1995 PONTIAC GRAND-AM light

You can be temporarily blinded by approaching lights.
can take a second or two, or even several seconds, for
your eyes to readjust to the dark. When you
are faced
with severe glare (as from a driver who doesn’t lower
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the high beams, or a vehicle with misaimed headlamps),
slow
down a little. Avoid staring directly into the
approaching lights.
Keep your windshield and all the glass on your vehicle
clean
-- inside and out. Glare at night is made much
worse
by dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the glass
can build up a film caused by dust. Dirty glass makes
lights dazzle and flash more than clean glass would,
making the pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that your headlamps light up far less of a
roadway when you are
in a turn or curve. Keep your
eyes moving; that way, it’s easier to pick out dimly
lighted objects. Just as your headlamps should be
checked regularly for proper aim,
so should your eyes
be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from night
blindness
-- the inability to see in dim light -- and aren’t
even aware of it.
Driving in the Rain
Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet
road you can’t stop, accelerate or
turn as well because
your tire-to-road traction isn’t as good
as on dry roads.
And, if
your tires don’t have much tread left, you’ll get
even
less traction. It’s always wise to go slower and be
cautious if rain starts to fall while you are driving. The
surface may get wet suddenly when your reflexes are
tuned for driving on dry pavement.
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City Driving One of the biggest problems with city streets is the
amount of traffic on them. You’ll want to watch out for
what the other drivers
are doing and pay attention to
traffic signals.
Here are ways to increase your safety in city driving:
Know the best way to get to where you are going.
Get a city map and plan your trip into an unknown
part of the city just as you would for a cross-country
trip.
Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross most
large cities. You’ll save time and energy.
(See the
next
part, “Freeway Driving.”)
Treat a green light as a warning signal. A traffic light
is there because the corner is busy enough to need it.
When a light turns green, and just before
you start to
move, check both ways for vehicles that have not
cleared the intersection or may be running the red
light.
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Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable following distance. Expect to move
slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the proper
lane
well in advance. If you miss your exit do not, under
any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive on to the
next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
The exit speed is usually posted.
Reduce
your speed according to your speedometer, not
to your sense of motion. After driving for any distance
at higher speeds, you may tend to
think you are going
slower than you actually
are.
Befo’re Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well .rested. If you
must start when you’re not fresh
-- such as after a day’s
work
-- don’t plan to make too many miles that fiist part
of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes you
can easily drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it’s ready to go. If it needs
service, have it done before starting out.
Of course,
you’ll find experienced and able service experts in
Pontiac dealerships all across North America. They’ll be
ready and willing to help if you need
it.
Here are some things you can check before a trip:
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Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full? Are
all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked
all levels?
Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
Tires: They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip. Is the tread good enough for
long-distance driving?
Are the tires all inflated to the
recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts: What’s the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay your trip a short
time to avoid a major storm system?
Mups: Do you have up-to-date maps?
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Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
a Have your Pontiac in good shape for winter. Be sure
your engine coolant mix is correct.
You may want to put winter emergency supplies in
your trunk.
Include an ice scraper, a small brush or broom, a supply
of windshield washer fluid, a rag, some winter outer
clothing, a small shovel, a flashlight, a red cloth, and a couple of reflective warning triangles. And, if you will
be driving under severe conditions, include a small bag
of sand, a piece
of old carpet or a couple of burlap bags
to help provide traction. Be sure you properly secure
these items in your vehicle.
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Run your engine only as long as you must, This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it
go a little faster
than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly.
This
uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps the
battery charged. You will need a well-charged battery to
restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on
with your headlamps. Let the heater run for awhile.
Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable
horn the cold. But do it as little as possible. Preserve the
fuel as long as you can.
To help keep warm, you can get
out of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or
so until help comes. J
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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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If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or
Snow
What you don’t want to do when your vehicle is stuck is
to spin your wheels too fast. The method known as
“rocking” can help you get out when you’re stuck, but
you must use caution.
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
see “Tire Chains” in the Index.
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Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of your
vehicle
as well as the tires. If you spin the wheels
too fast while shifting your transaxle back and
forth, you can destroy your transaxle.
Rocking your vehicle to get it out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels. Then shift back
and forth between REVERSE
(R) and a forward gear
(or with a manual transaxle, between F’IRST
(1) or
SECOND
(2) gear and REVERSE (R)), spinning the
wheels as little as possible. Release the accelerator pedal
while
you shift, and press lightly on the accelerator
pedal when the transaxle is in gear.
If that doesn’t get
you out after a few tries, you
may need to be towed out.
If you do need to be towed out, see “Towing Your
Vehicle” in the Index.
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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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