light PONTIAC GRAND PRIX 2008 Owner's Guide

Exterior Lighting Battery Saver
If the parking lamps or headlamps have been left on
after the ignition has been turned to off, the exterior
lamps will turn off after about 10 minutes. This protects
the battery from being drained.
Use the exterior lamp control to turn the lamps back on,
if they are still needed.
Interior Lamps
The interior lamps can be controlled, or automatically
turn on or off under certain conditions. They are
explained in the following text.
Instrument Panel Brightness
This feature controls the brightness of the instrument
panel lights.
The interior lamps
control is located on
the instrument panel,
to the left of the
steering column.
Turn the control to adjust the brightness of the
instrument panel lights.
Courtesy Lamps
When a door is opened, the courtesy lamps will
automatically come on. These lamps will also come on
when the interior lamps control is fully turned clockwise.
3-19

Dome Lamp
If the vehicle does not have an overhead console, it will
have a dome light located in the front of the headliner.
The switch on this lamp has three positions. The
on position will turn on the lamp anytime. The door
position will turn on the lamp whenever a door is
opened. The off position will shut off the lamp
completely, even while a door is opened.
Entry Lighting
The entry lighting feature turns the interior lights on
before anyone enters the vehicle. The interior lamps will
come on for 40 seconds when the doors are unlocked
using the remote keyless entry transmitter and the
ignition is in LOCK/OFF. After 40 seconds have elapsed,
the interior lamps will slowly fade out. The lamps will
fade out before 40 seconds have elapsed if one of the
following is done:
Lock all doors using the remote keyless entry
transmitter.
Lock the doors using the power door lock switch.
When any door is opened, entry lighting is cancelled.
The interior lamps will stay on while any door is opened
and slowly fade out when all doors are closed. The
interior lamps may stay on for up to 25 seconds after all
doors have been closed if they have not been locked.
Delayed Entry Lighting
The delayed lighting feature will continue to light the
interior of the vehicle for 25 seconds after all the doors
have been closed. Delayed lighting will not occur while
the ignition is in ON/RUN or ACC/ACCESSORY. After
25 seconds have elapsed, the interior lamps will slowly
fade out. The lamps will fade out before the 25 seconds
have elapsed if one of the following is done:
The ignition is turned to ON/RUN or
ACC/ACCESSORY.
The doors are locked using the remote keyless
entry transmitter.
The doors are locked using the power door
lock switch.
To turn the delayed lighting feature off or on, see
“Personal Programming Modes” underDIC Vehicle
Customization on page 3-89.
3-20

Delayed Exit Lighting
For exiting the vehicle at night, the vehicle is equipped
with the delayed exit lighting feature. After the key
is removed from the ignition, the interior lamps will
light for up the amount of seconds set in the Driver
Information Center (DIC). See “Personal Programming
Mode Screens” underDIC Vehicle Customization
on page 3-89. After the set time has elapsed, the interior
lamps will slowly fade. The lamps will fade before the
set time has elapsed if one of the following is done:
The ignition is turned to ON/RUN or
ACC/ACCESSORY.
The doors are locked using the remote keyless
entry transmitter.
The doors are locked using the power door
lock switch.
When any door is opened, delayed exit lighting is
cancelled. The interior lamps will stay on while any
door is opened and will slowly fade out when all
the doors are closed. The interior lamps will stay on
for the set time after all the doors have been closed
if they have not been locked.
To turn the delayed exit lighting feature off or on,
see “Personal Programming Mode Screens” under
DIC Vehicle Customization on page 3-89.
Front Reading Lamps
If the vehicle has a sunroof, there are reading lamps in
front of the sunroof switch located on the headliner.
These lamps will come on when the doors are opened.
Press the side of each reading lamp to turn them on
and off when the doors are closed.
Overhead Console Reading Lamps
The vehicle may have reading lamps on the overhead
console. These lamps will turn on when the doors
are opened. When the doors are closed, press the
side of each lamp to turn them on and off.
Rear Assist Handle Reading Lamps
If the vehicle has a reading lamp on each rear assist
handle, press the side of each lamp to turn it on or off.
3-21

