1997 PONTIAC GRAND AM engine

Towing a Trailer
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.
Do not tow a trailer if your vehicle is equipped with a
2.4L (Code T) engine.
Your vehicle can tow a trailer if
it is equipped with a
3 100 (Code M) engine and proper trailer towing
equipment.
To identify what the vehicle trailering
capacity
is for your vehicle, you should read the
information in “Weight
of the Trailer’’ that appears later
in this section. But trailering is different than just
driving your vehicle
by itself. Trailering means changes
in handling, durability and fuel economy. Successful,
safe trailering takes correct equipment, and it has to be
used properly.
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That’s the reason for this part. In it are many
time-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many of these are important for your safety and that of
your passengers.
So please read this section carefully
before you pull a trailer.
Load-pulling components such as the engine, transaxle,
wheel assemblies and tires
are forced to work harder
against the drag of the added weight. The engine is
required to operate at relatively higher speeds and under
greater loads, generating extra heat. What’s more, the
trailer adds considerably to wind resistance, increasing
the pulling requirements.
If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points:
0
0
There are many different laws, including speed limit
restrictions, having to do with trailering. Make sure
your rig will be legal, not only where you live but
also where you’ll be driving. A good source for this
information can be state or provincial police.
Consider using a sway control.
You can ask a hitch
dealer about sway controls.
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first
1,000 miles
(1 600 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine.
axle or other parts could be damaged.
0
0
Then, during the first 500 miles (800 km) that you
tow a trailer, don’t drive over
50 mph (80 h/h) and
don’t make starts at full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts of your vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.
Obey speed limit restrictions when towing a trailer.
Don’t drive faster than the maximum posted speed
for trailers (or no more than
55 mph (90 km/h)) to
save wear on your vehicle’s parts.
Three important considerations have to do with weight:
0 the weight of the trailer,
the weight of the trailer tongue
and the total weight on your vehicle’s tires.
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It should never weigh more than 1,000 lbs. (450 kg). But
even that can be too heavy.
It depends on how you plan to use your rig. For
example, speed, altitude, road grades, outside
temperature and how much your vehicle is used to pull a
trailer are all important. And,
it can also depend on any
special equipment that you have
on your vehicle.
4-36

Making Turns
I NOTICE: 1
Making very sharp turns while trailering could cause the trailer to come in contact with the vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
1
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns
than normal.
Do this so your trailer won’t strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees or other objects.
Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well
in advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
The green arrows on your instrument panel will flash
whenever you signal a turn or lane change. Properly
hooked up, the trailer lamps will also flash, telling other
drivers you’re about to turn, change lanes
or stop. When
towing a trailer, the green arrows on your
instrument panel will flash for turns even
if the bulbs on
the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers
behind you are seeing your signal when they are not. It’s
important
to check occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade.
If you don’t shift
down, you might have to use your brakes
so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, use the highest gear possible. If
you cannot maintain posted speeds, driving at a lower
speed may help avoid overheating your engine
and transaxle.
If you have a manual transaxle with FIFTH
(5) gear,
it’s better not to use FIFTH
(5) gear. Just drive in
FOURTH
(4) gear (or, as you need to, a lower gear).
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Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached, on a hill.
If something goes wrong, your rig
could start to move. People can be injured, and both
your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged.
But if you ever have to park your
rig on a hill, here’s
how to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
PARK
(P) yet, or into a gear for a manual transaxle.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
brake, and then shift to PARK
(P), or REVERSE (R)
for a manual transaxle.
5. Release the regular brakes.
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking
on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
0 Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
0 Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transaxle fluid (don’t overfill),
engine oil, belt, cooling system and brake adjustment.
Each
of these is covered in this manual, and the Index
will help you find them quickly.
If you’re trailering, it’s
a good idea to review these sections before you start
your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
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Section 5 Problems on the Road
Here you’ll find what to do about some problems that can occur on the road.
5-2 Hazard Warning Flashers
5-2 Other Warning Devices
5-3 Jump Starting
5- 8 Towing Your Vehicle
5- 14 Engine Overheating
5-22
5-23
5-33
5-34
If a Tire Goes Flat
Changing a Flat Tire
Compact Spare Tire
If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow
5-1

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, 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.
A CAUTION:
I -i
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. Find the
positive
(+) and negative (-) terminals on each battery.
5-4

I
A CAUTION:
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.
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.
A CAUTION:
Fans or other moving engine parts can injure you
badly. Keep your hands away from moving parts
once the engines are running.

6. Connect the red positive (+) cable to the positive (+)
terminal of the vehicle with the dead battery.
Use a remote positive
(+) terminal if the vehicle
has one.
. . 7. Don’t let the other end
touch metal. Connect it
to the positive
(+)
terminal of the good
battery. Use
a remote
positive
(+> terminal if
the vehicle has one.
I
8. Now connect the black
negative
(-) cable to
the good battery’s
negative
(-) terminal.
Don’t let the other end touch anything until the next
step. The other end
of the negative cable doesn’t go to
the dead battery.
It goes to a heavy unpainted metal part
on the engine
of the vehicle with the dead battery.