ABS PONTIAC GRAND AM 1998 Owners Manual

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 or pulses 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.

Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive
drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable
care
suited to existing conditions, and by not “overdriving”
those conditions. But skids are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle’s
three control systems. In the braking
skid, your wheels
aren’t rolling.
In the steering or cornering skid, too
much speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and
lose cornering force. And in the acceleration skid, too
much throttle causes the driving wheels
to spin.
A cornering skid is best handled by easing your foot off
the accelerator pedal.
If you have the Enhanced Traction System, remember: It
helps avoid only the acceleration skid.
If you do not have the Enhanced Traction System, or if
the system is
off, then an acceleration skid is also best
handled
by easing your foot off the accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want
the
vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough, your
vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for
a
second skid if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel or other material is
on the road. For safety, you’ll
want to slow down and adjust your driving to these
conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction,
try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration or
braking (including engine braking by shifting
to a lower
gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires to
slide. You may not realize the surface is slippery until
your vehicle is skidding.
Learn to recognize warning
clues
-- such as enough water, ice or packed snow on
the road to make
a “mirrored surface” -- and slow down
when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti-lock brake system
(ABS) helps
avoid only the braking
skid.
4-15

Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade.
If you don’t shift
down, you might have to use your brakes
so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, use the highest gear possible.
If you cannot maintain posted speeds, driving at a
lower speed may help avoid overheating your engine
and transaxle.
Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached, on a hill. If something goes wrong, your rig
could start to move. People can be injured, and both
your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged.
But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
brake, and then shift to PARK (P),
or REVERSE (R)
for a manual transaxle.
5. Release the regular brakes.
PARK
(P) yet, or into
a gear for a manual transaxle.
4-41

Center High-Mounted Stop Lamp
1. Use a flat screwdriver to gently release the tabs on
the trim cover.
2. Using a flat screwdriver, remove the screws holding
3. Use a flat screwdriver to release the tabs holding the
the bulb assembly.
socket
in place.
4. Gently remove and replace the bulbs.
5. Reverse this procedure to reassemble the lamp.
Rear Exterior Lamps
A. Stopflaillamp
B. Turn Signal Lamp
C. Back-up Lamp
6-39

Appearance Care Materials Chart
PART NUMBER SIZE
994954 23 in. x 25 in.
1050172 16
oz. (0.473 L) 1050173 16
oz. (0.473 L)
DESCRIPTION
Exterior polishing cloth
Polishing Cloth - Wax Treated
USAGE
- - -
Tar and Road
Oil Remover
Use on chrome, stainless steel, nickel, copper
and brass Chrome Cleaner and Polish Removes
tar, road oil and asphalt
I 1050174 I 16 oz. (0.473 L) I White Sidewall Tire Cleaner I Removes soil and black marks from whitewalls
I 1050214 I 32 oz. (0.946 L) I Vinyl Cleaner I Cleans vinyl tops, upholstery and convertible tops
1050427
1052925 8
oz. (0.237 L) 1052918**
16
oz. (0.473 L) 1052870
23
oz. (0.680 L)
16
oz. (0.473 L)
1052929 16 oz. (0.473 L)
1052930 8 oz. (0.237 L)
12345002 16 oz. (0.473 L)
Glass Cleaner Removes dirt, grime, smoke and fingerprints
Wash Wax Concentrate Cleans and lightly waxes
Armor
All” Protectant Protects leather, wood, acrylics, Plexiglas ” , plastic,
rubber and vinyl
w
Multi-Purpose Interior Cleans carpets, seats, interior trim, door panels
Cleaner and floor mats
Wheel Cleaner Spray on and rinse with water
Capture
Dry Spot Remover Attracts, absorbs and removes soils
Armor All”” Cleaner Cleans and shines a variety
of surface types
12345721
Removes contaminants, blemishes
and swir1 marks Surface Cleaner 16 oz. (0.473 L) 12377984 Removes light scratches and oxidation and protects finish Cleane\
r Wax 16
oz. (0.473 L) 12377966 Removes dust, fingerprints and surface contaminants
Finish Enhancer
16
oz. (0.473 L) 12377964 Spray on tire shine
Silicone Tire Shine
12
oz. (0.354 L) 12345725 Shines vehicle without scratching
Synthetic Chamois
2.5
sq. ft.
See your General Motors Parts Department for these products. **\
Not recommended for use on instrument panel vinyl.
See “Fluids and Lubricants”
in the Index.
6-57

Engine Compartment Fuse Block
Fuse
FA?, INJR
ERLS
The engine compartment fuse block is located
on the driver’s side of the engine compartment,
near the battery.
ABSEVO IGN
MOD
Usage
Fuel Pump, Fuel Injectors
Back-up Lamps, Canister Purge
Valve, EGR, Automatic
Transmission, Brake Transmission
Shift Interlock, Anti-Lock Brakes,
Conditioning Compressor,
Park
Lock Solenoid
* Variable Effort Steering, Air
Anti-lock Brake Solenoids,
Variable
Effort Steering
Ignition
System
6-63

Fuse
HVAC BLO
MOT
PCM BATT
CLG FAN
HDLP
STOP LPS
PWR ACC
RR DEFG
ABS
IGN SW
Usage
Heater/Air Conditioner-High
Blower, Generator-Voltage Sense
Powertrain Computer
Engine Cooling
Fan
Lighting Circuits
Power Accessories,
Stop Lamp Circuits,
Rear Window Defogger
Anti-Lock Brakes, Variable
Effort Steering
Ignition Switch Circuits
Steering Wheel Controls (If Equipped) Fuse Panel
Your steering wheel radio controls are protected by
fuses.
For service, contact your service department.
Replacement Bulbs
OUTSIDE LAMPS ..................... BULB
Back-up Lamps ......................... 2057
Front Parking/Turn Signal Lamps ........ 2057 NA
Halogen Headlamps Center High-Mounted Stoplamp
............. 9 12
Low-Beam ................... - _. . 9006
High-Beam ........................... 9005
Stop/Tail/Turn Signal Lamps ............... 2057
INSIDE LAMPS ....................... BULB
Dome Lamp ............................. 16 1
6-64