1997 PONTIAC GRAND AM steering wheel

Tilt Wheel (If Equipped) Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
A tilt steering wheel allows you to adjust the steering
wheel before
you drive.
You can also raise it to the highest level to give your
legs more room when
you exit and enter the vehicle.
To tilt the wheel, hold the steering wheel and pull the
lever. Move the steering wheel to a Comfortable level,
then release the lever to lock the wheel in place. The lever on the left
side of the steering column
includes your:
Turn Signal and Lane Change Indicator
0 Headlamp HighLow Beam Changer
Cruise Control (If Equipped)
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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.
To clean the center console ashtray, remove the ashtray
and empty it. The ashtray can be placed
in the rear
cupholder for the rear passengers to use. The ashtray can
also be placed inside the center console for storage.
When the ashtray
is removed, you can also use this tray
as a cupholder. The ashtray can be stored in the center
console storage area when not in use.
NOTICE:
Don’t put papers and other things that burn into
your ashtrays. If
you do, cigarettes or other
smoking materials could set them
on fire,
causing damage.
Sun Visors
To block out glare, you can swing down the visors. You
can also swing them to the side.
Your vehicle may also have a plastic extension which
pulls out of the main visor to increase protection
from glare.
Visor Vanity Mirror
Open the cover to expose the vanity mirror.
Accessory Power Outlet
If you have an accessory power outlet, you can plug in
an additional electrical accessory. The outlet is located
on the instrument panel to the right of the steering
wheel. Be sure to follow the proper installation
instructions that are included with any electrical
equipment you install. The accessory power outlet is
protected by a fuse and has a maximum current level.
Litter Bag Hook
There is a litter bag hook located on the front passenger
side
of the center console storage area.
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Your instrument 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 SignalMultifunction Lever
D. Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
E. Hazard Warning Flashers Switch
E Instrument Cluster
G. Windshield WipersNasher Stalk
H. Audio System
I. Side Window Defogger Vent
J. Glove Box
K. Climate Control System L. Gear Shift Lever
M. Cupholder/Ashtray
(If Equipped)
N. Enhanced Traction System (ETS) Switch
0. Accessory Power Outleaighter (If Equipped)
(If Equipped)
P. Ignition Switch
Q. Tilt Steering Wheel Lever (If Equipped)
R. Fog Lamp Switch
S. Instrument Panel Intensity Controlhterior
Lamps Switch
T. Hood Release Handle
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Section 3 Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
In this section, you’ll find out how to operate the comfort control and audio systems offered with your Pontiac. Be
sure to read about the particular systems supplied with your vehicle.
3-2
3-2
3-3 3-5
3-5
3-6 3-6
3-7
3-8 3-8
3-8
3-10 Comfort Controls
Climate Control System
Climate Control System with
Air
Conditioning
Air Conditioning
Heating
Defrosting and Defogging
Rear Window Defogger (If Equipped)
Ventilation System
Audio Systems
Setting the Clock for AM-FM Stereo
Setting the Clock for All Systems Except
AM-FM Stereo
AM-FM Stereo with Cassette Tape Player
(If Equipped) 3-13
3-17
3-19
3-2
1
3-23
3-23
3-24
3
-25
3-26
3-26 AM-FM
Stereo with Cassette Tape Player and
Equalizer
(If Equipped)
AM-FM Stereo with Compact Disc Player and
Equalizer (If Equipped)
Remote Cassette Tape Player
(If Equipped)
Theft-Deterrent Feature
Steering Wheel Controls (If Equipped)
Understanding Radio Reception
Tips About Your Audio System
Care of Your Cassette Tape Player
Care of Your Compact Discs
Fixed Mast Antenna
3-1