Electric Power Management
The vehicle has Electric Power Management (EPM) that
estimates the battery’s temperature and state of charge.
It then adjusts the voltage for best performance and
extended life of the battery.
When the battery’s state of charge is low, the voltage is
raised slightly to quickly put the charge back in. When the
state of charge is high, the voltage is lowered slightly to
prevent overcharging. If the vehicle has a voltmeter gage
or voltage display on the Driver Information Center (DIC),
you may see the voltage move up or down. This is
normal. If there is a problem, an alert will be displayed.
The battery can be discharged at idle if the electrical
loads are very high. This is true for all vehicles.
This is because the generator (alternator) may not be
spinning fast enough at idle to produce all the power
that is needed for very high electrical loads.
A high electrical load occurs when several of the
following loads are on: headlamps, high beams, fog
lamps, rear window defogger, climate control fan at
high speed, heated seats, engine cooling fans, trailer
loads, and loads plugged into accessory power outlets.
EPM works to prevent excessive discharge of the
battery. It does this by balancing the generator’s output
and the vehicle’s electrical needs. It can increase
engine idle speed to generate more power, whenever
needed. It can temporarily reduce the power demands
of some accessories.Normally, these actions occur in steps or levels, without
being noticeable. In rare cases at the highest levels
of corrective action, this action may be noticeable to
the driver. If so, a Driver Information Center (DIC)
message might be displayed, such as Battery Saver
Active. If this message is displayed, it is recommended
that the driver reduce the electrical loads as much
as possible. SeeDIC Warnings and Messages
on page 3-67.
Battery Run-Down Protection
The vehicle has a feature to help prevent the battery
from draining in case the interior, trunk, or underhood
lamps are accidentally left on. If any of these lamps are
left on while the ignition is in LOCK/OFF, they will
automatically turn off after 10 minutes. The lamps will not
come back on again until any of the following are done:
The ignition is turned to ON/RUN or
ACC/ACCESSORY.
The interior lamps control is turned completely to
the right, then back slightly to the left.
Open, or close and reopen, a door that is closed.
If the vehicle has less than 15 miles (25 km) on the
odometer, the battery saver will turn off the lamps
after only three minutes.
3-22

When the ignition key is turned to ON/RUN, the HUD
will display an introductory message for a short
time, until the HUD has warmed up.
The following indicator lights come on the instrument
panel when activated and will also appear on the HUD:
Turn Signal Indicators
High-Beam Indicator Symbol
The HUD will temporarily display CHECK TRIP
COMPUTER when there are messages on the
DIC trip computer.
The HUD will also display the following messages when
these systems, if the vehicle has them, are active:
TRACTION CONTROL ACTIVE
STABILITY CONTROL ACTIVE
The HUD will temporarily display the TRACTION
CONTROL OFF message when the traction control
system is turned off.
The HUD will temporarily display the CRUISE SET
message when cruise control is activated or cruise
speed is increased.
Notice:If you try to use the HUD image as a
parking aid, you may misjudge the distance and
damage your vehicle. Do not use the HUD image
as a parking aid.When the HUD is on, the speedometer reading will
continually be displayed. The current radio station or
CD track number will display for a short period of time
after the radio or CD track status changes. This will
happen whenever one of the radio controls is pressed.
The speedometer size will be reduced when radio,
CD information, warnings, or turn-by-turn guidance
information are displayed on the HUD.
The HUD control is
located on the console.
To adjust the HUD image so that items are properly
displayed, do the following:
1. Adjust the driver’s seat to a comfortable position.
2. Start the engine.
3. Adjust the HUD controls.
3-24

