1998 PONTIAC GRAND AM Owners Manual

Windshield Wipers Remember 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 they’re frozen to the
windshield, carefully loosen or thaw them.
If your
blades do become damaged, get new blades or
blade inserts.
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.
Controlled Cycle Wipers (If Equipped)
You can set the wiper speed for a long or short delay
between wipes.
This can be very useful in light rain
or snow.
You control the windshield wipers by moving the stalk
with the wiper symbol on it up
or down.
For a single wiper cycle, push the stalk down to
MIST, then release it. For more cycles, hold the stalk
down longer.
For steady wiping at low speed, move the stalk up to the
(1) position. For high-speed wiping, move the stalk up
further, to
(2). To stop the wipers, move the stalk
to OFF.
Move the stalk to DELAY, then rotate the inner band
and choose the delay you want. Rotate the inner band
up
for shorter delay times between wiper cycles.
Rotate the band down for
a longer delay time between
wiper cycles.
With
controlled cycle wipers, you can also use MIST for
a single wiper cycle.
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Windshield Washer To wash your windshield, pull the stalk with the windshield
washer symbol toward you until the washers
begin. When
the lever is pulled with the wipers in Om, the wipers will
continue to work until you return the lever to OFF. If your
vehicle
is equipped with the controlled cycle wipers, the
wipers will automatically shut off after you release the lever
if no speed was selected.
A CAUTION:
I
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.
2-37

Cruise Control (If Equipped)
With cruise control, you can maintain a speed of about
25 mph (40 km/h) or more without keeping your foot on
the accelerator. This can really help on long
trips. Cruise
control
does not work at speeds below about 25 mph
(40 km/h).
When you apply your brakes or push the clutch pedal
(if you have a manual transaxle), the cruise control
shuts off.
A CAUTION:
0
0
Cruise control can be dangerous where you
can’t drive safely at a steady speed. So,
don’t use your cruise control on winding
roads or in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous on
slippery roads. On such roads, fast changes
in tire traction can cause needless wheel
spinning, and
you could lose control. Don’t
use cruise control on slippery roads.
2-38

Setting Cruise Control
A CAUTION:
If you leave your cruise control switch on when
you’re not using cruise, you might hit
a button
and go into cruise when you don’t want to. You
could be startled and even lose control.
Keep the
cruise control switch
off until you want to use it.
1. Move the cruise control switch to ON.
2. Get up to the speed you want. 3. Push in the SET button at the end sf the lever and
release it.
4. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal.
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Resuming a Set Speed
Suppose you set your cruise control at a desired speed
and then you apply the brake. This, of course, shuts
off
the cruise control. But you don’t need to reset it.
Once you’re going about
25 mph (40 km/h) or more,
you can move the cruise control switch from ON to
R/A (Resume/Accelerate) for about half a second. You’ll
go right back up to your chosen speed and
stay there.
If you hold the switch at
R/A longer than half a second,
the vehicle will keep going faster until you release the
switch or apply the brake, or clutch pedal (if you have
a
manual transaxle). You could be startled and even lose
control. So unless you want to go faster, don’t hold the
switch to
WA.
Increasing Speed While Using Cruise Control
There are two ways to go to a higher speed.
0 Use the accelerator pedal to get to the higher speed.
Push
the SET button at the end of the lever, then
release the button and the accelerator pedal. You’ll
now cruise at the higher speed.
0 Move the cruise switch from ON to WA. Hold it
there until you get
up to the speed you want, and
then release the switch.
(To increase your speed in
very small amounts, move the switch to RIA for less
than half a second
and then release it. Each time
you do this, your vehicle will go about 1 mph
(1.6 km/h) faster.)
2-40

Reducing Speed While Using Cruise Control
There are two ways to reduce your speed while using
cruise control:
0 Press in the button at the end of the lever until you
reach the lower speed you want, then release it.
To slow down in very small amounts, push the
button for less than half a second. Each time you
do
this, you’ll go 1 mph (1.6 km/h) slower.
Passing Another Vehicle While Using Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase your speed. When
you take your foot
off the pedal, your vehicle will slow
down to the cruise control speed you set earlier.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well your cruise control will work on hills depends
upon your speed,
load, and the steepness of the hills.
When going up steep hills, you may have to step
on the
accelerator pedal to maintain your speed. When going
downhill, you may have to brake or shift to a lower gear
to keep your speed down.
Of course, applying the brake
takes you out of cruise control. Many drivers find
this to
be too much trouble and don’t use cruise control on
steep hills.
Ending Cruise Control
There are two ways to turn off the cruise control:
0 Step lightly on the brake pedal or push the clutch
pedal, if you have a manual transaxle: or
0 Move the cruise switch to OFF.
Erasing Cruise Speed Memory
When you turn off the cruise control or the ignition,
your cruise control
set speed memory is erased.
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Exterior Lamps
Headlamps
Rotate the turn signal lever middle ring up one position
to
turn on:
0 Parking Lamps
Sidemarker Lamps
Taillamps
License Plate Lamps
Instrument Panel Lights Rotate the
turn signal lever middle ring up two positions
to
turn on:
Headlamps
0 Parking Lamps
0 Sidemarker Lamps
Taillamps
0 License Plate Lamps
0 Instrument Panel Lights
Rotate the switch to OFF to turn all of the lamps off.
Lamps On Reminder
If you open the driver's door and turn off the
ignition while leaving the lamps on, you will hear a
warning chime.
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Daytime Running Lamps
Daytime Running Lamps (Dm) can make it easier for
others to see the front of your vehicle during the day.
DRL can be helpful in many different driving
conditions, but they can be especially helpful in the short periods after dawn and before sunset.
The
DRL system will make your high-beam headlamps
come on at a reduced brightness when:
0 The engine is running,
0 The headlamp switch is OFF,
The light sensor detects daytime light,
The parking brake is released and
The shift lever is not in PARK (P) on an
When the DRL system is on, the taillamps, sidemarker,
parking lamps and instrument panel lights will not
be illuminated. automatic transaxle.
The
DIU and ALC systems will remain off any time
your automatic transaxle vehicle is
in Park (P) and the
parking brake is engaged.
The
DFU and ALC systems will remain off any time
your manual transaxle vehicle is in Neutral
(N) and the
parking brake is engaged.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need it.
Automatic Light Control (ALC)
Your vehicle is equipped with an automatic light sensor
on top of the instrument panel under the defroster
grin,
so be sure it is not covered which will cause the
nighttime lights to be on continuously.
When it is dark enough outside,
your ALC will turn on
your headlamps that you were last using at the normal
brightness along with other lamps such as the taillamps,
sidemarker, parking lamps and instrument panel lights.
There is a 20-second delay in the transition between
daytime and nighttime operation
of the DRL and LC
systems. If the light sensor senses a reduction in lighting
that lasts longer than 20-seconds, it will activate the
nighttime lamps. If you are driving through a parking
garage, heavy overcast weather, a tunnel or fueling your
vehicle in a low light area, the
ALC will turn on your
low-beam headlamps at a normal brightness along with
the taillamps, sidemarker lamps, parking lamps and the
instrument panel lights. The radio lights will be dimmer.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need
it.