Page 77 of 395

Ignition  Positions 
With the ignition  key  in the  ignition  switch,  you  can  turn 
the switch  to  five positions. 
C 
A E 
ACCESSORY (A): In  this  position  you  can  operate 
your  electrical  power  accessories.  Press 
in the  ignition 
switch as you turn the top of it toward you. 
LOCK (B): The  only  position  in which  you  can 
remove  the  key. 
This locks  your  steering  wheel,  ignition 
and  transaxle. 
OFF' (C): Unlocks the  steering  wheel,  ignition  and 
transaxle,  but  does  not  send  electrical  power  to  any 
accessories.  Use 
this position if your  vehicle  must  be 
pushed  or towed,  but  never 
try to push-start  your 
vehicle. 
A warning chime  will  sound  if  you  open  the 
driver's  door  when  the ignition  is 
OFF and the key  is in 
the  ignition. 
RUN @): This is the  position the switch  returns  to after 
you start your engine  and  release the switch. The switch 
stays  in 
RUN when  the  engine is running.  But  even 
when  the  engine  is not  running, 
you can  use RUN to 
operate  your  electrical  power  accessories,  and  to display 
some  instrument  panel  warning  lights. 
START (E): Starts  the  engine.  When  the  engine starts, 
release  the  key. The  ignition  switch  will  return  to 
RUN 
for normal  driving. 
Note  that  even  if 
the engine  is not  running,  the  positions 
ACCESSORY and RUN are on positions that allow you 
to  operate  your  electrical  accessories,  such  as the  radio. 
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NOTICE: 
If  your key  seems  stuck  in LOCK and you can’t 
turn  it, be  sure  you 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  you  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. 
Key  Reminder Warning 
If you  leave your key  in the ignition,  in the OFF 
position,  you  will  hear  a  warning  tone  when  you  open 
the  driver’s  door. 
Retained  Accessory  Power (If Equipped) 
If you  have this option,  after  you  turn  the ignition off 
and  even  remove  the  key,  you will still  have  electrical 
power 
to such  accessories as the  radio  and  power 
windows  for up 
to 10 minutes.  Power  is turned off if 
you open a door. 
Always  leave  your  key  in  LOCK. If you  leave  your  key 
in  any  other  position  than  LOCK,  your  battery  will  discharge  prematurely. 
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. 
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Torque Lock 
If  you  are  parking  on  a hill and  you  don’t  shift  your 
transaxle  into 
PARK (P) properly,  the  weight  of the 
vehicle  may  put  too  much  force  on  the  parking  pawl  in 
the  transaxle.  You  may find it difficult  to  pull  the 
shift 
lever  out of PARK (P). This is called  “torque  lock.” To 
prevent  torque  lock,  set the  parking  brake  and  then  shift 
into 
PARK (P) properly  before  you  leave  the  driver’s 
seat. 
To find  out  how,  see “Shifting  Into PARK (P)” in 
the  Index. 
When  you  are  ready  to  drive,  move  the  shift  lever  out  of 
PARK (P) before you release the parking brake. 
If  torque  lock  does  occur,  you  may  need to have  another 
vehicle  push  yours  a  little  uphill  to  take  some  of  the 
pressure  from  the  parking  pawl  in the  transaxle, 
so you 
can  pull  the  shift  lever  out  of  PARK 
(P). 
Shifting Out of PARK (P) 
Your  vehicle  has  a  Brake-Transaxle  Shift  Interlock 
(BTSI). You have  to fully apply your  regular  brake 
before you  can shift from PARK (P) when  the ignition  is 
in 
RUN. See  “Automatic  Transaxle”  in the Index. 
If  you  cannot 
shift out of PARK (P), ease  pressure  on 
the 
shift lever -- push  the shift lever all the  way  into 
PARK (P) as you  maintain  brake  application.  Then 
move 
the shift lever  into  the gear you  want. If you ever 
hold  the  brake  pedal  down  but  still can’t  shift out  of 
PARK (P), try this: 
1.  Turn  the  ignition  key  to OFF. Open  and  close the 
driver’s  door 
to turn off the Retained  Accessory 
Power  feature. 
2. Apply  and  hold  the  brake  until the end  of Step 4. 
3. Shift  to NEUTRAL (N). 
4. Start  the  vehicle  and  then  shift  to the  drive  gear 
you  want. 
5. Take  your  vehicle  to an authorized  service  center as 
soon  as  you  can. 
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Twilight  sentinel  will  keep  your  headlamps  on for 
up to three  minutes,  to  light  your  way  when you leave 
your  vehicle. 
To operate  twilight  sentinel, turn the control  to MAX for 
the  three  minute  delay. 
Turn it the other way to  reduce 
the  delay. 
Turn the  control  to MIN to turn twilight 
sentinel 
off. 
Also, it’s  possible  that  your  headlamps may go out if 
you drive  fiom a dark  area  into a bright area like  a 
lighted  parking 
lot. If this  happens, turn on your 
headlamps  with  the  regular  headlamp  switch. 
Interior Lamps 
Instrument  Panel  IntensityBrightness 
Control 
You can  brighten or dim  your  instrument  cluster lights 
by 
turning the  headlamp  switch. Turn the  switch  to the 
right to brighten  the  instrument  cluster  lights and 
displays. Turn the  switch to the  right all the  way  to turn 
on the  interior  courtesy  lamps. Turn the  switch to the 
left  to  dim  the  instrument  cluster lights  and  displays 
and 
to turn off the  courtesy  lamps. 
Delayed  Illumination 
When you open the door to enter  your  vehicle,  the 
interior  lamps 
will come on. When  you  close  the  door 
with the  ignition off, the  interior  lamps  will  stay on for 
25 seconds or until the ignition  is turned to an on 
position.  Please  note  that  locking  the  doors  with  the 
power  door  lock  switch 
will override  the  delayed 
illumination  feature 
and the lamps  will turn off 
right  away.  
     