Steering Wheel Controls (If Equipped)
If your vehicle has this feature, you can control certain
radio functions using the buttons on your steering wheel.
SEEK: Press the up arrow to tune to the next radio
station and the down arrow to tune to the previous radio
station.
If a cassette tape or compact disc is playing, the
player will advance with the up arrow and rewind with
the down arrow.
AM-FM: Press this button to choose AM, FM1 or FM
2. If a cassette tape or compact disc is playing, it will
stop and the radio will play.
PRESET Press this button to play a station you have
programmed on the radio preset buttons.
PLAY: Press this button to play a cassette tape or
compact disc when the radio is playing.
MUTE: Press this button to silence the system. Press it
again, or any other radio button, to turn
on the sound.
VOL: Press the up or down arrow to increase or
decrease volume.
Understanding Radio Reception
FM Stereo
FM stereo will give you the best sound. But FM signals
will reach only about
10 to 40 miles (16 to 65 km). Tall
buildings or hills can interfere with FM signals, causing
the sound to come and go.
AM
The range for most AM stations is greater than for FM,
especially at night. The longer range, however, can
cause stations to interfere with each other.
AM can pick
up noise from things like storms and power lines. Try
reducing the treble to reduce this noise if you ever get it.
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Braking in Emergencies
With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help you more
than even the very best braking.
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer but
it will take much more effort.
Variable Effort Steering (If Equipped)
This steering system provides lighter steering effort for
parking and at low vehicle speeds. Steering effort will
increase at higher speeds for improved road feel.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It’s important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on
the news happen on curves. Here’s why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to
the same laws
of physics when driving on curves. The
traction of the tires against the road surface makes it possible for the vehicle to change its path
when you turn
the front wheels. If there’s no traction, inertia will keep
the vehicle going in the same direction. If you’ve ever
tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you’ll understand this.
The traction you can get
in a curve depends on the
condition of your tires and the road surface, the angle at
which the curve is banked, and your speed. While you’re
in a curve, speed is the one factor you can control.
Suppose you’re steering through a sharp curve.
Then you suddenly accelerate.
Both control
systems
-- steering and acceleration -- have to do their .-
work where the tires meet the road. Adding the sudden
acceleration can demand too much of those places. You
can lose control. Refer to “Enhanced Traction System”
in the Index.
What should you do
if this ever happens? Ease up on the
accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way you want it
to
go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should
adjust your speed. Of course, the posted speeds are
based on good weather and road conditions. Under less
favorable conditions you’ll want to go slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you approach a
curve, do it before you enter the curve, while your front
wheels are straight ahead.
4-11

Try to adjust your speed so you can “drive” through the
curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate until you are out of the curve, and then
accelerate gently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective than
braking. For example, you come over
a hill and find a
truck stopped
in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls out
from nowhere, or a child darts out from between parked
cars and stops right
in front of you. You can avoid these
problems by braking
-- if you can stop in time. But
sometimes you can’t; there isn’t room. That’s the time \
for
evasive action
-- steering around the problem.
Your Pontiac can perform very well in emergencies like
these. First apply your brakes. (See “Braking in
Emergencies” earlier in this section.) It is better to
remove as much speed as you can from
a possible
collision. Then steer around the problem, to the left
or
right depending on the space available. An
emergency like this requires close attention and a
quick decision.
If you are holding the steering wheel at
the recommended
9 and 3 o’clock positions, you can
turn
it a full 180 degrees very quickly without removing
either hand. But you have to act fast, steer quickly, and
just as quickly straighten the wheel once you have
avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency situations are always
possible is a good reason to practice defensive driving at
all times and wear safety belts properly.
4-12

Off-Road Recovery
You may find sometime that your right wheels have
dropped off the edge
of a road onto the shoulder while
you’re driving.
If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the
pavement, recovery should be fairly easy. Ease
off the
accelerator and then,
if there is nothing in the way, steer so
that your vehicle straddles the edge of the pavement. You
can turn the steering wheel up to one-quarter
turn until the
right front tire contacts the pavement edge.
Then turn your
steering wheel to go straight down the roadway.
Passing
The driver of a vehicle about to pass another on a
two-lane highway waits for just the right moment,
accelerates, moves around the vehicle ahead, then goes
back into the right lane again.
A simple maneuver?
Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle on a two-lane
highway
is a potentially dangerous move, since the
passing vehicle occupies the same lane as oncoming
traffic for several seconds.
A miscalculation, an error in
judgment, or a brief surrender to frustration or anger can
suddenly put the passing driver face to face with the
worst of all traffic accidents
-- the head-on collision.
So here are some tips for passing:
“Drive ahead.” Look down the road, to the sides and to
crossroads for situations that might affect your passing
patterns. If
you have any doubt whatsoever about
making a successful pass, wait for a better time.
Watch for traffic signs, pavement markings and lines.
If you can see a sign up ahead that might indicate a
turn or an intersection, delay your pass. A broken
center line usually indicates it’s all right to pass
(providing the road ahead is clear). Never cross
a solid
line on your side of the lane or a double solid line,
even
if the road seems empty of approaching traffic.
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