1993 PONTIAC GRAND-AM rear view mirror

could damage the tank if it is
completely full
Don’t use radiator antifreeze in
your windshield washer. It can
damage your washer system and
paint
r
Inside Manual DayINight
Rearview Mirror
To reduce glare from lights behind you,
pull the lever toward you
to the night
position.
.. . I
I
Convex Outside Mirror
Your right side mirror is convex.
A convex mirror’s surface is curved so
you can see more from the driver’s seat.
If you aren’t used to a convex
4 mirror, you can hit another
vehicle. A convex mirror can make
things (like other
vehicles) look
farther away
than they really are. If
you cut too sharply into the right
lane, you could hit a vehicle on
your right. Check your inside
mirror or glance
over your .
shoulder before changing lanes.
81
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Features & Controls
32
Manual Remote Control Mirrors
The outside rearview mirrors should be
adjusted
so you can just see the side of
your vehicle
when you are sitting in a
comfortable driving position.
Adjust the driver side outside mirror
with the control lever on the driver’s
door.
To adjust your passenger side mirror, sit
in the driver’s seat and have a passenger
adjust the mirror for you.
Power Remote Control Mirrors
(OPTION)
A selector knob on the center console
controls both outside rearview mirrors. Select the mirror you want to adjust by
rotating the knob to the left or right.
Adjust each mirror
so that you can just
see the side of your vehicle when you
are sitting in a comfortable driving
position.
I
Sun Visors
To block out glare, you can swing down
the visors. You can also swing them to
the side.
Your vehicle may also have a plastic
extension which pulls out of the main
visor to increase protection from glare.
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Your Driving and the Road
Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than
day driving. One reason is that some
drivers are likely to be impaired-by
alcohol or drugs, with night vision
problems, or by fatigue.
Here are some tips on night driving.
Drive defensively. Remember, this is
the most dangerous time.
Don’t drink and drive. (See the Index
under Drunken Driving for more on
this problem.)
Adjust your inside rearview mirror to
reduce the glare from headlights
behind you.
142
Since you can’t see as well, you may
need to slow down and keep more
space between you and other vehicles.
It’s hard to tell how fast the vehicle
ahead is going just by looking at its
taillights.
speed roads. Your headlights can light
up only
so much road ahead.
Slow down, especially on higher
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you’re tired, pull off the road in a
safe place and rest.
Night Vision
No one can see as well at night as in the
daytime. But as we get older these
differences increase.
A 50-year-old
driver may require at least twice as
much light to see the same thing at night
as a 20-year-old.
What you do
in the daytime can also
affect your night vision. For example, if
you spend the day in bright sunshine you
are wise to wear sunglasses. Your eyes
will have less trouble adjusting to night.
But if you’re driving, don’t wear
sunglasses at night. They may cut down
on glare from headlights, but they also
make a lot of things invisible that should
remain visible-such as parked cars,
obstacles, pedestrians, or even trains
blocking railway crossings. You may
want to
put on your sunglasses after you
have pulled into a brightly-lighted
service or refreshment area. Eyes
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Your Driving and the Road
City Driving (CONT)
Treat a green light as a warning
signal. A traffic light is there because
the corner is busy enough
to need it.
When a light turns green, and just
before you
start to move, check both
ways for vehicles that have
not cleared
the intersection or may be running the
red light.
remember that they are for ideal road,
weather and visibility conditions.
You
may need to drive below the posted
limit
in bad weather or when visibility
is especially poor.
clear of intersections when you see or
hear emergency vehicles.
Obey all posted speed limits. But
Pull to the right (with care) and stop
Freeway Driving
Mile for mile, freeways (also called
thruways, parkways, expressways,
turnpikes, or superhighways) are
the
safest of all roads. But they have their
own special rules.
The most important advice on freeway
driving is: Keep up with traffic and keep
to the right. Drive at the same speed
most of the other drivers are driving.
Too-fast or too-slow driving breaks a
smooth traffic flow. Treat the left lane
on a freeway as a passing lane.
Entering the Freeway
At the entrance there is usually a ramp
that leads to the freeway. If you have a clear view
of the freeway as you drive
along the entrance ramp, you should
begin to check traffic. Try to determine where you expect to blend with the flow.
