2003 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE Owners Manual

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
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Tire Chains
If your vehicle has P235/55R17 size tires, don’t
use tire chains, there’s not enough clearance.
Tire chains used on a vehicle without the proper amount of clearance can cause damage
to the brakes, suspension or other vehicle
parts. The area damaged by the tire chains
could cause you
to lose control of your vehicle
and you or others may be injured in a crash.
Use another type of traction device only if
its
manufacturer recommends it for use on your
vehicle and tire size combination and road
conditions.
Follow that manufacturer’s
instructions.
To help avoid damage to your
vehicle, drive slowly, readjust or remove the
device if it’s contacting your vehicle, and don’t
spin your wheels.
If you do find traction devices that will
fit,
install them on the front tires.
Notice: If your vehicle has a tire size other than
P235/55R17 size tires, use tire chains only where
legal and only when you must. Use only
SAE Class
”S” type chains that are the proper size for your
tires. Install them on the front tires and tighten them as tightly as possible with the ends securely
fastened. Drive slowiy and follow the chain manufacturer’s instructions. If you can hear the
chains contacting your vehicle, stop and retighten
them. If the contact continues,
slow down until
it stops. Driving too fast or spinning the wheels with
chains on will damage your vehicle.
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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.
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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.
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Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn
on your
hazar
' varning flasl s.
Changing L he can cause an y. ... 2
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 the shift lever in PARK (P).
3. Turn 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.
-
The following steps will tell you how to use the jack and
change a tire.
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Removing the Spare Tire and Tools 5. Remove the wheel wrench, jack and the spare tire
from the trunk.
The equipment you’ll need is in the trunk.
1. Pull the carpeting from the floor of the trunk.
2. Remove the retainer, then lift and remove the cover.
3. Remove the compact spare tire. See Compact
Spare Tire on page 5-81 for more information
about the compact spare tire.
4. Unscrew the wing nuts to remove the container that
holds the wrench and jack. The
tools you’ll be using include the jack
(A) and wheel
wrench
(B).
Removing the Wheel Covers and
Wheel Nut Caps
If your vehicle has aluminum wheels and a center cover
hides the wheel nuts, remove the center cover by
using the flat end
of the wrench to pry it off. Do not drop
the cover or lay it face down,
as it could become
scratched or damaged.
Do not use a hammer or mallet
on this type of cover.
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Removing the Flat Tire and Installing
the Spare Tire 2. The jack has a bolt at the end. Attach the wheel
wrench to the bolt to create a jack handle.
1. Use the wheel wrench to loosen the wheel nuts, but
don't remove them.
3. Turn the wheel wrench counterclockwise to lower
the jack
lift head until it fits under the vehicle.
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I
4. Put the jack head into a notch in the frame which is
located near each wheel well. The front notch
is
11 inches (28 cm) back from the front wheel
well. The rear notch is
3.5 inches (9 cm) forward
from the rear wheel well. Getting under a vehicle when
it is jacked
up is
dangerous. If the vehicle slips
off the jack you
could be badly injured or killed. Never get
under a vehicle when
it is supported only
by a jack.
Raising your vehicle with the
ja ~ improperly
positioned can damage the vehicle and even
make the vehicle fall. To help avoid personal
injury and vehicle damage, be sure to fit the
jack
lift head into the proper location before
raising the vehicle.
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5. Raise the vehicle by turning the wheel wrench
clockwise. Raise the vehicle far enough
off the
ground
so there is enough room for the compact
spare tire to fit under the wheel well.
6. Remove all the wheel nuts and take off the flat tire.
7. Remove any rust or dirt
from the wheel bolts,
mounting surfaces
and spare wheel.
r
Rust or dirt on the wheel, or on the parts to
which
it is fastened, can make the 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
the 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.
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