PONTIAC PONTIAC 1996 Owners Manual

We encourage you to call us so we can give your inquiry
prompt attention. However,
if you wish to write Pontiac,
write
to:
Pwtiac Division
One Pontiac Plaza
' Customer Assistance Center
' Pontiac, MI 48340-2952
Refer
t~ your Warranty and Owner Assistawe
Information booklet for addresses of Canadian and
GM Overseas offices.
When contacting Pontiac, please remember that
your
concern will likely be resolved in the dealership, using
the dealer's facilities, equipment'and personnel,. That
is why we suggest you follow Step One first -if you
have a concern.
Customer Assistance for Text
Telephone (TTY) Users
To assist customers who are deaf, hard of hearing, or
speech-impaired and who use Text Telephones (TTYs),
Pontiac has TTY equipment 'available at its Customer .
Assistance Center. Any TTY user can communicate with
Pontiac
by dialing: 1-800-833-PONT. (TTY users in
Canada can dial 1-800-263-3830.)
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Pontiac Roadside Assistance Program
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Security While You Travel
I-800-ROADSIE (I -800-762-3743)
Pontiac's Roadside Assistance toll-free number is
staffed by a team of technically trained advisors, who
are available
24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
We
take anxiety out of uncertain situations by providing
minor repair information over the phone or making
arrangements to tow your vehicle to the nearest
Pontiac dealer.
We will provide the following services for
3 year/36,000 miles, at no expense to you:
Vehicle .out of fuel
Keys locked in vehicle
Tow to nearest dealership for warranty service
Change a flat tire
Jump starts
Courtesy Transportation -- See Pontiac Courtesy
Transportation section for details
As the proud owner of a new Pontiac vehicle, you are
automatically enrolled in the Pontiac Roadside
Assistance program. This value-added service is
intended
to provide you with peace of mihd as you
drive in the city, or travel the open road.
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We have quick, easy access to telephone numbers of the
following additional services depending
on your needs:
’ 0 Hotels
Glass replacement
0 Rental vehicle or taxis
Police, fire department or haspitals
IJI many instances, mechanical failures are cdvered
under Pontiac’s comprehensive warranty. However,
when other services are utilized, our advisors will
explain any payment obligations
you might incur.
For prompt and efficient assistance when calling, please
provide the foliowing information to give the advisor
0 Locatiijn of vehicle
Telephone number of your location
0- Vehicle model, yeas and color Pontiac
reserves the right
to limit services or
reimbursement to an owner or driver when in Pontiac’s
judgement the
claims become excessive in frequency or
type of occurrence.
While we hope that you never have the occasion to use
ow service, it is added sear@ while traveling for you
and your family. Remember, we’re ody a phone call
away. Pontiac Roadside Assistance -- 1-800-ROADSDa
or 1-800-762-3743. .
Canadian - badside
Vehicles purchased in Canada have an extensive
Roaldside Assistance program accessible from anywhere
in Canada or the United States. Please refer to the
separate brochure provided by the dealer or caIl
1-800-258-6800 for emergency services.
0 Mileage of vehicle
0 Vehicle identification number
Vehicle license plate numbbr
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Pontiac Courtesy Transportation
Pontiac strives to give you a worry free ownership of
your vehicle, and we realize the inconvenience of being
without a car.
So Pontiac has come up with a way to
eliminate any frustrations you might have when trying
to get a ride to work, or wondering how you will get
home. Well, your worries are over. Pontiac provides
no-cost transportation when you bring your
1996 Pontiac in for warranty service. It
applies to any repair covered under the
3 year/36,000 mile limited warranty, and to
any
1996 Pontiac requiring repair as a result of product
recall or special policy situations. For same day service,
you are entitled to one-way shuttle service of up to
10 miles. If the repairs require an overnight stay for
the car, you're entitled to either a Pontiac
loaner OT
reimbursement for a rental car, up to $3'0/day, for up
to
5 days.
