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Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
For example,
these symbols
are used on
an
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
ACID COULD BATTERY
CAUSE
BURNS
AVOID
SPARKS
OR
FLAMES
SPARK
OR ,\I/,
COULD FLAME
EXPLODE BAllERY
These symbols are
important
for you and
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle
is
driven:
DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK
FASTEN SEAT
4
BELTS
POWER
WINDNOW
These symbols
have
to do with
your lights:
SIGNALS 9
TURN
HIGH
LAMPSoR BEAM = =o
FOG LAMPS $0
These symbols
are on some of
your controls:
WIPER w
WINDsHIELDw DEFROSTER
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
VENTILATING
4 1
FAN CI
These symbols are used on
warning
and
indicator lights:
COOLANT Fe
TEMP --
ENGINE
CHARGING
I-1
BATTERY SYSTEM
BRAKE
(0)
RADIATOR COOLANT
a
FUEL @
ENGINE OIL
PRESSURE Wb
TEMP OIL 45
ANTI-LOCK (@)
BRAKE
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
RADIO
VOLUME
CONDITIONING
AIR 43
TRUNK
RELEASE
t
LIGHTER n
SPEAKER
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Driving Through Deep Standing Water
NOTICE:
If you drive too quickly through deep puddles or
standing water, water can come in through your
engine's air intake and badly damage your
engine. Never drive through water that is slightly
lower than the underbody
of your vehicle. If you
can't avoid deep puddles
or standing water, drive
through them very slowly.
Engine Coolant Heater (Option)
In very cold weather, 0°F (- 18 "C) or colder, the engine
coolant heater can help.
You'll get easier starting and
better fuel economy during engine warm-up.
Usually,
the coolant heater should be plugged in a minimum of
four hours prior
to starting your vehicle.
To use the coolant heater:
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt outlet.
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1 NOTICE:
After you’ve used the coolant heater, be sure to
store the cord
as it was before to keep it away
from moving engine parts. If you don’t, it could
be damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant 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 your Pontiac
dealer in the area where you’ll be parking your vehicle.
The dealer can give
you the best advice for that
particular area.
Shifting the Automatic Transaxle
Your automatic transaxle may have a shift lever located
on the console betwe’en the seats
or on the steering
column.
There are several different positions for your shift lever.
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Page 104 of 338

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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Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the engine
coolant temperature.
If the gage pointer moves
into the red area, your
engine
is too hot! The
CHECK GAGES light will
go on and a warning chime
will sound, if
you have this
option.
It means that your engine coolant has overheated. If you
have been operating your vehicle lander normal driving
conditions, you should puli off the road, stop you
vehicle and turn off the engine as soon as possible.
In the section“Prob1ems on the Road”, this mud
explains what to do. See “Engine Overheating” in the
-. -. . 5 . Index. .~ c.
.L -,
Low Coolant Warning Light
L
LOW COOLANT
If you have this light and it
comes on, your system may
be low on coolant and the
engine
may overheat.
Check to
see if the level is low at the recovery tank, and
add coolant if necessary.
If the level is not low, have
your low coolant warning system serviced. See “Engine
Coolant” in the
Index.
The LOW COOLANT warning light will also come on
when you turn on the ignition, but your engine is not
running, as
a check to show you it is working. If it
doesn’t come
on then, have it fixed right away.
After the
bulb check, the light will go out for 20 seconds.
If the light comes back on after 20 se’conds, the system
may be low on coolant. See “Engine Coolant”
in the
Index.
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Check Oil Level Warning Light (Option)
1
CHECK OIL
LEVEL
1 This light indicates when
the engine oil level is
1 to
1 1/2 quarts (0.95 L to
1.4 L) low. It will go on for
one to three seconds when
the ignition is turned to the
RUN position, as a bulb
check to show
you that the
system is working.
If the light doesn’t come on, have your oil level warning
system serviced.
Even if
you have a low oil level, the light will go off for
15 to 20 seconds. Then, if the oil level is low, and it has
been at least eight minutes since your engine was last
running, the CHECK OIL LEVEL light will come on
for 20 to
40 seconds. The eight-minute delay allows the
majority of the
oil to drain back into the oil pan and
prevent
a false low condition. If the
CHECK OIL LEVEL
warning comes on, the oil
level should be checked at the oil dipstick. If the level is
low, the engine oil should be brought up
to the proper
level. See “Engine Oil” in the Index. After restoring the
proper level and
waiting for the eight-minute drainback,
the key can be turned to the
RUN position and the
CHECK OIL LEVEL warning light should only come
on
as a bulb check.
Head-Up Display (Option)
If you have the optional Head-Up Display (HUD), you
can see some of the driver information also available on
your instrument panel cluster. The information may be
displayed in English or metric units and appears as
a
reflection on the windshield. The HUD shows:
Speedometer reading
0 Turn signal indicators
e High beam indicator symbol
CHECK GAGES message (for low oil pressure, high
coolant temperature, low oil level and
low fuel)
Low fuel warning symbol.
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Low Washer Fluid Warning Light (Option)
E
WASHER FLUID
This light will come on
when your windshield
washers
are working and the
fluid container is less than
one-third full.
Check Gages Warning Light (Option)
11 This light will come on
brieflywhen you are
starting the engine.
CHECK QAQES
Remember, driving without washer fluid can be
dangerous.
A bad mud splash cm block your vision.
You could collide with another vehicle. Check your
washer fluid often, and add only the proper fluid. See
“Windshield Washer Fluid” in the Index.
If the light comes on and stays on while you are driving,
check
your gages for fuel, coolant temperature, oil
pressure or voltage. This light will stay on if your engine
is not running.
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Boost Gage (Option)
Vehicles equipped with the supercharged engine have
this boost gage that indicates vacuum during light to
moderate throttle and boost under heavier throttle. The
gage displays the air pressure level in psi going into the
engine’s combustion chamber.
The gage is automatically centered at zero psi every
time the engine is started. Actual vacuum or
boost is
displayed from this zero point. Changes in ambient
pressure, such
as driving in mountains and changing
weather, will slightly change the zero reading.
Driver Information Center
) (-) INFORMATION
DRIVER
CHECK OIL LEVEL
WASHER
FLUID
LOW COOLANT
CHECK QAQES
HOOD DOOR
TRUNK AJAR
MILES
888888
I /w
7
LAMP
MONITOR
HI EEAM HEAD
PARK LAMP
TURN SIQNAL
BACK
UP TAIL
BRAKE LAMP
If you have the Driver Information Center, it gives you
important safety and maintenance facts. When you turn
the ignition on, the entire center lights
up for a few
seconds. Then it goes to work.
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