        
        Page 104 of 395

Theater  Dimming 
This feature  allows  for  a  three  to  five-second fade out of 
the  courtesy  lamps  instead  of immediate turn off. 
Exit  Lighting 
With  this  feature,  the  interior  lamps  will  come  on  for 
25 seconds  after  you  remove  the  key  from the  ignition. 
This will  give  you  time  to  find the  door  pull  handle  or 
lock  switches  as  you  exit  the  vehicle. 
Illuminated  Entry  (Option) 
When  you  press  the unlock  button  on  the  optional 
remote  keyless  entry  transmitter,  the  lamps  inside  your 
vehicle  will 
go on.  These  lamps  will  go off after  about 
25 seconds,  or  when  you start your engine.  Pressing the 
lock  button  on  your  remote  keyless  entry  transmitter 
will  turn  the  lights  immediately 
off. 
If  a  door  is  left ajar,  your  interior  lamps  will  turn off 
after 10 minutes to save  your  battery. 
Front  Reading  Lamps 
These  front  reading lamps 
and  the  interior  courtesy 
lamps  will  come on  when 
you  open  the doors. 
To turn  on  a  reading  lamp  when  the  doors  are  closed, 
press  either  switch.  Press  it  again  to  turn  the  lamp 
off. 
To avoid  draining  your  vehicle’s  battery,  be  sure  to turn 
off the  reading  lamps  when  leaving  your  vehicle. 
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Storage  Compartments 
Glove Box 
Use the door  key  to  lock  and  unlock  the  glove  box.  To 
open,  lift the  latch  release  on  the  left  side of the  glove 
box door. 
Card  Holder (Option) 
The  front  doors  on some  vehicles  have  a  card  holder  for 
convenient  storage  of business  cards  or  parking  lot  ticket 
stubs. The  card  holder  has  space for up to five  regular 
business cards. 
Center  Console  Cupholder  (Option) 
Press  the  button  at  the  front  edge  of the  armrest  to 
open  the  storage  area  for cassette  tapes,  gloves,  etc. 
A 
cupholder  flips  forward  for use. 
Overhead  Console 
Sunglasses  Storage  Compartment  (Option) 
Some  models  have  a  storage 
compartment  for  glasses  in 
your  overhead  console. 
Press the  release  button to 
lower  the  door.  Place  your  glasses  inside  the  door. 
To 
close the door, raise it and 
press  it into  position. 
Door Cupholder 
The  front  doors  provide  space  for holding  a  cup or 
soft drink.  
     
        
        Page 257 of 395
Fuel Door Lock (Option) 
On a model  equipped  with  the  theft-deterrent  system, 
the fuel dmr is locked and unlocked  together  with  the 
driver’s  power  door  lock.  Therefore,  to unlock  the 
fuel 
filler  door,  you  may  use the outside  door  key  lock,  the 
inside  power  door  lock  button 
or the  remote  keyless 
entry  transmitter. 
To unlock  the  fuel door,  unlock  the 
driver’s  door. 
Filling Your Tank 
L 
Gasoline  vapor is highly flammable.  It  burns 
violently,  and  that  can  cause  very  bad  injuries. 
Don’t smoke if you’re  near  gasoline or refueling 
your vehicle. Keep sparks,  flames  and smoking 
materials  away  from  gasoline. 
The  cap  is  behind  a  hinged  door on the  driver’s  side of 
your  vehicle.  While  refueling,  hang  the  tethered 
cap on the  hook on 
the  inside of the fuel  door. 
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Fuel Door Manual Release (Option) 
If your  vehicle has a  fuel 
door  lock,  the  fuel  door 
can  be  opened  manually 
in  case 
of an electrical 
power  failure.  Open 
the trunk. The  release  mechanism is on the 
driver’s  side of the  vehicle,  at  the  top of the trunk 
compartment. Pull the tab rearward  to  release  the 
fuel  door. 
I NOTICE: 
Prying on a locked fuel filler  door  can  damage  it. 
Use  the 
remote fuel  door manual release located 
in  the  trunk. 
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