1996 PONTIAC PONTIAC brake

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 really
is.)
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.
Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time
0 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.
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. In
any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying to
steer and constantly seek an escape route or area
ot
less danger.
Skidding
In a slud, a driver can lose control of the vehcle.
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 steering 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 and an acceleration skid are best
handled by easing your foot
off the accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want the
vehicle to go.
If you start steering quickly enough, your
vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for a
second skid if it occurs.
ProCarManuals.com

Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel or other material is on the road. For safety,
you’ll
want to slow down and adjust your driving to these
conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on
a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration or
braking (including engine braking by shifting to a lower
gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires to slide.
You may not realize the surface is slippery until your
vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues -- such as enough water, ice or packed snow MI
the road to make a “mirrored surface” -- and slow down
when you have any doubt.
If you have the anti-lock braking system, remember: It
helps avoid
only the braking skid. If you do not have
antblock, then
in a braking skid (where the wheels are
Driving at Night
no longer rolling), release enough pressure on the brakes
to get the wheels rolling again. This restores steering
control. Push the hake pedal
down steadily when you
have to
stop suddenly. As long as the wheels are rolling, Night
driving is more dangerous than day driving. One
reason is
that some drivers are likely to be impaired -- by
alcohol QT drugs, with night vision problems, or by fatigue.
you
will have steering control.
4-14
~.
ProCarManuals.com

A CAUTION:
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.
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.
4-17
ProCarManuals.com

If 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 your 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.
L
If you don’t shift down, your brakes could get
so hot that they wouldn’t 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.
A CAUTION:
0
0
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 poor braking or even none going down a
hill.
You could crash. Always have your engine running
and your vehicle in gear when you go downhill.
Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down
to a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your engine
and transaxle, and you can climb the hill better.
Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane
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.
As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There
could be something in your lane, like a stalled car
or
an accident.
You may see highway signs on mountains that warn of
special problems. Examples
are long grades, passing or
no-passing zones, a falling rocks area or winding
roads.
Be alert to these and take appropriate action.
4-23
ProCarManuals.com

Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where your tires meet the
road probably have good traction. What’s the worst time for
this? “Wet ice.” Very cold
snow or ice can be slick and hard to drive on. But wet
ice can be even more trouble because it may offer the
least traction
of all. You can get wet iCe when it’s about
However, if there
is snow or ice between your tires and freezing (32 OF; OOC) and freezing rain begins to fall.
the road, you can have a very slippery situation. You’ll
Try to avoid driving on wet ice until salt and sand crews
have a lot less traction or “grip” and will need to be can get there.
very careful. Whatever the condition
-- smooth ice, packed, blowing
or loose snow
-- drive with caution. Accelerate gently.
Try not to break the fragile traction. If you accelerate
too fast, the drive wheels will spin and polish the surface
under the tires even more.
Unless you have the anti-lock braking system, you’ll
want to brake very gently, too.
(If you do have anti-lock,
see “Anti-Lock” in the Index. This system improves
your vehicle’s stability when you make a hard stop on a
slippery road.) Whether you have the anti-lock braking
system
or not, you’ll want to begin stopping sooner than
you would on dry pavement. Without anti-lock brakes,
if you feel your vehicle begin to slide, let up on the
brakes a little. Push the brake pedal down steadily
to get
the most traction you can.
ProCarManuals.com

Remember, unless you have anti-lock, if you brake so
hard that your wheels stop rolling, you’ll just slide.
Brake
so your wheels always keep rolling and you can
still steer.
0 Whatever your braking system, allow greater
following distance on
any slippery road.
0 Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine
until you hit a spot that’s covered with ice. On
an
otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear in
shaded areas where the
sun can’t reach: around
clumps
of trees, behind buildings or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface of a curve or an overpass may
remain icy when the surrounding roads are clear. If
you see a patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you
are on it. Try not to brake while you’re actually on
the ice, and avoid sudden steering maneuvers.
If You’re Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in a
serious situation. You should probably stay with your
vehicle
unless you know for sure that you are near help
and
you can hike bough the mow. Here are some
things to do to summon help and keep yourself and your
passengers safe:
Ttim on your hazaid flashers.
4-26
ProCarManuals.com

the vehicle goes. If you have to stop or turn quickly, or
if there is a crash, they’ll keep going.
Towing a Trailer
Things you put inside your vehicle can strike
and injure people in a sudden stop or turn, or
in a crash.
0 Put things in the trunk of your vehicle. In a
trunk, put them as far forward as you can.
Try to spread the weight evenly.
inside the vehicle
so that some of them are
above the tops
of the seats.
0 Don’t leave an unsecured chilb restraint in
your vehicle.
0 When you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure
it whenever you can.
0 Never’stack heavier things, like suitcases,
CAUTION:
If you don’t use the correct equipment and drive
properly, you can lose control when you pull
a
trailer. For example, if the trailer is too heavy, the
brakes may not work well
-- or even at all. You
and your passengers could be seriously injured.
Pull
a trailer only if you have followed all the
steps
in this section. Ask your Pontiac dealer for
advice and information about towing a trailer
with your vehicle.
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.
4130 -
ProCarManuals.com

Safety Chains
You should always attach chains between your vehicle
and your
trailer. Cross the safety chains under the tongue
of the trailer so that the tongue will not drop to the road
if it becomes separated from the hitch. Instructions
about safety chains may be provided by the hitch
manufacturer
or by the trailer manufacturer. Follow the
manufacturer’s recommendition for attaching safety
chains and do not attach them to the bumper. Always
leave just enough slack’s0 you can
turn with your rig.
And, never allow safety chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
Does your trailer have its own brakes? Be me to
read and follow the instructions for the trailer brakes
so you’ll be able to install, adjust and maintain
them properly.
0
0 If your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, do not try to tap
into your vehicle’s brake system.
If you do, both
brake systems won’t work well,
or at all.
Even if your vehicle doesn’t have anti-lock brakes,
don’t tap into
your vehicle’s brake system if the
trailer’s brake system will use more than
0.02 cubic
inch
(0.3 cc) of fluid from your vehicle’s master
cylinder.
If it does, both braking systems won’t work
well.
You could even lose your brakes.
0 Will the trailer brake parts take 3,000 psi (20 650 Pa)
of pressure?
If not, the trailer brake system must not be
used with
your vehicle.
0 If everything checks out this far, then make the brake
fluid tap at the upper rear master cylinder port. But
don’t use copper tubing for this.
If you do, it will
bend and break
off. Use steel brake tubing.
Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience.
Before setting out for the open road, you’ll want to get
to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel of
handling and braking with the added weight of the
trailer. And always keep
in mind that the vehicle you are
driving is ~lolw
a good deal longer and not nearly as
responsive
as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch
and platform
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps,
tires and mirror adjustment. I% the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and
then apply the traiEer brake controller by hand to be sure
the brakes are working.
This lets you check your
electrical connection at the Same time.
During your
hip, check occasionally to be sure that the
load
is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer brakes
are still working.
ProCarManuals.com