oil 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

How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead of
trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your dealer in the area where you’ll be parking your
vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice for that
particular area.
Automatic Transaxle Operation
I ‘%
6
10
Your automatic transaxle may have a shift lever on the
steering column or on the console between the seats.
Maximum engine speed is limited when you’re in
PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N), to protect driveline
components from improper operation. There are several different positions
for your shift lever.
PARK
(P): This locks your front wheels. It’s the best
position to use when you start your engine because your
vehicle can’t move easily.
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever
is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Don’t leave your vehicle when the engine
is
running unless you have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured. To be sure your
vehicle won’t move, even when you’re on fairly
level ground, always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to PARK
(P).
See “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in the Index. If
you’re pulling a trailer, see “Towing a Trailer” in
the Index.
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If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel (see
“Fuel” in the Index). Poor fuel
quality will cause your
engine not to
run as efficiently as designed. You may
notice
this as stalling after start-up, stalling when you
put the vehicle into gear, misfiring, hesitation on
acceleration or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may go away once the engine is warmed up.)
This will be detected by the system and cause the light
to
turn on.
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.
Oil Warning Light
If you have a problem with
your oil pressure, this light
may stay
on after you start
your engine, or come
on
when you are driving.
This indicates that oil is not going through your engine
quickly enough to keep it lubricated. The engine could
be low on oil or could have some other oil problem.
Have it fixed right away.
The
oil light could also come on in two other situations:
0
0
When the ignition is on but the engine is not running,
the light will come on
as a test to show you it is
working, but the light
will go out when you turn the
ignition to START.
If it doesn’t come on with the
ignition on, you may have a problem with the fuse or
bulb. Have
it fixed right away.
If you make
a hard stop, the light may come on for a
moment. This is normal.
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A CAUTION:
Don’t keep driving if the oil pressure is low. If
you do, your engine can become so hot that it
catches fire. You or others could be burned.
Check your
oil as soon as possible and have your
vehicle serviced.
I NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil problems
can be costly and is not covered by
your warranty.
PERF
SHIFT
This light comes on when
you press the performance
shift button (located on the
console shift) to indicate
that your vehicle is in
performance shifting mode.
See “Performance Shifting” in
the Index.
Low Oil Level Light
LOW OIL
LEVEL
Your engine is equipped
with
an oil level monitoring
system. When the ignition
key is turned
to ON, the
LOW OIL LEVEL light
will briefly flash.
If the light does not flash, have it fixed so it will be
ready to
warn you if there’s a problem.
If the light stays on, stop the vehicle on a level surface
and turn the engine off. Check the oil level using the
engine oil dipstick. (See “Engine Oil” in the Index.)
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The oil level monitoring system only checks oil level during the brief period between key on and engine
crank. It
does not monitor engine oil level when the
engine is running. Additionally, an oil level check is
only performed if the engine has been turned
off for a
considerable period of time, allowing the oil normally in
circulation to drain back into the oil pan.
Engine Coolant Temperature Light
TEMP
This light tells you that your
engine coolant has
overheated or your radiator
cooling fan
is not working.
If you have been operating your
vehicle under normal
driving conditions, you should pull
off the road, stop
your vehicle and turn
off the engine as soon as possible.
In “Problems on the Road,” this manual shows what to
do. See “Engine Overheating” in the Index.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
You have a gage that shows
the engine coolant
temperature. If the gage
pointer moves into
the red
area, your engine is too hot!
That reading means the sarne thing as the warning light.
It means
that your engine coolant has overheated. If you
have been operating your vehicle under normal driving
conditions, you should pull
off the road, stop your
vehicle and turn
off the engine as soon as possible.
In “Problems on the Road,”
this manual shows what to
do. See “Engine Overheating” in the Index.
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Functions
CHANGE OIL SOON: This light will appear when
the system predicts that the oil’s remaining useful life is \
almost up. The system predicts remaining oil life using
inputs from length of drives, coolant temperature, engine rpm and vehicle speed. It alerts you to change
the oil on a schedule consistent with your vehicle’s driving conditions.
After changing the oil, the system must be reset. With
the ignition key in the ON position but the engine
off,
fully push and release the accelerator pedal slowly three
times within five seconds. If the CHANGE
OIL SOON
light flashes, the system is resetting. Turn the ignition
key to the OFF position, then start the vehicle. If the
CHANGE OIL SOON light comes back on, the oil life
monitor has not reset. Repeat the procedure.
LOW WASHER FLUID: This light will come on when
your ignition is on and the fluid container is low.
TRUNK A JAR: This light alerts you that your trunk is
not fully closed.
DOOR AJAR: If one of your doors is left ajar, a light
will appear next to that door on the vehcle outline.
