lights PONTIAC GRAND PRIX 1998 Owners Manual

Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
For example,
these symbols are used on an
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
I
BURNS I
AVOID
SPARKS
OR
FLAMES
SPARK
OR ,\I/,
COULD
FLAME
EXPLODE BAllERY
These symbols are important for you and
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle is
driven:
n
UNLOCK Fol
FASTEN
SEAT
BELTS
op
AIR BAG p
These symbols
have to do with
your lamps:
SIGNALS 6
TURN
PARKING
p$ LAMPS
FOG LAMPS
$0
These symbols are
on some of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER
VENTILATING
1
These symbols are used on
warning and
indicator lights:
COOLANT
TEMP
-
CHARGING I-1
BAllERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE
(0)
h
ENGINE OIL
PRESSURE
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
LIGHTER
m
HORN tcr
SPEAKER
b
FUEL e3
V

Section 2 Features and Controls
Here you can learn about the many standard and optional features on your vehicle, and inform\
ation on starting,
shifting and braking.
Also explained are the instrument panel and the warning systems that\
tell you if everything is
working properly
-- and what to do if you have a problem.
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12
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2-16
2-
17
2-20
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1
2-26 2-27 2-30
Keys
Door Locks
Remote Keyless Entry System (If Equipped)
TrUnk
Theft
Content Theft-Deterrent (If Equipped)
New Vehicle “Break-In”
Ignition Positions
Starting Your Engine
Engine Coolant Heater
(If Equipped)
Automatic Transaxle Operation
Parking Brake Shifting Into PARK (P)
Shifting Out of PARK (P)
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2-59
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2-64
Parking Over Things That Burn
Engine Exhaust
Running Your Engine While You’re Parked
Power Windows
Turn SignaVMultifunction Lever
Exterior Lamps
Interior Lamps
Locks and Lighting Choices
Mirrors
Storage Compartments Sunroof
(If Equipped)
The Instrument Panel
-- Your
Information System
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
2-1

LOCK (B): Before you put the key into the ignition
switch, the switch is in LOCK. It’s
also the only position
from which you can remove your key.
This position
locks your ignition, steering wheel and transaxle. It’s a
theft-deterrent feature.
OFF (C): This position lets you turn off the engine but
still turn the steering wheel. It doesn’t lock the steering
wheel like
LOCK. Use OFF if you must have your
vehicle pushed or towed.
RUN (D): This position is where the key returns
after you start your vehicle. With the engine
off, you
can use RUN to display some of your warning and
indicator lights.
START (E): This position starts your engine.
A warning chime will sound if you open the driver’s
door when the ignition is in
OFF, LOCK or
ACCESSORY and the key is in the ignition.
NOTICE:
If your key seem stuck in LOCK and you can’t
turn it, be sure you are using the correct key;
if
so, is it all the way in? If it is, then turn the
steering wheel left and right while
you turn the
key hard. But turn the key only with your hand.
Using a tool to force it could break the key
or the
ignition switch.
If none of this works, then your
vehicle needs service.
Retained Accessory Power
With retained accessory power, your power windows, audio system and sunroof will continue to work up to
10 minutes after the ignition key is turned to OFF and
none of the doors are opened.
Starting Your Engine
Move your shift lever to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N).
Your engine won’t start in any other position -- that’s a
safety feature.
To restart when you’re already moving,
use
NEUTRAL (N) only.
2-17
~~

Ending Cruise Control
There are two ways to turn off the cruise control:
Step lightly on the brake pedal; OR
0 Move the cruise switch to OW.
Erasing Cruise Speed Memory
When you turn off the cruise control or the ignition, or
shift into PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N), your cruise
control set speed memory is erased.
Exterior Lamps
The lamp controls are located on the lower, left side of
the instrument panel, to the left of the steering wheel.
They control these systems:
Headlamps
Taillamps
Parking Lamps
License Lamps
Sidemarker Lamps
0 Instrument Panel Lights
0 Courtesy Lamps
0 Fog Lamps
- - =c) : Turn the knob to this symbol to turn on the
headlamps and other operating lamps.
pf : Turn the knob to this symbol to turn on
the parking and other operating lamps without
the headlamps.
Turn the knob to OFF to turn off the lamps.

