traction control PONTIAC GRAND AM 2003 Owners Manual

Section 3 Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel Overview ............................... 3.2
Hazard Warnin Flashers
................................ 3.4
Other Warning !bevices
................................... 3.5
Horn
............................................................. 3.5
Tilt Wheel
..................................................... 3.5
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
......................... 3.6
Exterior Lamps
............................................. 3.13
Interior Lamps
.............................................. 3.16
Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter
........................ 3.17
Climate Controls
............................................ 3.18
Climate Control System
................................. 3.18
Outlet Adjustment
......................................... 3.21
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
............. 3-22
Instrument Panel Cluster
................................ 3.23
Speedometer and Odometer
........................... 3.24
Tachometer
................................................. 3.24
Safety Belt Reminder Light
............................. 3.25
Air Bag Readiness Light ................................ 3.25
Charging System Light
.................................. 3.26
Up-Shift Light
............................................... 3.26
Erake QlQtT! -J -.-. !n!=lrning Light ........................ ~ 3-76 .
Warnin Light ........................................... 3-28
Warning Light
........................................... 3.28
Active Light
.............................................. 3.29
Low Coolant Warning Light
............................ 3.30
Anti-Lock
Brake System
Enhance
c? Traction System
Enhanced Traction System
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
3.3~ rl on ..................
Malfunction Indicator Lamp ............................. 3.31
Oil Pressure Light
......................................... 3.34
Low Oil Level Li ht
....................................... 3.35
Securit Light:
............................................... 3-36
Service Vehicle Soon Light
............................ 3-36
Fuel Gage
................................................... 3-37
Audio System(s)
............................................. 3-38
Data Systems RDS)
.................................. 3-38
Change Engine
ail Light ................................ 3-35
Low dsher Fluid Warning Light
..................... 3-36
Setting the Time for Radios without Radio
Setting the Time
1 or Radios with Radio 3-39
........................... 3-39
.............................. 3-43
Radio with Cassette and CD
.......................... 3-55
Theft-Deterrent Feature
Theft-Deterrent Feature (Non-RDS Radios)
..................................... 3-68
(RDS Radios)
........................................... 3-68
MUUIW ULCCI II ly VVI IGGI VU1 ILI WIG v vv A . .A .- C'&-A~;~~ \Alhnnl Pnmtrnlrr Qxa .......................
Understanding Radio Reception ...................... 3-70
Care of Your Cassette Tape Player
................. 3-70
Care of Your CDs ......................................... 3-71
Care of Your CD Player
................................ 3-72
Fixed Mast Antenna ...................................... 3-72
XM Satellite Radio Antenna System
................ 3-72
DAB Radio Antenna System 3-11 Chime Level Adjustment ................................ 3-72
n Tn ...........................
3- 1

The main components of your instrument panel are the following:
A. Fog Lamp Button
B. Instrument Panel Brightness Thumbwheel
C. Turn SignaVMultifunction Lever
D. Horn
E. Instrument Panel Cluster
F. Windshield WiperNVasher Lever
G. Ignition Switch
H. Enhanced Traction System Button
I. Hazard Warning Flashers Button
J. Instrument Panel Fuse Blocks
K. Hood Release Handle
L. Tilt Wheel Lever
M. Audio System Steering Wheel Controls (If Equipped)
N. Cruise Control Buttons (If Equipped)
0. Shift Lever
P. Cigarette Lighter
Q. Climate Control System
R. Audio System
3-3

The cruise control will turn off if any of the following
occur:
The brakes are applied,
the clutch pedal is applied (manual transaxle),
the automatic transaxle is shifted to NEUTRAL (N),
the parking brake is applied, or
e the brake system warning light is on. If your vehicle
is in cruise control when the enhanced
traction control system,
if your vehicle has this feature,
begins
to limit wheel spin, the cruise control will
automatically disengage. See Enhanced Traction
System
(€E) on page 4-9. When road conditions allow
you to safely use it again, you may turn the cruise
control back
on.
Setting Cruise Control
Cruise control can be dangerous where
you can’t drive safely at a steady speed.
So, don’t use your cruise control on
winding roads
or in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous on
slippery roads. On such roads, fast
changes
in tire traction can cause
needless wheel spinning, and you could
lose control. Don’t use cruise control on
slippery roads.
If you leave your cruise control on when yc re
not using cruise, you might hit a button and go
into cruise when you don’t want to. You could
be startled and even lose control. Keep the
cruise control switch
off until you want to use
cruise control.
1, Press cruise ON OFF. An indicator light will come
2. Get up to the speed you want.
3. Press the SET COAST button and release it.
4. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal.
on when ON OFF is pressed.
3-1 0

