
Inside  Manual  Rearview  Mirror Automatic  Rearview  Mirror 
When 
you are sitting in  a comfortable driving position, 
adjust the mirror 
so you  can see clearly behind your  car. 
Grip the mirror in the center to move it up or down  and 
side to side.  The day-night adjustment allows  you to 
adjust  the mirror to avoid  glare from the lights behind 
you. Pull the  tab forward  for daytime  use. Push  it back 
for  night  use.  The 
mirror automatically changes to reduce glare when 
set 
in the ON position.  One photocell  on the  back of the 
mirror senses when  it is  becoming 
dark outside. Another 
photocell  is built  into the mirror surface 
to sense 
headlamps behind  you. 
The  mirror will darken gradually 
to reduce glare.  This 
change  may 
take a few moments. 
Pressing the switch on the bottom  of the 
mirror turns off 
the  dayhight  function. The mirror will stay  in the  day 
setting. 
To keep the photocells operating well, occasionally 
clean them with  a cotton  swab 
and glass cleaner. 
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Convex  Outside  Mirror 
Your passenger’s side mirror is convex. 
A convex mirror’s surface is curved so you can see more 
from the driver’s  seat. 
Manual Remote  Control  Mirror 
The outside rearview mirror should be adjusted so you 
can  just  see the side 
of your vehicle when you are sitting 
in  a  comfortable driving position. 
Adjust  the driver  side outside mirror  with the control 
lever 
on the driver’s  door. 
To adjust your passenger side mirror, sit in the driver’s 
seat  and have 
a passenger adjust the mirror  for you. 
Power  Remote  Control  Mirrors 
(Option) 
A control  lever on the 
driver’s  door  controls  both 
l outside rearview mirrors. 
Select the mirror 
you want  to adjust by rotating the lever 
to the left or right.  Adjust  each mirror so that you can 
just  see the  side 
of your vehicle and the area behind your 
vehicle, when you are sitting in a comfortable driving 
position. 
When 
you operate the optional rear window defogger, 
the outside rearview mirrors  are  also heated to help clear 
them 
of ice and snow. 
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Sunglasses Storage (Option) 
press it into  position. 
~ 
Sun Visors 
Some  models have a storage 
compartment  for glasses 
in 
your  overhead  console. 
Press the release  button to 
lower  the 
door. Place your 
glasses  inside  the 
door. To 
close the door,  raise it  and 
TO block out  glare, you can swing down the visors. You 
can also remove  them from the  center  mount and swing 
them  to 
the side,  while  the  auxiliary sunshade rem&s to 
block glare from  the front. 
Visor Vanity Mirrors 
* I. . 
Open the  cover to expose  the  vanity mirror. 
If your vehicle has  the  optional  lighted  vanity mirrors, 
the lamps come on when you open the cover. You can 
adjust the brightness of the  lamps by moving the switch. 
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0 Do not get too close to the vehicle  you  want to pass 
while you’re awaiting  an opportunity.  For  one thing, 
foIl’owing  too closely reduces  your area of vision, 
especially if you’re following a larger vehicle, Also, 
you  won’t  have adequate space  if the vehicle ahead 
suddenly  slows 
or stops. Keep  back a reasonable 
distance. 
When  it looks  like a chance  to pass  is coming  up, 
start to accelerate  but stay in the right  lane and  don’t 
get  too  close. Time  your move 
so you  will  be 
increasing speed  as the  time  comes  to move  into the 
other  lane. If the way is clear  to pass,  you will have a 
“running start” that more than makes up  for the 
distance  you would  lose 
by dropping back.  And if 
something happens  to cause  you to cancel  your pass, 
you  need  only slow  down  and drop back again  and 
wait  for another opportunity. 
If other  cars  are  lined up  to pass a slow  vehicle,  wait 
your 
turn. But take care  that someone isn’t trying  to 
pass 
you as  you  pull out to  pass  the slow vehicle. 
Remember  to glance  over your shoulder and check 
the  blind spot. 
0 Check your mirrors, glance over  your shoulder,  and 
start your left  lane change signal before moving  out 
of the right lane to pass. When  you are far enough 
ahead of the passed vehicle  to see  its  front  in your 
inside  mirror,  activate your right  lane change signal 
and  move back into the right  lane. (Remember  that 
your  right outside mirror 
is convex.  The vehicle  you 
just  passed  may  seem to be farther away  from you 
than  it really is.) 
0 Try not to pass more  than one vehicle  at a time on 
two-lane roads. Reconsider before  passing the next 
vehicle. 
0 Don’t  overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly. 
Even  though  the brake lights 
are not flashing,  it may 
be slowing  down or starting  to turn. 
0 If you’re being passed,  make it easy  for the 
following driver 
to get ahead of you. Perhaps  you 
can ease a little  to the right. 
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Loss of Control 
Let’s  review what driving experts  say about  what 
happens  when the three control systems (brakes, steering 
and acceleration) don’t  have enough friction where the 
tires meet 
the road to  do what the driver has asked. 
In any  emergency,  don’t  give up.  Keep  trying to steer 
and constantly seek  an escape  route or  area  of less 
danger. 
Skidding 
In a skid,  a driver  can lose control  of the  vehicle. 
