
The 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix Owner’s Manual
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3- 1
Seats and Restraint Systems
This section tells you how to use your seats and safety belts\
properly. It also explains the “SRS” system.
Features and Controls
This section explains how to start and operate your Pontiac.
Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
This section tells you how to adjust the ventilation and comfo\
rt controls and how to operate your audio system.
4- 1 Your Driving and the Road
Here you’ll find helpful information and tips about the road\
and how to drive under different conditions.
This section tells what to do
if you have a problem while driving, such as a flat tire or ove\
rheated engine, etc.
5-1 Problems on the Road
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7-1
Service and Appearance Care
Here the manual tells you how to keep your Pontiac running pr\
operly and looking good.
Maintenance Schedule
This section tells you when to perform vehicle maintenance and \
what fluids and lubricants to use.
8- 1 Customer Assistance Information
This section tells you how to contact Pontiac for assistance and how to get service and owne\
r publications.
It also gives you information on “Reporting Safety Defects” on page
8-10.
Here’s an alphabetical listing of almost every subject in this manual. You can use it to quickly find
something you want to read.
9-1 Index
i
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GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem,
PONTIAC, the
PONTIAC Emblem and the name
GRAND PRIX are registered trademarks of General
Motors Corporation.
This manual includes
the latest information at the time it
was printed. We reserve
the right to make changes in the
product after that time without further notice.
For
vehicles first sold in Canada, substitute the name
“General Motors of Canada Limited” for Pontiac
Division whenever
it appears in this manual,
Please keep this manual in your Pontiac,
so it will be
there
if you ever need it when you’re on the road. If you
sell the vehicle, please leave this manual in it
so the new
owner can use it,
Litho in
U.S.A.
Part No, 10405301 A Third Edition
..
WE SUPPORT
VOLUNTARY TECHNICIAN
CERTIFICATION
THROUGH
National Institute for
AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE EXCELLENCE
We supp’ort voluntary
technician certification.
For Canadian Owners Who Prefer a
French Language Manual:
Aux propribtaires canadiens: Vous pouvez vous
procurer un exemplaire de ce guide
en frarqais chez
votre concessionaire ou au:
DGN Marketing Services Ltd.
15800 Bonhill Rd.
Mississauga, Ontario L5T IC7
‘Copyright General Motolrs Corporation 1996
A€€ Rights Reserved
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How does an air bag restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions,
even
belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or
the instrument panel. Air bags supplement the protection
provided by safety belts.
Air bags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper bady,
stopping
the occupant more gradually. But air bags would
not help
you in many types of collisions, including
rollovers, rear impacts and side impacts, primarily
because an occupant’s motion is not toward those air
bags.
Air bags should never be regarded as anything
more
than a supplement tn safety belts, and then only in
moderate to severe front:.- ~r newfrontal collisions.
What will you see after an air bag inflates?
After an air bag inflates, it quickly deflates, so
quickly that some people may not even realize the
air bag inflated. Some components o’f the air bag
module
-- the steering wheel hub for the driver’s air bag,
or
the instrument panel for the right front passenger’s
bag
-- will be hot for a short time. The parts of the bag
that come into contact with you
may be warm, but not
too hot
to touch. There will be some smoke and dust
coming
from vents in the deflated air bags. Air bag
inflation doesn’t prevent the driver from seeing or from
being able to steer the vehicle, nor
does it stop people
from leaving the vehkle.
When an air bag inflates, there is dust in the air.
This dust could cause breathing problems
for
people with a history of asthma or other
breathing trouble.
To avoid this, everyone in the
vehicle should get out as
soon as it is safe to do so.
If you have breathing problems but can’t get out
of the vehicle after an air bag inflates, then get
fresh air by opening a window or door.
In many crashes severe enough ta inflate an air bag,
windshields are broken
by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may also occur from the
right front passenger air bag.
Air bags are designed to inflate only once. After they
inflate, you’ll need
some new parts for your air bag
system. If you don’t get them, the
air bag system
won’t be there to help protect you
in another crash.
A new system will include air bag modules and
possibly other parts. The service manual for your
vehicle covers the need to replace other parts.
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0 Your vehicle is equipped with a crash sensing and
diagnostic module, which records information
about the air bag system. The module records
information about the readiness
of the system,
when the sensors are activated and driver’s safety
belt usage at deployment.
bag system. Improper service can mean that your
air bag system won’t work properly.
See your
dealer
for service.
Let only qualified technicians work on your air
NOTICE:
Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Pontiac
Air bags affect how your Pontiac should be serviced.
There are parts
of the air bag system in several places
around your vehicle. You don’t want the system to
inflate while someone is working on your vehicle. Your
Pontiac dealer and the Grand Prix Service Manual have
information about servicing your vehicle and the air bag
system.
To purchase a service manual, see’ “Service and
Owner Publications” in the Index.
If you aarnage the cover for the driver’s or the
right front passenger’s air bag, the bag may not
work properly. You may have
to replace the air
bag module in the steering wheel or both the air
bag module and the instrument panel for the
right front passenger’s
air bag. Do not open or
break the air bag covers.
1 r up to 10 1 nutes af th gn. )n: y is
turned off and the battery is disconnected, an air
bag can still inflate during improper service. You
can be injured
if you are close to an air bag when
it inflates. Avoid wires wrapped with yellow tape
or yellow connectors. They are probably part of
the air bag system. Be sure to follow proper
service procedures, and make sure the person
performing work for you
is qualified to do so.