Use the following settings to adjust the HUD.
9(Off):Turn the outer ring on the HUD control to
this position to turn the HUD off.
I II III IIII (Brightness):Turn the outer ring on the
HUD control clockwise to dim the display and
counterclockwise to brighten it.
w(Up):Press this portion of the switch on the
HUD control to move the image up.
x(Down):Press this portion of the switch on the HUD
control to move the image down. Move the image as
low as possible on the windshield, keeping it in full view.
?(Page):Press this button to select the display
formats. Release the page button when the format
number with the desired display is shown on the HUD.
Format One:This display gives the speedometer
reading (in English or metric units), transmission
positions, compass direction, and the outside
air temperature.
Format Two:This display includes the information
in Format One without the compass direction and
the outside air temperature.
Format Three:This display includes all the
information in Format One, but turns the instrument
cluster lighting off. Format three is only available
at night.All formats will show the turn-by-turn guidance
information. It will display the next turn, direction,
street name, and distance to the selected destination.
When you near your destination, the HUD will display a
distance bar that will ll in the closer you get to your
destination. All navigation information is provided to the
HUD by the navigation radio, if the vehicle has one.
The warning indicators still appear on the instrument
panel when required. The HUD will display Stealth
Mode On.
The HUD will store the last display format selected.
If the last format displayed was Format One or
Format Three, then Format One will be displayed
when the vehicle is started.
If the last format was Format Two, then Format Two
will be displayed.
The HUD image displayed on the windshield will
automatically dim and brighten to compensate for
outside lighting.
The HUD image can temporarily light up depending
on the angle and position of the sunlight on the
HUD display. This is normal and will change when the
angle of the sunlight on the HUD display changes.
Polarized sunglasses could make the HUD image
harder to see.
3-25

Notice:Leaving electrical equipment plugged in for
an extended period of time while the vehicle is off
will drain the battery. Power is always supplied
to the outlets. Always unplug electrical equipment
when not in use and do not plug in equipment
that exceeds the maximum 20 ampere rating.
Certain electrical accessories may not be compatible
with the accessory power outlet and could result
in blown vehicle or adapter fuses. See your dealer/
retailer for additional information on accessory
power outlets.
Notice:Adding any electrical equipment to your
vehicle may damage it or keep other components
from working as they should. The repairs would not
be covered by your warranty. Do not use equipment
exceeding maximum amperage rating of 20 amperes.
Check with your dealer/retailer before adding
electrical equipment.
When adding electrical equipment, be sure to follow
the proper installation instructions included with it.
Notice:Improper use of the power outlet can
cause damage not covered by your warranty.
Do not hang any type of accessory or accessory
bracket from the plug because the power outlets
are designed for accessory power plugs only.Ashtray(s) and Cigarette Lighter
Your vehicle may have a removable muffin tin ashtray
and cigarette lighter. The muffin tin ashtray can be
placed into the front center console cupholder. To use
the lighter, located on the center console, push it in
all the way and let go. When it is ready, it will pop back
out by itself.
Notice:Holding a cigarette lighter in while it is
heating does not let the lighter back away from
the heating element when it is hot. Damage from
overheating can occur to the lighter or heating
element, or a fuse could be blown. Do not hold
a cigarette lighter in while it is heating.
Notice:If you put papers, pins, or other ammable
items in the ashtray, hot cigarettes or other
smoking materials could ignite them and possibly
damage your vehicle. Never put ammable items
in the ashtray.
3-27

