key PONTIAC GRAND AM 1998 Owner's Manual

Ensure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) range before
starting the engine. Your vehicle has a Brake-Transaxle
Shift Interlock
( BTSI). You have to fully apply your
regular brakes before you can shift from PARK (P)
when the ignition key is in the RUN position. If you
cannot
shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on the
shift lever
-- push the shift lever all the way into
PARK (P) -- as you maintain brake application. Then
move the shift lever into the gear you wish. (Press the
shift lever button before moving the shift lever.) See
“Shifting Out of
PARK (P)” later in this section.
REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
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NOTICE:
Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle is
moving forward could damage
your transaxle.
Shift to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle
is stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging your transaxle, see
“Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice
or Snow” in the Index.
NEUTRAL (N): In this position, your engine
doesn’t connect with the wheels.
To restart when you’re
already moving, use
NEUTRAL (N) only. Also, use
NEUTRAL (N) when your vehicle is being towed.
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Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) while
your engine is “racing” (running at high speed) is
dangerous. Unless your foot is firmly on the
brake pedal, your vehicle could move very
rapidly. You could lose control and hit people or
objects. Don’t shift out of PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL (N) while your engine is racing.
NOTICE:
Damage to your transaxle caused by shifting out
of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) with the engine
racing isn’t covered
by your warranty.
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Shifting Into PARK (P)
(Automatic Transaxle Only)
A CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can
roll. If
you have left the engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others could
be injured.
To be sure your vehicle won't move, even when
you're on
fairly level ground, use the steps that
follow.
If you're pulling a trailer, see "Towing a
Tkailer" in the Index.
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1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot and
set the parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever into the PARK (P) position
like this:
Hold in the button on the lever.
Push the lever all the way toward the front of
your
vehicle.
3. Move the ignition key to LOCK.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
leave your vehicle with the ignition key in your
hand, your vehicle is in
PARK (P)
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Shifting Out of PARK (P)
(Automatic Transaxle Models Only)
Your vehicle has a Brake-Transaxle Shift Interlock
(BTSI). You have to
fully apply your regular brakes
before you can shift from PARK
(P) when the ignition is
in the
RUN position. See “Automatic Transaxle
Operation” in the Index.
If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on
the
shift lever -- push the shift lever all the way into
PARK (P) -- as you maintain brake application. Then
move the shift lever into the gear you want. (Press the
shift lever button before moving the shift lever.) If you
ever hold the brake pedal down
but still can’t
shift out of
PARK (P), try this:
1. Remove the ignition key.
2. There is a small cap on the passenger’s side of the
center console. Gently remove it
with a small
screwdriver.
3. Insert the ignition key into this opening until it contacts
with a small paddle. This is the override feature.
4. While pushing forward on the paddle, press the shift
lever button, then pull the shift lever from PARK (P).
5. Have the vehicle fixed as soon as you can.
Parking Your Vehicle
(Manual Transaxle Only)
Before you get out of your vehicle, put your manual transaxle
in REVERSE (R) and firmly apply the parking brake.
If you are parking on a hill, or if your vehicle is equipped
to tow a trailer, see “Towing a Trailer’’ in the Index.
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Illuminated Entry System Front Reading Lamps (If Equipped)
When you lift
the outside handle of either front door or
open a rear door, the lamps inside your vehicle will go
on. These lamps will fade out after about
40 seconds, or
when the ignition is turned
on after all doors have been
closed.
If the ignition was recently turned off, the lamps
will fade out after four seconds. These lamps will also
go on when you press the
DOOR or UNLOCK button
on the optional keyless entry transmitter.
If the ignition has been off for less than two minutes, the
lamps inside your vehicle will stay on for
15 seconds
when your key is removed from the ignition switch to
provide
an illuminated exit.
These lamps and the interior courtesy lamps will come on when you open the doors.
To turn
on a reading lamp when the doors are closed,
press the button. Press it again to turn the lamp
off.
Front Map Lamps (If Equipped)
If your vehicle has a sunroof, it will have a &ew mirror
with lamps built
in. The lamps go on when you open the
doors. When the doors are closed, turn the lamps on and off
with the switches located below the face of the mirror.
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Power Remote Control Mirror
(If Equipped)
This selector knob
controls both outside
rearview mirrors.
Storage Compartments
Glove Box
Use one of the vehicle’s keys to lock and unlock
the glove box.
To open, pull the glove box handle
toward you.
Center Console Storage Area
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Select the mirror you want to adjust by rotating the knob
to the left or right. Adjust each mirror
so that you can
just see the side of
your vehicle when you are sitting in a
comfortable driving position.
Turn the knob to the center to turn the remote control
mirror off.
The armrest opens into a storage area for cassette tapes,
gloves, etc.
To open it, lift up on the front portion of
the armrest.
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Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is turned to RUN or START, a chime will
come on for about eight seconds to remind people to
fasten their safety belts, unless the driver’s safety belt is
already buckled.
The safety belt light will
also come
on and stay on
for about 20 seconds,
then it will flash for about
55 seconds.
If the driver’s belt is already buckled, neither the chime
nor
the light will come on.
