maintenance PONTIAC GRAND AM 2005 Owners Manual

Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-8
Safety Belts
.............................................. 1-9
Child Restraints
.......................................1-30
Airbag System
.........................................1-51
Restraint System Check
............................1-57
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-2
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-7
Windows
.................................................2-13
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-15
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-15
Mirrors
....................................................2-28
Storage Areas
.........................................2-29
Sunroof
..................................................2-30
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-19
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators
........3-22
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-37Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-35
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-10
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-42
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-45
Tires
......................................................5-46
Appearance Care
.....................................5-71
Vehicle Identification
.................................5-79
Electrical System
......................................5-80
Capacities and Specifications
.....................5-85
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance and Information.............. 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information
........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
...........................7-10
Index.................................................................1
2005 Pontiac Grand Am Owner ManualM

{CAUTION:
For up to 10 minutes after the ignition key is
turned off and the battery is disconnected, an
airbag can still inate during improper service.
You can be injured if you are close to an
airbag when it inates. Avoid wires wrapped
with yellow tape or yellow connectors. They
are probably part of the airbag system. Be sure
to follow proper service procedures, and make
sure the person performing work for you is
qualied to do so.
The airbag system does not need regular maintenance.
Restraint System Check
Checking Your Restraint Systems
Now and then, make sure the safety belt reminder light
and all your belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors
and anchorages are working properly. Look for any other
loose or damaged safety belt system parts. If you see
anything that might keep a safety belt system from doing
its job, have it repaired.
Torn or frayed safety belts may not protect you in a
crash. They can rip apart under impact forces. If a belt
is torn or frayed, get a new one right away.
Also look for any opened or broken airbag covers, and
have them repaired or replaced. (The airbag system
does not need regular maintenance.)
1-57

Low Coolant Warning Light
This light comes on briefly
when you turn your
ignition on.
If this light comes on and stays on and you hear a
chime, the coolant level in your vehicle is low.
SeeEngine Coolant on page 5-22. If the light is on
along with an overheat warning, you may have a serious
overheating problem. SeeEngine Coolant Temperature
Gage on page 3-29.
Notice:Lack of proper engine oil maintenance may
damage the engine. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. Always follow the
maintenance schedule in this manual for changing
engine oil.
SeeEngine Overheating on page 5-24for information
on what to do.
Your vehicle should be serviced as soon as possible.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
Service Engine Soon Light in the
United States or Check Engine Light in
Canada
Your vehicle is equipped with a computer which
monitors operation of the fuel, ignition, and emission
control systems.
United StatesCanada
3-30

This system is called OBD II (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) and is intended to
assure that emissions are at acceptable levels for the life
of the vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner environment.
The SERVICE ENGINE SOON or check engine light
comes on to indicate that there is a problem and service
is required. Malfunctions often will be indicated by the
system before any problem is apparent. This may prevent
more serious damage to your vehicle. This system is also
designed to assist your service technician in correctly
diagnosing any malfunction.
Notice:If you keep driving your vehicle with this
light on, after awhile, 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.
Notice:Modications made to the engine,
transaxle, exhaust, intake, or fuel system of your
vehicle or the replacement of the original tires with
other than those of the same Tire Performance
Criteria (TPC) can affect your vehicle’s emission
controls and may cause this light to come on.
Modications to these systems could lead to costly
repairs not covered by your warranty. This may
also result in a failure to pass a required Emission
Inspection/Maintenance test.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 does not 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. Diagnosis and service may be
required.
•Light On Steady— An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Diagnosis and service may be required.
If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
•Reducing vehicle speed
•Avoiding hard accelerations
•Avoiding steep uphill grades
•If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible
3-31

Emissions Inspection and Maintenance
Programs
Some state/provincial and local governments have or
may begin programs to inspect the emission control
equipment on your vehicle. Failure to pass this
inspection could prevent you from getting a vehicle
registration.
Here are some things you need to know in order to help
your vehicle pass an inspection:
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the SERVICE
ENGINE SOON or check engine light is on or not
working properly.Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the OBD
(on-board diagnostic) system determines that critical
emission control systems have not been completely
diagnosed by the system. The vehicle would be
considered not ready for inspection. This can happen if
you have recently replaced your battery or if your
battery has run down. The diagnostic system is
designed to evaluate critical emission control systems
during normal driving. This may take several days
of routine driving. If you have done this and your vehicle
still does not pass the inspection for lack of OBD
system readiness, your GM dealer can prepare the
vehicle for inspection.
3-33

