Page 170 of 354

Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost
all the
way to preserve the heat, Start the engine again
and repeat this only when
you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. But do
it as little as possible. Preserve the
he1 as long as you can. To help keep warm, you can get
out
of the vehicle and do sume fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour
or so until help comes.
Loading Your Vehicle
/bI OCCUPANTS
VEHICLE CAP. WT.
TIRE-LOADING INFORMATION
FRT.
CTR. RR. TOTAL LBS. KG
MAX. LOADING & GVWR SAME AS VEHICLE I
CAPACITY WEIGHT XXX COLD TIRE
TIRE
SIZE SPEED PRESSURE
RTG PSI/KPa
FRT.
RR.
SPA.
IF TIRES ARE HOT, ADD 4PS1/28KPa
SEE OWNER’S MANUAL
FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATiON
/
Two labels on your vehicle show how much weight it
may properly carry. The Tire-Loading Information label
is on
the rear edge of the driver’s door on four-door
models and inside the trunk lid on two-door models. The label tells you the proper
size, speed rating and
recommended inflation pressures
for the tires on your
vehicle.
It also gives you important information about
the number of people that can be in your vehicle and the
total weight
you can carry. This weight is called the
vehicle capacity weight and includes the weight
of all
occupants, cargo and all nonfactory-installed options.
MFD BY GENERAL MOTORS CORP
DATE GVWR GAWR FRT GAWR RR
THIS VEHICLE CONFORMS TO ALL APPLI-
CABLE
U.S. FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE
SAFETY, BUMPER, AND THEFT PREVENTION
STANDARDS IN EFFECT ON
THE DATE OF
MANUFACTURE SHOWN ABOVE.
The other label is the Certification label, found on the
rear edge of the driver’s door. It tells you the
gross
weight capacity of your vehicle, called the GVWR (Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating). The GVWR includes the weight of
the vehicle, all occupants, fuel and cargo. Never
exceed the GVWR for your vehicle or the Gross
Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR) for either the front or rear axle.
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ProCarManuals.com
Page 172 of 354

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 part, and see your Pontiac
dealer for important information about towing
a
trailer with your vehicle.
Your vehicle can tow a trailer. 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 part.
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.
4-29 ProCarManuals.com
Page 174 of 354

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 velucle, 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 “Loading
Your Vehicle” in the Index for more information about
your vehicle’s maximum load capacity.
A B
If you’re using a “dead-weight” hitch, the trailer
tongue
(A) should weigh 10% of the total loaded
trailer weight
(B). If you have a “weight-distributing”
hitch, the trailer tongue
(A) should weigh 12% 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
recommended pressure for cold tires. You’ll find these
numbers on the Tire-Loading Information label (found
on the rear edge of the driver’s door or on the inside
of
the trunk lid) or see “Loading Your Vehicle” in the
Index. Then be sure you don’t go over the
GVW limit
for your vehicle, including the weight of the trailer
tongue.
4-31
ProCarManuals.com
Page 265 of 354

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 Alignment 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 thatsis bent, cracked, or badly rusted
or corroded. If wheel nuts keep coming loose, the wheel,
wheel bolts, and wheel nuts should be replaced.
If the
wheel leaks air, replace it (except some aluminum
wheels, which can sometimes be repaired). See your
Pontiac dealer
if any of these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind of 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.
6-52 ProCarManuals.com