1996 PONTIAC GRAND-AM Owners Manual

Sunroof (Option)
Open the sunshade by hand
when using the vent
position.
Press and release the rear
of the switch and the surkoof
will open to the vent position.

Press the rear of the switch again to open the glass panel
and the sunshade. Press the front
o,f the switch to stop
the panel in any position.
Press and
hold the front of the switch to close the glass
panel. The sunshade can only be closed by hand.
The sunroof glass panel cannot be opened or closed
if
your' Pontiac has an electrical failure.
NOTICE:
Do not attempt to force the sunshade forward of
the sliding glass panel. Damage will occur and the
sunroof
may not open or close properly.
ProCarManuals.com

The Instrument Panel -- Your Information
Svstem
2-50
ProCarManuals.com

Your instlument panel is designed to let you know at a
glance how your vehicle is running. You’ll know how
fast you’re going,
how much fuel you’re using, and
many other things you’ll need to drive safely and
economically.
The main components of your instrument panel are:
A. Fuse Panel
B. Vent
C. Turn Signal/Multifunction ,Lever
D. SRS - Supplemental Restraint System (Air Bag)
E. Hazard Warning Flashers Switch
E Instrument Cluster
G. Windshield Wipersmasher Stalk
H. Audio System
I. Side Window Defogger Vent
J. Glove Box
K. Climate Control System
L. Gear Shift Lever
M. Ashtray
N. Enhanced Traction System (ETS) Switch (Option)
0. Lighter
P. Ignition Switch
Q. Tilt Steering Wheel Lever (Option)
R. Fog Lamp Switch
S. Instrument Panel Intensity Control/ Interior Lamps
Switch
T. Hood Release Handle
2-51
ProCarManuals.com

Instrument Panel Cluster gages that are explained on the following pages. Be sure
cluster, which includes indicator
warning lights and ..
to read about those that apply to the instrument panel
Your Pontiac is equipped with this instrument panel cluster for your vehicle. I.
,' .
ProCarManuals.com

Speedometer and Odometer
Your speedometer lets you see your speed in both miles
per hour (mph) and kilometers per hour (km/h).’Your
odometer shows how
far your vehicle has been driven,
in either miles (used in the United States) or kilometers
(used-in Canada).
Tamper-Resistant Odometer
Your Pontiac has a tamper-resistant odometer. If you see
silver lines between the numbers, you’ll
know that
someone has probably tried to tqn it back,
so the
numbers may not be true.
You may wonder what happens if your vehicle needs a
new odometer installed.
If the new one can be set to the
mileage total
of the old odometer, then it must be. But if
it can’t, then it’s set at zero and
a label must be put on
the driver’s door to show the old mileage reading when
the new odometer was installed.
Trip Odometer
~~~ ~ ~
The trip odometer can tell you how far you have driven
since
you last reset it. To reset the trip odometer to zero,
press the knob at the top left side of the instrument panel
cluster.
2-53
ProCarManuals.com

Tachometer
The tachometer shows your
engine speed
in revolutions
per minute (rpm).
I NOTICE:
Do not run your engine at speeds in the red area,
or engine damage may occur.
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 warning 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 advice.
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.
ProCarManuals.com

Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is turned to RUN or START, a chime will
‘come on for about eight seconds to remind people to
fasten their safety belts, unless the driver’s safety belt i\
s
already buckled.
The safety belt light will
also come
on and stay on
for about
20 seconds,
then it will flash
for about
55 seconds. If the driver’s
belt is already buckled,
neither the chime nor the
light
will come on.
Air Bag Readiness Light
There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument
panel, which shows AIR
BAG. The system checks the
air bag’s electrical system for malfunctions. The light
tells you
if there is an electrical problem. The system
check includes the air bag sensor, the air bag
modules,
the wiring and the crash sensing and diagnostic module.
For more information
on the air bag system, see “Air
Bag” in the Index.
AIR,
BAG
You will see this light flash
for a few seconds when you
turn your ignition to
RUN
or START. Then the light
should
go out. This means
the system
is ready.
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.
2-55
ProCarManuals.com

Charging System Indicator Light
The charging system
indicator light will come on
briefly when
you turn on the
ignition, but the engine
is
not running, as a check to
show you it is working.
Then it should go out. .. 1.
. I -1
If it stays on when your engine is running, OF comes on
while you are driving, you may have a problem with the
electrical charging system. It could indicate that you
have a loose generator drive belt or another electrical
problem. Have it checked right away. Driving while this
light
is on could drain your battery.
If you mast drive a short distance with the light on, be
certain to turn off all your accessories, such as themdio
and
air conditioner,
Brake System Warning Light
Your Pontiac’s hydraulic brake system is divided into
two parts. If one part isn’t working, the other part can
still w’ork and
stop you. For good braking, though, you
need both
parts workmg well.
If the warning light comes on, there could be a brake
problem. Have your brake system inspected right away.
BRAKE
This light should come ow
briefly when you turn the
ignitibn key
to RUN. 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, have the
vehicle towed €or
service, (See “Towing Your Vehicle”
in the Index.)
2-56
ProCarManuals.com