1993 PONTIAC GRAND-AM warning

I CAUTION Anti-lock Brake Sptetn Warning
Light A Your brake system may not be
working properly if the brake
warning light is on. Driving with
the brake warning light on can lead
to
an accident. If the light is still
on after you’ve pulled off the road
and stopped carefully, have the
vehicle towed for service. Vith
anti-lock, this light will
go on
when you start your engine and may stay
on for two seconds or so. That’s normal.
If the light doesn’t come on, have it
fixed so it will be ready to warn you if
there is a problem.
If the light
stays on or comes on when
you’re driving, stop
as soon as possible
and turn the key off. Then start the
engine to reset the system.
If the light
still
stays on, or comes on again while
you’re driving, your Pontiac needs
service. Unless the regular brake system
warning light
is also on, you will still
have brakes, but not anti-lock brakes.
If
the regular brake system warning light is
also on, see Brake System Warning Light
earlier in this part.
If the anti-lock brake system warning
light ever flashes, your anti-lock brake
system
is still working but needs service
as soon as possible.
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. .. . ..
Check Gauges Light (opTIoN)
This light will come on briefly when
you are starting the engine. If the light
comes
on and stays on while you are
driving, check your various gages to see
if they are in the warning zones.
c
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Your Driving and the Road
rn Road Signs
The road signs you see everywhere are
coded by color, shape and symbols. It’s
a good idea to know these codes
so that
you can quickly grasp the basic meaning
or intent
of the sign even before you
have a chance to read it.
STOP DO NOT WRONG
ENTER WAY
Color of Road Signs
Red means Stop. It may also indicate
that some movement is not allowed.
Examples are
Do Not Enter and Wrong
Way.
Green
is used to guide the driver. Green
signs may indicate upcoming freeway
exits or show the direction
you should
turn to reach a particular place.
RR ADVANCE NARROW NO PASSING
CROSSING BRIDGE ZONE
Yellow indicates a general warning.
Slow down and be careful when you see
a yellow sign.
It may signal a railroad
crossing ahead, a no passing zone,
or
some other potentially dangerous
situation. Likewise, a yellow solid line
painted
on the road means Don’t Cross.
Blue
signs with white letters show
motorists’ services.
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LOW
SHOULDER WORKERS
AHEAD FLAGGER
AHEAD
Orange indicates road construction or
maintenance. You’ll want
to slow down
when you see an orange sign, as part
of
the road may be closed off or torn up.
And there may be workers and
maintenance vehicles around, too.
CANOEING SWIMMING
Brown signs point out recreation areas
or points of historic or cultural interest.
T
Shape of Road Signs
The shape of the sign will tell you
something, too.
An octagonal (eight-sided) sign means
Stop. It is always red with white letters.
A triangle, pointed downward, indicates
Yield. It assigns the right of way to
traffic on certain approaches to an
intersection. A
diamond-shaped sign is a warning of
something ahead-for example, a curve,
steep hill,
soft shoulder, or a narrow
bridge.
A
triangular sign also is used on two-
lane roads to indicate a
No Passing
Zone. This sign will be on the left side
of the roadway.
C
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REVERSIBLE tANE ON MULTtlANE ROADWAY
Many city roads and expressways, and
even bridges, use reversible-lane traffic
control during rush hours.
A red X light
above a lane means no driving in that
lane at that time.
A green arrow means
you may drive in that lane. Look for the
signs posted to warn drivers what hours
and days these systems are in effect.
NO PASSING ZONE
Pavement Markings
Pavement markings add to traffic signs
and signals. They give information to
drivers without taking attention from the
roadway.
A solid yellow line on your
side of the road or lane means
Don’t
Cross.
bur Own Signals
Drivers signal to others, too. It’s not
only more polite, it’s safer to let other
drivers
know what you are doing. And
in some places the law requires driver
signals.
Turn and Lane Change Signals:
Always signal when you plan to turn or
change lanes.
