1998 PONTIAC GRAND AM service indicator

’hrn and Lane Change Signals
The turn signal has two upward (for right) and two
downward (for left) positions. These positions allow you
to signal a turn
or a lane change.
To signal a turn, move the lever all the way up or down.
When the turn is finished, the lever will return
automatically.
An arrow on the instrument
panel will flash in the direction of the turn
or
lane change.
To signal a lane change, just raise or lower the lever
until the arrow starts to flash. Hold
it there until you
complete your lane change. The lever will return by
itself when you release it.
A warning chime signal will come on if you have left
your turn signal on for more than 3/4 mile
(1 km).
As you signal a turn or a lane change, if the arrows flash
rapidly, a signal bulb may be burned out and other
drivers won’t see your turn signal. If
a bulb is burned out, replace it to help avoid an
accident. If the arrows don’t
go on at all when you
signal a turn, check the fuse (see “Fuses
and Circuit
Breakers’’ in the Index).
If the arrows still do not flash,
have your Pontiac Dealer service department check
the
bulb in the instrument panel.
Headlamp Highhow Beam
To change the headlamps
from low beam to high
or
high to low, pull the turn
signal lever all the way
toward
you.
Then release it. When the high beams are on, a light on
the instrument panel also will be on.
The headlamp higMow beam indicator may flash if the
Daytime Running Lamps
(Dm) system is experiencing
a problem or
if a headlamp is malfunctioning.
2-35

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.
2-62

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.

Care of Your Cassette Tape Player
A tape player that is not cleaned regularly can cause
reduced sound quality, ruined cassettes or a damaged
mechanism. Cassette tapes should be stored
in their
cases away from contaminants, direct sunlight and
extreme heat.
If they aren’t, they may not operate
properly or may cause failure of
the tape player.
Your tape player should be cleaned regularly after every
50 hours of use. Your radio may display CLN to indicate
that you have used your tape player for
50 hours without
resetting the tape clean timer.
If this message appears on
the display, your cassette tape player needs to
be
cleaned. It will still play tapes, but you should clean it as\

soon as possible to prevent damage to your
tapes and
player. If you notice a reduction
in sound quality, try a
known good cassette to see
if it is the tape or the tape
player at fault. If this other cassette has no improvement
in sound quality, clean the tape player. Cleaning
may be done with a scrubbing action,
non-abrasive cleaning cassette with pads which scrub
the tape head as the hubs of the cleaner cassette
turn.
Follow these steps to prevent the cassette from being
ejected due to the CUT
TAPE DETECTION feature:
1. l7.m the radio off and the ignition on.
2. Press and hold the TUEPLAY button for three
seconds (tape indicator will flash for two seconds).
3. Insert the cleaner cassette (a CD adapter kit may also
be inserted).
The radio will default
back to CUT TAPE DETECTION
when the cleaner cassette (or CD adapter kit) is ejected.
You may
also choose a non-scrubbing action, wet-type
cleaner which uses a cassette with a fabric belt to clean
the
tape head. It may not clean as thoroughly as the
scrubbing type cleaner.
After
you clean the player, press and hold EJECT for
five seconds to reset the
CLN indicator. The radio will
display
--- to show the indicator was reset.
Cassettes are subject to wear and
the sound quality
may degrade over time. Always make sure the cassette
tape
is in good condition before you have your tape
player serviced.
3-24

If your vehicle is certified to meet California Emission
Standards (indicated on the underhood emission control
label),
it is designed to operate on fuels that meet
California specifications.
If such fuels are not available
in states adopting California emissions standards, your
vehicle
will operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting
federal specifications, but emission control system
performance may be affected. The malfunction indicator
lamp on your instrument panel may turn on and/or your
vehicle
may fail a smog-check test. If this occurs, return
to your authorized Pontiac dealer for diagnosis to
determine the cause of failure.
In the event it is
determined that the cause of the condition is the type of
fuels used, repairs may not be covered by your warranty.
Some gasolines that are not reformulated for low
emissions contain an octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT);
ask your service station operator whether or not his fuel
contains MMT. General Motors does not recommend the
use of such gasolines.
If fuels containing MMT are used,
spark plug life may be reduced and your emission
control system performance may be aEected. The
malfunction indicator lamp on your instrument panel
may turn on.
If this occurs, return to your authorized
Pontiac dealer
for service.
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the United States
are now required to contain additives that will help
prevent deposits from forming
in your engine and fuel
system, allowing your emission control system to
function properly. Therefore, you should not have
to add
anything to the fuel.
In addition, gasolines containing
oxygenates, such
as ethers and ethanol, and
reformulated gasolines may be available
in your area to
help clean the
air. General Motors recommends that you
use these gasolines
if they comply with the
specifications described earlier.
I NOTICE:
Your vehicle was not designed for fuel that
contains methanol. Don't
use it. It can corrode
metal parts in your fuel system and also damage
plastic and rubber parts. That damage wouldn't
be covered
under your warranty.
6-4

