tow PONTIAC GRAND PRIX 2005 Owners Manual

Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-8
Safety Belts
.............................................1-10
Child Restraints
.......................................1-29
Airbag System
.........................................1-48
Restraint System Check
............................1-57
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-2
Doors and Locks
......................................2-10
Windows
.................................................2-15
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-17
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-21
Mirrors
....................................................2-35
OnStar
®System
......................................2-36
Storage Areas
.........................................2-38
Sunroof
..................................................2-41
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-26
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators
........3-35
Driver Information Center (DIC)
..................3-49
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-92Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-38
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-10
Headlamp Aiming
.....................................5-48
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-50
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-57
Tires
......................................................5-58
Appearance Care
.....................................5-94
Vehicle Identication
...............................5-102
Electrical System
....................................5-103
Capacities and Specications
...................5-108
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance and Information.............. 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information
........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
...........................7-12
Index................................................................ 1
2005 Pontiac Grand Prix Owner ManualM

Power Seat
If the vehicle has this feature, the control is located on
the outboard side of the driver’s seat.
To adjust the seat do the following:
Move the seat forward or rearward by sliding the
control toward the front or rear of the vehicle.
Raise or lower the seat cushion by sliding the
control up or down.
Raise or lower the front portion of the seat by
sliding the front part of the control up or down.
Raise or lower the rear portion of the seat by sliding
the rear part of the control up or down.
Power Lumbar
If the vehicle has this feature, the power lumber control
lets the driver adjust the amount and position of the
support in the lower seatback.
The four-way control is
located on the outboard
side of the driver’s
seat cushion.
To increase or decrease lumbar support, press and
hold the front or rear of the control. To raise or lower
the lumbar support, press and hold the top or bottom
of the control.
1-3

Head Restraints
Push the release button, located under the head
restraint to slide it up or down. Adjust the head restraint
so that the top of the restraint is closest to the top of
the occupant’s head in each front seat. This position
reduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash.
Passenger Folding Seatback
{CAUTION:
If you fold the seatback forward to carry longer
objects, such as skis, be sure any such cargo
is not near an airbag. In a crash, an inating
airbag might force that object toward a person.
This could cause severe injury or even death.
Secure objects away from the area in which
an airbag would inate. For more information,
seeWhere Are the Airbags? on page 1-50and
Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-33.
1-6

{CAUTION:
Never do this.
Here two children are wearing the same belt.
The belt can not properly spread the impact
forces. In a crash, the two children can be
crushed together and seriously injured. A belt
must be used by only one person at a time.
Q:What if a child is wearing a lap-shoulder belt,
but the child is so small that the shoulder belt
is very close to the child’s face or neck?
A:If the child is sitting in a seat next to a window,
move the child toward the center of the vehicle.
If the child is sitting in the center rear seat position,
move the child toward the safety belt buckle. In
either case, be sure that the shoulder belt still is on
the child’s shoulder, so that in a crash the child’s
upper body would have the restraint that belts
provide. If the child is sitting in a rear seat outside
position, seeRear Safety Belt Comfort Guides
for Children and Small Adults on page 1-26
1-30

Child Restraint Systems
An infant car bed (A), a special bed made for use in a
motor vehicle, is an infant restraint system designed
to restrain or position a child on a continuous at
surface. Make sure that the infant’s head rests toward
the center of the vehicle.A rear-facing infant seat (B) provides restraint with
the seating surface against the back of the infant. The
harness system holds the infant in place and, in a crash,
acts to keep the infant positioned in the restraint.
1-35

In any particular crash, no one can say whether an
airbag should have inated simply because of the
damage to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs
were. For frontal airbags, ination is determined by
the angle of the impact and how quickly the vehicle
slows down in frontal or near-frontal impacts. For side
impact airbags, ination is determined by the location
and severity of the impact.
What Makes an Airbag Inate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the airbag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. For
both frontal and side impact airbags, the sensing system
triggers a release of gas from the inator, which
inates the airbag. The inator, airbag, and related
hardware are all part of the airbag modules inside the
steering wheel and in the instrument panel in front of
the right front passenger. For vehicles with side impact
airbags, the airbag modules are located in the ceiling
of the vehicle, near the side windows.
How Does an Airbag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or
the instrument panel. In moderate to severe side
collisions, even belted occupants can contact the inside
of the vehicle. The airbag supplements the protection
provided by safety belts. Airbags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper
body, stopping the occupant more gradually. But the
frontal airbags would not help you in many types
of collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts, and many
side impacts, primarily because an occupant’s motion
is not toward the airbag. Side impact airbags would not
help you in many types of collisions, including frontal
or near frontal collisions, rollovers, and rear impacts,
primarily because an occupant’s motion is not toward
those airbags. Airbags should never be regarded
as anything more than a supplement to safety belts, and
then only in moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal
collisions for the driver’s and right front passenger’s
frontal airbags, and only in moderate to severe
side collisions for side impact airbags.
1-54

