Page 6 of 338
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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        Page 67 of 338
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 106 of 338

Malfunction Indicatc 
(Service  Engine 
So01 
SERVICE 
ENOlNE SOON 
)r Lamp 
0 
A computer monitors 
operation 
of your  fuel, 
ignition and emission  control systems. 
This light 
should  come on when  the 
ignition  is on,  but  the 
engine is not running,  as a 
,I I ch:;h;;.show you  it is 
If it does not come on at all, have  it fixed right away. If 
it  stays on, or it comes on while  you are driving, the 
computer  is indicating that  you have  a problem. 
You 
should take your vehicle in for 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. 
Engine  Oil  Pressure Light 
If you  have  a problem  with 
your oil, this light  may  stay 
on after you  start  your 
engine, 
or come on when 
you are driving. 
I-) 
This may  indicate that oil  is not  going  through your 
engine quickly enough  to  keep  it cool. The engine could 
be  low  on oil,  or could  have sbme other oil  problem. 
If  you 
are driving, carefully pull  over to a safe location 
and stop to check the  oil level. See “Checking Engine 
Oil” in the Index. 
If  the engine 
oil is low,  add oil as required. See “Adding 
Engine Oil” 
in the Index. 
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        Page 107 of 338
If additional  oil  is not needed  or  the  engine oil warning 
light  stays 
on, then have  the light  investigated at a 
qualified 
service agent immediately. 
The  oil light could also come 
on in two other situations: 
When  the  ignition  is on  but the  engine is not running, 
the  light will come  on as a test to  show  you  it is 
working, but the  light will go out  when  you 
turn the 
ignition  to 
START. If it doesn’t come on  with  the 
ignition 
on, you  may  have  a problem  with  the fuse or 
bulb.  Have  it  fixed right away. 
moment. 
This is  normal. 
0 If you make a hard stop, the light may come on for a 
Clusters  with gages use the CHECK GAGES warning 
! light to alert you of a potential oil pressure problem. 
.. ! ri ,i i. , ;; . ,I I, . 8. . % , 8. I. . 
1 NOTICE: 
Damage to your  engine  from  neglected  oil 
problems  can 
be costly  and is not  covered  by  your 
warranty. 
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        Page 108 of 338
Oil Pressure  Gage (Option) 
The oil pressure gage shows 
the  engine 
oil pressure  in 
psi  (pounds  per square inch) 
when the engine  is running. 
Canadian vehicles indicate 
pressure  in Ea 
(kiloPascals). 
NOTICE: 
Oil  pressure  may  vary  with  engine speed, outside 
temperature  and oil viscosity, 
but readings  above the red 
warning zone indicate the normal operating range. 
A reading in the red zone  may be caused  by a 
dangerously 
low oil level or other problem causing low 
oil  pressure.  The 
CHECK GAGES light will go on and a 
warning  chime will sound, if you have this option. 
Driving  your vehicle  with low oil pressure can cause 
extensive engine damage. 
Damage  to  your  engine  from  neglected oil 
problems  can  be  costly  and  is  not  covered by your 
warranty. 
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        Page 109 of 338

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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        Page 113 of 338
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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        Page 115 of 338
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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