1997 PONTIAC PONTIAC tires

If a Tire Goes Flat
10. Then replace the pressure cap. At any time during
this procedure if coolant begins to flow out
of the
filler neck, reinstall the pressure cap. Be sure the
mows
on the pressure cap line up like this.
11. Check the coolant in the recovery tank. The level
in the coolant recovery tank should be at the HOT
mark when the engine is
hot or at the COLD mark
when the engine is cold. It’s unusual for
a tire to “blow out”
while you’re driving,
especially
if you maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out of a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out slowly.
But if you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a few
tips about what to expect and what to do:
If
a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot
off
the accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, and then gently brake to
a stop well out
of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
slud and may require the same correction you’d use in a
skid. In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by
steering the way you want the vehicle to go. It may be
very bumpy and
noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake to a stop
-- well off the road if possible.
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change a
flat tire safely.
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Compact Spare Tire
Although the compact spare tire was fully inflated
when your vehicle
was new, it can lose air after a time.
Check
the inflation pressure regularly. It should be
60 psi (420 Ha).
After installing the compact spare on your vehicle, you
should stop as soon
as possible and make sure your spare
tire is correctly inflated.
The compact spare is made to
perform well
at speeds up to 65 rnph (105 kdh) for
distances up to
3,000 miles (5 000 krn), so YOU can finish
your trip and have your full-size tire repaired or replaced
where
you want. You must calibrate the Tire Pressure
Monitor after installing
or removing the compact spare.
See “Driver Information Center - Controls and Displays”
in
the Index. Of course, it’s best to replace your spare
with a full-size tire as soon as you can. Your spare
will last longer and be in good shape in case you need
it again.
NOTICE:
When the compact spare is installed, don’t take
your vehicle through an automatic vehicle wash
with guide rails. The compact spare can get
caught
on the rails. That can damage the tire and
wheel, and maybe other parts
of your vehicle.
Don’t use your compact spare on other vehicles.
And don’t mix your compact spare tire or wheel with
other wheels or tires. They won’t fit. Keep your spare
tire and its wheel together.
NOTICE:
Tire chains won’t fit your compact spare. Using
them can damage your vehicle
and can damage
the ‘chains too. Don’t use tire chains on your
compact spare.
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If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or
Snow
What you don’t want to do when your vehicle is stuck is
to spin your wheels too fast. The method known as
“rocking” can help you get out when you’re stuck, but
you must use caution.
L
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they can
explode, and you or others could be injured.
And, the transaxle or other parts
of the vehicle
can overheat. That could cause an engine
compartment fire or other damage. When you’re
stuck, spin the wheels
as little as possible. Don’t
spin the wheels above
35 mph (55 km/h) as shown
on the speedometer.
NOTICE:
Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of your
vehicle as well as the tires.
If you spin the wheels
too fast while shifting your transaxle back and
forth, you can destroy your transaxle.
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
see “Tire Chains” in the Index.
Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That
will clear the area around your front wheels. If your
vehicle has the Trac System, you should turn the system
off. (See “Trac System” in the Index.) Then shift back
and forth between REVERSE (R) and
a forward gear,
spinning the wheels as little as possible. Release the
accelerator pedal while you shift, and press lightly on
the accelerator pedal when the transaxle
is in gear. If
that doesn’t get you out after a few tries, you may need
to be towed
out. If you do need to be towed out, see
“Towing Your Vehicle” in the Index.
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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.
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Doing Your Own Service Work
What Kind of Fuel to Use
Using Fuel in Foreign Countries
Where to Put the Fuel and Filling the Tank
Checking
Things Under the Hood
Checking Your Engine Oil
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
Engine Coolant
Where to Fill the Windshield Washer Fluid
Important Brake Information
Information on Your Vehicle’s Battery
Tips on Vehicle Storage
Bulb Replacement Procedures
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
How and When to Check Tire Inflation 6-50
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6-73 When
it is Time to Buy New Tires
Wheel Alignment
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
Care of the Safety Belts and Built-in
Child Restraint
Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle
How to Clean Aluminum Wheels
Underbody Maintenance
Recommended Appearance
Care Materials
Your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
The Electrical System
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
Replacement Bulb Types for Your Vehicle
Capacities and Specifications
Air Conditioning Specifications
Normal Replacement Parts
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Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied or lightly
applied.
