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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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.
ProCarManuals.com
Ensure the shft lever is fully in PARK (P) range before
starting the engine.
Your Pontiac has a brake-transaxle
shift interlock. You have to fully
apply your regular
brakes
before you can shift from PARK (P) when the
ignition key is in the on position.
If you cannot shift out
of PARK (P), ease pressure on the shift lever -- push the
shift lever all the way into PARK (P) and also release the
shift lever button on floor shift console models as you
maintain brake application. Then move the shift lever
into the gear you wish. (Press the
shift lever button before
moving the shift lever on floor shift console models.) See
“Shifting Out of PARK (P)” later in this section.
REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
NOTICE:
Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle is
moving forward could damage your transaxle.
Shift to REVERSE
(R) only after your vehicle
is stopped. To
rock your vehicle back and forth
to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging your transaxle, see
“Stuck:
In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow” in the Index.
NEUTRAL (N): In this position, your engine doesn’t
connect with
the wheels. To restart when you’re
already moving, use
NEUTRAL (N) only. Also, use
NEUTRAL (N) when your vehicle is being towed.
A CAUTION:
Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) while
your engine is “racing” (running at high speed) is
dangerous. Unless your foot is firmly
on the
brake pedal,
your vehicle could move very
rapidly.
You could lose control and hit people
or objects. Don’t shift out of
PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL (N) while your engine is racing.
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Windshield Wipers For a single wiping cycle, turn the band to MIST. Hold
it there until the wipers start, then let go. The wipers will
stop after one cycle.
If you want mure cycles, hold the
band on
MIST longer.
For steady wiping at low speed,
turn the band away
from you to the LO position. For high-speed wiping,
turn the band further, to HI. To stop the wipers, move
the band to OFF.
The windshield wipers are controlled by turning the
band marked
WER.
The wiper speed may be set for a long or short delay
between wipes.
This can be very useful in light rain or
snow. Turn the band to choose the delay time. The
closer to LO, the shorter: the delay.
Heavy snow
or ice can overload your wiper motor. A
circuit breaker will stop the motor until it cools. Clear
away snow or ice to prevent m overload
Keep in mind that damaged wiper blades may prevent
you from seeing well enough to drive safely. To avoid
damage, be
sure to clear ice and snow from the wiper
blades before
using them. If your blades do become
damaged,
get new blades or blade inserts.
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Your vehicle may have a convenience net. You'll see it
just inside the back wall
of the trunk.
Put small loads, like grocery bags, behind the net.
It can
help keep them from falling over during sharp turns or
quick starts and stops. For heavier loads, store them in
the trunk as far forward as YOU can.
You can unhook the net so that it will lie flat when
you're not using: it.
,Accessory Power Outlet
On models with the overhead console, there is a 12-volt
ignition-fed outlet. Slide the cover aside to access
the outlet.
NOTICE:
Adding some electrical equipment to your vehicle
can damage it or keep other things from working
as they should. This wouldn't be covered by your
warranty.
Check with your dealer before adding
electrical equipment;
and never use anything
requiring more than
15 amps.
~~
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Brake System Warning Light
If the warning light comes on, there could be a brake
problem. Have
your brake system inspected right away.
,BRAKE (a)
This light should come on
when
you turn the ignition
key to START.
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 and chime come 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, have the vehicle towed for service. (See “Towing
You Vehicle” in the Index.)
A CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working properly
if the brake system warning light is on. Driving
with the brake system warning light on can lead
to an accident. If the light
is still on after you’ve
pulled
off the road and stopped carefully, have
the vehicle towed for service.
When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
will also come on when you set your parking brake. The
light will stay on if your parking brike doesn’t release
fully. If you try to drive off with the parking brake set,
a chime will also come on until you release the parking
brake.
If the light and chime stay on after your
parking brake is fully released,
it means you have a
brake problem.
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Anti-Lock Brake System Warhing Light If the light stays on, turn the ignition off. Or, if the light I comes on when you’re driving, stop as soon as possible
With the anti-lock
brake and turn the ignition off. Then start the engine again to
system, &is fight will come reset the system. If the light still stays on, or comes on
ANTILOCK (@)
1
on when you start your I again while you’re driving, your Pontiac needs service.
,engine
and may stay on for If the regular brake system warning light isn’t on, you
several seconds. That’s still have brakes, but YOU don’t have anti-lock brakes.
normal.
If the regular brake system warning light is’ also on, YOU
don’t have anti-lock brakes and there’s a problem with
your regular brakes. See “Brake System Warning Light”
earlier
in this part.
The anti-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly when you turn the ignition key to RUN. If the
light doesn’t
come on then, have‘it fixed so it will be
ready
to warn you if there is a problem.
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