1995 PONTIAC GRAND-AM instrument panel

Ventilation
Use when outside temperatures are mild, and little
heating or cooling is needed.
Turn the right knob to
VENT. Air
flow is directed through the instrument panel
outlets. Set the center knob to the temperature desired.
Heating
Turning the right control knob to HEATER and the
center control knob clockwise will send heated air
through the heater ducts toward your feet and the
floor,
and some through the defroster vents.
VENT and HEATER are economical positions because
the air conditioner compressor doesn’t run in these two
settings. This reduces engine load, resulting in improved
fuel economy. If either setting fails to keep you
comfortable, or causes your windows to fog up, turn the
right control
knob to one of the air conditioning
positions, or to DEFROST.
If you have the optional engine coolant heater (engine
block heater) and use it during cold weather,
0°F
(- 18 O C) or lower, your heating system will more quickly
provide heat because the engine coolant ‘is already
warmed. See “Engine Coolant Heater” the Index.
BLEND: This setting divides airflow equally between
the heater ducts and the windshield defroster vents.
Defrosting
The DEFROST setting directs air through ‘the defroster
vents located on top of the instrument panel.
Defogging Windows with Air Conditioning
System
To defog the windshield, turn all three control knobs to
the far right.
To defog the side windows, turn the right control knob
to BI-LEVEL and the fan control
knob to HIGH. Aim
the side vents toward the side windows. For increased
air flow to the side vents, close the center vents.
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Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive
in spurts
-- heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking
-- rather than keeping pace with traffic. This
is a mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool
between hard btops. Your brakes will wear out much
faster if you do a lot
of heavy braking. If you keep pace
with the traffic and allow realistic following distances,
you will elimiaate a lot
of unnecessary braking. That
means better biaking and longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you’re driving, brake
normally but don’t pump your brakes.
If you do, the
pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine
stops, you will. still have some power brake assist. But
you will use it’when you brake. Once the power assist is
used
up, it may t&e longer to stop and the brake pedal
will
be harder to push.
Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)
Your Pontiac has an advanced electronic braking system
that will help prevent a braking skid.
1
This light on the
instrument panel will come on briefly when
you start your vehicle.
When you start your vehicle, or when you begin to drive
away, you may hear a momentary motor or clicking
noise. And you may even notice that your brake pedal
moves a
little while this is going on. This is the ABS
system testing itself. If there’s a problem with the
anti-lock brake system, the anti-lock brake system
warning light will stay on or flash.
See “Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light” in the
Index.
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Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you
would when driving your vehicle without a trailer. This
can help you avoid situations that require heavy braking
and sudden
turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when
you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re
a good deal
longer, you’ll need to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the. steering wheel with one hand.
Then, to move the trailer to the left, just move that hand
to
the left. To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly and, if
possible, have someone guide
you.
Making ’Ihrns
I
I NOTICE:
Making very sharp turns while trailering could
cause the trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
I ..
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns than
normal.
Do this so your trailer won’t strike soft shoulders,
curbs, road signs, trees, or other objects. Avoid jerky or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well
in advance.
’Ihrn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have a
different turn signal flasher and extra wiring. The green
arrows on your instrument panel will flash whenever
you signal a
turn or lane change. Properly hooked up,
the trailer lamps will
also flash, telling other drivers
you’re about
to turn, change lanes or stop.
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When towing a trailer, the green arrows on your
instrument panel will flash for turns even
if the bulbs on
the trailer
are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers
behind you are seeing your signal when they
are not. It’s
important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs
are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade. If you don’t shift
down, you might have to use your brakes
so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, use the highest gear possible. If
you cannot maintain posted speeds, driving at a lower
speed may help avoid overheating your engine and
transaxle.
If you have a manual transaxle with fifth gear, it’s better
not
to use fifth gear. Just drive in fourth gear (or, as you
need to, a lower gear).
Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached, on a
hill. If something goes wrong, your rig
could
start to move. People can be injured, and both
your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged.
