1993 PONTIAC GRAND-PRIX heater

Here you can learn about the
many standard and optional
features on your Pontiac. and information on starting. shifting and
braking
. Also explained are the
instrument panel and the warning
systems that tetl you if everything is
working properly-and what to
do if
you have a problem .
Features & Controls
Keys ........................................................................\
........................................... 44
Locks ........................................................................\
......................................... 45
Remote Lock Control ........................................................................\
................ 46
Glove Box ........................................................................\
................................... 50
Ignition ........................................................................\
....................................... 52
Starting Your Engine ........................................................................\
................. 54
Engine Block Heater ........................................................................\
.................. 56
Shifting the Transaxle ........................................................................\
................ 57
Second-Gear Start ........................................................................\
..................... 61
Parking Brake ........................................................................\
............................. 64
Shifting into Park ........................................................................\
....................... 65
Windows ........................................................................\
..................................... 70
Turn Signal/Headlight Beam Lever .................................................................. 70
Cruise Control ........................................................................\
............................ 72
Windshield Wipers ........................................................................\
..................... 76
Windshield Washer ........................................................................\
.................... 77
Headlights ........................................................................\
.................................. 78
Interior Lights ........................................................................\
............................ 81
Mirrors ........................................................................\
........................................ 83
Storage Compartments ........................................................................\
.............. 85
Ashtrays and Lighter ........................................................................\
................. 87
Sunroof ........................................................................\
....................................... 90
Instrument Panel ........................................................................\
....................... 92
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators .............................................................. 95
Driver Information Center ........................................................................\
...... 105
Head-Up Display ........................................................................\
..................... 110
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If you drive too quickly through I
deep puddles or standing water,
water can come in through your
engine’s air intake and badly
damage your engine. If you can
avoid deep puddles or standin
water, dr&e through them ve
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.
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
1 10-volt outlet. If the
cord won’t reach, use a heavy-duty
three-prong extension cord rated
for at least 15 amps.
NOTICE
After you’ve used the block heater,
be sure to store the cord as it was
before, to keep it away from
moving engine parts.
If you dol
it could be damaged. .
.,.~~,~..~~~,~.= -~ -..= ~,,“~~,-~,~~=~~.-~,~-, F,I,,,i ,... ~~
How long should you keep the block
heater plugged in? The answer depends
on the weather, the kind of oil you have,
and some other things. Instead
of trying
to list everything here, we ask that you
contact a Pontiac dealer in the area
where you’ll be parking your vehicle.
The dealer can give you the best advice
for that particular area.
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Comfort Controls & Audio Systems
Climate Control
The air conditioner and heater work
best
if you keep your windows closed
while using them. Your vehicle also has
the flow-through ventilation system
described later in this section.
OFF: Press to turn the blower off.
Some air will still come from the outlets
at the floor. Press any function button
to turn the system on.
Temperature Control Lever: This
lever changes the temperature of the air
coming through the system. The higher
the lever setting, the warmer the air.
a: Selects the force of air you want.
Press
4 to lower the fan speed, b to
raise it.
Air Conditioning
There are three air conditioning
settings:
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 brings in outside air,
cools it and directs it through the
instrument panel outlets.
B/L (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 most
warmed air is directed through the
heater ducts and
a little to the defrost
and side window vents. At times this
temperature difference may be more
apparent than others.
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.
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Heating and Ventilation
When you don’t need to cool the
outside air, use these next settings.
You
can leave the air as it is or heat it.
The air conditioner compressor doesn’t
run in the
VNT and HTR settings. This
reduces the engine load, resulting in
improved fuel economy (gas mileage).
VNT (Vent): For mild outside
temperatures, when little heating or
cooling is needed, push
VNT. Air flow
is through the instrument panel outlets.
Slide the temperature control lever to a
comfortable level.
HTR (Heater): When outside
temperatures are cold, push
HTR. This
will send most of the heated air through
the ducts near the floor. The rest will
come out of the defroster vents and side
window defogger vents.
