stop start PONTIAC GRAND AM 2002 User Guide

3-14
RDM 3 (Random): Press this pushbutton to hear the
tracks in random, rather than sequential, order. RDM
and the track number will appear on the display.
4
(Reverse): Press and hold this pushbutton to
reverse quickly within a track. You will hear sound at a
reduced volume. Release it to play the passage. The
display will show elapsed time.
EQ (Equalizer): Press EQ to select the desired preset
equalization setting while playing a compact disc. The
equalization will be automatically set whenever you
play a compact disc. See ªEQº listed previously for
more information.
SEEK : Press the down arrow while playing a CD
to go to the start of the current track if more than eight
seconds have played. Press the up arrow to go to the
next track. If you hold the button or press it more than
once, the player will continue moving backward or
forward through the disc.
SCAN : Press and hold one of the SCAN arrows
for more than two seconds until SCAN appears on the
display and you hear a beep. The disc will go to the next
track, play for a few seconds, then go on to the next
track. Press this button again to stop scanning. The
sound will mute while scanning. SCAN and the track
number will appear on the display.RCL (Recall): Press this button to see how long the
current track has been playing. To change what is
normally shown on the display (track or elapsed time),
press the button until you see the display you want, then
hold the button until the display flashes. While elapsed
time is showing, CD TIME will appear on the display.
BAND: Press this button to listen to the radio when a
CD is playing. The inactive CD will remain safely inside
the radio for future listening.
CD AUX (Auxiliary): Press this button to play a
compact disc when listening to the radio. CD will appear
on the display when a compact disc is loaded.
(Eject): Press this button to eject a CD. Eject may
be activated with either the ignition or radio off. CDs
may be loaded with the radio and ignition off if this
button is pressed first.

3-22
When a traffic announcement comes on the current radio
station or a related network station, you will hear it,
even if the volume is muted or a cassette tape or a
compact disc is playing. If the cassette tape or compact
disc player was being used, the cassette tape or compact
disc will stay in the player and resume play at the point
where it stopped.
Radio Messages
CALIBRATE: Your audio system has been calibrated
for your vehicle from the factory. If CALIBRATE
appears on the display, it means that your radio has not
been configured properly for your vehicle and must be
returned to the dealership for service.
Playing a Cassette Tape
Your tape player is built to work best with tapes that are
up to 30 to 45 minutes long on each side. Tapes longer
than that are so thin they may not work well in this
player. The longer side with the tape visible should face
to the right. If the ignition is on, but the radio is off, the
tape can be inserted and will begin playing. If you hear
nothing but a garbled sound, the tape may not be in
squarely. Press the eject button to remove the tape and
start over.While the tape is playing, use the VOL, BAL, FADE,
TONE, EQ and SEEK controls just as you do for the
radio. The display will show TAPE and an arrow
showing which side of the tape is playing. The tape
player automatically begins playing the other side when
it reaches the end of the tape.
Your tape bias is set automatically when a metal or
chrome tape is inserted. If you want to insert a tape
when the ignition is off, first press the eject button or
push the RCL knob.
If an error appears on the display, see ªCassette Tape
Messagesº later in this section.
1
(Forward): Press this pushbutton to advance
quickly to another part of the tape. Press this pushbutton
again to return to playing speed. The radio will play the
last selected station while the tape advances. You may
select stations during forward operation by using TUNE.
While in forward mode, the display will show FREQ
and FWD and two right arrows. If the radio is playing a
RDS station, the display will only show FREQ.
2
(Side): Press this pushbutton to play the other
side of the tape.

3-25
As each new track starts to play, the track number will
appear on the display.
If an error appears on the display, see ªCompact Disc
Messagesº later in this section.
1
(Forward): Press and hold this pushbutton to
advance quickly within a track. You will hear sound at a
reduced volume. Release it to play the passage. The
display will show elapsed time.
RDM 3 (Random): Press this pushbutton to hear the
tracks in random, rather than sequential, order. RDM
and the track number will appear on the display.
4
(Reverse): Press and hold this pushbutton to
reverse quickly within a track. You will hear sound at a
reduced volume. Release it to play the passage. The
display will show elapsed time.
EQ (Equalizer): Press EQ to select the desired preset
equalization setting while playing a compact disc. The
equalization will be automatically set whenever you
play a compact disc. See ªEQº listed previously for
more information.
SEEK : Press the down arrow while playing a
CD to go to the start of the current track if more than
eight seconds have played. Press the up arrow to go to
the next track. If you hold the button or press it more
than once, the player will continue moving backward or
forward through the disc.
SCAN : Press and hold one of the SCAN arrows
for more than two seconds until SCAN appears on the
display and you hear a beep. The disc will go to the next
track, play for a few seconds, then go on to the next
track. Press this button again to stop scanning. The
sound will mute while scanning. SCAN and the track
number will appear on the display.
RCL (Recall): Press this button to see how long the
current track has been playing. To change what is
normally shown on the display (track or elapsed time),
press the button until you see the display you want, then
hold the button until the display flashes. While elapsed
time is showing, CD TIME will appear on the display.
BAND: Press this button to listen to the radio when a
CD is playing.
CD TAPE: Press this button to switch between playing
a cassette tape and a compact disc if both are loaded,
when listening to the radio. The inactive tape or CD will
remain safely inside the radio for future listening. The
display will show tape and CD icons.
(Eject): Press this button, located next to the CD
slot, to eject a CD. Eject may be activated with either
the ignition or radio off. CDs may be loaded with the
radio and ignition off if this button is pressed first.

