start PONTIAC GRAND PRIX 2003 User Guide

Notice: If your key seems 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? Turn the key only with
your hand. Using a tool to force it could break the
key or the ignition switch. If none
of these works,
then your vehicle needs service.
B (LOCK): This position locks the ignition, steering
wheel and transaxle. It’s a theft-deterrent feature. It’s also
the only position from which you can remove the key.
C (OFF): 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
the vehicle pushed or towed.
D (RUN): This position is where the key returns to after
you start the vehicle. With the engine
off, you can use
RUN to display some of the warning and indicator lights.
E (START): This position starts the engine.
A warning chime will sound
if you open the driver’s door
while the ignition is in
OFF, LOCK or ACCESSORY
and the key is in the ignition.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
With Retained Accessory Power, (RAP), the 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 while you’re already moving,
use NEUTRAL
(N) only.
Nofice: Don’t try to shift to PARK (P) if your
vehicle is moving.
If you do, you could damage the
transaxle. Shift to
PARK (P) only when your
vehicle is stopped.
Shift Lock Release
This vehicle is equipped with an electric shift lock
release system. The shift lock release is designed to
do the following:
Prevent ignition key removal unless the shift lever is
in PARK (P) with the shift lever button fully released.
Prevent movement of the shift lever out of PARK (P)
unless the ignition is in a position other than
OFF or
LOCK. The shift lock release is always functional
except in the case
of a dead or low voltage
(less than
9 V) battery.
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If your vehicle has a dead battery or a battery with low
voltage, there is an override access slot that will
allow you to override the shift lock release.
. ": The override access slot is
located on the upper right
side of the console
shift panel.
To use the slot, do the following:
1. Verify that the shift lever is in PARK (P) and that
2. Locate the override access slot on the upper right
the shift lever button
is fully released.
side of the shift panel.
3. Remove the override access slot cap.
4. insert a key into the access slot, press in and hold.
5. Press the shift lever button in and hold.
6. Remove the key from the slot.
7. Pull the shift lever into the desired gear position.
8. Reinstall the override access slot cap.
You will not be able to remove the key from the ignition
unless the shift lever is in the PARK (P) position with
the shift lever button fully released.
Starting Your 3100 V6 Engine
1. With your foot off 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. Wait about
15 seconds
between each try to help avoid draining your battery
or damaging your starter.
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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 not more than 15 seconds at a time.
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.
Starting Your 3800 Series II V6 Engine
1. With your foot off 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. Wait about
15 seconds
between each try to help avoid draining your battery
or damaging your starter.
2. If it doesn’t start within 10 seconds, hold your key in
START for about 10 seconds at a time until your
engine starts. Wait about 15 seconds between
each try.
3. 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.
This time keep the pedal down for five or six
seconds to clear the extra gasoline from the engine.
After waiting about 15 seconds, repeat the normal
starting procedure.
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.
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Engine Coolant Heater

Your vehicle may be equipped with an engine coolant
heater. In very cold weather,
0°F (-18°C) or colder,
the engine coolant heater can help. You’ll get easier
starting and better fuel economy during engine warm-up.
Usually, the coolant heater should be plugged in a
minimum of four hours prior
to starting your vehicle.
At temperatures above 32°F
(OOC), use of the coolant
heater
is not required.
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
The cord is located below the engine air
cleaner/filter near the coolant reservoir bottle. See
Engine Comparfment Overview on page
5-12
for more information on location.
3. Plug
it into a normal, grounded 1 IO-volt AC outlet.
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock.
Also, the
wrong kind of extension cord could overheat
and cause a fire. You could be seriously injured. Plug the cord into a properly grounded
three-prong 110-volt
AC outlet. If the cord
won’t reach, use a heavy-duty three-prong
extension cord rated for at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and
store the cord as it was before
to keep it away
from moving engine parts. If you don’t, it could be
damaged.
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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
Maximum engine speed is limited when your vehicle is
in PARK
(P) or NEUTRAL (N) to protect driveline
components from improper operation.
There are several different positions for the shift lever.
PARK (P): This position locks the front wheels. It’s
the best position to
use when you start the engine
because the vehicle can’t move easily.
The automatic transaxle has a shift lever on the console
between the seats. There is also a display of the gear
positions on the instrument panel cluster near the
speedometer and tachometer.
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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Make sure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before
starting the engine. The vehicle has an automatic
transaxle shift lock control system. You must fully apply
the regular brakes and press the shift control button
located on the front of the shift lever, 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. Then move the shift lever out
of PARK (P), being sure to press the shift lever button.
See Shifting
Out of Park (P) on page 2-30.
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 the vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging the transaxle, see If
You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, ice or Snow on
page
4-32.
NEUTRAL (N): In this position, the engine doesn’t
connect with the wheels. To restart when you’re already
moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only. Also, use
NEUTRAL
(N) when the vehicle is being towed.
ini a d ‘e gea your enc_ e 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 into a drive gear while your engine
is racing.
Notice: Damage to your transaxle caused by
shifting into a drive gear with the engine racing
isn’t
covered by your warranty.
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE
(a): This position is for
normal driving. If you need more power
for passing, and
you’re:
Going less than 35 mph (55 km/h), push your
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator pedal about halfway
down.
accelerator pedal all the way down.
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You’ll shift down to the next gear and have more power.
Notice: If your vehicle seems to start up rather
slowly, or if
it seems not to shift gears as you go
faster, something may be wrong with a transaxle system sensor.
If you drive very far that way, your
vehicle can be damaged. So, if
this happens,
have your vehicle serviced right away. Until then,
you can use SECOND
(2) when you are driving
less than
35 mph (55 km/h) and AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE (D) for higher speeds.
THIRD
(3): This position is also used for normal driving,
but
it offers more power and lower fuel economy than
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE
(@ ).
Here are some times you might choose THIRD (3)
instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (a):
When driving on hilly, winding roads.
When towing a trailer, so there is less shifting
between gears.
When going down a steep hill.
When driving in non-highway scenarios
(i.e. city streets, etc.). SECOND
(2): This
position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy than THIRD
(3). You can use
SECOND (2) on hills. It can help control your speed as
you go down steep mountain roads, but then you
would also want to use your brakes
off and on.
Notice: Don’t drive in SECOND (2) for more than
25 miles (40 km), or at speeds over 55 mph
(90 km/h), or you can damage your transaxle.
Use THIRD
(3) or AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D) as
much as possible. Don’t shift into SECOND
(2)
unless you are going slower than 65 mph (105 km/h)
or you can damage your engine.
FIRST
(1): This position gives you even more power
but lower fuel economy than SECOND (2). You can use
it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the
shift lever is in
FIRST (I), the transaxle won’t shift into
first gear until the vehicle is going slowly enough.
Notice: If your front wheels won’t turn, don’t try to
drive. This might happen if you were stuck in
very deep sand or mud or were up against a solid
object. You could damage your transaxle. Also,
if you stop when going uphill, don’t hold your
vehicle there with only the accelerator pedal. This
could overheat and damage the transaxle. Use your
brakes to hold your vehicle in position on
a hill.
2-26

