Warning Lights, Gages
and Indicators
This section describes the warning lights
and gages that may be on your vehicle. The pictures will help you locate them.
Warning lights and gages can signal that
something is wroug before it becomes
serious enough to cause an expensive
repair or replacement. Paying attention to
your warning lights and gages could also
save you
or others from injury.
Warning lights go on when there may be
Dr is a problem with one of your vehicle’s
functions. As you will see
in the details
on the next few pages, some warning
lights come on briefly
when you turn the
ignition key just to let you know they’re
working. If you are familiar with this
section, you should not be alarmed when
this happens.
Gages can indicate when there may be or
is a problem with one of your vehicle’s
functions. Often gages and warning lights
work together to let you know when
there’s a problem with your vehicle.
When one of the warning lights comes on
and stays on when you are driving, or
when one of the gages shows there may
be a problem, check the section that tells
you what to do about
it. Please follow the
manual’s advice. Waiting to do repairs
can
be costly -- and even dangerous. So
please get to know your warning lights
and gages. They’re
a big help.
Fuel Gage
Your fuel gage tells you about how much
fuel you have left, when the ignition is on.
When
the indicator nears “E” (Empty),
you still have a little
fuel left, but you
should get more soon.
Here are four things that some owners ask
about. None of these show a problem with
your fuel gage:
At the service station, the gas pump
shuts off before the gage reads “F”
(Full).
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Features & Controls
SERVICE
ENGINE
SOON
‘Malfunction Indicator
Lamp (Service Engine
Soon Light)
1 computer monitors operation of your
uel, ignition and emission control
,ystems. This light should come on when
he ignition is
on, but the engine is not
,unning, as a check to show you it is
working. If
it does not come on at all,
lave
it fixed right away. If it stays on, or
t comes on while you are driving, the
:omputer is indicating that you have a
aoblem.
You should take your vehicle in
or service soon.
NOTICE:
If you keep driving your vehicle
with
this light on, after a while the
emission controls won’t work as
well, your fuel economy won’t be as
good and your engine may not
run
as smoothly. This could lead to
costly repairs not covered by your
warranty.
CHECK
GAUGES
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 gauges to see
if they
are
in the warning zones.
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Service & Appearance Care
Tire Inspection and qotation
i’o make ,your tires last longer, have them
nspected and rotated at the mileages
ecommended
in the Maintenance
ichedule. See “Scheduled Maintenance
jervices”
in the Index.
Jse this rotation pattern.
4fter the tires have been rotated, adjust
he front and rear inflation pressure as
;hown on the Tire-Loading Information
abel. Make certain that all wheel nuts arc
xoperly tightened. See “Wheel Nut
rorque” in the Index.
When It’s Time for New
Tires
One way to tell when it’s time for new
tires is to check the treadwear indicators,
which
will appear when your tires have
only
2/32 inch (1.6 mm) or less of tread
remaining.
You need a new tire if
You can see the indicators at three or
more places around the tire.
0 You can see cord or fabric showing
through the tire’s rubber.
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Service & Appearance Care
Replacement Bulbs (CONK)
INSIDE LIGHTS
Ashtray .......................................................
Front Reading Light .............................................
Rear Reading Light .............................................
UnderdashLight ................................................
Heater & A/C Control .................... : ......................
High-Beam Indicator ............................................
BULB
194
168
168
194
161 161
. . -218
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Lights on Reminder .............. 77
Loading Your Vehicle
........... 197
Locks. Door
.................... 47
Automatic Door Lock .......... 48
Rear Door Security Locks
...... 49
Low Battery
................... 149
Low Oil Pressure Warning
...... 95. 96
Lubricants and Fluids
............ 238
Lumbar Support
.................. 9
Maintenance Record ........... 240
Maintenance Schedule
........... 223
Maintenance Services. Scheduled
. . 225
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
...... 100
Manual 4-Way Adjustable Seat ...... 8
Manual Front Seat ................ 8
Manual Lumbar Support
........... 9
Manual Transaxle
Adding Fluid ............ 187. 215
Checking Fluid
.............. 186
Parking
..................... 69
Shifting
..................... 64
Starting Your Engine
........... 56
Upshift Indicator Light
......... 67
Master Cylinder. Brake .......... 191
Methanol in Gasoline ........ 171. 172
Mileage Indicator (see “Odometer
Mirrors
& Speedometer”)
Convex Outside .............. 83
Inside Manual Daymight
....... 82
Manual Remote Control
........ 83
I
I
I
I
I
I
1
Power Remote Control ......... 84
Mountain Driving
............... 134
New Vehicle “Break-In”
Requirements .................. 54
Night Driving
.................. 129
Night Vision
................... 129
Octane Requirements (see “Fuel
Requirements”) ............... 17 1
Odometer
& Speedometer ......... 92
Off Road Recovery
............. 127
Oil. Engine
.................... 179
Pressure Gage ................ 96
Quality
.................... 180
Thickness .................. 180
Used Oil
................... 182
When to Change
.............. 182
Operation of Lights .............. 77
Outside Rearview Mirrors
......... 83
Overheated Engine
.............. 156
Overheated Engine Coolant Warning
Light ......................... 94
Owner Checks
& Services ........ 232
Oil Warning Light ............... 95
Parking
On Hills .................... 145
With the Engine Running
.... 68. 70
Parking Brake
................... 66
Over Things That Burn ......... 69
Park . Shifting Into ............ 60. 67
Passenger Belts (see “Safety Belts”)
Passenger Side Cup
Holder/Storage Area ............ 85
Passing
....................... 127
Polishing and Waxing (see
Power Door Locks ............... 48
Power Mirrors
.................. 84
Power Seat Controls
............... 9
Power Steering Fluid ............ 190
Power Window Lock-Out Switch ... 72
Power Windows
................. 72
Pregnancy. Use of Safety Belts
During ....................... 26
Problems on the Road
........... 147
Publications (see “Service
Publications”) ................ 250
Radiator Overheating
(see “Overheated Engine”) ....... 156
Radio (see “Audio Systems”)
..... 106
Reading Lights
.................. 79
Rear Door Security Locks
......... 49
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides
... 30
Rear Seat. Split Fold-Down ........ 11
Rear Window Defogger
.......... 105
Rearview Mirrors ................ 82
Reclining Seatbacks
............... 9
Recommended Fluids
& Lubricants 238
Remote Fuel Filler Door
......... 174
Remote Trunk Release
............ 53
Replacement Brakes
............. 193
“Appearance Care”)
267 . .
