1993 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE engine

Features & Controls
Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine Running
It is dangerous to leave your
vehicle with the engine
nning. Your vehicle could move
ddenly if the shift lever is not
dy in P (Park) with the parking
brake firmly set. And, if
you leave
the vehicle with the engine
running,
it could overheat and even
catch fire. You or others could be
injured. Don’t leave your vehicle
with the engine running unless you
have to.
I
If you have to leave your vehicle with
the engine running, be sure your vehicle
is in
P (Park) and your parking brake is
firmly set before you leave
it. After
you’ve moved the shift lever into the
P (Park) position, hold the regular brake
pedal down. Then, see if you can move
the shift lever away from
P (Park)
without first pulling it toward you (or, if
you have the console shift lever, without
first pushing the button).
If you can, it means that the shift lever
wasn’t fully locked into
P (Park).
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Shifting Out of P (Park)
Your Pontiac has a brake-transaxle shift
interlock. You have to fully
apply your
regular brakes
before you can shift from
P (Park) when the ignition is in the On
position. See the Index under Shifting
the Automatic Transaxle.
If you cannot shift out of P (Park), ease
pressure
on the shift lever-push the
shift lever all the way into
P (Park) and
also release the shift lever button on
floor shift console models as you
maintain brake application. Then move
the shift lever into the gear you wish.
(Press the shift lever button before
moving the shift lever on floor shift
console models.)
If you ever hold the
brake pedal down but still can’t shift out
of
P (Park), try this:
1. Turn the key to Off. Open and close
the driver’s door to
turn off the
Retained Accessory Power feature.
2. Apply and hold the brake until the end of Step
4.
3. Shift to N (Neutral).
4. Start the vehicle and then shift to the
drive gear you want.
5. Have the vehicle fixed as soon as you
can.
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I CAUTION I
A
Things that can burn could
touch hot exhaust parts under
your vehicle and ignite. Don't park over papers, leaves,
dry grass or
other things that can burn.
A
Engine exhaust can kill. It contains the gas carbon monoxide (eo),
which you can't see or smell. It can cause unconsciousness and death.
You might have exhaust coming in if:
0 Your exhaust system sounds strange or different.
Your vehicle gets rusty underneath.
0 Your vehicle was damaged in a collision.
Your vehicle was damaged when driving over high points on the road or
0 Repairs weren't done correctly.
* Your vehicle or exhaust system has been modified improperly.
If
you ever suspect exhaust is coming into your vehicle:
0 Drive it only with all the windows down to blow out any CO; and
0 Have it fixed immediately.
over road debris.
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Features & Controls
Running Your Engine While You’re Parked
It’s better not to park with the engine running. But if you ever have to, here are
I some things to know.
II Idling the engine with the air system control OFF could allow dangerous
xhaust
into your vehicle (see the earlier CAUTION under Engine Exhaust). ‘
so, idling in a closed-in place can let deadly carbon monoxide (CO) into
your vehicle even
if the fan switch is at the highest setting. One place this can
happen is a garage. Exhaust-with CO-can come
in easily. Never park in a
garage
with the engine running.
Another closed-in place can be a blizzard. (See
the Index under Bliaard.)
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the shift lever is not fully in
P (Park) 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’ve
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 P (Park).
If you are parking on a hill, or if you’re pulling a trailer, also see the Zndex
under Parking on Hills or Towing a Truik
rn.1 72
Horn
You can sound the horn by pressing the
horn
symbols on your steering wheel,
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c
Tachometer (OFTION)
The tachometer shows your engine speed in revolutions per minute
(rpm).
Do not run your engine at speeds in the
red area.
Warning Lights, Gages
and Indicators
This section describes the warning lights
and gages that may
be on your vehicle.
The pictures will help
you locate them.
Warning lights and gages can signal that
something
is wrong before it becomes
serious enough to cause an expensive
repair or replacement. Paying attention
to your warning lights and gages could
also save you or others from injury.
Warning lights go on when there may be
or is a problem with one of your
vehicle’s functions.
As you will see in
the details on the next few pages, some
warning lights
come on briefly when
you turn the ignition key just to let you
know they’re working.
If you are
familiar with this section,
you should
not be alarmed when this happens. Gages can
indicate when there may
be
or is a problem with one of your vehicle’s
functions. Often gages
and warning
lights work together to let
you know
when there’s a problem with your vehicle.
