damaged.
m 8
T owing your Pontiac from the Rear
NOTICE:
Do not tow your Pontiac from the
rear, or your vehicle could be badly
damaged and the costly repairs
would not be covered by your
warranty.
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Towing a Trailer
NOTICE:
Pulling a trailer improperly can
damage your vehicle and result
in
costly repairs not covered by your
warranty. To pull
a trailer correctly,
follow the advice
in this section, and
see your Pontiac dealer for important information about towing
a trailer
with your vehicle .
Do not tow a trailer if your vehicle is
equipped with the 2.3L OHC or Quad 4
Engine (Code 3 or D).
Your car can tow a trailer if it is equipped
with the
2.3L High Output Quad 4 (Code
A) or 3.1 L V6 (Code M) 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 puli a trailer.
Load-pulling components such as the
mgine, transaxle, wheel assemblies, and
tires are forced
to work harder against the
jrag 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.
If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points.
0 There are many different laws,
including speed limit restrictions,
having to do with trailering. Make
sure your rig will be legal, not only
where you live but also where you’ll
be driving.
A good source for this
information can be state or provincial
police.
0 Consider using a sway control.
You can ask a hitch dealer about sway
controls.
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the
first 1000 miles (1 600 km) your new
vehicle is driven. Your engine, axle or
other parts could be damaged.
Then, during the first 500 miles (800
km) that you tow a trailer, don’t drive
over
50 mph (80 km/h) and don’t
make starts
at full throttle. This helps
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Your Driving and the Road
Towing a Trailer (CONK)
your engine and other parts of your
vehicle wear
in at the heavier loads.
Obey speed limit restrictions when
towing a trailer. Don’t drive faster
than the maximum speed for trailers
(or no more than
55 mph (90 km/h))
to save wear on your vehicle’s parts.
Three important considerations have to do
with weight:
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It should never weigh more than 1,000
pounds (450 kg). But even that can be too
heavy.
It depends on how you plan to use your
rig. For example, speed, altitude, road
grades, outside temperature and how
much your vehicle is used to pull a trailer
are all important. And,
it can also depend
on any special equipment that you have
on your vehicle.
A B
fou can ask your dealer for our trailering
nformation or advice, or you can write
us
It:
Pontiac Customer Services
Department
One Pontiac Plaza
Pontiac, Michigan 48340-2952
[n Canada, write to:
General Motors of Canada Limited,
Customer Assistance Center
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario L1H 8P7.
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 tongu
load from your vehicle’s capacity weight
because your vehicle
will be carrying tha
weight, too. See “Loading Your Vehicle”
in the Index for more information about
your vehicle’s maximum load capacity.
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Your Driving and the Road
I Driving with a Trailer
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.
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
railer won’t strike soft shoulders, curbs,
road signs, trees, or other objects. Avoid
ierky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well
in
3dvance.
Turn Signals When
Towing
a Trailer
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.
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Your Driving and the Road
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 co%ered 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
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Here you’ll find what to do about
some problems that can occur on the
road .
Problems on the
Part 5
Road
Hazard Warning Flashers ............................................
Jumpstarting .....................................................
TowingYourPontiac ...............................................
Engine Overheating ................................................
If Steam is Coming From Your Engine .................................
If a Tire Goes Flat .................................................
ChangingaFlatTire ................................................
Compactspare ....................................................
If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow .............................
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Problems .' on the .Road
3 Towing Your Pontiac
'ry to have a GM dealer or a professional
)wing service tow your Pontiac. The
sua1 towing equipment is:
L Sling-type tow truck (see Notice
below)
!. Wheel-lift tow truck
:. Car carrier
NOTICE:
Do not use a sling-type tow truck or
damage to your vehicle will occur.
If your vehicle has been changed or
modified since it was factory-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:
0 That your vehicle cannot be towed
from the front or rear with sling-type
equipment, as described later in this
section.
0 That your vehicle has front-wheel
drive.
0 The make, model, and year of your
vehicle.
0 Whether you can still move the shift
lever.
0 If there was an accident, what was
damaged.
When the towing service arrives, let the
tow operator know that this manual
contains detailed towing instructions sad
illustrations: The operator may want to
see them.
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