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To Reduce Speed While Using Cruise
Control
There are two ways to reduce your speed while using
cruise control:
Press in the button at the end of the lever until you
reach the lower speed
you want, then release it.
To slow down in very small amounts, push the
button for less than half a second. Each time you do
this, you’ll go
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 two ways to turn off the cruise control:
0 Step lightly on the brake pedal or push the clutch
pedal, if you have a manual transaxle; OR
Move the cruise switch to OFF.
To Erase Cruise Speed Memory
When you turn off the cruise control or the ignition,
your cruise control set speed memory is erased.
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Instrument Panel Intensity Control
You can brighten or dim your instrument cluster lamps
by rotating the instrument panel intensity control switch.
Rotate the switch all the way to the right to turn on the
interior courtesy lamps. Rotate the switch to the left to
turn off the instrument cluster lamps and displays.
Fog Lamps
The switch for your fog lamps is next to the instrument
panel intensity control.
Push the top of the switch
to turn the fog lamps on.
When using fog lamps, the parking lamps or low beam
headlamps must be on.
Fog lamps will go off whenever the high beam
headlamps come on. When the high beams go off, the
fog lamps will come on again.
Daytime Running Lamps (Canada Only)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier for
others to see the front
of your vehicle during the day.
DRL can be helpful in many different driving
conditions, but they can be especially helpful 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
will make your high beam headlamps come on at
reduced brightness when:
The ignition is on,
0 The headlamp switch is off, and
0 The parking brake is released (manual transaxle).
The shift lever is not in PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N)
(automatic transaxle).
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Ashtray and Lighter
Lift the cover to reveal the ashtray.
To clean the ashtray, lift it out by pulling up on the
snuffer.
You can also use this tray as a cup holder.
NOTICE:
Don’t put papers and other things that burn into
your ashtrays.
If you do, cigarettes or other
smoking materials could set them on fire, causing
damage.
To use the lighter, just push it in all the way and let go.
When it’s ready, it will pop back by itself.
NOTICE:
Don’t hold a cigarette lighter in with your hand
while
it is heating. If you do, it won’t be able to
back away from the heating element when
it’s
ready. That can make it overheat, damaging the
lighter and the heating element.
Sunglasses Storage
Place your sunglasses in the open area located above
you in the overhead console.
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i
The main components of your instrument panel are:
1. Fog Lamp Switch
2. Instrument Panel Intensity Control/ Interior Lamps
Switch
3. Side Vent
4. Turn SignaVMultifunction Lever
5. Hazard Warning Flashers Switch
6. Instrument Cluster
7. Windshield WipersNasher Stalk
8. Center Vent
9. Audio System
10. Side Vent
11. Side Window Defogger Vent
12. Glove Box
13. Climate Control System
14. AshtrayLighter
15. Gear Shift Lever
16. Rear Window Defogger (Option)
17. Ignition Switch
18. SRS - Supplemental Restraint System (Air Bag)
19. Horns
20. Tilt Steering Wheel Lever (Option)
21. Parking Brake Release Lever
22. Hood Release Handle
23. Fuse Panel
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Instrument Panel Clusters
Your Pontiac is equipped with one of these instrument
panel clusters, which includes indicator warning lights
and gages that are explained on the following pages.
Standard Cluster
Be sure to read about those that apply to the instrument
panel cluster for
your vehicle.
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Tachometer (Option)
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5
4
RPM
XlOOO
The tachometer shows your engine speed in revolutions
per minute (rpm).
NOTICE:
Do not run your engine at speeds in the red area,
or engine damage may occur.
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
This part describes the warning lights and gages that may
be on your vehicle. The pictures will help you locate them.
Warning lights and gages can signal that something is
wrong before it becomes serious enough to cause an
expensive repair or replacement. Paying attention to
your warning lights and gages could also save you or
others from injury.
Warning lights come on when there may be or is a
problem with one
of your vehicle’s functions. As you will
see in the details on the next few pages, some warning
lights come on briefly when you
start the engine just to let
you know they’re working. If you are familiar with this
section, you should not be alarmed when this happens.
Gages can indicate when there may be or is a problem
with one of your vehicle’s functions. Often gages and
warning lights work together to let
you know when
there’s a problem with your vehicle.
When one of the warning lights comes on and stays on
when you are driving, or when one of the gages shows
there may be a problem, check the section that tells you
what to do about it. Please follow this manual’s advice.
Waiting to do repairs can be costly
-- and even
dangerous.
So please get to know your warning lights
and gages. They’re a big help.
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Safety Belt Warning Light
When the key is turned to
RUN or START a chime
will come on for about
eight seconds to remind
people to fasten their
safety belts, unless the
driver’s safety belt is
already buckled.
The safety belt light will also come on and stay on for
about
20 seconds, then it will flash for about 55 seconds.
If the driver’s belt is already buckled, neither the chime
nor the light will come on.
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Air Bag Readiness Light
There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument
panel, which shows AIR BAG. The system checks the
air bag’s electrical system for malfunctions. The light
tells you if there is an electrical problem. The system
check includes the air bag sensors and module, the
wiring and the diagnostic module. For more information
on the air bag system, see “Air Bag” in the Index.
AIR
BAG
You will see this light
flash
for a few seconds
when you turn your
ignition to
RUN or
START. Then the light
should go out. This
means the system is
ready.
If the air bag readiness light doesn’t come on when you
start your vehicle, or stays on,
or comes on when you
are driving, your air bag system may not work properly.
Have your vehicle serviced right away.
Charging System Light
The charging system light
will come on briefly when
you turn on the ignition, but
the engine
is not running, as
a check to show you
it is
working. Then it should go
out.
If it stays on when your engine is running, or comes on
while you are driving, you may have
a problem with the
electrical charging system. It could indicate that you
have a loose generator drive belt or another electrical
problem. Have it checked right away. Driving while this
light is on could drain your battery.
If you must drive a short distance with the light on, be
certain to
turn off all your accessories, such as the radio
and air conditioner.
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