BATTERY PONTIAC GRAND AM 2003 Owners Manual

These are some examples of vehicle symbols you may find on your vehicle:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
BATTERY
4CID COULD CAUSE
BURNS
AVOID
SPARKS
OR
FLAMES
SPARK
OR
FLAME 'lb'
COULD
EXPLODE
-
BATTERY
1
I
LATCH BOTH LAP AND
SHOULDER BELTS TO
PROTECT OCCUPANT
4
DO NOT TWIST SAFETY
BELT WHEN ATTACHING
FASTEN SEAT
BELTS
MOVE SEAT FULLY
\!&
REARWARD+ /z
SECURE
CHILD SEAT
PULL BELT
COMPLETELY
-HEN SECURE
CHILD SEAT
?"!"!E?
WINDOW DO
NOT INSTALL
A REAR-FACING
CHILD RESTRAINT IN THIS SEATING
POSITION
DO NOT INSTALL A
FORWARD-FACING CHILD RESTRAINT IN THIS SEATING POSITION
DOOR LOCK UNLOCK LIGHTING
-
PARKING PC
LAMPS
FOG n LAMPS w
ENGINE
COOLANT TEMP
CHARGING
1-1
BAlTERY SYSTEM
COOLANT
a
ENGINE OIL
PRESSURE
Wb
ANTI-LOCK fm)
BRAKES \u/
FJ
ACCESS
ENGINE
COOLANT FAN
FUEL
OWNER'S MANUAL
SERVICE
SERVICE
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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

Changes or modifications to this system by other than
an authorized service facility could void authorization to
use this equipment.
At times you may notice a decrease in range. This is
normal for any remote 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:
e
e
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.
Check to determine
if battery replacement is
necessary. See
“Battery Replacement” under
Remote Keyless Entry System Operation on
page
2-4.
If you are still having trouble, see your dealer or a
qualified technician for service.
Remote Keyless Entry System
Operation
If your vehicle has this feature, 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.
The following functions are
available with the keyless
entry system:
8 (Lock): All doors will automatically lock when this
button on the transmitter is pressed. The interior
lamps will turn
off after all of the doors are closed. If all
of the doors are closed, the parking lamps will flash
twice and the horn will chirp to indicate locking
has occurred.
2-4

Battery Replacement
Under normal use, the battery in your remote keyless
entry transmitter should last about four years.
You can tell the battery
is weak if the transmitter won’t
work at the normal range
in any location. If you have
to get close to your vehicle before the transmitter works,
it’s probably time
to change the battery.
Notice: When replacing the battery, use care not to
touch any of the circuitry. Static from your body
transferred to these surfaces may damage the
transmitter.
To replace the battery in the remote keyless entry
transmitter do the following:
1. Use a flat object like a coin to separate the bottom
half from the top half of the transmitter.
2. Remove the battery and replace it with the new
one. Make sure the positive side of the battery
faces up. Use one three-volt,
CR2032, or
equivalent, type battery.
3. Put the two halves back together. Make sure the
cover is on tightly,
so water won’t get in.
2-6

Manual Transaxle
The gear selector should be in neutral and the parking
brake engaged. Hold the clutch pedal
to the floor
and start the engine. Your vehicle won’t start
if the clutch
pedal is not all the way down
- that’s a safety feature.
Starting Your 2.2L L4 ECOTECTM
Engine
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn your
ignition key
to START. When the engine starts, let
go of the key. The idle speed will
go down as
your engine gets warm.
Notice: Holding your key in START for longer than
15 seconds at a time will cause your battery to
be drained much sooner. And the excessive heat
can damage your starter motor. Wait about
15 seconds between each try to help avoid draining
your battery or damaging your starter.
2. If it doesn’t start, wait about 15 seconds and try
again to start the engine by turning the ignition
key to START. Wait about
15 seconds between
each
try.
When your engine has run about 10 seconds to
warm up, your vehicle is ready to be driven. Don’t
“race” your engine when it’s cold.
If the weather is below freezing (32°F or OOC), let
the engine run for a few minutes
to warm up.
3. If your engine still won’t start (or starts but then
stops),
it could be flooded with too much gasoline.
Try pushing your accelerator pedal all the way
to the
floor and holding
it there as you hold the key in
START for about three seconds. If the vehicle starts
briefly but then stops again, do the same thing,
but this time keep the pedal down for five or
six seconds. This clears the extra gasoline from
the engine.
Notice: Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle.
If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the way
the
engine operates. Before adding electrical equipment,
check with your dealer.
If you don’t, your engine
might not perform properly.
2-20

