engine PONTIAC GRAND-PRIX 1993 Owner's Guide

Control Buttons (CONT.)
To Reset the Service Reminder:
1. Press SYSTEMS CHECK until the
2. Press and hold RESET for one
service
appears.
second. The maximum recommended
interval before the next service will
be displayed.
You can reduce the interval by
continuing to hold
RESET. The interval
will decrease by 500 miles (800 krn) for
each second you hold the button. When
it reaches
100 miles (160 km) , it will go
back to the maximum.
As you are driving, when less than 100
miles (160 km) remains until a
recommended service, a message will be
displayed when you start your engine. It
will periodically flash
on the screen
until you reset it.
I os
Calendar
With the engine running, the day and
date are displayed unless you select
another function, such as average
speed.
MODE Press to display the following
sequence:
AWPM
Hour
Minute
Month
Day
Year
EnglisWMetric
Press
MODE each time you want to see
the next item in the sequence.
To Reset the Calendar:
1. Press MODE until the function you
want to reset appears.
2. Press and hold SET.
3. Release SET when the function is
Repeat for each function you want to
reset. If more than five seconds pass
before you press
SET or MODE, start
the procedure again to continue making
changes.
To Choose English or Metric Units:
1, Using the tip of a ball point pen (or
something similar), press
MODE
seven times to cycle through the
calendar functions.
2. Press SET to change from English to
metric units,
or metric to English.
This changes the units shown in the
Driver Information Center and the
Head-Up Display,
if your vehicle has
one.
correct.
ProCarManuals.com

Compass
The compass shows the direction your
vehicle is facing whenever the engine is
running. For best accuracy, it should be
calibrated:
Whenever it displays the message
“CALIBRAT/COMPASS”
Whenever it doesn’t seem to be
showing the correct direction.
Mobile telephones, two-way radios,
and other electronic devices can
cause inaccurate compass readings
if they are placed near the
compass, and
you may need to
recalibrate the compass.
To Calibrate the Compass:
1. Drive to an open area, like a large
empty parking lot.
You need to be
able to drive safely
in circles. Be sure
the place is not only free
of other
vehicles but also away from power
lines or large metal buildings.
2. With the engine running and all
accessories
off, press CAL. The word
“CALIB” will appear.
3. Be sure there’s no traffic, then slowly
drive in a circle. Don’t
go faster than
5 mph (8 ldh), because the vehicle
needs to stay level. The compass will
orient itself.
4. When the compass is oriented, the
word “CALSET” will appear. Locate
north and point the front
of the
vehicle at north.
5. Press NORTH. The words “N SET”
will appear. Your compass is now
calibrated.
If you travel more than 500 miles
(804 km) east or west, you can quickly
recalibrate
to compensate for variations
in the earth’s magnetic field. Simply
point the front of the vehicle at true
north and press
NORTH.
log...
ProCarManuals.com

_1
To adjust the HUD so you can see it
properly:
1. Start your engine and slide the HUD
dimmer control (to the right
of the
steering wheel, below the wiper/
washer control) all the way to
HI.
The brightness of the HUD image is
determined
by whether the headlight
switch is on or off, and where you
have set the HUD dimmer control.
2. Adjust the seat, if necessary, before
setting the height control. Slide the
HUD image height control all the
way toward you, raising the image as
far as possible, Then slide the HUD
image height control away from you
so the image is as low as possible but
in full view.
3. Slide the dimmer control toward
OFF until the HUD image is no
brighter than necessary. To turn the
HUD off, slide the HUD dimmer
control to OFF. If the
sun comes out,
or it becomes cloudy,
or if you turn
on your headlights,
you may need to
adjust the HUD’s brightness
using
the HUD dimmer control. Polarizing
sunglasses could make
the HUD
image harder to see.
If the HUD image is too
1 L bright, or too high in your
field of view, it may take you more
time to see things you need to see
when it’s dark outside. Be sure to
keep the HUD image dim and
placed low in your field of view.
ProCarManuals.com

Heating and Ventilation
When you don’t need to cool the
outside air, use these next settings.
You
can leave the air as it is or heat it.
The air conditioner compressor doesn’t
run in the
VNT and HTR settings. This
reduces the engine load, resulting in
improved fuel economy (gas mileage).
VNT (Vent): For mild outside
temperatures, when little heating or
cooling is needed, push
VNT. Air flow
is through the instrument panel outlets.
Slide the temperature control lever to a
comfortable level.
HTR (Heater): When outside
temperatures are cold, push
HTR. This
will send most of the heated air through
the ducts near the floor. The rest will
come out of the defroster vents and side
window defogger vents.
Defogging and Defrosting
There are two settings for clearing your
windows. For each setting, adjust the
temperature control
as desired. The air
conditioner compressor will run in
these settings to remove moisture from
the air when the temperature is above
freezing.
This setting allows half
of
\p the air to flow to the floor
heater ducts, and half to go
to the windshield and side
window vents located in
the windshield pillars. Use
this setting to warm
passengers while keeping
the windshield clear. The setting directs
90% of the air
through the defroster vents and the side
window vents, and
10% to the floor.
ProCarManuals.com

