1998 PONTIAC GRAND AM engine

Charging System Indicator Light
~ The charging system
indicator light will come
on
briefly when you turn on the
ignition, but the engine is
not
running. The light will
go out when the engine
is started.
If it stays on when your engine is running, or comes on
while you are driving, you may have a problem with the
electrical charging
system. It could indicate that you
have a loose generator drive belt or another electrical
problem. Have it checked right away. Driving while
this
light is on could drain your battery.
If you must drive a short distance with the light on, be
certain to turn off all your accessories, such as the radio
and air conditioner.
Brake System Warning Light
Your vehicle’s hydraulic brake system is divided into
two parts. If one part isn’t working, the other part can
still work and stop you. For good braking, though, you
need
both parts working well.
If the warning light comes on, there is a brake problem.
Have your brake system inspected right away.
BRAKE
United States Canada
This light should come on briefly when you turn the
ignition key
to RUN. If it doesn’t come on then, have it
fixed so it will be ready to warn you if there’s a problem.
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If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off the
road and stop carefully. You may notice that the pedal is
harder to push. Or, the pedal may
go closer to the floor.
It may take longer to stop. If the light
is still on, have the
vehicle towed for service. (See “Towing Your Vehicle”
in the Index.)
I A CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working properly
if the brake system warning light is on. Driving
with the brake system warning light on can lead to an accident.
If the light is still on after you’ve
pulled off the road and stopped carefully, bqve
the vehicle towed for service.
When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
will
also come on when you set your parking brake. The
light will stay on if your parking brake doesn’t release
fully.
If it stays on after your parking brake is fully
released, it means you have a brake problem.
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
With the anti-lock brake
system,
this light will come
on when you
start your
engine
and it will stay on
for three seconds.
That’s normal.
If the light stays on, turn the ignition to OFF. Or, if the
light comes on when you’re driving, stop
as soon as
possible and turn the ignition off. Then start the engine
again to reset the system.
If the light still stays on, or
comes on
again while you’re driving, your vehicle needs
service. If the regular brake system warning light isn’t
on, you still have brakes, but you don’t have anti-lock
brakes.
If the regular brake system warning light is also
on, you don’t have anti-lock brakes and there’s a
problem with
your regular brakes. See “Brake System
Warning Light” earlier in this section.
The anti-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly when you turn the ignition key to
RUN. If the
light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be
ready
to warn you if there is a problem.
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Enhanced Traction System Warning Light
(If Equipped)
ETS
OFF
t With the Enhanced Traction System (ETS),
this warning
light should come on briefly
as you start the engine.
If the warning light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be ready to warn you if there’s a problem.
If the warning light stays on, or comes on when you’re
driving, there may be a problem with your Enhanced
Traction System and your vehicle may need service.
When
this warning light is on, the system will not limit
wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
i -. ,
The Enhanced Traction System warning light may come
on for the following reasons:
0
0
0
If you turn the system off by pressing the button an
the shift lever, the warning light will come on and
stay on. To
turn the system back on, press the button
again. The warning light should go
off. (See
“Enhanced Traction System” in the Index for more
information.)
The warning light will
come on when you set your
parking brake with the engine running, and it will
stay on if your parking brake doesn’t release fully.
If
the system is turned on and the warning light stays
on after your parking brake is fully released, it
means there’s
a problem with the system.
If the traction control system is affected by an
engine-related problem, the system will turn off and
the warning light will come on.
If the Enhanced Traction System warning light comes
on and stays on for an extended period of time when the
system
is turned on and the parking brake is fully
released, your vehicle needs service.
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Enhanced Traction System Active Light
When your Enhanced Traction System is limiting wheel spin,
this light will LOW
.TRAC
come on.
Slippery road conditions may exist if the Enhanced
Traction System active light comes on,
so adjust your
driving accordingly.
The light will stay on for a few seconds after the
Enhanced Traction System stops limiting wheel spin.
The Enhanced Traction System active light also comes
on briefly when you
turn the ignition key to RUN. If the
light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be
there to tell you when the system is active.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the engine
coolant temperature.