TRAC SWITCH: If your vehicle has the Trac System,
you will have
a disable switch on the far right side of
your Driver Information Center. Your Trac System is automatically activated when you turn the ignition on.
This switch will activate/deactivate the Trac System. If
you need to disable the system, such as when you are
stuck and are rocking your vehicle back and forth, push
this switch. See “Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow” in
the Index.
TRAC OFF: This light lets you know that your Trac
System has been disabled and will not limit wheel spin. See “Enhanced Traction System Warning Light”
or
“Low Traction Light” in the Index.
LOW TRAC: This light will come on when your Trac
System is limiting wheel spin. See “Trac System” or
“Low Traction Light”
in the Index.
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0 FUEL USED 0 OIL LIFE
0 AVG ECON ORANGE
I
3800 Supercharged Engine
When you start your engine, the trip computer will display a mode. A lighted oval will appear to the left of the mode
currently being used.
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Control Buttons
The trip computer has three buttons that control its functions.
ENGMET: Press this button to change the display from
English to metric units or metric to English.
RESET Press this button for two seconds to reset the
mode displayed.
MODE: Press this button to change the mode
being displayed.
Functions
FUEL USED: Shows the total amount of fuel used
since you last reset this mode. The amount can be
displayed in gallons
or liters.
AVG ECON: Shows your average fuel economy since
you last reset this mode.
OIL LIFE: Shows a percentage of the oil’s remaining
useful life. The system predicts remaining oil life using
inputs from length of drives, coolant temperature,
engine rpm and vehicle speed. Each time
you get an oil
change, be sure to reset this function
so that it will give
you an accurate percentage.
To reset the Oil Life Indicator after the oil has been
changed, press the
MODE button until the light appears lit next
to
OIL LIFE. Press and hold the RESET button
for
three seconds. The oil life percentage should change
to
100%.
RANGE: Shows how much farther you can travel with
the fuel you have before refueling.
LOW WASHER FLUID: This light will come on when
your ignition
is on and the fluid container is low.
DOOR AJAR: If one of your doors is left ajar, a light
will appear next to that
door on the vehicle outline.
BOOST GAGE: If you have the supercharged engine,
this gage will show the amount of boost your engine
is receiving.
TRUNK AJAR: If your trunk is not fully closed or
open, a light will outline the trunk
area on your
vehicle outline.
TCS SWITCH: If your vehicle has the Traction Control
System, you will have
a disable switch on the far right
side of your Trip Computer. Your Traction Control
System
is automatically activated when you turn the
ignition on. This switch will activate/deactivate the
Traction Control System.
If you need to disable the
system, such as when you
are stuck and are rocking your
vehicle back and forth, push
this switch. See “Stuck: In
Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow’’ in
the Index.

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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Cassettes are subject to wear and the sound quality may
degrade over time. Always make sure the cassette
tape is in
good condition before you have your tape player serviced.
Care of Your Compact Discs
Handle discs carefully. Store them in their original cases
or other protective cases and away from direct sunlight and dust.
If the surface of a disc is soiled, dampen a
clean,
soft cloth in a mild, neutral detergent solution and
clean it, wiping from the center to the edge.
Be sure never to touch the signal surface when handling
discs. Pick up discs by grasping the outer edges or the
edge of the hole and the outer edge.
Care of Your Compact Disc Player
The use of CD lens cleaner discs is not advised, due to
the risk
of contaminating the lens of the CD optics with
lubricants internal to the
CD mechanism.
Fixed Mast Antenna
The fixed mast antenna can withstand most car washes
without being damaged.
If the mast should ever become
slightly bent, you can straighten it out by hand. If the mast is
badly bent,
as it might be by vandals, you should replace it.
Check every once in a while to be sure the mast is still
tightened to the rear quarter panel.
Backglass Antenna (If Equipped)
Your AM-FM antenna is integrated with your rear window
defogger, located
in the rear window. Be sure that the
inside surface of the rear window is not scratched and that
the lines
on the glass are not damaged. If the inside surface
is damaged, it could interfere
with radio reception.
NOTICE:
Do not try to clear frost or other material from
the inside
of the rear window with a razor blade
or anything else that is sharp. This may damage
the rear defogger
grid and affect your radio’s
ability to pick
up stations clearly. The repairs
wouldn’t be covered
by your warranty.
Because this antenna is built into your rear window, there is a
reduced risk of damage caused by car washes and vandals.
If you choose to add a cellular telephone to your vehicle,
and
the antenna needs to be attached to the glass, be sure
that you
do not damage the grid lines for the AM-FM
antenna. There is enough space between the lines to
attach a cellular telephone antenna without interfering
with radio reception.
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