start stop button PONTIAC GRAND AM 1998 Owners Manual
Page 77 of 370
Key  Release  Button  (Manual  Transaxle) 
The  key  cannot  be  removed  from the ignition  unless  the 
key  release  button  is  used. 
To remove  the  key,  turn  the  key to the OFF position. 
While  pressing  the 
key release  button, turn the key  to 
the LOCK position.  Pull  the  key  straight  out. 
Starting Your Engine 
Automatic  Transaxle 
Move  your  shift  lever  to PARK (P)  or NEUTRAL (N). 
Your engine  won’t  start  in any other position -- that’s  a 
safety  feature. 
To restart  when you’re  already  moving, 
use 
NEUTRAL (N) only. 
I NOTICE: 
Don’t  try  to  shift  to  PARK (P)  if your Pontiac is 
moving. If you  do,  you  could  damage  the 
transaxle. 
Shift to PARK (P) only  when  your 
vehicle is stopped. 
Manual  Transaxle 
The  gear  selector  should  be  in NEUTRAL (N). Hold the 
clutch  pedal  to 
the floor  and start  the  engine.  Your 
vehicle  won’t 
start if the clutch  pedal  is not all the  way 
down 
-- that’s  a  safety  feature. 
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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. 
I 1 
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. 
I 
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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Page 149 of 370
FWD (6): Press  and  hold this button  to  quickly  advance 
within a track.  You will  hear  sound  at a reduced  volume. 
The  display  will  show  elapsed  time. 
RECALL: Press this button to see  what  track  is 
currently  playing.  Press 
RECALL again  within 
five  seconds  to  see  how  long  the  track  has been 
playing.  When 
a new  track starts to  play,  the  track 
number  will  also  appear.  Press 
RECALL a  third  time 
and  the  time 
of day  will  be  displayed. 
AM-FM: Press  this  button  to  play  the  radio  when a disc 
is playing. The disc  will  stop  but  remain in the player. 
CD/l?LAE Press this button to change to the  disc 
function  when  the  radio  is  on. 
EJECT: Press this button to remove  the  disc  or  stop  the 
disc  and  switch  to 
the radio. EJECT will work  with  the 
radio 
off. 
Remote Cassette Tape Player (If Equipped) 
Playing a  Cassette  Tape 
With this option, the remote single cassette player is 
mounted  to the console. 
Your  tape  player 
is built  to  work  best  with  tapes  that  are 
30 to 45 minutes  long  on  each  side.  Tapes  longer  than 
that  are 
so thin  they  may  not work well  in this player. 
With  the  radio on, insert  a cassette  tape.  Once  the  tape 
is 
playing,  use  the  control knobs for VOL, BAL, FADE, 
BASS and TREB just  as you  do for  the  radio. A lighted 
cassette  symbol 
shows when a cassette  tape is in  the 
player. A lighted arrow will also appear  and  show  the 
direction  of  play 
when a tape is active. 
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