Oil Pressure Light
If you have low engine oil
pressure, this light will stay
on after you start your
engine, or come on
and you will hear a chime
when you are driving.
This indicates that your engine is not receiving enough
oil. The engine could be low on oil, or could have
some other oil problem. Have it fixed immediately.
This light will come on briefly when you turn on
the ignition as a check to show you it is working. If it
does not come on with the ignition on, you may have a
problem with the bulb. Have it fixed right away.
{CAUTION:
Do not keep driving if the oil pressure is low. If
you do, your engine can become so hot that it
catches re. You or others could be burned.
Check your oil as soon as possible and have
your vehicle serviced.Notice:Lack of proper engine oil maintenance may
damage the engine. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. Always follow the
maintenance schedule in this manual for changing
engine oil.
Change Engine Oil Light
The CHANGE OIL light
should come on briefly as
a bulb check when you
start the engine. If the light
doesn’t come on, have it
serviced.
If the CHANGE OIL light comes on and stays on after
you start the engine, have the oil changed.
To reset the CHANGE OIL light, seeEngine Oil on
page 5-15.
3-34

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, and
•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 fluid (do not overfill),
engine oil, drive belt, cooling system and brake system.
Each of these is covered in this manual, and the Index
will help you find 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 5-24.
4-44

Appearance Care............................................5-71
Fabric/Carpet...............................................5-71
Vinyl...........................................................5-73
Leather.......................................................5-73
Instrument Panel..........................................5-73
Interior Plastic Components............................5-73
Glass Surfaces.............................................5-73
Care of Safety Belts......................................5-74
Weatherstrips...............................................5-74
Washing Your Vehicle...................................5-74
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses.....................5-75
Finish Care..................................................5-75
Windshield and Wiper Blades.........................5-75
Aluminum Wheels.........................................5-76
Tires...........................................................5-76
Sheet Metal Damage.....................................5-77Finish Damage.............................................5-77
Underbody Maintenance................................5-77
Chemical Paint Spotting.................................5-77
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials..................5-78
Vehicle Identication......................................5-79
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).................5-79
Service Parts Identification Label.....................5-79
Electrical System............................................5-80
Add-On Electrical Equipment..........................5-80
Windshield Wiper Fuses................................5-80
Power Windows and Other Power Options.......5-80
Fuses and Circuit Breakers............................5-80
Instrument Panel Fuse Block..........................5-81
Engine Compartment Fuse Block....................5-83
Capacities and Specications..........................5-85
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-2

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 7-11.
Your vehicle has an airbag system. Before attempting to
do your own service work, seeServicing Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on page 1-56.
You should keep a record with all parts receipts and list
the mileage and the date of any service work you
perform. SeeMaintenance Record on page 6-14.{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.
5-4

Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle
Things you might add to the outside of your vehicle can
affect the airflow 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.
Fuel
Use of the recommended fuel is an important part of the
proper maintenance of your vehicle.
Gasoline Octane
Use regular unleaded gasoline with a posted octane of 87
or higher. If the octane is less than 87, you may get a
heavy knocking noise when you drive. If this occurs, use
a gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher as soon as
possible. Otherwise, you might damage your engine. A
little pinging noise when you accelerate or drive uphill is
considered normal. This does not indicate a problem
exists or that a higher-octane fuel is necessary. If you are
using 87 octane or higher-octane fuel and hear heavy
knocking, your engine needs service.
Gasoline Specications
It is recommended that gasoline meet specifications
which were developed by automobile manufacturers
around the world and contained in the World-Wide Fuel
Charter which is available from the Alliance of Automobile
Manufacturers at www.autoalliance.org/fuel_charter.htm.
Gasoline meeting these specifications could provide
improved driveability and emission control system
performance compared to other gasoline.
California Fuel
If your vehicle is certified to meet California Emission
Standards (see the underhood emission control label), it
is designed to operate on fuels that meet California
specifications. If this fuel is not available in states
adopting California emissions standards, your vehicle
will operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal
specifications, but emission control system performance
may be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp may
turn on and your vehicle may fail a smog-check test. See
Malfunction Indicator Lamp on page 3-30. If this
occurs, return to your authorized GM dealer for
diagnosis. If it is determined that the condition is caused
by the type of fuel used, repairs may not be covered
by your warranty.
5-5