1995 PONTIAC PONTIAC towing

New Vehicle “Break-In”
NOTICE:
Your modern Pontiac doesn’t need an elaborate
“break-in.” But it will perform better in the long
run if you follow these guidelines:
Don’t drive at any one speed -- fast or
slow
-- for the first 500 miles (804 km).
Don’t make full-throttle starts.
200 miles (322 km) or so. During this time
your new brake linings aren’t yet broken
in. Hard stops with new linings can mean
premature wear and earlier replacement.
Follow
this “breaking-in” guideline every
time you get new brake linings.
Don’t tow a trailer during “break-in.” See
“Towing
a ”railer’’ in the Index for more
information.
Avoid making hard stops for the first
Ignition Switch
With the ignition key in the ignition switch, you can turn
the switch to five positions:
ACC (A): This position lets you use things like the
radio and windshield wipers when the engine is
off. To
use ACC, push in the key and turn it toward you. Your
steering wheel will stay locked.
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DRIVE 0): This position is for normal driving.
If you vehicle has overdrive,
DRIVE (D) is the
overdrive position.
If you need more power for passing,
and you’re:
Going less than 35 mph (55 km/h), push your
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator pedal all the way down.
You’ll shift down to the next gear and have more
power.
I NOTICE:
If your vehicle seems to start up rather slowly, or
if
it seems not to shift gears as you go faster,
something may be wrong with
a transaxle system
sensor. If you drive very far that way, your
vehicle can be damaged.
So, if this happens, have
your vehicle serviced right away. Until then, you
can use
SECOND (2) when you are driving less
than
35 mph (55 km/h) and DRIVE (D) for
higher speeds.
THIRD (3): You have this position if your vehicle has
overdrive.
THIRD (3) is like DRIVE (D), but you never
go into overdrive.
Here are some times you might choose
THIRD (3)
instead of DRIVE (D):
0 When driving on hilly, winding roads.
When towing a trailer, so there is less shifting
When going down a steep hill.
between gears.
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Parking Brake
The parking brake uses the brakes on the rear wheels.
To set the parking brake,
hold the regular brake pedal
down with
your right foot.
Push
down the parking
brake
pedal with your left
foot.
To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down with
your right foot and push the parking
brake pedal with
your left foot. When you lift your left
foot, the parking brake pedal will follow it to the
released position.
NOTICE:
Driving with the parking brake on can cause
your rear brakes to overheat. You may have to
replace them, and you could also damage other
parts of your vehicle.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on any hill,
see “Towing
a Trailer” in the Index. That section shows
what to do first to keep the trailer from moving.
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Running Your Engine WhiIe You’re
Parked
It’s better not to park with the engine running. But if you
ever have
to, here are some things to how.
Follow the proper steps to be sure your vehicle won’t
move. See “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in the Index.
If you are parking on a hill and if you’re pulling a
trailer, also see “Towing a Trailer”
in the Index.
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Brake System Warning Light
I
Your Pontiac’s hydraulic
brake system is divided into
two parts. If one part isn’t
working, the other part can still work and stop you. For
good braking, though, you
need both parts working
well.
If the warning light comes on, there could be a brake
problem. Have your brake system inspected right away.
This light should come on briefly as you start the
vehicle. If it doesn’t come on then, have
it fixed so it
will be ready to warn you if there’s a problem.
If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off the
road and stop carefully. You may notice that the pedal is
harder
to push. Or, the pedal may go closer to the floor. It may take longer to stop.
If the light
is still on, or if the
anti-lock brake system warning light
is flashing, have
the vehicle towed for service. (See “Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light” and “Towing Your Vehicle” in
the Index
.)
The brake system warning light will also come on when
you set your parking brake, and it will stay on if your
parking brake doesn’t release fully.
If it stays on after
your parking brake is fully released, it means you have a
brake problem.
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Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
(Option)
2801 0 With the anti-lock brake
0 system, this light will come
RPM x1 000 on when you start your
engine and it
will stay on
for three seconds. That’s
normal. If the light doesn’t
come on, have it fixed
so it
will be ready to warn you if
there is a problem.
If the light flashes when you’re driving, you don’t have
anti-lock brakes and there could be a problem with your
regular brakes. Pull
off the road and stop carefully. You
may notice that the pedal is harder to push. Or, the pedal
may go closer
‘to the floor. It may take longer to stop.
Have the vehicle towed for service. (See “Towing Your
Vehicle” in the Index.) If
the anti-lock brake system warning light stays
on
longer than normal after you’ve started your engine, turn
the ignition off. Or, if the light comes on and stays on
when you’re driving, stop as soon as possible and turn
the ignition
off. Then start the engine again to reset the
system.
If the light still stays on, or comes on again
while you’re driving, your Pontiac needs service.
If the
light is
on but not flashing and the regular brake system
warning light isn’t on, you still have brakes, but you
don’t have anti-lock brakes.
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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 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.
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If You Do Decide To PulI A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points.
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
infomation can be state or provincial police.
0 Consider using a sway control.
You can ask a hitch dealer about sway controls.
0
0
0
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first 1,000 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 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 posted speed
for trailers (or no more than
55 mph (90 krn/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.
You can ask your dealer for our trailering information or
advice, or you can write us at Customer Assistance
Center, Pontiac Division, One Pontiac Plaza, Pontiac,
MI 48340-2952.
In Canada, write to General Motors of Canada Limited,
Customer Assistance Center, 1908 Colonel Sam Drive,
Oshawa, Ontario L1H 8P7.
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