1996 PONTIAC PONTIAC service

/r\, CAUTION:
A vehicle can fall from a car carrier if it isn’t
adequately secured. This can cause
a collision,
serio’us personal injury and vehicle damage. The
vehicle should be tightly secured with chains or
steel cables before it
is trapported.
Don’t
use substitutes (ropes, leather straps,
canvas webbing, etc.)
that can be cut by sharp
edges underneath the towed vehicle. Always use
T-hooks inserted in the T-hook slots. Never use
J-hooks. They will damage drivetrain and
suspension components.
~~
When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition
turned
to the OFF position. The steering wheel should
be clamped in a straight-ahead position, with a
clamping device designed
for towing service. Do not
use the vehicle’s steering column lock for ths The
transaxle should be
in NEUTRAL (N) and the
parking brake released.
Don’t have your vehicle towed on the drive wheels,
unless you must. If the vehicle must be towed on the
drive wheels, be
sure to follow the speed and distance
restrictions later in this section or
your transaxle will be
damaged.
If these limitations must be exceeded, then the
drive wheels have to be supported on a dolly.
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If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
If you get the overheat warning but see or hear no
steam, the problem may not be too serious. Sometimes
the engine can get a little too hot when you:
Climb a long hill on a hot day.
Stop after high-speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
Tow a trailer.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or
so:
1. Turn off your air conditioner.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
3. If you’re in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
speed and open the window as necessary.
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while
driving
-- DRIVE (D) or THIRD (3).
If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can
drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about
10 minutes.
If the warning doesn’t come back on, you can
drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there’s still no sign of stem, you can idle the engine
for two or three minutes while you’re parked, to see
if
the warning stops. But then, if you still have the
warning, turn oJffthe engine
and get everyone out of
the vehicle until it cools down.
You may decide not to lift
the hood but to get service
help right away.
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A CAUTION:
I
Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
parts,
can be very hot. Don’t touch them. If you
do, you can
be burned.
Don’t run the engine
if there is a leak. If you run
the engine,
it could lose all coolant. That could
cause
an engine fie, and you could be burned.
Get
any ‘leak fixed before you drive the, vehicle.
I NOTICE:
I
Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn’t covered by your warranty.
I
If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check to
see if the electric engine fan@) are running. If the engine
is overheating, both fan(s) should be running. If they
aren’t, your vehicle needs service.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant level
isn’t at the COLD mark, add a 50/50 mixture of ckm
water (preferably distilled) and DEX-COOL”
(orange-colored, silicate-free) antifreeze at the coolant
recovery
tank. (See “Engine Coolant” in the Index for
more information.)
Adding only plain water to your cooling system
can be
dangerous. Plain water, or some other
liquid Eke alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant
mix will. Your vehicle’s coolant warning
system
is set for the proper coolant mix. With
plain water or the wrong mix, your engine could
get too hot but you wouldn’t get the overheat
warning.
Your engine ‘could catch fire and you or
others could be burned. Use a
50/50 mix Q€ clean
water and
DEX-COOL antifreeze.
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,LC !
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7 Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your
Pontiac. This section begins with service and fuel
information, and then it shows how to check important
fluid and lubricant levels. There is also technical
information- about your vehicle, and
a part devoted to its
appearance care.
Service
Your Pontiac dealer knows your vehicle bestTnd wants
you to be happy with it. We hope you’ll go to your
deaIer for all your service needs. You’ll get genuine
GM
parts and GM-trained and supported service people. We
hope you’ll want to keep your GM vehicle all GM.
Genuine
GM parts have one of these marks:
....
Doing Your Own Service Work
If you want to do some of your own service work, you’ll
want to get the proper Pontiac Service Manual. It tells
you much more about how
to service your Pontiac than
this manual can. To order the proper service manual, see
“Service and Owner Publications” in the Index.
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Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting to
do your own service
work, see “Servicing Your Air
Bag-Equipped Pontiac” in the Index.
You should keep a ,record with .all parts receipts and list
the mifeage and the date
of any service work you
perform. See “Maintenance Record” in the
Index.
Yon can be injured and your vehicle could Be
damaged if you try to do service work on a
vehicle
without knowing enough about it.
Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, and the proper replacement
parts and tools before
you attempt any
vehicle maintenance task,
Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts and
other fasteners, “English”
and 6’Metrics’
fasteners can be easily confused. If you use
the wrong fasteners, parts Can later break
m &dl ~ff, You could be hurt.
