1998 PONTIAC GRAND AM check engine light

CHECK
OIL
Check Oil Light (If Equipped)
If your vehicle is equipped
with the
3 100 engine, this
light should come
on briefly
while you
are starting your
engine.
If the light does not
come on, have it repaired.
A
If the light comes on and stays on after starting your
vehicle, the oil level should be checked.
Prior to checking
the oil level, be sure your vehicle has
been shut
off for several minutes and is on a level
surface. Check the oil level on the dipstick and bring
it
to the proper level. See “Engine Oil” in the Index.
NOTE: A false CHECK OIL light may be generated
when parking on steep grades.
The oil level monitoring system only checks oil level
during the brief period between key
on and engine start.
It does not monitor engine oil level when the engine
is
running. Additionally, an oil level check is only
performed if the engine
has been turned off for a
considerable period
of time allowing the oil normally in
circulation to drain back into the oil
pan.
Passlock Warning Light
THEFT
SYS
This light will come on
briefly when you
turn the
key toward
START. The
light will stay on until the
engine starts.
If the light flashes, the Passlock system has entered a
tamper mode. If the vehicle fails to start, see “Passlock”
in the Index.
If the light comes on continuously while driving and
stays
on, there may be a problem with the Passlock
system. Your vehicle will not be protected by Passlock,
and you should
see your dealer.
Up Shift Light (Manual Transaxle)
This light comes on when
you need to shift to the
next
higher gear. See “Manual
Transaxle” in the Index.
I SHIFT I
2-66

Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in
spurts
-- heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking
-- rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is a
mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool between
hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much faster if you
do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace with the
traffic and allow realistic following distances, you will
eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking. That means
better braking and longer brake
life.
If your engine ever stops while you’re driving, brake
normally but don’t pump your brakes.
If you do, the
pedal may get harder to push down.
If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist. But
you
will use it when you brake. Once the power assist is
used up, it may take longer to stop and the brake pedal
will be harder to push.
Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes (ABS). ABS is an
advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent a braking
skid.
When you start your engine, or when you begin to drive
away, your anti-lock brake system will check itself. You
may hear
a momentary motor or clicking noise while
this test is going on, and you may even notice that your
brake pedal moves or pulses a little.
This is normal.
If there’s a problem with the
anti-lock brake system,
this
warning light will stay on.
See “Anti-Lock Brake
System Warning Light” in
the Index.

i . Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with a negative ground system.
I NOTICE:
If the other system isn’t a 12-volt system with a
negative ground, both vehicles can be damaged.
2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles aren’t touching
each other. If they are, it could cause a ground
connection you don’t want.
You wouldn’t be able to
start your vehicle, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
To avoid the
possibility
of the vehicles rolling, set the parking
brake firmly
on both vehicles involved in the jump
start procedure.
Put an automatic transaxle in
PARK (P) or a manual transaxle in NEUTRAL (N)
before setting the parking brake.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter.
Turn off all lamps that aren’t needed as well
as radios. This will avoid sparks and help save both
batteries.
In addition, it could save your radio!
I NOTICE:
If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
A CAUTION:
An electric fan can start up even when the engine
is not running and can injure you. Keep hands,
clothing and tools away from any underhood
electric fan.
1
5-4

4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries. Find
the positive
(+) and negative (-) terminals on
each battery.
A CAUTION:
5. Check that the jumper cables don’t have loose or
missing insulation. If they do, you could get a shock.
The vehicles could be damaged, too.
Before you connect the cables, here are some basic
things you should know. Positive
(+) will go to
positive
(+) and negative (-) will go to a metal
engine part.
Using a match near
a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing this,
and
some have been blinded. Use a flashlight if
you need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough
water. You don’t
need to add
water to the AC Delco Freedom@
battery
installed in every new GM vehicle. But
if a battery has ffler caps, be sure the right
amount
of fluid is there. If it is low, add water to
take care of that
first. If you don’t, explosive gas
could be present.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn you.
Don’t get it
on you. If you accidentally get it in
your eyes
or on your skin, flush the place with
water and get medical help immediately. Don’t connect positive
(+) to negative (-) or
you’ll
get a short that would damage the battery and maybe
other parts,
too.
- 1’
Fans or other moving engine parts can injure you
badly. Keep your hands away from moving parts
once the engine is running.
5-5

Engine Oil
If your vehicle is equipped
with the
3 100 engine,
there is a CHECK
OIL CHECK
OIL
light in your instrument
panel cluster.
If the CHECK
OIL light on the instrument panel comes
on, it means you need to check your engine oil level
right away. For more information,
see “Check Oil
Light”
in the Index. You should check your engine oil
level regularly; this is an added reminder.
It’s a good idea to check your engine oil every time you
get fuel.
In order to get an accurate reading, the oil must
be
warm and the vehicle must be on level ground.
2.4L Engine
6-13

When to Check and What to Use
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine how
often you should check the
fluid level in your clutch
master cylinder reservoir
and for the proper fluid.
See “Owner Checks and
Services” and
“Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants” in the Index.
How to Check
The proper fluid should be added if the level is at or
below the
STEP mark on the reservoir cap. See the
instructions on the reservoir cap.
Engine Coolant
The cooling s stem in your vehicle is filled with
DEX-COOL engine coolant. This coolant is designed
to remain in your vehicle for
5 years or 150,000 miles
(240 000 km) whichever occurs first, if you add only
DEX-COOL’ extended life coolant.
The following explains your cooling system and how to
add coolant when it is low. If you have
a problem with
engine overheating, see “Engine Overheating” in
the Index.
J
A 50/50 mixture of water and DEX-COOL@
coolant will:
Give freezing protection down to -34°F (-37°C).
0 Give boiling protection up to 265 OF (1 29 O C).
0 Protect against rust and corrosion.
0 Help keep the proper engine temperature.
0 Let the warning lights and gages work as
they should.
6-25

