2000 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE ABS

2-50
Storage Compartments
Glove Box
Use the master key to lock and unlock the glove box.
To open, lift the latch release on the left side of the
glove box door.
The VALET key will not work in the glove box
door lock.
Front Storage Armrest
Press the buttons on either side of the armrest to open
the storage area for cassette tapes, gloves, etc.
Center Console (Option)
Press the button at the front edge of the armrest to open
the storage area for cassette tapes, gloves, etc.
Rear Armrest
Your vehicle has a rear armrest with cupholders and a
pass
-through feature.
Rear Storage Compartment (Option)
Your vehicle may have a rear storage armrest with
cupholders and a pass
-through feature.
Lift the front of the cover on the armrest to reveal the
storage space.
Pull down the interior door to access the trunk.
Convenience Net (Option)
Your vehicle may have a convenience net. You'll see it
just inside the back wall of the trunk.
Put small loads, like grocery bags, behind the net. It can
help keep them from falling over during sharp turns or
quick starts and stops. For heavier loads, store them in
the trunk as far forward as you can.
You can unhook the net so that it will lie flat when
you're not using it.
Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter
Push down on the cover to reveal the front ashtray.
To clean the ashtray, lift it out by pulling on the snuffer.
On models without a console, there's an ashtray under the
instrument panel. To clean the ashtray, lift it out by pulling
up on the tabs on either side. It snaps back into place.

2-79 Boost Gage (If Equipped)
Vehicles equipped with
the supercharged engine
have this boost gage that
indicates vacuum during
light to moderate
throttle and boost under
heavier throttle.
The gage displays the air pressure level going into the
engine's combustion chamber.
The gage is automatically centered at zero every time
the ignition key is turned to RUN. Actual vacuum or
boost is displayed from this zero point. Changes in
ambient pressure, such as driving in mountains and
changing weather, will slightly change the zero reading.
Head-Up Display (Option)
CAUTION:
If the HUD image is too bright, or too high in
your field of view, it may take you more time to
see things you need to see when it's dark outside.
Be sure to keep the HUD image dim and placed
low in your field of view.
If you have the optional Head-Up Display (HUD), you
can see some of the driver information also available on
your instrument panel cluster. The information may be
displayed in English or metric units and appears as a
reflection on the windshield. The HUD shows:

Speedometer Reading

Turn Signal Indicators

High
-beam Indicator Symbol

CHECK GAGES Message (for low oil pressure,
high coolant temperature, low oil level, high/low
battery, brake, ABS and air bag.)

Low Fuel Warning Symbol

Radio Frequency and Playback Mode

4-7
Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in
spurts
-- heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking
-- rather than keeping pace with traffic.
This is a mistake. Your brakes may not have time to
cool between hard stops. Your brakes will wear out
much faster if you do a lot of heavy braking. If you
keep pace with the traffic and allow realistic following
distances, you will eliminate a lot of unnecessary
braking. That means better braking and longer
brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you're driving, brake
normally but don't pump your brakes. If you do,
the pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist.
But you will use it when you brake. Once the power
assist is used up, it may take longer to stop and the
brake pedal will be harder to push.
Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes (ABS). ABS is an
advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent a braking skid.
When you start your engine, or when you begin to drive
away, your anti
-lock brake system will check itself.
You may hear a momentary motor or clicking noise
while this test is going on, and you may even notice that
your brake pedal moves or pulses a little. This is normal.
United States Canada
If there's a problem with the anti
-lock brake system,
this warning light will stay on. See ªAnti
-Lock Brake
System Warning Lightº in the Index.

4-8
Here's how anti-lock works. Let's say the road is wet.
You're driving safely. Suddenly an animal jumps out in
front of you.
You slam on the brakes. Here's what happens with ABS.
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If one
of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer will
separately work the brakes at each front wheel and at
both rear wheels.The anti
-lock system can change the brake pressure
faster than any driver could. The computer is
programmed to make the most of available tire and
road conditions.
You can steer around the obstacle while braking hard.
As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates on
wheel speed and controls braking pressure accordingly.

4-15
Loss of Control
Let's review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems (brakes, steering
and acceleration) don't have enough friction where the
tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don't give up. Keep trying to steer and
constantly seek an escape route or area of less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions, and by not ªoverdrivingº
those conditions. But skids are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle's
three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels
aren't rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too
much speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and
lose cornering force. And in the acceleration skid, too
much throttle causes the driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid is best handled by easing your foot off
the accelerator pedal.
If you have the traction control system, remember:
It helps avoid only the acceleration skid.
If you do not have traction control, or if the system is
off, then an acceleration skid is also best handled by
easing your foot off the accelerator pedal.If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want the
vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough, your
vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for a
second skid if it occurs.
If your vehicle is equipped with the Stabilitrak


System, the LOW TRAC light may come on. See ªLow
Traction Active (LOW TRAC) Lightº in the Index.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel or other material is on the road. For safety, you'll
want to slow down and adjust your driving to these
conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration or
braking (including engine braking by shifting to a lower
gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires to slide.
You may not realize the surface is slippery until your
vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues
-- such as enough water, ice or packed snow on
the road to make a ªmirrored surfaceº
-- and slow
down when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti
-lock brake system (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.

4-38
When towing a trailer, the arrows on your instrument
panel will flash for turns even if the bulbs on the trailer
are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers behind you
are seeing your signal when they are not. It's important
to check occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs are
still working.
Your vehicle has bulb warning lights. When you plug a
trailer lighting system into your vehicle's lighting
system, its bulb warning lights may not let you know if
one of your lamps goes out. So, when you have a trailer
lighting system plugged in, be sure to check your
vehicle and trailer lamps from time to time to be sure
they're all working. Once you disconnect the trailer
lamps, the bulb warning lights again can tell you if one
of your vehicle lamps is out.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade. If you don't shift
down, you might have to use your brakes so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
Parking on Hills
CAUTION:
You really should not park your vehicle, with a
trailer attached, on a hill. If something goes
wrong, your rig could start to move. People can
be injured, and both your vehicle and the trailer
can be damaged.
But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here's
how to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don't shift into
PARK (P) yet.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
brake, and then shift to PARK (P).
5. Release the regular brakes.

6-16
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
The air cleaner/filter is on the driver's side of the engine
compartment. To check or replace the air cleaner/filter:
1. Loosen the two clips on top of the air cleaner
housing and lift the filter cover tabs out of
the housing.
2. Push the filter housing cover toward the engine,
compressing the hose.3. Pull out the filter.
4. Replace the air filter and make sure the filter cover
tabs position through the slots in the housing.
A notch on the sides of the filter cover will indicate
the correct engagement.
5. Fasten the two clips on the top of the housing when
you are finished.
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when to
replace the air filter.
See ªScheduled Maintenance Servicesº in the Index.
CAUTION:
Operating the engine with the air cleaner/filter
off can cause you or others to be burned. The air
cleaner not only cleans the air, it stops flame if
the engine backfires. If it isn't there, and the
engine backfires, you could be burned. Don't
drive with it off, and be careful working on the
engine with the air cleaner/filter off.

6-33
2. Lift the tabs to remove the bulb from the assembly.
3. Replace the bulb. Push the bulb assembly in and turn
it clockwise to install the bulb assembly into the
headlamp assembly.Headlamp Aiming
Your vehicle has a visual optical headlamp aiming
system equipped with horizontal aim indicators. The
aim has been pre
-set at the factory and should need no
further adjustment. This is true even though your
horizontal aim indicators may not fall exactly on the ª0º
(zero) marks on their scales.