AIR
Air Bag Readiness Light
There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument
panel, which shows AIR
BAG. The system checks the
air bag’s electrical system for malfunctions. The light
tells you if there is an electrical problem. The system
check includes the air bag sensor, the air bag modules,
the wiring and the crash sensing and diagnostic module.
For more information on the
air bag system, see “Air
Bag” in the Index.
This light will come on
when you start your engine,
and it will flash for a few
seconds. Then the light
should go out. This means
the system is ready.
If the air bag readiness light stays on after you start the
engine or comes on when you are driving, your
air bag
system may not work properly. Have your vehicle
serviced right away.
The
air bag readiness light should flash for a few
seconds when you turn the ignition key to RUN.
If the
light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed so it will be
ready to warn you if there is a problem.
BAG
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Charging System Indicator Light
~ The charging system
indicator light will come
on
briefly when you turn on the
ignition, but the engine is
not
running. The light will
go out when the engine
is started.
If it stays on when your engine is running, or comes on
while you are driving, you may have a problem with the
electrical charging
system. It could indicate that you
have a loose generator drive belt or another electrical
problem. Have it checked right away. Driving while
this
light is on could drain your battery.
If you must drive a short distance with the light on, be
certain to turn off all your accessories, such as the radio
and air conditioner.
Brake System Warning Light
Your vehicle’s hydraulic brake system is divided into
two parts. If one part isn’t working, the other part can
still work and stop you. For good braking, though, you
need
both parts working well.
If the warning light comes on, there is a brake problem.
Have your brake system inspected right away.
BRAKE
United States Canada
This light should come on briefly when you turn the
ignition key
to RUN. If it doesn’t come on then, have it
fixed so it will be ready to warn you if there’s a problem.
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If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off the
road and stop carefully. You may notice that the pedal is
harder to push. Or, the pedal may
go closer to the floor.
It may take longer to stop. If the light
is still on, have the
vehicle towed for service. (See “Towing Your Vehicle”
in the Index.)
I A CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working properly
if the brake system warning light is on. Driving
with the brake system warning light on can lead to an accident.
If the light is still on after you’ve
pulled off the road and stopped carefully, bqve
the vehicle towed for service.
When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
will
also come on when you set your parking brake. The
light will stay on if your parking brake doesn’t release
fully.
If it stays on after your parking brake is fully
released, it means you have a brake problem.
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
With the anti-lock brake
system,
this light will come
on when you
start your
engine
and it will stay on
for three seconds.
That’s normal.
If the light stays on, turn the ignition to OFF. Or, if the
light comes on when you’re driving, stop
as soon as
possible and turn the ignition off. Then start the engine
again to reset the system.
If the light still stays on, or
comes on
again while you’re driving, your vehicle needs
service. If the regular brake system warning light isn’t
on, you still have brakes, but you don’t have anti-lock
brakes.
If the regular brake system warning light is also
on, you don’t have anti-lock brakes and there’s a
problem with
your regular brakes. See “Brake System
Warning Light” earlier in this section.
The anti-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly when you turn the ignition key to
RUN. If the
light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be
ready
to warn you if there is a problem.
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Enhanced Traction System Active Light
When your Enhanced Traction System is limiting wheel spin,
this light will LOW
.TRAC
come on.
Slippery road conditions may exist if the Enhanced
Traction System active light comes on,
so adjust your
driving accordingly.
The light will stay on for a few seconds after the
Enhanced Traction System stops limiting wheel spin.
The Enhanced Traction System active light also comes
on briefly when you
turn the ignition key to RUN. If the
light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be
there to tell you when the system is active.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the engine
coolant temperature.
If the
gage pointer moves into the
too hot!
red area, your engine
is
A light
will come on to the right of the gage when the
gage pointer moves beyond the normal operating zone.
It means that your engine coolant has overheated.
If you have been operating your vehicle under normal
driving conditions, you should pull
off the road, stop
your vehicle and turn off the engine as soon as possible.
In “Problems on the Road,” this manual shows what to
do. See “Engine Overheating” in the Index.
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NOTICE:
If you keep driving your vehicle with this light on, after a while, your emission controls may not
work as well, your fuel economy may not be as
good and your engine may not run as smoothly.
This could lead to costly repairs that may not
be
covered by your warranty.
This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when the ignition is on and the engine is not
running. If the light doesn’t come on, have it repaired.
This light will also come on during a malfunction in one
of two ways:
Light Flashing -- A misfire condition has been
detected.
A misfire increases vehicle emissions and
may damage the emission control system on your
vehicle. Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis and service may be required.
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis and
service may be required.
0 Light On Steady -- An emission control system
If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
0 Reducing vehicle speed.
0 Avoiding hard accelerations.
0 Avoiding steep uphill grades.
0 If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as
soon as it is possible.
If the light stops flashing and remains on steady, see “If
the Light Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to flash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
Turn the key
off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart the
engine.
If the light remains on steady, see “If the Light
Is On Steady” following.
If the light is still flashing,
follow the previous steps, and drive the vehicle
to your
dealer or qualified service center for service.
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