1996 PONTIAC GRAND-AM ignition

Reducing Speed While Using Cruise Control
There are two ways to reduce your speed while using
cruise control:
0 Press in the button at the end of the lever until you
reach the lower speed you
want, then release it.
To slow down in very small amounts, push the
button
for less than half a second. Each time you do
this, you'I1 go 1 mph (1.6 h/h) slower.
Passing Another Vehicle While Using Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase your speed. When
you take your foot
off the pedal, your vehicle will slow
down to the cruise control speed you set earlier.
I'
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well your cruise control will work on hills depends
upon your speed, load, and the steepness of the bills.
When going up steep hills, you may have to step on the
accelerator pedal to-maintain your speed.
When going
downhill, you may have to brake
or shift to a lower gear
to keep your speed down. Of course, applying the brake
takes
YOU out of cruise control. Many driven find this to;
be too much trouble and don't use cruise control on
steep
hills.
'Ending Cruise Control
There are two ways to turn off the cruise control:
Step lightly on the brake pedal or push the clutch
pedal,
if you have a manual transaxle: OR
Move the cruise switch to OFF.
Erasing Cruise Speed Memory
When you turn off the cruise control or the ignition,
your cruise control set speed memory is erased.
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Lamps On Reminder
If you open the driver's door while leaving the lamps on
and the ignition off, you will hear a warning chime.
Daytime Running Lamps
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) caw make it easier for
others to see the front of
your vehicle during the day.
DRL caw be helpful in many different driving
conditions, but they
can be especially helpful in the
short periods after dawn
and before sunset.
The
DRL system will make your high-beam headlamps
come
on at reduced brightness when:
The ignition is on,
, The headlamp switch is OFF,
The light sensor sees daytime light, and
0 The parking brake is released (manual transaxle), or
0 The shift lever is not in PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N)
When the DRL are on, only your high-beam headlamps
will
be on. The taillmps, sidemarker and other lamps
won't be on. Your instrument panel wonY be lit up
either. (automatic transaxle). When
it's dark enough outside,
your headlamps will
come on at full brightness.
The other lamps that come
on with your headlamps will also come on. A light
sensor ,on top of the instrument panel turns the
headlamps oh and the DRL ,system off. Be sure the light
sensor isn't covered. When it's bright enough outside,
the regular
lamps will go off and your high-bem
headlamps will change
to the reduced brightness of the
DRL.
To idle your vehicle with the DRL off, set the parking
brake on
a manual transaxle or put the vehicle in
PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) on an automatic transaxle,
while the ignition is in the OFF or LOCK position. Then
start the vehicle, The DRL will stay off until you release
the
parking brake on a manual transaxle or shift out of
PARK (P) or NEUTaAL (N) on an automatic transaxle.
As with any vehicle,
you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need
it.
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Illuminated Entry System
When you lift the outside handle of either front door or
open a rear door, the lamps inside
your vehicle will go
on. These lamps will fade out after about 40 seconds, or
when the ignition is turned
on after all doors have been
closed. If the ignition was recently turned off, the lamps
will fade out after four seconds. These lamps will also
go on when you press the DOOR or UNLOCK button
on the optional Keyless Entry transmitter.
If the ignition has been off for less than two minutes, the
lamps inside your vehicle will stay on for 15 seconds
when your key is removed from the ignition switch to
provide an illuminated exit. When the, interior lamps go
off they will fade out like in a movie theatre.
Front Reading Lamps (Option)
These lamps and the interior courtesy lamps will come
on when you open the doors.
To turn on a reading lamp when the doors are dosed,
press the button. Press it again to turn the lamp off.
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Front Map Lamps (Option)
If your vehicle has a sunroof, it will have a rearview mirror
with lamps built in. The lamps go on when you open the
doors. When the doors
are closed, turn the lamps on and off
with the switches located below the face of the mirror.
Rear Reading Lamps (Option)
These overhead lamps and the interior courtesy lamps
will come on when you open the doors.
To turn on a reading lamp when the doors are closed,
press the button. Press it again-to
turn off the lamp.
Trunk Lamp
This lamp comes on when you open your trunk.
Battery Saver
Your Pontiac is equipped with a battery saver feature
designed to protect your vehicle’s battery.
When any interior lamp (trunk, reading, footwell or glove box) is left
on when the ignition is turned off, the
battery saver system will automatically shut the lamp off
after
20 minutes. This will avoid draining the battery.
To reactivate the interior lamps, either:
0 The ignition must be turned on,
0 The activated lamp switch must be turned off and
then on, or
0 A front door must be opened.
The battery saver feature will also be activated when
any door
of your vehicle is left open.
Also, if your vehicle is left with the ignition turned off
for over
24 days, battery power to your clock, audio
system and Keyless Entry (if you have this option) will
be turned off to reduce battery
drain. When the ignition
is turned on again, battery power will be resupplied.
However, under these conditions, it will be necessary to
reset the clock and audio system settings.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.)
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Your brake system may not be working properly
if the brake system warning light is on. Driving
with the brake system warning lighlt 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 parlung brake doesn’t release
fully.
If it stays on after your parking brake is fully
released,
it means you have a brake problem.
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
With the anti-lock brake
system,
this light will come
on when you
start your
engine
and it will stay on for
three seconds. That’s normal.
If the light stays on, turn the ignition off. Or, if the light
comes on when you’re driving, stop
as soon as possible
and turn the ignition off. &. 1
Then start the engine again to reset the system. If the .I ‘I
light still stays on, or comes on again while you’re
driving, your Pontiac needs service.
If the regular brake
system warning light isn’t
on, you still have brakes, but
you don’t have anti-lock brakes.
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.
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