Assist Handles
An assist handle with a reading lamp is located over
each rear side window. The handle can be used to help
you get in or out
of the vehicle. Press the reading
lamp to turn it on. Press
it again to turn it off.
Purse or Litter Bag Holder
On the front of the center console, to the right of the
accessory power outlet, there is a hook that can be used
to hold a purse or litter bag.
Rear Storage Area
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
The vehicle may have a convenience net. You’ll see it
on the back wall of the trunk.
Put small loads, like grocery bags, behind 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, which should be
stored
in the trunk as far forward as possible.
You can unhook the net
so that it will lie flat when
you’re not using it.
Trunk Access Panel
If the vehicle has rear seat armrests, you will also have
a trunk access panel.
This feature allows access to the trunk from the rear
seat area. To use the trunk access panel, pull the rear
armrest down, unlock the access panel with the
ignition key and pull it down.
2-41

Turn SignaVMultifunction Lever
a
The lever on the left side of the steering column
includes the following:
Turn and Lane Change Signals
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
Flash-to-Pass Feature
0 Windshield Wipers
Windshield Washer
Cruise Control For information
on the exterior lamps, see
Exterior
Lamps on page 3-10.
Turn and Lane-Change Signals
The turn signal has two upward (for right) and two
downward (for left) positions. These positions allow you
to signal a turn or a lane change.
To signal a turn, move the lever all the way up or down.
When the turn is finished, the lever will return to its
original position automatically.
An arrow on the
instrument panel
cluster
will flash in the
direction of the turn or
lane change.
To signal a lane change, just raise or lower the lever
until the arrow starts to flash. Hold it there until you
complete your lane change. The lever will return to its
original position when you release it.
3-5

Windshield Wipers
To operate the windshield wipers, turn the band marked
WIPER located on the multifunction lever, upward or
downward.
MIST: Turn the band to MIST for a single wiping cycle.
Hold it there until the windshield wipers start, then let
it go. The windshield wipers will stop after one cycle.
For more cycles, hold the band on MIST longer.
OFF: Turn the band to OFF to turn the windshield
wipers
off.
DELAY (Delayed Wiping): Turn the band upward to
choose one of the five delay settings. For longer periods
of time between wiper blade cycles, select a low
setting. For shorter periods of time between wiper blade
cycles, select a higher setting. The further the band
is turned upward, the longer the delay between
wiper cycles.
LOW: Turn the band to LOW for steady wiping at a
low speed.
HIGH: Turn the band to HIGH for steady wiping at a
high speed. 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 the blades do become
damaged, get new blades or blade inserts.
Heavy snow or ice can overioad the wipers.
A circuit
breaker will stop them until the motor cools. Clear away
snow or ice to prevent an overload.
Windshield Washer
0 PUSH: Press the paddle with the word PUSH and
the washer symbol on
it, located on top of the
multifunction lever, to spray washer fluid on the
windshield. The wipers will clear the windshield ana
then either stop or return to the se’ -peed.
In freezing weather, don’t use your washer
until the windshield is warmed. Otherwise the
washer fluid can form ice on the windshield,
blocking your vision.
3-7