Page 64 of 306
1.
Parking Brake
To Set the Parking Brake:
Hold the regular brake pedal down with
your right foot. Push down the parking
brake pedal with your left foot.
If the
ignition is
on, the brake system warning
light will come on.
To Release the Parking Brake:
Hold the regular brake pedal down. Pull
the
BRAKE RELEASE lever.
%riving with the parking
can cause your
rear
overheat. You may have to replace
them,
and you could also damage
other parts of your vehicle.
If You are on a Hill:
See the Index under Parking on Hills.
That section shows how to turn your
front wheels.
If You are Towing a Trailer and are
Parking on a Hill:
See the Index under Towing a Trailer.
That section shows what to do first to
keep the trailer from moving.
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Shifting Into P (Park)
(AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE)
A
It can be dangerous to get out
of your vehicle if the shift
I
lever is not fully in P (Park) with
the parking brake firmly set. Your
vehicle can roll.
If you have left the engine running
the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured.
Tc
be sure your vehicle won’t move,
when you’re on fairly level ground,
use the steps that follow. If you arc
parking on a hill, or if you’re
I
pulling a trailer, also see the Inden
under ParkinP 01 lills or %wing .
“rail
I
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your
right foot and set the parking brake.
8.. 64
2. Move the shift lever into P (Park)
position like this:
Hold in the button on the lever.
Push the lever all the way toward
the front of your vehicle.
3. Move the ignition key to Lock.
4. Remove the key and take it with you.
If you can walk away from your
vehicle
with the ignition key in your
hand, your vehicle is in
P (Park).
Leaving Your Vehicle With the
Engine Running
(AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE)
It is dangerous to leave your
running. Your vehicle could move
suddenly
if the shift lever is not
fully
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
rumins unless you,
have to.
h- *2-- ;,a,:+h .u ’ -. :.
L vehicle with the engine
i- ’-
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Page 66 of 306

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 pushing the button.
If you can, it means that the shift lever
wasn’t fully locked into
P (Park).
Shifting Out of P (Park)
(AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE)
Your Pontiac has a brake-transaxle shift
interlock. You have to
apply your
regular brake
before you can shift from
P (Park) when the ignition is in the Run
position. See the Index under 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 (hrk)- 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.) 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.
2. Apply and hold the brake until the
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. end of Step
4.
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Features & Controls
Parking Your Vehicle
(MANUL TRANSAXLE)
Before you get out of your vehicle, put
your manual transaxle in
R (Reverse)
and firmly apply the parking brake.
If you are parking on a hill, or if your
vehicle
is equipped to tow a trailer, see
the Index under Parking on Hills or
i%w*ng a Trailer.
36
1 Engine Exhaust
I
Parking Over Things That Burn
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.
Engine exhaust can kill. It
contains the gas carbon
monoxide
(CO), which you can’t
see or smelt It can cause
unconsciousness and death.
You might have exhaust coming
in if:
* Your exhaust system sounds
strange or different.
* Your vehicle gets rusty
undemath.
* Your vehicle was damaged in a
collision.
* Your vehicle was damaged when
driving over high points on the
road or over road debris.
* Repairs weren’t done correctly.
* Your vehicle or exhaust systkm
has been modified improperly.
If you eys suspect exhaust is
~rrmi@ into your vehicle:
Drive it only wifh all the
windows down to blow out any
co; and
* Have it -fixed immediately.
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Running Your Engine While You’re Parked (AuToMmc TRANSAXLE)
It’s better not to park with the engine running. But if you ever have to, here are
some things to know.
A Idling the engine with the air system control OFF could allow dangerous
1 exhaust into your vehicle (see the earlier CAUTION under Engine
Exhaust).
Also, idling in a closed-in place can let deadly carbon monoxide (CO) into
your vehicle even if the
hn switch is at tne 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 Blizzard.)
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 ruhing, 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 J’ (Park). .
If you are parking on a hill, or if you’re pulling a trailer, also see the Index
under Parking on Hills or Towing a Trailer.
I’
Horn
You can sound the horn by pressing the
horn symbol on your steering wheel.
67
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Features & Controls
Turn Signal and Lane Change
Indicator
(CONT.)
To signal a lane change, just raise or
lower the lever until the green arrow
starts to flash. Hold it there until you
complete your lane change. The lever
will return by itself when you release
it.
As you signal a turn or a lane change, if
the arrows don’t flash but just stay on, a
signal bulb may be burned out and other
drivers won’t see your turn signal.
If a bulb is burned out, replace
it to help
avoid an accident. If the green arrows
don’t
go on at all when you signal a
turn, check the fuse (see the Index under
Fuses & Circuit Breakers) and for
burned-out bulbs.
70
Cruise Control (OPTION)
With cruise control, you can maintain a.
speed
of about 25 mph (40 km/h) or
more without keeping your foot
on the
accelerator. This can really help on long
trips. Cruise control does
not work at
speeds below about
25 mph (40 km/h).
When
you apply your brake or the
clutch pedal, the cruise control
shuts
off. I
I CAUTION
IL
A 0 Cruise control can be
dangerous where you can’t
drive safely
at a steady speed.
So, don’t use your cruise control ‘
on winding roads ofin heavy
traff1C.
I
0 Cruise control can be dangerous
on slippery roads. On such
roads, fast changes
in tire
traction can cause needless wheel
1 spinnin&and you could lose
control.
Don’t use cruise control
on slippery roads.
I
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To Set Cruise Control
1. Move the cruise control switch to
ON.
If you leave your cruise
W control switch ON when
you’re not using cruise, you might
hit a button and go into cruise
when you don’t want to. You could
be startled and even lose control.
Keep the cruise control switch
OFF until you want to use it.
I
3. Push in the SET button at the end of
4. Take your foot off the accelerator
the lever and release
it.
pedal.
To Resume a Set Speed
Suppose you set your cruise control at a
desired speed and then you apply the
brake or clutch pedal. This, of course,
shuts off the cruise control. But you
don’t need to reset it. Once you’re going
about
25 mph (40 kdh) or more, you
can move the cruise control switch from
ON to R/A (which stands for Resume/
Accelerate) for about half a second.
You’ll
go right back up to your chosen
speed and
stay there.
2. Get up to the speed you want,
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Features & Controls
To Resume a Set Speed (corn)
I A Ifyou hold the switch at R/A 1
longer than half a second, the
vehicle will keep going faster until
you release the switch or apply the
brake or clutch pedal. You could
be startled and even lose control.
So unless you want to go faster,
don’t hold the switch at
R/A.
To lncn?ase Speed While Using
Cruise Control
There are two ways to go to a higher
speed. Here’s the first:
1. Use the accelerator pedal to get to the
2. Push the button at the end of the
higher
speed.
lever, then release the button and the accelerator pedal.
You’ll now cruise at the higher speed. Here’s
the second way to go to a higher
Move the cruise switch from ON to
speed:
R/A. Hold it there until
you get up to
the speed you want, and then release
the switch.
To increase your speed in very small
amounts, move the switch to WA for
less than half a second and then
release it. Each time you do
this, your
vehicle will
go 1 mph (1.6 Wh)
faster.
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