1996 PONTIAC GRAND-AM service

When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition key
OFF. The steering wheel should be clamped in a
straight-ahead position, with
a clamping device
designed for towing service. Do not use the vehicle's
steering column lock
for this. The transaxle should be in
NEUTRAL (N) and the parking brake released.
The ignition key must be in the
OFF position to keep the
automatic
door locks from locking during towing.
Don't have your vehicle towed on the front wheels,
unless
you 'must. If the vehicle must be towed on the
front wheels,' (see speed and distance restrictions
later in
this section) farther than 50 miles (80 km) your
transaxle will be damaged. If these limits must be
exceeded, then
the front wheels have to be supported on
a
dolly.
r
A vehicle can fall from a car carr if it isn't
adequately secured.
This can cause a collision,
1 serious personal injury and vehicle damage. The
' vehicle should be tightly secured with chains or
steel cables before it is transported.
Don't use substitutes (ropes, leather straps,
canvas webbing, etc.) that can
be cut by sharp
edges underneath the towed vehicle. Always use
T-hooks inserted in the T-hook slots. Never use
J-hooks. They will damage drivetrain and
suspension components.
ProCarManuals.com

If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
If you get the overheat warning but see or hear no
steam, the problem may not b'e too serious. Sometimes
the engine can get a little too hot when you:
Cbb a long hill on a hot day.
' Stop after high-speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
Tow a trailer.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or so:
1. If you have an air conditioner, turn it off.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window as necessary.
3. If you're in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while
driving
-- AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D)
for automatic transaxles. ;+, 1; , !, -.,.r., . .-I? ,*:, I,3 : 1 I' ' . . :4?,+ . .I .
If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can
drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about 10 minutes.
If the warning doesn't come back on, you can drive
normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there's still no sign of steam, you can idle the engine
for two or three minutes while you're parked, to see
if
the warning stops. But then, if you still have the
warning,
turn ojf the engine and get everyone out of the
vehicle
until it cools down.
You may decide not .to lift the hood but to get service
help right 'away.
5-13
ProCarManuals.com

