engine PONTIAC BONNEVILLE 2001 Owner's Guide

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Low Traction Active (LOW TRAC) Light
Your LOW TRAC
(Low Traction Active) light
may come on for one of the
following reasons:

An advanced computer
-controlled system called
Stabilitrak (if equipped) has come on to help your
vehicle continue to go in the direction in which
you're steering. This stability enhancement system
activates when the computer senses that your vehicle
is just starting to spin, as it might if you hit a patch
of ice or other slippery spot on the road. When the
system is on, you may hear a noise or feel a vibration
in the brake pedal. This is normal.
In these situations when the LOW TRAC light is on
and the system is engaged, you should continue to
steer in the direction you want to go. The system is
designed to help you in bad weather or other difficult
driving situations by making the most of whatever
road conditions will permit.
The optional Traction Control System is active
and is limiting wheel spin. You may feel the system
working, but this is normal. Slippery road conditions
may exist, so adjust your driving accordingly.
If the LOW TRAC light comes on, slippery road
conditions may exist, so you should consider slowing
down and adjusting your driving accordingly.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
United States Canada
This gage shows the engine coolant temperature.

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To prevent engine overheating, the air conditioning
compressor will turn off automatically just prior to the
gage pointer entering the red area. As the engine cools
down, the air conditioning compressor will automatically
turn back on. On vehicles equipped with the DIC, the
message ENGINE HOT... A/C DISABLED will appear in
the DIC display and a warning chime will sound.
If the gage pointer moves into the red area, your engine
is too hot. On vehicles equipped with the systems
monitor, the CHECK GAGES light will come on and
a warning chime will sound.
On vehicles with a DIC, a CHECK GAGES
TEMPERATURE message will be displayed and a
warning chime will sound. See ªDIC Warnings and
Messagesº in the Index for more information.
The section ªProblems on the Road,º in this manual
explains what to do if your engine overheats.
See ªEngine Overheatingº in the Index.Tire Pressure Light (If Equipped)
The check tire pressure system can alert you to a large
change in the pressure of one tire. After the system has
been properly calibrated, the TIRE PRESS light will
come on if a pressure difference (low pressure) is
detected in one tire.
The light will stay on until you turn off the ignition or
reset (calibrate) the system. See ªCheck Tire Pressure
Systemº in the Index.
The TIRE PRESS light also comes on briefly when you
turn your ignition key to START. If the light doesn't
come on then, have it fixed so it will be there to tell you
if the pressure in a tire is low.
If the anti
-lock brake system warning light comes on, the
check tire pressure system may not be working properly.
See your dealer for service. Also, see ªAnti
-Lock Brake
System Warning Lightº in the Index.

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On vehicles with the optional Driver Information Center
(DIC), a CHECK TIRE PRESSURE message replaces the
TIRE PRESS light when the system detects a pressure
difference (low pressure) in one tire. See ªDIC Warnings
and Messagesº in the Index for more information.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Service Engine Soon Light)
Your vehicle is equipped
with a computer which
monitors operation of the
fuel, ignition and emission
control systems.
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 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 a while, 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:
Modifications 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 the SERVICE ENGINE SOON
light to come on. Modifications 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.

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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 doesn't 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. Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis
and service may be required.

Light On Steady
-- An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Dealer or qualified service center 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.If the light stops flashing and remains on steady, see
ªIf the Light Is On Steadyº following.
If the light continues to flash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
Turn the key off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart the
engine. If the light remains on steady, see ªIf the Light
Is On Steadyº following. If the light is still flashing,
follow the previous steps, and drive the vehicle to your
dealer or qualified service center for service.
If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. See ªFilling Your Tankº in the Index. The
diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap has been
left off or improperly installed. A loose or missing fuel
cap will allow fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere. A
few driving trips with the cap properly installed should
turn the light off.

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Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out. A few driving trips should turn the light off.
Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel. See
ªFuelº in the Index. Poor fuel quality will cause your
engine not to run as efficiently as designed. You may
notice this as stalling after start
-up, stalling when you put
the vehicle into gear, misfiring, hesitation on acceleration
or stumbling on acceleration. (These conditions may go
away once the engine is warmed up.) This will be detected
by the system and cause the light to turn on.
If you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the fuel brand you use. It will require at least
one full tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn off,
have your dealer or qualified service center check the
vehicle. Your dealer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to fix any mechanical or electrical
problems that may have developed.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 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, see your dealer or qualified service center to
prepare the vehicle for inspection.

2-83 Oil Pressure Gage
United States Canada
Readings above the red warning zone indicate the
normal operating range. Oil pressure may vary with
engine speed, outside temperature and oil viscosity.
A reading in the red warning zone may be caused by a
low oil level or another problem causing low oil
pressure. On vehicles with the systems monitor, the
CHECK GAGES light will come on and a warning
chime will sound.On vehicles with a DIC, a CHECK GAGES OIL
PRESSURE message will be displayed and a warning
chime will sound. See ªDIC Warnings and Messagesº in
the Index for more information.
CAUTION:
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.
NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and is not covered by
your warranty.

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Check Oil Level Warning Light
(If Equipped)
The CHECK OIL LEVEL
light is part of the systems
monitor. This light comes
on for five seconds as a bulb
check each time the ignition
key is turned to ON.
If the engine oil is more than 1 quart (0.95 L) low and
the engine has been shut off for at least eight minutes,
the CHECK OIL LEVEL light will come on and a
chime will sound the next time you start your vehicle.
If the CHECK OIL LEVEL light comes on, the engine
oil level should be checked at the dipstick then brought
up to the proper level, if necessary. See ªEngine Oilº in
the Index.
On vehicles with a DIC, the CHECK OIL LEVEL light
is replaced by an OIL LEVEL LOW message.
See ªDIC Warnings and Messagesº in the Index
for more information.
Service Vehicle Soon Light (If Equipped)
This light will come on
briefly as a bulb check
when your ignition is
turned to ON.
This light will come on and a warning chime will sound
if you have a certain non
-emissions related vehicle
problem. These problems may not be so obvious and
may not affect vehicle performance or durability.
Consult a qualified dealership for necessary repairs to
maintain top vehicle performance.
On vehicles with the supercharged engine and a DIC,
the SERVICE VEHICLE SOON light is replaced by the
SERVICE VEHICLE SOON message. See ªDIC
Warnings and Messagesº in the Index for
more information.

