Features & Controls
Theft-Deterrent System (CONI:)
If the SECURITY light comes on for
one minute and then shuts off while the
ignition is on, the security system has
detected a problem with itself. See your
dealer for service.
If a door or the trunk is opened without
the key or the Keyless Entry transmitter,
the alarm will go off.
It will also go off
if the trunk lock is damaged or if the
ignition
is turned on. Your vehicle’s
lights will flash and the horn will sound
for three minutes, then will go
off to
save battery power. And your vehicle
will not
start.
Remember, the theft-deterrent system
won’t arm if you lock the doors with a
key or manual door lock.
It arms only if
you use a power door lock switch or
Keyless Entry transmitter.
To Avoid Setting Off the Alarm by
Accident:
If you don’t want to arm the theft-
deterrent system, the vehicle should be
locked with a key
after the doors are
closed.
Always unlock a door with a key, or use
the Keyless Entry System transmitter.
Unlocking a door any other way will set
off
the alarm.
To Stop the Alarm:
If you set off the alarm by accident,
unlock any door with your key.
You can
also turn off the alarm by pressing the
UNLOCK button on the Keyless Entry
System transmitter. The
alarm won’t
stop if you try to unlock
a door any
other way.
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Remote Trunk Release (opTIoN)
Press the trunk release button located
below the driver’s door armrest
to
release the trunk lid. The ignition must
be
on and the transaxle must be in P (Park).
The system also works with the Remote
Keyless Entry System.
Convenience Net (OPTION)
Your vehicle may have a convenience
net. You’ll see it just inside the back
wall of the trunk.
Put small loads, like grocery bags,
behind
the net to help keep them from
falling over during sharp turns or quick
starts and stops.
The net isn’t for larger, heavier loads.
Store them in the trunk as far forward as
you can.
You can unhook the
net so that it will lie
flat when
you’re not using it.
Glove Box
Use the door key to lock and unlock the
glove box.
To open, lift the latch release
on the left side of the glove box door.
There’s a special shelf inside for storing
this manual.
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New Venice bbBreak-ln”
Your modern Pontiac doesn’t need
an elaborate “break-in.” But it will
perform better
in the long run if
you follow these guidelines:
Don’t drive at any one speed-
fast or slow-for the first
500
.miles (804 km). Don’t make full-
throttle
starts.
Avoid making hard stops for the
first 200 miles (322 km) or so.
During this time your new brake
linings aren’t yet broken in. Hard
stops
with new linings can mean
premature wear and earlier
replacement. Follow this “breaking-in” guideline every
time you get
new brake linings.
Ignition Switch
With the ignition key in the ignition switch,
you can turn the switch to five positions:
Accessory: An “on” position in which
you can operate your electrical power
accessories. Press in the ignition switch
as
you turn the top of it toward you.
Lock: The only position in which you
can remove the key. This locks your
steering wheel, ignition and transaxle.
Off: Unlocks the steering wheel,
ignition, and transaxle, but does not
send electrical power to any accessories.
Use this position if your vehicle must be
pushed or towed, but never try to push-
start your vehicle. A warning chime will
sound if you open the driver’s door
when the ignition is
off and the key is in
the ignition.
Run: An “on” position to which the
switch returns after you
start your
engine and release the switch. The
switch stays in the
Run position when
the engine is running. But even when
the engine is not running, you can use
Run to operate your electrical power
accessories, and to display some
instrument panel warning lights.
Start: Starts the engine. When the
engine starts, release the key. The
ignition switch will return to
Run for
normal driving.
Note that even if the engine
is not
running, the positions
Accessory and
Run are “on” positions that allow you
to operate your electrical accessories,
such as the radio.
Key Reminder Warning
If you leave your key in the ignition, in
the
Off position, you will hear a
warning tone when you open the driver’s
door.
