1997 PONTIAC PONTIAC Owners Manual

Glass
Glass should be cleaned often. GM Glass Cleaner (GM
Part No. 1050427) or a liquid household glass cleaner
will remove normal tobacco smoke and dust film on
interior glass.
Don’t use abrasive cleaners on glass, because they may
cause scratches. Avoid placing decals on the inside rear
window, since they may have to be scraped off later.
If
abrasive cleaners are used on the inside of the rear
window, an electric defogger element may be damaged.
Any temporary license should not be attached across the
defogger grid.
Cleaning the Outside of the
Windshield and Wiper Blades
If the windshield is not clear after using the windshield
washer, or if the wiper blade chatters when running, wax,
sap, or other material may be on the blade
or windshield.
Clean the outside of the windshield with GM Windshield
Cleaner, Bon
Amis Powder (non-scratching glass cleaning
powder),
GM Part No. 105001 1. The windshield is clean if
beads do not
form when you rinse it with water.
Grime from the windshield will stick to the wiper
blades and affect their performance. Clean the blade by
wiping vigorously with a cloth soaked
in full-strength
windshield washer solvent. Then rinse the blade
with water.
Check the wiper blades and clean them as necessary;
replace blades that look worn.
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Weatherstsips
Silicone grease on wea
longer, sea1 better, and .therstrips will make them last
not stick
or squeak. Apply
silicone grease with a clean cloth at least every six
months, During very cold, damp weather more frequent application may
be required. (See “Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants” in
the Index.)
Cleaning the Outside of Your Pontiac
The paint finish on your vehicle provides beauty, depth
of color, gloss retention and durabilit~~~~~~~~~~~~~~. .:;; .,
Washing Your Vehicle
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Don’t wash your vehicle in the direct rays of the sun.
Don’t use strong soaps or chemical detergents. Use
liquid hand, dish or car washing (mild detergent) soaps.
Don’t use cleaning agents that
are petroleum based, or
that contain acid or abrasives. All cleaning agents
should be flushed promptly and not allowed
to dry on
the surface, or they could stain. Dry the finish with a
soft, clean chamois or an all-cotton towel to avoid
surface scratches and water spotting.
High pressure vehicle washes may cause water to enter
your vehicle.
’.( Cleaning Exterior LampslLenses
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Finish Care
Occasional waxing or mild polishing of your Pontiac by
hand may be necessary to remove residue from the paint
finish. You can get GM-approved cleaning products
from your dealer. (See “Appearance Care and Materials”
in the Index.)
Your Pontiac has a “basecoatklearcoat” paint finish. The
clearcoat gives more depth and gloss to the colored basecoat.
Always use waxes and polishes that are non-abrasive and
made for
a basecoatklearcoat paint finish.
NOTICE:
Machine compounding or aggressive polishing on
a basecoat/clearcoat paint finish may dull the
finish or leave swirl marks.
Foreign materials such as calcium chloride and other
salts, ice melting agents, road oil and tar,
tree sap, bird
droppings, chemicals from industrial chimneys, etc., can
damage your vehicle’s finish if they remain on painted
surfaces. Wash the vehicle as soon as possible.
If
necessary, use non-abrasive cleaners that are marked
safe for painted surfaces to remove foreign matter. Exterior
painted surfaces are subject to aging, weather
and chemical fallout that can take their toll over a period
of years. You can help to keep the paint finish looking
new by keeping your Pontiac garaged
or covered
whenever possible.
Aluminum Wheels (If Equipped)
Keep your wheels clean using a soft clean cloth with
mild soap and water. Rinse with clean water. After
rinsing thoroughly, dry with
a soft clean towel. A wax
may then be applied.
The surface of these wheels
is similar to the painted
surface of your vehicle. Don’t use strong soaps,
chemicals, abrasive polishes, abrasive cleaners or
abrasive cleaning brushes on them because
you could
damage the surface.
