check engine PONTIAC BONNEVILLE 1993 Owners Manual

The ignition key must be clean and dry
before it’s inserted
in the ignition or the
engine may not
start.
If the engine does not start and the
SECURITY light is on, the key may be
dirty or wet.
Turn the ignition off.
Clean and dry the key. Wait about three
minutes and try again. The security light
may remain on during this time.
If the
starter still won’t work, and the key
appears
to be clean and dry, wait about
three minutes and try the other ignition
key. At this time, you may also want to
check the fuse (see the
Index under
Fuses & Circuit Breakers). If the starter
won’t work with the other key, your
vehicle needs service.
If your vehicle
does
start, the first ignition key may be
faulty. See your Pontiac dealer or
a
locksmith who can service the
PASS-Key
IITM
If you accidentally use a key that has a
damaged or missing resistor pellet, the
starter won’t work and the
SECURITY
light will flash. But you don’t have to
wait three minutes before trying one of
the other ignition keys.
See your Pontiac
dealer or a locksmith who can service
the PASS-Key
IITM to have a new key
made.
If you’re ever driving and the
SECURITY light comes on and
remains on, you will be able to restart
your engine if you
turn it off. Your
PASS-Key
II? system, however, is not
working properly and must be serviced
by your Pontiae dealer. Your vehicle is
not protected by the PASS-Key
IFM
system.
If you lose or damage a PASS-Key IFM
ignition key, see your Pontiac dealer or a
locksmith who can service PASS-
Key IFM to have a new key made.
Theft-Deterrent System (omoN)
If your Pontiac has this option, it has a
theft-deterrent alarm system. With this
system, the
SECURITY light will flash
when you open the door (if your ignition
is
off).
This light reminds you to arm the theft-
deterrent system when leaving your
vehicle.
To Arm the System:
1. Open the door.
2. Lock the door with the power door
lock switch or Keyless Entry
transmitter. The
SECURITY light
should come on and stay on.
3. Close all doors. The SECURITY
light will go off after about 30 seconds
and the system will then be armed.
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To Test the Almn:
Roll pur window down, then follow the
directions under
221 Am the System
earlier. Once tbe alarm is set, reach
through the
window and manually
unlock the door from the inside or turn
on the ignition. The alarm should
sound.
If the dam does not sound when it
should, check to see if your horn works.
The
horn fuse may be Mown. Ta replace
the
fuse, see the Index under FEares &
Circuit Breakers.
To reduce the possibility of theft, always
arm the theft-deterrent system when
leaving your vehicle.
tIEumhated Enfry Spkm ~~KNW)
When you lift the lever of either front
door, a light will glow
around the door
lock. This
will help you insert the door
key at night.
The lights inside your vehicle will also
go on. These lights will go off after
about
20 seconds, or when you start
your engine. These lights will also go on
when you press my button on the
optional Remote Keyless
Entry
transmitter.
If a door is left ajar, your interior lights
will
turn off after ten minutes to save
your battery.
H2344 I
Trunk hk
Ta unlock the trunk from the outside,
insert the door key and turn it.
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c
Tachometer (OFTION)
The tachometer shows your engine speed in revolutions per minute
(rpm).
Do not run your engine at speeds in the
red area.
Warning Lights, Gages
and Indicators
This section describes the warning lights
and gages that may
be on your vehicle.
The pictures will help
you locate them.
Warning lights and gages can signal that
something
is wrong before it becomes
serious enough to cause an expensive
repair or replacement. Paying attention
to your warning lights and gages could
also save you or others from injury.
Warning lights go on when there may be
or is a problem with one of your
vehicle’s functions.
As you will see in
the details on the next few pages, some
warning lights
come on briefly when
you turn the ignition key just to let you
know they’re working.
If you are
familiar with this section,
you should
not be alarmed when this happens. Gages can
indicate when there may
be
or is a problem with one of your vehicle’s
functions. Often gages
and warning
lights work together to let
you know
when there’s a problem with your vehicle.
When one
of the warning lights comes
on and stays
an when you are driving,
or whtm one
of the gages shows there
may be a problem, check the seetion
that tells you what
to do about it. Please
follow the manual’s advice. Waiting to
do repairs can
be costly-and even
dangerous.
So please get to know your
warning lights
and gages. They’re a big
help.
Your vehicle may also have a Driver
Information Center that
works along with
the warning lights and gages. See the
Index under Driver Information Center.
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Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light
This light tells you that your engine
coolant has overheated
or your radiator
cooling fans are
not working. If you
have been operating your vehicle under
normal driving conditions, you should
pull off the road, stop your vehicle and
turn the engine
off as soon as possible.
HOT
COOLANT CAN BURN YOU
BADLY!
In Problems on the Road, this
manual shows what to do. See the
Index
under Engine Overheating.
Some clusters with gages do not have a
coolant temperature warning light.
In
those clusters a CHECK GAGES
warning light will alert you of a
potential coolant heating problem.
Low Coolant Warning light
(OPT/ON)
If this light comes on, your system may
be low
on coolant and the engine may
overheat. Check to see
if the level is
low, and add coolant if necessary. See
the
Index under Engine Coolant.
The LOW COOLANT warning light
will also come on when
you turn on the
ignition, but your engine is not running,
as a check to show you it is working.
If
it doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
right away.
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Features & Controls
Oil Warning Light
If you have a problem with your oil, this
light may stay on after you
start your
engine, or come on
when you are
driving. This indicates that oil is not
going through your engine quickly
enough to keep
it cool. The engine
could be low
on oil, or could have some
other oil problem. Have
it fixed right
away. The
oil light could also come
on in two
other situations:
When the ignition is on but the engine
is not running, the light will come
on
as a test to show you it is working, but
the light will go out when you turn the
ignition to
Start. If it doesn't come on
with the ignition on, you may have a
problem with the fuse or bulb. Have
it
fixed right away.