Comfort Controls & Audio Systems
Audio Sy&ms
The following pges describe the audio
systems available
for your Pmtiac, and
how to get
t.he best performance from
them. Please read about the system in
your vehicle.
II
Before you add any sound
equipment
to1 vour vehide-lik
tapeplayer,
Cb radio, mobile
telephone
or two-way radio-b
sure you can add what you want. If @I I you can, it's very important to do it
may interfere with the operation of I
properly. Added sound e'quipment
your vehicle's engine,
Delco* radio
Io'r other systems,
and even damage
them. And, your vehicle's systems
may interfere with the operatio:
sound equipment that s bl
added improperly.
So, before adding sound
equipment, check with yc dealel
and be sure to check Federal m-
covering mobile radio i 1
telephone units. ., . . .. . .- .
120
I Hearing damage from loud
noises is almost undetectable
until it
is too late. Your hearing can
adapt to higher volumes of sound.
Sound that seems normal can be
loud and
harmful to your hearing.
Take precautions by adjusting the
volume control on
you radio to a
safe sound level before your hearing
adapts to it.
damage:
, To help avoid hearing loss or
U
1. Adjust the volume control to the
lowest
setting.
2. Increase volume slowly until you
hear Cnmfortably ind clearly.
Setting the Clock
No matter which audio system you have
in your vehicle, setting the clock is easy.
ProCarManuals.com

‘Riding” your brakes can
:ause them to overheat to t
point that they won’t work well.
You might not be able to stop your
vehicle in time to avoid an accident.
If you “ride” your brakes, they will
get
so hot they will require a lot of
pedal force to slow you
&--
Avoid “riding” the brake-. 3
I’
rs wears them 1 ”)- 2.’;
out much faster. You would need 253
costly brake replacement much 35
sooner than normal, and it also ?$:
.,,&
,,.7.. d:$
/P ,=;.;>,:
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 Brakes (ABS) (OPTION)
If your Pontiac has this system, it has an
advanced electronic braking system
that
will help prevent skidding.
If you have an anti-lock brake system
(ABS), the brake pedal will say so.
ProCarManuals.com

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
were trying to avoid, or into traffic.
If you don’t have anti-lock, use a
“squeeze” braking technique. This will give you
maximum braking while
maintaining steering control. You 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 the
Index under Anti-Lock
Brake System.)
In many emergencies,
steering can help you more than even
the very best braking.
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist
because the engine stops or the system
fails to function, you can steer but it
will take much more effort.
151
ProCarManuals.com

Your Driving and the Road
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
“overdriving” those conditions. But
skids
are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to
your Pontiac’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 and an acceleration
skid are best handled by easing your
foot
off the accelerator pedal. If your
vehicle starts to slide (as when you turn
a corner
on a wet, snow- or ice-covered
road), ease your foot
off the accelerator
pedal as
soon as you feel the vehicle start to
slide. Quickly steer the way you
want the vehicle to go.
If you start
steering quickly enough, your vehicle
will straighten out.
As it does, straighten
the front wheels.
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
ProCarManuals.com

Your Driving and the Road
Drkjng a Long Distance
Although most long trips today are
made on freeways, there are still many
made
on regular highways.
Long-distance driving on freeways and
reguIar highways is the same in some
ways. The trip has to be planned and
the vehicle prepared, you drive at
higher-than-city speeds, and there are
longer turns behind the wheel. You’ll
enjoy your trip more if you and your
vehicle are in good shape. Here are
some tips for a successful long trip.
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. Here
are some things you can check
before a trip:
Windshield Washer Fluid Is the
reservoir full? Are all windows clean
inside and outside?
shape?
Have you checked all levels?
lenses clean? safe, trouble-free trip.
Is the tread
good enough for long-distance
driving? Are the tires all inflated to
the recommended pressure?
weather outlook along your route?
Should
you delay your trip a short
time to avoid a major storm system?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:
Lights: Are they all working? Are the
Tires: They are vitally important to a
Weather Forecasts: What’s the
ProCarManuals.com

On the Road
Unless you are the only driver, it is good
to share the driving task with others.
Limit turns behind the wheel to about
100 miles (160 lm) or two hours at a
sitting. Then, either change drivers or
stop for some refreshment like coffee,
tea or soft drinks and some limbering
up. But do stop and move around. Eat
lightly along the way. Heavier meals
tend to make some people sleepy.
On two-lane highways or undivided
multilane highways that do not have
controlled access, you’ll want to watch
for some situations not usually found
on freeways. Examples are: stop signs
and signals, shopping centers with
direct access to the highway, no passing
zones and school zones, vehicles
turning left and right off the road,
pedestrians, cyclists, parked vehicles,
and even animals.
Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as
“highway hypnosis”? Or is
it just plain
falling asleep at the wheel? Call it
highway hypnosis, lack of awareness,
or
whatever.
There is something about an easy
stretch of road with the same scenery,
along with the hum of the tires
on the
road, the drone of the engine, and the
rush of the wind against the vehicle that
can make you sleepy. Don’t let it
happen to you! If it does, your vehicle
can leave the road in
less than a
second, and you could crash and be
injured.
What can you
do about highway
hypnosis? First, be aware that it can
happen.
Then here are some tips:
Make sure your vehicle is well
ventilated, with a comfortably cool
interior.
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road
ahead
and to the sides. Check your
rearview mirrors frequently and your
instruments from time to time. This
can help you avoid a fixed stare.
Wear good sunglasses in bright light.
Glare can
cause drowsiness. But don’t
wear sunglasses at night. They will
drastically reduce your overall vision
at the very time
you need all the
seeing power
you have.
If you get sleepy, pull off the road into
a rest, service, or parking area and
take a nap, get some exercise, or both.
For
safety, treat drowsiness on the
highway as
an emergency.
As in any driving situation, keep pace
with traffic and allow adequate
following distances.
ProCarManuals.com