Brake Wear
Your vehicle has front disc brakes and rear drum brakes.
Disc brake
pads have built-in wear indicators that make a
high-pitched warning sound when the brake pads are worn
and new pads are needed. The sound may come and go or
be heard all the time your vehicle is moving (except when
you
are pushing on the brake pedal firmly).
A
a CAUTION:
The brake wear warning sound means that soon
your brakes won’t work well. That could lead to
an accident. When you hear the brake
wear
warning sound, have your vehicle serviced.
NOTICE:
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads
could result
in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied or lightly
applied.
This does not mean something is wrong with
your brakes.
See “CaliperKnuckle Maintenance Inspection’’
in
Section 7 of this manual under Part C “Periodic
Maintenance Inspections.”
Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary
to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect
brake pads for
wear and evenly torque wheel nuts in the
proper sequence to
GM specifications.
Your rear drum brakes don’t have wear indicators, but if
you ever hear a rear brake rubbing noise, have the rear
brake linings inspected immediately.
Also, the rear
brake drums should
be removed and inspected each time
the tires are removed for rotation or changing.
When
you have the front brake pads replaced, have the rear
brakes inspected, too.
Brake linings should always be replaced
as complete
axle sets.
See “Brake System Inspection” in Section 7 of this manual
under Part C “Periodic Maintenance Inspections.”
6-34

When It’s Time for New Tires
One way to tell when it’s
time for new tires is to
check the treadwear
indicators, which will
appear when your tires have
only 1/16 inch (1.6
mm) or
less of tread remaining.
You need a new tire if any of the following statements
are true:
0 You can see the indicators at three or more places
0 You can see cord or fabric showing through the
around the tire.
tire’s rubber.
0 The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep
enough to show cord or fabric.
0 The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
0 The tire has a puncture, cut or other damage that
can’t be repaired well because of the size or location
of the damage.
Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the Tire-Loading Information label.
The tires installed on your vehicle when it was new had
a Tire Performance Criteria Specification
(TPC Spec)
number on each tire’s sidewall. When you get new tires,
get ones with that same TPC Spec number. That way
your vehicle will continue
to have tires that are designed
to give proper endurance, handling, speed rating,
traction, ride and other things during normal service on
your vehicle.
If your tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC number will be followed by an
“MS”
(for mud and snow).
If
you ever replace your tires with those not having a
TPC Spec number, make sure they are the same size,
load range, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted
or radial) as your original tires.
6-45

Labels Certification
................................. 4-33
Service
Parts Identification ..................... 6-58
Tire-Loading Information
...................... 4-33
Vehicle Identification Number
................... 6-58
Lamps
........................................ 2-42
Exterior
.................................... 2-42
Fog
........................................ 2-44
Interior
..................................... 2-44
OnReminder
................................ 2-42
Latches. Seatback
................................ 1-5
Leaving
Your Vehicle ............................. 2-6
Leaving
Your Vehicle with the Engine Running ....... 2-29
Air Bag Readiness ....................... 1.23. 2.57
Brake System Warning .................... 2.58. 6.32
Charging System Indicator
...................... 2-58
CheckEngine
................................ 2-62
Check Oil
.............................. 2.66. 6. 13
Enhanced Traction System Active
............ 2.61. 4.9
Enhanced Traction System Warning Light
..... 2.60. 4.9
ETS Active
.............................. 2.61. 4.9
ETSWarning
............................ 2.60. 4.9
Interior
..................................... 2-44
Low Coolant Warning
.................... 2.62. 6.28
Oil Pressure Warning .......................... 2-66
PasslockWarning
............................. 2-66
Safety Belt Reminder
...................... 1.8. 2.57
Upshift .................................... 2-66
Litter Bag Hook ................................ 2-50
Lighter
....................................... 2-49
Lights
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning
............ 2.59. 4.7
Loading
Your Vehicle ........................... 4-33
Locks
Automatic Door ............................... 2-5
Cylinders ................................... 7-31
Door
........................................ 2-4
Ignition Column Lock Check .................... 7-33
Key Lock Cylinder Service ..................... 7-31
PowerDoor
.................................. 2-5
Rear Door Security
............................. 2-6
Trunk ...................................... 2-11
Low Coolant Warning Light ................. 2.62. 6.28
Lubricants and Fluids
.......................... 7-36
Lubrication Service.
Body ...................... 7-31
Maintenance.
Normal Replaeement Parts ........... 6-66
Maintenance Record ............................ 7-38
Maintenance Schedule ............................ 7-1
Introduction
.................................. 7-2
Long TripMghway Definition
................... 7-6
Long TripMghway Intervals
..................... 7-6
Owner Checks and Services
..................... 7-30
Periodic Maintenance Inspections
................ 7-34
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
............. 7-36
Scheduled Maintenance Services
.................. 7-4
Short TripKity Definition
....................... 7-5
Short Trip/City Intervals
........................ 7-5
Maintenance. Underbody
......................... 6-56
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
................. 4-42
Making
Turns When Towing a Trailer ............... 4-40
Malfunction Indicator Lamp ...................... 2-62
Manual Front Seat ............................... 1-2
Manual Lumbar Support
.......................... 1-3
Manual Remote Control Mirror
.................... 2-47