run flat PONTIAC GRAND PRIX 2000 Owners Manual

Table of Contents (cont'd)
Defensive Driving
Drunken Driving
Conrol of a Vehicle
Braking
SteeringDriving Tips for Various Road Conditions
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Loading Your Vehicle
Towing a Trailer Heating and Air Conditioning
Setting the Radio Clock
Radio/Cassette Player/CD PlayerRadio Theft-Deterrent Feature
Steering Wheel Controls (If Equipped)
Hazard Warning Flashers
Jump Starting
Towing Your VehicleEngine Overheating
Changing a Flat Tire
If You're Stuck
Problems on the Road
Section
3
Section
4
Section
5
Your Driving and the Road Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
iii

1-49 Securing a Child Restraint in the Right
Front Seat Position
Your vehicle has a right front passenger air bag. Never
put a rear
-facing child restraint in this seat. Here's why:
CAUTION:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured or killed if the right front
passenger's air bag inflates. This is because the
back of the rear
-facing child restraint would be
very close to the inflating air bag. Always secure
a rear
-facing child restraint in the rear seat.
Although a rear seat is a safer place, you can secure a
forward
-facing child restraint in the right front seat.
You'll be using the lap
-shoulder belt. See the earlier part
about the top strap if the child restraint has one. Be sure
to follow the instructions that came with the child
restraint. Secure the child in the child restraint when and
as the instructions say.
1. Because your vehicle has a right front passenger air
bag, always move the seat as far back as it will go
before securing a forward
-facing child restraint.
(See ªSeatsº in the Index.)
2. Put the restraint on the seat.
3. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder
portions of the vehicle's safety belt through or
around the restraint. The child restraint instructions
will show you how.

2-62 Trunk Access Panel (If Equipped)
If the vehicle has rear seat armrests, you will also have a
trunk access panel. To use the trunk access panel, pull
the rear armrest down, unlock the access panel and pull
it down.
Convenience Net (If Equipped)
The 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.
Ashtray and Cigarette Lighter
The center front ashtray is on 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.

2-71 Air Bag Readiness Light
There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument
panel, which shows the words SRS AIR BAG. The
system checks the air bag's electrical system for
malfunctions. The light tells you if there is an electrical
problem. The system check includes the air bag sensors,
the air bag modules, the wiring and the crash sensing
and diagnostic module. For more information on the
air bag system, see ªAir Bagº in the Index.
United States Canada
This light will come on when you start your vehicle, and
it will flash for a few seconds. Then the light should go
out. This means the system is ready.If the air bag readiness light stays on after you start the
vehicle or comes on when you are driving, your air bag
system may not work properly. Have your vehicle
serviced right away.
CAUTION:
If the air bag readiness light stays on after you
start your vehicle, it means the air bag system
may not be working properly. The air bags in
your vehicle may not inflate in a crash, or they
could even inflate without a crash. To help avoid
injury to yourself or others, have your vehicle
serviced right away if the air bag readiness light
stays on after you start your vehicle.
The air bag readiness light should flash for a few
seconds 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.

4-31
Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. But do it as little as possible. Preserve the
fuel as long as you can. To help keep warm, you can get
out of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or so until help comes.
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Your vehicle was not designed to be towed with all four
wheels on the ground. If your vehicle must be towed,
see ªTowing Your Vehicleº in the Index.
NOTICE:
Towing your vehicle with all four wheels on the
ground will damage drivetrain components.
Loading Your Vehicle
Two labels on your vehicle show how much weight it
may properly carry. The Tire
-Loading Information label
is on the inside of the trunk lid. The label tells you the
proper size, speed rating and recommended inflation
pressures for the tires on your vehicle. It also gives you
important information about the number of people that
can be in your vehicle and the total weight you can
carry. This weight is called the vehicle capacity weight
and includes the weight of all occupants, cargo and all
nonfactory
-installed options.

4-36
If you're using a weight-carrying hitch, the trailer
tongue (A) should weigh 10 percent of the total loaded
trailer weight (B). If you have a weight
-distributing
hitch, the trailer tongue (A) should weigh 12 percent of
the total loaded trailer weight (B).
After you've loaded your trailer, weigh the trailer and
then the tongue, separately, to see if the weights are
proper. If they aren't, you may be able to get them right
simply by moving some items around in the trailer.
Total Weight on Your Vehicle's Tires
Be sure your vehicle's tires are inflated to the upper limit
for cold tires. You'll find these numbers on the
Tire
-Loading Information label, found on the inside of
the trunk lid, or see ªLoading Your Vehicleº in the Index.
Then be sure you don't go over the GVW limit for your
vehicle, including the weight of the trailer tongue.
Hitches
It's important to have the correct hitch equipment.
Crosswinds, large trucks going by and rough roads are a
few reasons why you'll need the right hitch. Here are
some rules to follow:

The rear bumper on your vehicle is not intended for
hitches. Do not attach rental hitches or other
bumper
-type hitches to it. Use only a frame-mounted
hitch that does not attach to the bumper.

