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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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To Jump Start Your Pontiac
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with a negative ground system.
NOTICE:
If the other system isn’t a 12-volt system with a
negative ground, both vehicles can be damaged.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Turn off all
lamps that aren’t needed, and radios. This will avoid
sparks and help save both batteries. And it could
save your radio!
NOTICE:
If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn’t be covered
by
your warranty.
2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles aren’t touching
each other.
If they are, it could cause a ground
connection
you don’t want. You wouldn’t be able to
start your Pontiac, and the bad grounding could
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries.
the
damage the
electrical systems.
You could
be injured if the vehicles roll. Set
parking brake firmly on each vehicle. Put an
automatic transaxle
in PARK (P) or a manua
transaxle in
NEUTRAL (N).
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If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try
this for a minute or so:
1. Turn off your air conditioner.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window as necessary.
3. If you’re in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while driving --
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (@) or DRIVE (D).
If y’ou no longer have the overheat warning, you can
drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about ten minutes.
If the warning doesn’t come back
on, you can drive
normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there’s still
no sign of steam, you can idle the engine
for two or three minutes while you’re parked, to see if
the warning stops. But then, if you still have the
warning,
turn off the engine and get everyone out of the
vehicle until it cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
Cooling System
When you decide it’s safe to lift the hood, here’s what
you’ll see:
Coolant recovery tank
0 Radiator pressure cap
0 Electric engine fans
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Fuel Door NIanual Release
If your vehicle has a fuel
door lock, the fuel door can
be opened manually in case
of
an electrical power
failure.
Open the trunk, the release mechanism is
on the driver’s
side
of the vehicle, at the top of the trunk compartment.
Pull the tab rearward to release the fuel door.
NOTICE:
Prying on a locked fuel filler door can damage it.
Use the remote fuel door manual release located
in the trunk.
--
Checking Things Under the Hood
The following information tells you how to check fluids,
lubricants and important parts under the hood.
To open the hood, first pull the hood release handle
inside the vehicle.
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Then go to the front of the
vehicle and pull up on the
underhood release.
Lift the hood.
Before closing the hood, be sure dl the filler caps are on
properly. Then just pull the hood down and close it
firmly.
Underhood Lamp
Your parking lampgor headlamps must be on for the
underhood
lamp to function when you open the hood.
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Fuses and Circuit Breakers
The wiring circuits in your vehicle are protected from
short circuits by a combination of fuses and circuit
breakers.
The main fuse panel is located to the left of the steering
wheel, under the instrument panel. that
explains the features and controls governed by each
fuse and relay.
Headlamp Wiring
The headlamp wiring is protected by a circuit breaker in
the lamp switch. An electrical overload will
cause the
lamps to
go on and off, or in some cases to remain off. If
Snap off the cover to reveal the fuses. You’ll find
a fuse this happens,
have your headlamp system checked right
puller clipped to the inside of the cover. Place the wide away.
end of the fuse puller over the plastic end of the fuse.
Squeeze the ends over the fuse and pull it out.
Spare fuses
are located in the slots labeled “Spare” on
the chart on the next page.
Look at the silver-colored band inside the fuse. If the
band is broken or melted, replace the fuse. Be sure you
replace a bad fuse with a new one of the correct size.
When finished, replace the cover and pinch the release
levers again
to unlock the panel. Press it back up into
place.
Maxifusemelay Center
To check the fuses in this underhood fuse center, turn
the two knobs 1/4 turn counterclockwise and loosen the
metal wing nut on the passenger side of the cover. Then
remove the cover. The inside of the cover has a chart
Windshield Wipers
The windshield wiper motor is protected by a circuit
breaker and a fuse. If the motor overheats due to heavy
snow, etc., the wiper will stop until the motor cools.
If
the overload is caused by some electrical problem, have
it fixed.
Power Windows and Other Power Options
Circuit breakers in the fuse panel protect the power
windows and other power accessories. When the current
load is too heavy, the circuit breaker opens and closes,
protecting the circuit until the problem is fixed.
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