If necessary,
you can use hand signals
out the window:
Left arm straight out
for
a left turn, down for slow or about-
to-stop, and up for a right turn.
Slowing Down: If time allows, tap the
brake pedal once or twice
in advance of
slowing
or stopping. This warns the
driver behind you.
Disabled: Your four-way flashers signal
that your vehicle is disabled
or is a
hazard. See the
Index under Hazard
Warning Flashers.
liffk Ofiiceer
The traffic police officer is also a source
of important information. The officer’s
signals govern, no matter what the
traffic lights or other signs
say.
The next section discusses some of the
road conditions you may encounter.
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...
Your Driving and the Road
Anti-Lock Brakes (CONT.)
After an ABS stop, you may also hear a
clicking noise the next time the vehicle
reaches about
4 mph (6 km/h).
If there’s a problem with the anti-lock
brake system, the anti-lock brake system
warning light will stay
on or flash.
See the
Index under Anti-Lock Brake
System Warning Light.
132
Here’s how anti-lock works. Let’s say
the road is wet. You’re driving safely.
Suddenly an animal jumps out in front
You slam on the brakes. Here’s what
happens with ABS.
A computer senses that wheels are
slowing down. The computer separately
works the brakes at each front wheel
and at the rear wheels.
The anti-lock system can change the
of you.
brake pressure faster than any driver
could. The computer
is programmed to
make the most
of available tire and road
conditions. You
can steer around the obstacle while
braking hard.
As you brake, your
computer keeps receiving updates on
wheel speed and controls braking
pressure accordingly.
Anti-lock doesn’t change the
time you need
to get your foot
the brake pedal. If you get
too close to the vehicle in front
of
I you, you won’t have time to apply
your brakes
if that vehicle suddenly
slows or stops. Always leave enough
room up ahead to stop, even though
you have anti-lock brakes.
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To Use Anti-Lock:
Don’t pump the brakes. Just hold the
brake pedal down and let anti-lock work
for
you. You may hear a clicking noise
as you accelerate after a hard stop.
Disc Brake Wear Indicators
Your Pontiac has front disc brakes and
rear drum brakes. Disc brake pads have
built-in wear indicators that make a
high-pitched warning sound when the
brake pads are worn and new pads are
needed. The sound may come and go or
be heard all the time your vehicle is
moving (except when you are pushing
on the brake pedal firmly).
A
The brake wear warning
sound means that sooner
or
later your brakes won’t work well.
That could lead to an accident.
When you hear the brake wear
warning sound, have your vehicle
serviced.
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Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of
the vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid
most skids by taking reasonable care
suited to existing conditions, and by not
“overdriving” those conditions. But
skids are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to
your Pontiac’s three control systems.
In
the braking skid your wheels aren’t
rolling.
In the steering or cornering
skid, too much speed or steering in a
curve causes tires to slip and lose cornering force. And in the acceleration
skid too much throttle causes the driving
wheels to spin. A
cornering skid and an acceleration
skid are best handled by easing your
foot
off the accelerator pedal. If your
vehicle starts to slide (as when you turn
a corner on a wet, snow- or ice-covered
road), ease your foot off the accelerator
pedal as soon as you feel the vehicle
start to slide. Quickly steer the way you
want the vehicle to go.
If you start
steering quickly enough, your vehicle
will straighten out. As it does, straighten
the front wheels.
Of course, traction is reduced when
water, snow, ice, gravel, or other
material is on the road. For safety, you’ll
want to slow down and adjust your
driving to these conditions. It is
important to slow down on slippery surfaces because stopping distance will
be longer and vehicle control more
limited. While driving on
a surface with reduced
traction, try your best to avoid sudden
steering, acceleration, or braking
(including engine braking by shifting to
a lower gear). Any sudden change could
cause the tires to slide.
You may not
realize the surface is slippery until your
vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize
warning clues-such as enough water,
ice or packed snow
on the road to make
a “mirrored surface”-and slow down
when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti-lock braking
system
(ABS) helps avoid only the
braking skid.
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