4-7
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 Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes. 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 ªAnti
-Lock Brake
System Warning Lightº
in the Index.

4-14

Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to
pass while you're awaiting an opportunity. For one
thing, following too closely reduces your area of
vision, especially if you're following a larger
vehicle. Also, you won't have adequate space if the
vehicle ahead suddenly slows or stops. Keep back a
reasonable distance.

When it looks like a chance to pass is coming up,
start to accelerate but stay in the right lane and don't
get too close. Time your move so you will be
increasing speed as the time comes to move into the
other lane. If the way is clear to pass, you will have a
ªrunning startº that more than makes up for the
distance you would lose by dropping back. And if
something happens to cause you to cancel your pass,
you need only slow down and drop back again and
wait for another opportunity.

If other cars are lined up to pass a slow vehicle, wait
your turn. But take care that someone isn't trying to
pass you as you pull out to pass the slow vehicle.
Remember to glance over your shoulder and check
the blind spot.
Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder, and
start your left lane change signal before moving out
of the right lane to pass. When you are far enough
ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front in your
inside mirror, activate your right lane change signal
and move back into the right lane. (Remember that
your right outside mirror is convex. The vehicle you
just passed may seem to be farther away from you
than it really is.)

Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time
on two
-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the
next vehicle.

Don't overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lamps are not flashing, it may
be slowing down or starting to turn.

If you're being passed, make it easy for the
following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you
can ease a little to the right.

4-15
Loss of Control
Let's review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems (brakes, steering
and acceleration) don't have enough friction where the
tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don't give up. Keep trying to
steer and constantly seek an escape route or area
of less danger.
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 ªoverdrivingº
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
ªmirrored surfaceº
-- and slow down when you have
any doubt.
Remember: Any anti
-lock brake system (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.

4-17
You can be temporarily blinded by approaching
headlamps. It can take a second or two, or even
several seconds, for your eyes to readjust to the dark.
When you are faced with severe glare (as from a driver
who doesn't lower the high beams, or a vehicle with
misaimed headlamps), slow down a little. Avoid staring
directly into the approaching headlamps.
Keep your windshield and all the glass on your vehicle
clean
-- inside and out. Glare at night is made much
worse by dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the glass
can build up a film caused by dust. Dirty glass makes
lights dazzle and flash more than clean glass would,
making the pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that your headlamps light up far less of a
roadway when you are in a turn or curve. Keep your
eyes moving; that way, it's easier to pick out dimly
lighted objects. Just as your headlamps should be
checked regularly for proper aim, so should your eyes
be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from night
blindness
-- the inability to see in dim light -- and
aren't even aware of it.
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet
road, you can't stop, accelerate or turn as well because
your tire
-to-road traction isn't as good as on dry roads.
And, if your tires don't have much tread left, you'll get
even less traction. It's always wise to go slower and be
cautious if rain starts to fall while you are driving. The
surface may get wet suddenly when your reflexes are
tuned for driving on dry pavement.

4-22
The most important advice on freeway driving is: Keep
up with traffic and keep to the right. Drive at the same
speed most of the other drivers are driving. Too
-fast or
too
-slow driving breaks a smooth traffic flow. Treat the
left lane on a freeway as a passing lane.
At the entrance, there is usually a ramp that leads to
the freeway. If you have a clear view of the freeway as
you drive along the entrance ramp, you should begin
to check traffic. Try to determine where you expect to
blend with the flow. Try to merge into the gap at close to
the prevailing speed. Switch on your turn signal, check
your mirrors and glance over your shoulder as often as
necessary. Try to blend smoothly with the traffic flow.
Once you are on the freeway, adjust your speed to the
posted limit or to the prevailing rate if it's slower. Stay
in the right lane unless you want to pass.
Before changing lanes, check your mirrors. Then use
your turn signal.
Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly over your
shoulder to make sure there isn't another vehicle in your
ªblindº spot.
Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable following distance. Expect to move
slightly slower at night.When you want to leave the freeway, move to the proper
lane well in advance. If you miss your exit, do not,
under any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive on to
the next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
The exit speed is usually posted.
Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not
to your sense of motion. After driving for any distance
at higher speeds, you may tend to think you are going
slower than you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you're ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must start when you're not fresh
-- such as after a day's
work
-- don't plan to make too many miles that first part
of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes you
can easily drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it's ready to go. If it needs
service, have it done before starting out. Of course,
you'll find experienced and able service experts in
Pontiac dealerships all across North America.
They'll be ready and willing to help if you need it.

4-41 Making Turns
NOTICE:
Making very sharp turns while trailering could
cause the trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
When you're turning with a trailer, make wider turns
than normal. Do this so your trailer won't strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees or other objects.
Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well
in advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle may need a
different turn signal flasher and/or extra wiring. Check
with your dealer. The arrows on your instrument panel
will flash whenever you signal a turn or lane change.
Properly hooked up, the trailer lamps will also flash,
telling other drivers you're about to turn, change lanes
or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on your instrument
panel will flash for turns even if the bulbs on the trailer
are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers behind you
are seeing your signal when they are not. It's important
to check occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs are
still working.
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, shift down and reduce your
speed to around 45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the
possibility of engine and transaxle overheating.

4-43 When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:

start your engine,

shift into a gear, and

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, drive belt, cooling system and brake system.
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 this information before you start
your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer Towing
Your cooling system may temporarily overheat during
severe operating conditions. See ªEngine Overheatingº
in the Index.