oil PONTIAC GRAND-AM 1993 Owners Manual

How to Use this Manual
Vehicle Symbols (CONT.:)
These symbols are on some of your
controls:
Windshield Wipers
Windshield Washer
Windshield Defroster
Rear Window Defogger
Ventilating Fan
Power Window
These symbols are used on warning and
Here are some other symbols you may
indicator lights: see:
Engine Coolant
Temperature
Battery Charging
System
Fuel
Engine Oil Pressure
Brake
Anti-Lock Brakes Fuse
(0)
Speaker
(@I
Hood Release
... 6
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Features & Controls
Engine Block Heater (oPnoN)
In very cold weather, 0" F (-18" C) or
colder, the engine block heater can help.
You'll get easier starting and better fuel
economy during engine warm-up.
To Use the Block Heater:
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded
electrical
cord.
110-volt outlet. Plugging the cord into an
ungrounded outlet could cause
an electrical shock. Also, the
wrong kind of extension cord
could overheat and cause a fire.
You could be seriously injured.
1
Plug the cord into a properly
grounded three-prong 110-volt
outlet.
If the cord won't reach, use
a heavy-duty three-prong extension
cord rated for at least
15 amps.
I NOTICE
After you've used the block heater, , ;
be sure to store the cord as it was., ,(
moving engine parts. If you don't,
.. before, to keep it away from ,~
it could be damaged, ~".',:; ,"::,:;s ':,:';:::':;
How long should you keep the block
heater plugged in? The answer depends
on the weather, the kind
of oil you have,
and some other things. Instead of trying
to list everything here, we ask that you contact a Pontiac dealer in the area
where you'll be parking your vehicle.
The dealer can give you the best advice
for that particular area.
mmm 56
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Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the engine coolant
temperature. If the gage pointer moves
into the red area, your engine is too hot!
That reading means the same thing as
the warning light. 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.
Low Coolant Warning light
If this light comes on, your system is
low on coolant and the engine may
overheat. See the
Index under Engine
Overheating
and have your vehicle
serviced as
soon as you can.
Oil Warning Llght
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 lubricated. The engine
could be low on oil, or could have some
other
oil problem. Have it fixed right
away.
93
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Oil Warning Light (CONT.)
The oil light could also come on in three
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.
Sometimes when the engine is idling
at a stop, the light may blink on and
off. This is normal.
If you make a hard stop, the light may
come on for a moment. This is
normal.
I
Don’t keep driving if the oil
your engine can become so hot that
it catches fire. You or others could
’ ; burned. Check your oil as soon
ab possible and have your vehicle
serviced.
E pressure is low. If you do,
‘CHECK I
OIL
,4-;, Damage to your engine from
;; neglected oil problems can be
,’: costly and is not covered -1 by your
i:.. warranty. , 1.
I
1
Check Oil Light
This light should come on briefly when
you
turn your ignition key to Run. It
also comes on and stays on when the oil
level in your vehicle is low. If this
happens, park your vehicle
in a level
place, check your
oil level and bring the
engine
oil up to its proper level. See the
Index under Engine Oil.
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Oil Pressure Gage (omrorv)
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. Have
your vehicle serviced immediately.
A
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.
Charging System Light
The charging system light will come on
briefly when you
turn on the ignition,
but the engine is not running, as a check
to show you it is working. Then it
should go out.
If it stays on when your
engine is running, or 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
your accessories, such as the radio and
air conditioner.
95
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Comfort Controls & Audio Systems
Care of Your Cassette Tape
Player
A tape player that is not cleaned
regularly can cause reduced sound
quality, ruined cassettes, or a damaged
mechanism. Cassette tapes should be stored in their cases away from
contaminants, direct sunlight, and
extreme heat. If they aren’t, they may
not operate properly
or cause failure of
the tape player.
Your tape player should be cleaned
regularly each month or after every 15
hours
of use. If you notice a reduction in
sound quality,
try a known good cassette
to see
if the tape or the tape player is at
fault. If this other cassette has no
improvement in sound quality, clean the
tape player.
118
Clean your tape player with a wiping-
action, non-abrasive cleaning cassette, and follow the directions provided with it.
Cassettes are subject to wear and the
sound quality may degrade over time.
Always make sure that the cassette tape
is in good condition before you have
your tape player serviced.
Care of Your Compact Discs
Handle discs carefully. Store them in
their original cases or other protective
cases and away from direct sunlight and
dust. If the surface
of a disc is soiled,
dampen a clean,
soft cloth in a mild,
neutral detergent solution and clean it,
wiping from the center to the edge.
Be sure never to touch the signal surface
when handling discs. Pick up discs by
grasping the outer edges or the edge
of
the hole and the outer edge.
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Here are some things you can check
before a trip:
Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the
reservoir full? Are all windows clean
inside and outside?
shape?
