engine overheat PONTIAC GRAND AM 1998 Owners Manual

The 1998 Pontiac Grand Am Owner’s Manual
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Seats and Restraint Systems
This section tells you how to use your seats and safety belts properly. It also explains the “SRS” system.
Features and Controls
This section explains how to start and operate your vehicle.
Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
This section tells you how to adjust the ventilation and comfort co\
ntrols and how to operate your audio system.
Your Driving and the Road
Here you’ll find helpful information and tips about the road\
and how to drive under different conditions.
Problems on the Road
This section tells what to do if you have a problem while driving,\
such as a flat tire or overheated engine, etc.
Service and Appearance Care
Here the manual tells you how to keep your vehicle running properly and looking good.
Maintenance Schedule
This section tells you when to perform vehicle maintenance and what fluids and lubrica\
nts to use.
Customer Assistance Information
This section tells you how to contact Pontiac for assistance and ho\
w to get service and owner publications.
It also gives you information on “Reporting Safety Defects” on page
8-10.
9-1 Index
Here’s an alphabetical listing of almost every subject in th\
is manual. You can use it to quickly find
something you want to read.
i

To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
A CAUTION:
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. Plug the
cord into a properly grounded three-prong 110-volt
AC outlet. If the cord won’t reach, use a
heavy-duty three-prong extension cord rated for
at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug
and store the cord as it was before to keep it away
from moving engine parts. If you don’t, it could
be damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on
the outside temperature, the
kind
of oil you have, and some other things. Instead of
, trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your dealer in the area where you’ll be parking
your
vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice for that
particular area.
2-20

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

Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine Running (Automatic Transaxle Only)
A CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle with the
engine
running. Your vehicle could move
suddenly if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P)
with the parking brake firmly set. And, if you
leave the vehicle with the engine running, it could
overheat and even catch fire. You
or others could
be injured. Don’t leave your vehicle with the
engine running unless you have to.
If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine
running, be sure your vehicle is
in PARK (P) and your
parking brake is firmly
set before you leave it. After
you’ve moved the shift lever into the
PARK (P)
position, hold the regular brake pedal down. Then, see
if
you can move the shift lever away from PARK (P)
without first pushing the button.
If you can, it means that the shift lever wasn’t fully
locked into PARK (P).
Torque Lock (Automatic Transaxle)
If you are parking on a hill and you don’t shift your
transaxle into PARK (P) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl
in
the transaxle. You may find it difficult to pull the shift
lever out of PARK (P). This is called “torque lock.” To
prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then shift
into
PARK (P) properly before you leave the driver’s
seat.
To find out how, see ‘‘Shifting Into PARK (P)” in
the Index.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out
of
PARK (P) before you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have another
vehicle push yours a little uphill to take some of the
pressure from the parking pawl in the transaxle, so you
can pull the shift lever out of
PARK (P).
2-29

Enhanced Traction System Active Light
When your Enhanced Traction System is limiting wheel spin,
this light will LOW
.TRAC
come on.
Slippery road conditions may exist if the Enhanced
Traction System active light comes on,
so adjust your
driving accordingly.
The light will stay on for a few seconds after the
Enhanced Traction System stops limiting wheel spin.
The Enhanced Traction System active light also comes
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
there to tell you when the system is active.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the engine
coolant temperature.
If the
gage pointer moves into the
too hot!
red area, your engine
is
A light
will come on to the right of the gage when the
gage pointer moves beyond the normal operating zone.
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.
In “Problems on the Road,” this manual shows what to
do. See “Engine Overheating” in the Index.
2-61

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.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Check Engine Light)
CHECK
Your vehicle is equipped
with a computer which
monitors operation of the
fuel, ignition and emission
control systems.
If there are visible signs of steam see “Engine
Overheating’’
in the Index before opening the hood.
Have your vehicle serviced as soon
as you can.
This system is called OBD 11 (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. 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.
2-62

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

When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
0 Start your engine;
0 Shift into a gear; and
0 Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer 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 overfill),
engine oil, belt, cooling system and brake adjustment.
Each
of these is covered in this manual, and the Index
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.
Engine Cooling When mailer Towing
Your cooling system may temporarily overheat during
severe operating conditions.
See “Engine Overheating’’
in the Index.
Towing A Trailer
(Except
3100 V6 Engine)
Your vehicle is neither designed nor intended to tow
a trailer.
4-42

Section 5 Problems on the Road
Here you’ll find what to do about some problems that can occur on the road.
5-2
5-2
5-3
5-8
5-14 Hazard Warning Flashers
Other Warning Devices
Jump Starting Towing Your Vehicle
Engine Overheating 5-23 If a Tire Goes Flat
5-23 Changing a Flat Tire
5-33 Compact Spare Tire
5-34 If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow
5-1

Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage and a low
cooIant warning light
on your vehicle’s instrument
panel. See “Engine Coolant Temperature Gage”
and
“Low Coolant Warning Light” in the Index.
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
A CAUTION:
Steam from an overheated engine can burn you
badly, even
if you just open the hood. Stay away
from the engine if you see or hear steam coming
from it. Just turn it
off and get everyone away
from the vehicle until it
cools down. Wait until
there
is no sign of steam or coolant before you
open the
hood.
If you keep driving when your engine is
overheated, the liquids in it can catch fire. You or
others could be badly burned. Stop your engine
if
it overheats, and get out of the vehicle until the
engine
is cool.
I NOTICE: I
If your engine catches fire because you keep
driving
with no coolant, your vehicle can be
badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered
by your warranty.
5-14