PONTIAC GRAND AM 2003 Repair Manual

Air bags inflate with great force, faster than the blink of an eye. If you’re too close to an
inflating air bag, as you would be
if you were
leaning forward,
it could seriously injure you.
Safety belts help keep you
in position before
and during a crash. Always wear your safety
belt, even with air bags. The driver should sit
as far back as possible while still maintaining
control of the vehicle. Anyone who is up against, or very close
to,
any air bag when
it inflates can be seriously
injured or killed. Air bags plus lap-shoulder
belts offer the best protection for adults, but
not for young children and infants. Neither the
vehicle’s safety belt system nor its air bag system is designed for them.Young children
and infants need the protection that
a child
restraint system can provide. Always secure
children properly in your vehicle.
To read how,
see
the parts of this manual called “Older
Children” and “Infants and Young Children”.
1 -54

There is a air bag
readiness light on the
instrument panel, which
shows
AIR BAG. AIR
BAG
Where Are the Air Bags?
The system checks the air bag electrical system for
malfunctions. The light tells you
if there is an electrical
problem. See
Air Bag Readiness Light on page 3-25.
L
The driver’s air bag is in the middle of the
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1-55

The right front passenger’s air bag is in the instrument
panel on the passenger’s side.
If something is between an occupant and an
air bag, the bag might not inflate properly or it
might force the object into that person causing
severe injury
or even death. The path of an
inflating air bag must be kept clear. Don’t put
anything between
an occupant and an air bag,
and don’t attach or put anything on the
steering wheel hub or on or near any other air
bag covering.
When Should an Air Bag Inflate?
An air bag is designed to inflate in moderate to severe
frontal or near-frontal crashes. The air bag will inflate
only
if the impact speed is above the system’s designed
“threshold level”.
If your vehicle goes straight into a wall that doesn’t
move or deform, the threshold level is about
9 to 14 mph
(14 to 23 km/h). The threshold level can vary, however,
with specific vehicle design,
so that it can be somewhat
above or below this range.
1-56

if your vehicle strikes something that will move or
deform, such as a parked car, the threshold level will be
higher. The air bag is not designed
to inflate in
rollovers, rear impacts, or in many side impacts because
inflation would not help the occupant.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an air
bag should have inflated simply because of the damage
to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs were.
Inflation is determined by the angle of the impact
and how quickly the vehicle slows down in frontal and
near-frontal impacts.
What Makes an Air Bag Inflate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the air bag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. The
sensing system triggers a release of gas from the
inflator, which inflates the air bag. The inflator, air bag
and related hardware are all part of the air bag modules
inside the steering wheel and in the instrument panel
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How Does an Air Bag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or
the instrument panel. Air bags supplement the
protection provided by safety belts. Air bags distribute
the force of the impact more evenly over the occupant's
upper body, stopping the occupant
more gradually.
But air bags would not help you in many types of
collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts and many
side impacts, primarily because an occupant's motion is
not toward those air bags. Air bags should never be
regarded as anything more than a supplement
to safety
belts, and then only in moderate
to severe frontal or
near-frontal collisions.
1-57

What Will You See After an Air Bag
Inflates?
After an air bag inflates, it quickly deflates, so quickly
that some people may not even realize the air bag
inflated. Some components of the air bag module
- the
steering wheel hub for the driver’s air bag or the
instrument panel for the right front passenger’s
bag
- will be hot for a short time. The parts of the bag
that come into contact with you may be warm, but
not too hot to touch. There will be some smoke and dust
coming from the vents in the deflated air bags. Air
bag inflation doesn’t prevent the driver from seeing or
being able to steer the vehicle, nor does it stop
people from leaving the vehicle. When
an air bag inflates, there is dust in the
air. This dust could cause breathing problems
for people with a history of asthma or other
breathing trouble.
To avoid this, everyone in
the vehicle should get out as soon
as it is safe
to do
so. If you have breathing problems but
can’t get out
of the vehicle after an air bag
inflates, then get fresh air by opening a
window or a door.
In many crashes severe enough to inflate an air bag,
windshields are broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may also occur from the
right front passenger air bag.
Air bags are designed to inflate only once. After an
air bag inflates, you’ll need some new parts for
your air bag system.
If you don’t get them, the air
bag system won’t be there to help protect you
in another crash.
A new system will include air bag
modules and possibly other parts. The service
manual for your vehicle covers the need to replace
other parts.
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Your vehicle is equipped with a crash sensing and
diagnostic module, which records information
about the air bag system. The module records
information about the readiness of the system, when
the system commands air bag inflation and
driver’s safety belt usage at deployment.
Let only qualified technicians work on your air bag
system. Improper service can mean that your air
bag system won’t work properly. See your dealer for
service.
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.
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 white someone is working on your vehicle. Your dealer and
the service manual have information
about servicing your vehicle and the air bag system.
To purchase a service manual, see Service Publications
Ordering Information on page
7-9.
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.
1-59

