1996 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE Owners Manual

Universal Theft-Deterrent (Option)
If your Pontiac has this option, it has a theft-deterrent
alm system. With this system, the SECURITY light
will flash as you open the door (if your ignition is OFF).
This light reminds you to activate the theft-deterrent
system when leaving
your vehicle.
Activating the
sys tern:
1.
2.
3.
Open the door.
Lock the door with
the power door lock switch or
Remote Keyless
Entry transmitter. The SEC-Y
light should come on and stay on.
Close
all doors. The SECUFUTY light should go afT after
about
30 seconds and the system will then be armed.
If the SECURITY light comes on for one minute and
then shuts
off while the ignition is on, the security
system has detected a problem with itself. See your
dealer for service.
If a door ‘or the trunk is opened without the key or
Remote Keyless Entry transmitter, the
alarm will go off.
It will also go off if the trunk lock is damaged. Your
vehicle’s lamps will flash and the horn will sound for
three minutes, then will
go off to save battery power.
Remember, the theft-deterrent system won’t activate if
you lock the doors with
a key or manual door lock. It
activates only if you use a power door lock
switch ox
Remote Keyless Entry transmitter.
Avoid setting
bff the alarm by accident.
Always unlock
a door with a key, or use the Remote
Keyless Entry transmitter. Unlocking a door any other
way will set
off the alarm.
Stopping the alarm: If you set off the alarm by accident,
unlock
any door with your key. You can also turn off the
alarm by pressing the
UNLOCK button on the Remote
Keyless
Entry transmitter. The alarm won’t stop if you
try to dock a door any other way.
Testing the alarm: Open the, window, then follow the
directions for activating the system described earlier.
Once the alarm is set, reach through the window and
manually uvlock the door
from the inside or turn on the
ignition.
The alarm should sound.
If the alarm does not sound when it should, check to see if
the horn works. The horn fuse may be blown. To replace
the fuse, see “Fuses and Circuit Breakers” in the Index.
To reduce the possibility of theft, always activate the
theft-deterrent
system when leaving your vehicle.
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PASS-Key@ I1
Your vehicle is equipped
with the PASS-Key
II
(Personalized Automotive
Security System)
theft-deterrent system.
PASS-Key
II is a passive
theft-deterrent system.
It works when you insert
or remove the key from
the ignition.
PASS-Key
II uses a resistor pellet in the ignition key
that matches a decoder
in your vehicle.
When the PASS-Key
11 system senses that someone is
using the wrong key, it shuts
down the vehicle’s starter and
fuel systems. For about three minutes, the starter won’t
work and fuel won’t go to
the engine. Lf someone tries to
start your vehicle again or uses another key during
this
time, the vehicle will not start. This discourages someone
fiom randomly trying different keys with different resistor
pellets
in an attempt to make a match.
The ignition key, must be clean and dry before it’s
inserted in the ignition
or the engine may not start. If the
engine does not start and the SECURITY light
is on, the
key may be dirty or wet. Turn the ignition off.
Ciean and dry the key. Wait about three minutes and try
again. The SECURITY light may remain on during this
time. If the starter still won’t work, and the key appears
to be clean and dry, wait about three minutes and try
another ignition key. At this time, you may also want to
check the fuse (see “Fuses and Circuit Breakers” in the
Index). If the starter won’t work with the other key, your
vehicle needs service. If your vehicle does start, the first
ignition key may be faulty.
See your Pontiac dealer or a
locksmith who can service the PASS-Key
Q.
If you accidentally use a key that has a damaged or
missing resistor pellet, the starter won’t work and the
SECURITY light will flash. But you don’t have to wait
three minutes before trying another ignition key.
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See your Pontiac dealer or a locksmith who can service
the PASS-Key
IT to have a new key made.
If you’re ever driving- and the SECURITY light comes
on and remains on, you will be able.to restart your
engine
if you turn it off. Your PASS-Key 11 system,
however, is
not working properly and must be serviced
by your Pontiac dealer.
Your vehicle is not protected by
If you lose or damage a PASS-Key II ignition key, see
your Pontiac dealer
OT a locksmith who can service
PASS-Key 11 to have a new key made. In an emergency,
call the Pontiac Roadside Assistance Program
at
1-800-ROADSID3, or 1-800-762-3743.
. the PASS-Key II system.
New Vehicle (LBreak-In99
NOTICE:
P
Your modern Pontiac doesn’t need an elaborate
“break=in?’.But
it win perform better in the long
run if you follow these guidelines:
Dm’t drive at any one speed. -- fast or
slow
-- for the first 500 miles (804 km).
Don’t make full-throttle starts.
200 miles (322 km) or so. During this time
your new brake linings aren’t yet broken
in. Hard stops with new linings
can mean
premature wear
and earlier replacement.
Follow
this breaking-in- guideline every
time youmget new brake linings.
See ‘cTowing
a flrailer” in the Index for
more information.
Avoid making hard. stops for the first
Don’t tow a trailer during break-in.
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Ignition Switch
C
With the ignition key in the ignition switch, you can turn
the switch to five positions.
ACCESSORY (A): An on position in which you can
operate your electrical power accessories. Press in the
ignition switch
as you turn the top of it toward you.
LOCK (B): The only position in which you can
remove the key. This locks your steering wheel, ignition
and transaxle.
OFF (C): Unlocks the steering wheel, ignition and
transaxle, but does not send electrical power to any
accessories.
Use this position if yoUr vehicle must be
pushed or towed, but never try to push-start your
vehicle.
A warning chime will sound if you open the,.
driver's door when the ignition is
OFF and the key is in
the ignition.
RUN (D): An on position to which the switch returns
after you start your engine and release the switch. The
switch stays
in the 'RUN position when the engine is
running. But even when the engine is not running, you
can use RUN to operate your electrical power
accessories,
and to display some instrument panel
warning lights.
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START (E): Starts the engine. When the engine st&&
release the key. The ignition switch
will return to RUN
for normal driving.
Note that even if the engine
is not running, the positions
ACCESSORY and RUN are on positions that allow you
to operate your electrical accessories, such as the radio.
Key Reminder Warning
If you leave your key in the ignition, in the OFF
position, you will hear a warning tone when you open
the driver’s door.
NOTICE:
If your key seem 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.
Retained Accessory, Power (Option)
If you have this option, after you turn your ignition OFF
and even remove the key, you will still have electrical
power to such accessories
as the radio and power
windows for up to 10 minutes. But if you open a door,
power is turned off.
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 y& Ponthc is
moving. If you do, you could damage the
transaxle. Shift to PARK (P) only when your
vehicle
is stopped.
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Starting Your 3.8 Liter Engine
1. Without pushing the accelerator pedal, turn your
ignition key to
START. When the engine starts, let
go of the key. The idle speed will go down as your
engine gets warm.
.
NOTICE:
Holding your key in START for longer than
15 seconds at a time will cause your battery to be
drained much sooner. And the excessive heat can
damage your starter motor.
2. I€ it doesn’t start right away, hold your key in
START for about three to five seconds at a time until
your engine
starts. Wait about 15 seconds between
each
try to help avoid draining your battery.
3. If your engine still won’t start (or starts but then
stops), it could
be flooded with too much gasoline.
Try pushing your accelerator pedal all the way to the
floor and holding it there as you hold the key in
START for about three seconds. If the vehicle starts
briefly but then stops again, do the same thing, but
this time keep the pedal down for five or
six seconds.
This clears the extra gasoline from the engine.
After waiting about 15 seconds, repeat the nomd
starting procedure.
NOTICE:
I
Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your y,ehicle.
If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the way
the engine operates. Before
adding electrical
equipment, check with your dealer.
If you don’t,
your engine might not perform properly.
If you ever have to have your vehicle towed, see
the part of this manual that tells how to do it
without damaging your vehicle. See “Towing
Your Vehicle”
m the Index.
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Engine CoolantKeater (Option)
In very cold weather, 0" F (- 18 O C) or colder, the engine
coolant heater
can help. You'll get easier starting and
better fuel economy during engine warm-up. Usually,
the coolant heater should
be plugged in a minimum of
four hours prior to starting you vehicle.
To use the coolant heater:
'' 1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 1 10-volt AC outlet.
A. CAUTION:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock.
Also, the wrong
kind
of extension cord could overheat and cause
a fire. You could be seriously injured. Plug the
cord into
a properly grounded three-prong
110-volt
AC outlet. If the cord won't reach, use a
heavy-duty three-prong extension cord rated for
at least 15 amps.
,
4. After you've used the coolant heater? be sure to store
the cord as it was before to keep it away fiom moving
engine parts.
If you don't, it could be damaged.
How long should YQU keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead of
trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your Pontkc dealer
in the area where you'll be parking
your vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice for
that particular mea.
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Automatic Transaxle Operation
Your automatic transaxle may have a shift lever
located on the console between the seats or on the
steering column.
There are several different positions for your shift lever.
PARK (P): This locks your front wheels. It’s the best
position to use when you start your engine because your
vehicle
can’t move easily. It
is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever
is not fully in PARK (P). with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Don’t leave your vehicle when the engine
is
running unless you have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured.
To be sure your
vehicle won’t move, even when you’re
on fairly
level ground, always set your parking brake and
move the
shift lever to PARK (P).
See “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in the Index. If
you’re pulling
a trailer, see “Towing a Trailer” in
the Index.
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