1999 PONTIAC GRAND AM light

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Theft
Vehicle theft is big business, especially in some cities.
Although your vehicle has a number of theft
-deterrent
features, we know that nothing we put on it can make it
impossible to steal. However, there are ways you
can help.
Key in the Ignition
If you leave your vehicle with the keys inside, it's an
easy target for joy riders or professional thieves
-- so
don't do it.
When you park your vehicle and open the driver's door,
you'll hear a chime reminding you to remove your key
from the ignition and take it with you. Always do this.
Your ignition and transaxle will be locked. And
remember to lock the doors.
Parking at Night
Park in a lighted spot, close all windows and lock your
vehicle. Remember to keep your valuables out of sight.
Put them in a storage area, or take them with you.
Parking Lots
If you park in a lot where someone will be watching
your vehicle, it's best to lock it up and take your keys.
But what if you have to leave your key?

If possible, park in a busy, well lit area.

Put your valuables in a storage area, like your
trunk or glove box. Be sure to close and lock the
storage area.

Close all windows.

Move the trunk release lockout switch to the
ON position.

Lock the glove box.

Lock all the doors except the driver's.

If your vehicle has a remote keyless entry system,
take the transmitter with you.

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Passlock
Your vehicle is equipped with the Passlock
theft
-deterrent system.
Passlock is a passive theft
-deterrent system. Passlock
enables fuel if the ignition lock cylinder is turned with a
valid key. If a correct key is not used or the ignition lock
cylinder is tampered with, fuel is disabled.
During normal operation, the SECURITY light will go
off approximately five seconds after the key is turned to
the ON ignition position.
If the engine stalls and the SECURITY light flashes,
wait until the light stops flashing before trying to restart
the engine. Remember to release the key from START
as soon as the engine starts.
If the engine is running and the SECURITY light comes
on, you will be able to restart the engine if you turn the
engine off. However, your Passlock system is not working
properly and must be serviced by your dealer. Your vehicle
is not protected by Passlock at this time. You may also
want to check the fuse (see ªFuses and Circuit Breakersº
in the Index). See your dealer for service.
In an emergency, call the Pontiac Roadside Assistance
Center at 1
-800-ROADSIDE or 1-800-762-3743.
(In Canada, call 1
-800-268-6800.)
New Vehicle ªBreak-Inº
NOTICE:
Your vehicle doesn't need an elaborate
ªbreak
-in.º But it will perform better in the
long run if you follow these guidelines:

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 ªTowing a Trailerº in the Index for
more information.

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Ignition Switch
CAUTION:
Leaving children in a vehicle with the ignition
key is dangerous for many reasons. A child or
others could be injured or even killed. They could
operate power windows or other controls or even
make the vehicle move. Don't leave the keys in
the vehicle with children.
With the ignition key in the ignition switch, you can turn
the switch to four positions.
OFF (A): Before you put the key into the ignition
switch, the switch is off. It is the only position from
which you can remove the key. This position locks your
ignition and transaxle. A warning chime will sound if
you open the driver's door when the ignition is off and
the key is in the ignition.
ACC (Accessory) (B): This position unlocks the
transaxle. It also lets you use things like the radio and
windshield wipers when the engine is not running. To
use ACC, turn the key clockwise. Use this position if
your vehicle must be pushed or towed, but never try to
push
-start your vehicle.
ON (C): This position is where the key returns after you
start your engine and release the switch. The switch
stays in ON when the engine is running. But even when
the engine is not running, you can use ON to operate
your electrical power accessories and to display some
instrument panel warning lights.
START (D): This position starts the engine. When the
engine starts, release the key. The ignition switch will
return to ON for normal driving.

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FIRST (1): This position gives you even more power (but
lower fuel economy) than SECOND (2). You can use it on
very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the selector
lever is put in FIRST (1), the transaxle won't shift into
first gear until the vehicle is going slowly enough.
NOTICE:
If your front wheels can't rotate, don't try to
drive. This might happen if you were stuck in
very deep sand or mud or were up against a
solid object. You can damage your transaxle.
Also, if you stop when going uphill, don't hold
your vehicle there with only the accelerator
pedal. This could overheat and damage the
transaxle. Use your brakes or shift into PARK (P)
to hold your vehicle in position on a hill.
Parking Brake
To set the parking brake, hold the regular brake pedal
down with your right foot. Pull up on the parking brake
handle. If the ignition is on, the brake system warning
light will come on.