Restraint System Check
Checking Your Restraint Systems
Now and then, make sure the safety belt reminder light
and all your belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors
and anchorages are working properly. Look for any other
loose or damaged safety belt system parts. If you see
anything that might keep a safety belt system from doing
its job, have it repaired.
Torn or frayed safety belts may not protect you in a
crash. They can rip apart under impact forces.
If a belt
is torn or frayed, get a new one right away.
Also look for any opened or broken air bag covers, and
have them repaired or replaced. (The air bag system
does not need regular maintenance.)
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash
A crash can damage the restraint systems in
your vehicle.
A damaged restraint system may
not properly protect the person using
it,
resulting in serious injury or even death in a
crash.
To help make sure your restraint
systems are working properly after
a crash,
have them inspected and any necessary
replacements made as soon as possible.
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If you’ve had a crash, do you need new belts or LATCH If your seat adjuster won’t work after a crash, the
system parts? special part
of the safety belt that goes through the seat
After a very minor collision, nothing may be necessary.
But
if the belts were stretched, as thev would be if If an air bag inflates, you’ll need to replace air bag
to the adjuster may need to be replaced.
worn during a more severe crash, the; you need new
parts.
If the LATCH system was being used during a more
severe crash, you may need new LATCH system parts.
If belts are cut or damaged, replace them. Collision
damage also may mean you will need to have LATCH
system, safety belt or seat parts repaired or replaced.
New parts and repairs may be necessary even
if the belt
or LATCH system wasn’t being used at the time
of
the collision. system
park. See
Supplemental Restraint System
(SRS) on page
1-53.
1-61

Section 2 Features and Controls
Keys .............................................................. -2-2
Remote Keyless Entry System
......................... 2.3
Remote Keyless Entry System Operation
.......... -2-4
Qoors and Locks ............................................. 2-7
Door Locks
.................................................... 2-7
Power Door Locks
.......................................... 2-8
Delayed Locking
............................................. 2-8
Programmable Automatic Door Locks
................ 2-8
Rear Door Security Locks
.............................. 2-10
Lockout Protection
........................................ 2-11
Leaving Your Vehicle
.................................... 2-1 1
Trunk .......................................................... 2-12
Windows
........................................................ 2-15
Manual Windows
.......................................... 2-15
Power Windows
............................................ 2-16
Sun Visors
................................................... 2-16
Theft-Deterrent Systems
.................................. 2-17
Passlock@
@ ................................................. 2-17
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
................ 2-18
New Vehicle Break-In
.................................... 2-18
Ignition Positions
.......................................... 2-18 Starting
Your Engine
..................................... 2.19
Engine Coolant Heater
.................................. 2.22
Automatic Transaxle Operation
....................... 2.24
Manual Parking
Shifting
Shifting Parking Parking Transaxle Operation
.......................... -2-27
Brake
.............................................. 2.29
Into Park (P)
..................................... 2.30
Out
of Park (P) ................................. 2.32
Your VehiclelKey Removal
.................. 2.32
Over Things That Burn
....................... 2-33
Engine Exhaust
............................................ 2-33
Running Your Engine While You Are Parked
.... 2-34
Mirrors
........................................................... 2-35
Manual Rearview Mirror
................................. 2.35
Outside Remote Control Mirror
....................... 2.35
Outside Power Mirrors
................................... 2.36
Outside Convex Mirror
................................... 2.36
Storage Areas
................................................ 2.37
Glove Box
................................................... 2.37
Center Console Storage Area
......................... 2.37
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Sunroof ......................................................... 2-38
2-
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