key PONTIAC GRAND AM 1998 Owners Manual

The best way to protect the fetus is to protect the mother. When a safety belt is worn properly, it’s more
likely that the fetus won’t be hurt in a crash. For
pregnant women, as for anyone, the key to making
safety belts effective is wearing them properly.
Right Front Passenger Position
The right front passenger’s safety belt works the same
way as the driver’s safety belt. See “Driver Position’’
earlier in this section.
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
This part explains the Supplemental Restraint System
(SRS)
or air bag system.
Your vehicle has two air bags -- one air bag for the
driver and another air bag for the right front passenger. Here are the most important things to know about the
air
bag system:
You
can be severely injured or killed in a crash if
you aren’t wearing your safety belt -- even if you
have air bags. Wearing your safety belt during
a
crash helps reduce your chance of hitting things
inside the vehicle or being ejected from it. Air
bags are “supplemental restraints” to the safety
belts.
All air bags are designed to work with
safety belts, but don’t replace them.
Air bags are
designed to work
only in moderate to severe
crashes where the front of your vehicle
hits
something. They aren’t designed to inflate at all
in rollover, rear, side or low-speed frontal
crashes. Everyone in your vehicle should wear
a
safety belt properly -- whether or not there’s an
air bag for that person.
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NOTICE:
If you damage the covering for the driver’s or the
right front passenger’s air bag, the bag may not
work properly. You may have to replace the air
bag module in the steering wheel or both the air
bag module and the instrument panel for the
right front passenger’s air bag. Do not open or
break the air bag coverings.
If your vehicle ever gets into a lot of water -- such as
water up to the carpeting or higher
-- or if water enters
your vehicle and
soaks the carpet, the air bag controller
can be soaked and ruined. If this ever happens, and then
you
start your vehicle, the damage could make the air
bags inflate, even if there’s no crash. You would have to
replace the air bags as well as the sensors and related
parts.
If your vehicle is ever in a flood, or if it’s exposed
to water that soaks the carpet, you can avoid needless
repair costs by turning
off the vehicle immediately.
Don’t let anyone start the vehicle, even to tow it, unless
the battery cables are first disconnected.
Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle
Air bags affect how your vehicle should be serviced.
There are parts of the air bag system in several places around your vehicle. You don’t want the system to
inflate while someone
is working on your vehicle. Your
dealer and the Grand Am Service Manual have
information about servicing your vehicle and the air bag system.
To purchase a service manual, see “Service and
Owner Publications” in the Index.
n I
1 A CAUTION:
For up to 10 minutes after the ignition key is
turned off and the battery is disconnected, an air
bag can still inflate during improper service. You
can be injured
if you are close to an air bag when
it inflates. Avoid wires wrapped with yellow tape
or yellow connectors. They are probably part of
the air bag system. Be sure to follow proper
service procedures, and make sure the person
performing
work for you is qualified to do so.
The air bag system does not need regular maintenance.
I
1-27

v
Section 2 Features and Controls
Here you can learn about the many standard and optional featur\
es on your vehicle, and information on starting, shifting and braking.
Also explained are the instrument panel and the warning systems that tell you if everythmg is
working properly -- and what to do if you have a problem.
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2-7
2-11
2- 12
2- 13
2- 14
2- 14
2-
16
2- 19
2-2 1
2-25
2-27
2-28
2-30
Keys
Door
Locks
Keyless Entry System
TrUnk
Theft
Passlock@
New Vehicle “Break-In’’
Ignition Positions Starting Your Engine
Engine Coolant Heater
(If Equipped)
Automatic Transaxle Operation
Manual Transaxle Operation
Parking Brake
Shifting Into PARK
(P)
(Automatic Transaxle Only)
Shifting Out of PARK(P)
(Automatic Transaxle Models
Only)
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2-3
1
2-3 1
2-32
2-33
2-34 2-34
2-42
2-44
2-47 2-48
2-50
2-5 1
2-52
2-56
Parking Your Vehicle
(Manual Transaxle Only)
Parking Over Things That
Burn
Engine Exhaust Running Your Engine While You’re Parked
(Automatic Transaxle)
Windows
Tilt Wheel (If Equipped)
Turn SignaVMultifunction Lever
Exterior Lamps
Interior Lamps
Mirrors Storage Compartments
Accessory Power Outlet
Sunroof
(If Equipped)
The Instrument Panel --Your
Information System
Warning Lights, Gages
and Indicators
2-1

Keys
A CAUTION:
Leaving young children in a vehicle with the
ignition key is dangerous for many reasons.
A child or others could be badly injured or
even killed.
They could operate
power windows or other
controls or even make the vehicle move. Don’ t
leave the keys in a vehicle with young children.
2-2

One key is used for the
ignition, the
doors and all
other locks.
When a new Pontiac is delivered, the dealer removes the
tags
from the keys, and gives them to the first owner.
Each
tag has a code on it that tells your dealer or a
qualified locksmith how to make extra keys. Keep the
tags in a safe place. If you lose your keys, you’ll be able
to have new ones made easily using these tags.
If you need a new key, go to your Pontiac dealer for the
correct key code.
In an emergency, call the Poatiac
Roadside Assistance
Program at 1-800-ROADSIDE or
1-800-762-3743 (in Canada, call 1-800-268-6800).
NOTICE:
Your vehicle has a number of new features that
can help prevent theft, therefore, you
can have a
lot
of trouble getting into your vehicle if you ever
lock your keys inside.
You may even have to
damage
your vehicle to get in. So be sure you
have extra keys.
2-3

