Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
For example,
these symbols
are used on an
original battery;
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
ACID COULD BATTERY
CAUSE
BURNS
AVOID
SPARKS
OR
FLAMES
SPARK
OR ,\I/,
COULD FLAME
EXPLODE BATTERY
These symbols
are important
for
you and
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle is
driven:
DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK
FASTEN SEAT
BELTS
S
These symbols
have to
do with
your lights:
SIGNALS e
TURN
HIGH
LAMPSoR BEAM = =o
FOG LAMPS $0
These symbols
are
011 some of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD WIPER
WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
VENTILATING
a+
FAN w*
These symbols
are used
on
warning and
indicator lights:
COOLANT F-
ENGINE
TEMP
- k
CHARGING BATTERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE
(0)
RADIATOR COOLANT
a
FUEL
ENGINE OIL
PRESSURE
Wb
TEMP OIL &
ANTI-LOCK (@)
BRAKE
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
RELEASE RADIO
k
VOLUME a
CONDITIONING AIR 33
RELEASE TRUNK ru
t
LIGHTER m
SPEAKER
b
V
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LOCK: Before you put the key into the ignition switch,
the switch is in
LOCK. It’s also the only position in
which you can remove
your key. This position locks
your ignition, steering wheel and transaxle. It’s a
theft-deterrent feature.
OFF (B): This position lets you turn off the engine but
still turn the steering wheel. It doesn’t lock the steering
wheel like LOCK. Use
OFF if you must have your
vehicle pushed or towed.
RUN (C): This position is where the key returns after
you start your vehicle. With the engine
off, you can use
RUN to display some of your warning and indicator
lights.
START
(D): This position starts your engine.
A warning chime will sound if you open the driver’s
door when the ignition is in
OFF, LOCK or ACC and
the key is in the ignition.
NOTICE:
If your key seems stuck in LOCK and you can’t
turn it, be sure it is all the way in.
If it is, then
turn the steering wheel left and right while you
turn the key hard. But turn the key only with
your hand. Using
a tool to force it could break
the key or the ignition switch.
If none of this
works, then your vehicle needs service.
Starting Your Engine
Move your shift lever to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N).
Your engine won’t start in any other position
-- that’s a
safety feature. To restart when you’re already moving,
use NEUTRAL (N) only.
NOTICE:
Don’t try to shift to PARK (P) if your Pontiac is
moving.
If you do, you could damage the
transaxle. Shift to PARK
(P) only when your
vehicle is stopped.
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1 Fog Lamps
To turn the fog lamps on, press the top of the fog lamp
switch
(C). Press the bottom of the switch to turn the fog
lamps
off. Your parking lamps must be on, or your fog
lamps won't come
on.
The fog lamps will go off whenever you change to
high-beam headlamps. When you return
to low beams,
~ the fog lamps will come on again.
I Instrument Panel Lamps
You can brighten or dim the instrument panel lamps by
moving the PANEL dial. If you turn the dial all the way
up, your courtesy or interior lamps will come on.
Turn the knob to LAMPS
(B) to turn on the headlamps
and other operating lamps.
Turn the knob to PARK
(A) to turn on the parking and
other operating lamps without
the headlamps.
Turn the knob to
OFF to turn off the lamps.
A warning chime will sound when you turn the ignition switch to
OFF, LOCK or ACC with the lamps on.
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.
A light sensor on top
of the instrument panel makes the
DRL work,
so be sure it isn't covered.
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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 waming 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 ac~ xe.
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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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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Oil Warning Light
If you have a problem with
your oil, this light may stay
on after you start your
engine,
or come on when
you are driving.
This indicates that oil is not going through your engine
quickly enough to keep it lubricated. The engine could
be low on oil or could have some other oil problem.
Have it fixed right away.
The oil light could also come on in three other
situations:
0 When the ignition is on but the engine is not running,
the light will come on as a test to show you it is
working, but the light will go out when you turn the
ignition to
START. If it doesn’t come on with the
ignition on, you may have a problem with the fuse or
bulb. Have it fixed right away.
0 Sometimes when the engine is idling at a stop, the
light may blink on
and off. This is normal.
If you make a hard stop, the light may come on for a
moment. This is normal.
NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and
is not covered by your
warranty.
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