warning light PONTIAC BONNEVILLE 1996 Owners Manual
[x] Cancel search | Manufacturer: PONTIAC, Model Year: 1996, Model line: BONNEVILLE, Model: PONTIAC BONNEVILLE 1996Pages: 387, PDF Size: 18.71 MB
Page 6 of 387

Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
For example, these symbols are used on
an
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
BURNS AVOID
SPARKS
OR
FLAMES
SPARK
OR ,\I/,
COULD
RAM€
EXPLODE BATTERY
These symbols are
important
for you and
your passengers whenever your
vehicle
is
driven:
f-l DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK
FASTEN SEAT
BELTS
e?
AIR BAG p
These symbols
have to do with your lights:
SIGNALS e
TURN
PARKING
p$ LAMPS
FOG LAMPS
$0
These symbols are on some of
your controls:
WIPER Q
WINDSHIELD
DEFROSTER
VENTILATING
FAN - )
These symbols are used on
warning
and
indicator lights:
ENGINE
COOLANT
- e-
TEMP -
CHARGING I-1
BATTERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE
(0)
COOLANT a
ENGINE OIL e,
PRESSURE
ANTI~LOCK (@)
BRAKES
Here are some
other symbols
you
may see:
FUSE
LIGHTER
m
HORN )tr
SPEAKER
b
FUEL p3
v
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Page 68 of 387

Ignition Switch
C
With the ignition key in the ignition switch, you can turn
the switch to five positions.
ACCESSORY (A): An on position in which you can
operate your electrical power accessories. Press in the
ignition switch
as you turn the top of it toward you.
LOCK (B): The only position in which you can
remove the key. This locks your steering wheel, ignition
and transaxle.
OFF (C): Unlocks the steering wheel, ignition and
transaxle, but does not send electrical power to any
accessories.
Use this position if yoUr vehicle must be
pushed or towed, but never try to push-start your
vehicle.
A warning chime will sound if you open the,.
driver's door when the ignition is
OFF and the key is in
the ignition.
RUN (D): An on position to which the switch returns
after you start your engine and release the switch. The
switch stays
in the 'RUN position when the engine is
running. But even when the engine is not running, you
can use RUN to operate your electrical power
accessories,
and to display some instrument panel
warning lights.
2-17
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Page 77 of 387

Parking Brake
To set the parking brake,
hold the regular brake pedal down- with
your right foot.
Push down the
parking
brake pedal with your left .
foot. If the ignition is on,
the brake system warning
light will come on
and a
single
chime will be heard.
If you start to drive away with the parking brake set, a
chime will sound after the vehicle has traveled 46 feet
(14
m).
To release the parking brake, use the PUSH TO
RELEASE parking brake pedal. Hold the regular brake pedal down with
your right foot and push the parking
brake pedal with your left foot. This will unlock the
pedal. When you lift your left foot, the parking brake
pedal will
follow it to the release position.
If you try to drive away with the parlung brake on, the
brake light stays
on and a chime sounds until you release
the parking brake or recycle^ the ignition.
I
NOTICE:
Driving with the parking brake on can cause
your rear brakes to overheat.
You may have to
replace them, and you could also damage other
parts
of your vehicle.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on any hill,
see “Towing a Trailer” in the Index. That section shows
what
to do first to keep the trailer from moving.
2-26
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Page 88 of 387

Windshield Washer
At the top of the turn signal/multifunction lever there’s a
paddle with the word
PUSH on it. To spray washer fluid
on the windshield, push the paddle for less than a
second. The wipers
will clear the window and either
stop or return to your preset speed. For more washer
cycles, push and hold the paddle. Remember, driving
without washer fluid can be dangerous.
A bad mud
splash can block your vision. You could hit another
vehicle or go
off the road. Check your washer fluid
level often.
Some models have a WASHER
FLUID warning, that
indicates
if the fluid level in the windshield washer
reservoir is low. See “Low Washer Fluid Warning Light”
in
the Index.
A CAUTION:
In freezing weather, don’t use your washer until
the windshield is warmed. Otherwise the washer fluid can form ice on the windshield, blocking
your vision.
Cruise Control
on the accelerator. his can
really help
on long trips.
Cruise control does not work at speeds below about
25 mph (40 km/h).
When you apply your brakes, the cruise control
shuts
off.
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Page 92 of 387

Lamps
Headlamps
'Pull the switch to the first stop to
turn on
the:
Parking Lamps
Sidemarker Lamps
Taillamps
Instrument Panel
Lights
I'
Pull the switch out all the way to turn on the headlamps,
together with:
0 Parking Lamps
0 Sidemarker Lamps
0 Taillamps
0 Instrument Panel Lights
Push the switch
in all the way to turn all the lamps off.
Lamps On Reminder
If you open the driver's door while leaving the headlamps
or parking lamps switch
on and the key is removed from
the ignition, you will hear a
warning chime.
I .. ,i. '
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Page 108 of 387

1. Twilight Sentinelmeadlamp Switch
2.
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
3. Tilt Steering Wheel Lever
I 2 ,,: '14. Instrument Cluster/Gages
c3; ;,5. Audio System Steering Wheel Controls
. ..
6. Ignition Switch
7. Air Outlet
8. Climate Control System
9. Passenger's Side Air Bag
10. Glove Box
11. Audio System
12. Hazard Warning Flashers Switch
.' -
13. Driver's Side SRS Air Bag
14. Hood Release
. .. .;: I . ,.< , , . I. . .. , , , ..
i: .
. I.
i
2-57
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Page 109 of 387

Instrument Panel Clusters
Your -ent panel clusters are designed to let you know at a glance how your vehicle is running. You’ll how how
fast you’re
going, how much fuel you’re using, and many other things you’ll need to drive safely and economically.
Your Pontiac
is equipped with one of these instrument panel clusters, which includes indicator warning\
lights and
gages that
are explained on the following pages.
m111
izlamam
0
FUEL ONLY UNLEIDEO 5%
Cluster with Gages
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Page 113 of 387

Tachometer (Option)
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 part describes the warning lights and gages that
may be on your vehicle.
The pictures will help you
locate them.
Waming 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 &so save YOU or
others from iniurv.
Warning lights come 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 start the
engine 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 on
when you are driving, or when one of the gages shows
there may be a problem, check the section that tells you
what to
do about it. Please follow this 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
w,arning lights and gages. See
“Driver Information Center’’
in the Index.
2-62
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Page 115 of 387

Battery Light Voltmeter
This light will come on
briefly When you start the
vehicle: as a check'to show
you it is working; thenlit
should
go .out.
If it stays on, or comes on while you axe driving, you
may have a problem with the electrical ,chatging system.
It could indicate that you have
a generator problem or
another electrical system 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
oertain to turn off all 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 enginealso
have
a similar battery warning light.
<-fi 18
You may have a voltmeter
unless you have the
supercharged engine.
When the engine is
running, the gage shows the
coqdition of the charging system. Readings outside the '
red warning zone indicate the normal operating range.
Readings
in the red warning zone indicate a pos'sible
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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Page 116 of 387

Brake System Warning Light
If the warning light comes on, there could be a brake
problem. Have
your brake system inspected right away.
,BRAKE (a)
This light should come on
when
you turn the ignition
key to START.
If it doesn’t
come on then, have it fixed
so it will be ready to warn
you
if there’s a problem.
If the light and chime come 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
You Vehicle” in the Index.)
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, have
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 brike doesn’t release
fully. If you try to drive off with the parking brake set,
a chime will also come on until you release the parking
brake.
If the light and chime stay on after your
parking brake is fully released,
it means you have a
brake problem.
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