Will you have to make any holes in the body of your
vehicle when you install a trailer hitch? If you do,
then be sure to seal the holes later when you remove
the hitch. If you don't seal them, deadly carbon
monoxide (CO) from your exhaust can get into your
vehicle (see ªCarbon Monoxideº in the Index). Dirt
and water can, too.

5-32
CAUTION:
Incorrect wheel nuts or improperly tightened
wheel nuts can cause the wheel to become loose
and even come off. This could lead to an accident.
Be sure to use the correct wheel nuts. If you have
to replace them, be sure to get new GM original
equipment wheel nuts.
Stop somewhere as soon as you can and have
the nuts tightened with a torque wrench to
100 lb
-ft (140 N´m.)
NOTICE:
Improperly tightened wheel nuts can lead to
brake pulsation and rotor damage. To avoid
expensive brake repairs, evenly tighten the wheel
nuts in the proper sequence and to the proper
torque specification.
Don't try to put the wheel cover on your compact
spare tire. It won't fit. Store the wheel cover in the
trunk until you have the flat tire repaired or replaced.
NOTICE:
Wheel covers won't fit on your compact spare.
If you try to put a wheel cover on your compact
spare, you could damage the cover or the spare.

5-33 Storing the Flat Tire and Tools
CAUTION:
Storing a jack, a tire or other equipment in the
passenger compartment of the vehicle could
cause injury. In a sudden stop or collision,
loose equipment could strike someone.
Store all these in the proper place.
After you've put the compact spare tire on your vehicle,
you'll need to store the flat tire in your trunk. Use the
following procedure to secure the flat tire in the trunk.
When storing a full-size tire, you must use the extension
to help avoid wheel surface damage. Use the extension
and protector/guide located in the foam holder. To store
a full
-size tire, place the tire in the trunk valve stem
facing down, with the protector/guide through a wheel
bolt hole. Remove the protector and attach the retainer
securely. When reinstalling the compact spare, put the
protector/guide back in the foam holder. Store the cover
as far forward as possible.

6-46 Inflation -- Tire Pressure
The Tire-Loading Information label, which is on the
inside of the trunk lid, shows the correct inflation
pressures for your tires when they're cold. ªColdº
means your vehicle has been sitting for at least
three hours or driven no more than 1 mile (1.6 km).
NOTICE:
Don't let anyone tell you that underinflation or
overinflation is all right. It's not. If your tires
don't have enough air (underinflation), you can
get the following:

Too much flexing

Too much heat

Tire overloading

Bad wear

Bad handling

Bad fuel economy.
NOTICE: (Continued)
NOTICE: (Continued)
If your tires have too much air (overinflation),
you can get the following:

Unusual wear

Bad handling

Rough ride

Needless damage from road hazards.
When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more.
Don't forget your compact spare tire. It should be at
60 psi (420 kPa).
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket
-type gage to check tire
pressure. You can't tell if your tires are properly inflated
simply by looking at them. Radial tires may look
properly inflated even when they're underinflated.
Be sure to put the valve caps back on the valve stems.
They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt
and moisture.

6-65
Fuse Description
I/P
-IGN Chime/Mall Module, Cluster,
Trip Computer, Head
-Up Display,
Automatic Transaxle Shift
Lock Control
SIR Supplemental Inflatable Restraint
(Air Bag)
TURN Turn Signal
BLANK Blank
BLANK Blank
BLANK Blank
BLANK Blank
BTSI Automatic Transaxle Shift
Lock Control
BLANK BlankFuse Description
BLANK Blank
BLANK Blank
HVAC CTRL Blower Control, HVAC
DIC/HVAC Rear Defog, HVAC, Driver
Information Center, Daytime
Running Lamps, Heated Seats
BLANK Blank
BLANK Blank
PWR DROP Power Drop Ignition
CANISTER
VENTCanister Vent Solenoid
DRL Daytime Running Lamps