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2-31 Turn 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.
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 for burned
-out bulbs and then check
the fuse (see ªFuses and Circuit Breakersº in the Index).
Headlamp High/Low Beam
To change the headlamps
from low beam to
high beam, push
forward on the turn
signal/multifunction lever.
To change the headlamps from high beam to low beam,
pull the turn signal lever backward. When the high
beams are on, a light on the instrument panel also
will be on.
Flash-to-Pass
This feature lets you use your high-beam headlamps to
signal a driver in front of you that you want to pass.
To use it, pull the turn signal/multifunction lever toward
you until the high
-beam headlamps come on, then
release the lever to turn them off.

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2-32 Windshield Wipers
You control the windshield wipers by moving the stalk
with the wiper symbol on it up or down.
For a single wiper cycle, push the stalk down to MIST, then
release it. For more cycles, hold the stalk down longer.For steady wiping at low speed, move the stalk up to the
LO position. For high
-speed wiping, move the stalk up
further, to HI. To stop the wipers, move the stalk to OFF.
You can set the wiper speed for a long or short delay between
wipes. This can be very useful in light rain or snow.
Move the stalk to INT, then rotate the inner band,
labeled INT ADJ, and choose the delay you want.
Rotate the inner band up for shorter delay times between
wiper cycles. Rotate the band down for a longer delay
time between wiper cycles.
Remember that damaged wiper blades may prevent you
from seeing well enough to drive safely. To avoid
damage, be sure to clear ice and snow from the wiper
blades before using them. If they're frozen to the
windshield, carefully loosen or thaw them. If your blades
do become damaged, get new blades or blade inserts.
Heavy snow or ice can overload your wiper motor.
A circuit breaker will stop the motor until it cools.
Clear away snow or ice to prevent an overload.

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2-34 Cruise Control (If Equipped)
The cruise control buttons are located on the bottom of
the steering wheel.
With cruise control, you can maintain a speed of about
25 mph (40 km/h) or more without keeping your foot
on the accelerator. This can really help on long trips.
Cruise control does not work at speeds below
25 mph (40 km/h).When you apply your brakes or the parking brake, or the
BRAKE light is on or have low brake fluid, the cruise
control will turn off.
CAUTION:

Cruise control can be dangerous where you
can't drive safely at a steady speed. So,
don't use your cruise control on winding
roads or in heavy traffic.

Cruise control can be dangerous on
slippery roads. On such roads, fast changes
in tire traction can cause needless wheel
spinning, and you could lose control. Don't
use cruise control on slippery roads.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the enhanced
traction control system begins to limit wheel spin, the
cruise control will automatically disengage. (See
ªTraction Control Systemº or ªEnhanced Traction
Systemº in the Index.) When road conditions allow you
to safely use it again, you may turn the cruise control
back on.

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Setting Cruise Control
CAUTION:
If you leave your cruise control switch on when
you're not using cruise, you might hit a button
and go into cruise when you don't want to. You
could be startled and even lose control. Keep the
cruise control switch off until you want to use it.
1. Press the cruise control ON OFF button.
The indicator on the button will turn on.
2. Get up to the speed you want.
3. Press the SET COAST button and release it. The
CRUISE light on the instrument panel will come on.
4. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal.
Resuming a Set Speed
Suppose you set your cruise control at a desired speed
and then you apply the brake. This, of course, shuts off
the cruise control. But you don't need to reset it. Once
you're going about 25 mph (40 km/h) or more, you can
press the cruise control RES ACCEL button for about
half a second.You'll go right back up to your chosen speed and
stay there.
If you press the RES ACCEL button longer than half
a second, the vehicle will keep going faster until you
release the button or apply the brake. So unless you want
to go faster, don't hold down the RES ACCEL button.
Increasing Speed While Using Cruise Control
There are two ways to go to a higher speed.

Use the accelerator pedal to get to the higher speed.
Push the SET COAST button, then release the button
and the accelerator pedal. You'll now cruise at the
higher speed.

Press the RES ACCEL button. Hold it there until you
get up to the speed you want, and then release the
button. To increase your speed in very small amounts,
press the RES ACCEL button for less than half a
second and then release it. Each time you do this, your
vehicle will go about 1 mph (1.6 km/h) faster.
The accelerate feature will only work after you turn on
the cruise control by pushing the SET COAST button.