Some state insurance regulations make
it impractical to
rent vehicles to people under
21 years of age. If you are
under 21 and have difficulty renting a vehicle, Pontiac
will reimburse you, up to $3O/day, for any documented
transportation you receive.
For warranty repairs during the Complete Vehicle
Coverage period in the New Vehicle Limited Warranty,
interim transportation may
be available under the
Courtesy Transportation Program. Please consult your
dealer. for details. The Roadside Assistance program is
available only in the United States and Canada.
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GM Participation in BBB AUTO
LINE -- Alternative Dispute
Resolution Program"
*This program may not be available in all states,
depending on state law. Canadian owners refer to your
Warranty
'md Owner Assistance Information booklet.
General
Motors reserves the right to change eligibility
limitations and/or to discontinue its participation in
this program.
Both Pontiac and your Pontiac dealer are committed to
making sure you-are completely satisfied with your new
vehicle. Our experience has shown that, if a situation
arises where you feel your concern has not been
adequately addressed, the Customer Satisfaction
Procedure described earlier in
this section is
very successful.
There may be instances where an impartial
third party
can assist in arriving at a solution to a disagreement
regarding vehicle repairs or interpretation
of the New
Vehicle Limited Warranty.
To assist in resolving these
disagreements, Pontiac voluntarily participates in
BBB AUTO LINE.
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BBB AUTO LINE is an out-of-court program
administered by the Better Business Bureau system to
settle disputes between customers and automobile
manufacturers. This program
is available fi-ee of charge
to customers who currently own or lease a
GM vehicle.
If you are not satisfied after following the Customer
Satisfaction Procedure, you may contact
the BBB using
the toll-free telephone number, or write them at the
following address:
BBB AUTO LINE
Council
of Better Business Bureaus
4200 Wilson Boulevard
Suite 800,
Arlington, VA 22203
Telephone: 1-800-955-5100
To file a claim, you will be asked to provide your name
and address, your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
and a statement of the nature of your complaint.
Eligibility is limited by vehicle age and mileage, and
other factors.
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We prefer you utilize the Customer Satisfaction
Procedure before you resort to AUTO
LINE, but you
may contact the
BBB at any time. The BBB will attempt
to resolve the complaint serving as an intermediary
between you and .Pontiac.
If this mediation is
unsuccessful, an informal hearing will be scheduled
where eligible customers may present their case to an
impartial third-party arbitrator.
The arbitrator will make a decision which you may
accept or reject. If you accept the decision,
GM will be
bound by that decision. The entire dispute resolution
procedure should ordinarily take about
40 days from the
time you file a claim until a decision is made.
Some state laws may require you to use this program
before filing
a claim with a state-run arbitration program
or in the courts. For further information, contact the
BBB at 1-800-955-5100 or the Pontiac Customer
Assistance Center at 1-800-PM-CARES.
REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS
TO
THE UNITED STATES'
GOVERNMENT
If you believe that your vehicle has a defect which could
cause a crash or could cause injury or death, you should
immediately inform the National Highway
Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA), in addition to
notifying General Motors.
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may open an
investigation, and if it finds that
a safety defect exists in
a group of vehicles, it may order a recall and remedy
campaign. However, NHTSA cannot become involved
in individual problems between you, your dealer, or
General Motors.
To contact NHTSA, you may either call the Auto Safety
Hotline toll-free
at 1-800-424-9393 (or 366-0123 in
the Washington,
D.C. area) or write to:
NHTSA, U.S. Department of Transportation
Washington, D.C.
20590
You can also obtain other information about motor
vehicle safety from the Hotline.