Defensive drivers  avoid most skids  by taking reasonable 
care  suited  to existing conditions,  and by not 
“overdriving” those conditions. But 
skids are always 
possible. 
The  three  types  of skids  correspond to your  Pontiac’s 
three control systems. In  the braking skid  your wheels 
aren’t rolling. 
In the  steering or cornering skid, too 
much  speed or steering  in  a curve causes tires to slip and 
lose cornering force.  And in the acceleration skid too 
much  throttle causes  the driving  wheels to spin. 
A cornering skid  is best  handled  by easing your foot off 
the accelerator pedal. 
If you have the traction control system, remember:  It 
helps  avoid  only the acceleration skid. 
If you do not  have traction control, or if the system is 
off, then an acceleration skid is also best handled by 
easing  your foot off the accelerator pedal. 
If  your vehicle starts to slide,  ease your  foot 
off the 
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the  way 
you want the 
vehicle to go. If you start steering  quickly enough, your 
vehicle  may straighten  out. Always  be ready  for a 
second skid  if it occurs. 
Of course, traction  is reduced when  water,  snow, ice, 
gravel,  or other material  is on  the  road.  For safety,  you’ll 
want 
to slow down and adjust  your driving to these 
conditions.  It 
is important to slow down  on slippery 
surfaces because stopping distance 
will be longer and 
vehicle  control  more limited. 
While  driving  on a surface with  reduced  traction, txy your 
best  to avoid  sudden  steering,  acceleration,  or braking 
(including  engine braking  by shifting  to a  lower  gear). 
Any  sudden  changes  could  cause 
the tires to slide. YOU 
may  not  realize  the  surface  is slippery  until  your vehicle 
is skidding.  Leam to  recognize  warning  clues -- such  as 
enough  water,  ice or  packed  snow  on 
the road  to  make  a 
“mirrored  surface” 
-- and  slow  down  when  you  have 
any doubt. 
Remember: Any anti-lock brake system  (ABS) helps 
avoid only the braking 
skid. 
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Driving at Night 
Night  driving is more dangerous than day driving. One 
reason is that some drivers are likely to be impaired -- by 
alcohol  or 
drugs, with  night  vision  problems,  or by 
fatigue. 
Here are some tips on night driving. 
0 
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0 
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Drive defensively. 
Don’t 
drink and drive. 
Adjust your inside rearview mirror  to  reduce the 
glare from headlamps behind you. 
Since 
you can’t see as well, you may need  to slow 
down  and keep  more space between you 
and other 
vehicles. 
Slow down, especially  on higher  speed roads. 
Your 
headlamps can light up only so much road ahead. 
In remote areas, watch for animals. 
If you’re tired, pull off the road in a safe place  and 
rest. 
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Freeway Driving The most important advice  on freeway driving is: Keep 
up  with  traffic and keep to the right. 
Drive at  the  same 
speed  most of the other drivers  are driving.  Too-fast 
or 
too-slow driving breaks  a smooth traffic flow. Treat  the 
left  lane 
on a freeway as  a passing  lane. 
At the entrance there is usually 
a ramp  that  leads  to the 
freeway.  If 
you have  a clear view of the  freeway  as you 
drive along the entrance ramp,  you should  begin to 
check  traffic. 
Try to determine where you expect  to 
blend  with  the  flow. 
Try to merge  into  the  gap  at  close to 
the prevailing speed. Switch 
on your turn signal, check 
your 
mirrors and glance  over your shoulder as often as 
necessary. Try to blend  smoothly  with the traffic  flow. 
Mile for mile, freeways (also called thruways, parkways,  expressways, turnpikes, 
or superhighways) are the safest 
of 
all roach But they have their  own special rules.  Once 
you are on the  freeway,  adjust your speed to the 
posted limit  or to the  prevailing  rate if it's  slower.  Stay 
in  the right lane unless 
you want  to pass. 
Before changing lanes, check 
your mirrors. Then  use 
your  turn  signal. 
Just before  you leave the lane, glance quickly over your 
shoulder 
to make sure there isn't another vehicle in your 
"blind"  spot. 
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Highway Hypnosis 
Is there actually such a condition as  “highway 
hypnosis”? 
Or is  it  just  plain falling asleep  at the wheel? 
Call 
it highway hypnosis,  lack of awareness,  or 
whatever. 
There  is  something  about an easy  stretch 
of road  with  the 
same  scenery,  along  with the hum 
of the  tires  on  the  road, 
the  drone 
of the  engine,  and the rush of the  wind  against 
the  vehicle  that  can  make you  sleepy.  Don’t  let it happen 
to  you! 
If it  does,  your  vehicle  can  leave the road in less 
than a second, and you could crash  and  be  injured. 
What  can  you  do about highway hypnosis? First, be 
aware  that  it  can happen. 
Then  here are some tips: 
Make sure  your vehicle is well ventilated,  with a 
comfortably cool interior. 
0 Keep your eyes moving.  Scan the road ahead  and to 
the sides. Check your rearview mirrors  and 
your 
instruments frequently. 
If you get sleepy,  pull  off the road into a rest, service, 
or  parking  area and take  a nap, get some exercise,  or 
both. For safety, treat drowsiness 
on the  highway  as 
an  emergency. 
Hill and Mountain Roads 
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different  from 
driving  in flat  or rolling terrain. 
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