1996 PONTIAC GRAND-AM jump cable

Other Warning Devices
If you carry reflective triangles, you can set one up at
the side
of the road about 300 feet (100 m) behind your
vehicle.
Jump Starting
If your battery has run down, you may want to use
another vehicle
and some jumper cables to start your
Pontiac. But please follow the steps below
to do it
safely.
Batteries can hurt'you. They can be dangerous
because:
0 They contain acid that can burn you.
They contain gas that can explode or ignite,
They contain enough electricity to burn
you.
If you don't follow these steps exactly, some or all
of these things can hurt you.
I NOTICE:
Ignoring these steps cold result in costly damage
to your vehicle that wouldn't be covered
by your
warranty.
"kying to start your Pontiac by pushing or
pulling it could damage your vehicle, even if you
have
a manual transaxle. And if you have an
automatic transaxle, it won't Start that way.
1. Check.the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with
a negativ'e ground system.
I NOTICE:
If the other system isn't a 12-volt system with a
negative ground, both vehicles can be damaged.
5-2
..
ProCarManuals.com

2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles aren’t touching
each other.
If they are, it could cause a ground
connection
you don’t want. You woulddt be able to
start your Pontiac, and the bad grounding could
You could be injured if the vehicles roll. Set the
parking brake firrnly on each vehicle. Put on automatic transaxle in
PARK (P) or a manual
transaxle
in NEUTRAL (N).
1 damage the electrical systems.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette lighter.
Turn off all lamps that aren’t needed as well
as radios. This will avoid sparks and help save both
batteries. In addition,
it could save your radio!
I NOTICE:
.If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn’t be covered
by
your warranty.
An electric fan can start up even when the engine
is not running and can injure
you. Keep hands,
clothing and tools.away from any underhood electric fan.
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries.
5. Find the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals on
each battery.
5-3
ProCarManuals.com

6. Check that the jumper cables don’t have loose or
missing insulation, If they do, you could get a shock.
The vehicles could be damaged,
too.
Before you connect the cables, here are some basic
things you should
know. Positive (+) will go to
positive (+) and negative (-) will go to negative (-)
or a metal engine part.
Don’t connect positive (+) to negative (-) or you’ll
get a short that would damage the battery and maybe
other
parts, too.
Using
a match
near a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing this,
and some have been blinded. Use
a flashlight if
you need more light.
~ Be sure the battery has enough water. You don’t
need to add water
to the Delco Freedom@ battery
installed in every new
GM vehicle. But if a
battery has filler caps, be sure the right amount
of fluid is there. If it is low, add water to take care
of that first. If you don’t, explosive gas could be
present.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn
you.
Don’t get it on you. If you accidentally get it in
your eyes or on your skin, flush the place with
water and get medical help immediately. Fans
or other moving engine
parts can injure you
badly. Keep your hands away from moving parts
once the engines are running.
5-4
ProCarManuals.com

brakes may no longer work properly. For example, if
someone puts in brake linings that are wrong for your
vehicle,
the balance between your front and rear brakes
can change -- for the worse. The braking performance . -
you’ve come to expect can change in many other ways.if
someone puts
in the wrong replacement brake parts.
Battery
Every new Pontiac has a Delco Freedom@ battery. You
never have to add water to one .of these. When it’s time
for
a new battery, we recommend a Delco Freedom@
battery. Get one that has the replacement number&own
on the original battery’s label. ‘. I:’.
Vehicle Storage
If you’re not going to drive your vehicle for 25 days or
more, take
off the black, negative (-> cable from the
battery. This
will help keep your battery from running
down.
Batteries have acid that can burn you and gas
that can explode. You can be badly hurt if you
aren’t
careful. See 6cJump Starting’’ in the Index
for tips on working around a battery without
getting hurt.
I
Contact your dealer to learn how to prepare your vehicle
for longer storage periods.
Also, for your audio system, see “Theft-Deterrent
Feature” in
the Index.
Jump Starting
For jump starting instructions, see “Jump Starting” in
the Index.
6-32
.. . .I
ProCarManuals.com