Starting Your 3400 V6 Engine
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn your
ignition key
to START. When the engine starts, let
go of the key. The idle speed will go down as
your engine warms up.
Notice: Holding your key in START for longer than
15 seconds at a time will cause your battery to
be drained much sooner. And the excessive heat
can damage your starter motor. Wait about
15
seconds between each try to help avoid draining
your battery or damaging your starter.
2. If the engine doesn’t start in 10 seconds, push the
accelerator pedal about one-quarter of the way
down while you turn the key to START. Do this until
the engine starts. As soon as it does, let go of
the key.
3. If your engine still won’t start (or starts but then
stops), it could be flooded with too much gasoline.
Try pushing your accelerator pedal all the way to the
floor and holding it there as you hold the key in
START for a maximum of
15 seconds. This clears
the extra gasoline from the engine.
If the engine
still won’t start or starts briefly but then stops again,
repeat Step
1 or 2, depending on temperature.
When the engine starts, release the key and the
accelerator pedal.
Notice: Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle.
If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the way the
engine operates. Before adding electrical equipment,
check with your dealer. If you don’t, your engine
might not perform properly.
2-2 1

Trunk Lamp Battery Run-Down Protection
The trunk lamp comes on when you open your trunk.
Your vehicle has a battery run-down feature designed
to
protect your vehicle’s battery.
When any interior lamp (trunk, reading lamps, dome
lamp or glove box) is left on when the ignition is turned
off, the battery run-down protection system will
automatically shut the lamp
off after 20 minutes. This
will avoid draining the battery.
To reactivate the interior lamps, do one of the following:
Lift the driver’s door handle,
open any door or
press any remote keyless entry transmitter button
(if equipped),
press the power door lock switch,
~r~~~ rei-,-iGte ti-Ufik Gr
turn the lamp that was left on to off and then to on
again.
Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter
To use the lighter, just push it in all the way and
Nofices Don’t put papers or other flammable
items into your ashtrays. Hot cigarettes or otl let
go.
her
smoking materials could ignite them, causing
SI damaging fire.
Nofice: Don’t hold a cigarette lighter in with your
hand while
it is heating. If you do, it won’t be able to
back away from the heating element when
it’s
ready. That can make it overheat, damaging the
lighter and
the heating element. It can also blow
the fuse.
3-1 7

The air bag readiness light should flash for a few
seconds when you turn the ignition key to
ON. If the
light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will
be ready to warn you
if there is a problem.
Charging System Light
The charging system light
will come on when you
turn on the ignition, but the
II engine is not running, as
a check to show you
it
is working.
When the engine is running, the light should go out.
If it stays on, or comes on while you are driving and you
hear a chime, you may have a problem with the
electrical charging system. It could indicate that you have a loose generator drive belt or another electrical
problem. Have it checked right away. Driving while
this light is on could drain your battery. If
you must drive a short distance with the light on, be
certain to turn
off all your accessories, such as the radio
and air conditioner.
Up-Shift Light
If your manual transaxle
vehicle has this feature
this light comes on
when you need to shift to
the next higher gear.
See
Manual Transaxle
Operation on page
2-27.
Brake System Warning Light
Your vehicle’s hydraulic brake system is divided into two
parts. If one part isn’t working, the other part can still
work and stop you.
For good braking, though, you need
both parts working well.
3-26

If you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the fuel brand you use. It will require at least
one full tank of the proper fuel to turn the light
off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn off,
have your dealer or qualified service center check
the vehicle. Your dealer has the proper test equipment
and diagnostic
tools to fix any mechanical or electrical
problems that may have developed.
Emissions Inspection and Maintenance
Programs
Some state/provincial and local governments have or
may begin programs to inspect the emission control
equipment on your vehicle. Failure to pass this
inspection could prevent you from getting a vehicle
registration. Here are some things you need to know
in order to help
your vehicle pass an inspection:
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection
if the SERVICE
ENGINE SOON light is on or not working properly.
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection
if the OBD
(on-board diagnostic) system determines that critical
emission control systems have not been completely
diagnosed by the system, The vehicle would be
considered not ready for inspection. This can happen
if
you have recently replaced your battery or if your
battery has run down, The diagnostic system is
designed to evaluate critical emission control systems
during normal driving. This may take several days
of routine driving. If you have done this and your vehicle
still does not pass the inspection for lack of
OBD
system readiness, see your dealer or qualified service
center to prepare the vehicle for inspection.
3-33

You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your
vehicle. This can cause deadly
CO (carbon
monoxide) gas to get inside.
CO could
overcome you and kill you. You can’t see
it or
smell
it, so you might not know it is in your
vehicle. Clear away snow from around the
base of your vehicle, especially any that is
blocking your exhaust pipe. And check around
again from time to time to be sure snow
doesn’t collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that’s away from the wind. This will help keep
CO out. Run your engine only
as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little
faster than just idle. That
is, push the accelerator
slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat that you get and
it keeps the battery charged. You will need a
well-charged battery
to restart the vehicle, and possibly
for signaling later on with your headlamps. Let the
heater run for a while.
Then, shut the engine
off and close the window almost
all the way
to preserve the heat. Start the engine
again and repeat this only when you feel really
uncomfortable from the cold. But do it as little as
possible. Preserve the fuel as long as you can.
To help
keep warm, you can get out of the vehicle and do
some fairly vigorous exercises every half hour or
so until
help comes.
4-30