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Stereo Sound Systems (see “Audio
Storage
Systems”) ................... lot
Armrest ..................... 82
Glove Box ................... 54
Passenger Side Cup Holder/
Storage Area ................ 85
Sunglasses Storage ............ 87
Storing Your Pontiac ............ 194
Stuck. If You Are
............... 167
Subscriptions .................. 25C
Sun Visors
..................... 84
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
........................ 21
Surge Tank Pressure Cap
......... 190
Tachometer .................... 92
rape Player (see “Audio Systems”)
rechnical Facts
& Specifications
Bulbs ...................... 217
Electrical Equipment.
Add-on .............. 107. 2 1 1
Fluid Capacities & Types . . 215. 216
Fuses
& Circuit Breakers ...... 212
Service Parts Edentification
Label ..................... 211
Vehicle Identification
Number (VIN) ............. 2 11
remperature Warning Light
........ 94
rheft
.......................... 52
rhermostat
.................... 190
l‘ilt Steering Wheel
.............. 71
Time. Setting the ............... 107
Tires
......................... 198
Buying New ................ 201
Chains
................. 143. 202
Flat. Changing
............... 162
Inflation
.................... 199
Inspection
& Rotation ......... 200
Loading
.................... 198
Pressure
.................... 199
Quality Grading
............. 201
Spare. Compact
.............. 167
Wear Indicators
.............. 192
Wheel Alignment and
Tire Balance ............... 202
Wheel Replacement
.......... 202
When to Replace Wheels
...... 202
Winter Driving. and Tires
...... 136
Top Strap ...................... 33
Torque Lock
.................... 68
Towing a Trailer
................ 141
Towing Your Pontiac
............ 152
Trailer Towing
................. 139
Maintenance ................ 146
Parking on Hills
............. 145
Trailer Brakes
............... 143
Driving with a Trailer ......... 144
Transaxle. Automatic (see “Automatic
Transaxle. Manual (see “Manual
rransmission. Automatic (see
Transaxle”)
Transaxle”)
“Automatic Transaxle”)
Transmission. Manual (see “Manual
Trip Odometer .................. 92
Trunk
......................... 53
Trunk Light
.................... 80
Trunk Release. Remote ........... 53
Turn Signal Indicator
............. 73
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
.... 78
Cruise Control ................ 74
Headlight Highbow Beam
...... 78
Turn Signal & Lane Change
Indicator ................... 73
Underbody Maintenance ........ 209
Unleaded Gasoline
.............. 173
Upholstery Care
................ 205
Upshift Indicator Light
......... 65. 99
Urban Driving
................. 132
Variable Effort Steering ......... 125
Vehicle “Break-In” Period
......... 54
Vehicle. Control
of a ............ 122
Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN) ....................... 211
Vehicle Loading
................ 197
Vehicle Storage
................ 194
Ventilation (see “Comfort
Controls”) ................... 103
VIN
......................... 211
Visors. Sun
..................... 84
Visor Vanity Mirror
.............. 84
Voltmeter ...................... 97
269
Transaxle” )
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warning Flashers. Hazard ....... 148
Warning Lights
.................. 93
ABS
........................ 99
Air Bag Readiness
............ 22
Battery
...................... 97
Brake
....................... 98
Charging System
.............. 97
Check Gauges
............... 100
Coolant Temperature
.......... 94
Fasten Belts
.................. 16
Low Coolant ................. 95
Oil
......................... 95
Safety Belt
.................. 16
Service Engine Soon
.......... 100
Upshift Indicator
............ 65. 99
Washer. Windshield .............. 82
Weight
Gross Axle Rating (GAWR) .... 197
Gross Vehicle Rating (GVWR)
. . 197
Wheel Alignment
& Tire Balance . . 202
Wheel Covers.
How to Remove .... 163
Wheel Nuts
.................... 163
Wheel Nut Torque
.............. 166
Wheel Replacement
............. 202
Defogging .............. 102. 104
Power
...................... 72
Standard
.................... 72
Windshield Washer .............. 82
Windows
Windshield Washer Fluid ......... 191
Windshield Wiper Blade
Replacement ................. 196
Windshield Wipers
............... 81
Cleaning
................... 207
Controlled Cycle
.............. 81
Winter Driving
................. 136
Driving on Snow or Ice
........ 136
If Your Car is Stuck in Deep
Snow ..................... 138
If You’re Caught in a Blizzard
. . 137
Wrecker Towing
................ 152
... 270
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