This does not mean something is wrong with
your brakes.
Properly torqued wheel
nuts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation, When tires are rotated, inspect
brake pads for wear, and evenly torque wheel nuts in
the proper sequence
to GM specifications.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
See “Brake System Inspection” in section
7 of this
manual under
Part C “Perodic Maintenance Inspections,”
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height,
or if there is a rapid increase in pedal
travel. This could be a sign of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you apply the brakes, with or without the
vehicle moving, your
brakes adjust for wear.
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 wlear down and you
have to have new ones put in
-- be sure you get new
approved
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 parts.
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 label.
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Tires
Your new Pontiac comes with high-quality tires
made by
a leading tire manufacturer. If you ever have
questions about your tire warranty and where to obtain
service, see your Pontiac Warranty booklet for details.
E
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 airout and a serious accident. See
“Loading Your Vehicle” in the Index.
Underinflated tires pose the same danger as
overloaded tires. The resulting accident
could cause serious injury. Check all tires
frequently to maintain the recommended
pressure. Tire pressure should be checked
when your tires are cold.
CAUTION: (Continued)
0 Overinflated tires are more likely to be cut,
punctured or broken by a sudden impact
--
such as when you hit a pothole. Keep tires
at the recommended pressure.
Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If your
tread is badly worn,
or if your tires have
been damaged, replace them.
Inflation -- Tire Pressure
The Tire-Loading Information label, which is on the
rear edge of the driver’s door shows the correct inflation
pressures for your tires when they’re cold. “Cold”
means your vehicle has been sitting for at least three
hours or driven
no more than 1 mile (1.6 km).
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I NOTICE:
Don't let anyone tell you that underinflation or
overinflation is all right. It's not.
If your tires
don't have enough air (underinflation), you can
get the following:
0 Too much flexing
0 Too much heat
0 Tire overloading
0 Bad wear
Bad handling
Bad fuel economy.
If your tires have too much air (overinflation),
you can get the following:
Unusual wear
Bad handling
Rough ride
Needless damage from road hazards. 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.
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Check Tire Pressure System (If Equipped)
The check tire pressure system can alert you to a large
change in the pressure in one tire. The system won’t
alert you before you drive that a tire is low or flat. Each
time you start your Pontiac, you must drive
10 to 20
miles (15 to 30 km) before the system will work
properly.
After you’ve driven
10 to 20 miles (15 to 30 km), the
CHECK TIRE PRESS light will come on if the pressure
in o’ne
tire becomes at least 10 psi (69 kPa) higher or
lower than the other three tires. The check tire pressure
system won’t alert you if the pressure in more than
one tire is low or high, or if the system is not
calibrated properly.
If the anti-lock brake system warning light comes on
with the
CHECK TIRE PRESS light, the check tire
pressure system isn’t working. See your dealer for
service. (Also, see “Anti-Lock Brake System Warning
Light” in
the Index.)
The check tire pressure system detects differences in tire
rotation speeds that are caused by changes in tire
pressure. It will not alert you if the pressure in more
than one tire is low or high. The system can alert you
about
a low tire -- but it doesn’t replace normal tire
maintenance. See “Tires” in
the Index. When
the CHECK
TIRE PRESS light comes on, you
should stop as soon
as you can and check all your tires for
darnage. (If a tire
is flat, see “If a Tire Goes Flat” in the
Index.) Also check the tire pressure in all four tires as soon
as you can. See “Inflation - Tire Pressure” in the Index.
The light will stay on until
you turn off the ignition
or
press the CALIBRATE
TIRE
PRESS button.
Don’t press the CALIBRATE TIRE
PRESS button
without first correcting the cause of the problem and
checking and adjusting the pressure in all four tires.
If you
press the button when the tire pressures
are incorrect, the
check tire pressure system will not work properly
and may
not alert you when a tire is low or high.
Any time you adjust a tire’s pressure or have a
tire
repaired or replaced, you’ll need to calibrate the check tire
pressure system. You’ll
also need to calibrate the system
whenever you buy new tires or have
tires repaired.
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