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Check Tire Pressure Light
CHECK
TIRE
PRESS
With the check tire pressure
system, after you’ve driven
10 to 20 miles (1 5 to 30 km)
the CHECK TIRE PRESS
light will come on if the
pressure in one tire becomes
at least
10 psi (69 kPa)
higher or lower than the
other three tires.
When
the CHECK TIRE PRESS light comes on, you
should stop
as soon as you can and check all your tires
for damage.
(If a tire is flat, see “If a Tire Goes Flat’’
in the Index.) Also
check the tire pressure in all four
tires
as soon as you can. See ‘‘Inflation - Tire Pressure
in the Index.
The light will stay on until you turn off the ignition or
press the
CALIBRATE TIP9 PRESS button. See
“Check Tire Pressure Syst?
.” in the Index.
If the anti-lock
brake system warning light comes on
with the CHECK
TIRE PRESS light, the check tire
pressure system isn’t working. See your Pontiac dealer
for service.
(Also, see “Anti-Lock Brake System
Warning Light in the Index.)
Mal€unctisn Indicator Lamp
(Service Engine Soon Light)
SERVICE
ENIGINIE 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 I1 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. This may prevent more serious
damage to
your vehicle. This system is also designed to
assist your service technician in correctly diagnosing
any malfunction.
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Oil Warning Light
If you have a problem with
your oil pressure, this light
may 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:
0 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.
If you make a hard stop, the light may come on for a
moment.
This is normal.
Don’t keep driving if the oil pressure is low. If
you do, your engine can become so hot that it
catches fire. You or others could be burned.
Check your oil as soon
as possible and have your
vehicle serviced.
NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and
is not covered by
your warranty.
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Engine Coolant Temp’erature 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!
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.
See “Engine Overheating” in the Index.
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.
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Low Washer Fluid Warning Light
LOW
This light will come on
when your ignition is
on
and the fluid container
is low.
Remember, driving without
washes fluid can be
dangerous.
A bad mud splash can block your vision.
You could collide with another vehicle. Check your
washer fluid often, and add only the proper fluid. See
“Windshield Washer Fluid” in
the Index.
Trunk Ajar Warning Light
e
AJAR
This light will come an
if your trunk is not
completely closed.
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TRUNK A JAR: If your trunk is not fully closed or
open, a light will outline the trunk area on your
vehicle outline.
TRAC SWITCH: If yop vehicle has the Trac System
(this is not an available option with the 3800 Supercharged
engine),
you will have a disable switch on the far right
side
of your Trip Computer. Your Trac System is
automatically activated when you turn the ignition on. This
switch will activate/deactivate the Trac System. If you
need to disable
the system, such as when you are stuck
and are rocking your vehicle back and forth, push this
switch. See “Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow” in
the Index.
TRAC OFF: This light lets you know that your Trac
System has been disabled and will not limit wheel spin.
See “Trac System Warning Light” or “Low Traction
Light” in the Index.
LOW TRAC: This light will come on when your Trac
System is limiting wheel spin or when your anti-lock
brake system is active. See “Trac System” or “Low
Traction Light” in the Index.
Head-Up Display (If Equipped)
radio station or CD track,
displayed “through”
the windshield.
The
HUD also shows these lights when they are lit on
the instrument panel:
0 Turn Signal Indicators
0 High-Beam Indicator Symbol
0 Low Fuel Symbol
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Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in
spurts
-- heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking
-- rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is a
mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool between
hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much faster if you
do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace with the
traffic and allow realistic following distances, you will
eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking. That means
better braking and longer brake life.
If
your engine ever stops while you’re driving, brake
normally but don’t pump your brakes.
If you do, the
pedal may get harder to push down.
If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist. But
you
will use it when you brake. Once the power assist is
used up, it may take longer to stop and the brake pedal
will be harder to push.
Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes (ABS). ABS is an
advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent a braking skid.
When you start your engine, or when you
begin to drive
away, your anti-lock brake system will check itself. You
may hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while
this test is going on, and you may even notice that your
brake pedal moves a little. This is normal.
If there’s a problem with the
anti-lock brake system, this
warning light will stay on or
flash. See “Anti-Lock
Brake System Warning
Light” in the Index.
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I TRAC
When the system is on and
the parking brake is fully
released, this warning light
will
come on to let you
know if there’s
a problem
with the system. See “Trac
System Warning Light” in
the Index.
To turn the system on or off,
press the TRAC button on
the on the far
right end of
the Driver Information
Center
or the optional
Trip Computer.
When this warning light is on, the system will not limit
wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
To limit wheel spin, especially in slippery road
conditions, you should always leave the Trac System on.
But you can turn the system off if you ever need to.
(You should turn the system off
if your vehicle ever gets
stuck in sand, mud, ice
or snow. See “Rocking Your
Vehicle” in the Index.) When
you turn the system
off, the Trac System warning
light will come on and stay on. If the Trac System is
limiting wheel spin when you press the button to turn
the system off, the warning light will come on
-- but the
system won’t turn off right away. It will wait until
there’s no longer
a current need to limit wheel spin.
You can turn the system back on at any time by pressing
the button again. The Trac System warning light should
go off.
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City Driving
One of the biggest problems with city streets is the
amount
of traffic on them. You’ll want to watch out for
what
the other drivers are doing and pay attention to
traffic signals. Here are ways
to increase your safety
in city driving:
Know the b’est way to get to where you are
going. Get
a city map and plan your trip into an
unknown part of the city just as you would for a
cross-country trip.
Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross most
large cities. You’ll save time and energy. (See th’e
next
part, “Freeway Driving.”)
Treat a green light as a warning signal. A traffic light
is there because
the corner is busy enough to need it.
When a Bight turns green, and just before
you start to
move, check both ways for vehicles
that have not
cleared the intersection or may be running the
red light.
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