PONTIAC GRAND AM 1997 Owners Manual

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. 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.
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
“Fuel” 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.
2-66

Oil Pressure Warning Light
If you have a problem with
your engine’s oil pressure,
this light may
stay on after
you start your engine, or
come on and stay 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 pressure problem. Have it fixed right away.
This light can come on briefly, which is normal and
doesn’t show a problem:
As a bulb check, the light comes on when you turn
your key to
RUN and goes off when the engine is
started.
If it doesn’t, be sure to have it fixed so it will
be there to warn you.
For the four cylinder engine, when idling at a stop
sign, the light may blink on and then off. In addition,
if you make a hard stop, the light may come on
for
a moment. 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.
I I
NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and is not covered by
your warranty.
2-67

Check Oil Light (If Equipped)
CHECK
OIL
If your vehicle is equipped
with the
3 100 engine, this
light should come on briefly
while you are starting your engine.
If the light does not
come on, have it repaired. If
the light comes on and stays on after starting your
vehicle, the oil level should
be checked.
Prior to checking the oil level, be sure your vehicle has been shut off for several minutes and is on a level
surface. Check the oil level on the dipstick and bring it
to the proper level. See “Engine Oil” in the Index.
NOTE: A false
CHECK OIL light may be generated
when parking on steep grades.
The oil level monitoring system only checks oil level
during the brief period between key on and engine start.
It does not monitor engine oil level when the engine is
running. Additionally,
an oil level check is only
performed if the engine has been turned
off for a
considerable period
of time allowing the oil normally in
circulation
to drain back into the oil pan.
Passlock Warning Light
THEFT
SYS
This light will come on
briefly when you turn the
key toward the START
position. The light will stay
on until the engine starts.
If the light flashes, the Passlock system has entered a
tamper mode. If the vehicle fails to start, see “Passlock”
in the Index.
If the light comes on continuously while driving and
stays
on, there may be a problem with the Passlock
system. Your vehicle will not be protected by Passlock,
and
you should see your dealer.
2-68

Up Shift Light (Manual Transaxle)
SHIFT
Fuel Gage
W
This light comes on when
you need to shift to the next
higher gear. See “Manual
Transaxle” in the Index.
Your fuel gage tells
you
about how much fuel you
have left, when the ignition
is
on. When the indicator nears
EMPTY (E), you still have a
little fuel left, but you should get more soon.
An amber
light
will come on below the
gage when the fuel
tank is
near EMPTY (E).
Here are four things that some owners ask about. None
of these show a problem with your fuel gage:
0
0
0
At the service station, the gas pump shuts off before
the gage reads
FULL (F).
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 EMPTY
(E) when you
turn
off the ignition.

fi NOTES
2-70

Section 3 Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
In this section, you’ll find out how to operate the comfort control and audio systems offered with your Pontiac. Be
sure to read about the particular systems supplied with your vehicle.
3-2
3-2
3-3 3-5
3-5
3-6 3-6
3-7
3-8 3-8
3-8
3-10 Comfort Controls
Climate Control System
Climate Control System with
Air
Conditioning
Air Conditioning
Heating
Defrosting and Defogging
Rear Window Defogger (If Equipped)
Ventilation System
Audio Systems
Setting the Clock for AM-FM Stereo
Setting the Clock for All Systems Except
AM-FM Stereo
AM-FM Stereo with Cassette Tape Player
(If Equipped) 3-13
3-17
3-19
3-2
1
3-23
3-23
3-24
3
-25
3-26
3-26 AM-FM
Stereo with Cassette Tape Player and
Equalizer
(If Equipped)
AM-FM Stereo with Compact Disc Player and
Equalizer (If Equipped)
Remote Cassette Tape Player
(If Equipped)
Theft-Deterrent Feature
Steering Wheel Controls (If Equipped)
Understanding Radio Reception
Tips About Your Audio System
Care of Your Cassette Tape Player
Care of Your Compact Discs
Fixed Mast Antenna
3-1

