PONTIAC BONNEVILLE 2003 Owners Manual

OFF: This is the only position from which you can
remove the key. This position locks your ignition and
transaxle. It’s a theft-deterrent feature.
ACC (Accessory): In this position you can operate
your electrical accessories such as power windows,
sunroof (option), audio system and windshield wipers.
ON: This is the position the switch returns to after
you start your engine and release the switch. Even when
the engine is not running, you can use ON
to operate
your electrical accessories and to display some
instrument panel cluster warning lights. This is the
position for driving your vehicle.
START: This position starts the engine. When the
engine starts, release the key. The ignition switch will
return to
ON for normal driving.
Even
if the engine is not running, ACC and ON are
positions that allow you to operate your electrical
accessories.
Key Reminder Warning
If you leave your key in OFF you will hear a warning
tone when you open the driver’s door.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
After you turn the ignition off and remove the key, you
will still have power to such accessories as the
radio, sunroof (option) and power windows for up to
10 minutes. Power is turned off if you open a door.
Always leave your key in
OFF. If you leave your key in
any position other than
OFF, your battery will
discharge prematurely.
Starting Your Engine
Move your shift lever to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N).
Your engine won’t start in any other position - that’s a
safety feature. To restart when you’re already moving,
use NEUTRAL
(N) only.
Notice: Don’t try to shift to PARK (P) if your
vehicle
is moving. If you do, you could damage the
transaxle. Shift
to PARK (P) only when your
vehicle
is stopped.
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn your
ignition key to START. When the engine starts, let
go of the key. The idle speed will go down as
your engine gets warm.
2-26

Notice: Holding your key in START for longer than
15 seconds at a time will cause your battery to
be drained much sooner. And the excessive heat
can damage your starter motor. Wait about
15
seconds between each try to help avoid draining
your battery
or damaging your starter.
2. If it doesn’t start within 10 seconds, hold your key in
START for about
10 seconds at a time until your
engine starts. Wait about 15 seconds between
each try.
stops), it could be flooded with too much gasoline.
Try pushing your accelerator pedal all the way to the
floor and holding it there as you hold the key
in
START for about three seconds. If the vehicle starts
briefly but then stops again, do the same thing.
This time keep the pedal down for five or six
seconds to clear the extra gasoline from the engine.
After waiting about 15 seconds, repeat the normal
starting procedure.
3. If your engine still won’t start (or starts but then
Notice: Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics
in your vehicle. If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the way the
engine operates. Before adding electrical equipment,
check with your dealer. If you don’t, your engine might not perform properly.
Engine Coolant Heater
If your vehicle has this feature, in very cold weather,
0°F (-18°C) or colder, the engine coolant heater
can help. You’ll get easier starting and better fuel
economy during engine warm-up. Usually, the coolant
heater should be plugged in a minimum of four
hours prior to starting your vehicle. At temperatures
above
32°F (OOC), use of the coolant heater is not
required.
2-27

To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
The engine coolant heater cord is located on the
passenger’s side of the vehicle, above the
headlamp assembly.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 1 IO-volt AC outlet.
Plu ing the cord into an
L Jrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock.
Also, the
wrong kind of extension cord could overheat
and cause a fire. You could
be seriously
injured. Plug the cord into a properly grounded
three-prong 110-volt
AC outlet. If the cord
won’t reach, use a heavy-duty three-prong
extension cord rated for at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and
store the cord
as it was before to keep it away
from moving engine parts.
If you don’t, it could be
damaged. How long should
you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends
on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead
of trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your dealer in the area where you’ll be parking your
vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice for that
particular area.
Automatic Transaxle Operation
Your automatic transaxle may have a shift lever located
on the console between the seats or on the steering
column.
There are several different
positions for your shift
lever.
2-28

PARK (P): This position locks your front wheels. It’s the
best position to use when you start your engine
because your vehicle can’t move easily.
s dangerous to get out of your veh ? if the
shift lever is not fully
in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Don’t leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move
suddeniy.
You or others; could be injured. To
be sure your vehicle won’t move, even when
you’re on fairly level ground, always set your parking brake and move the
shift lever to
PARK (P). See “Shifting Into Park (P)” in the
Index. If you’re pulling
a trailer, see “Towing a
Tr2?!!er” in the !ndPY=
Ensure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before starting
the engine. Your vehicle has an automatic transaxle
shift lock control system. You have to fully apply
your regular brakes before you can shift from PARK (P)
when the ignition key is in
ON. If you cannot shift out
of PARK
(P), ease pressure on the shift lever - push the
shift lever all the way into PARK (P) and also release
the shift lever button on console shift models as
you maintain brake application. Then move the shift
lever into the gear you wish (press the shift lever button
before moving the shift lever on floor shift console
models). See
Shifting Out of Park (P) on page 2-35.
REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
Notice: Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle
is moving forward could damage your transaxle.
Shift
to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle
is stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice
or sand without damaging your transaxle, see If
You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow on
paye 4-53.
2-29

NEUTRAL (N): In this position, your engine doesn’t
connect with the wheels. To restart when you’re already
moving, use NEUTRAL
(N) only. Also, use
NEUTRAL
(N) when your vehicle is being towed.
Sh.- ..ng in{ ~ a driv ~ ~ ~ ~r while your engine is
“racing” (running at high speed) is dangerous.
Unless your foot is firmly on the brake pedal,
your vehicle could move very rapidly. You
could lose control and hit people or objects. Don’t shift into a drive gear while your engine
is racing.
Notice: Damage to your transaxle caused by
shifting into a drive gear with the engine racing isn’t
covered by your warranty. AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE
(a): This position is for
normal driving. If you need more power for passing,
and you’re:
Going less than about 35 mph (55 km/h), push your
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the
You’ll shift down to the next gear and have more power.
THIRD
(3): This position is also used for normal
driving, however, it offers more power and lower fuel
economy than AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE
(@).
Here are some times you might choose THIRD (3)
instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (@ ):
When driving on hilly, winding roads,
when towing a trailer, so there is less shifting
when going down a steep hill.
accelerator pedal about
halfway down.
accelerator all the way down.
between gears, or
2-30

