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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
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:
FASTEN SEAT 4
BELTS
POWER
WINDOW
These symbols
have to
do with
your lights:
SIGNALS e
TURN
pAE: pf
HIGH LAMPSoR BEAM = =o
FOG LAMPS $0
These symbols are on some
of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
i ‘t’ i
WINDSHIELD Q
WASHER I
WINDSHIELD
DEFROSTER
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
VENTILATING FAN
These symbols
are used on
warning and
indicator lights:
COOLANT F*
TEMP --
ENGINE
CHARGING 1-1
BATTERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE (0)
RADIATOR COOLANT
a
FUEL
ENGINE OIL
PRESSURE
9%
TEMP OIL &
ANTI-LOCK (a)
BRAKE
-
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
RAM0 h
VOLUME
CONDITIONING AIR 43
RELEASE a
LIGHTER m
SPEAKER
b
V
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Page 79 of 386
Limited-Slip Rear Axle
If you have this feature, your rear axle can give you
additional traction on snow, mud, ice, sand or gravel. It
works like a standard axle most
of the time, but when
one of the rear wheels has no traction and the other does,
the limited-slip feature
will allow the wheel with
traction to move the vehicle.
Parking Brake
The parking brake uses the brakes on the rear wheels.
To set the parking brake:
Hold the brake pedal down and pull up on the parking
brake lever.
If the ignition is on, the brake system
warning light
will come on.
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Page 95 of 386

To Reduce Speed While Using Cruise
Control
There are two ways to reduce your speed while using
cruise control:
1. Push the button at the end of the lever until you
reach the lower speed you want, then release it.
2. To slow down in very small amounts, push the
button for less than half a second. Each time you do
this, you’ll go about
1 mph (1.6 km/h) slower.
Passing Another Vehicle While Using
Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase your speed. When
you take your foot
off the pedal, your vehicle will slow
down to the cruise control speed you set earlier.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well your cruise control will work on hills depends
upon your speed, load, and the steepness of
the hills.
When going up steep hills, you may have to step on the
accelerator
pedal to maintain your speed. When going
downhill, you may have to brake or
shift to a lower gear to
keep your speed down. Of course, applying the brake takes you out of cruise control. Many drivers find
this to be too
much trouble and don’t use cruise control on steep
hills.
To Get Out of Cruise Control
There are several ways to turn off the cruise control:
1. Step lightly on the brake pedal or clutch pedal, if you
have a manual transmission; or
2. Move the cruise switch to OW.
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Page 97 of 386

Daytime Running Lamps (Canada)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) make it easier to see
the front
of your vehicle during the day. DIU can be
helpful when it’s raining and in the short periods after
dawn and before sunset. Several countries, including
Canada, require DRL.
A light sensor on top of the instrument panel makes the
DRL work,
so be sure it isn’t covered.
The DRL system.wil1 make your front turn signal lamps
come on when:
The ignition is on
0 The headlamp switch is off, and
The parking brake is released.
When the DRL are on, only your front turn signal lamps
will be on. The taillamps, sidemarker and other lamps
won’t be on. Your instrument panel won’t
be lit up either.
When it’s dark enough outside, your front turn signal
lamps will go out and your headlamps will come on.
The other lamps that come on with your headlamps will
also come on.
When it’s bright enough outside, the regular lamps will
go off, and your front turn signal lamps come on.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system any time you need it.
Lamps On Reminder
If you turn the ignition OFF and leave the lamps on, you
will hear a chime when you open the driver’s door.
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Page 112 of 386
1. Fog Lamp Switch (if equipped)
2. Main Lamp Control
3. Side Upper Air Vent
4. Instrument Cluster
5. Horn
6. Center Upper Air Vent
7. Audio System
8. Glove Box
9. Comfort Controls
10. Cigarette Lighter
11. Parking Brake Lever
12. Cupholder
13. Storage Console and Cassette TapeKompact Disc
14. Transmission Mode Switch (Automatic
Storage (as equipped)
Transmission)
15. Shift Lever
16. Ashtray (Automatic Transmission)
17. Rear Window Defogger Switch
18. Steering Wheel Controls
19. Remote Hatch Release
20. Convertible
Top Switch (if equipped)
21. Traction Control System Switch (if equipped)
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Page 116 of 386

Brake System Warning Light
Your Pontiac’s hydraulic
B RAKE two parts. If one part isn’t
brake system is divided into
working, the other part can
still work and stop you. For
good braking, though, you
need both parts working
If the warning light comes on, there could be a brake
problem. Have your brake system inspected right away.
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 comes 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, or if the
anti-lock brake system warning light is flashing, have
the vehicle towed for service. (See “Anti-Lock Brake
System Warning Light” and “Towing Your Car” 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 it stays on after
your parking brake is fully released, it means you have a
brake problem.
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Page 117 of 386

Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
ABS
INOP
With the anti-lock brake system, this light will come on when
you
start your engine and it will stay on for three 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.
If the light flashes when you’re driving, you don’t have
anti-lock brakes and there could be a problem with your
regular brakes. 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.
Have the vehicle towed for service. (See “Towing Your
Car” in the Index.)
If the anti-lock brake system warning light stays on
longer than normal after you’ve started your engine, turn
the ignition off. Or, if the light comes on and stays on
when you’re driving, stop as soon as possible and
tum
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
light
is on but not flashing and the regular brake system
warning light isn’t
on, you still have brakes, but you
don’t have anti-lock brakes.
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Page 118 of 386
Traction Control System Warning Light
(Option)
i TCS
OFF
The traction control system will shut down partially due
to brake overheating but the TCS
OW light will not
come on.
If there is throttle overheating, the TCS OFF
light will illuminate and the system will shut down.
Once everything cools
off, the system will operate
normally again.
This light will also come on for three seconds each time
you start your vehicle as a bulb check and if there’s a
system failure. See “Traction Control System” in the
Index.
When the traction control system is off, the TCS OFF
light will stay on.
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