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3800 Tuned Port Injection Engine
(Code
L):
3, If it doesn’t start right away, hold
your key in
Start for about three
seconds at a time
until your engine
starts. Wait about
15 seconds between
each
try to help avoid draining your
battery.
3800 Supercharged Engine (Code 1):
3. If it doesn’t start right away, hold
your key
in Start for about three to
five seconds at a time until
your
engine starts. Wait about 15 seconds
between each
try to help avoid
draining your battery. Holding your key in
Start for
longer than
15 seconds at a time
will cause your battery
to be I
drained much sooner.-And the
excessive heat
can damage your
I starter motor. I
4. If your engine still won’t start (or
starts but then stops), it could be
flooded with too much gasoline.
Try
pushing your accelerator pedal all the
way to the floor and holding it there
as you hold the key
in Start for about
three seconds. If the vehicle starts
briefly but
then stops again, do the
same thing, but this time keep the
pedal down for five or six seconds.
This clears the extra gasoline
from
the engine. After waiting about 15
seconds, repeat the normal starting
procedure.
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Severse
R (Reverse): Use this gear to back up.
Shifting to
R (Reverse) while your
vehicle
is moving forward could
damage your transaxle. Shift to
R
only after your vehicle is stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to
get out
of snow, ice, or sand without
damaging your transaxle, see the
Index
under If You ’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice, or Sy10w.
r
Neutral
N (Neutral): In this position, your
engine doesn’t connect
with the wheels.
To restart when you’re already moving,
use
N (Neutral) only. Also, use N when
your vehicle is being towed.
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Windshield Wipers
You control the windshield wipers by
turning the band marked
WIPER.
For a single wiping cycle, turn the band
to
MIST. Hold it there until the wipers
start, then let go. The wipers will stop
after one cycle. If you want
more cycles,
hold the band on
MIST longer. For
steady wiping at low speed, turn the
band away from you
to the LO position.
For high speed wiping, turn the band
further, to
HI. To stop the wipers, move
the band to
OFF.
You can set the wiper speed for a long
or short delay between wipes. This can
be very useful in light rain or snow.
Turn the band
to choose the delay time.
The closer to
LO, the shorter the delay.
A
Damaged wiper blades may
prevent
you from seeing well
enough
to drive safely. To avoid
damage, be sure to clear ice and
snow from
the wiper blades before
using
them. If they’re frozen to the
windshield, carefully loosen
or
thaw them. If your blades do
become damaged, get new blades
or blade inserts.
Heavy snow or ice can overload your
wipers.
A circuit breaker will stop them
until the motor cools. Clear away snow
or ice to prevent an overload.
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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
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Low Washer Fluid Warning Light
(OPTION)
This light will come on when your
windshield washers are working and the
fluid container
is less than one-third
full.
Driving without washer
fluid
- :an be dangerous. A bad mud
splash
can block your vision. You
could collide with another vehicle.
Check
your washer fluid often, and
add
only the proper fluid. See the
Idex under Windshiel$ Washer
Fluid.
I
I
Brake System Warning Light
Your Pontiac’s hydraulic brake system is
divided into two parts.
If one part isn’t
working, the other part can still work
and stop you. For good braking, though,
you need both parts working well. If the
warning light goes
on, there could be a
brake problem. Have your brake system
inspected right away.
This light should come on as you start
the vehicle.
If it doesn’t come on then,
have it fixed
so it will be ready to warn
you if there’s a problem. This
light will also come
on when you
set your parking brake, and the light
will stay on if your parking brake
doesn’t release fully.
If you try to drive
off with the parking brake set, a chime
will also come on until you release the
parking brake. If the light and chime
stay
on after your parking brake is fully
released, it means you have a brake
problem.
If the light and chime come on
while driving, pull off the road and stop
carefully.
You may notice that the pedal
is harder to push. Or, the pedal may go
closer to the floor. It may take longer to
stop. If the light
is still on, have the
vehicle towed for service. (See the
Index
under Towing Your Pontiac.)
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