If traffic is light, you may have no
problem. But
if it is heavy, find a gap as
you move along
the entering lane and
time your approach. Try to merge into the gap at close to the prevailing speed.
Switch on your
turn signal, check your
rearview mirrors as
you move along,
and glance over your shoulder as often
as necessary. Try to blend smoothly
with the traffic flow.
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Driving on the Freeway
Once you are on the freeway, adjust
your speed to the posted
limit or to the
prevailing rate if it’s slower. Stay in the
right lane unless
you want to pass. If
you are on a two-lane freeway, treat the
right lane as the slow lane and the left
lane as the passing lane.
If you are on a three-lane freeway, treat
the right lane as the slower-speed
through lane, the middle lane as the
higher-speed through lane, and the left lane as the passing lane.
Before changing lanes, check your rearview mirrors. Then use your
turn
signal. Just before you leave the lane,
glance quickly over your shoulder to
make sure there isn’t another vehicle in
your “blind” spot. If you
are moving from an outside to a
center lane on a freeway having more
than two lanes, make sure another
vehicle isn’t about to move into the same
spot. Look at the vehicles two lanes
over and watch for telltale signs: turn
signals flashing, an increase in speed, or
moving toward the edge
of the lane. Be
prepared to delay your move.
Once you are moving on the freeway,
make certain you allow a reasonable
following distance. Expect to move
slightly slower at night.
leaving the Freeway
When you want to leave the freeway,
move to the proper lane well
in advance.
Dashing across lanes at the last minute
is dangerous. If you miss your exit do
not, under any circumstances, stop and
back up. Drive on to the next exit.
At each exit point is a deceleration lane.
Ideally it should be long enough for you
to enter it at freeway speed (after
signaling,
of course) and then do your
braking before moving onto the exit
ramp. Unfortunately, not
all deceleration
lanes are long enough-some are too
short for all the braking. Decide when
to start braking.
If you must brake on
the through lane, and if there is traffic
close behind you, you can allow a little
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your urwlng and the Road
Highway Hypnosis (CONI)
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road
ahead and to the sides. Check your
rearview mirrors frequently and your
instruments from time to time. This
can help you avoid a fixed stare.
Wear good sunglasses in bright light.
Glare can cause drowsiness. But don’t
wear sunglasses at night. They will
drastically reduce your overall vision
at the very time you need all the
seeing power you have.
If you get sleepy, pull off the road into
a rest, service, or parking area and
take a nap, get some exercise, or both.
For safety, treat drowsiness on the
highway as an emergency.
As in any driving situation, keep pace
with traffic and allow adequate
following distances.
I CAUTION
d
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is
different from driving in flat or rolling
terrain. If
you drive regularly in steep
country, or
if you’re planning to visit
there, here are
some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable.
Keep your vehicle in good shape.
Check all fluid levels and also the
brakes, tires, cooling system and
transaxle. These parts can work hard
on mountain roads.
Know how to go down hills. The most
important thing to know
is this: let
your engine do some of the slowing
down. Don’t make your brakes
do it
all. Shift to a lower gear when
you go
down a steep or long hill. That way,
you will slow down without excessive
use of your brakes.
A
If you don’t shift down, your
brakes could get
so hot that
they wouldn’t work well.
You
would then have poor braking or
even none going down a hill. You
could crash. Shift down to let your
engine assist your brakes on
a
steep downhill slope.