But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
PARK (P) yet, or into gear for a manual transaxle.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
brake, and then shift to PARK (P), or REVERSE (R)
for a manual transaxle.
5. Release the regular brakes.
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NOTICE:
Towing a vehicle over rough surfaces could
damage a vehicle. Damage can occur from vehicle
to ground or vehicle to wheel-lift equipment. To
help avoid damage, install a towing dolly and
raise the vehicle until adequate clearance is
obtained between the ground and/or wheel-lift
equipment.
Do not attach winch cables or J-hooks to
suspension components when using car carrier
equipment.
Always use T-hooks inserted in the
T-hook Slots.
Attach a separate safety
chain to each side of the
axle inboard
of the spring.
Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage or the warning
light about
a hot engine on your Pontiac’s instrument
panel. See “Coolant Temperature Gage” and “Coolant
Temperature Warning Light” in the Index. You will also
find a low coolant warning light on your Pontiac’s
instrument panel.
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Engine Oil
CHECK
OIL
If the CHECK OIL light on the instrument panel comes
on,
it means you need to check your engine oil level
right away. For more information, see
“CHECK OIL
Light” in the Index. You should check your engine oil
level regularly; this is an added reminder.
It’s a good idea to check your engine oil every time you
get fuel. In order to get an accurate reading, the oil must
be
warm and the vehicle must be on level ground.
Turn off the engine and give the oil a few minutes to
drain back into the oil pan.
If you don’t, the oil dipstick
might not show the actual level.
2.3 L Engine Oil Dipstick
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Cleaning Leather
Use a soft cloth with lukewarm water and a mild soap or
saddle soap.
For stubborn stains, use a GM VinylLeather Cleaner
or equivalent product.
0 Never use oils, varnishes, solvent-based or abrasive
cleaners, furniture polish or shoe polish on leather.
Soiled leather should be cleaned immediately. If dirt
is allowed to work into finish, it can harm the
leather.
Cleaning the Top of the Instrument Panel
Use only mild soap and water to clean the top surfaces
of the instrument panel. Sprays containing silicones or
waxes may cause annoying reflections in the windshield
and even make it difficult to see through the windshield
under certain conditions.
Care of Safety Belts
Keep belts clean and dry.
Glass
Glass should be cleaned often. GM Glass Cleaner (GM
Part
No. 1050427) or a liquid household glass cleaner
will remove normal tobacco smoke and dust films.
Don’t use abrasive cleaners on glass, because they may
cause scratches. Avoid placing decals
on the inside rear
window, since they may have
to be scraped off later. If
abrasive cleaners are used
on the inside of the rear
window, an electric defogger element may be damaged.
Any temporary license should not be attached across the defogger grid.
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Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
1.
SAMPLE4UXSM072675
I
ENGINE ,/ 1k5 ASSEMBLY
CODE MODEL YEAR PLANT
This is the legal identifier for your Pontiac. It appears on
a plate in the front corner of the instrument panel, on the
driver’s side. You can see it if you
look through the
windshield from outside your vehicle. The VIN also
appears on the Vehicle Certification and Service Parts
labels and the certificates of title and registration.
Engine Identification
The eighth character in your VIN is the engine code.
This code will help you identify your engine,
specifications, and replacement parts.
Service Parts Identification Label
You’ll find this label on your spare tire cover. It’s very
helpful if you ever need to order parts.
On this label is:
your VIN,
the model designation,
paint information, and
a list of all production options and special
Be sure that this label is not removed from the vehicle.
equipment.
Add-on Electrical Equipment
NOTICE:
Don’t add anything electrical to your Pontiac
unless you check with your dealer first. Some
electrical equipment can damage your vehicle
and the damage wouldn’t be covered by your
warranty. Some add-on electrical equipment can
keep other components from working
as they
should.
Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting to
add anything electrical to your Pontiac,
see “Servicing
Your Air Bag-Equipped Pontiac” in the Index.
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