1995 PONTIAC PONTIAC service

Fuel Gage Low Fuel Light
Your
fuel gage tells you
about how much fuel you
have left when the ignition
is on. When the indicator
nears
EMPTY (E), you still
have a little fuel left, but
you should get more soon.
Here are some things owners ask about. All these
situations are normal and
do not show a problem with
your fuel gage:
At the service station, the pump shuts off before the
gage
reads FULL (F).
It takes a little more or less fuel to fill up than the gage
indicated. For example, the gage may have indicated
the tank was half
full, but it actually took a little more
or less than half the tank’s capacity to fill it.
The gage moves a little when you turn a corner or
speed up. If
your fuel is low, a light
will come on and stay
on
until you add fuel. It will
also come on for
a few
seconds when you first turn
on the ignition as a check
to
show you it’s working. If it
doesn’t come on then, have
it fixed.
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Air Bag Readiness Light You will see this light flash
for a few seconds when you
There is an
air bag readiness light on the instrument
turn your ignition to RUN panel, which shows SRS AIR BAG or the air bag or START. Then the light
symbol. The system checks the
air bag’s electrical
should go out. This means system for malfunctions. The light tells you if there is an the system is ready.
electrical problem. The system check includes the air
bag sensors and modules, the wiring and the diagnostic
module. For more information on the air bag system, see
“Air Bag” in the Index.
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.
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Brake System Warning Light
I
Your Pontiac’s hydraulic
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.
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.
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Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
(Option)
2801 0 With the anti-lock brake
0 system, this light will come
RPM x1 000 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
Vehicle” 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 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.
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En.gine Coolant Temperature Gage
You have a gage that
shows the engine coolant
temperature.
If the gage
pointer moves into the red
area, your engine is too hot!
I I I I
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
If this light comes on, your
system is low on coolant
and the engine may
overheat. See “Engine
Coolant” in the Index and
have your vehicle serviced as
soon as you can.
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Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Service Engine Soon Light)
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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Care of Your Cassette Tape Player
A tape player that is not cleaned regularly is subject to
reduced sound quality, ruining the cassette,
or damaging
the mechanism. Tape cassettes that are not properly
stored in their plastic cases away from contaminants,
direct sunlight, and extreme heat may not operate
properly and could cause premature failure
of the tape
player.
Your tape player should be cleaned with every
50 hours
of use to provide optimum performance. Your radio may
display Cln to indicate that you have used your tape
player for
50 hours without resetting the tape clean
timer. If you notice a reduction in sound quality,
regardless of when the tape player was last cleaned, try
playing a different cassette to see if the tape or the tape
player is at fault. If the second cassette results in no
improvement in sound quality, try cleaning the tape
player.
Proper tape player cleaning should be done with a
scrubbing action, nonabrasive cleaner cassette. This is a
wet-type cleaning system that uses a cleaning cassette
with pads which scrub the tape head as the hubs of the
cleaner cassette turn.
To properly clean your tape player,
follow the instructions with the cleaning cassette. If you
use this type
of cleaner, the radio may display an error
and eject the cartridge. This
is normal and is the result
of an added feature in the tape player that detects broken
tapes.
If an error occurs, you will need to insert the
cleaning cassette at least three times to thoroughly clean the tape player.
You may prefer to use a non-scrubbing action, wet-type
cleaner.
This type of cleaner uses a fabric belt to clean
the tape head.
This type of cleaner cassette will not
cause an error, but it may not clean the tape player as
thoroughly as the scrubbing type cleaner.
A scrubbing action cleaner is available through your
dealer
(GM Part No. 12344600).
Cassettes are subject to wear and the sound quality may
degrade over time. Always verify that the cassette tape is in good condition and the tape player is clean before
obtaining service
on your tape player.
Care of Your Compact Discs
Handle discs carefully. Store them in their original cases
or other protective cases and away from direct sunlight
and dust. If the surface of a disc is soiled, dampen a
clean, soft cloth in a mild, neutral detergent solution and
clean it, wiping from the center to the edge.
Be sure never to touch the signal surface when handling
discs. Pick up discs by grasping the outer edges or the
edge of the hole and the outer edge.
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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.
Before 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 first 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 dealers
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?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
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