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Headlights ..................... 74
High-Low Beam Changer
....... -76
Instrument Panel
Intensity Control
............. 76
“On” Reminder
............... 75
Replacement Bulb
............ 228
Wiring
..................... 250
Heater (see
Comfort Controls)
Heater, Engine Block ........ .56. 213
High Beams
............... .76. 143
Highway Hypnosis
.............. 151
Hill and Mountain Roads
......... 152
Hood Release
.................. 205
Safety Warning
............... 206
Warning, Overheated
Engine
.................... 92
Horn
......................... 67
Hot Engine. Safety Warnings . .179. 206
How the Anti-Lock Brake
System Works
................ 132
Hydraulic Clutch
.......... .220. 253
Hydroplaning
.................. 145
Hills. Parking on
.......... .154. 165
Identification Number. Vehicle
.... 247
Idling Your Engine
.......... .64. 67
Ignition
Key
......................... 44
Key Release Button
............. 51
Positions
..................... 51
Illuminated Entry/Exit System
...... 46
Indicator Lights
Infant Restraint
Inflation. Tires
....... .232. 252. 304
Inside Rearview Mirror
........... 81
Inspections. Owner
.............. 271
Instrument Panel
................ 86
Instrument Panel Warning Lights .... 91
(see Warning Lights)
(see Child Restraints)
.................... J ack. Tire 187
Jump Starting
.................. 171
Key Release Button
.............. 51
Keys
.......................... 44 Lane
Change Indicator
........... 69
Lap-Shoulder Safety Belt .......... 18
Front
........................ 18
Rear ........................ 23
Use by Children
........... .27, 36
Latches. Seatback ................ 11
Lighter ........................ 85
Lights
Charging System
.............. 95
Check Gauges ................ 99
Daytime Running Lights ......... 75
Fog Lights .............. .77. 229
Headlights
.......... .74. 228. 254
Headlights Reminder
........... 75
Instrument Panel Intensity Control
. . 76
Parking ................. .74. 254
Reading
................ .77. 255
Removing
& Replacing
Bulbs
............ .228. 229. 254
Replacement Bulbs
............ 254
Shift
........................ 62
Taillights
............... .229. 254
Trunk ....................... 78
Turn Signal ............. .69. 254
Warning Lights
........... .91. 170
Lights on Reminder .............. 75
Loading Your Vehicle ............ 230
297 ’ ’
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Locks ......................... 45
Automatic Door Lock
......... -46
Rear Door Security Locks
....... 47
Low Battery
................... 171
Low Oil Pressure Warning
..... .93, 94
Lubricants
& Fluids ......... .253, 276
Lumbar Support
.................. 9
Long Distance Driving
........... 150
Maintenace Record
............ 278
Maintenance Schedule
.......... 259
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
....... 98
Manual Front Seat ................ 8
Manual Lumbar Support ........... 9
Manual 4-Way Adjustable Seat ...... 9
Manual Transaxle
Adding Fluid
....... .220. 251. 253
Checking Fluid
................ 218
Parking
...................... 66
Shifting ..................... 60
Starting Your Engine ........... 52
Upshift Indicator Light
..... .62, 98
Master Cylinder, Brake .......... 225
Methanol in Gasoline
........... 201
Maintenance Services. Scheduled
... 262
Mileage Indicator
Mirrors (see
Odometer & Speedometer)
Inside
Manual Day/Night ........ 81
Manual Remote Control ........ 82
Convex Outside
............... 81
Power Remote Control ......... 82
Mountain Driving
.............. 152
New Car “Break-In”
Requirements
............ .50. 161
Night Driving
................. 142
Night Vision
.................. 142
octane Requirements
(see
Fuel Requirements)
Odometer & Speedometer ......... 90
Off-Road Recovery
............. 13 8
Oil. Engine ................... 209
Pressure Gage
................ 95
Quality
..................... 210
Thickness
................... 211
Used Oil
.................... 214
When to Change
.............. 213 Oil
Warning Light
............... 93
Operation
of Lights .............. 74
Outside Rearview Mirrors
........ 82
Overheated Engine
............. 179
Overheated Engine Coolant Warning Light
.............. 92
Owner Checks
& Services ........ 271
Parking On Hills
............... .154, 165
Over Things That Burn
......... 66
With the Engine Running
... .64. 67
Parking Brake
.................. 63
Park. Shifting Into
........... .57. 64
Passenger Belts (see
Safety Belts)
Passenger Side Cup HolderKtorage
Area
........................ 84
Passing
....................... 138
Polishing and Waxing
Power Door Locks
.............. 46
Power Mirrors
.................. 82
Power Seat Controls
.............. 9
Power Steering Fluid
............. .224. 252. 253
(see
Appearance
Care)
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