1998 PONTIAC GRAND AM light

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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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
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Fuel Gage
Your fuel gage tells you
about how much fuel you
have left, when the ignition
is on. When the indicator
nears EMPTY (E), you still
have a little fuel left, but
~ you should get more soon.
Here are four things that some owners ask about. None
of these show a problem with your fuel gage:
0
0
0
An amber light will come on below the gage when the
fuel
tank is near EMPTY (E).
0
At the service station, the gas pump shuts off before
the gage reads FULL (F).
It takes a little more or less fuel to fill up than the
gage indicated. For example, the gage may have
indicated the tank was half full, but
it actually took a
little more
or less than half the tank’s capacity to fill
the tank.
The gage moves a little when you turn a corner or
speed up.
The gage doesn’t go back to EMPTY
(E) when you
turn off the ignition.

Comfort Controls Temperature Knob
With this system, you can control the ventilation and heating
in your vehicle. The
center control knob regulates the temperature of the
air coming through
the system.
Your
vehicle also has the flow-through ventilation Mode Knob
system described later in this section.
Climate Control System with your system.
Air Conditioning MAX: Use for maximum cooling. This setting
The right control knob changes
the functions
of
recirculates much of the air inside your vehicle. It
maximizes your air conditioner’s performance and your
vehicle’s fuel economy.
A/C: Use for normal cooling on hot days. This setting
cools outside
air and directs it through the instrument
panel outlets.
A0
BI-LEVEL: Use on cool, but sunny days. This
setting brings in the outside air, but directs it in two
ways. Cooler
air is directed to the upper portion of your
body through the instrument panel outlets, but slightly
Fan Knob
The left control knob sets the fan speed. To select the
force
of air you want, turn the knob. The fan is always
running unless the mode control
is moved to OFF.
warher airis directed through the heater ducts and
defroster vents. At times,
this temperature difference
may be more apparent than others.
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Am
/J VENT: Use when outside temperatures are mild,
and little heating or cooling
is needed. Airflow is
through the instrument panel outlets. Set the center
control knob to the temperature desired.
‘fl HEATER: This setting brings heated air through
the heater ducts, and some through the windshield
defroster vents.
If you have the optional engine coolant heater (engine
block heater) and use it during cold weather, 0°F
(- 18 O C) or lower, your heating system will more quickly
provide heat because the engine coolant is already
warmed. See “Engine Coolant Heater” in the Index.
v# BLEND: This setting divides airflow equally
between the heater ducts and the windshield defroster vents.
w.
DEFROST This setting directs air through the
windshield defroster vents located on top of the
instrument panel.
Air Conditioning
On very hot days, open the windows long enough
to let hot, inside air escape. This reduces the time it
takes for your vehicle to cool down, which should help
fuel economy.
For quick cool-down on very hot days, use
MAX with
the temperature knob all the way in the blue area.
If the
setting is used for long periods of time, the air in your
vehicle may become too dry.
For normal cooling on hot days, use
A/C with the
temperature knob in the blue area. The system will bring
in outside air and cool it.
On cool but sunny days, the sun may warm your upper
body,
but your lower body may not be warm enough.
You can use BI-LEVEL with the temperature knob in
the middle. The system will bring in outside air and
direct it to your upper body, while sending slightly warmed air to your lower body. You may notice this
temperature difference more at some times than
at others.
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