If the
gage pointer moves into the
too hot!
red area, your engine
is
A light
will come on to the right of the gage when the
gage pointer moves beyond the normal operating zone.
It means that your engine coolant has overheated.
If you have been operating your vehicle under normal
driving conditions, you should pull
off the road, stop
your vehicle and turn off the engine as soon as possible.
In “Problems on the Road,” this manual shows what to
do. See “Engine Overheating” in the Index.
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Low Coolant Warning Light
If this light comes on and
stays on, the vehicle should
be promptly pulled
off the
road and the coolant level checked. See “Engine
Coolant”
in the Index.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Check Engine Light)
CHECK
Your vehicle is equipped
with a computer which
monitors operation of the
fuel, ignition and emission
control systems.
If there are visible signs of steam see “Engine
Overheating’’
in the Index before opening the hood.
Have your vehicle serviced as soon
as you can.
This system is called OBD 11 (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) and is intended to
assure that emissions are at acceptable levels for
the life
of the vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner
environment. The
CHECK ENGINE light comes on to
indicate that there is a problem
and service is required.
Malfunctions often will be indicated by the system
before any problem
is apparent. This may prevent more
serious damage to
your vehicle. This system is also
designed to assist your service technician
in correctly
diagnosing
any malfunction.
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NOTICE:
If you keep driving your vehicle with this light on, after a while, your emission controls may not
work as well, your fuel economy may not be as
good and your engine may not run as smoothly.
This could lead to costly repairs that may not
be
covered by your warranty.
This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when the ignition is on and the engine is not
running. If the light doesn’t come on, have it repaired.
This light will also come on during a malfunction in one
of two ways:
Light Flashing -- A misfire condition has been
detected.
A misfire increases vehicle emissions and
may damage the emission control system on your
vehicle. Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis and service may be required.
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis and
service may be required.
0 Light On Steady -- An emission control system
If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
0 Reducing vehicle speed.
0 Avoiding hard accelerations.
0 Avoiding steep uphill grades.
0 If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as
soon as it is possible.
If the light stops flashing and remains on steady, see “If
the Light Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to flash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
Turn the key
off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart the
engine.
If the light remains on steady, see “If the Light
Is On Steady” following.
If the light is still flashing,
follow the previous steps, and drive the vehicle
to your
dealer or qualified service center for service.
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If the Light Is On Steady Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put
fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. The diagnostic system can determine if the fuel
cap has been left
off or improperly installed. A loose or
missing fuel cap will allow fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere.
A few driving trips with the cap properly
installed should turn
the light off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out.
A few driving trips should turn the light off.
‘I ’
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel (see
“Fuel” in the Index). Poor fuel quality will cause your
engine not
to run as efficiently as designed. You may
notice this as stalling after start-up, stalling when
you
put the vehicle into gear, misfiring, hesitation on
acceleration or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may go away once the engine
is warmed up.)
This will be detected by the system and cause the light
to
turn on.
If
you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the
fuel brand you use. It will require at least one
full tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn off,
have your dealer or qualified service center check the
vehicle.
Your dealer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to fix any mechanical or electrical
problems that may have developed.
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Oil Pressure Warning Light
If you have a problem with
your engine’s oil pressure,
this light may
stay on after
you start your engine, or
come on and stay on when
you are driving.
This indicates that oil is not going through your engine
quickly enough to keep it lubricated.
The engine could be low on oil, or could have some
other oil pressure problem. Have it fixed right away.
This light can come on briefly, which is normal and
doesn’t show a problem:
As a bulb check, the light comes on when you turn
your key to
RUN and goes off when the engine is
started.
If it doesn’t, be sure to have it fixed so it will
be there to warn you.
0 For the four cylinder engine, when idling at a stop
sign, the light may blink on and then
off. In addition,
if you make a hard stop, the light may come on
for a moment.
‘ A CAUTION: I
Don’t keep driving if the oil pressure is low. If
you do, your engine can become so hot that it
catches fire. You or others could be burned.
Check your oil as soon
as possible and have your
vehicle serviced.
I NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and is not covered by
your warranty.
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