stop start PONTIAC GRAND PRIX 1998 Owners Manual

New Vehicle “Break-In”
Ignition Positions
Your vehicle doesn’t need an elaborate
“break-in.” But
it will perform better in the long
run if you follow these guidelines:
0
0
0
Don’t drive at any one speed -- fast or
slow
-- for the first 500 miles (805 km).
Don’t make full-throttle starts.
Avoid making hard stops for the first
200 miles (322 km) or so. During this time
your new brake linings aren’t yet broken
in. Hard stops with new linings can mean
premature wear and earlier replacement.
Follow this breaking-in guideline every
time you get new brake linings.
Don’t
tow a trailer during break-in.
See
“Towing a Trailer” in the Index for
more information.
C
With the ignition key in the ignition switch, you can turn
the switch to five positions.
ACCESSORY (A): This position lets you use things
like
the radio and windshield wipers when the engine is
off. To use ACCESSORY, push in the key and turn it
toward you. Your steering wheel will
stay locked.
2-16

NOTICE:
Don’t try to shift to PARK (P) if your Pontiac is
moving.
If you do, you could damage the
transaxle. Shift to
PARK (P) only when your
vehicle is stopped.
Starting Your 3100 Engine
1. Without pushing the accelerator pedal, turn your
ignition key to
START. When the engine starts, let
go of the key. The idle speed will go down as your
engine gets warm.
NOTICE:
Holding your key in START for longer than
15 seconds
at a time will cause your battery to
be drained much sooner. And the excessive heat
can damage your starter motor.
.
2. If your engine won’t start (or starts but then stops),
it could be flooded with too much gasoline.
Try
pushing your accelerator pedal all the way to the
floor and holding it there as you hold the key in
START for up to 15 seconds. This clears the extra
gasoline
from the engine.
NOTICE:
Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics
in your vehicle. If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the
way
the engine operates. Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your dealer.
If you don’t,
your engine might not perform properly.
If you ever have to have your vehicle towed, see
the part of this manual
that tells how to do it
without damaging your vehicle. See “Towing
Your Vehicle” in the Index.
2-18

Starting Your 3800 Series I1 Engine
1. Without pushing the accelerator pedal, turn your
ignition key to START. When the engine starts, let
go of the key. The idle speed will go down as your
engine gets
warm.
NOTICE:
Holding your key in START for longer than
15 seconds at a time will cause your battery to
be drained much sooner. And the excessive heat
can damage your starter motor.
2.
3.
If it doesn’t start right away, hold your key in
START for about three to five seconds at a time until
your engine starts.
Wait about 15 seconds between
each
try to help avoid draining your battery or
damaging your starter.
If your engine still won’t start (or starts but then
stops), it could be flooded with too much gasoline.
Try pushing your accelerator pedal all the way to the
floor and holding it there as you hold the key in
START for about three seconds.
If the vehicle starts
briefly but then stops again, do the same thing, but this time keep the pedal down
for five or six seconds.
This clears the extra gasoline from the engine.
After
waiting about 15 seconds, repeat the normal
starting procedure.
NOTICE:
Your engine isdesigned to work with the
electronics in your vehicle.
If you add electrical
parts
or accessories, you could change the way
the engine operates. Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your dealer.
If you don’t,
your engine might not perform properly.
If you ever have to have your vehicle towed, see
the part
of this manual that tells how to do it
without damaging your vehicle. See “Towing
Your Vehicle” in the Index.
2-19

Make sure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before
starting the engine. Your vehicle has a Brake-Transaxle
Shift Interlock. You must fully apply your regular brakes
before
you can shift from PARK (P) when the ignition is
in RUN. If you cannot shift out
of PARK (P), ease
pressure on the shift lever by pushing it all the way into
PARK
(P) while keeping the brake pedal pushed down.
Release the shift lever button
if you have a console shift.
Then move the shift lever out
of PARK (P), being sure
to press the shift lever button
if you have a console shift.
See “Shifting Out of PARK
(P)” in the Index.
REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
NOTICE:
Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle is
moving forward could damage your transaxle.
Shift to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle
is stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging your transaxle, see
“Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow” in the Index. NEUTRAL
(N): In
this position, your engine doesn’t
connect with the wheels. To restart when you’re
already moving, use NEUTRAL
(N) only. Also, use
NEUTRAL (N) when your vehicle is being towed.
I
I
A CAUTION: I
Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) while
your engine is “racing” (running at high speed) is
dangerous. Unless your
foot is firmly on the
brake pedal, your vehicle could move very
rapidly. You could lose control and hit people or
objects. Don’t shift out of PARK
(P) or
NEUTRAL
(N) while your engine is racing.
NOTICE:
Damage to your transaxle caused by shifting out
of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) with the engine
racing isn’t covered by your warranty.
2-22

