
Features & Controls
Driving Through Deep Standing Water
.. - .
If you drive too quickly through
deep puddles or standing water,
water can come in through your
engine’s air intake and badly
damage
your engine. If you can’t
avoid deep puddles or standing
water, drive through them very
slowly.
Engine Block Heater (opTIoN)
In very cold weather, 0°F (-18” C) or
colder,
the engine block heater can help.
You’ll get easier starting and better fuel
economy during engine warm-up.
To Use the Block Heater:
1 . Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded
electrical
cord.
110-volt outlet.
b!!
A
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
outlet. If the cord won’t reach, use
a heavy-duty three-prong extension
cord rated for at least 15 amps.
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‘-- Transaxle
Shiftins
the Automatic I After you’ve used the block heater, __
be sure to store the cord as it was
column. Both are shown.
it could be damaged. between the seats
or on the steering
moving engine parts. If
you don’t, shift lever located on
the console
before, to keep it away from Your
automatic transaxle may have a
How long should you keep the block
Ieater plugged
in? The answer depends
In the weather, the kind of oil you have,
md some other things. Instead of trying
:o list everything here, we ask that you
:ontact a Pontiac dealer
in the area
ahere you’ll be parking your vehicle.
The dealer can give you the best advice
For that particular area. There are
several shift positions.
In this
manual, these are referred to
by the
commonly used symbols
in the right
column below:
Park
Reverse
Neutral Overdrive
Drive
Second
First P
R
N
IDI
D
2
1
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Comfort Controls & Audio Systems ~ ~~
I
Standard Climate Control
The air conditioner and heater work
best
if you keep your windows closed
while using them.
e : Selects the force of air you want.
The fan is always running unless the
mode control
is moved to OFF.
Temperature Control: The center
control regulates the temperature
of the
air coming through the system.
Mode Control: The right control has
settings for air conditioning and non-air
conditioning modes.
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Air Conditioning Settings
There are three air conditioning settings.
On very hot days, open the windows
long enough to let hot inside air escape.
This reduces the time your air
conditioner's compressor
will have to
run, which should help fuel economy.
MAX: Provides maximum cooling or
quick cool-down on very hot days. This
setting recirculates much
of the air
inside your vehicle, and it should not be
used for long periods because
the air
may become too cold and dry.
A/C: Use for normal cooling on hot
days. This setting cools outside air and
directs it through the instrument panel
outlets.
I 9 (Bi-Level): Use on cool, but
sunny days. This setting brings
in the
outside air, but directs
it in two ways.
The cool air
is directed to the upper
portion
of your body through the
instrument panel outlets, but warmed air
1
is directed through the heater ducts and ~
defroster vents. At times this
temperature difference may be more
apparent than others.
The air conditioner compressor operates
in all air conditioner positions, and in
(@ (Defrost) and ,> (Defog) when
the outside temperature is above 50°F
(IOOC). When the air conditioner is on,
you may sometimes notice slight
changes
in your vehicle's engine speed
and power. This is normal, because the system
is designed to cycle the
compressor on and off to keep the
desired cooling and help fuel economy.
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Non-Air Conditioning Settings
2 (Vent): This setting brings in the
outside air and directs it to the upper
portion of your body through the
instrument panel outlets.
A! (Heat): This setting directs
warmed air through the heater ducts.
The air conditioner compressor doesn’t
run in the non-air conditioning settings.
This reduces engine load, resulting in
improved fuel economy. If no non-air
conditioning setting maintains the
comfort of the air inside your vehicle, or
it causes your windows to fog
up, move
the right selector to
MAX or A/C, or
to
(@ (Defrost).
Defrosting
The setting (Defrost) directs most
air through the defroster vents, and
some through the heater ducts. Use this
for when you have fog or ice on the
windshield. When it’s
50°F (10°C) or
warmer outside, you’ll get cooled air.
Defogging Windows with
Standard Climate Control
Move the temperature control to --
maximum heat.
To quickly defog the windshield, set the
right selector to
(@ and turn the fan
control to
HIGH.
