1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE warning

How to Use this Manual
Many people read their owner’s manual from beginning to end when they fist receive their new vehicle.
If you
do this, it
will help you learn about the features and
controls for your vehicle. In this manual, you’ll find
that pictures and words work together to explain
things quickly.
Index
A good place to look for what you need is the Index in
back of the manual. It’s an alphabetical list of what’s
in
the manual, and the page number where you’ll find it.
Safety Warnings and Symbols
You will find a number of safety cautions in this book.
We use a box and the word CAUTION to tell you
about things that could
hurt you if you were to ignore
the warning.
A CAUTION:
These mean there is something that could hurt
you or other people.
In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is. Then
we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce the
hazard. Please read these cautions. If you don’t, you or
others could be hurt.
You will also find a circle
with a slash through it in
this book. This safety
symbol means “Don’t,’’
“Don’t do this” or “Don’t
let this happen.’’
iii

Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this book you will find these notices:
I NOTICE:
These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
In the notice area, we tell you about something that can
damage your vehicle. Many times, this damage would
not be covered
by your warranty, and it could be costly.
But the notice will tell you what
to do to help avoid
the damage.
When
you read other manuals, you might see CAUTION
and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in
different words.
You’ll
also see warning labels on your vehicle. They use
the same words,
CAUTION or NOTICE.
iv

Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
For example,
these symbols are used on an
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT EYES BY
SHIELDING
Q
CAUSTIC
ACID COULD BAllERY
CAUSE -~~-. .
BURNS
AVOID
SPARKS
OR
FLAMES
SPARK
OR ,\I/,
COULD FLAME
EXPLODE BAllERY
I
These symbols are important
for you and
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle is
driven:
DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK
n
POWER
WINDOW
oJ4
AIR BAG p
These symbols
have to do with your lamps:
SIGNALS e3
TURN
FOG LAMPS
# 0
These symbols are on some
of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
WINDSHIELD
DEFROSTER
DEFOGGER
VENTILATING FAN
( rc?: A
These symbols are used on
warning
and
indicator lights:
COOLANT -
TEMP -
CHARGING I-1
BAllERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE
(a)
R
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
LIGHTER
n
HORN )b.
ENGINE OIL e,
PRESSURE
V
SPEAKER
b
FUEL

Section 2 Features and Controls
Here you can learn about the many standard and optional featur\
es on your vehicle, 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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10
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2-16
2-18
2- 19
2-20
2-21
2-23
2-24
2-28
2-29 2-32
2-33 2-33 Keys
Door Locks
Remote Keyless Entry (Option)
TnXnk
Theft
Universal Theft-Deterrent (Option)
PASS-Key@
I1
New Vehicle “Break-In”
Ignition Positions
Starting
Your Engine
Engine Coolant Heater (If Equipped) Automatic Transaxle Operation
Computer Command Ride (Option)
Shifting Into PARK (P)
Shifting Out
of PARK (P)
Parking Over Things That Burn Engine Exhaust 2-34
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2-36
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2-48 2-5
1
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2-55
2-56 2-62
2-74
2-77
2-79 Running
Your Engine While You’re Parked
Windows Horn
Tilt Wheel
Turn SignaYMultifunction Lever
Exterior Lamps
Interior Lamps
Mirrors Storage Compartments
Sun Visors
Air Inflator System (Option)
Sunroof (Option)
Instrument Panel
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators Head-Up Display (Option)
Driver Information Center (Option)
Electronic Compass (Option)
2-1

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.
2-20

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.
2-21

Computer Command Ride (Option)
Vehicles equipped with computer command ride provide
improved passenger ride comfort under
a variety of road
and driving conditions.
For normal driving conditions, press the
TOURING
RIDE button to get a more refined comfortable ride.
When driving conditions require improved
handling,
press the PERFORM RIDE button to get a fm ride.
This mode minimizes how much the passenger
compartment leans in turns,
and decreases the
up-and-down motion of the front and rear
of the vehicle
during acceleration or
braking.
Even in the TOURING RIDE mode, the system will
adjust
to rapid cornering, acceleration or braking.
If the computer command ride detects a problem in the
system, the lights on the
TOURING RIDE and
PERFORM RIDE buttons will both come on. If this
happens, have your vehicle serviced.
Parking Brake
Your vehicle has a PUSH
TO RELEASE parking
brake.
To set the parking
brake, hold the regular
brake pedal down with
your right foot. Push down
the parking brake pedal
with your left foot.
If the
ignition is on, the brake
system warning light will
come on and a single chime
will be heard.
If you start to drive with the parking brake set, a chime
will sound after
the vehicle has traveled approximately
40 feet (12 m).
To release the parking brake, use the PUSH TO
RELEASE parking brake pedal. Hold the regular brake
pedal down with
your right foot and push the parking
brake pedal with your left foot. This will unlock the
pedal. When you lift your left foot, the parking brake
pedal will follow
it to the release position.
2-28

For steady wiping at low speed, turn the band away from you to the
LO position. For high-speed wiping turn
the band further,
to HI. To stop the wipers, move the
band
to OW.
The wiper speed may be set for a long or short delay
between wipes.
This can be very useful in light rain or
snow.
Turn the band to choose the delay time. The
closer to LO, the shorter the delay.
Heavy snow or ice can overload your wiper motor.
A
circuit breaker will stop the motor until it cools. Clear
away snow or ice to prevent an overload.
Keep in mind that damaged wiper blades may prevent
you from seeing well enough to drive safely.
To avoid
damage, be sure
to clear ice and snow from the wiper
blades before using them.
If your blades do become
damaged, get new blades or blade inserts.
Windshield Washer
At the top of the turn signaVmultifunction lever, there’s
a paddle with the word
PUSH on it. To spray washer
fluid on the windshield, push the paddle for less than a
second. The wipers will clear the window and either stop or return to your preset speed. For more washer
cycles, push and hold the paddle.
In freezing weather, don’t use your washer until
the windshield is warmed. Otherwise the washer
fluid can
form ice on the windshield, blocking
your vision.
Some models have a WASHER FLUID warning that
indicates if the fluid level in the windshield washer
reservoir is low. See “Low Washer Fluid Warning Light”
in the Index.
2-39