If you make a hard stop, the light may
come on for a moment. This is
normal.
Clusters with gages use the CHECK
GAGES warning light to alert you of a
potential oil pressure problem.
4iU I JUN
Don't keep driving if the oil
pressure is low. If you do,
your
engine can become so hot that
it catches fire. You or others could
be burned. Check your oil as soon
as possible and have your vehicle
serviced.
[
Damage to your engine from,: . .. ', .
neglected oil problems can be ' .I'
costly and is not covered by your
., , ,l ,
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Check Oii Levei Warning Light
fO#-rn#)
This light indicates when the engine oil
level is
1 to 1% quarts (0.95 L to 1.4 L)
low. It will go on for one to three
seconds when the ignition is turned to
the Run position, as a bulb check. It
will then
go off. Even if you have a law
oil level, it will go off for 15 to 20
seconds. Then, if the oil level is low,
and it has been at least eight minutes
since your engine was last running, the
CHECK OIL LEVEL light will come
on for
20 to 40 seconds. The eight-
minute delay
allows the majority of the
oil to drain back into the oil pan and
prevent a false low condition.
If the CHECK OIL LEVEL warning
comes on, the oil level should be
checked at the oil dipstick. If the level is
low, the engine oil should
be brought up
to the proper level (see the
Index under
Engine Oil). After restoring the proper
level and waiting for the eight-minute
drainback, the key can be
turned to the
Run position and the CHECK OIL
LEVEL warning light should only
come on as a bulb check.
Battery Warning,Lighf
This light will come on briefly when
you
start the vehicle, as a check to show
you it is
working, then it should go out.
If it stays on, OF 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
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Features & Controls
Battery Warning Light (CONI:)
your accessories, such as. the radio and
climate control system.
Some clusters with gages do
not have a
battery warning light. They have a
CHECK GAGES warning to indicate a
problem. Vehicles with the supercharged
engine also have a similar battery
warning light.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Service Engine Soon Light)
A computer monitors operation of your
fuel, ignition and emission controls
systems. This light should come on
when the ignition is on but the engine is
not running, as a check to show you it is
working.
If it does not come on at all,
have it fixed right away.
If it stays on, or
it comes on while you are driving, the
computer is indicating that
you have a
problem. You should take your vehicle
in for service soon.
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..I
.
Features & Controls
Id
Traction Control System Warning
Light (CONT.)
108
rn Gages
Your Pontiac may have many of the
following gages. Be sure to read about
the ones that came with your vehicle.
Check Gage5 Warning Light
(OPTION)
This light will come on briefly when
you
are starting the engine. If the light
comes
on and stays on while you are
driving, check your gages for fuel,
coolant temperature,
oil pressure or
voltage.
This light will stay on if your
engine
is not running.
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Fuel Gage
You will either have this fuel gage or
one very similar. Your fuel gage tells
you about how much fuel you have left,
when
the ignition is on. When the gage
reads in the yellow band, a warning
chime will sound and the
CHECK
GAGES warning light will go on, if you
have it.
Here are five things that some owners
ask about. None of these show a
problem with your fuel gage:
At the gas station, the gas pump shuts
off before the gage reads
F (Full).
It takes a little more or less fuel to fill
up than the gage indicated. For
example, the gage may have indicated
the
tank was half full, but it actually
took a little more or less than half the
tank's capacity to fill the tank.
The gage moves a little when you turn
a corner or speed up.
The gage doesn't go back to E (Empty)
when you turn off the ignition.
If you have the large span (220") gage,
the needle moves more for a given
amount
of fuel. This does not indicate
excessive fuel consumption, and is
normal.
For your fuel
tank capacity, see Sewice
Station Informution
on the last page of
this manual.
Engine Coolant Temperature
Gage
(OPTION)
A coolant temperature gage shows the
engine coolant temperature.
If the gage pointer moves into the red
warning area, your engine is too hot!
The
CHECK GAGES light will go on
and a warning chime will sound, if you
have this option. 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.
HOT COOLANT CAN
BURN YOU
BADLY! In Problems on the Road, this
manual shows what to do. See the
Index
under Engine Overheating.
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Oil Pressure Gage (OPTION)
The oil pressure gage shows the engine
oil pressure in psi (pounds per square
inch) when the engine is running.
Canadian vehicles indicate pressure
in
kPa. Oil pressure may vary with engine
speed, outside temperature and oil
viscosity, but readings above the red
warning zone indicate the normal
operating range.
A reading in the red zone may be caused
by
a dangerously low oil level or other
problem causing low oil pressure. The
CHECK GAGES light will go on and a
warning chime will sound, if you have
this option.
Driving your vehicle with low oil
pressure can cause extensive engine
damage.
I.. I10
1
Don’t keep driving if the oil
pressure
is low. If you do,
your engine can become so hot that
it catches fire. You or others could
be burned. Check your oil as soon
as possible and have your vehicle
rviced.
I
I
Damage to your engine from
neglected oil problems can be
costly and is
not covered by your
warranty.
Voltmeter (OPTION)
Unless you have the supercharged
engine, you may have a voltmeter.
When the engine is running, the gage shows the condition
of the charging
system. Readings outside the red
warning zone indicate the normal
operating range.
Readings
in the red warning zone
indicate a possible problem in the
electrical system. The
CHECK GAGES
light will also come on, and a warning ,
chime will sound. Have your vehicle
serviced immediately.
When your engine is not running, but
the ignition is on (in the
Run position),
the gage shows your battery’s state
of
charge in DC volts.
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