Visor Vanity Mirror
Raise the cover on the top of the sun visor to expose
the vanity mirror. If the vehicle has lighted vanity mirrors,
the lamps come on when the cover is opened.
Theft-Deterrent Systems
Vehicle theft is big business, especially in some cities.
Although the vehicle has a number of theft-deterrent
features, nothing that is put on the vehicle can make it
impossible to steal.
Content Theft-Deterrent
The vehicle has a content theft-deterrent alarm system.
A red light located on top
of the instrument panel,
toward the center of
the vehicle and near the
windshield, will ash slowly
when the system is
armed.The theft-deterrent alarm system needs to be activated
through the Driver’s Information Center (DIC). See
“Theft Deterrent” under the Personal Programming Mode
Screens inDIC Controls and Displays (Base Level
DIC) on page 3-49orDIC Controls and Displays
(Uplevel DIC with Trip Computer) on page 3-57. While
armed, the doors will not unlock with the power door lock
switch. The remote alarm will sound if someone
tampers with the trunk, enters the vehicle without using
the remote keyless entry transmitter or key to unlock
the doors, or turns the ignition on without the proper key.
The horn will sound and the headlamps will ash for
up to two minutes. The system will also cut off the fuel
supply, preventing the vehicle from being driven.Arming with the Power Lock Switch
The vehicle’s content theft-deterrent alarm system can be
activated when the key is removed from the ignition and
the power door lock switch of either the driver’s or front
passenger’s door is used to lock the vehicle. The door
needs to be in the open position when pressing the power
door lock switch. The alarm system will not activate if the
door is closed and the power door lock switch is pressed.
This system can be activated through the Driver’s
Information Center (DIC). See “Lock Switch Arm” under
the Personal Programming Mode Screens inDIC
Controls and Displays (Base Level DIC) on page 3-49
orDIC Controls and Displays (Uplevel DIC with Trip
Computer) on page 3-57.
2-17

When the doors are locked using the power door lock
switch of either front door, the red light, on top of
the instrument panel will start ashing to indicate the
system is arming. After all the doors are closed there will
be a time delay and then the red light will begin to
ash at a very slow rate indicating the sytem is armed.
Arming with the Remote Keyless
Entry Transmitter
The alarm system will arm when the remote keyless
entry transmitter is used to lock the doors after the key
is removed from the ignition. The red light will come
on to indicate that the system is arming. After all doors
are closed and locked, and after a time delay, the
red light will begin ashing at a very slow rate to show
the system is armed.
Arming Conrmation
A red light located on top of the instrument panel,
towards the center of the vehicle and near the
windshield, will ash slowly to conrm when the system
is armed.
Disarming with the Remote Keyless
Entry Transmitter
The alarm system will disarm when the remote keyless
entry transmitter is used to unlock the doors. The
red light will go out to show that the system is disarmed.
Disarming with Your Key
The alarm system will disarm when the key is used to
unlock the doors. The red light will stop ashing
when the system is disarmed. If you would like the key
to disarm the alarm system, see “Personal Programming
Mode Screens” underDIC Controls and Displays
(Base Level DIC) on page 3-49orDIC Controls and
Displays (Uplevel DIC with Trip Computer) on page 3-57
for more information.
PASS-Key®III
Your PASS-Key®III system operates on a radio
frequency subject to Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) Rules and with Industry Canada.
2-18

5. The SECURITY DISABLED DUE TO THEFT
SYSTEM warning message on the DIC will turn off,
once the key has been programmed. It may not
be apparent that the SECURITY DISABLED DUE
TO THEFT SYSTEM warning message went on due
to how quickly the key is programmed.
6. Repeat Steps 1 through 5 if additional keys are to
be programmed.
If the SECURITY DISABLED DUE TO THEFT SYSTEM
warning message appears and stays on the DIC
while the vehicle is being driven, the engine will be able
to be restarted if it is turned off. Your PASS-Key
®III
system, however, is not working properly and must be
serviced by your dealer. The vehicle is not protected
by the PASS-Key
®III system at this time.
If the PASS-Key
®III key is lost or stolen, see your
dealer or a locksmith who can service PASS-Key®III
to have a new key made.
Starting and Operating
Your Vehicle
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice:Your vehicle does not need an elaborate
break-in. But it will perform better in the long run
if you follow these guidelines:
Do not drive at any one speed — fast or
slow — for the rst 500 miles (805 km).
Do not make full-throttle starts.
Avoid making hard stops for the rst
200 miles (322 km) or so. During this time
your new brake linings are not yet broken in.
Hard stops with new linings can mean
premature wear and earlier replacement.
Follow this breaking-in guideline every time
you get new brake linings.
Do not tow a trailer during break-in. SeeTowing
a Trailer on page 4-40for more information.
2-21

Automatic Transaxle Operation
The shift lever for the automatic transaxle is located on
the console between the seats.
Maximum engine speed is limited when the vehicle is
in PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) to protect driveline
components from improper operation.
There are several
different positions for
the shift lever.
PARK (P):This position locks the front wheels.
It is the best position to use when the engine is
started because the vehicle cannot move easily.{CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake rmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Do not leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured.
To be sure your vehicle will not move, even
when you are on fairly level ground, always
set your parking brake and move the shift
lever to PARK (P). SeeShifting Into Park (P)
on page 2-31. If you are pulling a trailer, see
Towing a Trailer on page 4-40.
Make sure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before
starting the engine. The vehicle has an automatic
transaxle shift lock control system. The regular
brakes must be fully applied and the shift control
button, located on the front of the shift lever,
must be pressed before the vehicle can be shifted
from PARK (P) when the ignition is in RUN.
2-25