1996 PONTIAC GRAND-AM tire type

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Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder, and start your left lane change signal before moving out
of the right lane to pass. When you are far enough
ahead
of the passed vehicle to see its front in your
inside mirror, activate your right lane change signal and move back into the right lane. (Remember that
your right outside mirror
is convex. The vehicle you
just passed may seem
to be farther away from you
than it redly is.)
Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time on
two-lane roads. Reconsider
before passing the next
vehicle.
Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lamps are not flashing, it may
be slowing down or starting to turn.
If you’re being passed, make it easy for the
following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you
can ease a little to the right.
In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying to steer
and constantly seek
an escape route or area of less
danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by
taking reasonable
care suited
to existing conditions, and by not
“overdriving” those conditions. But skids are always
possible.
The three types
of skids correspond to your Pontiac’s
three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels
aren’t rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too
much speed or steeiing
in a curve causes tires to slip and
lose cornering force. And
in the acceleration skid, too
much throttle causes the driving wheels to spin.
A cornering
skid is best handled by easing your foot off
the accelerator pedal.
If you have the Enhanced Traction System, remember: It
helps avoid only the acceleration skid.
If you do not have the Enhanced Traction System, or if
the system is off, then an acceleration skid is also best
handled by easing your foot
off the accelerator pedal.
Loss of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say about what
happens
when the three control systems (brakes, steering
and acceleration) don’t have enough friction where the
tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked.
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Towing Your Vehicle
Try to have a Pontiac dealer or a professional towing
service tow your Grand
Am. They can provide the right
equipment and know how to tow
your vehicle without
damage. See “Roadside Assistance”
in the Index.
If your vehicle has been changed or modified since it
was factory new by adding aftermaxket 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:
That your vehicle cannot be towed from the front or
rear with sling-type equipment, as described later in
this section.
That your vehicle has front-wheel drive.
0 The make, model and year of your vehicle.
Whether you can still move the shift lever.
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 and illustrations. The operator may want to see them.
L
,I A CAUTION:
I To help avoid injury to you or others:
Never let passengers ride in a vehicle that is
Never tow faster than safe or posted speeds.
0 Never tow with damaged parts not fully
secured.
0 Never get under your vehicle after it has
been lifted
by the tow truck.
0 Always secure the vehicle on each side with
separate
safety chains when towing it.
0 Never use J-hooks. Use T-hooks instead.
being towed.
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Replacement blades come in different types and are removed in different ways. Here’s how to remove the
type with a release clip:
1. Pull the windshield wiper am away from the ‘
2. Lift the release clip with a screwdriver and pull the
3. Push the new wiper blade securely on the wiper arm.
For the proper type and size, see “Capacities and
Specifications”
in the Index.
windshield.
blade assembly
off the wiper arm.
Tires
We don’t make tires. Your new Pontiac comes with
highquality tires made by a leading tire manufacturer. If
you ever have questions about your tire warranty and
where to obtain service, see your Pontiac Warranty
booklet for details.
.-
Poorly maintained and improperly used tires are
dangerous.
Overloading your tires can cause
overheating as
a result of too much friction.
You could have an air-out and a serious
accident. See “Loading Your Vehicle” in the
Index.
Underinflated tires pose the same danger as
overloaded tires. The resulting accident
could cause serious injury.
Check all tires
frequently
to maintain the recommended
pressure. Tire pressure should be checked
when your tires are cold.
Overinflated tires are more likely
to be
cut, punctured or broken
by a sudden
impact
-- such as when you hit a pothole.
Keep tires at the recommended pressure.
Worn, old tires can cause accidents.
If your
tread is badly worn, or
if your tires have
been damaged, replace
them.
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Inflation - Tire Pressure
The Tire-Lo,ading Information label which is on the rear
edge
of the driver’s door shows the correct inflation
preissures for your tires when they’re
cold. “Cold”
means your vehicle has
been sitting for at least three
hours or driven no more than 1 mile (1.6 km).
~~ ~~ ~~
NOTICE:
Don’t let anyone tell you that underinflation or
overinflation is all right. It’s not. 1% your tires
don’t have enough air (underinflation),, you can
get the following:
0 Too much flexing
0 Too much heat
0 Tire overloading
Bad wear
Bad handling
Bad fuel economy.
