1995 PONTIAC GRAND-AM engine

Running Your Engine While You’re
Parked (Automatic Transaxle)
It’s better not to park with the engine running. But if you
ever have to, here are some things to
know.
Follow the proper steps to be sure your vehicle won’t
move. See “Shifting Into
PARK (P)” in the Index.
If you are parking on a hill and if you’re pulling a
trailer, also see “Towing a Trailer” in the Index.
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Tachometer (Option)
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5
4
RPM
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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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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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Voltmeter (Option)
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When your engine is not running, this gage shows the
condition
of your charging system.
When your engine is not running, but the ignition is on
(in the
RUN position), the gage shows your battery’s
state of charge in
DC volts. Readings between the red
warning zones indicate the normal operating range.
Readings in either red warning zone indicate a possible
problem in the electrical system. Have your vehicle
serviced immediately.
Shift Light (Manual Transaxle)
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SHIFT
L
This light comes on when you need to shift to the next
higher gear. See “Manual
Transaxle” in the Index.
Brake System Warning Light
BRAKE
Your Pontiac .’s hyc h-au llic
brake system is divided into
two parts.
If one part isn’t
working, the other
part can
still work
and stop you. For
good braking, though, you
need both parts working
well.
If the warning light comes on, there could be a brake
problem. Have your brake system inspected right away.
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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 Vehicle” 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.
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
1
With the anti-lock brake
svstem. this lirrht will
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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 w-ith 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
Vehicle” in the Index.)
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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 turn
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.
. Engine Coolant Temperature Warning
Light
This light tells you that your
engine coolant has
overheated or your radiator
cooling fan is not working.
If you have been operating your vehicle under normal
driving conditions, you should pull off the road, stop
your vehicle and turn the engine
off as soon as possible.
HOT COOLANT CAN BURN YOU BADLY!
In “Problems on the Road”, this manual shows what to
do. See “Engine Overheating” in the Index.
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Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
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This gage shows the engine coolant temperature. If the
gage pointer moves into the red area, your engine
is too
hot!
That reading means the same thing as the warning light.
It means that your engine coolant has overheated.
If you have been operating your vehicle under normal
driving conditions, you should pull
off the road, stop
your vehicle and
turn off the engine as soon as possible.
HOT COOLANT CAN BURN YOU BADLY!
In “Problems on the Road”, this manual shows what to
do. See “Engine Overheating’, in the Index.
Low Coolant Warning Light
LOW
COOLANT
If this light comes on and
stays on, the vehicle should
be promptly pulled off the
road
and the coolant level
checked. See “Engine
Coolant” in the Index.
If
there are visible signs of
steam see “Engine
Overheating” in the:Index
before opening the hood.
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Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Service Engine Soon Light)
SERVICE
ENGINE SOON
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 check
to show you it is
working.
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.
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