Page 195 of 370

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
10 it safely.
/r CAUTION:
Batteries can hurt you. They can be
dangerous because:
They contain acid that can burn you.
0 They contain gas that can explode Qr ignite.
0 They contain enough electricity to burn you.
If you don’t follow these steps exactly, some or all
of these things can hurt you.
NOTICE:
Ignoring these steps could result in costly damage
to your vehicle that wouldn’t be covered by your
warranty. lkying to start your Pontiac by
pushing
or pulling won’t work, and it could
damage
YOU vehicle.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery
with a negative ground system.
I NOTICE:
If the other system isn’t a 12-volt system with a
negative ground, both vehicles can be damaged.
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Page 196 of 370

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 wouldn’t be able to
start your Pontiac, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
You could be injured if the vehicles roll. Set the
parking brake firmly on each vehicle. Put an
automatic transaxle in
PARK (P) or a manual
transaxle in NEUTRAL
(N).
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Turn off all
lamps that aren’t needed, and radios. This will avoid
sparks and help save both batteries. And it could
save your radio!
I NOTICE.: I
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
t ,he
is not running and can injure you. Keep hands,
clothing and tools away from any underhood electric fan.
4. Find the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals on
each battery. Your Pontiac has a remote positive (+)
jump starting terminal. The terminal is on the same
side of the engine compartment as your battery. You
should always use the remote positive
(+) terminal
instead of the positive
(+) terminal on your battery.
To uncover the remote positive (+) terminal, Lift the
red plastic cap.
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Page 197 of 370

~~ 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
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 a&d 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 ibediately.
~ installed in every new GM vehicle. But if a
5. 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.
Fans or other moving engine parts can injure you
badly. Keep your
hands away from moving parts
once the engines are running.
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Page 257 of 370

Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a modern vehicle is complex. Its
many parts have to be
of top quality and work well
together
if the vehicle is to have really good braking.
Vehicles we design and test have top-quality
GM brake
parts
in them, as your Pontiac does when it is new.
When
you replace parts of your braking system -- for
example, when your brake linings wear down and you
have to have new ones put
in -- be sure you get new
genuine
GM replacement parts. If you don’t, your
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 narts.
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 shown
on the original battery’s @bel, : . :. .. .K . - ’ I- I c ’. :“I z: , ’ . .-
,. . - .. , .. .. .1 4
. . ..
.J:. - *-
.. - _1 . t .
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.
I I
I A CAUTION:
Batteries have acid that can burn you and gas
that can explode. You can be badly hurt if you
aren’t careful.
See “Jump Starting” in the Index
for tips on working around a battery without
getting
hurt.
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.
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