To turn the fog lamps on, press the right side of the fog lamps
switch.
A light will glow on the switch to let you know that
they are on. (Your parking lamps must be on, or your fog
lamps won’t come
on.) Press the left side of the switch to turn
the fog lamps off.
The fog lamps will go off whenever you change to
high-beam headlamps. When you return
to low beams, the
fog lamps will come on again.
Interior Lamps
Instrument Panel Intensity Control
You can brighten or dim
the instrument panel lights
by turning the interior
lamps
dial.
Turn the dial to the right to increase the brightness of the
instrument panel lights, to the left to decrease the
brightness.
Turn the control all the way to the left to turn
them off.
Courtesy Lamps
When any door is opened, several lamps come on. These
lamps are courtesy lamps. They make it easy for you
to
enter and leave your vehicle at night. You can also turn
these lamps on by turning the interior lamps dial all the
way to the right.
Illuminated Entry
The Illuminated Entry feature will illuminate the interior so
that you can see the inside of your vehicle before you enter at
night. The interior lamps will come on for
40 seconds when
you unlock
your doors using the remote keyless entry
transmitter
(ifequipped) and the ignition is in LOCK or OFF.
After 40 seconds have elapsed, the interior lamps will slowly
fade out. The lamps
will fade out before 40 seconds have
elapsed
if you:
0 Lock all doors using your remote keyless
0 Lock the doors using the power door lock switch.
When any door is opened, illuminated entry is canceled.
The interior lamps will stay on while any
door is opened
and slowly fade out when all doors are closed. The
interior lamps may stay
on for up to 25 seconds after all
doors have been closed if they have not been locked.
See “Delayed Illumination” later
in this section.
entry transmitter.

e Remote Unlock Confirmation: When you use the
remote keyless entry
transmitter to unlock your vehicle
or open your trunk, your headlamps will flash briefly
to let you
know when your command is received.
Mode 3: Remote Lock Confirmation with Exterior
Lamps and
Horn
Remote Lock Confirmation: When you use the remote
keyless
entry transmitter to lock your vehicle, the horn
will sound briefly and your headlamps will flash
briefly to let you
know your command is received.
Remote Unlock Confmnation: When you use the
remote keyless entry transmitter to unlock your vehicle
or open your
trunk, your headlamps will flash briefly
to let you
know your command is received.
Mode 4: Remote Lock Confirmation with Exterior
Lights and
Horn (on second LOCK press)
Remote Lock Confirmation: When you use the
remote keyless entry transmitter to lock your vehicle,
your headlamps will flash briefly to let you
know
your command is received. The horn will sound
briefly and the headlamps will flash briefly
if you
press the LOCK button again within five seconds.
remote keyless entry
transmitter to unlock your vehicle
e Remote Unlock Confirmation: When you use the or open your
trunk, your headlamps will flash briefly
to let you know your command is received.
Content Theft-Deterrent
Your vehicle comes with this feature set in mode 4. To
change the factory setting while in the programming
mode, do the following:
1. Turn the parking lamps on, then off.
2. Count the number of chimes you hear. The number
of chimes tells you which mode your vehicle is set
for. You change the mode by turning the parking
lamps on, then
off again.
3. Repeat Step 2 until you hear the number of chimes
that matches the mode you want.
Mode 1: Damage Detection with Reduced Sensitivity
(If anyone seriously damages your vehicle, tampers with
the trunk lock or opens a door while your Content
Theft-Deterrent system is armed,
an alarm will sound
and your headlamps will flash for up to two minutes).
Mode 2: Damage Detection Off (If anyone tampers with
your
trunk lock or opens a door while your Content
Theft-Deterrent system is armed,
an alarm will sound
and your headlamps will flash for up to two minutes.)
Mode 3: All Off (Your Content Theft-Deterrent system
is always disarmed.)
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Warning Lights, Gages
and Indicators
This part describes the warning lights and gages that
may be on your vehicle. The pictures will help you
locate them.
Warning lights and gages can signal that something is
wrong before it becomes serious enough
to cause an
expensive repair or replacement. Paying attention to
your warning lights and gages could also save you or
others from injury.
Warning lights come on when there may be or is
a
problem with one of your vehicle’s functions. As you
will see in the details on the next few pages, some
warning lights come on briefly when you
start the
engine just to let you know they’re working. If you are
familiar with this section, you should not be alarmed when
this happens.
Gages can indicate when there may
be or is a problem
with one
of your vehicle’s functions. Often gages and
warning lights work together to let
you know when
there’s a problem with your vehicle. When one
of the warning lights comes on and stays on
when you are driving, or when one of the gages shows
there may be a problem, check the section that tells you
what to
do about it. Please follow this manual’s advice.
Waiting to
do repairs can be costly -- and even
dangerous.
So please get to know your warning lights
and gages. They’re a big help.
Your vehicle may
also have a driver information system
that works along with the warning lights and gages. See
“Driver Information System” in the Index.
Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is turned to RUN or START, a chime will
come on for about eight seconds to remind people to
fasten their safety belts, unless
the driver’s safety belt is
already buckled.
14
The safety belt light will
also come
on and stay on
for about
20 seconds, then
it will flash for about
55 seconds. If the driver’s
belt is already buckled,
neither
the chime nor the
light will come on.
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Driver Information Center (If Equipped)
Your Driver Information Center gives you important safety and maintenance facts. When you turn the ignit\
ion on, all
of the driver information center lights up for a few seconds. Then it goes to work.
2-76

