1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX tow

Starting Your 3800 Series I1 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.
3.
If it doesn’t start right away, hold your key in
START for about three to five seconds at a time until
your engine starts.
Wait about 15 seconds between
each
try to help avoid draining your battery or
damaging your starter.
If your engine still 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 about three seconds.
If the vehicle starts
briefly but then stops again, do the same thing, but this time keep the pedal down
for five or six seconds.
This clears the extra gasoline from the engine.
After
waiting about 15 seconds, repeat the normal
starting procedure.
NOTICE:
Your engine isdesigned 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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How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead of
trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your dealer in the area where you’ll be parking your
vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice for that
particular area.
Automatic Transaxle Operation
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Your automatic transaxle may have a shift lever on the
steering column or on the console between the seats.
Maximum engine speed is limited when you’re in
PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N), to protect driveline
components from improper operation. There are several different positions
for your shift lever.
PARK
(P): This locks your front wheels. It’s the best
position to use when you start your engine because your
vehicle can’t move easily.
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever
is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Don’t leave your vehicle when the engine
is
running unless you have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured. To be sure your
vehicle won’t move, even when you’re on fairly
level ground, always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to PARK
(P).
See “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in the Index. If
you’re pulling a trailer, see “Towing a Trailer” in
the Index.
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Make sure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before
starting the engine. Your vehicle has a Brake-Transaxle
Shift Interlock. You must fully apply your regular brakes
before
you can shift from PARK (P) when the ignition is
in RUN. If you cannot shift out
of PARK (P), ease
pressure on the shift lever by pushing it all the way into
PARK
(P) while keeping the brake pedal pushed down.
Release the shift lever button
if you have a console shift.
Then move the shift lever out
of PARK (P), being sure
to press the shift lever button
if you have a console shift.
See “Shifting Out of PARK
(P)” in the Index.
REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
NOTICE:
Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle is
moving forward could damage your transaxle.
Shift to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle
is stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging your transaxle, see
“Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow” in the Index. NEUTRAL
(N): In
this position, your engine doesn’t
connect with the wheels. To restart when you’re
already moving, use NEUTRAL
(N) only. Also, use
NEUTRAL (N) when your vehicle is being towed.
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A CAUTION: I
Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) while
your engine is “racing” (running at high speed) is
dangerous. Unless your
foot is firmly on the
brake pedal, your vehicle could move very
rapidly. You could lose control and hit people or
objects. Don’t shift out of PARK
(P) or
NEUTRAL
(N) while your engine is racing.
NOTICE:
Damage to your transaxle caused by shifting out
of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) with the engine
racing isn’t covered by your warranty.
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AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D): This position is for
normal driving.
If your vehicle has overdrive, AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE
(D) is the overdrive position. If you need
more power for passing, and you’re:
Going less than 35 mph (55 km/h), push your
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
accelerator pedal
all the way down.
You’ll shift down to the next gear
and have
more power.
NOTICE:
If your vehicle seems to start up rather slowly, or
if it seems not to shift gears as you go faster,
something may be wrong with a transaxle system
sensor.
If you drive very far that way, your
vehicle can be damaged.
So, if this happens, have
your vehicle serviced right away. Until then, you
can use
SECOND (2) when you are driving less
than
35 mph (55 km/h) and AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE
(D) for higher speeds. THIRD
(3): This
position is also used for normal
driving, but it offers more power and lower fuel
economy than AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE
(D).
Here are some times you might choose THIRD (3)
instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D):
When driving on hilly, winding roads.
When towing a trailer, so there is less shifting
between gears.
0 When going down a steep hill.
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I NOTICE:
~ ~ ~
Driving with the parking brake on can cause
your rear brakes to overheat. You may have to
replace them, and you could also damage other
parts of your vehicle.
If you are towing a trailer and parking on any hill, see
“Towing a Trailer”
in the Index. That section shows
what to do first to keep the trailer from moving.
Shifting Into PARK (P)
A CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the
parking brake
firmly set. Your vehicle can roll. If
you have left the engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others could be injured.
To be sure your vehicle won’t move, even when
you’re on fairly level ground, use the steps that
follow.
If you’re pulling a trailer, see “Towing a
Trailer” in the Index.

Column Shift
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot and
2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) position
set the parking brake.
like this:
0 Move the lever up as far as it will go.
1. Turn the ignition key to LOCK.
2. Remove the key and take
it with you. If you can
leave your vehicle with the ignition key in your
hand, your vehicle is in
PARK (P).
0 Pull the lever toward you.
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Console Shift
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot and
2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) position
set
the parking brake.
like this:

0 Hold in the button, located on the front of the
0 Push the shift knob all the way toward the front
shift
knob.
of your vehicle.
3. Turn the ignition key to LOCK.
4. Remove the key and take
it with you. If you can
leave
your vehicle with the ignition key in your
hand,
your vehicle is in PARK (P).
Leaving Your Vehicle With the
Engine Running
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A CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle with the
engine running. Your vehicle could move
suddenly if the shift lever is not fully
in PARK (P)
with the parking brake firmly set. And, if you
leave the vehicle with the engine running, it could
overheat and even catch fire. You or others could
be injured. Don’t leave your vehicle with the
engine running unless you have to.
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If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine running,
be sure your vehicle is in
PARK (P) and your parking
brake is
firmy set before you leave it. After you’ve moved
the
shift lever into PARK (P) position, hold the regular
brake
pedal down. Then, see if you can move the shift
lever away from PARK (P) without first pulling it toward
you (or,
if you have a console shift lever, without first
pushing the button).
If you can, it means that the shift
lever wasn’t fully locked into PARK (P).
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you don’t shift your
transaxle into
PARK (P) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl
in
the transaxle. You may find it difficult to pull the shift
lever out of
PARK (P). This is called “torque lock.” To
prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then shift
into
PARK (P) properly before you leave the driver’s
seat.
To find out how, see “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in
the Index.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out
of
PARK (P) before you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have another
vehicle push yours a little uphill to take some of the
pressure from the parking pawl in the transaxle,
so you
can pull the shift lever out
of PARK (P).
Shifting Out of PARK (P)
Your vehicle has a Brake-Transaxle Shift Interlock. You
must fully apply your regular brakes before you can
shift from PARK (P) when the ignition is in RUN. See
“Automatic Transaxle Operation” in the Index.
If you cannot shift out
of PARK (P), ease pressure on
the shift lever by pushing it all the way into PARK (P)
while keeping the brake pedal pushed down. Release the
shift lever button if you have a console shift. Then move
the shift lever out of
PARK (P), being sure to press the
shift lever button if you have a console shift.
If you ever hold the brake pedal down but still can’t
shift out of
PARK (P) with column shift, try this:
1. Turn the key to OFF.
2. Apply and hold the brake until the end of Step 4.
3. Shift to NEUTRAL (N).
4. Start the engine and shift to the drive gear you want.
5. Have the vehicle fixed as soon as you can.
With the console shift lever, see “Shift Lock Release”
earlier
in this section.
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