check engine light PONTIAC GRAND AM 1997 Owners Manual

Passlock TM
Your vehicle is equipped with the Passlock
theft-deterrent system.
Passlock is a passive theft-deterrent system. The system is
armed once the key is removed from the ignition. Passlock
enables fuel if the ignition lock cylinder is turned with a valid key.
If a correct key is not used, fuel is disabled,
During normal operation, the THEFT SYS light will go
off after the engine is started. If the engine stalls and the
THEFT SYS light flashes, wait until the light stops
flashing before trying to restart the engine. Remember to
release the key from the START position as soon as the
engine starts. If you are driving and the THEFT
SYS
light comes on, you will be able to restart the engine if
you turn the engine off. However, your Passlock system
is not working properly and must be serviced by your
dealer. Your vehicle is not protected by Passlock at this
time.
You may also want to check the fuse (see “Fuses
and Circuit Breakers” in the Index). See your Pontiac
dealer for service.
If the THEFT SYS light comes on while the engine is
running,
a problem has been detected and the system
may need service. See your dealer for service.
In an emergency, call the Pontiac Roadside Assistance
Center at 1-800-ROADSIB or 1-800-762-3743.
New Vehicle “Break-InSS
NOTICE:
Your modern Pontiac doesn’t need an elaborate
“break-in,” But it will perform better in the long
run
if you follow these guidelines:
0
0
0
Don’t drive at any one speed -- fast or
slow
-- for the first 500 miles (805 km).
Don’t make full-throttle starts,
Avoid making hard stops for the first
200 miles (322 km) or so, During this time
your new brake linings aren’t yet broken
in. Hard stops with new linings can mean
premature wear and earlier replacement.
Follow this breaking-in guideline every
time you get new brake linings,
Don’t tow
a trailer during break-in,
See “Towing a Trailer” in the Index for
more information.
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Tachometer
The tachometer shows your
engine speed in revolutions
per minute (rpm).
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.
Warning 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 also save you or others from injury.
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
NOTICE: section, you should not be alarmed when this happens.
Gages can indicate when there may be
or is a problem
Do not run your engine at speeds in the red area,
warning lights work together to let you know when or engine damage may occur.
with one of your vehicle’s functions. Often gages and
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.

Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is turned to RUN or START, a chime will
come on for about eight seconds to remind people to
fasten their safety belts, unless the driver’s safety belt is
already buckled,
The safety belt light will also come on and stay
on for about
20 seconds,
then it will flash for about
55 seconds. If the driver’s
belt is already buckled,
neither the chime nor the
light will come on.
Air Bag Readiness Light
There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument
panel, which shows AIR BAG. The system checks the
air bag’s electrical system for malfunctions. The light
tells you
if there is an electrical problem. The system
check includes the air bag sensor, the air bag modules,
the wiring and the crash sensing and diagnostic module.
For more information on the air bag system, see “Air
Bag”
in the Index.
AIR
BAG
This light will come on
when you start your engine,
and it will flash for a few
seconds. Then the light
should go out. This means
the system is ready.
If the air bag readiness light stays on after you start the -
engine or comes on when you are driving, your air bag
system may not work properly. Have your vehicle
serviced right away.
The
air bag readiness light should flash for a few
seconds when you turn the ignition key to RUN.
If the
light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be
ready to warn you
if there is a problem.
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Charging System Indicator Light
The charging system
indicator light will come on
briefly when you turn on the ignition, but the engine is
not running. The light will
go out when the engine
is stated.
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.
Brake System Warning Light
Your Pontiac’s hydraulic brake system is divided into
two parts.
If one part isn’t working, the other part can
still work and stop you. For good braking, though, you
need both parts working well.
If the warning light comes on, there could be a brake
problem or the brake fluid level could be low. Have your
brake system inspected right away.
BRAKE
United States Canada
This light should come on briefly when you turn the
ignition key to RUN. If it doesn’t come on then, have it
fixed
so it will be ready to warn you if there’s a problem.
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Low Coolant Warning Light
If this light comes on and
stays on, the vehicle should
be promptly pulled off the
road and the coolant level
checked. See “Engine
Coolant” in the Index.
If there are visible signs of steam see “Engine
Overheating” in the Index before opening the hood.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Check Engine Light)
Your Pontiac is equipped
with a computer which
monitors operation
of the
fuel, ignition and emission
CHECK
ENGINE
This system is called OBD I1 (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. (In Canada, OBD
I1 is replaced by
Enhanced Diagnostics.) The CHECK
ENGINE 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.
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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.
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:
0 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 is 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:
0 Reducing vehicle speed.
0 Avoiding hard accelerations.
0 Avoiding steep uphill grades.
0 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 “If
the Light
Is On Steady” 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 “If the Light
Is On Steady” following. If the light is still flashing,
follow the previous steps, and drive the vehicle to your
dealer or qualified service center for service.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in
spurts
-- heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking
-- rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is a
mistake. Your brakes may
not have time to cool between
hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much faster if you
do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace with the
traffic and allow realistic following distances, you will
eliminate a lot
of unnecessary braking. That means
better braking and longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you’re driving, brake
normally but don’t pump your brakes. If you do, the
pedal may get harder to push down.
If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist. But
you will use it when you brake. Once the power assist is
used up, it may take longer
to stop and the brake pedal
will be harder to push.
Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes (ABS). ABS is an
advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent a braking skid.
When you start your engine, or when you begin to drive
away, your anti-lock brake system will check itself. You
may hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while
this test is going on, and you may even notice that your
brake pedal moves a little. This is normal.
If there’s a problem with
the anti-lock brake system,
this warning light will stay
on. See “Anti-Lock Brake
System Warning Light” in
the Index.
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