brakes PONTIAC GRAND AM 1998 Owners Manual

Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
For example,
these symbols
are used on an
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTlC
ACID COULD x
BAllERY
CAUSE
.~ .. ~
BURNS
AVOID
SPARKS
OR
FLAMES
FLAME
EXPLODE BAllERY
These symbols are important
for you and
your passengers
whenever your vehicle is
driven:
FASTEN
SEAT
BELTS
POWER
WINDOW
These symbols
have
to do with
your lamps:
SIGNALS 6
TURN
PARKING
PC
LAMPS
FOG LAMPS # 0
These symbols
are on some
of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
DEFROSTER
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
VENTILATING
These symbols are used on
warning and
indicator lights:
COOLANT -
TEMP -
CHARGING I-1
BATTERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE
(a)
COOLANT a
ENGINE OIL w,
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK
(e)
BRAKES
Here are some
other symbols
you
may see:
FUSE
LIGHTER
n
HORN )tr
SPEAKER
b
FUEL p3
V

Ensure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) range before
starting the engine. Your vehicle has a Brake-Transaxle
Shift Interlock
( BTSI). You have to fully apply your
regular brakes before you can shift from PARK (P)
when the ignition key is in the RUN position. 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 wish. (Press the
shift lever button before moving the shift lever.) See
“Shifting Out of
PARK (P)” later in this section.
REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
I 1
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
“Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice
or Snow” in the Index.
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.
I
Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) 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 out of PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL (N) while your engine is racing.
NOTICE:
Damage to your transaxle caused by shifting out
of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) with the engine
racing isn’t covered
by your warranty.
2-22 -~

AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D): This position is for
normal driving with the four-speed automatic transaxle.
If you need more power for passing,
and you’re:
Going less than about 35 mph (55 km/h), push your
0 Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the
The transaxle will automatically shift down to the next
gear and provide more power. accelerator pedal about halfway down.
accelerator all the way down.
NOTICE:
This NOTICE applies only if you have an
automatic overdrive transaxle. If your vehicle is
so equipped and if it seems to start up rather
slowly,
or if it seems not to shift gears as you go
faster, something may be wrong with a transaxle
system sensor.
If you drive very far that way,
your vehicle can be damaged. So, if this happens,
have your vehicle serviced right away. Until then,
you can use SECOND
(2) when you are driving
less than
35 mph (56 km/h) and AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE (0) for higher speeds. THIRD
(3): This
position is also used for normal
driving, however, it offers more power and lower fuel
economy than AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE (D). Here
are some times you might choose THIRD (3) instead of
AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE (D):
When driving on hilly, winding roads.
0 When towing a trailer, so there is less shifting
between gears.
0 When going down a steep hill.
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.
2-23

NOTICE:
Don’t drive in SECOND (2) for more
than
25 miles (41 km), or at speeds over 55 mph
(88 km/h), or you can damage your transaxle.
Use AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (0) 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.
With automatic overdrive, SECOND (2) will select
either first or second gear depending
on vehicle speed. If
your vehicle is slowing, the transaxle will downshift to
first gear at 20 to 25 miles per hour (32 to 40 km/h) for
engine braking. You may notice some variation in shift
speed in SECOND (2) when accelerating or braking.
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 selector lever is put in FIRST (l), the
transaxle won’t
shift into fist gear until the vehicle is
going slowly enough.
NOTICE:
If your front wheels can’t rotate, 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 can 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 or shift into PARK (P)
to hold your vehicle in position on a hill.
2-24

Parking Brake
To set the parking brake, hold the regular brake pedal
down
with your right foot. Pull up on the parking brake
handle. If the ignition is on, the brake system warning
light will come on.
To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down. Pull the parking brake lever up until you
can press the release button. Hold the release button in as you move the brake lever all the way down.
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” in the Index. That section shows
what to do first to keep the trailer from moving.
2-27

