1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX tow

How does an air bag restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or the
instrument panel.
Air bags supplement the protection
provided by safety belts.
Air bags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper body,
stopping the occupant more gradually. But
air bags would
not help you in many types of collisions, including
rollovers, rear impacts and side impacts, primarily because
an occupant’s motion is not toward
those air bags. Air
bags should never be regarded as anythmg more than a
supplement to safety belts, and then only in moderate to
severe frontal or near-frontal collisions.
What will you see after an air bag inflates?
After an air bag inflates, it quickly deflates, so quickly that
some people may not
even realize the air bag inflated.
Some components of
the air bag module -- the steering
wheel hub for the driver’s
air bag, or the instrument panel
for the right front passenger’s bag
-- will be hot for a short
time. The parts of the bag that come into contact with you
may
be warm, but not too hot to touch. There will be
some smoke and dust coming
from vents in the deflated
air bags. Air bag inflation doesn’t prevent the driver from
seeing or from being able to steer the vehicle, nor does it
stop people from leaving the vehicle.
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When an air bag inflates, there is dust in the air.
This dust could cause breathing problems for
people with a history
of asthma or other
breathing trouble.
To avoid this, everyone in the
vehicle should get out as
soon as it is safe to do so.
If you have breathing problems but can’t get out
of the vehicle after an air bag inflates, then get
fresh air by opening a window or door.
In many crashes severe enough to inflate an air bag,
windshields are broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage
may also occur from the
right front passenger air bag.
Air bags are designed to inflate only once. After they
inflate,
you’ll need some new parts for your air bag
system. If you don’t get them, the air bag system
won’t be there to help protect
you in another crash.
A new system will include air bag modules and
possibly other parts. The service manual for your vehicle covers the need to replace other parts.
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Your vehicle is equipped with a crash sensing and
diagnostic module, which records information about
the air bag system. The module records information about the readiness of the system, when the sensors
are activated and driver’s safety belt usage at deployment.
Let only qualified technicians work on your
air bag
system. Improper service can mean that your
air
bag system won’t work properly. See your dealer
for service.
NOTICE:
If you damage the covering for the driver’s or the
right front passenger’s air bag, the bag may not
work properly. You may have to replace the air
bag module in the steering wheel or both the air
bag module and the instrument panel for the
right front passenger’s air bag.
Do not open or
break the air bag coverings.
If your vehicle ever gets into a lot of water -- such as
water up to the carpeting
or higher -- or if water enters
your vehicle and
soaks the carpet, the air bag controller
can be soaked and ruined.
If this ever happens, and then
you start your vehicle, the damage could make the
air
bags inflate, even if there’s no crash. You would have to
replace the air bags as well as the sensors and related
parts. If your vehicle
is ever in a flood, or if it’s exposed
to water that soaks the
carpet, you can avoid needless
repair costs by turning
off the vehicle immediately.
Don’t let anyone
start the vehicle, even to tow it, unless
the battery cables are fist disconnected.
Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle
Air bags affect how your vehicle should be serviced.
There are parts of the air bag system in several places
around your vehicle. You don’t want the system to
inflate while someone is working on your vehicle. Your
dealer and the Grand
Prix Service Manual have
information about servicing your vehicle and the
air bag
system.
To purchase a service manual, see “Service and
Owner Publications” in the Index.
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An infant car bed (A) is a special bed made for use
in a motor vehicle. It’s an infant restraint system designed to restrain
or position a child on a
continuous flat surface. With
an infant car bed,
make sure that the infant’s head rests toward
the
center of the vehicle.
A rear-facing infant restraint (B) positions an infant
to face
the rear of the vehicle. Rear-facing infant
restraints are designed for infants of up to about
20 lbs. (9 kg) and about one year of age. This type
of restraint faces the rear
so that the infant’s head,
neck and body can have the support they need in
a
crash. Some infant seats come in two parts -- the
base stays secured in the vehicle and the seat part
is removable.
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Never do this.
Here two children are wearing the same belt. The
belt can’t properly spread the impact forces.
In a
crash, the two children can be crushed together
and seriously injured.
A belt must be used by
only one person at a time.
&: What if a child is wearing a lap-shoulder belt,
but the child is
so small that the shoulder belt is
very close to the child’s face
or neck?
A: Move the child toward the center of the vehicle, but
be sure that the shoulder belt still is on the child’s
shoulder,
so that in a crash the child’s upper body
would have the restraint that belts provide.