Comfort Controls
With this system, you can control the ventilation and
heating
in your vehicle.
Your vehicle also has the flow-through ventilation
system described later in this section.
Climate Control System
Fan Knob
The left control knob sets the fan speed. To select the
force of air you want, turn the knob. The fan is always
running unless the mode control is moved to
OFF.
Temperature Knob
The center control knob regulates the temperature of the
air coming through the system.
Mode Knob
The right control knob changes the functions of your
system.
2 VENT Use when outside temperatures are mild,
and little heating or cooling is needed. Airflow is
through the instrument panel outlets. Set the center
control knob to the temperature desired.
9 BI-LEVEL: Use on cool, but sunny days. This
setting brings in the outside air, but directs
it in two
ways. Cooler air
is directed to the upper portion of your
body through the instrument panel outlets; slightly
warmer air is directed through the heater ducts and
defroster vents. At times, this temperature difference
may be more apparent than others.
3-2

d HEATER: This setting brings heated air through
the heater ducts, and
some through the windshield
defroster vents.
If you have the optional engine coolant heater (engine
block heater) and use it during cold weather,
0°F
(- 18°C) or lower, your heating system will more quickly
provide heat because the engine coolant is already
warmed. See “Engine Coolant Heater” in the Index.
9 BLEND: This setting divides airflow equally
between the heater ducts and the windshield defroster
vents.
DEFROST This setting directs air through the
windshield defroster vents located on top
of the
instrument panel.
Climate Control System with
Air Conditioning
Fan Knob
The left control knob sets the fan speed. To select the
force of air
you want, turn the knob. The fan is always
running unless the mode control is moved
to OFF.
Temperature Knob
The center control knob regulates the temperature of the
air coming through the system.
3-3

Mode Knob
The right control knob changes the functions of your
system.
MAX: Use for maximum cooling. This setting
recirculates much of the air inside your vehicle. It
maximizes your air conditioner’s performance and your
vehicle’s fuel economy.
A/C: Use for normal cooling on hot days. This setting
cools outside air and directs it through the instrument
panel outlets.
9 BI-LEVEL: Use on cool, but sunny days. This
setting brings in the outside air, but directs it in two
ways. Cooler air is directed to the upper portion
of your
body through the instrument panel outlets, but slightly
warmer air is directed through the heater ducts and
defroster vents. At times, this temperature difference
may be more apparent than others.
2 VENT Use when outside temperatures are mild,
and little heating or cooling is needed. Airflow is
through the instrument panel outlets. Set the center
control knob to the temperature desired.
‘!A HEATER: This setting brings heated air through
the heater ducts, and some through the windshield
defroster vents.
If you have the optional engine coolant heater (engine
block heater) and use it during cold weather,
0°F
(- 18 O C) or lower, your heating system will more quickly
provide heat because the engine coolant is already
warmed. See “Engine Coolant Heater” in the Index.
9 BLEND: This setting divides airflow equally
between the heater ducts and the windshield defroster
vents.
DEFROST This setting directs air through the
windshield defroster vents located on top of the
instrument panel.
3-4

Air Conditioning Heating
Turning
the right control knob to HEATER and the
center control knob clockwise sends some heated air
through the heater ducts toward your feet, and some
through the defroster vents.
On very
hot days, open the windows long enough to let
hot, inside air escape. This reduces the time
it takes for
your vehicle to cool down, which should help fuel
economy.
For quick cool-down on very hot days, use MAX with
the temperature knob all the way in the blue area.
If the
setting is used for long periods of time, the air in your
vehicle may become too dry.
For normal cooling on hot days, use
NC with the
temperature knob in the blue area. The system will bring
in outside air and cool it.
On cool but sunny days, the sun may warm your upper
body, but your lower body may not be warm enough. You
can use
BI-LEVEL with the temperature knob in the
middle. The system will bring in outside air and direct
it
to your upper body, while sending slightly warmed air to
your lower body. You may notice this temperature
difference more at some times than at others. VENT
and HEATER are economical positions because
the air conditioner compressor doesn’t run in these
two settings. This reduces engine load, resulting in
improved fuel economy.
If either setting fails to keep
you comfortable, or causes your windows to fog up, turn
the right control knob to one of the air conditioning
positions, or to DEFROST.
If you have the optional engine coolant heater
(engine block heater) and use
it during cold weather,
0 “F (- 18 O C) or lower, your heating system will more
quickly provide heat because the engine coolant is
already warmed. See “Engine Coolant Heater” in
the Index.
3-5