ignition PONTIAC GRAND PRIX 2006 Owner's Manual

Parking Brake
The parking brake is
located to the left of the
brake pedal near the
driver’s door. To set the
parking brake, hold
the regular brake pedal
down with the right
foot. Push down on the
parking brake pedal,
with the left foot.
To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down with the right foot and push the parking
brake pedal with the left foot. When the left foot is lifted,
the parking brake pedal will lift to the released position.A warning chime will sound if the parking brake is set,
the ignition is on, and the shift lever is not in PARK (P)
or NEUTRAL (N).
The brake light will also appear on the instrument panel
cluster when the parking brake is set. It will stay on if
the parking brake does not release fully.
The PARKING BRAKE ON message will also appear in
the Driver Information Center (DIC) when the parking
brake is set. SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on
page 3-72for more information.
Notice:Driving with the parking brake on can
overheat the brake system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system parts. Verify that
the parking brake is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
If the vehicle is towing a trailer and parked on a hill, see
Towing a Trailer on page 4-40. That section shows
what to do rst to keep the trailer from moving.
2-30

Shifting Into Park (P)
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake rmly set. Your vehicle can roll. If
you have left the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure your vehicle will not move,
even when you are on fairly level ground, use
the steps that follow. If you are pulling a trailer,
seeTowing a Trailer on page 4-40.
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot and
set the parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) by holding in the
button on the shift lever and pushing the shift lever
all the way toward the front of the vehicle.
3. Turn the ignition key to OFF.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
leave your vehicle with the ignition key in your
hand, your vehicle is in PARK (P).
Leaving Your Vehicle With the
Engine Running
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle with
the engine running. Your vehicle could move
suddenly if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the parking brake rmly set.
And, if you leave the vehicle with the engine
running, it could overheat and even catch re.
You or others could be injured. Do not leave
your vehicle with the engine running.
If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine
running, be sure your vehicle is in PARK (P) and your
parking brake is rmly set before you leave it. After you
have moved the shift lever into PARK (P), hold the
regular brake pedal down. Then, see if you can move
the shift lever away from PARK (P) without rst pushing
the button.
If you can, it means that the shift lever was not fully
locked in PARK (P).
2-31

Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you do not shift your
transaxle into PARK (P) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl in
the transaxle. You may nd it difficult to pull the shift
lever out of PARK (P). This is called torque lock.
To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then
shift into PARK (P) properly before you leave the
driver’s seat. To nd out how, seeShifting Into Park (P)
on page 2-31.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out of
PARK (P)beforeyou release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have another
vehicle push your vehicle a little uphill to take some of
the pressure from the parking pawl in the transaxle,
so you can pull the shift lever out of PARK (P).
Shifting Out of Park (P)
The vehicle has an automatic transaxle shift lock control
system which locks the shift lever in PARK (P) when
the ignition is in OFF. In addition, the regular brakes
must be fully applied before shifting from PARK (P) while
the ignition is in RUN. SeeAutomatic Transaxle
Operation on page 2-25.
If the vehicle cannot be shifted out of PARK (P), ease
pressure on the shift lever and push the shift lever all the
way up into PARK (P) as brake application is maintained.
Then move the shift lever into the desired gear.
If the brake pedal is held down but the vehicle still
cannot be shifted out of PARK (P), try this:
1. Turn the key to ACC.
2. Apply and hold the brake until the end of Step 4.
3. Shift the transaxle to NEUTRAL (N).
4. Start the vehicle and then shift to the desired
transaxle gear.
5. Have the system xed as soon as possible.
2-32

Mirrors
Manual Rearview Mirror
with OnStar
®
Your vehicle has this feature located at the bottom of
the mirror, to change the mirror from the day to the night
position. To reduce the glare of headlamps from
behind, turn the control counterclockwise. To return the
mirror to the day position, turn the control clockwise.
There are also three OnStar
®buttons located at
the bottom of the mirror face. See your dealer for more
information on the system and how to subscribe to
OnStar
®. SeeOnStar®System on page 2-38for more
information about the services OnStar®provides.
Automatic Dimming Rearview
Mirror with Compass and
Temperature Display
If the vehicle has this feature, the automatic dimming
mirror automatically dims to the proper level to minimize
glare at night from lights behind your vehicle.The mirror also has a dual display in the upper right
corner of the mirror that shows the compass reading and
the outside temperature.
YOn/Off:Press this button to operate the automatic
dimming, compass and temperature features.
Automatic Dimming Mirror Operation
The automatic dimming mirror function is turned on each
time the ignition is started. A light near the on/off button
will come on to indicate the automatic dimming is on.
If the automatic dimming function is off, press and hold
the on/off button for four seconds to manually turn
the system back on.
Temperature and Compass Display
Press the on/off button, located in the center, to cycle
between °F, °C and off. If the display reads CAL,
the compass needs to be calibrated. For more
information, see “Compass Calibration” later in
this section.
If an abnormal temperature reading is displayed for an
extended period of time, please consult your dealer.
Under certain circumstances, a delay in updating
the temperature is normal.
2-35

