1995 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE Owners Manual

Accessory Outlet
I NOTICE:
Adding some electrical equipment to your vehicle can damage it
or keep other things from working
as they should.
This wouldn’t be covered by your
warranty. Check with
your dealer before adding
electrical equipment, and never use anything
requiring more than
15 amps.
-
On models with the overhead console, there is a 12-vult
ignition fed outlet. Slide the cover aside to access the
outlet.
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The Instrument Panel -- Your
Information System
Your instrument panel is designed to let you know at a
glance how your vehicle is running. You’ll know how
fast you’re going, how much fuel you’re using, and
many other things you’ll need to drive safely and
economically.
Instrument Panel Clusters
Your Pontiac is equipped with one of these instrument
panel clusters, which includes indicator warning lights
and gages that are explained on the following pages. Be
sure to read about those
that apply to the instrument
panel cluster for your vehicle.
Cluster with Gages Cluster
with Compass and Gages
I
I
Cluster with Compass and Boost Gage
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Speedometer and Odometer
Your speedometer lets you see your speed in both miles
per hour (mph) and kilometers per hour
(km/h). Your
odometer
shows how far your vehicle has been driven,
in either miles (used in the United States) or kilometers
(used in Canada).
The odometer
and trip odometer are displayed in the
Driver Information Center on vehicles
so equipped.
Tamper Resistant Odometer
Your Pontiac has a tamper resistant odometer. If you see
silver lines between the numbers, you’ll know that
someone has probably tried to turn it back,
so the
numbers may not be true.
You may wonder what happens if your vehicle needs a
new odometer installed. If the new one can be set to the
mileage total
of the old odometer, then it must be. But if
it can’t, then it’s set at zero and a label must be put on
the driver’s door
to show the old mileage reading when
the new odometer was installed.
Trip Odometer
The trip odometer can tell you how far you have driven
since you last reset it.
To set it to zero:
0 On vehicles with the Driver Information Center,
press the button labeled
TRIP.
On vehicles with the Systems Monitor, the button is
next to the trip odometer. Push and release in a
smooth, continuous motion until all zeroes appear.
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Tachometer (Option) Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
Warning
lights and gages can signal that something is
wrong 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 come on when there may be or is a
will see in the details on the next few pages, some
warning lights come on briefly when you
start the
engine 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
30 problem with one of your vehicle’s functions. As you
The tachometer shows your engine speed in revolutions warning lights
work together to let you know when
per minute
(rpm). Do not run your engine at speeds in there’s a problem
with your vehicle.
the red area. 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 this 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.
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Safety Belt Reminder Light
(-iiE&=)
I I
When the key is turned to RUN or START, a chime will
come on for about eight seconds to remind people to
fasten their safety belts. The safety belt light will also
come on and stay on for about 60 seconds. If the driver’s
belt is already buckled, neither the chime nor the light
will come on.
Air Bag Readiness Light
There is an air bag re’adiness light on the instrument panel,
which shows INFLATABLE MS-. The system
checks the
air bag’s electrical system for malfunctions. The
light tells you
if there is an electrical problem. The system
check includes
the air bag sensors and the wiring and the
diagnostic module. For more information on the air bag
system,
see “Air Bag” in the Index.
You will see this light
flash
for a few seconds when you
turn your ignition to RUN
or STmT. Then the light
INFLATABLE should go out. This means
RESTRAINT the system is ready.
If the air bag readiness light doesn’t come on when you
start your vehicle, or stays on, or comes on when you
are driving, your air bag system may not work properly.
Have your vehicle serviced right away.
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Brake System Warning Light
Your Pontiac’s hydraulic
brake system is divided into
two parts.
If one part isn’t
working, the other part can
still work and stop you.
For
good braking, though, you
need both parts working
well.
If the warning light comes on, there could be a brake
problem. Have your brake system inspected right awav.
This light should come on briefly as you start the
vehicle.
If it doesn’t come on then, have it fixed so it
will be ready to warn you if there’s a problem.
If the light and chime come on while you are driving,
pull
off the road and stop carefully. You may notice that
the pedal is harder to push. Or, the pedal may go closer to
the floor. It may take longer to stop. If the light
is still
on, have the vehicle towed for service. (See “Towing
Your Vehicle” in the Index.)
The brake system warning light will also come on when
you set your parking brake, and it will stay on if your
parking brake doesn’t release fully.
If you try to drive
off with the parking brake set, a chime will also come on
until you release the parking brake. If the light and
chime stay on after your parking brake is fully released,
it means you have a brake problem.
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Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
E
ANTILOCK (@I)
With the anti-lock brake
system, this light will come
on when you start your
engine and may stay on for
several seconds. 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.
Traction Control System Warning Light
(Option)
This warning light
should come on briefly
as you start the engine.
r TRACTION OFF
If the light stays on, turn the ignition off. Or, if the light
comes on when you’re driving, stop
as soon as possible
and turn the ignition off. Then
start the engine again to
reset the system.
If the light still stays on, or comes on
again while you’re driving, your Pontiac needs service.
If the regular brake system warning light isn’t on, you
still have brakes, but you don’t have anti-lock brakes.
If the regular brake system warning light is also on, you
don’t have anti-lock brakes and there’s a problem with
your regular brakes. See “Brake System Warning Light”
earlier in this part.
If the warning light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be ready to warn you if there’s a problem. If it
stays on, or comes on when you’re driving, there may be
a problem with your traction control system
and your
vehicle may need service. When this warning light is on,
the system will not limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving
accordingly.
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The traction control system warning light may come on
for the following reasons:
0 If you turn the system off by pressing the button
located on the center console, the warning light will
come on and stay on.
To turn the system back on,
press the button again. The warning light should go
off. (See “Traction Control System” in the Index for
more information.)
If there’s a brake system problem that is specifically
related to traction control, the traction control system
will turn off and the warning light
will come on. If
your brakes begin to overheat, the traction control
system will turn
off and the warning light will come
on until
your brakes cool down.
engine-related problem, the system will turn
off and
the warning light will come on.
If the traction control system is affected by an
If the traction control system warning light comes on
and stays on for an extended period of time when the
system is turned on, your vehicle needs service.
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning
Light
1
This light tells you that your
engine coolant has
overheated
or your radiator 4
cooling fans are not
working.
If you have been operating your vehicle under normal
driving conditions, you should pull off the road, stop
your vehicle and turn the engine
off as soon as possible.
In the section “Problems on the Road”, this manual
explains what to do. See “Engine Overheating” in the
Index.
Some clusters with gages
do not have a coolant
temperature warning light. In those clusters a
CHECK
GAGES warning light will alert you of a possible
coolant heating problem.
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