2003 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE flat tire

0 The vehicle should not have any snow, ice or mud
attached to it.
* The vehicle should be fully assembled and all other
work stopped while headlamp aiming is being done.
0 The vehicle should be normally loaded with a
full tank of fuel and one person or
160 Ibs. (75 kg)
on the driver’s seat.
Tires should be properly inflated.
Headlamp aiming is done with the vehicle low beam
lamps. The high beam lamps will be correctly aimed
if
the low beam lamps are aimed properly. The
headlamp aiming devices are under the hood near
the headlamps.
If you believe your headlamps need horizontal (lefthight)
adjustment, follow the horizontal aiming procedure.
If you believe your headlamps need only vertical
procedure.
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Adjustment screws can be turned with an E8 Torx@
socket or
Ti 5 Torx@ screwdriver.
5-53

Tires
Your new vehicle 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
P tiac Warranty booklet for details.
Poorly maintained and improperly used
Overloading your tires can cause
tires are dangerous.
overheating as a result of too much
friction. You could have an air-out 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)
Overinflated tires are more likely be
cut, punctured or broken by a sudden impact
- such as when you hit a pothole.
Keep tires at the recommended pressure.
If your tread is badly worn, or if your tires
have been damaged, replace them. See
”Inflation
- Tire Pressure” in this section
for inflation pressure adjustment for higher
speed driving.
Worn, old tires can cause accidents.
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).
If you’ll be driving at high speeds (e.g., speeds
of
100 mph (160 km/h) or higher), where it is legal,
set the cold inflation pressure to the maximum
inflation pressure shown on the tire sidewall, or
to
35 psi (244 kPa), whichever is lower.
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See the example below. When you end this high-speed
driving, return to the cold inflation pressure shown on
the Tire-Loading Information label.
Example:
You’ll find maximum load and inflation pressure molded
on the tire’s sidewall, in small letters near the rim
flange. It will read something like this: Maximum load
690
kg (1521 Ibs) @ 300 kPa (44 psi) Max. Press.
For this example, you would set the inflation pressure
for high-speed driving at
35 psi (244 kPa).
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:
Too much flexing
Too much heat
Tire overloading
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 keenin9 out dirt and
moisture.
5-63

Check Tire Pressure System
The check tire pressure system can alert you to a large
change in the pressure of one tire. The system won’t
alert you before you drive that a tire is low or flat.
You must begin driving before the system will work
properly.
The CHECK TIRE PRESSURE message will appear on
the Driver Information Center (DIC) or the system
monitor TIRE PRESS light will come on
if pressure
difference (low pressure) is detected in one tire.
The check tire pressure system may not alert you
if:
more than one tire is low,
the vehicle is moving faster than 65 mph (105 km/h),
the system is not yet calibrated,
the compact spare tire is installed,
the tire treadwear is uneven,
tire chains are being used, or
the vehicle is being driven on a rough or
frozen road. If
the anti-lock brake system warning light comes on,
the check tire pressure system may not be working
properly. See your dealer for service. Also, see
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light on page 3-43.
The check tire pressure system detects differences
in tire rotation speeds that are caused by changes in tire
pressure. The system can alert you about a low
tire
- but it doesn’t replace normal tire maintenance.
See
Tires on page 5-62.
When the CHECK TIRE PRESSURE message appears
on the Driver Information Center (DIC) or the systems
monitor TIRE PRESS light comes on, you should
stop as soon as you can and check all your tires for
damage. If a tire is flat, see
If a Tire Goes Flat on
page
5-72. Also check the tire pressure in all four tires
as soon as you can. See
Inflation -- Tire Pressure
on page
5-62.
Any time you adjust a tire’s pressure or have one or more
tires repaired or replaced, you’ll need to reset (calibrate)
the check tire pressure system. You’ll also need to reset
the system whenever you rotate the tires, buy new tires
and install or remove the compact spare.
Don’t reset the check tire pressure system without first
correcting the cause of the problem and checking
and adjusting the pressure in all four tires.
If you reset
the system 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.
5-64

When rotating your tires, always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
Don’t include the compact spare tire in your tire rotation.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear inflation pressures as shown on the Tire-Loading
Information label.
Reset the check tire pressure system. See
Check Tire
Pressure System on page
5-64.
Make certain that all wheel nuts are properly tightened.
See “Wheel Nut Torque” under
Capacities and
Specifications on page
5- 100.
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.
5-66

a tire graded 100. The relative performance of tires
depends upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart significantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits, service practices and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction - AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A,
B, and C. Those grades represent the tire’s ability
to stop on wet pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test surfaces
of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance. Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on straight-ahead braking
traction tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction characteristics.
Temperature - A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance to the generation
under controlled conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can
cause the material of the tire to degenerate and
reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade
C corresponds to a
level of performance which all passenger car tires must
meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
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No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.
Warning: The temperature grade for this tire
is
established for a tire that is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced
carefully at the factory to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance.
Scheduled wheel alignment and wheel balancing are
not needed. However,
if you notice unusual tire wear or
your vehicle pulling one way or the other, the alignment
may need to be reset. If you notice your vehicle
vibrating when driving on a smooth road, your wheels
may need
to be rebalanced.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked or badly rusted
or corroded.
If wheel nuts keep coming loose, the
wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts should be replaced.
If the wheel leaks air, replace it (except some
aluminum wheels, which can sometimes be repaired).
See your dealer
if any of these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind of wheel you need.
5-69

Each new wheel should have the same load-carrying
capacity, diameter, width, offset and be mounted
the same way as the one
it replaces.
If you need to replace any of your wheels, wheel bolts
or wheel nuts, replace them only with new
GM
original equipment parts. This way, you will be sure to
have the right wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts
for your vehicle.
Notice: The wrong wheel can also cause problems
with bearing life, brake cooling, speedometer or
odometer calibration, headlamp aim, bumper height,
vehicle ground clearance and tire or tire chain
clearance to the body and chassis.
See
Changing a Flat Tire on page 5-73 for more
information.
Used Replacement Wheels
Using the wrong replacement wheels, wheel
bolts or wheel nuts on your vehicle can be
handling of your vehicle, make your tires lose
air and make you lose control. You could have
a collision
in which you or others could be
injured. Always use the correct wheel, wheel
bolts and wheel
nuts for replacement.
~ dangerous. It could affect the braking and Putting a us
wheel o ~OL licle is
dangerous. You can’t know how it’s been used
or how far it’s been driven.
It could fail
suddenly and cause a crash. If you have to
replace a wheel, use a new GM original
equipment wheel.
I
5-70

Accessory Inflator
If your vehicle has an air inflator, it is located in the
trunk. The air inflator will wo only with the ignition on.
Inflating something too much can make it
explode, and you or others could be injured.
Be sure to read the inflator instructions, and
inflate any object only to its recommended
pressure.
I -1
Notice: Don’t run your air inflator for longer than
30 minutes at one time. If you do, you may damage
the system.
The air inflator comes with a kit that includes a 20-foot
(6.1 m) hose and an air pressure gage, as well as
instructions and special adapters for inflating things like
an air mattress or a basketball.
If a Tire Goes Flat
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
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.
Pressing the
AIR button will activate the inflator for ten If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to use your
minutes. jacking equipment to change a flat tire safely.
5-72