Convenience Net
The vehicle may have a convenience net located on the
back wall of the trunk.
Put small loads, like grocery bags, behind the net. It can
help keep them from falling over.
The net is not for larger, heavier loads. Store those in
the trunk as far forward as possible.
Unhook the net so that it will lie at when not in use.
Sunroof
If the vehicle has a sunroof, it includes a sliding glass
panel and a sunshade.
The switch to control the
sunroof is located in the
headliner.The switch works only while the ignition is on, or in
ACC, or Retained Accessory Power (RAP) is on. See
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) on page 2-22.
Vent:Open the sunshade by hand. Push the switch
toward the rear of the vehicle once and the sunroof
will open to the vent position. Push the switch forward
to close.
Open/Express-Open:Push the switch toward the rear
of the vehicle a second time and the sunroof will
open the remainder of the way. The sunshade will open
with the sunroof if the switch is pushed toward the
rear of the vehicle twice.
Close:Push and hold the front of the switch until the
sunroof motor stops. The sunshade must be closed
by hand.
2-43

The main components of the instrument panel are the following:
A. Side Window Defogger Outlets. SeeOutlet
Adjustment on page 3-33.
B. Air Outlets. SeeOutlet Adjustment on page 3-33.
C. Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever and Cruise Controls.
SeeTurn Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-7
andCruise Control on page 3-11.
D. TAP-Shift
®Control (If Equipped). SeeAutomatic
Transaxle Operation on page 2-25.
E. Hazard Warning Flashers Button. SeeHazard
Warning Flashers on page 3-6.
F. Instrument Panel Cluster. SeeInstrument Panel
Cluster on page 3-36.
G. Windshield Wiper Lever. SeeWindshield Wiper
Lever on page 3-9.
H. Ignition. SeeIgnition Positions on page 2-22.
I. Driver Information Center (DIC). SeeDriver
Information Center (DIC) on page 3-52.
J. Audio System. SeeAudio System(s) on page 3-94.
K. Audio Steering Wheel Controls (If Equipped).
SeeAudio Steering Wheel Controls on page 3-139.L. Hood Release. SeeHood Release on page 5-11.
M. Tilt Steering Wheel Lever, on Steering Column. See
Tilt Wheel on page 3-6.
N. Interior Lamps Brightness Control. SeeInterior
Lamps on page 3-17.
O. Passenger Air Bag Status Indicator. SeePassenger
Airbag Status Indicator on page 3-40.
P. Climate Controls. SeeClimate Control System on
page 3-26.
Q. Shift Lever. SeeAutomatic Transaxle Operation on
page 2-25.
R. Traction Control Button. SeeTraction Control
System (TCS) on page 4-9.
S. Head Up Display (HUD) Control. SeeHead-Up
Display (HUD) on page 3-21.
T. Glove Box. SeeGlove Box on page 2-40.
U. Instrument Panel Fuse Block. SeeInstrument Panel
Fuse Block on page 5-112.
3-5

Hazard Warning Flashers
Your hazard warning ashers let you warn others. They
also let police know you have a problem. Your front
and rear turn signal lamps will ash on and off.
The hazard warning
asher button is located on
top of the steering
column.
Your hazard warning ashers work no matter what
position your key is in, and even if the key is not in
the ignition.
Press the button to make the front and rear turn signal
lamps ash on and off. Press the button again to
turn the ashers off.
When the hazard warning ashers are on, your turn
signals will not work.
Other Warning Devices
If you carry reective triangles, you can set them up at
the side of the road about 300 feet (100 m) behind
your vehicle.
Horn
Press the vehicle’s steering wheel pad to sound
the horn.
Tilt Wheel
A tilt wheel enables the position of the steering wheel to
be adjusted. The lever that lets the steering wheel tilt
is located on the outboard side of the steering column.
To tilt the steering wheel, hold it and pull the lever.
Move the steering wheel to a comfortable driving
position and release the lever to lock it into place.
Tilt the steering wheel to the highest position to give
more room when exiting and entering the vehicle.
3-6

