stop start PONTIAC GRAND PRIX 1998 User Guide

If you’re driving on a very rough road or if it’s very hot,
the disc may not play and
E (error) and a number may
appear on the radio display.
If the disc comes out, it
could be that:
0 The disc is upside down.
0 It is dirty, scratched or wet.
0 The air is very humid. (If so, wait about an hour and
try again.)
If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error can’t be
corrected, please contact your dealer.
If your radio
displays
an error number, write it down and provide it to
your dealer when reporting the problem.
PREV (1): Press this button or the SEEK down arrow to
go to the start of the current track if more than eight
seconds have played. If you hold the button or press
it
more than once, the player will continue moving back
through the disc.
NEXT (2): Press this button or the SEEK up arrow to
go to the start of the next track. If you hold the button or
press it more than once, the player will continue moving
forward through the disc.
RDM (3): Press this button to hear the tracks in random,
rather than sequential, order. The display will show
RDM. Press RDM again to turn off random play.
REV (5): Press and hold this button to quickly reverse
within a track. Release it to play the passage.
You will
hear sound at a reduced volume. The display will show elapsed time.
FWD (6): Press and hold this button to quickly advance
within a track.
You will hear sound at a reduced volume.
The display will show elapsed time.
RECALL: Press this button to see what track is
currently playing. Press RECALL again within five
seconds to see how long the track
has been playing.
When a new track starts to play, the track number will
also appear. Press RECALL a third time and the time of
day will be displayed.
AM-FM: Press this button to play the radio when a disc
is playing. The disc will stop but remain in the player.
CDPLAY: Press this button to change to the disc
function when the radio is on.
EJECT: Press this button to remove the disc or stop the
disc and switch to the radio.
EJECT will work with the
radio
off.

RDM (3): Press this button to hear the tracks in random,
rather than sequential, order. The display will show
RDM, Press RDM again to turn off random play.
REV (5): Press and hold this button to quickly reverse
within a track. Release it to play the passage.
You will
hear sound at a reduced volume. The display will show
elapsed time.
FWD (6): Press and hold this button to quickly advance
within a track.
You will hear sound at a reduced volume.
The display will show elapsed time.
RECALL: Press this button to see what track is
currently playing. Press RECALL again within five
seconds to see how long
the track has been playing.
When a new track starts to play, the track number will
also appear. Press RECALL a third time and the time
of
day will be displayed.
AM-FM: Press this button to play the radio when a disc
is playing. The disc
will stop but remain in the player.
CDPLAY Press this button to change to the disc
function
when the radio is on.
EJECT: Press this button to remove the disc or stop the
disc
and switch to the radio. EJECT will work with the
radio
off.
Trunk Mounted CD Changer (If Equipped)
With the optional compact disc changer, you can play up
to 12 discs continuously. Normal size discs may be
played using the trays supplied
in the magazine.
The small discs (8 cm) can be played only with specially
designed trays.
You must fist load the magazine with discs before you
can play a compact disc. Each of the 12 trays holds one
disc. Press the button on the back of the magazine and
pull gently on one
of the trays. Load the trays from
bottom to top, placing a disc on the tray label side down.
If you load a disc label side up, the disc will not play
and
an error will occur. Gently push the tray back into
the magazine slot. Repeat this procedure for loading up
to 12 discs in the magazine.
Once you have loaded the discs in the magazine, slide
open the door
of the compact disc (CD) changer. Push
the magazine into the changer
in the direction of the
arrow marked on top of the magazine.
Close the door by sliding it all the way to the left.
If the
door is left partially
open, the changer will not operate
and an error will occur. When the door is closed, the
changer will begin checking for discs in the magazine.
This will continue
for up to two minutes depending on
the number
of discs loaded.
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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 Brakes (ABS)
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes (ABS). 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 “Anti-Lock Brake
System Warning Light” in
the Index.

Passing
The driver of a vehicle about to pass another on a
two-lane highway waits for just the right moment,
accelerates, moves around the vehicle ahead, then goes
back into the right lane again. A simple maneuver?
Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle on a two-lane highway is a potentially dangerous move, since the
passing vehicle occupies the same lane as oncoming
traffic for several seconds.
A miscalculation, an error in
judgment, or a brief surrender to frustration or anger can
suddenly put the passing driver face to face with the
worst of
all traffic accidents -- the head-on collision.
So here are some tips for passing:
“Drive ahead.” Look down the road, to the sides and to
crossroads for situations that might affect your passing
patterns.
If you have any doubt whatsoever about
making a successful pass, wait for a better time.
Watch for traffic signs, pavement markings and
lines. If you can see a sign up ahead that might
indicate a
turn or an intersection, delay your pass.
A broken center line usually indicates it’s all right to
pass (providing the road ahead is clear). Never cross a solid line on your side
of the lane or a double
solid line, even if the road seems empty of
approaching traffic.
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
“running start” 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.
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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 “mirrored surface” -- and slow down
when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti-lock brake system
(ABS) helps
avoid only the braking
skid.
Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving. One
reason is that some drivers
are likely to be impaired -- by
alcohol or drugs, with night vision problems, or by fatigue.
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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.
The heavier the rain, the harder
it is to see. Even if your
windshield wiper blades are in good shape, a heavy rain
can make it harder to see road signs and traffic signals,
pavement markings, the edge of the road and even
people walking.
It's wise to keep your windshield wiping equipment
in
good shape and keep your windshield washer tank filled
with washer fluid. Replace your windshield wiper
inserts when they show signs of streaking or
missing
areas on the windshield, or when strips of rubber start to
separate from the inserts.
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When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on
a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
0 Start your engine;
0 Shift into a gear; and
0 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 belts, cooling system and brake
adjustment. 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 “Engine Overheating”
in the Index.
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