Section 9 Index
Accessory Power outlet ......................... 2-50
Adapter Kit. CD ........................... 3.12. 3.15
Adding Equipment to Your Vehicle .................. 6-3
Adjuster. Seat ..................... ..... 1.2. 1.52
AirBag ....................................... 1-21
How Does it Restrain .......................... 1-25
How it Works ................................ 1-23
Location .................................... 1-23
Readiness Light ......................... 1.23. 2.57
What Makes it Inflate .......................... 1-25
What Will You See After it Inflates ............... 1-26
When Should
it Inflate ......................... 1-25
Aircleaner .................................... 6-19
Airconditioning ................................ 3-2
Air Conditioning Refrigerants ..................... 6-65
Alignment and Balance. Tire ...................... 6-48
Aluminum Wheels. Cleaning ...................... 6-55
Antenna. Fixed ................................. 3-25
Antifreeze ..................................... 6-25
Anti-Lock Servicing
................................... 1-27
Brake System Warning Light ................ 2.59. 4.7
Brakes ...................................... 4-7
Anti.Theft.
Radio .............................. 3-20
Appearancecare ............................... 6-50
Appearance Care Materials ....................... 6-57
ArbitrationPro gram .............................. 8-9
Ashtrays ...................................... 2-49
Audio Controls. Steering Wheel Touch Control ....... 3-22
Audio Equipment. Adding ......... 2.17.2.18.3.24. 6.59
Audio Systems ............ .................. 3-7
Auto-Down Window ............................ 2-33
Automatic Transaxle Check ....................... 7-31
Automatic Transaxle Park Mechanism Check ......... 7-33
Automatic Door Locks ............................ 2-5
Automatic Light Control ......................... 2-43
Automatic Overdrive ............................ 2-23
Automatic Transaxle ............................ 2-16
Starting Your Engine .......................... 2-16
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
........................ 6-20
Automatic Transaxle Operation .................... 2-21
Shifting ..................................... 2-21
Backing up When Towing a Trailer ............. 4-39
Back-up Lamp Bulb Replacement ................. 6-40
Battery ....................................... 6-36
Charging System Indicator Light ................. 2-58
Jumpstarting ................................. 5-3
Replacement. Keyless Entry ..................... 2-9
Saver ...................................... 2-46
Warnings .................................... 5-3
BBB Auto Line ................................. 8-9
Before Leaving on a Long Trip .................... 4-23
Better Business Bureau Mediation ................... 8-9
9-1

Blizzard ...................................... 4-28
Brake Adjustment
.................................. 6-35
Fluid
....................................... 6-31
Mastercylinder
.............................. 6-31
Parking
..................................... 2-27
PedalTravel
................................. 6-35
Replacing System Parts
........................ 6-35
System Wanzing Light
.................... 2-58, 6-32
Trailer
...................................... 4- 38
Transaxle
Shift Interlock Check .................. 7-32
Wear
....................................... 6-34
Brakes,Anti -Lock
............................... 4-7
Braking
........................................ 4- 6
Braking
in Emergencies .......................... 4-10
Break-In. New Vehicle .......................... 2-14
Brightness Control .............................. 2-44
Bulb Replacement
.............................. 6-36
Back-up Lamps
.............................. 6-40
CHMSL
.................................... 6-39
Dome Lamp
................................. 6-41
Headlamps
.................................. 6-37
BTSICheck
................................... 7-32
Taillamps
................................. 6-40
CaIiperKnuckle Maintenance Inspection
........... 7-35
Canadian Roadside Assistance
...................... 8-8
Capacities and Specifications
...................... 6-65
Carbon Monoxide
.......... 2- 11.2.31.2.32.4.29. 4.38
Cassette Deck Service
........................... 7-30
Cassette Tape Player
................... 3.9.3.12. 3.18
Cassette Tape Player Care
........................ 3-24
Cassette Tape Player
Errors .................. 3 . 10. 3. 15 CD Adapter
Kit ........................... 3.12. 3.15
CD Player Theft-Deterrent Feature ................. 3-20
Center Console Cupholder
........................ 2-49
Center Console Storage Area
...................... 2-48
Center High-Mounted Stop Lamp Bulb Replacement
... 6-39
Center Rear Passenger Position .................... 1-33
CertificationLabel
.............................. 4-33
Chains. Safety
................................. 4-38
Chains.
Tire ................................... 6-49
Changing
a Flat Tire ............................. 5-23
Check Engine Light
............................. 2-62
Check
Oil Light ........................... 2.66. 6.13
Checking
Your Restraint Systems .................. 1-52
Chemical Paint Spotting
.......................... 6-56
Securing in a Rear Outside Seat Position ........... 1-43
Securing in the Center Rear Seat Position .......... 1-45
Securing
in the Passenger Seat Position ........... 1-47
Securing
in the Right Front Seat Position .......... 1-47
Where to Put
................................ 1-42
Cigarette Lighter
............................... 2-49
Circuit Breakers
and Fuses ....................... 6-60
Cleaner,
Air ................................... 6-19
Cleaning
...................................... 6-50
AluminumWheels
............................ 6-55
Fabric
...................................... 6-51
Glass
....................................... 6-53
Inside
of Your Pontiac ......................... 6-51
Instrument Panel
............................. 6-53
Leather
..................................... 6-52
Outside
of Your Pontiac ........................ 6-54
Special Problems
............................. 6-52
ChildRestraints
................................ 1-38
TopStrap
................................... 1-43
Stains ...................................... 6-51
9-2