Reducing Speed While Using Cruise
Control
There are two ways to reduce the vehicle’s speed while
using cruise control:
Press and hold the set button until you reach the
lower speed you want, then release it.
To slow down in very small amounts, briey press
the set button. Each time you do this your vehicle
will slow down approximately one mph (1.6 km/h).
Passing Another Vehicle While Using
Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase the vehicle’s
speed. When you take your foot off the pedal, the
vehicle will slow down to the cruise control speed
set earlier.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well the cruise control will work on hills depends
upon the vehicle’s speed, its load, and the steepness of
the hills. When going up steep hills, the accelerator
pedal might have to be used in order to maintain
the vehicle’s speed. When going downhill, the brakes
might have to be applied, or the transaxle might have to
be shifted to a lower gear to keep the vehicle’s speed
down. Doing either of these things will take the
vehicle out of cruise. It may be better not to use the
cruise control if the brakes constantly have to be
applied, or the vehicle continuously needs to be shifted
to a lower gear.
Ending Cruise Control
There are two ways to turn off the cruise control:
Step lightly on the brake pedal
Move the cruise control switch to off
Erasing Speed Memory
When the cruise control or the ignition is turned off, the
cruise control set speed memory is erased.
3-14

Exterior Lamps
The exterior lamp control is located to the left of the
steering wheel on the multifunction lever.
O(Exterior Lamp Control):Turn the band with this
symbol on it to operate the exterior lamps.
The exterior lamp band has four positions:
O(Off):Turning the band to this position turns off
all lamps.
AUTO (Automatic):Turning the band to this position
sets the exterior lamps in automatic mode. AUTO mode
will turn the exterior lamps on and off depending on
how much light is available outside the vehicle.
To override AUTO mode, turn the control to off.To reset to AUTO mode turn the control to exterior
lamps and then back to AUTO. Automatic mode will also
reset when your vehicle is turned off and then back
on again when the control is left in the AUTO position.
;(Parking Lamp):Turning the band to this position
turns on the parking lamps together with the following:
Sidemarker Lamps
Taillamps
License Plate Lamps
Instrument Panel Lights
The parking brake indicator light will come on and stay
on when the parking lamps are on with the engine
off and the ignition to ACC.
5(Headlamps):Turning the control to this position
turns on the headlamps, together with the previously
listed lamps and lights.
Headlamps on Reminder
A warning chime will sound if the vehicle’s ignition is off
and the driver’s door is opened when the exterior
lamp control is left on in either the headlamp or parking
lamp position.
3-15

Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier for
others to see the front of your vehicle during the
day. DRL can be helpful in many different driving
conditions, but they can be especially helpful in the short
periods after dawn and before sunset. Daytime running
lamps are required to function at all times on all
vehicles rst sold in Canada.
A light sensor on top of the instrument panel makes the
DRL work, so be sure it is not covered.
The DRL system will make the low-beam headlamps
come on at reduced brightness when the following
conditions are met:
The ignition is on.
The exterior lamps control is off.
The parking brake is released.
While the DRL are on, only the vehicle’s low-beam
headlamps will be on at reduced brightness. The turn
signal, taillamps, sidemarker and other lamps will not be
on. The instrument panel cluster will not be lit up either.When it is dark enough outside, the DRL will turn off
and the vehicle’s headlamps and parking lamps will turn
on. The other lamps that come on with the headlamps
will also come on.
When it is bright enough outside, the headlamps will go
off and the DRL will come on.
To idle the vehicle with the DRL off, turn the exterior
lamp control off and then do one of the following:
Turn the exterior lamp control to the parking
lamp position.
Turn the exterior lamp control to the
headlamp position.
Turn the exterior lamp control from AUTO to off and
back to AUTO.
This feature is not available for vehicles rst sold
in Canada.
To turn off the automatic headlamp feature when it is
dark outside, move the exterior lamp control to the
parking lamp position. The parking lamps will remain
illuminated and the headlamps will turn off. The
fog lamps will also go on if they were on previously.
As with any vehicle, the regular headlamp system
should be turned on when needed.
3-16