2004 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE service

Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable following distance.
Expect to move slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the
proper lane well in advance. If you miss your exit, do
not, under any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive
on to the next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
The exit speed is usually posted. Reduce your speed
according to your speedometer, not to your sense
of motion. After driving for any distance at higher
speeds, you may tend to think you are going slower
than you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you are ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must start when you are not fresh — such as after
a day’s work — do not plan to make too many miles that
rst part of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing
and shoes you can easily drive in.Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it is ready to go. If it needs
service, have it done before starting out. Of course, you
will nd experienced and able service experts in GM
dealerships all across North America. They will be ready
and willing to help if you need it.
Here are some things you can check before a trip:
Windshield Washer Fluid:Is the reservoir full? Are
all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades:Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:Have you checked
all levels?
Lamps:Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
Tires:They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip. Is the tread good enough for
long-distance driving? Are the tires all inated to the
recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts:What is the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay your trip a
short time to avoid a major storm system?
Maps:Do you have up-to-date maps?
4-23

Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as “highway hypnosis”?
Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel? Call it
highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch of road with
the same scenery, along with the hum of the tires on the
road, the drone of the engine, and the rush of the
wind against the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Do
not let it happen to you! If it does, your vehicle can
leave the road inless than a second,and you could
crash and be injured.
What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be
aware that it can happen.
Then here are some tips:
Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a
comfortably cool interior.
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and
to the sides. Check your rearview mirrors and your
instruments frequently.
If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest,
service or parking area and take a nap, get some
exercise, or both. For safety, treat drowsiness
on the highway as an emergency.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in at or rolling terrain.
4-24

Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels. If your vehicle
has traction control, you should turn the system off.
SeeTraction Control System (TCS) on page 4-9. Then
shift back and forth between REVERSE (R) and a
forward gear, spinning the wheels as little as possible.
Release the accelerator pedal while you shift, and press
lightly on the accelerator pedal when the transaxle is
in gear. By slowly spinning your wheels in the forward
and reverse directions, you will cause a rocking
motion that may free your vehicle. If that does not get
you out after a few tries, you may need to be towed out.
If you do need to be towed out, seeTowing Your
Vehicle on page 4-31.
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 7-6.
If you want to tow your vehicle behind another vehicle
for recreational purposes (such as behind a motorhome),
see “Recreational Vehicle Towing” following.
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”).
With the proper preparation and equipment, many
vehicles can be towed in these ways. See “Dinghy
Towing” and “Dolly Towing,” following.
4-31

But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here is
how to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but do not shift into
PARK (P) yet.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer
wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your
parking brake, and then shift to PARK (P).
5. Release the regular brakes.
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
Start your engine.
Shift into a gear.
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the
chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you are
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transaxle uid (do not overll),
engine oil, drive belt, cooling system and brake system.
Each of these is covered in this manual, and the Index
will help you nd them quickly. If you are trailering, it is a
good idea to review this information before you start
your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer Towing
Your cooling system may temporarily overheat during
severe operating conditions. SeeEngine Overheating on
page 5-29.
4-45

Service............................................................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside of Your
Vehicle......................................................5-4
Fuel................................................................5-5
Gasoline Octane............................................5-5
Gasoline Specications....................................5-5
California Fuel...............................................5-6
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-7
Filling Your Tank............................................5-8
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.....................5-11
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-12
Hood Release..............................................5-13
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-14
Engine Oil...................................................5-16
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-21
Automatic Transaxle Fluid..............................5-23
Engine Coolant.............................................5-26
Radiator Pressure Cap..................................5-28
Engine Overheating.......................................5-29
Cooling System............................................5-31
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-39
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-40
Brakes........................................................5-42Battery........................................................5-45
Jump Starting...............................................5-47
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-52
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-52
Headlamps..................................................5-53
Front Turn Signal and Parking Lamps..............5-54
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and
Back-up Lamps.........................................5-56
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-57
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-57
Tires..............................................................5-58
Ination - Tire Pressure.................................5-67
Check Tire Pressure System..........................5-68
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-70
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-72
Buying New Tires.........................................5-72
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-74
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-75
Wheel Replacement......................................5-75
Tire Chains..................................................5-77
Accessory Inator.........................................5-78
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-79
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................5-80
Compact Spare Tire......................................5-90
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

Appearance Care............................................5-91
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.................5-91
Care of Safety Belts......................................5-94
Weatherstrips...............................................5-94
Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle..............5-94
Sheet Metal Damage.....................................5-96
Finish Damage.............................................5-96
Underbody Maintenance................................5-97
Chemical Paint Spotting.................................5-97
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials..................5-98
Vehicle Identication......................................5-99
Vehicle Identication Number (VIN).................5-99
Service Parts Identication Label.....................5-99Electrical System..........................................5-100
Add-On Electrical Equipment.........................5-100
Headlamp Wiring........................................5-100
Windshield Wiper Fuses...............................5-100
Power Windows and Other Power Options......5-100
Fuses and Circuit Breakers..........................5-101
Removing the Rear Seat Cushion..................5-104
Capacities and Specications........................5-109
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts.........5-110
Engine Drive Belt Routing............................5-111
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-2

Service
Your dealer knows your vehicle best and wants you to
be happy with it. We hope you will go to your dealer
for all your service needs. You will get genuine GM parts
and GM-trained and supported service people.
We hope you will want to keep your GM vehicle all GM.
Genuine GM parts have one of these marks:
California Proposition 65 Warning
Most motor vehicles, including this one, contain and/or
emit chemicals known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive
harm. Engine exhaust, many parts and systems
(including some inside the vehicle), many uids, and
some component wear by-products contain and/or emit
these chemicals.
5-3

Doing Your Own Service Work
If you want to do some of your own service work, you will
want to use the proper service manual. It tells you much
more about how to service your vehicle than this manual
can. To order the proper service manual, seeService
Publications Ordering Information on page 7-12.
Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting
to do your own service work, seeServicing Your Air
Bag-Equipped Vehicle on page 1-60.
You should keep a record with all parts receipts and list
the mileage and the date of any service work you
perform. SeePart E: Maintenance Record on page 6-27.{CAUTION:
You can be injured and your vehicle could be
damaged if you try to do service work on a
vehicle without knowing enough about it.
Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, the proper replacement parts
and tools before you attempt any vehicle
maintenance task.
Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts and
other fasteners. “English” and “metric”
fasteners can be easily confused. If you
use the wrong fasteners, parts can later
break or fall off. You could be hurt.
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle
Things you might add to the outside of your vehicle can
affect the airow around it. This may cause wind
noise and affect windshield washer performance. Check
with your dealer before adding equipment to the
outside of your vehicle.
5-4