Defogging and Defrosting
There are two settings for clearing your
windows. For each setting, adjust the
temperature control
as desired. The air
conditioner compressor will run in
these settings to remove moisture from
the air when the temperature is above
freezing.
This setting allows half
of
\p the air to flow to the floor
heater ducts, and half to go
to the windshield and side
window vents located in
the windshield pillars. Use
this setting to warm
passengers while keeping
the windshield clear. The setting directs
90% of the air
through the defroster vents and the side
window vents, and
10% to the floor.
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I
NOTEE II
Don’t use a razor blade or
something else sharp
on the inside
of the rear window. If you do, yo
could cut or damage the warmi
grid, and the repairs would
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.
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 €ar better,
reducing
the chance of fogging the
inside of your windows..
When you enter a vehicle in cold
weather, set the blower fan to the
highest setting for a
few moments
behe driving
off, This helps clear the
intake ducts of snow and moisture,
and reduces the chance of fogging the
inside
of your windows.
* Keep the air path under the front
seats clear of objects. This helps air to
circulate throughout your vehicle.
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Your Driving and the Road
If You’re Caught in a Blizzard
(COW.)
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.
..a 174
If You’re Stuck h Deep Snow
This manual explains how to get the
vehicle out
of deep snow without
damaging it. See the index under
Rocking Your Vehicle.
Towing a Trailer
CAUTlON
f
A
If you don’t use the correct
equipment and drive
properly, you can lose control whf
you pull a trailer. For example, if
the trailer is too heavy, the brakes
may not work well-or even at all
You and your passengers could be
seriously injured. Pull a trailer only
if you have followed all the steps in
this section.
Pulling a trailer improperly can
damage your vehicle and result
in
costly repairs not covered by your
warranty.
To pull a trailer
correctly, follow the advice
in this
section.
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Problems on the Road
Engine Overheafing ICONT.)
If you get the overheat warning with no
sign
of steam, try this for a minute or
1. Turn off your air conditioner.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the
SO:
highest fan speed and open the
window as necessary.
3. Try to keep your engine under load
(in a drive gear where the engine
runs slower).
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, 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
ENGINEANDGETEVERYONEOUT
OF THE IrEp3[1CLE until it cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood but
to get servioe
help right away.
a
An electric fan under the
L L hood can start up even when
the engine
is not running and can
injure you. Keep hands, clothing
and tools away from any
underhood electric fan. I
stop, and park your vehicle right away. I I
Cooling System
When you decide it’s safe to lift the
hood, here’s what you’ll see:
(A) Coolant recovery tank
(B) Radiator pressure cap
(C) Electric engine fan
If the coolant inside the coolant
recovery tank is boiling, don’t do
anything else until it cools down.
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The coolant level should be at or above
the
COLD mark. If it isn’t, you may
have a leak in the radiator hoses, heater
hoses, radiator, water pump or
somewhere else in the cooling system.
~ CAUTION
A
Heater and radiator hoses,
and other
engine parts, can
be very hot. Don’t touch them. If
you do, you can be burned.
Don’$ run the engine if there is a
leak. If you run the engine, it could
lose all coolant. That could cause
an engine fire, and you could be
burned. Get any leak fixed before
I vou drive the vehicle.
If there seems to be no leak, check to
see if the electric engine fan is running.
If the engine is overheating, the fan
should be running. If it isn’t, your
vehicle needs service.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery Tank:
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but
the coolant level isn’t at or above
COLD, add a 50/50 mixture of clean
water (preferably distilled) and a proper
antifreeze at the coolant recovery tank.
(See the
Index under Engine Coolant
for more information about the proper
coolant mix.)
A
Adding only plain water to
your cooling system
can be
dangerous. Plain water,
or some I
other liquid like alcohol, can boil
before the proper coolant
mix will.
Your vehicle’s coolant warning
system
is set for the proper coolant
mix. With plain water or the wrong
mix, your engine could get too hot
but you wouldn’t get the overheat
warning. Your engine could catch
fire and
you or others could be
burned. Use a
50/50 mix of clean
water and a proper antifreeze.
cold weather, water can free-
d crack the engine, radiatnr
ater core and other parts.
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