1997 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE tire type

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 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 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 is best handled by easing your foot off
the accelerator pedal.
If
you have the traction control system, remember: It
helps avoid only the acceleration skid.
If you do not have traction control, or if the system is
off, then an acceleration skid is also 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.
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 on
the road to make a “mirrored surface” -- and slow
down when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti-lock brake system
(ABS) heIps
avoid only the braking skid.
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A B
If you’re using a weight-carrying hitch, the trailer
tongue
(A) should weigh 10 percent of the total loaded
trailer weight
(B). If you have a weight-distributing
hitch, the trailer tongue
(A) should weigh 12 percent of
the total loaded trailer weight (B).
After you’ve loaded your trailer, weigh the trailer and
then the tongue, separately, to see
if the weights are
proper.
If they aren’t, you may be able to get them right
simply by moving some items around in the trailer.
Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires
Be sure your vehicle’s tires are inflated to the upper limit
for cold tires. You’ll
fiid these numbers on the Tire
Loading Information label located at the rear edge
of the
driver’s door or see “Loading Your Vehicle” in the Index.
Then be sure you don’t
go over the GVW limit for your
vehicle, including the weight
of the trailer tongue.
Hitches
It’s important to have the correct hitch equipment.
Crosswinds, large trucks going by and rough roads are a
few reasons why you’ll need the right hitch. Here are
some rules to follow:
The bumpers on your vehicle are not intended for
hitches.
Do not attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches to them, Use only a
frame-mounted hitch that does not attach to
the bumper.
Will you have to make any holes in the body of your
vehicle when you install a trailer hitch?
If you do,
then be sure
to seal the holes later when you remove
the hitch. If
you don’t seal them, deadly carbon
monoxide
(CO) from your exhaust can get into your
vehicle (see “Carbon Monoxide” in the Index). Dirt
and water can, too.
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Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
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 ann away from the windshield.
2. Push down on the release clip with a screwdriver and
pull the
blade assembly off the wiper m.
3. Push the new wiper blade securely on the wiper am.
For the correct windshield wiper blade replacement
length
and type, see “Normal Maintenance Replacement
Parts” in the Index,
Tires
Your new Pontiac comes with high-quality tires
made
by a l’eading 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.
CAUTION: (Continued)
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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 kPa).
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.
Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 6,080 to 8,000 miles
(10 000 to 13 000 h). Any time you notice unusual
wear, rotate your tires as soon as possible and check
wheel alignment. Also check for damaged tires or
wheels. See “When It’s Time for New Tires’’
and
“Wheel Replacement” later in this section for
more information.
The purpose
of regular rotation is to achieve more
unifQm
wear .- - for .. dl tires ., on . h .. vehicle. . The first rotation
is the most important. See “Scheduled
Maintenance Services” in the Index for scheduled
rotation intervals.
m I
n
7
When rotating your tires, always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
Don’t include the compact spare tire in your tire rotation.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear inflation pressures
as shown on the Tire-Loading
Information label.
Make certain that all wheel nuts are
properly tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque” in
the Index.
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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)
numb’er 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 things 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 number, make sure they are the same size,
load range, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted or radial) as your original tires. Mixing tires
could cause
you to lose control w: e
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 wheels.
It’s all right to drive with your compact spare,
though. It was developed for use on your vehicle.
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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 temporary 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.
Traction -- A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are A, B, and
C, and they represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under controlled conditions on
specified government test surfaces of asphalt and concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned to this tire is based
on braking (straightahead) traction tests and does not
include cornering (turning) traction.
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Tire Chains
I NOTICE:
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.
Appearance Care
Remember, cleaning products can be hazardous. Some
are toxic. Others can burst into flame if you strike
a
match or get them on a hot part of the vehicle. Some are
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 and
instructions.
And always open your doors or
windows when you’re cleaning the inside.
Never use these to clean your vehicl’e:
Gasoline
Benzene
Naphtha
Carbon Tetrachloride
Acetone
Paint Thinner
Turpentine
Lacquer Thinner
rn Nail Polish Remover
They can all be hazardous
-- some more than
others
-- and they can all damage your vehicle, too.
Don’t use any
of these unless this manual says you can.
In many uses, these will damage your vehicle:
Alcohol
rn Laundry Soap
Bleach
Reducing Agents
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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 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:
1. Always read the instructions on the cleaner label.
2. Clean up stains as soon as you can -- before they set.
3. Use a clean cloth or sponge, and change to a clean area
often.
A soft brush may be used if stains are stubborn.
4. Use solvent-type cleaners in a well-ventilated area
5. If a ring forms after spot cleaning, clean the entire
only. If you
use them, don’t saturate the stained area.
area immediately or
it will set.
Using Foam-Type Cleaner on Fabric
1. Vacuum and brush the area to remove any loose dirt.
2. Always clean a whole trim panel or section. Mask
3. Mix Multi-Purpose Powdered Cleaner following the
surrounding trim along
stitch or welt lines.
directions
on the container label.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Use suds only and apply with a clean sponge. Don’t
saturate the material and don’t rub it roughly.
As soon as you’ve cleaned the section, use a sponge
to remove the suds.
Rinse the section with a clean, wet sponge.
Wipe off what’s left with a slightly damp paper towel
or cloth.
Dry it immediately with a blow dryer.
Wipe with a clean cloth.
Using Solvent-Type Cleaner on Fabric
First, see if you have to use solvent-type cleaner at all.
Some spots and stains will clean off better with just
water
and mild soap.
If you need to use a solvent:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Gently scrape excess soil from the trim material with
a clean, dull knife or scraper.
Use very little cleaner, light pressure and clean cloths
(preferably cheesecloth). Cleaning should start at the
outside of the stain, “feathering” toward the center.
Keep changing to a clean section
of the cloth.
When you clean a stain from fabric, immediately
dry the
area with a blow dryer to help prevent a cleaning ring.
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