2003 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX Owners Manual

Taillamps, Sidemarker and Back-up
Lamps
1. Open the trunk.
2. Unhook the convenience net (if equipped) and
3. Remove the old bulb by turning it a quarter turn
counterclockwise.
4. Place the new bulb into the bulb socket.
5. Turn the bulb a quarter turn clockwise.
Reinstall the vent.
3. Unscrew the upper convenience net hook
attachment.
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4. Pull the trunk trim carpeting away from the rear of
the trunk.
5. Remove the upper trunk trim hook and the two
plastic wing nuts from the taillamp.
6. Carefully remove the taillamp assembly. Be careful
to avoid scratching or chipping the paint
on the
vehicle.
7. Turn the lamp socket a quarter turn
counterclockwise to remove.
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8. Remove the old bulb.
9. Place the new bulb into the socket.
IO. Turn the lamp socket a quarter turn clockwise to
11. Carefully reinstall the taillamp assembly by
reinstall it.
reversing Steps
1 through 5.
Be careful to avoid
scratching or chipping the vehicle’s paint.
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Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
Windshield wiper blades should be inspected at least
twice a year for wear or cracking. See “Wiper Blade
Check” under
At Least Twice a Year on page 6-10 for
more information.
To remove the wiper blade do the following:
Replacement blades come in different types and are
removed in different ways. For the proper type and
length, see Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts on
page
5- 104.
1. Pull the windshield wiper arm away from the
2. Push the release lever and slide the wiper assembly
3. Install a new blade by reversing Steps 1 and 2.
windshield.
toward the driver’s side of the vehicle.
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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 Pontiac Warranty booklet for details.
. -orly mai __ and impropel used tires
are dangerous.
Overloading your tires can cause
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 to be
cut, punctured or broken by a sudden
impact
- such as when you hit a pothole.
Keep tires at the recommended pressure.
Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If
your tread
is badly worn, or if your tires
have been damaged, replace them.
Inflation -- Tire Pressure
The Tire-Loading Information label, which is on the
inside of the trunk lid, 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).
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
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Bad wear
0 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 keeping out dirt and
moisture.
Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 7,500 miles (1 2 500 km).
Any time you notice unusual wear, rotate your tires
as soon as possible and check wheel alignment.
Also
check for damaged tires or wheels. See When It Is Time
for New Tires on page
5-70 and Wheel Replacement
on page 5-73 for more information.
The purpose of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The first rotation
is the most important. See “Part A: Scheduled
Maintenance Services,’’ in Section
6, for scheduled
rotation intervals.
1
When rotating your tires, always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
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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. Make certain that all wheel nuts
are properly tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque” under
Capacities and Snncifjcations
on page 5- 102.
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on ,,le 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 Is 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
0 The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged
tire’s rubber.
deep enough to show cord or fabric.
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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.
Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the Tire-Loading Information label.
The tires installed on your vehicle when it was new had
a Tire Performance Criteria Specification (TPC Spec)
number on each tire’s sidewall. When you get new tires,
get ones with that same TPC Spec number. That way
your vehicle will continue to have tires that are designed
to give proper endurance, handling, speed rating,
traction, ride and other things during normal service
on
your vehicle. If your tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC number will be followed by an
“MS”
(for mud and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with those not having
a
TPC Spec number, make sure they are the same
size, load range, speed rating and construction type
(bias, bias-belted or radial) as your original tires.
MiXing tires COUld C8USt2 YOU aQ COnarO!
while driving. If you mix tires of different sizes
or types (radial and bias-belted tires), the
vehicle may not handle properly, and you could have a crash. Using tires of different
sizes may
also cause damage to your vehicle.
Be sure to use the same size and type tires on
all wheels.
It’s all right to drive with your
compact spare temporarily,
it was developed
for use on your vehicle. See “Compact Spare
Tire”
in the index.
.. ~OL ,se bias-ply tires on your vehicle, ..le
wheel rim flanges could develop cracks after many miles of driving.
A tire and/or wheel
could fail suddenly, causing a crash. Use only radial-ply tires with the wheels on your vehicle.
I
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