
L
Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
For example,
these symbols
are used on an
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
ACID COULD BATTERY
CAUSE
BURNS
AVOID
SPARKS
OR
FLAMES
SPARK
OR ,111,
COULD FLAME
EXPLODE BATTERY
These symbols are important
for you and
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle
is
driven:'
DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK
FASTEN SEAT
BELTS
These symbols
have to
do with
your lamps:
SIGNALS e
TURN
FOG LAMPS # 0
These symbols
are on some
of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
VENTILATING
(
FAN
These symbols
are used on
warning and
indicator lights:
COOLANT -
TEMP -
CHARGING I-1
BAllERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE
(a)
COOLANT
a
ENGINE OIL
PRESSURE
-4
ANTI-LOCK (@)
BRAKES
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
t
LIGHTER a
HORN )tr
SPEAKER
b
FUEL p3
V
ProCarManuals.com

Section 2 Features and Controls
Here you can learn about the many standard and optional features on your Pontiac, and information on starting,
shifting and braking. Also explained are the instrument panel and the warning systems that tell you if everything
is
working properly -- and what to do if you have a problem.
2-2
2-4
2-9
2- 14
2-16
* 2-16
2-18
2-19
2-20
2-2
1
2-23
2-24
2-28
2-29
2-30
2-33
2-33
2-34 Keys
Door Locks
Remote Keyless Entry Trunk
Theft
Universal Theft-Deterrent
PASS-Key@
I1
New Vehicle “Break-In”
Ignition Positions
Starting
Your Engine
Engine Coolant Heater
Automatic Transaxle Operation Computer Command Ride
Parking Brake
Shifting Into PARK (P)
Shifting Out of PARK (P)
Parking Over Things That Bum
Engine Exhaust 2-34
2-3
5
2-3 6
2-36
2-37
1 2-43
~ 2-46
2-48
2-50
2-55
2-56
2-56
2-57
2-5 8
2-64
2-77
2-80
2-82 Running
Your Engine While You’re Parked
Windows
Horn
Tilt Wheel
Turn SignalMultifunction Lever
Exterior Lamps
Interior Lamps
Mirrors
Storage Compartments
Sun Visors
Air Inflator
System
Accessory Power Outlet
Sunroof
Instrument Panel
Warning Lights, Gages
and Indicators
Head-Up Display
Driver Information Center
Electronic Compass
2-.l
ProCarManuals.com

Ignition Positions
C
A E
With the ignition key in the ignition switch, you can turn
the switch to five positions.
ACCESSORY (A): An on position in which you can
operate your electrical power accessories. Press in the
ignition switch as you
turn the top of it toward you.
LOCK (B): The only position in which you can
remove the key. This locks your steering wheel, ignition
and transaxle.
OFF (C): Unlocks the steering wheel, ignition and
transaxle, but does not send electrical power to any
accessories. Use this position if your vehicle must be
pushed
or towed, but never try to push-start your
vehicle.
A warning chime will sound if you open the
driver’s door when the ignition
is OFF and the key is in
the ignition.
RUN (D): An on position to which the switch returns
after you start your engine and release the switch. The
switch stays in the RUN position when the engine is
running. But even when the engine is not running, you
can use RUN
to operate your electrical power
accessories, and
to display some instrument panel
warning lights.
START (E): Starts the engine. When the engine starts,
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.
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Performance Shifting (Option) Computer Command Ride (Option)
Vehicles equipped with computer command ride provide
improved passenger ride comfort under a variety of road
and driving conditions.
For normal driving conditions, press the
TOURING
RIDE button to get a more refined comfortable ride.
When driving conditions require improved handling,
press the
PERFORM RIDE button to get a firm ride.
This mode minimizes how much the passenger
compartment leans in turns, and decreases the
up-and-down motion
of the front and rear of the vehicle
during acceleration
or braking.
Press
PERFORM SHIFT to allow the transaxle to
shift at higher engine speeds, increasing acceleration
performance.
An indicator light on the switch will glow
when performance shifting is in operation.
Downshifts will occur at a lower percentage of accelerator
application while you're
in the PERFORM SHIFT' mode,
Press NORMAL
SHIFT to have the transaxle shift at
lower engine speeds, increasing fuel economy. An
indicator light
on the switch will glow when normal
shifting
is in operation. Note
that even
in the TOURING RIDE mode, the
system will adjust to rapid cornering, acceleration
or
braking.
If the computer command ride detects a problem in the
system, the lights
on the TOURING RIDE and
PERFORM RIDE buttons will both come on. If this
happens, have
your vehicle serviced.
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ProCarManuals.com

