1996 PONTIAC PONTIAC service

DRIVE (D): This position is for normal driving.
If you vehicle has overdrive, DRIVE (D) is the
overdrive position. If you need more power for passing,
0 Going less than 35 mph (55 km/h), push your
0 Going about 35 mph (55 kmk) or more, push the
You'll shift down to the next
gear and have more power.'
and you":
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
accelerator pedal all the way down.
THIRD (3): This position is also used for normal
driving, but
it offers more power and lower fuel
economy than
DRIVE (D).
Here are some times you might choose THIRD (3)
instead of DRIVE (D):
0 . When driving on hilly, winding roads.
0 When towing a trailer, so there is less shifting
0 When going down a steep hill.
between gears.
NOTICE:
'If your vehicle seems to startup rather slowly, or
if it seems
not to.sMft gears is you go faster,
something may be wrong with
a transaxle system
,sensor. If you drive very far that way, your
vehicle can
be damaged. So, if this happens; have
your vehicle serviced right away. Until'then,
you
can use SECOND (2) when you are driving less
than
35 mph (55 kmh) and DRn7E (D) for
higher speeds.
ProCarManuals.com

Air Bag Readiness Light
There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument
pqel, which shows
SRS AIR BAG or the air bag symbol.
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 sensors,
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.
SRS 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.
Charging System Light
Ifl
The charging system light
will come on briefly when
you turn on the ignition,
as a check to show you
it's working. Then
it should
go out.
If it stays on, or comes on while you are driving, you
may have a problem with the charging system. It could
indicate
that you have a loose drive belt or ansther
electrical problem. Have it checked right away. Driving
while this light is on could drain your battery.
If you must drive a short distance with the light on, be
certain to turn
off all your accessories, such as the radio
and air conditioner.
ProCarManuals.com

Brake System Warning Light
Your Pontiac's hydraulic brake system is divided into
two pats. If one part isn't working, the other pa;t.can
still work and stop you. For
good braking, though, you
need both parts working 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 on
briefly when you turn the
ignition 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; or if the anti-lock brake system warning light
is flashing,
have
the vehicle towed
for service. (See "Anti-Lock Brake
System Warning Light" and "Towing Your 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 or if the
anti-lock brake system warning light
is flashing
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 brake doesn't release
fully.
If it stays on after your parking brake is fdly
released,
it means you have a brake problem.
ProCarManuals.com

Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light (Option)
(@)
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 flashes when you’re ( ving, you don’t have
anti-lock brakes and there could be a problem with your
regular brakes. 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.
Have the vehicle towed for service. (See ‘Towing Your
Vehicle’’ in the Index.)
A CAUTION:
I
Your regular brake system may not be working
properly if the anti-lock brake system warning
light is flashing. Driving with the anti-lock
brake system warning light flashing can lead to
an accident. After you’ve pulled
off the road
and stopped carefully, have the vehicle towed
for service.
If the anti-lock brake system warning light stays on
longer than normal after you’ve started your engine, turn
the ignition
off. Or, if the light comes on and stays on
when you’re driving, stop as soon as possible and turn
the ignition
off. Then start the engine again to reset the
system.
If the light still stays on, or comes on again
while you’re driving, your Pontiac needs service.
If the
light
is on but not flashing and the regular brake system
warning light isn’t on, you still have brakes, but you
don’t have anti-lock brakes.
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.
ProCarManuals.com

Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
You have a gage that shows
the engine coolant temperature.
If the gage
pointer moves into the red
area,
your engine is too hot!
Low Coolant Warning Light
LOW
COOLANT
If this light comes on, your
system
is low on coolant
and the engine may
overheat. See “Engine
Coolant” in the Index
and
have your vehicle serviced
as soon as you can.
That reading means the same thing as the warning light.
It means that your engine coolant has overheated.
If you
have been ‘operating your vehicle under normal driving
conditions, you should pull off the road, stop your
vehicle and turn
off the engine as soon as possible.
In “Problems on the Road,” this manual shows what to
do. S’ee “Engine Overheating” in the Index.
ProCarManuals.com

Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Service Engine Soon Light)
SERVICE
ENGINE SOON
Your Pontiac is equipped
with
a computer which
monitors operation
of the
fuel, ignition and emission
control
systems.
This system is called OBD I1 (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) and
is intended
to assure
that emissions are at acceptable levels for
the life
of the vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner
environment.
(In Canada, OBD 11 is replaced by
Enhanced Diagnostics.) The
SERVICE ENGINE SOON
light comes on to indicate that there is a problem and
service is required. Malfunctions often will be indicated
by the system
before any problem is apparent, which
may prevent more serious
damage to your vehicle. This
system is also designed to assist your s~ewice technician
NOTICE:
If you keep driving your vehicle with this light
on, after a
while, your emission controls may not
work
as well, your fuel economy may not be as
good and your engine may not run as smoothly.
This could lead to costly repairs that may not be
covered by your warranty.
This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when
the ignition is on and the engine is not
running. If the light doesn't come on, Gave it repaired.
This light will also come on during a malfunction in one
of two ways:
fight Flashing -- A misfire condition has been
detected.
A misfire increases vehicle emissions and
may damage the epission control system on your
vehicle. Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis
and service
is required.
Light On Steady -- An emission control system
malfunction
has been detected on your vehicle.
Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis and
service may
be required.
-52
ProCarManuals.com

If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
If the Light Is On Steady
0 Reduce vehicle speed.
0 Avoid hard accelerations.
0 Avoid steep uphill grades.
0 If towing a trailer, reduce the amount of cargo ,being
hauled as soon as it is possible.
If the light stops flashing and remains
on steady, see “If
the Light Is On Steady” following.
If
the light continues to flash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Put your vehicle in PARK (P). Turn the
key off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart the engine.
If the light remains on steady, see “If the Light Is On
Steady” following.
If the light is still flashing, follow the
previous steps, and drive the vehicle to your dealer or
qualified service center for service.
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you just put fuel into your vehicle?
If
so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. The diagnostic system can determine if the fuel
cap has been left off or improperly installed.
This will
allow
fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere. A few
driving trips should turn the light off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If
so, your electrical system,.may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out. A few driving trips should turn the light
off.
Are you low on fuel?
As your engine 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.
2-53
ProCarManuals.com

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
turn 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.
Oil Warnine Light
If you have a problem with
your oil, this light my stay
on after you start your
engine, or come on when
you are driving.
This indicates that oil is not going through your engine
quickly enough to keep
it lubricated. The engine could
be low on oil
or could have some other oil problem.
Have it fixed right away.
The oil light could also come
on in two other situations:
When the ignition is on but the engine is not running,
the light will come on as
a test to show you it is
working, but the light will go out when you turn the
ignition to START. If it doesn’t come on with the
ignition
on, you may have a problem with the fuse or
bulb. Have
it fixed right away,
2-54 5
ProCarManuals.com