Don’t take your vehicle through an automatic
vehicle wash that has silicon carbide tire cleaning
brushes. These brushes can also damage the surface
of these wheels.
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Tires Sheet Metal Damage
To clean your tires, use a stiff brush with a tire cleanler. If your vehicle is damaged and requires sheet metal
~ repair or replacement, make sure the body repair shop
NOTICE: applies anti-corrosion material to the parts repaired or
replaced to restore corrosion protection.
When applying a tire dressing always take care Finish Damage
~ . Any stone chips, fractures or deep scratches in the finish to wipe off any overspray or splash from all
painted surfaces on the body or wheels of the should be repaired right away. Bare metal will corrode
vehicle. Petroleum-based products may damage
the paint finish.
quickly and may develop into a major repair expense.
Minor chips and scratches can be repaired with touch-up
materials available
from your dealer or other service -
outlets. Larger areas of finish damage can be corrected
in your dealer’s
body and paint shop.
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Underbody Maintenance
Chemicals used for ice and snow removal and dust
control can collect on the underbody.
If these are
not removed, accelerated corrosion (rust) can occur
on the underbody parts such as fuel lines, frame, floor
pan and exhaust system even though they have
corrosion protection.
At least every spring, flush these materials from the
underbody with plain water. Clean any areas where mud
and other debris can collect. Dirt packed in closed areas
of the frame should be loosened before being flushed.
Your dealer or an underbody vehicle washing system
can do this
for you.
Chemical Paint Spotting
Some weather and atmospheric conditions can create a
chemical fallout. Airborne pollutants can fall upon and
attack painted surfaces on your vehicle.
This damage can
take two forms: blotchy, ringlet-shaped discolorations, and small irregular dark spots etched into the paint surface.
Although
no defect in the paint job causes this, Pontiac
will repair, at
no charge to the owner, the surfaces of
new vehicles damaged by this fallout condition within
12 months or 12,000 miles (20 000 km) of purchase,
whichever occurs first.
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Appearance Care Materials Chart
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Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
I
ENGINEA7 f ASSEMBLY
CODE MODEL YEAR PLANT
This is the legal identifier for your Pontiac. It appears on
a plate in the front corner
of the instrument panel, on the
driver’s side. You can see it if
you look through the
windshield
from outside your vehicle. The VIN also
appears on the Vehicle Certification and Service Parts
labels and the certificates of title and registration.
Engine Identification
The 8th character in your VIN is the engine code. This
code will help you identify your engine, specifications
and replacement parts.
Service Parts Identification Label
You’ll find this label on the underside of your trunk lid.
It’s very helpful if
you ever need to order parts. On this
label
is:
your VIN,
the model designation,
paint information and
0 a list of all production options and special equipment.
Be
sure that this label is not removed from the vehicle.
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Electrical System
Add-on Electrical Equipment
NOTICE:
Don’t add anything electrical to your Pontiac
unless
you check with your dealer first. Some
electrical equipment can damage your vehicle
and
the damage wouldn’t be covered by your
warranty. Some add-on electrical equipment
can keep other components from working as
they should.
Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting to
add anything electrical to your Pontiac, see “Servicing
Your Air Bag-Equipped Pontiac” in the Index.
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
The wiring circuits in your vehicle are protected
from short circuits by a combination
of fuses, circuit
breakers, and fusible thermal links in the wiring itself.
This greatly reduces the chance
of fires caused by
electrical problems.
Look at the silver-colored band inside the fuse. If the
band is broken
or melted, replace the fuse. Be sure you
replace a bad fuse with a new one of the identical size
and rating. Spare
fuses are located in the Instrument
Panel Electrical Center. See “Underhood Electrical
Center” in the Index.
Headlamp Wiring
The headlamp wiring is protected by a circuit breaker in
the underhood electrical center.
An electrical overload
will cause the lamps to
go on and off, or in some cases
to remain off. If this happens, have your headlamp
system checked right away.
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