SECOND (2): This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy.
You can use SECOND (2) on
hills. It can help control your speed as you go down
steep mountain roads, but then you would also want to
use your brakes
off and on.
Notice: Don’t drive in SECOND (2) for more than
5 miles (8 km), or at speeds over 55 mph (98 km/h),
or you can damage your transaxle. Use AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE
(@) or THIRD (3) as much as
possible.
Don’t shift into SECOND
(2) unless you are going
slower than
65 mph (105 km/h), or you can damage
your engine.
FIRST
(1): This position gives you even more power
but lower fuel economy than SECOND
(2). You can use
it on very steep hills, or
in deep snow or mud. If the
shift lever is put in
FIRST (l), the transaxle won’t shift
into first gear until the vehicle is going slowly enough.
Notice: If your front wheels won’t turn, don’t
try to drive. This might happen if you were stuck
in
very deep sand or mud or were up against a solid
object. You could damage your transaxle.
Also,
if you stop when going uphill, don’t hold your
vehicle there with only the accelerator pedal. This
could overheat and damage the transaxle. Use your
brakes to
hold your vehicle in position on a hill.
Parking Brake
Your vehicle has a PUSH
TO RELEASE 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 four chimes will be heard.
If you start to drive with the parking brake set, a chime
will sound after the vehicle has traveled approximately
40 feet (1 2 m)
To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down with your right foot and push the parking
brake pedal with your left foot. When you lift your
left foot, the parking brake pedal will follow it to the
release position.
2-3 1

If you try to drive with the parking brake on, the brake
light stays on and a chime sounds until you release the
parking brake.
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 on page 4-36. That section shows
what to do first to keep the trailer from moving.
Shiftinc '--lo Park (P)
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle
if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with
the parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can
roll. If you have
left the engine running, the
vehicle can move suddenly. You or others
could be injured.
To be sure your vehicle won't
move, even when you're
on fairly level ground,
use the steps that follow.
If you're pulling a
trailer, see "Towing a Trailer"
in the Index.
Steering Column Shift Lever
1. If your vehicle has the steering column shift lever,
hold the brake pedal
down with your right foot and
set the parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) like this:
I I I
Pull the lever toward you.
2-32

Move the lever up as far as it will go.
3. Turn the ignition key to OFF.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
leave your vehicle with the ignition key in your
L. -.-- I .,-..I ..-L:-l- :- :- nAOV In I id1 iU,
YUUl Vel IlLlG 13 II 1 I r\l II \I J.
Console Shift Lever
1. If your vehicle has the console shift lever, hold the
brake pedal down with your right foot and set the
parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) like this:
Hold in the button on the lever
Push the lever all the way toward the front of the
vehicle.
3. Turn the ignition key to OFF.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
leave your vehicle with the ignition key in your
hand, your vehicle is in PARK (P).
2-33

Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine
Running
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle with
the engine running. Your vehicle could move
suddenly if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK
(P) with the parking brake firmly set.
And, if you leave the vehicle with the engine
running, it could overheat and even catch fire.
You or others could be injured. Don’t leave
your vehicle with the engine running.
If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine
running, be sure your vehicle is in PARK (P) and your
parking brake is firmly set before you leave it. After
you’ve moved the shift lever into PARK (P), hold
the regular brake pedal down. Then, see
if you can
move the shift lever away from PARK (P) without first
pulling it toward you (or,
if you have the console
shift lever, without first pushing the button). If you can,
it
means that the shift lever wasn’t fully locked into
PARK (P).
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you don’t shift your
transaxle into PARK (P) properly, the weight of
the vehicle may put
too much force on the parking pawl
in the transaxle. You may find it difficult to pull the
shift lever out of PARK (P). This is called “torque lock.’’
To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and
then shift into PARK (P) properly before you leave the
driver’s seat. To find out how, see
Shifting Into Park (P)
on page 2-32.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out OT
PARK (P) before you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need
to have another
vehicle push yours a little uphill to take some of the
pressure from the parking pawl in the transaxle,
so you
can pull the shift lever out of PARK
(P).
2-34

Shifting Out of Park (P)
Your vehicle has an automatic transaxle shift lock
control system. You have to fully apply your regular
brake before you can shift from PARK (P) when
the ignition is in
ON. See Automatic Transaxle Operation
on page
2-28.
If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on
the shift lever
- push the shift lever all the way into
PARK
(P) as you maintain brake application. Then move
the shift lever into the gear you want (if you have the
console shift lever, press the button first). If you
ever hold the brake pedal down but still can’t shift out of
PARK (P),
try this:
1. Turn the key to OFF.
2. Apply and hold the brake until the end of Step 4.
3. Shift to NEUTRAL (N).
4. Start the vehicle and then shift to the drive
gear you want.
Parking Over Things That Burn
5. Take your vehicle to an authorlzed service center
as soon as you can.
Things that can burn could touch hot exhaust
parts under your vehicle and ignite. Don’t park
over papers, leaves, dry grass or other things
that can burn.
2-35