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REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS
TO THE CANADIAN
GOVERNMENT
If you live in Canada, and you believe that your vehicle
has a safety defect, you should immediately notify
Transport Canada, in addition to notifying General
Motors
of Canada Limited. You, may write to:
Transport Canada
Box 8880
Ottawa, Ontario
K1G 3J2
REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS
TO GENERAL MOTORS
In addition to notifying NHTSA (or Transport Canaaa)
in
a situation like this, we certainly hope you'll notify
us. Please call
us at 1-800-PM-CARES or write:
Pontiac Division
Customer Assistance Center
One Pontiac Plaza
Pontiac,
MI 48340-2952
In Canada, please call
us at 1-800-263-3777 (English)
or 1-800-263-7854 (French). Or, write:
General Motors
of Canada Limited
Customer Assistance Center
1908 Cofonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario L1H 8P7
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Service and Owner Publications
Service manuals, service bulletins, owner's manuals and
other service literature are available for purchase for all
current and many past model General Motors vehicles.
Toll-free telephone numbers for ordering information:
United States
. . . . . . . 1-800-551-4123
Canada
. . . . . . . . . . . . 1-800-668-5539
Service Manuals
Service manuals contain diagnostic and repair
information for all chassis and body systems. They
may
be useful for owners who wish to get a greater
understanding of their vehicle. They
are also useful for
owners with the appropriate skill level or training who
wish
to perform "do-it-yourself' service. These are
authentic General Motors service manuals meant €or
professional, qualified technicians.
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Servicc etins
Service bulletins covering various subjects are regularly
sent
to all General Motors dealerships. GM monitors
product performance in the field. When service methods
are found
which promote better service on GM vehicles,
bulletins are created to help the technician perform
better service. Service bulletins may involve any
number
of vehicles. Some will describe inexpensive
service; others will describe expensive service. Some
will advise of new or unexpected conditions, and others
may help avoid future costly repairs. Service bulletins
are meant for qualified technicians. In some cases
bulletins refer to service manuals, specialized tools,
equipment and safety procedures necessary to service
the vehicle. Since these bulletins are issued throughout
the model year and beyond, an index is required and
published quarterly to help identify specific bulletins.
Subscriptions
are available. You can order an index at
the toll-free numbers listed previously, or ask a GM
dealer to see an index or individual bulletin.
Owner Publications
Owner's manuals, warranty folders and various owner
assistance booklets provide owners with general
operation and maintenance information.
vpoNvc@
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. Section 9 Index
Access Panel. ~mnk .... ...................... 2-39
Accessory Outlet
............................... 2-42
AirBag
....................................... 1-23
How Does it Restrain
.......................... 1-27
How it Works
................................ -1-25
Location
............................... 1.25. 1-26
Readiness Light
.......................... 1.25. 2.47
Servicing
................................... 1-29
What Makes it Inflate .......................... 1-27
What Will
You See After it Inflates ............... 1-28
When Should it Inflate
......................... 1-27
Aircleaner
.................................... 6-16
Airconditioning
................................ 3-2
Air Conditioning Refrigerants ..................... 6-75
Alignment and Balance, Tire
...................... 6-54
Aluminum Wheels, Cleaning
...................... 6-61
Antenna. Power
........... .. ....... 3-24
Antifreeze
................ ......... 6-20
Anti-Lock
Brake System Active Light
. . ........ 2-50, 4-8
Brakes
...................................... 4-6
Anti-Theft, Radio
.............................. 3- 19
Brake System Warning Light
.............. '2-49, 4-7
Appear~~~~Care ............................... 6-56 Appearance
Care Materials
....................... 6-63
Arbitration Program .............................. 8-8
Armrest. Storage ............................... 2-38
Ashtrays ...................................... 2-40
Audio Controls. Steering Wheel Touch Control
....... 3-21
Audio Equipment. Adding
........................ 3-22
Audio Systems
.................................. 3-5
Auto-Down Window ............................ 2-25
Automatic
Door Locks ............................. 2-4
Automatic Transaxle Check
........... .................... 7-37
Fluid
........................... ........ 6-17
Operation
.... i .............................. 2-14
Park Mechanism Check
......................... 7-39
Battery ...................................... 6-30
Jump Starting ................................. 5-2
Replacement. Remote Lock Control
............... 2-6
Saver
...................................... 2.36
Warnings
................................ 5.2. 5.4
BBB Auto Line ................................. 8-8
Better Business Bureau Mediation
................... 8-8
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