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.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well your cruise control will work on hills depends
upon your speed, load and the steepness
of the hills.
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 drivers 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:
0 Step lightly on the brake pedal; or
0 Move the cruise switch to OFF.
Erasing Speed Memory
When you turn off the cruise control or the ignition,
your cruise control set speed memory is erased.
Exterior Lamps
Headlamps
Pull the switch to the first
stop to turn on the:
Parking Lamps
Sidemarker Lamps
0 Taillamps
Pull the switch out all the way to turn on the headlamps,
together with:
Parking Lamps
0 Sidemarker Lamps
0 Taillamps
0 Instrument Panel Lights
Push the switch in all the way to turn all the lamps off.
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ProCarManuals.com

Twilight Sentinel Also, it's possible that your headlamps may go out if
you drive from a dark area into a bright area like a
fish in the headlamp switch
lighted parking lot.
If this happens, turn on your
to turn your headlamps
off. headlamps with the regular headlamp switch,
Turn the twilight sentinel
knob located behind
the headlamp switch
Instrument Panel Intensity/Brightness
toward MAX.
Interior Lamps
Control
You can brighten or dim your instrument cluster lights
by turning the headlamp switch. Turn the switch
clockwise to brighten the instrument cluster lights
and
displays. Turn the switch clockwise all the way to turn
on the interior courtesy lamps. Turn the switch
counterclockwise to dim the instrument cluster lights
and displays and
to turn off the courtesy lamps.
At
night, you can turn off all exterior lamps when you
are in PARK (P) by moving the twilight sentinel
control
all the way to MIN. If it was on MIN, move
the control to the right to turn it on, then back to MIN.
The lamps will come back on when you turn the knob
toward MAX.
Twilight sentinel will keep your headlamps on for up
to three minutes, to light your way when you leave
your vehicle.
To operate twilight sentinel, turn the control to MAX for
the three minute delay. Tm it the other way to reduce the
delay.
Turn the control to MIN to turn twilight sentinel off.
Delayed Illumination
When you open the door to enter your vehicle, the
interior lamps will corne on. When you close the door
with the ignition
off, the interior lamps will stay on for
25 seconds or until the ignition is turned to an on
position. Pleas'e note that locking the doors will override
the delayed illumination feature and
the lamps will turn
off right away.
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ProCarManuals.com

Theater Dimming
This feature allows for a three to five-second fade out
of the courtesy lamps instead
of immediate turn off.
Exit Lighting
With this feature, the interior lamps will come on for
25 seconds after you remove the key from the ignition.
This will give you time to find the door pull handle
or
lock switches as you exit the vehicle.
Illuminated Entry (Option) Front Reading Lamps
These lamps and
the
interior courtesy lamps
will come
on when you
open the doors.
When you press the unlock button on the optional
Remote Keyless Entry transmitter, the lamps inside your
TO turn on a reading lamp when the doors are closed,
vehicle will go
on. These lamps will go off after about press either switch. Press it again to turn the lamp off.
25 seconds, or when you start your engine. Pressing the
lock button on your Remote Keyless Entry transmitter
will turn the lights immediately off.
If a door is left ajar, your interior lamps will turn off
after
10 minutes to save your battery.
To avoid draining your vehicle’s battery, be sure to turn
off the reading lamps when leaving your vehicle.
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ProCarManuals.com

Electrochromic DaylNight Rearview Mirror (Option)
Your Pontiac may have an automatic electrochromic
dayjnight rearview mirror.
This mirror automatically changes
to reduce glare from
headlamps behind you. A photocell on the back of the
mirror senses when it is becoming dark outside. Another
photocell built into the mirror surface senses when
headlamps are behind you.
At night, when the glare is too high, the mirror will
gradually darken to reduce glare (this change may take a
few seconds). The mirror
will return to its clear daytime
state when the glare is reduced. Press the button at the base
of the mirror to turn on the
automatic feature. The button has an indicator light to
show it is on. Press the button
again to turn the
automatic feature
off.
Time Delay
The automatic mirror has a time delay feature which
prevents unnecessary switching from the night back to
the day position. This delay prevents rapid changing of
the mirror as you drive under lights and through traffic.
Reverse Gear Day Mode
The reverse day mode is another important feature of the
electrochromic mirror. When you shift into
REVERSE
(R), the mirror changes to the day mode. This gives you
a bright image in the mirror as you back
up.
Cleaning the Photocells
Use a cotton swab and glass cleaner to clean the
photocells when necessary.
Manual Remote Control Mirror
The outside rearview mirror should be adjusted so you
can just see the side of your vehicle when you
are sitting
in
a comfortable driving position.
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