If the
child is sitting in a rear seat outside position, see
“Rear Safety Belt
Comfort Guides’’ in the Index. If
the child is
so small that the shoulder belt is still
very close to the child’s face or neck, you might
want to place the child in the center seat position,
the one that has only
a lap belt.
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Door Locks
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I A CAUTION:
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
Passengers
-- especially children -- can easily
open the doors and fall out. When
a door is
locked, the inside handle won’t open it.
Outsiders can easily enter through an unlocked
door
when you slow down or stop your vehicle.
This may not be so obvious: You increase the
chance of being thrown out of the vehicle in a
crash
if the doors aren’t locked. Wear safety belts
properly,
lock your doors, and you will be far
better off whenever you drive your vehicle.
There are several ways to lock and unlock your vehicle.
Front Door
To unlock either front door from outside the vehicle
with your key, insert it fully into the door key cylinder
and turn
it toward the front.
You can lock either front door from outside the vehicle
with your key
by inserting it fully into the door key
cylinder and
turning it toward the rear.
To unlock either front door from inside the vehicle, push
the lock lever forward.
To lock either front door from inside the vehicle, push
the lock lever back.

New Vehicle “Break-In”
Ignition Positions
Your vehicle doesn’t need an elaborate
“break-in.” But
it will perform better in the long
run if you follow these guidelines:
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Don’t drive at any one speed -- fast or
slow
-- for the first 500 miles (805 km).
Don’t make full-throttle starts.
Avoid making hard stops for the first
200 miles (322 km) or so. During this time
your new brake linings aren’t yet broken
in. Hard stops with new linings can mean
premature wear and earlier replacement.
Follow this breaking-in guideline every
time you get new brake linings.
Don’t
tow a trailer during break-in.
See
“Towing a Trailer” in the Index for
more information.
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With the ignition key in the ignition switch, you can turn
the switch to five positions.
ACCESSORY (A): This position lets you use things
like
the radio and windshield wipers when the engine is
off. To use ACCESSORY, push in the key and turn it
toward you. Your steering wheel will
stay locked.
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LOCK (B): Before you put the key into the ignition
switch, the switch is in LOCK. It’s
also the only position
from which you can remove your key.
This position
locks your ignition, steering wheel and transaxle. It’s a
theft-deterrent feature.
OFF (C): This position lets you turn off the engine but
still turn the steering wheel. It doesn’t lock the steering
wheel like
LOCK. Use OFF if you must have your
vehicle pushed or towed.
RUN (D): This position is where the key returns
after you start your vehicle. With the engine
off, you
can use RUN to display some of your warning and
indicator lights.
START (E): This position starts your engine.
A warning chime will sound if you open the driver’s
door when the ignition is in
OFF, LOCK or
ACCESSORY and the key is in the ignition.
NOTICE:
If your key seem stuck in LOCK and you can’t
turn it, be sure you are using the correct key;
if
so, is it all the way in? If it is, then turn the
steering wheel left and right while
you turn the
key hard. But turn the key only with your hand.
Using a tool to force it could break the key
or the
ignition switch.
If none of this works, then your
vehicle needs service.
Retained Accessory Power
With retained accessory power, your power windows, audio system and sunroof will continue to work up to
10 minutes after the ignition key is turned to OFF and
none of the doors are opened.
Starting Your Engine
Move your shift lever to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N).
Your engine won’t start in any other position -- that’s a
safety feature.
To restart when you’re already moving,
use
NEUTRAL (N) only.
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NOTICE:
Don’t try to shift to PARK (P) if your Pontiac is
moving.
If you do, you could damage the
transaxle. Shift to
PARK (P) only when your
vehicle is stopped.
Starting Your 3100 Engine
1. Without pushing the accelerator pedal, turn your
ignition key to
START. When the engine starts, let
go of the key. The idle speed will go down as your
engine gets warm.
NOTICE:
Holding your key in START for longer than
15 seconds
at a time will cause your battery to
be drained much sooner. And the excessive heat
can damage your starter motor.
.
2. If your engine won’t start (or starts but then stops),
it could be flooded with too much gasoline.
Try
pushing your accelerator pedal all the way to the
floor and holding it there as you hold the key in
START for up to 15 seconds. This clears the extra
gasoline
from the engine.
NOTICE:
Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics
in your vehicle. If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the
way
the engine operates. Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your dealer.
If you don’t,
your engine might not perform properly.
If you ever have to have your vehicle towed, see
the part of this manual
that tells how to do it
without damaging your vehicle. See “Towing
Your Vehicle” in the Index.
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