6!!l CAUTION:
~~~ ~
Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
parts, can be very hot. Don’t touch them.
If you
do, you can be. burned.
Donst run the engine
if there is a leak. If you run
the engine, it could
lose all coolant. That coulld
cause an engine
fire, and you could be burned.
Get
any leak fixed before you drive the vehicle.
without coolant isn’t covered
by your warranty.
If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check to
see if the electric engine fan is running. If the engine is
overheating, the fan should be running. If it isn’t, your
vehicle needs service.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant Surge
Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant level
isn’t at
or above FULL COLD, add a 50150 mixture of
clean water (preferably distilled) and DEX-COOL
antifreeze at the coolant surge tank, but be sure the
cooling
system, including the coolant surge tank
pressure cap,
is COO^ before you do it, (See “Engine
Coolant” in the Index for more infomati .) - --
I
Steam and scalding liquids from a hot cooling
system can blow out and burn you badly. They
are under pressure, and
if you turn the coolant
surge tank pressure cap
-- even a little -- they
can come out at high speed. Never turn the cap
when the cooling
system, including the coolant
surge tank pressure
cap, is hot. Wait for the
cooling system and coolant
surge tank pressure.
cap to cool if you ever have to turn the pressure
cap.
5-16
ProCarManuals.com

‘ Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will fiid information about the care of your
Pontiac.
This section begins with service and fuel
infomation, and then it shows how to check important fluid
and lubricant levels. There is
also technical information
about
your vehicle, and a part devoted to its appearance care.
Service
Your Pontiac dealer knows your vehicle best and wants
you
to be happy with it. We hope you’ll go to your
dealer for all your service needs.
You’ll get genuine GM
parts and GM-trained and supported service people.,
We hope you’ll want to keep your
GM vehicle all GM.
Genuine GM parts have one
of these marks:
Doing Your Own Service Work
If you want to do some of your own service work, you’ll
want to get the proper Pontiac Service Manual. It tells
you much more about
how to service your Pontiac than
this manual can.
To order the proper service manual, see
“Service and Owner Publications” in the Index.
Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting to
do your own service work, see “Servicing Your Air
Bag-Equipped Pontiac” in
the Index.
You should keep
a record with all parts receipts and list
the mileage and the date
of any service work you
perform. See “Maintenance Record” in the Index.
6-1
ProCarManuals.com

A CAUTION:
You can be injured and your vehicle could be
damaged if you try to do service work on a
vehicle without knowing enough about it.
Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, and the proper replacement
parts and tools before you attempt any
vehicle maintenance task.
Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts and
other fasteners. “English” and “metric”
fasteners can be easily confused. If
you use
the wrong fasteners, parts can later break
or fall off. You could be hurt.
,, ~
Fuel
Use regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or
higher.
At a minimum, it should meet specifications
ASTM D4814 in the United States and CGSB 3.5-M93
in Canada. Improved gasoline specifications have been
developed by the American Automobile Manufacturers
Association
(AAMA) for better vehicle performance
and engine protection. Gasolines meeting the AAMA specification could provide improved driveability and
emission control system protection compared to other
gasolines.
Be ,sure the posted octane
is at least 87. If the octane-is
less
than 87, you may get a heavy knocking noise when
you drive. If it’s bad enough, it can damage your engine.
If you’re using fuel rated at 87 octane or higher and you
still hear heavy knocking, your’engine needs service.
But don’t worry if you hear a little pinging noise when
you’re accelerating
or driving up a hill. That’s normal,
and you don’t have to buy a higher octane fuel to get rid
of pinging. It’s the heavy, constant knock that means
you have a problem.
If your vehicle is certified to meet California Emission
Standards (indicated on
the underhood tune-up label),
it is designed to operate
on fuels that meet California
specifications. If such fuels
are not available in states
adopting California
emissions standards, your vehicle
will operate satisfactorily
on fuels meeting federal
specifications, but emission control system performance
may be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp
on
you instrument panel may turn on and/or your vehicle
may fail a smog-check test.
If this occurs, return to your
authorized Pontiac dealer for diagnosis to determine the
cause of failure.
In the event it is determined that the
cause
sf the condition is the type of fuels used, repairs
may not be covered
by your warranty.
ProCarManuals.com

In Canada, some gasolines contain an octane enhancing additive called MMT.
If you use such fuels, your
emission control system performance may deteriorate and the malfunction indicator lamp on your instrument
panel may turn
on. If this happens, return to your
authorized
Pontiac dealer for service.
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines are now required to
contain additives that will help prevent deposits from
forming in your engine and fuel system, allowing your
emission control system to function properly. Therefore,
you should not have to add anything to the fuel.
In
addition, gasolines containing oxygenates, such as ethers
and ethanol, and reformulated gasolines may be
available
in your area to help clean the air. General
Motors recommends that you use these gasolines if they
comply with the specifications described earlier.
NOTICE:
Your vehicle was not designed for fuel that
contains methanol. Don’t use it. It can corrode
metal parts in your fuel system and also damage
plastic and rubber parts. That damage wouldn’t
be covered under your warranty.
Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another country outside the
United States or Canada, the proper fuel may be hard to
find. Never use leaded gasoline
or any other fuel not
recommended in the previous text on fuel. Costly repairs
caused by use of improper fuel wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
To check on fuel availability, ask an auto club, or
contact a major oil company .that does business
in the
country where you’ll be driving.
You can also write us at the following address for
advice. Just tell us where you’re going and give your
Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN).
General Motors Overseas Distribution Corporation,
North American Export Sales .(NAES)
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario
L1H 8P7
ProCarManuals.com

When to Change Engine Oil
See if any one of these is true for you:
0 Most trips are less than 5 to 10 miles (8 to 16 km).
This is particularly important when outside
temperatures
are below freezing.
0 Most trips include extensive idling (such as frequent
driving in stop-and-go traffic).
Most trips are through dusty areas.
0 You frequently tQw a trailer or use a carrier on top of
your vehicle.
or other commercial application.
The vehicle is used for delivery service, police, taxi
Driving under these conditions causes engine oil to
break down sooner. If any one of these is true for your
vehicle, then you need to change your oil and filter
every
3,000 miles (5 000 km) or 3 months -- whichever
occurs first.
If none
of them is true, change the oil and filter every
7,500 miles (12 500 km) or 12 months -- whichever
occurs first. Driving a vehicle with a fully warmed
engine under highway conditions causes engine
oil to
break down slower.
What to Do with Used Oil
Did you know that used engine oil contains certain
elements that may be unhealthy for your skin and could
even cause cancer? Don’t
let used oil stay on your skin
for very long. Clean your skin and nails with soap and
water,
or a good hand cleaner. Wash or properly throw ‘
away clothing or rags containing used engine oil. (See
the manufacturer’s warnings about the use and disposal
of
oil products.)
Used oil can be a real threat to the environment.
If you
change your own oil, be sure to drain all free-flowing oil
from the filter before disposal. Don’t ever dispose of oil
by putting it in the trash, pouring it on the ground, into
sewers, or into streams or bodies
of water. Instead,
recycle
it by taking it to a place that collects used oil. If
you have a problem properly disposing of your used oil,
ask your dealer, a service station or a local recycling
center for help.
6-15
ProCarManuals.com

Air Cleaner
The air cleaner is located on the driver’s side of the
engine compartment.
1. Remove the screws that hold the cover on.
2. Lift off the cover.
3. Reinstall the air cleaner fi
tightly. lter
and replace
the cover Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when to
replace the air filter.
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services”
in the Index.
Operating the engine with the air cleaner off can
cause
you or others to be burned, The air cleaner
not only cleans the air, it stops flame if the engine
backfires.
If it isn’t there, and the engine
backfires,
you could be burned. Don’t drive with
it off, and be careful working on the engine with
the air cleaner off.
I NOTICE:
If the air cleaner is off, a backfire can cause a
damaging engine fire. And, dirt can easily get
into your engine, which will damage it. Always
have the air cleaner in place when you’re driving.
6-16
ProCarManuals.com