Windshield Wipers
You control the windshield wipers by turning the band
marked WIPER. For a single wiping cycle, turn the band
to MIST. Hold it there until the wipers start, then let go.
The wipers will stop after one cycle. If you want more
cycles, hold the band on MIST longer.
For steady wiping at low speed, turn the band to LOW.
For high-speed wiping, turn the band further, to HIGH.
To stop the wipers, turn the band to OFF.
You can set the wiper speed for a long or short delay
between wipes.
This can be very useful in light rain or
snow.
Turn the band to choose the delay time. The
closer to
LOW, the shorter the delay.
Be sure to clear ice and snow from the wiper blades
before using them. If they’re frozen
to the windshield,
carefully loosen or thaw them. If
your blades do become
damaged, get new blades
or blade inserts.
Heavy snow or ice can overload your wipers.
A circuit
breaker will stop them until
the motor cools. Clear away
snow or ice
to prevent an overload.
2-36

Trunk Access Panel (If Equipped)
If your vehicle has rear seat armrests, you will also have
a
trunk access panel. To use the trunk access panel, pull
your rear armrest down, unlock the access panel and pull
it down.
Rear Armrest Storage (If Equipped)
If you have a trunk access panel, you will also have a
pull down armrest that contains
an open storage bin and
two cupholders.
Convenience Net (If Equipped)
Your vehicle may have a convenience net. You’ll see it
on the back wall
of the trunk.
Put small loads, like grocery bags, in the net. It can help
keep them from falling over during sharp
turns or quick
starts and stops.
The
net isn’t for larger, heavier loads. Store them in the
trunk as far forward as you can.
You can unhook the net
so that it will lie flat when
you’re not using it.
Ashtrays and Lighter
The center front ashtray is an the instrument panel. To
open it, pull at the bottom of the ashtray until it is fully
open.
To remove the ashtray cup, lift the tabs on the
sides and pull out.
Your vehicle has one rear ashtray. There is either one on
the front seat armrest back
or one on the back of the
center console (if
you have that option). To open the
ashtray, press the right side and turn it open.
2-57

Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
With the anti-lock brake system, this light will
come on when you start your engine and it will
stay on for three seconds.
That’s normal.
If the anti-lock brake system warning light stays on
longer than normal after you’ve started your engine, turn
the ignition
off. Or, if the light comes on and stays on
when you’re driving, stop as soon as possible and turn
the ignition off. Then start the engine again to reset the
system.
If the light still stays on, or comes on again
while you’re driving, your vehicle needs service. If the
light is on and the regular brake system warning light
isn’t on, you still have brakes, but you don’t have
anti-lock brakes. Adjust your driving accordingly.
The anti-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly when you turn the ignition key to
RUN. If the
light doesn’t come on then, have
it fixed so it will be
ready to warn you if there is a problem.
Traction Control System Warning Light
(3800 Supercharged Engine Only)
1
The traction control system
warning light may come
on
for the following reasons: TCS
OFF
0
0
If you turn the system off by pressing the TCS button
located on
the far right hand side of the Driver
Information Center, the warning light
will come on and
stay on. To turn the system back on, press the button
again. The warning light should go
off. (See “Traction
Control System”
in the Index for more information.)
If there’s a brake system problem that is specifically
related to traction control, the traction control system will turn
off and the warning light will come on. If
your brakes begin to overheat, the traction control
system will turn
off and the warning light will come
on until your brakes cool down.
If
the traction control system warning light comes on
and stays on for an extended period of time when
the
system is turned on, your vehicle needs service.
2-67

If the Light Is Flashing If the Light Is On Steady
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
Reducing vehicle speed.
0 Avoiding hard accelerations.
Avoiding steep uphill grades.
0 If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible.
If the light stops flashing and remains on steady, see “If
the Light
Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to flash, when
it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
Turn the key
off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart the
engine. If the light remains on steady, see “If
the Light
Is On Steady” following. If the light is still flashing,
follow the previous steps, and drive the vehicle to your dealer or qualified service center for service.
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put
fuel into your vehicle?
If
so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. The diagnostic system
can determine if the fuel
cap has been left off or improperly installed. A loose or
missing fuel cap will allow fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere.
A few driving trips with the cap properly
installed should
turn the light off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out.
A few driving trips should turn the light off.
Are you low on fuel?
As your engine starts to run out of fuel, your engine may
not
run as efficiently as designed since small amounts of
air are sucked into the fuel line causing a misfire. The
system can detect
this. Adding fuel should correct this
condition. Make sure to install the fuel cap properly. It
will take a few driving trips to turn the light off.
Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
2-70

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.
2-71

When the HUD is on, the speedometer reading will be displayed continually. The current radio station
or CD
track number will only be displayed for three seconds
after the radio or
CD track status changes. This will
happen whenever one
of the radio controls is pressed,
either on
the radio itself or on the optional steering
wheel controls.
To adjust the HUD so you can see it properly:
1. Start your engine and turn the DIM dial to the
desired
HUD image brightness.
2. Adjust your seat, if necessary, to a
comfortable position.
3. Press the top of the UP/DN switch until the HUD
image stops moving. Then press the bottom of the
switch until the image is as low as possible but in
full view.
4. Turn the DIM dial down until the HUD image is no
brighter than necessary.
To turn the HUD off, turn
the
DIM dial all the way down.
If the sun comes out, it becomes cloudy, or if you turn
on your headlamps, you may need to adjust the HUD
brightness again. Polarizing sunglasses could make the
HUD image harder to see.
I
I A CAUTION:
If the HUD image is too bright, or too high in
your field of view, it may take 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.
2-82