The Enhanced Traction System warning light may come
on for the following reasons:
0 If you turn the system off by pressing the ETS
button on the center console near the gear
shift lever, the warning light will come on and stay
on. To turn the system back on, press the button
again. The warning light should
go off. See
Enhanced Traction System (ETS) on page 4-9 for
more information.
0 If the traction control system is affected by an
engine-related problem, the system will turn
off and
the warning light will come on.
0 If the vehicle is driven on an extremely rough road,
the warning light may come on momentarily but will
go
off again when the vehicle leaves the rough
surface.
If the Enhanced Traction System warning light comes
on and stays on for an extended period of time when the
system is turned on and the parking brake is fully
released, your vehicle needs service.
Enhanced Traction System
Active Light
LOW
TRAC
If your vehicle has the
Enhanced Traction System
(ET§), this light
will
come on when the system
is limiting wheel spin.
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
ON. If
the light doesn’t come on then, have
it fixed so it will be
there
to tell you when the system is active.
3-29

Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
Your Driving. the Road. and Your Vehicle .......... 4-2
Defensive Driving
........................................... 4.2
Drunken Driving
............................................. 4.2
Control of
a Vehicle ........................................ 4-6
Braking
......................................................... 4-6
Enhanced Traction System (ETS)
..................... 4-9
Steering
...................................................... 4-1 1
Passing ....................................................... 4-14
Loss of Control ............................................. 4-15
Driving at Night
............................................ 4-17
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
.................. 4-19
Off-Road
Recovery
....................................... 4-13 City Driving
.................................................. 4-21
Freeway Driving
........................................... 4.22
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
....................... 4-23
Highway Hypnosis
........................................ 4.24
Hill and Mountain Roads
................................ 4-25
Winter Driving
.............................................. 4.26
If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow ........ 4-31
Towing
.......................................................... 4.32
Towing Your Vehicle
..................................... 4.32
Recreational Vehicle Towing
........................... 4.32
Loading Your Vehicle
.................................... 4-35
Towing a Trailer
........................................... 4.37
4-
1

Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go
where you want it
to go. They are the brakes, the
steering and the accelerator.
All three systems have to
do their work at the places where the tires meet
the road. Sometimes,
as when you’re driving
on snow or ice, it’s
easy to ask more of those control systems than the
tires and road can provide. That means you can lose
control
of your vehicle. Also see Enhanced Traction
System
(ETS) on page 4-9.
Braking
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That’s
perception time. Then you have to bring up your
foot and do it. That’s
reaction time.
Average reaction time is about 3/4 of a second. But
that’s only an average. It might be less with one driver
and as long as two or three seconds or more with
another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination
and eyesight all play a part.
So do alcohol, drugs and
frustration. But even in
3/4 of a second, a vehicle moving
at
60 mph (1 00 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m). That
could be a lot of distance in an emergency,
so keeping
enough space between your vehicle and others is
important.
4-6

Remember: Anti-lock doesn’t change the time you need
to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always
decrease stopping distance. If you get
too close to the
vehicle in front of you, you won’t have time to apply
your brakes
if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops.
Always leave enough room up ahead
to stop, even
though you have anti-lock brakes.
Using Anti-Lock
Don’t pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down
firmly and let anti-lock work for you. You may feel a
slight brake pedal pulsation or notice some noise, but
this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
At some time, nearly every driver gets into a situation
that requires hard braking.
If you have anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the
same time. However,
if you don’t have anti-lock,
your first reaction
- to hit the brake pedal hard and hold
it down
- may be the wrong thing to do. Your wheels
can stop rolling. Once they do, the vehicle can’t respond
to your steering. Momentum will carry it in whatever
direction it was headed when the wheels stopped rolling.
That could be
off the road, into the very thing you
LAtara tnrinn tn 9 rni VGI G 11 yll ILJ 1W ,\,Id, Gr intG traffic. If
you don’t have anti-lock, use a “squeeze” braking
technique. This will give you maximum braking while
maintaining steering control. You can do this by pushing
on the brake pedal with steadily increasing pressure.
In an emergency, you will probably want
to squeeze the
brakes hard without locking the wheels. If you hear or
feel the wheels sliding, ease
off the brake pedal.
This will help you retain steering control. If you
do have
anti-lock,
it’s different. See “Anti-Lock Brakes.’’
In many emergencies, steering can help you more than
even the very best braking.
Enhanced Traction System (ETS)
Your vehicle may have an Enhanced Traction System
(ETS) that limits wheel spin. This is especially useful in
slippery road conditions. The system operates only
if
it senses that one or both of the front wheels are
spinning or beginning
to lose traction. When this
happens, the system reduces engine power and may
aiso upshiii ihe iransaxie io iirrlii wheei spirl.
4-9

