1998 PONTIAC GRAND AM tire

Towing a Trailer
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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.
You may also damage your vehicle; the resulting
repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Pull a trailer only if you have followed all the
steps in this section. Ask your dealer for advice
and information about towing a trailer with
your vehicle.
>o not tow a trailer if your vehicle is equipped with a
!.4L (Code T) engine. Your
vehicle can tow a trailer if it is equipped with the
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.
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.
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If You Do Decide To Pull A nailer
If you do, here are some important points:
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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 fist 1 ,O00 miles
(1 600 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine,
axle or other parts could be damaged.
Then, during the first
500 miles (800 km) that you
tow a trailer, don’t drive over 50 mph (80 km/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.
0 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:
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.
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Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires
Be sure your vehicle’s tires are inflated to the upper
limit for cold tires. You’ll find these numbers on the
Certification label 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:
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The rear bumper on your vehicle is not intended for
hitches. Do not attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches to it. 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.
Safety Chains
You should always attach chains between your vehicle
and your trailer. Cross the safety chains under
the tongue
of the trailer so that the tongue will not drop to the road
if
it becomes separated from the hitch. Instructions
about safety chains may be provided by the hitch
manufacturer
or by the trailer manufacturer. Follow the
manufacturer’s recommendation for attaching safety
chains and do not attach them to the bumper. Always
leave just enough slack
so you can turn with your rig.
And, never allow safety chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
Does your trailer have its own brakes?
Be sure to read and follow the instructions for the trailer
brakes
so you’ll be able to install, adjust and maintain
them properly.
And because you have anti-lock brakes,
do not try to tap into your vehicle’s brake system. If you
do, both brake systems won’t work well, or at
all.
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Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience.
Before setting out for the open road, you’ll want to get
to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel
of
handling and braking with the added weight of the
trailer. And always keep in mind that the vehicle you are
driving is now a good deal longer and not nearly as
responsive as your vehicle
is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps, tires and mirror adjustment.
If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and
then apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be sure
the brakes are working. This lets
you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the
load
is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer brakes
are still working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you
would when driving your vehicle without
a trailer. This
can help you avoid situations that require heavy braking
and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re a good deal \
longer, you’ll need to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then, to move the trailer to the left, just move that hand
to the left. To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly and, if
possible, have someone guide
you.
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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
5-2
5-3
5-8
5-14 Hazard Warning Flashers
Other Warning Devices
Jump Starting Towing Your Vehicle
Engine Overheating 5-23 If a Tire Goes Flat
5-23 Changing a Flat Tire
5-33 Compact Spare Tire
5-34 If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow
5-1

Towing Your Vehicle
Try to have a Pontiac dealer or a professional towing
service tow your vehicle. They can provide the right
equipment
and know-how to tow your vehicle without
damage. See “Roadside Assistance” in
the Index.
If your vehicle has been changed or modified since it
was factory
new by adding aftermarket items like fog
lamps, aero skirting, or special tires and wheels, these
instructions and illustrations may not
be correct.
Before you do anything,
turn on the hazard
warning flashers.
When you call, tell the towing service:
0 That your vehicle cannot be towed from the front or
rear with sling-type equipment, as described later
in
this section.
0 That your vehicle has front-wheel drive.
The make, model and year of your vehicle.
Whether you can still move the shift lever.
If there was an accident, what was damaged.
When the towing service arrives, let
the tow operator
know that
this manual contains detailed towing
instructions and illustrations.
The operator may want to
see them.
5-8

If a Tire Goes Flat Changing a Flat Tire
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” while you’re driving, If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
especially
if you maintain your tires properly. If air goes by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your hazard
out of a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out slowly. warning fla\
shers.
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
skid 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. Changing
a tire
can cause an injury. The vehicle
can slip
off the jack and roll over you or other
people. You and they could be badly injured.
Find
a level place to change your tire. To help
prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put an automatic transaxle shift lever in
PARK (P), or shift a manual transaxle to
FIRST (1) or REVERSE (R).
3. lbrn off the engine.
To be even more certain the vehicle won’t move,
you can put blocks at the front and rear of the
tire farthest away from the one being changed.
That would be the tire
on the other side of the
vehicle,
at the opposite end.
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The following steps will tell you how to use the iack and
charwe a tire.
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools
The equipment you’ll need
is in the trunk. Pull the
carpeting from the floor of
the trunk. Turn the center
retainer nut on the compact
spare cover to the left to
remove it.
Lift
and remove the cover. See “Compact Spare Tire”
later
in this section for more information about the
compact
spare.
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