Fuel
Use regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or
higher.
At a minimum, it should meet specifications
ASTM
D4814 in the. United States and CGSB 35-M93
in Canada. Improved gasoline specifications have been
developed
by the American Automobile Manufacturers
Association
(AAMA) for better vehicle performance
and engine protection. Gasolines meeting the
AAMA
specification could provide improved driveability and
emission control system protection compared
to
ofier gasolines.
Be sure
the posted octane is at least 87. If the octane is
less than 87, you may get a heavy knocking noise when
you drive. slf it’s bad enough, it can damage your engine.
If you’re using fuel rated at 87 octane or higher and you
still hear heavy knocking, your engine needs service.
But don’t worry if you hear a little pinging noise when
you’re accelerating or driving up a hill. That’s normal,
and you don’t have to buy a higher octane
he1 to get rid
of pinging. It’s the heavy, constant knock that means
you have
a problem.
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If your vehicle is certified to meet California Emission
Standards (indicated on the underhood tune-up label),
it is designed to operate on fuels that meet California
specifications. If such fuels are not available in states
adopting California emissions standards, your vehicle
will operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal
specifications, but emission control system performapce
may be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp on
your instrument panel may
turn on and/or your vehicle
may fail a smog-check test. If this occurs, return to your
authorized Pontiac dealer for diagnosis to determine the
cause of failure. In the event it is determined that the
cause of the condition
is the type of fuels used, repairs
may not be covered by your warranty.
In Canada, some gasolines contain an octane enhancing
additive called MMT. If you use such fuels, your
emission control system performance may deteriorate
and the malfunction indicator lamp on your instrument
panel may turn on. If this happens, return to your
authorized Pontiac dealer for service. and ethanol, and reformulated gasolines
may
be
available in your area to help clean the air. General
Motors recommends that you use these gasolines if they
comply with the specifications described earlier.
NOTICE:
Your vehicle was not designed for fuel that
contains methanol. Don’t use it. It can corrode
metal parts in your fuel system and also damage
plastic and rubber parts. That damage wouldn’t
be covered under your warranty.
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines are now required to
contain additives that will help prevent deposits from
forming in your engine
and fuel system, allowing your
emission control system to function properly. Therefore,
you should not have to add anything to the fuel. In
addition, gasolines containing oxygenates, such as ethers
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When to Change Engine Oil
See if any one of these is true for you:
0
a
a
a
a
Most trips are less than 5 to 10 miles (8 to 16 km).
This is particularly important when outside
temperatures are below freezing.
Most trips include extensive idling (such as frequent
driving
in stop-and-go traffic).
Most trips are through dusty areas.
You frequently tow a trailer or use a carrler on top of
your vehicle.
The vehicle is used for delivery service, police, taxi
or other commercial application.
5
i
Driving under these conditions causes engine oil to
break down sooner. If any one of these is true for your
vehicle, then you need to change your oil and filter
every
3,000 miles (5 000 km) or 3 months -- whichever
occurs first.
If none of them
is true, change the oil and filter every
7,5080 miles (12 500 km) or 12 months -- whichever
occurs first. Driving a vehicle with a fully warmed
engige mder highway conditions causes engine oil to
break down slower.
What to Do with Used Oil
Did you know that used engine oil contains certain
elements that may
be unhealthy for your skin and could
even cause cancer? Don't let used oil stay on .your skin
for very long. Clean your skin and nails with soap and
water, or'a good hand cleaner. Wash or properly throw
away clothing or rags containing used engine oil. (See
the manufacturer's warnings about the use and disposal
of oil products.)
.;4;-". ; ' '*?-
Used oil can be a real threat to the environment. If you
change your own oil, be sure to drain all free-flowing oil.
from the filter before disposal. Don't ever dispose of oil
by putting it in the trash, pouring it on the ground, into
sewers, or into streams or bodies of water. Instead,
recycle
it by taking it to a place that collects used oil. Lf
you have a problem properly disposing of your used oil,
ask your dealer, a service station or
a local recycling
center for help.
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Air Cleaner
To check or replace the air filter, remove the four screws
and pall off the cover. Pull
out the filter.
Be sure to install the air filter and
install the cover tightly when you are finished.
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when to
replace the air filter.
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services”
in the Index.
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