1997 PONTIAC PONTIAC wheel

Your vehicle has a light
that comes on as a reminder
to buckle up. (See “Safety
Belt Reminder Light” in
the Index.)
In most states and Canadian provinces, the law says to
wear safety belts. Here’s why:
They work.
You never know if you’ll be in a crash. If you do have a
crash, you don’t know if it will be a bad one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so
serious that even buckled up a person wouldn’t survive.
But most crashes are in between. In many of them,
people who buckle up can survive and sometimes
walk away. Without belts they could have been badly
hurt or killed.
After more than
25 years of safety belts in vehicles,
the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does
matter
... a lot!
Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as
it goes.
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it’s just a seat
on wheels.
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How the Air Bag System Works
Where are the air bags?
The driver's air bag is in the middle of the
steering
wheel.
The right front passenger's air bag is in the instrument
panel
on the passenger's side.
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If something is between an occupant and an air
bag, the bag might not inflate properly or it
might force the object into that person. The path
of an inflating air bag must be kept clear. Don’t
put anything between an occupant and an air
bag, and don’t attach or put anything on the
steering wheel hub or on or near any air
bag covering.
When should an air bag inflate?
An air bag is designed to inflate in a moderate to severe
frontal or near-frontal crash. The air bag will inflate
only if the impact speed
is above the system’s designed
“threshold level.’’
If your vehicle goes straight into a
wall that doesn’t move or deform, the threshold level is
about
9 to 15 mph (14 to 24 km/h). The threshold level
can vary, however, with specific vehicle design, so that it can be
somewhat above or below this range.
If your
vehicle strikes something that will move or deform, such
as a parked car, the threshold level will be higher. The
air bag is not designed to inflate in rollovers, side
impacts or rear impacts, because inflation would not
help the occupant.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an air
bag should have inflated simply because
of the damage
to a vehicle or because
of what the repair costs were.
Inflation is determined by the angle of the impact and
how quickly the vehicle slows down in frontal or
near-frontal impacts.
What makes an air bag inflate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the air bag sensing
system detects that the vehicle
is in a crash. The sensing
system triggers a release of gas from the inflator, which
inflates the air bag. The inflator, air bag and related
hardware are all part
of the air bag modules inside the
steering wheel and in the instrument panel in front
of
the right front passenger.
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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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v Section 2 Features and Controls
Here you can learn about the many standard and optional features on your Pontiac, and information on starting,
shifting and braking. Also explained are the instrument panel and the warning systems that tell you if everything is
working properly
-- and what to do if you have a problem.
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Important Information About Keys
Door Locks
Remote Keyless Entry Battery Replacement for RKE
Preventing Theft
of Your Vehicle
New Vehicle “Break-In”
Ignition Positions
Tips on Starting Your Engine
Using the Engine Coolant Heater
Automatic Transaxle Operation
Parking Brake Guidelines
Important Information on Engine Exhaust
Operation of Your Windows
Adjusting the Tilt Steering Wheel 2-32
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Functions of the Multifunction Lever
How to Use the HighLow Beam
Headlamp Changer
Windshield Wipers and Fluid
Using Cruise Control
Exterior Lamps
Daytime Running Lamps
(DRL)
Interior Lamps
Rearview Mirrors
Storage Compartments
Instrument Panel Overview
All About Your Warning Lights and Gages
Driver Information Center
Head-Up Display
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Trunk Lock Theft
To unlock the trunk from
the outside, insert the
master key and
turn it. You
can also use the Remote
Keyless Entry transmitter, if
your vehicle has this option.
Remote Trunk Release (If Equipped)
Press the button behind the
glove box
door to unlock
the trunk from inside your
vehicle. Your transaxle shift
lever
must be in PARK (P).
Vehicle theft is big business, especially in some cities.
Although your Pontiac has a number of theft-deterrent
features, we know that nothing we put on
it can make
it impossible to steal. However, there are ways you
can help.
Key in the Ignition
If you leave your vehicle with the keys inside, it’s an
easy target for
joy riders or professional thieves -- so
don’t do it.
When you park your Pontiac and open the driver’s door,
you’ll hear a chime reminding you
to remove your key
from the ignition
and take it with you. Always do this.
Your steering wheel will be locked, and so will your
ignition and transaxle. And remember to lock the
doors.
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New Vehicle “Break-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.
Don’t tow a trailer during break-in. See
“Towing
a Trailer’’ in the Index for
more information.
0 Avoid making hard stops for the first
Ignition Positions
C
With the ignition key in the ignition switch, you can turn
the switch to five positions:
ACCESSORY (A): This position lets you use things
like the radio and windshield wipers when the engine is
off. To use ACCESSORY, push in the key and turn it
toward you. Your steering wheel will stay locked.
LOCK (B): Before you put the key into the ignition
switch, the switch is in
LOCK. It’s also the only position
in which you can remove your key.
This position locks
your ignition, steering wheel and transaxle. It’s a
theft-deterrent feature.
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