The air bag system does not need regular maintenance.
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9. On both sides of the harness, pull up on the lap part a
little to be sure it’s locked.
If the harness isn’t locked, or if it becomes too tight,
unfasten the harness clip. Then unlatch the harness
by pushing the button
on the buckle, and let both
sides of the harness go all the way back
so they will
move freely again. Then, repeat Steps
4 through 8.
If the harness still doesn’t lock, don’t use the child
restraint. See your dealer to have the built-in child
restraint serviced. 10.
Adjust the position
of the harness on the child’s
shoulders by moving the clip up
or down along the
harness. On each side of the harness, the shoulder
part should be centered on the child’s shoulder. The
harness should be away from
the child’s face and
neck, but not falling
off the child’s shoulders.
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3. Close the door.
4. Do the same thing to the other rear door lock.
The rear doors of your vehicle cannot be opened from
the insid'e when this feature is
in use. If you want to
open the rear door when the security lock
is on, unlock
the door from the inside and then open the door from
the outside.
Leaving Your Vehicle
If you are leaving the vehicle, take your keys, open your
door and set the locks from inside. Then get out and
close the door.
Keyless Entry (If Equipped)
If your Pontiac has this option, you can lock and unlock your
doors or unlock your
trunk from up to 30 feet (9 m) away
using
the key chain transmitter supplied with your vehicle.
Your Keyless
Entry System operates on a radio frequency
subject to Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
Rules and with Industry and Science Canada Rules.
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Operation is subject to
the following two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and
(2) This device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired operation. This device complies
with
RSS-210 of Industry and
Science Canada. Operations is subject to the following
two conditions:
(I) this device may not cause
interference, and
(2) this device must accept any
interference received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device.
This system has a range
of about 3 geet (1 m) up to
30 feet (9 m). At times you may notice a decrease in
range. This
is normal for any remote keyless entry
system. If the transmitter does not work or if you have
to stand closer to your vehicle for th'e transmitter to
work, try
this:
Check to determine if battery replacement is
necessary. See the instructions that follow.
Check the distance. You may be too far from your
vehicle. You may need to stand closer during rainy
or snowy weather.
Check the location. Other vehicles or objects may
be blocking the signal. Take
a few steps to the left
or right and try again.
or a qualified technician for service.
If you're still having trouble, see your Pontiac dealer
Changes or modifications to this system by other than
an authorized service facility
could void authorization to
use this equipment.
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Arming with the Power Lock Switch
Your alarm system will arm when you use either power
lock switch to lock the doors while any door is open and
the key is removed from the ignition (if you would like
to turn off the power door lock switch arming, see
“Locks and Lighting Choices”
in the Index). The
security light flashes quickly to let
you know when the
system is ready to arm with the power door switches.
The security light will
stop flashing and stay on, when
you press the rear
of the power lock switch, to let you
know the system is arming. After all doors are closed
and locked, the security light will begin flashing at a
very slow rate to let you know the system is armed.
Arming with the Key Chain Transmitter
Your alarm system will arm when you use your key chain
transmitter to lock the doors while the key is removed
from the ignition. The security light will turn on to let you
know the system is arming. After all doors are closed and locked, the security light will begin flashing
at a very slow
rate to let you know the system is armed.
Arming Confirmation
If remote unlock confirmation is on (see “Locks and Lighting
Choices” in the Index), your headlamps will flash briefly to
let you
know when your alarm system has armed.
Disarming with the Key. Chain Transmitter
Your alarm system will disarm when you use your key
chain transmitter to unlock the doors. The security light
will stop flashing
to let you know the system is disarmed.
Disarming with Your Key
Your alarm system will disarm when you use your key
to unlock the doors. The security light will stop flashing
to let
you know the system is disarmed. If you would
like your key to disarm the alarm system,
see “Locks
and Lighting Choices” in the Index.
Nuisance Alarms
If you experience nuisance alarms (alarms which are not
caused by
the opening of a door and are not desirable),
you may need to reduce the damage detection sensitivity.
Try programming your Content Theft-Deterrent to mode
1, see “Locks and Lighting Choices” in the Index. If you
continue
to experience nuisance alarms, you may want to
try turning off damage detection by programming your
Content Theft-Deterrent
to mode 2, see “Locks and
Lighting Choices”
in the Index.
If you are still having trouble with nuisance alarms, you
can turn off the Content Theft-Deterrent system by
programming your Content Theft-Deterrent to mode
3,
see “Locks and Lighting Choices” in the Index. See your
dealer
or a qualified technician for service.
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OFF (C): This position lets you turn off the engine but
still
turn the steering wheel. It doesn’t lock the steering
wheel like LOCK. Use OFF if you must have your
vehicle
pushed or towed.
RUN (D): This position is where the key returns
after
you start your vehicle. With the engine off, you
can use RUN to display some of your warning and
indicator lights.
START (E): This position starts your engine.
A warning chime will sound if you open the driver’s
door when the ignition is in OFF, LOCK or
ACCESSORY and the key is in the ignition,
~
NOTICE:
~~
If your key seems stuck in LOCK and you can’t
turn it, be sure your 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 yon turn the
key hard.
But turn the key only with your hand.
Using
a tool to force it could break the key or the
ignition
switch. If none of this works, then your
vehicle needs service.
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.
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.
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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