
Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine Running
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle with
the engine running. Your vehicle could move
suddenly if the shift lever is not fully in PARK
(P)
with the parking brake firmly set. And, if you
leave the vehicle with the engine running, it could
overheat and even catch fire. You or others could
be injured. Don’t leave your vehicle with the
engine running unless you have to.
If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine
running, be sure your vehicle is in PARK (P) and your
parking brake is firmly set before you leave it. After
you’ve moved the shift lever into
the PARK (P)
position, hold the regular brake pedal down. Then, see if
you can move the shift lever away from PARK (P)
without first pulling it toward you (or, if you have a
console
shift lever, without first pushing the button). If
you can, it means that the shift lever wasn’t fully locked
into PARK (P).
Torque Lock
If you are parlung on a hill and you don’t shift your
transaxle into PARK (P) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl in
the transaxle. You may find it difficult to pull the shift
lever out of PARK (P). This is called “torque lock.” To
prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then shift
into PARK (P) properly before you leave the driver’s
seat.
To find out how, see “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in
the Index.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out
of
PARK (P) before you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have another
vehicle push yours a little uphill to take some of the
pressure from the parking pawl in the transaxle,
so you
can pull the shift lever out of PARK (P).
2-27
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7. Tighten the wheel nuts
firmly in
a crisscross
sequence as shown.
Incorrect wheel nuts or improperly tightened
wheel nuts can cause the wheel to become loose
and even come off. This could lead
to an accident.
Be sure to use the correct wheel nuts.
If you have
to replace them, be sure to get new GM original
equipment wheel nuts.
Stop somewhere as soon as you can and have
the nuts tightened with
a torque wrench to
100 Ib-ft (140 Nom). ’
NOTICE:
Improperly tightened wheel nuts can lead to
brake pulsation and rotor damage.
To avoid
expensive brake repairs, evenly tighten the wheeI
nuts in the proper sequence and to the proper
torque specification.
Don’t try to put the wheel cover on your compact
spare tire.
It won’t fit. Store the wheel cover in the
trunk until you have th’e flat tire repaired or replaced.
NOTICE:
Wheel covers won’t fit on your compact spare. If
you try to put a wheel cover on your compact
spare, you could damage the cover or the spare.
5-31
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How to Check and Add Oil
Check oil only when the engine is cold. Allow the
engine to cool two to three hours after running.
If you remove the supercharger oil fill plug while
the engine is hot, pressure may cause hot oil to
blow out
of the oil fill hole. You may be burned.
DQ not remove the plug until the engine cools.
1. Clean the area around the oil fill plug before
removing it.
2, Remove the oil fill plug using a 3/16 inch
Allen wrench.
5. The oil level is correct when it just reaches the
bottom of the threads
of the inspection hole.
4. Replace the oil plug with the O-ring in place.
Torque to 88
lb-in (10 N.m).
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transaxle fluid
level is when the engine oil is changed.
Change both the fluid and filter every
50,000 miles
(83
000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or
more of these conditions:
In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
regularly reaches
90 OF (3 2 O C) or higher.
0 In hilly or mountainous terrain.
0 When doing frequent trailer towing.
Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, the fluid and filter do not require changing.
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services” in the Index.
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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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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.
Rust or dirt on
a wheel, or on the parts to which
it is fastened, can make wheel nuts become loose
after
a time. The wheel could come off and cause
an accident. When you change a wheel, remove
any rust or dirt from places where the wheel
attaches to the vehicle.
In an emergency, you can
use a cloth or a paper towel to do this; but be
sure to use a scraper or wire brush later, if you
need to, to get all the rust or dirt off. (See
“Changing
a Flat Tire” in the Index.) When
It’s Time for New Tires
One way
to tell when it’s
time for new tires
is to
check the treadwear
indicators, which will
appear when your tires have
only 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) or
less of tread remaining.
You need a new tire if any of the following statements
are true:
You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
You can see cord or fabric showing through the
tire’s rubber.
0 The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep
enough to show cord or fabric.