Use ~2 (Defog) for normal defogging
of the windshield.
U
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Extended Idling with Electronic Rear Venfs
Ciimate Control Slide the center control up to direct air
When the engine idles for
a long time, Upward.
Slide it down to direct air
the outside temperature sensor
may
cool. This should stop once the vehicle
cause the system to blow air that is too direct air both UP and dOwn.
downward.
The center position will
recommended. See
the Index under
is moving again. Extended idling is not
Engine Exhaust.
Flow-Through Ventilation System
Your Pontiac's flow-through ventilation
system supplies outside air into the
vehicle when it is moving. Outside air
will also enter the vehicle when the
heater or the air conditioning
fan is
running.
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..I
Comfort Controls & Audio
Flow-Through Ventilation System
(CONT)
Ventilation Tips
Keep the hood and front air inlet free
of ice, snow, or any other obstruction
(such as leaves). The heater and
defroster will work far better, reducing
the chance of fogging
the inside of
your windows.
Standard Climate Control in cold
weather, select a heater function that
blows air through
the floor ducts.
Then turn the blower fan to
HI for a
few moments before driving off. This
will blow moist air from the intake
When you enter a vehicle with
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ducts toward the floor, not the
windshield. It reduces the chance of
fogging the inside of your windows. If
you have the Electronic Climate
Control,
the AUTO setting does this
for you.
Keep the air path under the front seats
clear of objects. This helps air to
circulate throughout your vehicle.
rn Audio Systems
The following pages describe the audio systems available for your Pontiac, and
how to get the best performance from
them. Please read about the system
in
your vehicle.
Hearing damage from loud
noise is almost undetectable
until it
is too late. Your hearing can
adapt to higher volumes of sound.
Sound that seems normal can be
loud and harmful to your hearing.
Take precautions by adjusting the
volume control on your radio to a
safe sound level before your
hearing adapts to it.
To help avoid hearing loss or
damage:
1. Adjust the volume control to the
lowest setting.
2. Increase volume slowly until
you he: :omfortably and
clearly.
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Your Driving and the Road
If bu’re Caught in a Blizzard
(CONT)
Run your engine only as long as you
must. This saves fuel. When you run
the engine, make it go a little faster
than just idle. That
is, push the
accelerator slightly. This uses less fuel
for the heat that you get and it keeps
the battery charged. You will need a
well-charged battery to restart the
vehicle and possibly for signaling later
on with your headlights. Let the heater
run for a while. Then,
shut the engine off and close
the window almost all the way to
preserve the heat.
Start the engine
again
and repeat this only when you
feel really uncomfortable from the
cold. But do it as little as possible.
Preserve the fuel as long as you can.
To help keep warm, you can get out of
the vehicle and do some fairly
vigorous exercises every half-hour
or
so until help comes.
If You’re Stuck in Deep Snow
This manual explains how to get the
vehicle out of deep snow without
damaging it. See the
Index under
Rocking Your Whicle.
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If No Steam is Coming from Your
Engine:
If you get the overheat warning but see
or hear no steam, the problem may not
be too serious. Sometimes the engine
can get a little too hot when you:
Climb a long hill on a hot day.
Stop after high speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
Tow a trailer. If you
get the overheat warning with no
sign of steam, try this for a minute or
so:
1 . Turn off your air conditioner.
2. Turn your heater to full hot at the
highest blower speed and open the
window as necessary.
N (Neutral).
3. If you’re in a traffic jam, shift to
If you no longer have the overheat
warning, you can drive. Just
to be safe,
drive slower for about ten minutes.
If
the warning doesn’t come back on, you
can drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop,
and park your vehicle right away.
If there’s still no sign
of steam, you can
idle the engine for two or three minutes
while you’re parked, to see if the
warning stops. But
then,
if you still have the warning,
TURN
OFF THE ENGINE AND GET
EVERYONE OUT
OF THE VEHICLE
until it cools down. You may decide not
to lift the hood but to get service help
right away.
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