2003 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX capacity

Fuel Gage
United States Canada
The fuel gage tells you about how much fuel you have
left while the ignition is on. When the indicator nears
empty, you still have a little fuel left, but you should get
more soon.
Here are four things owners usually ask about the fuel
gage.
All these situations are normal and do not
indicate a problem with the fuel gage:
At the gas station, the pump shuts off before the
gage reads full.
It takes more (or less) fuel to fill up than the gage
indicates. For example, the gage reads half full,
but it took more (or less) than half the tank‘s
capacity to
fill it.
0 The gage pointer may move while cornering,
braking or speeding up.
0 The gage may not indicate full when the ignition i?
turned off.
Low Fuel Warning Light
If your fuel is low,
the warning light near
the fuel gage will
go on.
LOW
FUEL
It will also come on for a few seconds when you
first turn on the ignition as a check to show you it’s
working properly.
If it doesn’t come on then, see your
dealer for service.
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Towing
Towing Your Vehicle
Consult your dealer or a professional towing service if
you need to have your disabled vehicle towed. See
Roadside Assistance Program
on page 7-5.
If you want to tow your vehicle behind another vehicle
for recreational purposes (such as behind a motorhome),
see “Recreational Vehicle Towing” following. With
the proper preparation and equipment, many
vehicles can be towed in these ways. See “Dinghy
Towing” and “Dolly Towing,” following.
Here are some important things to consider before you
do recreational vehicle towing:
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means towing your vehicle
behind another vehicle
- such as behind a motorhome.
The two most common types of recreational vehicle
towing are known as “dinghy towing” (towing your
vehicle with all four wheels on the ground) and
“dolly towing” (towing your vehicle with two wheels on
the ground and two wheels up on a device known
as a “dolly”). What’s
the towing capacity of the towing vehicle?
Be sure you read the tow vehicle manufacturer’s
recommendations.
How far will you tow? Some vehicles have
restrictions on how far and how long they can tow.
Do you have the proper towing equipment?
See your dealer or trailering professional for
additional advice and equipment recommendations. Is your vehicle ready to be towed? Just as you
would prepare your vehicle for a long trip, you’ll
want to make sure your vehicle
is prepared to be
towed. See Before Leaving on
a Long Trip on
page
4-24.
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Loading Your Vehicle
.
1 TIRE-LOADING INFORMATION
1 OCCUPANTS VEHiCLE 6
OT, ADD 28KPA(4PSI)
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Two labels on your vehicle show how much weight it
may properly carry. The Tire-Loading Information label is
on the inside of the trunk lid. The label tells you the
proper size, speed rating and recommended inflation
pressures for the tires on your vehicle. It also give you
important information about the number of people
that can be in your vehicle and the total weight you can
carry. This weight is called the vehicle capacity
weight and includes the weigh of all occupants, cargo
and all non-factory installed options. The
other label is the Certification label, found on the
rear edge of the driver’s door. It tells you the gross
weight capacity of your vehicle, called the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR). The GVWR includes the
weight of the vehicle, all occupants, fuel and cargo.
Never exceed the GVWR for your vehicle or the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for either the front or
rear axle.
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Towing a Trailer
If you don’t use the correct eq+ment 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. 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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Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important weight
to measure because it affects the total or gross weight
of your vehicle. The Gross Vehicle Weight (GWV)
includes the curb weight of the vehicle, any cargo you
may carry in it, and the people who will be riding in
the vehicle. And
if you tow a trailer, you must add the
tongue load to the GVW because your vehicle will
be carrying that weight, too. See Loading Your Vehicle
on page 4-35 for more information about your
vehicle’s maximum load capacity.
A
If you’re using a weight-carrying hitch or a
weight-distributing hitch, the trailer tongue
(A) should
weigh
10-15 percent of the total loaded trailer
weight
(B).
After you’ve loaded your trailer, weigh the trailer and
then the tongue, separately, to see if the weights
are proper.
If they aren’t, you may be able to get them
right simply by moving some items around in the
trailer.
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 Tire
Loading Information label, found on the inside of
the trunk lid,
or see Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-35.
Then be sure you don’t go over the GVW limit for
your vehicle, including the weight of the trailer
tongue.
4-39

Turn off the engine and give the oil several minutes to
drain back into the oil pan. If you don’t, the oil
dipstick might not show the actual level.
Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel or
cloth, then push it back in all the way. Remove it again,
keeping the tip down, and check the level.
3100 V6 Engine 3800
V6 or 3800 V6 Supercharged Engine
When to Add Engine Oil
If the oil is at or below the bottom hatchmark, then you’ll
need
to add at least one quart of oil. But you must
use the right kind. This part explains what kind
of oil to
use. For engine oil crankcase capacity, see Capacities
and Specifications on page 5- 102.
Nofice: Don’t add too much oil. If your engine has
so much oil that the oil level gets above the
cross-hatched area that shows the proper operating range, your engine could be damaged.
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Temperature - A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance to the generation
of heat and its ability
to dissipate heat when tested
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
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 overa!! 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.
Each new wheel should have the same load-carrying
capacity, diameter, width, offset and be mounted
the same way as the one it replaces.
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