TCS OFF: This light lets you know that your Traction
Control System has been disabled and will not limit
wheel spin. See “Traction Control System Warning
Light” or “Low Traction Light” in the Index.
LOW TRAC: This light will come on when your
Traction Control System is limiting wheel spin. See “Traction Control System” or “Low Traction Light” in
the Index.
Head-Up Display (If Equipped)
If you have the Head-Up
Display (HUD), you can see
the speedometer reading (in
English or metric units) and
a brief display of the current
radio station or CD track,
displayed
“through” the
windshield.
The
HUD also shows these lights when they are lit on
the instrument panel:
0 Turn Signal Indicators
0 High-Beam Indicator Symbol
Low Fuel Symbol
The HUD will display the “Check Gage” when the
following are lit on the instrument panel:
0 Oil Warning Symbol
0 Coolant Temperature Symbol
0 Charging System Symbol
When you sit straight in your seat, the HUD image will appear straight ahead near the front bumper.
When the ignition key is turned to
RUN, the HUD
image
will come on. Then the Head-Up Display will
operate normally.
I NOTICE: I
Although the HUD image appears to be near the
front
of the vehicle, do not use it as a parking aid.
The
HUD was not designed for that purpose. If
you try to use it that way, such as in a parking
lot, you may misjudge distance and run
into something.
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Here are some tips on night driving.
Drive defensively.
0 Don’t drink and drive.
0 Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the
glare from headlamps behind you.
0 Since you can’t see as well, you may need to
slow down and keep more space between you and
other vehicles.
0 Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your
headlamps can light up only so much road ahead.
0 In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you’re tired, pull off the road in a safe place
and rest.
Night Vision
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But as
we get older these differences increase. A 50-year-old
driver may require at least twice as much light to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
What you do
in the daytime can also affect your night
vision. For example, if you spend the day in bright
sunshine you are wise to wear sunglasses. Your eyes will
have less trouble adjusting to night. But
if you’re
driving, don’t wear sunglasses at night. They may cut down
on glare
from headlamps, but they also make a lot
of things invisible.
You can be temporarily blinded by approaching
headlamps.
It can take a second or two, or even several
seconds, for your eyes to readjust to the dark. When
you
are faced with severe glare (as from a driver who
doesn’t lower the high beams, or a vehicle with
misaimed headlamps), slow down a little. Avoid staring
directly into the approaching headlamps.
Keep your windshield and all the glass on your vehicle
clean
-- inside and out. Glare at night is made much
worse
by dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the glass
can build up a film caused by dust. Dirty glass makes
lights dazzle and flash more than clean glass would,
making the pupils
of your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that
your headlamps light up far less of a
roadway when you are in a turn or curve. Keep your
eyes moving; that way, it’s easier to pick out dimly
lighted objects. Just as your headlamps should be
checked regularly for proper aim,
so should your eyes
be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer
from night
blindness
-- the inability to see in dim light -- and
aren’t even aware
of it.
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