Shifting Out of PARK (P)
(Automatic Transaxle Models Only)
Your vehicle has a Brake-Transaxle Shift Interlock
(BTSI). You have to
fully apply your regular brakes
before you can shift from PARK
(P) when the ignition is
in the
RUN position. See “Automatic Transaxle
Operation” in the Index.
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. (Press the
shift lever button before moving the shift lever.) If you
ever hold the brake pedal down
but still can’t
shift out of
PARK (P), try this:
1. Remove the ignition key.
2. There is a small cap on the passenger’s side of the
center console. Gently remove it
with a small
screwdriver.
3. Insert the ignition key into this opening until it contacts
with a small paddle. This is the override feature.
4. While pushing forward on the paddle, press the shift
lever button, then pull the shift lever from PARK (P).
5. Have the vehicle fixed as soon as you can.
Parking Your Vehicle
(Manual Transaxle Only)
Before you get out of your vehicle, put your manual transaxle
in REVERSE (R) and firmly apply the parking brake.
If you are parking on a hill, or if your vehicle is equipped
to tow a trailer, see “Towing a Trailer’’ in the Index.
2-30

Cruise Control (If Equipped)
With cruise control, you can maintain a speed of about
25 mph (40 km/h) or more without keeping your foot on
the accelerator. This can really help on long
trips. Cruise
control
does not work at speeds below about 25 mph
(40 km/h).
When you apply your brakes or push the clutch pedal
(if you have a manual transaxle), the cruise control
shuts off.
A CAUTION:
0
0
Cruise control can be dangerous where you
can’t drive safely at a steady speed. So,
don’t use your cruise control on winding
roads or in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous on
slippery roads. On such roads, fast changes
in tire traction can cause needless wheel
spinning, and
you could lose control. Don’t
use cruise control on slippery roads.
2-38

If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off the
road and stop carefully. You may notice that the pedal is
harder to push. Or, the pedal may
go closer to the floor.
It may take longer to stop. If the light
is still on, have the
vehicle towed for service. (See “Towing Your Vehicle”
in the Index.)
I A CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working properly
if the brake system warning light is on. Driving
with the brake system warning light on can lead to an accident.
If the light is still on after you’ve
pulled off the road and stopped carefully, bqve
the vehicle towed for service.
When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
will
also come on when you set your parking brake. The
light will stay on if your parking brake doesn’t release
fully.
If it stays on after your parking brake is fully
released, it means you have a brake problem.
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
With the anti-lock brake
system,
this light will come
on when you
start your
engine
and it will stay on
for three seconds.
That’s normal.
If the light stays on, turn the ignition to OFF. Or, if the
light comes on when you’re driving, stop
as soon as
possible and turn the ignition off. Then start the engine
again to reset the system.
If the light still stays on, or
comes on
again while you’re driving, your vehicle needs
service. If the regular brake system warning light isn’t
on, you still have brakes, but you don’t have anti-lock
brakes.
If the regular brake system warning light is also
on, you don’t have anti-lock brakes and there’s a
problem with
your regular brakes. See “Brake System
Warning Light” earlier in this section.
The anti-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly 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.
2-59

Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go where
you WaTlf it ro go. They are the brakes, the steering and
the accelerator.
All three systems have to do their work
at the places where the tires meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you’re driving on snow or ice, it’s
easy to ask more
of those control systems than the tires
and road can provide. That means you can lose control
of your vehicle.
Braking
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time.
First,
you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That’sperception time. Then you have to bring
up your
foot and do it. That’s reaction time.
Average reaction time is about
3/4 of a second. But
that’s only an average. It might be
less with one driver
and as long as
two or three seconds or more with
another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination
and eyesight
all play a part. So do alcohol, drugs and
frustration. But even in 314 of a second, a vehicle
moving at
60 mph (100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m).
That could be a lot of distance in an emergency, so
keeping enough space between your vehicle and others
is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road (whether it’s pavement or
gravel); the condition
of the road (wet, dry, icy); tire
tread; the condition
of your brakes; the weight of the
vehicle and the amount of brake force applied.
4-6

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.