LOW
TRAC
This light will come on
when your Enhanced
Traction System is limiting
wheel spin. See
Enhanced Traction System
Active Light on page 3-29.
You may feel or hear the system working, but this is
normal. This light will also come on when the anti-lock
brake system is working.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the enhanced
traction system begins
to limit wheel spin, the cruise
control will automatically disengage. When road
conditions allow you to safely use it again, you may
re-engage the cruise control. See “Cruise Control” under
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-6.
The Enhanced Traction System operates in all transaxle
shift lever positions. But the system can upshift the
transaxle only as high
as the shift lever position you’ve
chosen,
so you should use the lower gears only
when necessary. See
Automatic Transaxle Operation on
page
2-24.
TRAC
OFF
When the system is on and the parking brake is
fully released, this warning
light will come on to let
you know
if there’s a
problem.
See
Enhanced Traction System Warning Light on
page 3-28.
When this warning light is on, the system will
not limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
4-1 0

To limit wheel spin, especially in slippery road
conditions, you should always leave the Enhanced
Traction System on. But you can turn the system
off if
you prefer.
To turn the system on or off, press the ETS button on
the instrument panel.
When you turn the system
off, the Enhanced Traction
System warning light will come on and stay on.
If
the Enhanced Traction System is limiting wheel spin
when you press the button
to turn the system off,
the warning light will come on
- but the system won’t
turn
off right away. It will wait until there’s no longer
a current need
to limit wheel spin.
You can turn the system back on at any time by
pressing the button again. The Enhanced Traction
System warning light should go off.
Steering
Power Steerin
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer but
it will take much more effort.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It’s important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on
the news happen on curves. Here’s why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject
to
the same laws of physics when driving on curves.
The traction of the tires against the road surface makes
it possible
for the vehicle to change its path when
you turn the front wheels.
If there’s no traction, inertia
will keep the vehicle going in the same direction. If
you’ve ever tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you’ll
understand this.
The traction you can get in a curve depends on the
condition of your tires and the road surface, the angle at
which the curve
is banked, and your speed. While
you’re in a curve, speed
is the one factor you can
control.
4-1 1

Suppose you’re steering through a sharp curve.
Then you suddenly accelerate. Both control
systems
- steering and braking - have to do their work
where the tires meet the road. Unless you have
four-wheel anti-lock brakes, adding the hard braking can
demand
too much of those places. You can lose
control.
The same thing can happen
if you’re steering through a
sharp curve and you suddenly accelerate. Those two
control systems
- steering and acceleration - can
overwhelm those places where the tires meet the road
and make you lose control. See
Enhanced Traction
System
(ETS) on page 4-9.
What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on
the brake or accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way
you want it
to go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should
adjust your speed. Of course, the posted speeds
are based on good weather and road conditions. Under
less favorable conditions you’ll want
to go slower.
If you need
to reduce your speed as you approach a
curve, do it before you enter the curve, while your front
wheels are straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed so you can “drive” through the
curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait
to
accelerate until you are out of the curve, and then
accelerate gently into the straightaway.
4-1 2
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective
than braking. For example, you come over a hill and find
a truck stopped in your lane, or
a car suddenly pulls
out from nowhere, or a child darts out from between
parked cars and stops right in front of you. You
can avoid these problems by braking
- if you can stop
in time. But sometimes you can’t; there isn’t room.
That’s the time for evasive action
- steering around the
problem.
Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like
these. First apply your brakes
- but, unless you
have anti-lock, not enough
to lock your wheels.
See
Braking on page 4-6. It is better to remove as much
speed as you can from a possible collision. Then
steer around the problem,
to the left or right depending
on the space available.