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When the gage reads in the yellow band, a warning
chime will sound and the CHECK GAGES warning
light will come on. You still have a little fuel left, but
you need to get more fuel right away.
On vehicles with a DIC, the CHECK GAGES LOW
FUEL message will be displayed when the fuel gage
reads in the yellow band. See ªDIC Warnings and
Messagesº in the Index for more information.
Here are some things that owners ask about. None of
these show a problem with your fuel gage:

At the service station, the gas pump shuts off before
the gage reads 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.Boost Gage (If Equipped)
Vehicles equipped with
the supercharged engine
have this boost gage that
indicates vacuum during
light to moderate throttle
and boost under
heavier throttle.
The gage displays the air pressure level going into the
engine's combustion chamber.
The gage is automatically centered at zero every time
the ignition key is turned to ON. Actual vacuum or
boost is displayed from this zero point. Changes in
ambient pressure, such as driving in mountains and
changing weather, will slightly change the zero reading.

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Vehicle Data
Average Fuel Economy: Press the SELECT button
until the display shows AVG FUEL ECONOMY.
Average fuel economy is viewed as a long term
approximation of your overall driving conditions. To
learn the average fuel economy from a new starting
point, press the RESET button for five seconds while
the average fuel economy is displayed on the DIC.
Instantaneous Fuel Economy: Press the SELECT
button until the display shows INST FUEL ECONOMY.
Instantaneous fuel economy varies with your driving
conditions, such as acceleration, braking and the grade
of the road being traveled. The RESET button does not
function in this mode.
Fuel Range: Press the SELECT button until the display
shows FUEL RANGE. The fuel range will calculate the
remaining distance you can drive without refueling. This
calculation is based on the average fuel economy for the
last 25 miles (40.25 km) driven, and the fuel remaining
in the fuel tank. If the fuel range drops below 40 miles
(64.4 km), the display will show FUEL RANGE LOW.
The RESET button does not function in this mode.Fuel Used: Press the SELECT button until the display
shows FUEL USED. The value indicates how much fuel
has been used since the last reset. Don't confuse fuel
used with the amount of fuel in your tank. To learn how
much fuel will be used from a specific starting point,
press the RESET button for five seconds while the fuel
used is displayed on the DIC.
Battery Volts: On vehicles with a supercharged engine,
press the SELECT button until the display shows
BATTERY VOLTS. If the voltage is normal the display
will show BATTERY ## VOLTS. If the voltage drops
below 10.5 volts for 30 seconds, the battery volts
display will show BATTERY LOW. If the voltage is
above 16.2 volts for 30 seconds, the battery volts display
will show BATTERY HIGH. If the display shows the
high or low message, you need to have your battery
and/or electrical system checked.

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GM Oil Life System
: Press the SELECT button
until OIL LIFE appears in the display. The OIL LIFE
NORMAL display will show an estimate of the oil's
remaining useful life. When the oil life index is less than
10%, an ENGINE OIL CHANGE SOON message will
be displayed and the oil life display will show OIL LIFE
CHANGE. When you have the oil changed according to
the maintenance schedule, you will have to reset the Oil
Life System. To reset the Oil Life System, see ªOil Life
Systemº in the Index. Also, see ªEngine Oil, When to
Changeº and ªMaintenance Scheduleº in the Index.
Tire Pressure Status: Press the SELECT button until
TIRE PRESSURE appears in the display. TIRE
PRESSURE NORMAL is displayed when the Check
Tire Pressure System believes your vehicle's tire
pressures are normal. If a potential problem is detected,
the display will show CHECK TIRE PRESSURE and
the tire pressure status will show TIRE PRESSURE
LOW. If you see the CHECK TIRE PRESSURE
message, you should stop as soon as you can and check
all your tires for damage. (If a tire is flat, see ªIf a Tire
Goes Flatº in the Index.) Also check the tire pressure in
all four tires as soon as you can. See ªInflation
-- Tire
Pressureº and ªCheck Tire Pressure Systemº in
the Index.
DIC Warnings and Messages
Other messages or warnings may appear in the DIC display.
For Canadian drivers, in addition to the DIC message your
DIC will display EXP with a number after it which reflects
the following messages:
EXP (Export ID) Warning Message
3 SERVICE VEHICLE SOON. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
9 CHECK GAGES VOLT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
11 CHECK GAGES LOW FUEL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
16 ENGINE HOT A/C DISABLED. . . . . . . . . . . . .
20 TURN SIGNAL ON?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
24 TRUNK AJAR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
25 WASHER FLUID LOW. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
27 BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
33 STARTING DISABLED
- THEFT * . . . . . . . . . .
34 SERVICE THEFT SYSTEM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
35 CHECK GAGES OIL PRESSURE *. . . . . . . . . .
36 OIL LEVEL LOW. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
37 BRAKE FLUID LOW *. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
40 ALARM OCCURRED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
44 CHECK GAGES TEMPERATURE *. . . . . . . . .
54 SERVICE STABILITY SYSTEM. . . . . . . . . . . .
55 STABILITY SYSTEM ACTIVE. . . . . . . . . . . . .
61 CHECK GAS CAP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .