
Are you low on fuel?
As your engme starts to run out of fuel, your engine may
not run as’ efficiently as designed since small- amounts
of
air are sucked into the fuel line causing a misfire. The
system can detect this. Adding fuel should correct this
condition. Make sure to install the fuel cap properly. It
will take a few driving ,trips
to turn the light off.
Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel (see
“Fuel”
in the Index). Poor fuel quality will cause your
engine not to run as efficiently as designed.
You may
notice
this as stalling after start-up, stalling when you
put the vehicle into gear, misfiring, hesitation on
acceleration or
stumbling on acceleration. (These ’
conditions may go away once the engine is warmed up.)
This will be detected by the system and cause the light
to
Imn on.
If you experience this condition, change the fuel brand
you use. It will require at least one full tank of the
proper fuel
to turn the light off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn off,
have your dealer or qualified service center check the
vehicle. Your dealer has the proper test equipment.
and
diagnostic tools to fix any mechanical or electrical
problems that may have developed.
Engine Oil Pressure 1,ig.ht
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 may indicate that oil is not going through your
engine quickly enough to keep it cool. the engine could
be low on oil, or could have some other oil problem.
If you are driving, carefully pull over to a safe location
and stop to check the oil level. See “Checking Engine
Oil” in the Index.
If the engine oil is low, add oil as required. See “Adding
Engine
Oil” in the Index.
3 71
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How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant level
isn’t at the
FULL COLD mark, add-a 50/50 mixture of
clean water (preferably distilled) and DEX-COOL TM
(orange-colored, silicate-free) antifreeze at the coolant
recovery tank. (See “Engine Coolarit” in the Index for
more information.)
Adding only plain water to your cooning system
can be dangerous. Plain water, or some other
liquid like alcohol, can boil before the proper
CAUTION: (Continued) -coolant
mix will. Your vehicle’s coolant warning
system
is set for the proper coolant mix. With
plain water or the wrong mix, your engine could
get too hot but you wouldn’t get the overheat
warning. Your engine could catch fire and you or
others could be burned. Use a
50/50 mix of clean
water and
DEX-COOL TM antifreeze.
NOTICE:
In cold weather, water can freeze and crack the
engine, radiator, heater core
and other parts.
Use the recommended coolant and the proper
coolant mix.
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How to Add Fluid
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
bind of tmhsaxle fluid to use. See 6‘Recomended
Fluids and Lubricants” in the Index.
If the fluid level is low, add only enough of the proper
fluid to bring
the level into the cross-hatched area on
the dipstick.
Pull out the dipstick.
Using a long-neck funnel, add enough
Md at the
dipstick hole to bring it to the proper level. It doesn’t
take much
fluid, generally less than a pint (0.5 L).
Don’t overfiI2. We recommend you use only fluid
labeled
DEXRON*-III,, because fluid with that label
is made especially for yo& automatic transax18e.
Damage caused
by fluid other than DEXRON’@-III
is not covered by your new vehicle warranty.
After adding fluid, recheck the fluid level as
described under “How to Check.”
When the correct fluid level is obtained, push the
dipstick back in
all the way.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in your vehicle is filled with new
DEX-COOL (orange-colored,
silicate-free) engine
coolant.
This coolant is designed to remain in your
vehicle for 5 years or 100,000 miles (166 000 km),
whichever occurs first.
The following explains your cooling system and how to
add coolant when it is low.
If you have a problem with
engine overheating, see “Engine Overheating” in
the Index.
A 50/50 mixture of water &d the proper coolant for
your Pontiac will:
e
e
0
0
0
Give freezing protection down to -34°F (-37°C).
Give boiling protection up to 265 OF (1 29 O C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine temperature.
Let the warning lights and gages work as they should.
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NOTICE:
When adding coolant it is important that you use
DEX-COOL TM (orange-colored, silicate-free)
coolant meeting
GM Specification 6277M.
If silicated coolant is added to the system,
premature engine, heater core or radiator
corrosion may result. In addition, the engine
’ ‘ .
-coolant will require change sooner -- at
308,000 miles (50 000 km) or 24 months
whichever occurs first.
What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half clean water (preferably
distilled) and one-half
DEX-COOL (orange-colored,
silicate-free) antifreeze that meets
GM Specification
6277M, which won’t damage aluminum parts. Use
GM Engine Coolant Supplement (sealer) (GM Part
No. 3634621) with any complete coolant change. If you
use this mixture, you don’t need to
add anything else.
L
Adding only plain water to your cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water,
or some other
liquid like alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mix will. Your vehicle’s coolant warning
system is set for the proper coolant mix. With
plain water
or the wrong mix, your engine could
get too hot but you wouldn’t get
the overheat
warning. Your engine could catch fire and you or
others could
be burned. Use a 5060 mix of clean
water and
DEX-COOL TM (orange-colored,
silicate-free) antifreeze.
ProCarManuals.com

Driving City
........................................ 4-20
Defensive .................................... 4-1
Freeway .............. , ..................... 4-21
In a Blizzard .................................. 4-28
IntheRain .................................. 4-1.7
Night ...................................... 4-15
Oncurves ................I.................. 4-10
On Grades While Towing a Trailer ............... 4-37
On Hill and Mountain Roads .................... 4-23
On Snow and Ice .............................. 4-26
Through Water ................................. 4- 19
WetRoads ................................... 4-17
Winter ...................................... 4-25
With a Trailer
................................. 4-36
Drunken Driving ....................... ., ........ 4-2
. Drunken ...................... .,. ............. 4-2
. In Foreign Countries ............................ 6.-4
Electrical Equipment, Adding ........... 2.19.3.26. 6.58
Electrical System ........... :. .................. 6-58
Electrochromic Daymight Rearview Mirror .......... 2-46
Electronic Climate Control ........................ 3-3 .
Electronic Compass ............................. 2-8 1
Electronic Level Control ......................... 4-51
Engine ...................... , ............ 6-10. 6-11
Accessory Belt .......................... 6-67, 6-68
Coolant .... ’ ................................. 6-22
Coolant Heater .............. : ................ 2-20
Coolant Level Check ........................... 7-36
Coolant Temperature Gage ..................... 2-68
Exhaust ..................................... 2-31
Fuse Block (Driver’s Side) ....................... 6-59
Fuse Block (Passenger’s Side) ................. 6-61
Identification ................................ 6-57
Oil Level Check .............................. 7-36
Overheating ................................. 5-15
Running We Parked ......................... 2-31
Specifications ................................ 6-66
Starting YOW ................................. 2-18
Engine
Oil .................................... 6-12
Additives ................................... 6-15
Pressure Gage ....... .. ........................ 2-73
Pressure Light ............................... 2-71
Used ....................................... 6-16
When to Change .............................. 6-16
Ethan01 ........................................ 6-3
Exhaust, Engine ................................ 2-31
Exit Lighting ................................... 2-44
Express-Down Window .......................... 2-33
Express-Open Sunroof ........................... 2-55
Fabric Cleaning ............................... 6-50
Fan Control. Climate Control System ............ 3-1. 3-3
FillingYowTank ................................ 6-5
Filter. Air ...................................... 6-17
Finish Care .................................... 643
FinishDamage ................................. 6-54
First Gear, Automatic Transaxle
................... 2-24
Flashers. Hazard Warning .......................... 5-1
Flash-to-Pass Feature ........................... 2-35
Flat Tire, Changing ............................. 5-26
Fluid Capacities ................................ 6-65
Supercharged ................................ 6-12
Adding ..................................... 6-14
Checking ................................... 6-13
9-4
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