NOTICE: (Continued)
~~ ~~
NOTICE: (Continued)
If
your tires
have too much air (overinflation),
you can get the following:’
e Unusual wear
* Bad handling
* Rough ride
e Needless damage from road hazards.
When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more.
Don’t forget your compact spare tire. It should
be at
60 psi (420 Wa).
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure.
You can’t tell if your tires are properly inflated
simply
by looking at them. Radial tires may look
properly inflated even when they’re underinflated.
Be sure
to put the valve caps back on the valve stems.
They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt and
moisture.
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When It’s Time for New Tires
I One wav to tell when it’s
time
fcinew tiies is to
check the treadwear
indicators, which will
,.
appear when your tires have
only 1/16 inch (1.6 rrim) or
less
of tread remaining.
I
You need a new tire if any of the following statements
are true:
, 1, .” ! , .
You cdsee the indicators at three or more places
.. .. . . (. , ;.--.-$ _. . .I :: , L. -. , &&&
-. .. . .I , .I 1 -
around the tire.
You can see cord or fabric showing through the tire’s
The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep
rubber.
enough to
show cord or fabric.
The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
The tire h’as a puncture, cut or other damage that
can’t be repaired
well because of the size or lo’cation
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 thing’s during normal service on
your vehicle. If your tires have an all-season tread
design, the
TPC number will be followed by an “MS”
(for mud and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with those not having a
TPC Spec nuhber, make sure they are the same size,
load
range, speed rating &d construction type (bias,
bias-belted
or radial) as your original tires.
..
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Mixing tires could cause you 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.
Using tires of different sizes may also cause
damage to your vehicle. Be sure to use the same
size and type tires on all four wheels.
It's all right to drive with your compact spare,
though. It was developed for use on your vehicle.
Uniform Tire Quality 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.)
The
grades are molded on the sidewalls of most passenger car tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading system does
not apply to deep tread, winter-type snow tires,
space-saver or temporqy use spare tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters of
10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm),
or to some limited-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors passenger cars and light trucks may vary with respect to these
grades, they must also conform to Federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) standards.
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 1/2) 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.
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Used Replacement Wheels Tire Chains
A CAUTION:
Putting a used wheel on your vehicle is
dangerous.
You can’t know how it’s been used or
how many miles it’s been driven. It could fail
suddenly and cause an accident.
If you have to
replace
a wheel, use a new GM original
equipment wheel.
NOTICE:
If your Pontiac has P195/65R15 or P205/55R16
size tires, don’t use tire chains. They can damage
your vehicle.
If you have other tires, use tire chains only where
legal and only when you
must. Use only SAE
Class “S” type chains that are the proper size for
your tires. Install them on the front tires and
tighten them as tightly as possible with the ends
securely fastened. Drive slowly and follow the
chain manufacturer’s instructions.
If you ’can
hear the chains contacting your vehicle, stop and
retighten them.
If the contact continues, slow
down until it stops. Driving
too fast or spinning
the wheels
with chains on will damage your
vehicle.
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Appearance Care Don't use any of these unless this manual says you can.
In many uses, these will damage your vehicle:
Remember, cleaning products can be hazardous. Some
are toxic. others can burst
into flame if you strike a Alcohol
match or get'them on a hot
part of the vehicle. Some are 0 Laundry Soap
dangerous
if you breathe their fumes in a closed space.
When you use anything from a container to clean your
Pontiac, be sure to follow the manufacturer's warnings
Reducing Agents
0 Bleach
and instructions. 'And always open your doors or
windows when you're cleaning the inside.
Never use these to clean your vehicle:
Gasoline
0 Benzene
Naphtha
Carbon Tetrachloride
Acetone
Paint Thinner
Turpentine
0 Lacquer.Thinner
0 Nail Polish Remover
,Cleaning the Inside of Your Pontiac
Use a vacuum cleaner often to 'get rid of dust and loose
dirt. Wipe vinyl or leather 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.
Do not use them on vinyl or leather.
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 -
They can all be hazardous -- some more than
others
-- and they can all damage your vehicle, too. If a ring forms after spot cleaning, clean the entire
only. If you use them, don't saturate the staiqed area.
area immediately or it will set.
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