Have you checked all levels?
lenses clean?
safe, trouble-free trip.
Is the tread
good enough for long-distance
driving? Are the tires all inflated to
the recommended pressure?
weather outlook along your route? Should you delay your trip a short
time to avoid a major storm system?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:
Lights: Are they all working? Are the
Tires: They are vitally important to a
Weather Forecasts: What’s the
On the Road
Unless you are the only driver, it is
good to share the driving task with
others. Limit
turns behind the wheel to
about
100 miles (160 km) or two hours
at a sitting. Then, either change drivers
or stop for some refreshment like coffee,
tea or
soft drinks and some. limbering
up. But do stop and move around. Eat
lightly along the way. Heavier meals
tend to make some people sleepy.
On two-lane highways or undivided
multilane highways that do not have
controlled access, you’ll want to watch
for some situations not usually found on
freeways. Examples are: stop signs and
signals, shopping centers with direct
access to the highway, no passing zones
and school zones, vehicles turning left
and right off the road, pedestrians,
cyclists, parked vehicles, and even
animals.
Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as
“highway hypnosis”? Or is it just plain
falling asleep at the wheel?
Call it
highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or
whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch
of road with the same scenery, along
with the hum of the tires on the road,
the drone of the engine, and the rush
of
the wind against the vehicle that can
make you sleepy. Don’t let it happen
to
you! If it does, your vehicle can leave
the road
in less than a second, and you
could crash and be injured.
What can you do about highway
hypnosis? First, be aware that it can
happen.
Then here are some tips:
Make sure your vehicle is well
ventilated, with a comfortably cool
interior.
151 ...
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Your Driving and the Road
Driving with a mailer (CONT.)
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then
apply your parking brake, and then shift to
P (Park), or R (Reverse) for a
manual transaxle.
5. Release the regular brakes.
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a
Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold
the pedal down while you:
Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear
4. Stop and have someone pick up and
of the chocks.
store the chocks.
Maintenance When Tmiler Towing
Your vehicle will need service more
often when you’re pulling a trailer. See
the Maintenance Schedule for more on
this. Things that are especially important in trailer operation are
automatic transaxle fluid (don’t overfiil),
engine oil, belts, cooling system, and
brake adjustment. Each
of these is
covered
in this manual, and the Ida
will help you find them quickly. If
you’re trailering, it’s a good idea to
review these sections before you
start
your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch
nuts and bolts are tight.
m.. 166
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Cooling System
When you decide it’s safe to lift the
hood, here’s what you’ll see:
(A) Coolant surge tank with pressure cap
(B) Electric engine fan
bAU I IVIV
1 /r An electric fan under the hood
- b can start up even when the
engine is not running and can injure you. Keep hands, clothing
and tools away from any
underhood electric fan.
[f the coolant inside the coolant surge
tank is boiling, don’t do anything else
until
it cools down.
’he coolant level should be at or above
TJLL COLD.
f it isn’t, you may have a leak in the
adiator hoses, heater hoses, radiator,
dater pump or somewhere else
in the
ooling system.
A
Heater and radiator hoses, and
other engine parts, can be
very hot. Don’t touch them.
If you
do, you can be burned.
Don’t run the engine if there is a
leak. If
you run the engine, it
could lose all coolant. That could
cause an engine fire, and you could
be burned. Get any leak fixed
before
you drive the vehicle. Engine damage
from
runni
engine without coolant isn’
covered by your warranty.
there seems to be no leak, check
to
x if the electric engine fan is running.
C the engine is overheating, the fan
hould be running.
If it isn’t, your
chicle needs service.
181
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Problems on the Road
Engine Overheating (CONTJ
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Surge Tank:
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but
the coolant level isn’t at or above
FULL
COLD, add a 50/50 mixture of clean
water
(preferably distilled) and a proper
antifreeze at the coolant surge
tank, but
be sure the cooling system, including
the coolant surge
tank pressure cap, is
cool before
you do it. (See the Index
under Engine Coolant for more
information about the proper coolant
mix.)
182
L Steam and scalding liquids
L from a hot cooling system can
blow out and burn you badly. They
are under pressure, and if you turn
cap-evm a little-they can come
out at high speed. Never turn the
pressure cap when the cooliag
tank pressure cap, is hot. Wait for
the cooling system and coolant
you ever have to turn the pmsure
MP.
the coolant surge tank pressure
system, including the COoIant surge
surge tank pressure cap to cool if
Adding only plain water to
dangerous. Plain water, or some
other liquid like alcohol, can boil
before the proper coolant mix will.
Your vehicle’s coolant warning
system is set for the proper coolant
mix. With plain water or the
wrong mix, your engine could get
too hot but you wouldn’t get the overheat warning. Your engine
could catch fire and you or others
could be burned. Use a
50/50 mix
of
clean water and a proper
antifreeze.
k your cooling system can be I
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