0 The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
The tire has a puncture, cut or other damage that
can’t be repaired well because
of the size or location
of the damage.
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Tilt Steering Wheel ............................. 2-31
Time. Setting the ............................... 3- 10
Tire Chains .................................... 6-54
Tire Loading ................................... 4-29
Tire-Loading Information Label
................... 4-29
Alignment and Balance ........................ 6-52
Buying
New ................................. 6-50
Changing a Flat .............................. 5-24
Compact Spare
....... .................... 5-34
Inspection
and Rotation ........................ 6-48
Temperature
................................. 6-52
Traction
.................................... 6-5 1
Uniform Quality Grading ....................... 6-51
Wear Indicators
.............................. 6-49
Wheel Replacement
........................... 6-52
When It's Time for New
....................... 6-49
Torque Lock ................................... 2-27
Torque. Wheel Nut .............................. 5-31
Towing
a Trailer ................................ 4-3 1
Towing Your Vehicle ............................. 5-8
Trac System .................................... 4-9
Trac System Warning Light .................. 2-68, 4- 10
Tires ......................................... 6-45
Chains
..................................... 6-54
Cleaning
.................................... 6-62
Inflation
.................................... 6-45
Inflationcheck
............................... 7-39
Loading
.................................... 4-29
Pressure
.................................... 6-45
Treadwear .................................... 6-5 1
TopStrap ..................................... 1-53 Trailer
Brakes
..................................... 4-35
Driving on Grades ............................ 4-37
Driving With
................................ 4-36
Maintenance When Towing ..................... 4-38
Safety Chains
................................ 4-35
Tongueweight
............................... 4-33
Total Weight on Tires
.......................... 4-34
Hitches
..................................... 4-34
ParkingonHills
.............................. 4-38
Towing ..................................... 4-31
Turnsignals
................................. 4-37
Weight
..................................... 4-33 Transaxle, Automatic ............................ 6-21
Transmitters, Remote Keyless Entry ................. 2-8
Transportation, Courtesy .......................... 8-8
Trip Computer ................................. 2-80
Trip Odometer
................................. 2-63
Release, Remote .............................. 2-12
Trunk Access Panel
............................. 2-57
Trunk Ajar Warning Light ........................ 2-77
Trunk Mounted
CD Changer ...................... 3-24
Turn Signal and Lane Change Signals ............... 2-32
Turn Signal On
Chime ........................... 2-33
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever ................... 2-32
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer ................ 4-37
Two-way Manual Front Seat
....................... 1-2
Trunk
........................................ 2-11
Lock ....................................... 2-12
..................................... TTY Users 8-5
9-10
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Underbody Flushing Service .
Underhood Electrical Center
Underbody
Maintenance
.....
...
.......
...
... 7-42
..... 6-63
I ....... 6-69
Vehicle Control
............. ..................... 4-6
Damage Warnings
.............................. iv
Dimensions ................................. 6-73
Identification Number
......................... 6-65
Loading
.................................... 4-29
Storage
..................................... 6-37
Ventilationsystem
............................... 3-8
.Visor Vanity Mirrors ............................ 2-59
Visors,
Sun .................................... 2-59
warning Devices
............................... 5-2
Warning
Lights. Gages and Indicators ............... 2-64
Washer Fluid. Windshield ................... . . 6-32 Washing
Your Vehicle
........................... 6-60
Weatherstrips
.................................. 6-60
Wheel Alignment
.................................. 6-52
NutTorque
.................................. 5-31
Replacement
................................. 6-52
Wrench
.............................
Auto-Down ................................. 2-31
Power
...................................... 2-30
Windshield Washer
............................. 2-34
Fluid
.................................. 2-34, 6-32
Fluid Level Check
............................ 7-39
Windshield Wiper ............................... 2-33
Blade Replacement
........................... 6-44
Fuses
...................................... 6-67
Winter Driving
................................. 4-25
Wiring, Headlamp
.............................. 6-66
WreckerTowing
................................. 5-8
Wrench, Wheel .............................. 5-26
. 5-26
Windows
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