Door Locks
a CAUTION:
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
Passengers
-- especially children -- can easily
open the
doors and fall out. When a door is
locked, the inside handle won’t open it.
Outsiders can easily enter through an unlocked
door when you slow down or stop your vehicle.
This
may not be so obvious: You increase the
chance
of being thrown out of the vehicle in a
crash
if the doors aren’t locked. Wear safety belts
properly, lock your doors, and you will be far
better
off whenever you drive your vehicle.
There are several ways to lock and unlock your vehicle,
From the outside, you can use your key in the door lock.
You can also use the keyless entry system if your vehicle
has this option.
From the inside, you can lock the door by sliding the
locking lever rearward.
To unlock the door, slide the locking lever forward.
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Power Door Locks
1
With power door locks, you can lock or unlock
all the
doors
of your vehicle from
On four-door models, slide the lock lever on each rear
door to lock or unlock that door.
Automatic Door Locks
Just close your doors and turn on the ignition. If you
have an automatic transaxle, all of the doors will lock
when
you move your shift lever out of PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL (N). If you have a manual transaxle, all of
the doors will lock when the vehicle reaches about
8 mph (13 km/h). If someone needs to get out while the
vehicle is running, have that person use the manual or
power lock. When the door
is closed again, it will lock
automatically when you move your shift lever out
of
PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N). If you have a manual
transaxle, the doors will lock when the vehicle reaches
about
8 mph (13 km/h). All doors will automatically
unlock when the key is turned to
OFF.
If you don’t want the doors to automatically unlock
when the key is turned to the OFF position, you can
remove the
DR UNLK fuse (1OA) from the vehicle fuse
block. For fuse location, see “Fuses and Circuit
Breakers” in the Index.
2-5

Rear Door Security Lock
Your vehicle is equipped
with rear door security
locks that help prevent
passengers from opening
the rear doors
of your
vehicle from the inside.
To use one of these locks:
1. Use a key to move the lock all the way up.
2. Close the door.
3. Do the same thing to the other rear door lock. The rear doors
of your vehicle cannot be opened
from
the inside when this feature
is in use. If you want to
open a rear door when the security lock is
on:
1. Unlock the door from the inside.
2. Then open the door from the outside.
If you don’t cancel the security lock feature, adults or
older children who
ride in the rear won’t be able to open
the rear door from the inside.
You should let adults and
older children know how these security locks work, and
how to cancel the locks.
1. To cancel the rear door lock, unlock the door from
the inside and open the door from the outside.
2. Use a key to move the lock all the way down.
3. Do the same for the other rear door.
The rear door locks will now work normally.
Leaving Your Vehicle
If you are leaving the vehicle, take your key, open your
door and set the locks
from the inside. Then get out and
close the door.
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Keyless Entry System
If your vehicle has this option, you can lock and unlock
your doors or unlock your
trunk from about 3 feet (1 m)
up to
30 feet (9 m) away using the remote keyless entry
transmitter supplied with your vehicle.
In addition, the system illuminates the interior lamps for
a set period of time. The keyless entry system consists
of a receiver, which is located
in the vehicle, and two
hand-held transmitters.
Your keyless entry system
operates on a radio
frequency subject to Federal
Communications
Commission (FCC) Rules
and with Industry Canada. This
device complies with
Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
(1) this device may not cause harmful interference,
and
(2) this device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
This device complies with RSS-210 of Industry
Canada. Operation is subject to the following two
conditions:
(1) this device may not cause interference,
and
(2) this device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may cause
undesired operation of the device.
Changes or modifications to
this system by other than an
authorized service facility could void authorization to
use this equipment.
2-7

This system has a range of about 3 feet (1 m) up to
30 feet (9 m). At times you may notice a decrease in
range.
This is normal for any keyless entry system. If
the transmitter does not work or if you have to stand
closer to your vehicle for the transmitter to work,
try this:
0
0
0
0
Check to determine if battery replacement or
synchronization is necessary. See the instructions
that follow.
Check the distance. You may be too far from your
vehicle. You may need to stand
closer during rainy
or snowy weather.
Check the location. Other vehicles or objects may be
blocking the signal. Take a few steps to the
left or
right, hold the transmitter higher, and
try again.
If you’re still having trouble, see your dealer or a
qualified technician for service.
Operation
The following functions are available with the keyless
entry system:
LOCK: All doors will automatically lock when the
LOCK button on the transmitter is pressed. The interior
lamps stay on for a few seconds after all of the doors
are closed.
UNLOCK: The driver’s door will unlock automatically
when the UNLOCK button on the transmitter is pressed.
If the UNLOCK button is pressed again within
five
seconds, all remaining doors will unlock. The interior
lamps will stay on for
40 seconds or until the ignition is
turned on.
Trunk Release: The
trunk will unlock anytime the
vehicle symbol on the transmitter is pressed and the
ignition is
OFF. If the ignition is on, the trunk will
unlock if the parking brake is set (manual transaxle)
or
the gear selector is in PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N)
(automatic transaxle). The interior lamps will come on
for
40 seconds or until the ignition switch is turned to
the
ON position.
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