oil temperature PONTIAC GRAND PRIX 1998 Owners Manual

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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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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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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Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage and a warning
light about a hot engine on your instrument panel. See
“Engine Coolant Temperature Gage” and “Engine
Coolant Temperature Warning Light” in the Index. You
also have a low coolant light on your instrument panel.
See “Low Coolant Light” in the Index.
Overheated Engine Protection Operating
Mode
(3100 Engine Only)
Should an overheated engine condition exist, an
overheat protection mode which alternates firing groups
of three cylinders helps prevent engine damage. In this
mode, you will notice a significant loss in power and
engine performance. The low coolant light may come on
and the temperature gage will indicate an overheat
condition exists. This emergency operating mode allows
your vehicle to be driven to a safe place in an
emergency. Towing a trailer in the overheat protection
mode should
be avoided.
NOTICE:
After driving in the overheated engine protection
operating mode, to avoid engine damage,
allow
the engine to cool before attempting any repair.
The engine
oil will be severely degraded. Repair
the cause of coolant loss and change the oil. See
“Engine Oil, When to Change” in the Index.
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As shown in the chart, if you have the 3100 engine,
SAE 5W-30 is best for your vehicle. However, you
can use
SAE 1OW-30 if it’s going to be 0°F (-18°C) or
above. These numbers on an
oil container show its
viscosity, or thickness.
Do not use other viscosity oils,
such as SAE 20W-50.
I RECOMMENDED SAE VISCOSITY GRADE ENGINE OILS
FOR BEST FUEL ECONOMY AND COLD STARTING, SELECT THE LOWEST
I SAE VlSCOSlTT GRADE OIL FOR THE EXPECTED TEMPERATURE RANGE.
HOT
WEATHER SYMBOL ---
I
SAE 3w-30 PREFERRED
COLD
WEATHER
DO NOT USE SAE 2OW-50 OR ANY OTHER GRADE OIL NOT RECOMMENDED
3100 Engine
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HOT
WEATHER
ImK
FOR THIS
--
RECOMMENDED SAE VISCOSITY GRADE EWGIWE OILS
FOR BEST FUEL ECONOMY AND COLD STARTINO, SELECT THE LOWEST
SA€ UlSCOSlll 6MDE OIL FOR THE EXPECTLD TEMPERATURE WE.
COLD
WEATHER
il UE I lbw-30
PREFERRED &ow 0°F (-1SoC)
DO NOT USE SAE 20W-50 OR ANY OTHER GRADE OIL NOT RECOMMENDED
3800 or 3800 Supercharged Engine
As shown in the chart, if you have the 3800 engine,
SAE 1OW-30 is best for your vehicle. However, you
can use
SAE 5W-30 if it’s going to be colder than
60°F (16°C) before your next oil change. When it’s
very cold, you should use
SAE 5W-30. These numbers
on an oil container show its viscosity, or thickness. Do
not use other viscosity oils, such as SAE 2OW-50.
NOTICE:
Use only engine oil with the American Petroleum
Institute Certified For Gasoline Engines
“Starburst”
symbol. Failure to use the
recommended
oil can result in engine damage not
covered
by your warranty.
GM Goodwrench@ oil meets all the requirements for
your vehicle.
If you are in an area where the temperature falls
below
-20°F (-29”C), consider using either an
SAE 5W-30 synthetic oil or an SAE OW-30 oil. Both
will provide easier cold starting and better protection
for
your engine at extremely low temperatures.
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Automatic Transaxle Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transaxle fluid
level is when the engine oil is changed.
Change both the fluid and filter every
50,000 miles
(83 000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or
more of these conditions:
0 In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
In hilly or mountainous terrain.
regularly reaches
90” F (32 O C) or higher.
0 When doing frequent trailer towing.
0 Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery service.
If you do not use
your vehicle under any of these
conditions, the fluid and filter
do not require changing.
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services” in the Index.
How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may
choose to have
this done at your Pontiac dealership
Service Department.
If you do
it yourself, be sure to follow all the
instructions here, or you could get a false reading on
the dipstick.
NOTICE:
Too much or too little fluid can damage your
transaxle.
Too much can mean that some of the
fluid could come out and fall on
hot engine parts
or exhaust system parts, starting a fire. Be sure to get an accurate reading if you check your
transaxle fluid.
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How to Add Fluid
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of transaxle fluid to use. See “Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants” in the Index.
If the fluid level is low, add only enough of the proper
fluid to bring the level into the cross-hatched area on
the dipstick.
1. Pull out the dipstick.
2. Using a long-neck funnel, add enough fluid at the
dipstick hole to bring it to the proper level.
It doesn’t take much fluid, generally less
than one
pint
(0.5 L). Don’t ovefill.
LOTICE:
We recommend you use only fluid labeled
DEXRON@-111, because fluid with that label
is
made especially for your automatic transaxle.
Damage caused
by fluid other than DEXRON-III
is not covered by your new vehicle warranty.
3. After adding fluid, recheck the fluid level as described
4. When the correct fluid level is obtained, push the
under “How to Check” earlier in this section.
dipstick back in
all the way.
Engine Coolant
The cooling s stem in your vehicle is filled with
DEX-COOL engine coolant. This coolant is designed
to remain
in your vehicle for 5 years or 150,000 miles
(240 000 km) whichever occurs first, if you add only
DEX-COOL’ extended life coolant.
The following explains your cooling system and how to
add coolant when it is low. If you have a problem with
engine overheating
or if you need to add coolant to your
radiator, see “Engine Overheating” in the Index.
A 50/50 mixture of water and DEX-COOL’
coolant will:
0 Give freezing protection down to -34°F (-37°C).
Give boiling protection up to 265 OF (129°C).
J
e Protect against rust and corrosion.
e Help keep the proper engine temperature.
0 Let the warning lights and gages work as
they should.
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