1996 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE Owners Manual

Driving too fast through large water puddles or even
going through some car washes can cause problems, too.
The water may affect your brakes, Try to avoid puddles.
But
if you can’t, try to slow down before you hit them.
.Wet brakes can cause accidents. They won’t work
well in
a quick stop and may cause pulling to ‘one
side.
You could lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through
a large puddle of water or
a car wash, apply your brake pedal lightly until
your brakes work normally.
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Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can build up
under your tires that they can actually ride on the water.
This can happen if the road is wet enough and you’re
going fast enough. When your vehicle
is hydroplaning,
it has little or no contact with the road.
Hydroplaning doesn’t happen often. But it can if your
tires haven’t much tread or if the pressure in one or
more is low. It can happen
if a lot of water is standing on
the road.
If you can see reflections from trees, telephone
poles or other vehicles, and raindrops “dimple” the
water’s surface, there could be hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds. There
just isn’t a hard and fast rule about hydroplaning. The
best advice is to slow down when it
is raining.
Driving Through Deep Standing Water
NOTICE:
~~~~~~~~
If you drive too quickly through deep puddles or
standing water, water can come in through your
engine’s air intake and badly damage your
engine. Never drive through water that is slightly
lower than the underbody of your vehicle. If you
can’t avoid deep puddles or standing water, drive
through them very slowly.
I
some Other Ralg Weather Tips
Turn on your low-beam headlamps -- not just
your parking lamps
-- to help make you more visible
to others.
Besides slowing down, allow some extra following
distance. And be especially careful when you pass
another vehicle. Allow yourself more clear room ahead, and be prepared to have your view restricted
by
road spray.
Have good tires with proper tread depth. (See “Tires”
in the Index.)
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City Driving One of the biggest problems with city streets is the
amount of traffic
on them. You’ll want to watch out for
what the other drivers are doing
and pay attention to
traffic signals.
Here are.ways to increase your safety
in city driving:
0
a
Know the best way to get to where you are going. Get
a city map and plan your trip.into an unknown part of
the city just as you would for a cross-countq trip.
Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross most
large cities.
You’ll save time and energy. (See the
next part, “Freeway Driving.”)
Treat a green light as a warning signd A traftic light is
there because the corner is busy enough to need it.
When
a light huns green, and just before you start to
move, check both ways for vehicles that have not
cleared
the intersection or may be running the red light.
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Freeway Driving
Mile for mile, freeways (also called thruways, parkways,
expressways, turnpikes or superhighways) are the safest
of
all roads. But they have their own special rules.
The most important advice on freeway driving is: Keep’
up with traffic and keep
to the right. Drive at the same
speed most of the other drivers
are driving. Too-fast or
too-slow driving breaks a smooth traffic flow. Treat the
left lane
on a freeway as a passing lane. At
the entrance, there is usually a rarnp that leads to the
freeway. If
you have a clear view of the freeway as you
drive along the entrance ramp, you should begin to
check traffic. Try to determine where you expect to
blend with the flow. Try to merge into the gap at close to
the prevailing speed. Switch on your
turn signal, check
your mirrors and glance over your shoulder as often as
necessary. Try to blend smoothly with th’e traffic flow.
Once you are on the freeway, adjust your speed to the
posted limit or to the prevailing rate
if it’s slower. Stay
in the right lane unless you want to pass.
Before changing lanes, check your mirrors. Then use
your
turn signal.
Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly over your
shoulder to make sure there isn’t another vehicle in your
“blind” spot.
Once you are moving on the freeway, make certaih you
allow a reasonable following distance. Expect to move ’
slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the proper
lane well in advance. If you miss your exit,
do. not,
under any circumstances, stop and back
up. Drive on tu
the next exit.
The exit rarnp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
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The exit speed is usually posted.
Reduce your speed according to
your speedometer, not
to your sense of motion. After driving for any distance
at higher speeds, you may tend
to think you are going
slower than
you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well rested. If you
. must start when you’re not fresh -- such as after a day’s
work
-- don’t plan to make too many miles that first part
of the journey. We,ar comfortable clothing and
shoes you
can easily drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it’s ready to
go. If it needs
service, have it done before starting out.
Of course,
you’ll find experienced and able service experts in
Pontiac dealers all across North America. They’ll be
ready and willing to help,if you need
it.
Here are some things you can check before a trip:
0 Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full?
Are all windows clean inside and outside?
0 Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked
all levels?
0 Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses dean?
0 Tires: They are vitally irnportmt to a safe,
trouble-free trip.
Is the tread good enough for
long-distance driving? Are the tires
all inflated to the
recommended pressure?
0 Weather Forecasts: What’s the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay your trip a short
time to avoid a major storm system?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
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Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as “highway hypnosis”?
Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel? Call it
highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or whatever.
There
is something about an easy stretch of road with the
same scenery, along with the hum of the tires on the road,
the drone of the engine, and the rush of the wind against
the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Don’t let
it happen
to
you! If it does, your vehicle can leave the road h Zess
than a second, and you could crash and be injured.
What can you
do about highway hypnosis? First, be
aware that
it can happen.
Then here are some tips:
0
a
0
Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a comfortably cool interior.
Keep your eyes moving.
Scan the road ahead and to
the sides. Check your rearview mirrors and your
instruments frequently.
If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service
or parking area
and take a nap, get some exercise, or
both. For safety, treat drowsiness on the highway as
an emergency.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in flat or ,rolling terrain.
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~f you drive regularly in steep country, or if you’re
planning to visit there, here
are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable.
Keep you vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid levels
and also the brakes, tires, cooling system and transaxle.
These parts
can work hard on mountain roads.
0 Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing
to know is this: let your engine do some of the
slowing
down. Shift to a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long hill.
If ‘you don’t shift down, your brakes could get so
hot that they wouldn’f work well. You would then
have poor braking
or even none going down a hill.
You could crash. Shift down to let your engine
assist your brakes on
a steep downhill slope. Coasting
downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with
the
ignition
off is dangerous. Your brakes will have to
do all the work of slowing down. They could get so
hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would then
have
pm braking or even none going down a hill.
1 You could crash. Always have your engine running
~ and your vehicle in gear when you go downhill.
Know how to go uphill. Shift down to THIRD (3).
This will help cool your engine and transaxle, and
you can climb the
hill better.
roads in
hills or mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut
across
the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let
you stay in your own lane.
0 Stay in your own he when driving on two-lane
0 As you go over the top of a hill, be dert. There could be
something in your lane, like a stalled car or an accident.
You may see highway signs on mountains that warn of
specid ‘problems. Examples are long grades, passing or
: I’ no-passing zones, a falling rwkx area or winding
,:\. .. roads. Be alert to these and take appropriate action.
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Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
Have your Pontiac in good shape for winter.
You may want to put winter emergency supplies in
your trunk. Include an ice scraper, a small brush or broom, a supply
of windshield washer fluid, a rag, some winter outer
clothing, a small shovel, a flashlight,
a red cloth and a
couple of reflective warning triangles. And, if you will
be driving under severe conditions, include .a small bag
of sand, a piece of old carpet or a couple of burlap hgs
to help provide traction. Be sure you properly secure
these items in your vehicle.
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