2007 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX wheel

Towing
Towing Your Vehicle
Consult your dealer or a professional towing
service if you need to have your disabled vehicle
towed. SeeRoadside Assistance Program on
page 498.
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.
Here are some important things to consider before
you do recreational vehicle towing:
What is the towing capacity of the towing
vehicle? Be sure to read the tow vehicle
manufacturer’s recommendations.
How far will the vehicle be towed? 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 the vehicle ready to be towed? Just as you
would prepare your vehicle for a long trip, you
will want to make sure the vehicle is
prepared to be towed. SeeBefore Leaving on
a Long Trip on page 308.
322

Dinghy Towing
Notice:If you tow your vehicle with all
four wheels on the ground, the drivetrain
components could be damaged. The repairs
would not be covered by your warranty.
Do not tow your vehicle with all four wheels on
the ground.
The vehicle was not designed to be towed with all
four wheels on the ground. If the vehicle must
be towed, use a dolly. See “Dolly Towing” following
for more information.
Dolly Towing
The vehicle can be towed using a dolly. To tow
your vehicle using a dolly, follow these steps:
1. Put the front wheels on the dolly.
2. Put the vehicle in PARK (P).
3. Set the parking brake and then remove the key.
4. Clamp the steering wheel in a straight-ahead
position.
5. Release the parking brake.
323

Towing a Trailer
{CAUTION:
If you do not use the correct equipment
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.The vehicle can tow a trailer if it is equipped with
the proper trailer towing equipment. To identify
the trailering capacity of the vehicle, read the
information in “Weight of the Trailer” that appears
later in this section. Trailering is different than
just driving the 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 is 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 pulling 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. The trailer also adds
considerably to wind resistance, increasing the
pulling requirements.
324

Passing
More passing distance is needed up ahead when
towing a trailer. And, because the vehicle and
trailer are a good deal longer, distances between
any vehicles that are passed must be greater,
before returning to the proper lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one
hand. Then, to move the trailer to the left, move that
hand to the left. To move the trailer to the right,
move that hand to the right. Always back up slowly
and, if possible, have someone guide you.
Making Turns
Notice:Making very sharp turns while
trailering could cause the trailer to come in
contact with the vehicle. Your vehicle could
be damaged. Avoid making very sharp
turns while trailering.
When turning with a trailer, make wider turns than
normal. Do this so the trailer will not strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees, or other
objects. Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers.
Signal well in advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When towing a trailer, the vehicle may need a
different turn signal asher and/or extra wiring.
Check with your dealer. The arrows on the
instrument panel will ash whenever signaling a
turn or lane change. Properly hooked up, the trailer
lamps will also ash, telling other drivers the vehicle
and trailer are about to turn, change lanes, or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on the instrument
panel will ash for turns even if the bulbs on the
trailer are burned out. You may think drivers behind
you are seeing the turn signal when they are not. It
is important to check occasionally to be sure the
trailer bulbs are still working.
The vehicle has bulb warning lights. When a trailer
lighting system is plugged into the vehicle’s lighting
system, its bulb warning lights may not indicate if
one of the lamps goes out. So, when a trailer
lighting system is plugged in, be sure to check the
vehicle and trailer lamps from time to time to be
sure they are all working. Once the trailer lamps
have been disconnected, the bulb warning lights
can once again indicate if one of the vehicle lamps
is out.
329

Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before
starting down a long or steep downgrade. If
the vehicle is not shifted down, the brakes may
have to be used so much that they would get hot
and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce the
vehicle’s speed to around 45 mph (70 km/h) to
reduce the possibility of engine and transaxle
overheating.
If the vehicle has overdrive, it may be driven in
THIRD (3) instead of DRIVE (D).
Parking on Hills
{CAUTION:
You really should not park your vehicle,
with a trailer attached, on a hill. If
something goes wrong, your rig could
start to move. People can be injured, and
both your vehicle and the trailer can be
damaged.
But if the rig ever has to be parked on a hill, here
is how to do it:
1. Apply the 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 the
parking brake, and then shift to PARK (P).
5. Release the regular brakes.
330

Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement....... 399
Tires............................................................ 400
Tire Sidewall Labeling............................... 401
Tire Terminology and Denitions............... 405
Ination - Tire Pressure............................. 408
Tire Pressure Monitor System................... 409
Tire Inspection and Rotation...................... 414
When It Is Time for New Tires.................. 415
Buying New Tires...................................... 416
Different Size Tires and Wheels................ 417
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..................... 418
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance............ 419
Wheel Replacement.................................. 419
Tire Chains............................................... 421
If a Tire Goes Flat.................................... 422
Tire Inator Kit (GXP)................................ 424
Changing a Flat Tire................................. 435
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools.......... 436
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire............................................. 438
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools...... 445
Compact Spare Tire.................................. 447Appearance Care........................................ 448
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.......... 448
Fabric/Carpet............................................. 449
Leather...................................................... 451
Ultra Lux Suede........................................ 451
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other Plastic
Surfaces................................................ 452
Care of Safety Belts.................................. 452
Weatherstrips............................................ 452
Washing Your Vehicle............................... 453
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses................ 453
Finish Care............................................... 453
Windshield and Wiper Blades.................... 454
Aluminum Wheels...................................... 454
Tires......................................................... 455
Sheet Metal Damage................................. 455
Finish Damage.......................................... 456
Underbody Maintenance............................ 456
Chemical Paint Spotting............................ 456
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials............ 457
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
334

Brake Wear
Your vehicle has four-wheel disc brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that
make a high-pitched warning sound when the
brake pads are worn and new pads are needed.
The sound may come and go or be heard all
the time your vehicle is moving, except when you
are pushing on the brake pedal rmly.
{CAUTION:
The brake wear warning sound means that
soon the brakes will not work well. That
could lead to an accident. When you hear
the brake wear warning sound, have your
vehicle serviced.
Notice:Continuing to drive with worn-out
brake pads could result in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates may cause
a brake squeal when the brakes are rst applied or
lightly applied. This does not mean something is
wrong with your brakes.Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated,
inspect brake pads for wear and evenly tighten
wheel nuts in the proper sequence to GM torque
specications.
Brake linings should always be replaced as
complete axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return
to normal height, or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you apply the brakes, with or without
the vehicle moving, your brakes adjust for wear.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a vehicle is complex. Its
many parts have to be of top quality and work well
together if the vehicle is to have really good
braking. Your vehicle was designed and tested with
top-quality GM brake parts.
380

Low-Prole Performance Tire (GXP)
If your vehicle has P255/45R18 size tires on the
front wheels and P225/50R18 size tires on the rear
wheels, they are classied as low-prole
performance tires. These tires are designed for
very responsive driving on wet or dry pavement.
You may also notice more road noise with
low-prole performance tires and that they tend to
wear faster.
Notice:If your vehicle has low-prole tires,
they are more susceptible to damage from road
hazards or curb impact than standard prole
tires. Tire and/or wheel assembly damage
can occur when coming into contact with road
hazards like, potholes, or sharp edged
objects, or when sliding into a curb. Your GM
warranty does not cover this type of damage.
Keep tires set to the correct ination pressure
and, when possible avoid contact with
curbs, potholes, and other road hazards.
Tire Sidewall Labeling
Useful information about a tire is molded into its
sidewall. The examples below show a typical
passenger vehicle tire and a compact spare tire
sidewall.
Passenger (P-Metric) Tire Example
401