When one
of the warning lights comes
on and stays
an when you are driving,
or whtm one
of the gages shows there
may be a problem, check the seetion
that tells you what
to do about it. Please
follow the manual’s advice. Waiting to
do repairs can
be costly-and even
dangerous.
So please get to know your
warning lights
and gages. They’re a big
help.
Your vehicle may also have a Driver
Information Center that
works along with
the warning lights and gages. See the
Index under Driver Information Center.
9s m..
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Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light
This light tells you that your engine
coolant has overheated
or your radiator
cooling fans are
not working. If you
have been operating your vehicle under
normal driving conditions, you should
pull off the road, stop your vehicle and
turn the engine
off as soon as possible.
HOT
COOLANT CAN BURN YOU
BADLY!
In Problems on the Road, this
manual shows what to do. See the
Index
under Engine Overheating.
Some clusters with gages do not have a
coolant temperature warning light.
In
those clusters a CHECK GAGES
warning light will alert you of a
potential coolant heating problem.
Low Coolant Warning light
(OPT/ON)
If this light comes on, your system may
be low
on coolant and the engine may
overheat. Check to see
if the level is
low, and add coolant if necessary. See
the
Index under Engine Coolant.
The LOW COOLANT warning light
will also come on when
you turn on the
ignition, but your engine is not running,
as a check to show you it is working.
If
it doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
right away.
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Features & Controls
Oil Warning Light
If you have a problem with your oil, this
light may stay on after you
start your
engine, or come on
when you are
driving. This indicates that oil is not
going through your engine quickly
enough to keep
it cool. The engine
could be low
on oil, or could have some
other oil problem. Have
it fixed right
away. The
oil light could also come
on in two
other situations:
When the ignition is on but the engine
is not running, the light will come
on
as a test to show you it is working, but
the light will go out when you turn the
ignition to
Start. If it doesn't come on
with the ignition on, you may have a
problem with the fuse or bulb. Have
it
fixed right away.
If you make a hard stop, the light may
come on for a moment. This is
normal.
Clusters with gages use the CHECK
GAGES warning light to alert you of a
potential oil pressure problem.
4iU I JUN
Don't keep driving if the oil
pressure is low. If you do,
your
engine can become so hot that
it catches fire. You or others could
be burned. Check your oil as soon
as possible and have your vehicle
serviced.
[
Damage to your engine from,: . .. ', .
neglected oil problems can be ' .I'
costly and is not covered by your
., , ,l ,
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Check Oii Levei Warning Light
fO#-rn#)
This light indicates when the engine oil
level is
1 to 1% quarts (0.95 L to 1.4 L)
low. It will go on for one to three
seconds when the ignition is turned to
the Run position, as a bulb check. It
will then
go off. Even if you have a law
oil level, it will go off for 15 to 20
seconds. Then, if the oil level is low,
and it has been at least eight minutes
since your engine was last running, the
CHECK OIL LEVEL light will come
on for
20 to 40 seconds. The eight-
minute delay
allows the majority of the
oil to drain back into the oil pan and
prevent a false low condition.
If the CHECK OIL LEVEL warning
comes on, the oil level should be
checked at the oil dipstick. If the level is
low, the engine oil should
be brought up
to the proper level (see the
Index under
Engine Oil). After restoring the proper
level and waiting for the eight-minute
drainback, the key can be
turned to the
Run position and the CHECK OIL
LEVEL warning light should only
come on as a bulb check.
Battery Warning,Lighf
This light will come on briefly when
you
start the vehicle, as a check to show
you it is
working, then it should go out.
If it stays on, OF comes on while you are
driving, you
may have a problem with
the electrical charging system. It could
indicate that you have a loose generator
drive belt, or another electrical
problem. Have it checked right away.
Driving while this light is
on could
drain your battery.
If you must drive a short distance with
the light
on, be certain to turn off all
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Features & Controls
Battery Warning Light (CONI:)
your accessories, such as. the radio and
climate control system.
Some clusters with gages do
not have a
battery warning light. They have a
CHECK GAGES warning to indicate a
problem. Vehicles with the supercharged
engine also have a similar battery
warning light.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Service Engine Soon Light)
A computer monitors operation of your
fuel, ignition and emission controls
systems. This light should come on
when the ignition is on but the engine is
not running, as a check to show you it is
working.
If it does not come on at all,
have it fixed right away.
If it stays on, or
it comes on while you are driving, the
computer is indicating that
you have a
problem. You should take your vehicle
in for service soon.
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