Climate Controls
Climate Control System
The climate control system allows manual control of the
heating, cooling, and ventilation in the vehicle.
Fan
9
(Fan):Turn the knob by this symbol, located on
the left side of the climate control panel, clockwise
or counterclockwise to increase or decrease the fan
speed. The fan speed will be temporarily reduced
between the transition to a new mode. The fan will
resume the original speed when the transition to the
new mode is complete.
9(Off):Turn the knob to this position to turn the
climate control system off. Only the heated seat and/or
rear defrost can be operated when the fan is off.
Mode
Turn the middle knob to select the following modes:
H(Vent) (Outside Air):This mode directs outside air
to the instrument panel outlets. If driving in city traffic,
and the vehicle is stopped and idling, or the weather is
hot, press the recirculation button. To prevent the air
inside the vehicle from becoming stale, be sure to turn
off recirculation periodically.
)(Bi-Level):This mode directs half of the air to the
instrument panel outlets, and the remaining air to the oor
outlets. Some air may be directed toward the windshield.
Slightly cooler air is directed to the instrument panel
outlets and warmer air is directed to the oor outlets.
6(Floor):This mode directs most of the air to the
oor outlets with some air directed toward the side
window outlets and a little air directed to the windshield.
In this mode, the system will automatically use outside
air. The air conditioning compressor will be engaged
unless the outside temperature is 40°F (4°C) or below.
3-28

Recirculation cannot be selected when in this mode
even though the indicator light comes on when
the recirculation button is pressed.
The middle knob on the climate control panel can also
be used to select the defog or defrost mode.
Defogging and Defrosting
Fog on the inside of the vehicle is a result of high
humidity causing moisture to condense on the cool
window glass. This can be minimized if the climate
control system is used properly. There are two modes
to clear frost or fog from the windshield. Use the
defog mode to clear the windows of condensation and
to warm the vehicle’s occupants. Use the defrost
mode to remove frost or condensation from the
windshield quickly.
See “Rear Window Defogger” later in this section for
information on clearing the rear window of fog or ice.
.(Floor/Defog):Use the oor/defog mode to
clear the windows of fog or moisture and to warm the
passengers. This mode directs the air equally between
the windshield and the oor outlets, along with some
directed to the side window outlets.This mode will automatically use outside air. The
air conditioning compressor will be engaged unless
the outside temperature is 40°F (4°C) or below.
Recirculation cannot be selected when in this mode
even though the indicator light comes on when
the recirculation button is pressed.
1(Defrost):Use the defrost mode to remove fog or
frost from the windshield more quickly. This mode
directs most of the air to the windshield and the side
window outlets, with some air directed to the oor
outlets. This mode has a timer and will shut off after
ve minutes.
This mode will automatically use outside air. The air
conditioning compressor will be engaged unless
the outside temperature is 40°F (4°C) or below.
Recirculation cannot be selected when in this mode
even though the indicator light comes on when
the recirculation button is pressed.
3-29

Temperature
The knob on the right of the climate control panel is the
temperature adjustment that can be used with any of
the climate control modes.
Turn the knob clockwise for warmer settings and
counterclockwise for colder settings.
Air Conditioning
#
(Air Conditioner):Press this button to turn the
air conditioning compressor on or off. An indicator light
to the right of the button will come on. This button
has no control over the air conditioning compressor
when in Floor/Defog and Defrost modes. The instrument
panel brightness control may have to be adjusted to
the highest setting in order to see the indicator.
SeeInstrument Panel Brightness on page 3-19for
additional information.
On hot days during the vehicle’s initial start-up, open
the windows to let hot inside air escape; then close
them. This helps to reduce the time it takes for
the vehicle to cool down. It also helps the system to
operate more efficiently.For quicker cool down on hot days, do the following:
1. Select any mode setting between vent and the
setting before defrost.
2. Select the air conditioner.
3. Select the coolest temperature.
4. Select the highest climate control fan speed.
Using these settings will set recirculation for quicker
cool down (the light indicator will not turn on). If outside
air is desired, press the recirculation button twice.
Using these settings together for long periods of time
may cause the air inside the vehicle to become too dry.
To prevent this from happening, after ve minutes
the recirculation door will open slightly to allow some
outside air into the vehicle.
The air conditioning system removes moisture from the
air, so sometimes there may be a small amount of
water dripping underneath the vehicle while it is idling
or after the engine is turned off. This is normal.
3-30