See your Pontiac dealer or a locksmith who can service
the PASS-Key
I1 to have a new key made.
If you’re ever driving and the SECURITY light comes
on and remains on, you will
be able to restart your
engine
if you turn it off. Your PASS-Key I1 system,
however,
is not working properly and must be serviced
by your Pontiac dealer. Your vehicle is not protected by
the PASS-Key
I1 system.
If you lose or damage a PASS-Key I1 ignition key,
see your Pontiac dealer or a locksmith
who can service
PASS-Key
I1 to have a new key made. In an emergency,
call the Pontiac Roadside Assistance Center
at
l-SOO-ROADSI~, or 1-800-762-3743.
New Vehicle CCBreak-In”
NOTICE:
Your modern Pontiac doesn’t need an elaborate
“break-in.” But it will perform better in the long
run if you follow these guidelines:
Don’t drive at any one speed -- fast or
slow
-- for the first 500 miles (805 km).
Don’t make full-throttle starts.
200 miles (322 km) or so. During this time
your new brake linings aren’t yet broken
in. Hard stops with new linings can mean
premature wear and earlier replacement.
Follow
this breaking-in guideline every
time you get new brake linings.
See “Towing
a Trailer” in the Index for
more information.
Avoid making hard stops for the first
Don’t tow a trailer during break-in.
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NOTICE:
If your key seems stuck in LOCK and you can’t
turn
it, be sure you are using the correct key; if
so, is it all the way in? If it is, then turn the
steering wheel left and right while you turn the
key hard. But turn the key only with your hand.
Using
a tool to force it could break the key or th’e
ignition switch.
If none of this works, then your
vehicle needs service.
Key Reminder Warning
If you leave your key in the ignition, in the OFF
position, you will hear a warning tone when you open
the driver’s door.
Retained Accessory Power
If you have this option, after you turn your ignition off
and even remove the key, you will
still have electrical
power to such accessories as the radio and power
windows for up
to 10 minutes. But if you open a door,
the power is turned off.
Starting Your Engine
Move your shift lever to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N).
Your engine won’t start in any other position
-- that’s a
safety feature.
To restart when you’re already moving,
use
NEUTRAL (N) only.
I
NOTICE:
Don’t try to shift to PARK (P) if your Pontiac
is moving.
If you do, you could damage the
transaxle. Shift to
PARK (P) only when your
vehicle is stopped.
Starting Your 3800 Series I1 Engine
1. Without pushing the accelerator pedal, turn your
ignition key to
START. When the engine starts, let
go of the key. The idle speed will go down as your
engine gets warm.
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NOTICE:
Holding your key in START for longer than
15 seconds at a time will cause your battery to
be drained much sooner. And the excessive heat
can damage
your starter motor.
2. If it doesn’t start right away, hold your key in
START for about three to five seconds at a time until
your engine starts. Wait about
15 seconds between
each try to help avoid draining your battery.
3. If your engine still won’t start (or starts but then
stops), it could be flooded with too much gasoline.
Try pushing your accelerator pedal all the way to the
floor and holding
it there as you hold the key in
START for about three seconds. If the vehicle starts
briefly
but then stops again, do the same thing, but
this time keep the pedal down for five or six seconds.
This clears the extra gasoline from the engine.
After
waiting about 15 seconds, repeat the normal
starting procedure.
NOTICE:
Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle. If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the way
the engine operates. Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your dealer.
If you don’t,
your engine might not perform properly.
If you ever have to have your vehicle towed, see
the part
of this manual that tells how to do it
without damaging your vehicle. See “Towing
Your Vehicle” in the Index.
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r
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can
roll.
Don’t leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured. To be sure your
vehicle won’t move, even when you’re on fairly
level ground, always
set your parking brake and
move the shift lever
to PARK (P).
See “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in the Index. If
you’re pulling a trailer, see “Towing a Trailer” in
the Index. Ensure
the shift lever is fully in PARK
(P) range before
starting the engine. Your Pontiac has a brake-transaxle
shift interlock. You have to fully
apply your regular
brakes
before you can shift from PARK (P) when the
ignition key is in an on position. If you cannot shift out
of PARK (P), ease pressure on the shift lever
-- push the
shift lever all the way into
PARK (P) and also release
the shift lever button
on floor shift console models as
you maintain brake application. Then move the shift lever into the gear you wish. (Press the shift lever button
before moving the shift lever on floor shift console
models.) See “Shifting Out of PARK
(P)” later in
this section.
REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
I NOTICE:
Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle is
moving forward could damage your transaxle.
Shift to
REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle
is stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out’of snow,
ice or sand without damaging your transaxle, see
“Stuck: In
Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow” in the Index.
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Windshield Wipers
The windshield wipers are controlled by turning the
band marked WIPER.
For a single wiping cycle, turn the band to MIST. Hold
it there until the wipers start, then let
go. The wipers will
stop after one cycle. If you want more cycles, hold the
band on MIST longer. For
steady wiping at low speed, turn the band away
from you to the
LO position. For high-speed wiping turn
the band further, to
HI. To stop the wipers, move the
band to
OFF.
The wiper speed may be set for a long or short delay
between wipes. This can be very useful
in light rain or
snow. Turn the band to choose the delay time. The
closer to
LO, the shorter the delay.
Heavy snow or ice can overload your wiper motor.
A
circuit breaker will stop the motor until it cools. Clear
away snow or ice to prevent an overload.
Keep in mind that damaged wiper blades may prevent
you from seeing well enough to drive safely. To avoid
damage, be sure to clear ice and snow from the wiper
blades before using them.
If your blades do become
damaged, get new blades or blade inserts.
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Convenience Net (Option)
Your vehicle may have a convenience net. You’ll see it
just inside the back wall of the trunk.
Put small loads, like grocery bags, behind the net.
It can
help keep them from falling
over during sharp turns or
quick starts
and stops. For heavier loads, store them in
the trunk as far forward as you can.
You can unhook the net so that it will lie flat when
you’re not using
it.
Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter
To use a lighter, just push the center in all the way and
let it go. When it is ready, the center will pop back by
itself. Pull out the entire unit to use it.
I NOTICE:
Don’t hold a cigarette lighter in with your hand
while it is heating.
If you do, it won’t be able to
back away from the heating element when it’s
ready. That can make it overheat, damaging the
lighter and the heating element.
Lift the cover to reveal the front ashtray.
To clean the ashtray, lift it out by pulling on the snuffer.
On models without a console, there’s an
ashtray/cupholder under the instrument panel.
To clean
the ashtray, lift it out by pulling up
on the tabs on either
side. It snaps back into place.
To open the rear ashtrays, lift the cover.
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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 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 (a)
This light should come on
when you turn the key to
START. 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 and chime come 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 for service. (See “Towing
Your Vehicle” in the Index.)
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 after you’ve
pulled off the road and stopp,ed 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 you try to drive off with the parking brake set, a
chime will
also come on until you release the parking
brake.
If the light and chime stay on after your parking
brake is fully released, it means
you have a brake problem.
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Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
With the anti-lock brake
system, the light(s) will
come
on when you start
your engine and
may stay
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.
If the light stays on, turn
the ignition to OFF. Or, if the
light comes 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 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 section.
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