1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE engine

When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking
on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
Start your engine;
0 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(s), 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
Engine Cooling When Ier Towing
fight.
-
Your cooling system may temporarily overheat during
severe operating conditions. See “Engine Overheating”
in the Index.
4-38

Section 5 Problems on the Road
Here you’ll find what to do about some problems that can occur on the road.
5-2
5-3
5-3
5-8
5- 15
Hazard Warning Flashers
Other Warning Devices
Jump Starting Towing Your Vehicle
Engine Overheating 5-17 Cooling System
5-25 Changing a Flat Tire
5-37 Compact Spare Tire
5-25 If a Tire Goes Flat
5-38
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 vehicle, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
To avoid the possibility of the vehicles rolling, set
the parking brake
fiiy on both vehicles involved in
the jump
start procedure. Put an automatic transaxle
in PARK (P) before setting the parking brake.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
I NOTICE:
If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries.
A CAUTION:
lighter. Tu& off all lam@ that aren’t needed as well
as radios. This will avoid sparks and help save both An electric fan can start up even when the engine
batteries. In addition, it could save your radio! is not running and can injure you. Keep hands,
clothing and tools away
from any underhood
electric fan.
5-4

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 ACDelco 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.
6.
Find the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals on
each battery.
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 engine
is running.
I

7. 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.
8. Don’t Iet 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.
9. 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.
5-6

10. Attach the cable at least 18 inches (45 cm) away
from the dead battery, but not near engine parts that
move. The electrical connection is just as good
there, but the chance of sparks getting back to the
battery is much less.
11. Now start the vehicle with the good battery and run
12. Try to start the vehicle with the dead battery.
If it won’t start after a few tries, it probably
needs
service.
the engine for a while.
13. Remove the cables in reverse order to prevent
electrical shorting. Take care that
they don’t touch
each other
or any other metal.
A. Heavy Metal Engine Part
B. Good Battery
C. Dead Battery
5-7

Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage or the warning
light about a hot engine on your vehicle’s instrument
panel. See “Coolant Temperature Gage” and “Coolant Temperature Warning
Light” in the Index.
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
1
A CAUTION:
Steam from an overheated engine can burn you
badly, even if you just open the hood. Stay away
from the engine if you see or hear steam
coming
from it. Just turn it off and get everyone away
from the vehicle until it cools down. Wait until
there is no sign
of steam or coolant before you
open the hood.
If you keep driving when your engine is
overheated, the liquids in it
can catch fire. You or
others could be badly burned. Stop your engine if
it overheats, and get out of the vehicle until the
engine is cool.
I
NOTICE:
If your engine catches fire because you keep
driving with no coolant, your vehicle can be
badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
5-15

If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
If you get the overheat waming but see or hear no
steam, the problem may not be too serious. Sometimes the engine can get a little too hot when you:
0 Climb a long hill on a hot day.
0 Stop after high-speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
Tow a trailer.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or so:
1. Turn off your air conditioner.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed
and open the window as necessary.
3. If you’re in a trafEc jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while
driving
-- AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (@)
or DRIVE (D).
If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can
drive. Just to be safe,
drive slower for about 10 minutes.
If the warning doesn’t come back on, you can
drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there’s
still no sign of steam, you can idle the engine
for two or three minutes while you’re parked, to see if
the warning stops. But then, if you still have the
warning,
turn oflthe engine and get everyone out of
the vehicle until it cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
5-16